Gallant smiled and watched his grandsons' timeship disappear. They'd spread their visits over his time, but all five ships of his sons, their sons and grandsons had visited his universe from their own. They'd all needed to see him. He knew why, or was fairly sure he did. They'd fought one war and it looked as if they were headed for another. He'd complained loudly that none of them had brought any of the girls, but his great-grandson Mick had shared his memories of mommies holding new babies.
The boys had all looked good, almost TOO good. He wondered how they managed to stay out of the type of trouble he had so much trouble avoiding. He patted his carefully cultivated slight paunch and grinned. He had a dinner engagement. The lady was beautiful and a terrific cook. It promised to be a VERY warm evening. He wasn't THAT good at avoiding trouble.
In the time and space ship Narnia, Ace, Pierce, Mick, Red and Cap were comfortably lounging in their living room. Ace complained Red was purring and he just grinned at him. They all felt very nice. Mick sighed in contentment and just a bit of relief.
"Ace, it's NOT getting easier. One of these days, he's going to notice my memory has Gallant-sized holes in it."
"You're the one who volunteered to share your memories of our grandkids, Mick."
"True, but I'd forgotten how many of my memories had Gallant bouncing babies."
"Eventually, he's going to catch on. He just asked us not to tell him too much about his future. I imagine he's already realized he comes to us some time in that future."
"I think he has, Pierce. He felt good this time."
"Red, even MY empathy is strong enough to tell me that. I want to use this fairly long journey to see if we can fill in some of the holes in the paradox equations for Dad. Maybe we can lift a bit of the burden off him if we can identify a few of the choices to come."
"I don't know if we can do that, Ace, but we can probably figure out what hasn't been completed."
"Even that will help him, Mick."
The three sets of three equations and the unifier were the mathematical representation of their existence, each symbol and function one of them and each operation a choice made. The unifier would mainfest as one choice by one person that had been/would be made. The last set of three equations involved them all. The seventh and eighth were near complete and the ninth begun, but that meant the resistance to change was getting stronger. And for some reason their descendants and future selves were taking a hand and... hurrying.
Their encounters with the future had been very helpful in one way. They had been carefully and repeatedly assured they existed in it. They needed the assurance. The timewalkers' future memories were of all the knights but Maggie dying in the war. It meant Dutch could find a way to keep them all alive. It was a terrible burden and awesome responsibility, but none of them had any doubts he could carry the load. They all intended to help.
* * * *
Dutch paced and the timewalkers held on to something. Narnia wasn't even in yet and he was making changes. The future was a whirl in their minds.The infinite ship that masqueraded as an antique wardrobe shimmered into existence and Red carried Pierce out the door in the side. Pierce was protesting he wasn't too dizzy to walk. Red told him he would be if he ran into anything else and put him on a couch. Dutch stopped pacing and collected hugs. When everyone had gotten one from each of the Builders, he looked around at his gathered family and smiled.
"Sorry I made all the walkers dizzy. I've decided not to take chances with our future. I'm going to change the timetable. Mike, Bill and Cass, I want you with us. I want us all out of the Fed timestream until we're truly ready. I want time to really look this over. When it does begin, you three and Butch will NOT be involved. Mike, don't argue. Your future children are too precious. Dad, you're out of it too."
"WHAT?!"
"It does no good to keep them and their children safe to carry on our race if there's no ship to carry them through time."
"No, Dutch. I agree there should be a ship. But if you go to fight the mechs, I WON'T stay out of it. Build another ship. Give it to Maggie. Dutch, I COULDN'T stay out of it. I couldn't obey an ORDER to stay out of it."
"Lane?"
"The images won't settle until you decide, Dutch. You've decided. Wait... You're about to get your answer."
"Dutch! What are you doing to my life?!"
"Uh, hi, Maggie. Don't you WANT a ship?"
"A ship. Yes, I... want a ship. Dutch, you have taken four deaths from my memory. You've taken more than that, but FOUR of our own. I have faith you'll find a way to take the others from it as well. You have assured the children. There are... others who must be born. Butch, do you see?"
"Yes. It may not be easy. We'll convince them. Mike, I know you don't like knowing the future, but this time it's necessary."
Butch pathed Mike and Cass the reason Dutch would keep them out of the war. They saw their future children and understood. Mike squeezed Bill's hand. He was her husband and human. He was also pledged to aid in her duties as a Knight Gallant, even if that meant doing nothing.
"Bill, we'll return you to your ship exactly when you're supposed to be there, however much time passes here. I'm sorry."
"I'm not, Dutch. I know I'll still be captain. I've been pulled out of time often enough... It's like reading two books at once. Within a paragraph, your confusion ends. If there are four fewer deaths in the timewalkers' memories, I'd be delighted to extend my leave."
"Good. Mike, I want you, and you too, Butch, to emulate Cass. I want you to start having your children close together. I... don't like asking."
"Dutch, we see the need. Our problem is Edith. Bill's mother NEEDS to be with her grandchildren and she's still two years in the future. You see the situation."
"Butch... I don't want to change the way this was supposed to happen. Lane, help."
"You must be very careful, Dutch. This is our own world we're tampering with."
"I leave it to you and Bill, Mike."
"We'll pick her up to be with us, but we won't stay here. We'll stay away from Home for the two plus, then bring her and our children back. We'll go to Adith."
"Two plus was longer than... Lane?"
"It's... Maggie?"
"Take the two plus, Dutch. There are now FIVE fewer deaths in my memory. There are others who need you. The two plus will add other children to the ones who overburden Edith's gravchair. There will be... Butch, you tell her."
"Mike, you're going to establish the family record for multiple births, two sets of twins and one of triplets. You're going to have eight children in four years."
"WHAT?! No WONDER Cal and Dez are giggling."
"You were always going to have a bunch of kids, Mike. You just... stack them up. Twins twice, fraternal. Then fraternal triplets. Don't worry. You'll have LOTS of help. We'll have a tendency to hover. Most of us will keep pretty close. There will be a LOT of children born in the next few years. We'll have all here at Home before the battle with the mechs begins, but you're still out of it. Dutch will put you three back in the Fed when we go into that time. You'll work out a way to have SOME of your kids with you all the time. Mike, you and Bill grab Cass and clear Fed time fairly often for long periods. Cass, you'll see our children more often, but Dan and Tel have a tendency to occupy some of your time with work."
"Thanks, Cal. I found out how badly I miss them, especially now that Elizabeth has started to talk."
"It's not easy for Dez or me either. It's not easy for any of us. We'll have forty-one children born or conceived within the next five years, Dutch. DON'T ask us for more. Please."
"Forty-one! No, I won't, Cal. Forty-one children under five. Oh, my."
"Dutch, Elana and Andrea contribute three each to that total and I've given one. Be careful. Even this does not assure the future."
"I know, Maggie, and I know some of what will assure it. No one enters that time for three years, then we go back to Pastora. Dez, build your mother a ship. Dad, help him. Get it done. She's one of us and she too has work to do. Maggie, when the ship is done, I have two things to give you. Pierce, finish her diadem. I think you should wear it, Maggie, but the choice, as always, is yours. Lan, I'm messing with your life too, Son. Do you have something to add?"
"No, but... I was just thinking we're going to need a bigger school. The Gallants are not the only family in this community. We need to build."
"Dutch, he's right, as usual. Lan, the Builders will help."
"Ooh, Pierce, you just made Ace and Mick REAL happy. I liked it too. We get to work and play with grandbabies too."
"Yes, Red, we do. We'll make trips to see Mike too, but she's not going to Adith. They're going to Mern. Yeah, close by, but not Hone. Dutch changed things when Lan said, 'Build'. Ace is going to tell him how happy it made him."
"Dad, it made me very happy. Pierce, you know I hate saying things after you've told people I'm going to say them."
"Yes, Ace. But if you don't say them, I wouldn't have known you were and I couldn't tell them."
"Dad, it did make me happy. I think it made everyone happy. Thank you, I... I'm not ready to fight another war."
"I'm not either, Ace. Forty-one. Ooh, I pushed pretty hard, didn't I?"
"Yes, Dutch, you did. And we know you didn't like it. We also just heard you give us three years before we have to face... the possibility of some of us dying in a war. We heard you set our house in order. The war in our future memory has moved a bit farther away and you have given us family and love before. Dutch, Cal's going to do it again."
"What, Dez?"
"Well, of all the males, he'll have the most children. We all have four but Dan and him. He has five. Two MORE ladies ask him to be Daddy. Build Lily, Rose and Heather a big house near Butch and Abeland's, Ace. They'll need it. Dutch, the women we chose... Ala gives us three children. So does Lily. Mary gives us FOUR. They chose US. We're going to bunch another generation up, but we'll do it without using time travel."
"Bondgroups will still train at ALMOST seventeen. Some of them will even be nearly as close together in age as we were, but not many groups will all have birthdays the same day. My death is one Maggie no longer sees, Dutch. I see myself watching over the children. I refuse to believe it will be without the rest of you."
"It won't be, Butch. I'll find a way. Now, I've done something I never thought I'd do. I've put off solving the worst problem til later. Mike, Bill, we have a lot of holdings on Mern and in the Malbattan cluster in general. Look them over and see how they're doing. RUN those businesses, Mike. Get money into the hands of people who do good things with it. Get a yacht, a big one. Pick for style and sturdy. We'll rebuild drive, defenses and anything else necessary. This community needs more than just the Knights' ships. Put it together for us, Mike. If something DID happen to most of us, I want no hardship here, NO hardship."
"Understood, Dutch. We're more than self-supporting. Transport is... No, we need communications. Being this close to Bernis is our BEST defense, but we should have ties to the Fed in this time too."
"Not yet. I'm not ready to meet the Fed of this time. Dad, Dez, build them defenses. Lane, Clete, Puck, we're leaving. Get in the ship."
"What? Dutch, I'm VERY dizzy."
"I can tell, Lane. It's hard to keep you moving in a straight line. We have unfinished business. When I said I hadn't put something off before, I realized I had. We know there are things we didn't take care of."
"The bernisi and Chief Lord Ann; yes, they need us."
"Dutch, you're tying up loose ends. YOU don't expect to live through the war with the mechs."
"Not exactly, Clete. I'm nearly finished with what I know I HAVE to do. The equations won't be complete. There are things which still must happen, but the part I know is mine is nearly done. If I can finish it all, then we'll only have to fight the mechs when we fight the war. That's the big change I KNOW must be made. I haven't figured out what all that involves yet, but the Builders' work helped. Uh, oh, I've got a block up again. Dez and Dad will NOT be happy."
"A LOT of people will not be happy, Dutch. You ran us out without even a hug. Puck is not happy with you either. He says he's thinking about Morse code on your thigh with a claw."
"I'm sorry, Puck. I just... put up a block. I didn't even realize I'd done it til just now. There. That better? OUCH! Ooh, Dad is NOT happy with me. He just mentally yelled he wasn't speaking to me."
"And Dez?"
"He's NOT speaking to me, or yelling either. Knight Creator, to me!"
"I am here, Lord. What would you have of me?"
"Hi, Dez. I don't know about you, but I'm hungry. I thought we'd try talking Clete into fixing fried chicken for late supper. Go look on my bed."
"Oh, I'm dizzy. Lane?"
"Don't ask me, Dez. I've been dizzy since he shoved me in Melissa. I set coordinates and held on."
"Go look on my bed, Dez."
Clete grinned. Dutch was anticipating something with absolute delight. His grin widened when Dez shouted, "WOW! Dutch, they're GREAT!" He thought he was prepared, then Dez ran out of Dutch's room and he and Lane both just sat down and giggled. Puck laughed with them.
Dutch and Dez had a running 'thing' with early media cartoon characters and they thought they were inured, but nothing could have prepared them for the sight of Dez, at over two meters and very well developed, in footed Snoopy pajamas.
"They're repped. I couldn't find any big enough. Happy birthday."
"You REMEMBERED!"
"This time I actually DID remember. I think I'm off a few days, but I'm close. Aren't I?"
"Tomorrow. Well, after midnight, just a few minutes. I... can't remember how old I am; somewhere between twenty-seven and nine, I think. You realize none of us keeps track after seventeen? We celebrate the day, but not the year. Gallant taught us not to keep track. He's a bit angry at the way you left too."
"And VERY angry I put up a block. Father!"
"Oh, MY, those are interesting, Dez."
"My birthday present from Dutch, Gallant. I THINK Clete and Lane liked them too, but they've been giggling too hard to ask."
"Dutch, if you're planning on teleporting everyone who's upset with you, you're going to be VERY busy. Come on, Son, let's talk. Dez, you're even sexy in THOSE."
"Gallant, he's got knots. You do, Dutch. You go talk. I'll get Puck to help me think of fried chicken until Clete gets hungry and quits giggling."
"Mm, I HOPE I'm staying for late supper."
"You are. Dad, we've begun solving the last equation and I know I must be the prime operating factor though most of it. I'm... trying to get as much of it completed as possible before we meet the mechs. I want, need, to reduce the number of deaths Maggie foresees by a few more. I'll relax a bit after I know one more piece of the equation is complete. After I complete it, you become more important to us than I am. Dad, listen! You're the Mentor, the teacher to guide us all. There will be forty-one young ones to teach. It's why I wanted you out of it."
"Dutch, you are much more than just the head of this family. You're the one they'd follow anywhere. You have our total trust. Yes, OUR. WE believe you'll find a way through this for us. You don't, do you?"
"I intend to make sure our home and children survive even if I don't. That raises the probability I will."
"Good point."
"Thank you. I want you and Dez to build time defenses. I want our world stabilized."
"I don't know if that's possible. Planetary defenses, yes, but I can't even think of a way to defend it from changes in the past."
"Dez will be thinking too."
"Also a good point. Why don't you want to meet the Fed in that time?"
"Because we still have people serving in the fleet three hundred years before. I'd like us all out of the Exploration Fleet before we meet up with the Orion Arm Federation of Free Worlds in that time. I don't want to hear we all, or even some of us, died. Come in, Dez."
"You're making Lane and me dizzy."
"I'm still putting it together. Dez, why multiple births for Mike?"
"She does it, mostly for Edith. She and Bill want Edith to hold all their children and they want them all to remember Granna."
"I should have realized love was... the reason. Let's go back to the living room. I want to do something and I need Clete, Lane and Puck."
"Oh, brother. Whatever you're planning REALLY put things spinning. Lane may not be ABLE to help. See, on the floor."
"Clete, help Lane up. In front of the fireplace. Dad, I want you and Dez on your knees in front of us."
Dutch surged into power and carried them with him. Lane pushed the whirl in his mind aside and pulled himself together as best he could. Whatever Dutch was planning, it would have major effects on the future. The Three were in their white uniforms. Gallant was in silver. Dez wore what he always wore when Dutch carried them into power, coronet and mist.
"Lord Gallant, Knight Mentor, draw your sword and hold it across your palms as the Knight Creator does his. My brothers, that which I do now, I am sure is right. I have called all to witness this. Know, all the Knights Gallant, and mpst pf the rest of the family, are present in mind. My loved children, I make you brothers. You are given to each other. Sir Desman, Knight Creator, hold forth your sword. Lord Gallant, Knight Mentor, lay your hand upon it. Pledge to him, Lord Gallant, and accept him as brother."
"I... pledge myself to you as brother. I pledge my love, my strength, and all my knowledge to you at need. I accept you as my... brother."
"Knight Creator, your hand on his sword and pledge."
"I pledge myself to you as brother. I pledge my strength and my skill at need. You will ALWAYS have my love. I accept you as my brother."
"I ask the power of life to witness what I have done."
Light washed over and through them. The powers had acknowledged. The room pulsed with the light of the fire opal in Dez' sword. Suddenly it flared. Dez and Gallant both cried out and collapsed. Dutch dropped out of power.
"It is done. Clete, check them. I'll hang onto Lane."
"Unconscious, but they're coming back. Puck's laughing."
"Dutch, the power bound them. They're brothers. You gave them each other. And somehow..."
"Maggie's laughing, Lane. She says she likes having two boys. I took five more deaths from her memory. Dad, are you all right?"
"Hmm? Oh, yes, but... I'm not sure what happened."
"Well, I told you Dez was your brother and the powers agreed. Maggie's still laughing. Expect to be mothered and called son. It seems the powers included her in their acknowledgment. Dad, can you see the bond between you and Dez?"
"Yes, Dutch. I'm... It feels right, Dutch. You gave me a brother. My great-great-grandson and my brother. I... Why, Dutch?"
"I want to know too."
"What can I tell you, Dez? Dad, it was just... the right thing to do."
"Obviously, the power of life agreed. You made me VERY nervous when you told Dez to put his hand on my sword."
"You made ME nervous when you told Gallant to put his hand on mine."
"It made me nervous too, Dez. Dad, your brother is about out on his feet. He needs a nap. He used a lot of energy."
"Gallant! Put me down! Oh, help. Night, night."
"Talk, Dutch. You're intensely pleased with yourself."
"Yes, Clete, I am. Anything that gives Maggie giggles has got to be good. Butch says she's lying on the floor, holding her sides and giggling. She's rather amazed. She hasn't heard her do that since they were twelve. Lane, they can call or go to each other."
"I see it, Dutch. Dez could always call Dad. Now Dad can call him, and will often. They develop a closeness that's... Have you talked to Cal yet?"
"No, I've been listening to Maggie giggle. Ooh, they're a little confused about their feelings. Knight Seer, Knight Romantic, to me!"
"Hi, Dutch. You realize Cal has spent most of the last hour on the floor?"
"Lane too, Sandy. Come on, let me show you something. I felt them both fall asleep. I wonder if Dad's ever been cuddled by someone in Snoopy jammies before. Yeah, Dez wrapped round Dad."
"He'll call Gallant his little brother, Dutch. It was a good change."
"I know, Cal, but it's hurt you."
"Nah, a little of what I refuse to recognize as jealousy. Dez was ours first. That kind of stuff. Those pajamas... He'll wear them constantly. He's going to insist Gallant bring them with him. Dutch, it's after midnight. You bound them on their birthday."
"Ooh, I remembered Dez', but forgot it was Dad's too. Hmm. Oops, grab him, Sandy. Sorry, Cal."
"He and Lane aren't dizzy, Dutch. They're giggling."
"Oh, good, they must like the idea, Clete. Well, time for the replicator."
"The replicator?"
"Yes, Clete, but I think Linus is more suitable for Dad's jammies than Snoopy, don't you? Clete? Sandy? Oh, well, you all just lie there and giggle."
Maggie touched his mind while he stood at the replicator. He swayed. Even her mental kisses made him dizzy. He took the pajamas into his room and got his VERY groggy father into them, then stood and watched as Dez pulled him back into his arms and curled around him. He pathed the image of the two of them to all the family and was nearly bowled over by the surge of love that flooded through the psychic bond all the knights shared. He sat down and giggled with the rest of them. Gallant hadn't really been awake when he'd put him into the pajamas. He was going to be VERY surprised when he woke up.
Gallant awoke warm and very safe feeling. Both the warm and safe were coming from Dez. He woke him when he stirred.
"I always wanted a little brother, Gallant. You're just who I had in mind. I see you got a birthday present too."
"What? DUTCH!"
"Uh, hi, Dad. Happy birthday."
"Dutch... Linus?!"
"Well, he's the wisest and I already gave you a security blanket. It's dressed in Snoopy jammies. Dad, five more deaths disappeared from Maggie's memory when the powers acknowledged you two as brothers. Eleven down, thirteen to go. Oh, and the WHOLE family thinks you two are adorable in your jammies."
"Dutch, I'll get you for this."
"I'm sure you will, Dad. I'm looking forward to it. Bring Dez. Sandy and Cal are here too. You might as well add him to the pile of gigglers in the living room."
"Oh, my, that IS a pile. Hmm, I smell fried chicken. Since Clete is in the pile, I'd better go keep an eye on it. You know, Dutch, these pajamas are comfortable and warm."
"I tried. Maggie says she agrees with Dez. You're his LITTLE brother and HER little boy."
"Oh, dear. Dutch, there's something about this--"
"Don't solve the mystery. Just accept you've been doubly, no, trebly, adopted."
"Trebly?"
"Yes. You didn't get it all, did you? Oops, I made Maggie giggle again."
"Maggie is... giggling?"
"Yes. I adopted you too. I'm your dad, Dad."
"WHAT?!"
"I did it for a reason. I gave you Dez formally, but I gave you Ace and Lan too. If something happens to me in the battle with the mechs, you're to lead our people. Hopefully, you will have three brothers and two sons to aid."
"Hopefully, I'll never have to learn I CAN lead our people. You could have asked me."
"No, I'm sure it was MY choice to make. You were alone too long. You will NEVER be so again. You are loved son and brother as well as father to us all. Dad, I've been thinking about what it meant when I put YOU to sleep with MY heartbeats. It told me I had to be father to ALL, including you."
"Maggie did the same thing."
"That's how I knew you and Dez should be brothers. She agrees and says you're OUR boy. Dad, the hints were too strong to ignore. Here. Let me show you."
Dutch put his arms around Gallant and held him. Gallant sighed deeply.
"Yes, now my turn. Dutch..."
"I know, Dad. I feel just as safe in your arms as I always have. That hasn't changed. It just got... reciprocal. Dad, keep Dez alive for me. You can call him or go to him. Yes, just as I do. MAYBE he'll even come dressed. He DOES think of you as his 'little' brother. He's going to be protective. Which, of course, brings me if he gets upset. I've got you, Dad. He WILL know if you're in trouble. You see, I know you too well. If you think a situation is TOO dangerous, you wouldn't call anyone else into it, not even me. Dez will just show up and I'll be RIGHT behind him. HE'LL yell for help."
"Oh, dear. I'm NOT ready for all this."
"Sure you are. You're my son, Dad, and Dez' brother. Maggie decided you were hers too. She'll... lose a child. She's just filled that empty place with you."
"She already had. I didn't WANT to see it. Dutch, I've never held Maggie in my arms. She's held me, but..."
"Dad, Athena does exist. Will exist. Can exist. She's been conceived or... Dez doesn't have problems with tenses when he talks about things. You don't."
"To you, exists is exists. It's why they follow you, why WE follow you. You live totally in the present, but you see the future clearer than any timewalker. I want an oath from you."
"An oath?"
"Yes. You're preparing to die. I want your oath you will not."
"What? Dad..."
"Yes. Exactly. You've just wrapped the whole family around ME. I want your oath you'll stay alive, so I don't have to carry YOUR burden. You see, I know just how hard you'll work to keep from breaking an oath, much harder than just trying to stay alive. Yes, the whole family wants it. There's a group assembled by the fireplace. Shall we go?"
"The chicken?"
"Turned down, lidded, and slow cooking til tender and juicy and well done to the bone. I DO hope you take us into power. Oh, well."
They giggled through it. Dutch didn't take them into power. Gallant accepted his oath on behalf of the family in Linus 'jammies' and holding his sword. They were all surprised when the powers acknowledged the oath. Light passed through and over them and it left a feeling of giggles.
They all just watched Dutch. He giggled. Every few minutes, he'd start again. Gallant finally decided he'd BETTER find out what was so funny.
"It... PURRED. It... giggled and PURRED. It... tickled and rattled my teeth. Everyone in the family who purrs is purring. MAGGIE is purring. I always wanted to... feel her psychic purr. It TICKLES. Dad, can't you FEEL them? Do you know YOU'RE purring?"
"Well, I noticed Clete, Dez and Sandy were. Dutch, you made us all feel secure. You gave us your oath to stay alive. We firmly believe, if you're alive, you'll find a way to keep us alive. And we KNOW you won't break an oath to us, even if you DID giggle all the way through it."
"Dad, your 'big' brother asked me to have a talk with my 'son'. He thinks... I should tell you."
"Dutch, what did he do to me THIS time?"
"He didn't. I did. That's why I... have to tell you why Cal keeps giggling."
"Uh, huh, and that is?"
"No matter how far away... I wonder if I should warm up the regen unit."
"TALK, Dutch. No mater how far away WHAT?"
"When Dez gets warm, so will you."
"WHAT?! Oh, NO. Oh, dear, Dez. Oh, help."
Cal, Lane and Dez just sank to the floor and giggled. Clete and Sandy started giggling before Cal pathed why they were giggling. Clete and Sandy were empaths and giggles just felt TOO good not to join. Puck walked through Melissa and the rest of the telepaths in the family looked at the groups of gigglers with his eyes and listened with his ears. They shared the image of Dutch and Gallant sitting on the floor, back to back, giggling and the five lying in the living room with the whole family, then tucked it away as one of the "favorite shots" in the family album.
Mike's "Oh, my, does it work both ways?" sent them all into giggles again. It did. Mike groaned. Dez was her half-brother and in her bondgroup. If he got warm, she got warm. Cal pathed Dez was ALWAYS warm so it really wouldn't get worse. Mike agreed and giggled some more. Cal grinned at Sandy.
"Mike suggests you and I give Gallant a few tips on surviving bonded to Dez. Expect another heartfelt thank you when you toss Dez into a cold shower."
"You know, Cal, I really don't LIKE to do that to him. Going from WARM dreams to COLD water is... a bit of a shock."
"Yes, but it leaves him wet and giggling and the rest of us VERY relieved. Shall we have a talk with Gallant and see how long we can keep Dez giggling? Gallant! Crawl over here. Mike suggests we give you some survival tips. Let' s see... Always see what Dez is doing before you go out in public."
"Always know where the nearest cold water is. "
"Always keep close watch on your metabolism. He can accidentally raise your body temperature."
"If you feel him getting toasty, find some company."
"Find an exit so you don't get mobbed."
"Uh, uh, explain that, Cal."
"When Dez glows, you glow and vice versa. He's even more seductive, sexier, than he used to be."
"And a LOT more passionate. He surprised himself."
"Sorry, Gallant. Sandy's right. I was always warm, but... not really passionate. Now I don't just heat up, I catch fire. Interesting. I never even knew there was something missing."
"We did, all of us. I'm glad to hear it. I think. I'm not TOO pleased about being INVOLVED in it. Cal, just how intense is this... Never mind. Giggles are PLENTY of answer. Dutch, I WILL get you for this."
"Oh, you already HAVE, Gallant. He just doesn't know it yet. Ask Lane why HE'S still giggling."
"Lane, Cal says I should ask you about YOUR giggles."
"He... Not just you, Dutch too. When Dez... We ALL get warm. You warm Dutch. He warms Clete and me. He tied you BOTH ways. He's going to... get warm too."
"Oh, NO! Help! Lane, you've GOT to be kidding!"
"No, Dutch, not kidding. Dad warm, Dez warm, you warm, us warm. Always."
"Why do I think that's funny? Oh, help."
* * * *
Paradox Equation Page
Contents / Intro / Adult Women / General Audience / Style and Content
Roll Credits / Awarded by a Talespinner / Award Mantle
Requisite Author Bio
Copyright © 1999 Sharon L 'Spinner' Reddy
All Rights Reserved