Being A Daddy 101

Turner
******** 

He hadn't realized how lonely the stone walls of their apartment had been
until he had brought Kellie home. He who had never minded where he lived, so
long as it was kept neat... had food in the cabinets and hot running water,
was now at this very moment learning what a home really was.

It wasn't someplace you did all of the above. No not at all... that was a
house maybe... but a home was a place where two or more people shared their
daily lives. A place where you knew someone was waiting for you to come home
and worried about you if you were late. A home was where the people you
loved lived.

Like his parents home. It had always been full of love... the kind of love
Turner never expected to find much less feel in his heart the way he did for
the woman beside him. 

Yes Kellie made this place a home for him. For without her in it, it had
been nothing but a place to lay his head down and sleep. It had been an
empty shell. Kellie has been what it took to fill it and now as he helped
her down from the back of Varie, their house would once again become a home.

"Easy love," he chuckled when she would have hurried inside. "We've all the
time in the world and you are *not* suppose to be over doing it right now."

"But Turner I want to be in my own home sitting in my own chair..." Kellie
started to protest but Turner cut her off.

"The only place you're going right now Granny is to lay in *our* bed and get
some more sleep."

"But I'm not tired," she pouted, looking so much like Arly or Leyean that he
laughed outright.

"Why is it 5 or 30 something... you woman always think that you can turn a
man around by pulling that look?"

"And what *look* would that be Sonny?" she asked, turning away but with a
look of innocence on her face.

"You know the look I mean woman," he chuckled again, pulled her around into
his arms then leaned forward until their foreheads touched. "Okay you can
sleep on the couch as well as in our bed I guess, but you will stay there
and if you need anything then *I* will get it for you."

She snuggled against him. "Ooh... I could get to like having someone wait on
my hand and foot."

"Would every day for the rest of our lives be long enough to get used to
it?" he asked, his tone serious now as he pulled her back against the hard
lines of his wide chest. "I never prayed so hard for anything before in my
life... But when I thought I was going to lose you..." he paused, bowing his
head until his face was buried in the curve of her neck. "I prayed day and
night for the Gods to bring you back to me... You've become my life
Kellie... My reason for going on. Without you I would only be half a man...
You my love are my Dragon...The second half of my soul."


[[Well John... what's she have to say about that! ]]

It was later that night when he allowed that she had rested enough to let
her get up off the couch for a brief walk around. When she didn't look to
tired after that, he agreed with her wishes to go down and see Farr'in and
Meena's newest one. 

Turner had to admit. He was as excited about seeing the little girl as
Kellie was. Not just because she was his new niece... but because in next to
no time he would be a father himself, and he needed all the help he could
get on being a father. 

"Oh can we really go down and see her now?" Kellie beamed when he made the
offer.

"Sure... But why don't you have Varie contact Vonn or Tergath okay to see if
Meena's up for the visit." He advised, not wanting to get down there and
find out that the new mother was asleep.

Seconds went by and Kellie turned to him with a big smile on her face. "Vonn
said Meena is awake and would welcome the visit."

He helped her into the bedroom and assisted her as she put on something big
and lose. Something that turned out to be one of his shirts. For they nearly
swallowed her, with having to fit his wide powerful shoulders. 

Then he picked her up, despite her protest that she could walk and carried
her out to where Varie was waiting. 

"I know you can walk love... But allow me a few minutes to hold you close,"
he winked and then deposited her next to her dragon and gave her a hand as
she mounted. Then he climbed up behind her and wrapped his arms around her
pulling her back into the protection of his arms. 

"I wonder..." he mussed nuzzling her next with his lips. "How it would be to
make love while flying around on a dragon."

"Turner!" she laughed, but tilted her face back until she could meet his
lips with hers. "I don't think right now is the time to find out... but keep
it in mind for something to try later."

Varie took off and landed a few minutes later on the ledge outside of
Farr'in & Meena's apartment. The first person they saw was Demee outside
talking up a storm with the three dragons who were there. For Dan'yar's
copper green dragon Shinner was there with Vonn and Tergath. Which meant
both his older brothers were there.

Well Dan'yar had just as much right to see their newest niece as he did.

"Hello Demee," he greeted the boy. "How's it going sport? Learning all the
dragon's gossip?"

"They don't gossip Unk' Turner," Demee grinned back at his stocky Uncle as
the man picked him up and gave him a hug. "But they do tell me some neat
stories."

"Stories huh?" he grinned. "Like how they won the wraith fight all by
themselves?"

"No...That's silly," Demee giggled as Turner tickled him, then set him down.
"Come to see my new sister?"

"You bet sport," Turner agreed. "I was thinking I'd better learn how to hold
a baby now, so that when ours is born I won't be such a bad dad."

"You'll be a good daddy... just like mine," the little boy said as if he at
lease held no doubts. "You already know how to give good hugs."

"So that's all there is to know about being a dad huh?"

Kellie grinned in the back ground as she watched her mates dealing with the
small boy, and agreed with Demee that Turner would be a good father. He
already knew how to talk to the child without making him feel like one.

"Well... you'll need to learn how to change nappies too... cause mommy said
that was something my daddy had to learn."

Kellie smothered a laugh at the look that came over Turner's face. 

"Nappies...huh?" the smith grimmest. "Well I guess there's more to being a
dad then giving good hugs?"

"Sure is... but my daddy will tell you 'bout it if you ask him. He's really
good at it."

"Maybe we should go ask him to start now," Kellie said, wanting to get
inside to see the baby. 

"Sure... go on in," Demee told them. "Unk Dani is here too... and he knows
about being a daddy too. I'm gonna stay out here and listen to some more
stories before I gotta go to bed."

"Okay sport but don't let them get away with telling you any tall tails,"
Turner winked at the boy before moving to place his hand on Kellie's waist
and led her inside.

[Inside]

"They've never been gone this long before, nor disobeyed me when I've called
them back," Dan'yar was saying when Turner and Kellie entered the living
area. "I'm getting worried with them being gone so long... I mean I know
they were mad..."

"And you didn't think they would be after you finding out you weren't going
to let them fill the courier role?" Meena asked.

Dan'yar frowned. "Not you too."

"Not me too what?" she asked sweetly, thinking she already knew.

"Cynthia already gave me hell about my not letting them do it, but I still
believe they are to young for that kind of responsibility."

"How will they ever learn to be responsible if you don't give them room to
grow up?" she asked in a kindly voice. "I mean they are 13... true... but
they both ride dragons now and by Warren rules that makes them adults..."
she held up her hand when he would have denied her statement.

"Think about it Dan'yar... If they had been the children of one of the other
riders would you still be feeling the same way?" she asked him. "I mean Seth
isn't any older but you don't seem to have a problem with him working at a
courier."

Farr'in wisely kept quiet and let his mate handle the talking. She did after
all have more experience with children then he did up to now.

He knew she was right, but she just didn't understand. Let her wait until it
was *her* son or daughter in the same boat.

Behind them Turner cleared his throat. "Seems we came in the middle of
something," he said and the others turned to see the new visitors. "Maybe we
should come back?"

"No... It's nothing to do with Warren secrets bro," Dan'yar admitted. "It's
the girls... We had a fight and they flew off on their dragons after
training today and haven't come home yet. I was getting a little worried so
I came by to talk to Farr'in and Meena to get their advice."

"Sounds like your getting it," the youngest brother there chuckled as he
helped his mate into a chair.

"You could say that," Dan'yar muttered, not at all pleased by what advice he
had received. Didn't they understand? The twins were only 13 years old.
Babies still!

"I'm sure the twins are fine. You know their dragons won't let them come to
harm... and you pulled something like this when you were younger. I do
remember a time back in Telnor when you ran away because mom and dad
wouldn't let you stand on the sands for the eggs the same time Farr'in did.
So don't worry to much. But in the mean time, if you don't mind a slight
interruption... My mate here and I have come to pay our respects to our
newest niece."

Farr'in grinned and stood up from the spot he'd been sitting in next to
Meena. Hang on and let me see if the little minx is awake." He said and
slipped from the room.

"You trust him to get her if she is?" Turner asked Meena in surprise.

"Only after your mother spent the better part of an hour teaching him how to
hold her just right," Meena grinned.

Farr'in returned and Kellie instantly held out her arms for the baby. "Oh
may I hold her?" she cooed softly and the smile that light up her face when
Farr'in hand Melenna to her made Turner love her all the more.

"She's beautiful," Kellie sighed, angling the little one so Turner could
look upon her beauty also. 

"She's so small," he said, voice filled with wonder and amazement as he
reached out to touch her small finger. 
Beside his own the tiny finger of the baby looked twice as small. "And
beautiful," he remarked and looked up to meet the eyes of the baby's mother.
"She takes after you Meena which is a good thing."

"Oh I don't know," Meena laughed, and patted Farr'in's arm. "I happen to
think her father looks pretty handsome."

"Why thanks you my love," he grinned warmly down at her. "I guess my brother
doesn't have any taste."

"Hey I got taste!" Turner protested quickly. "I mean I did ask Kellie to be
my mate didn't I..... I think I did pretty well there since she said yes."

"I had to love," Kellie chuckled as she rocked the baby on her arms. "you
were so big you were scaring all the other girls off."

"Ahh..." Turner grinned wickedly. "But think about what they're missing out
on while you get to enjoy it."

"What? And let them all in on my secret!" Kellie gave a mock look of horror.
"Then I'd have to fight them all off to have my turn with you."

"That's okay Granny," he winked. "Next to you all other woman pale. You'd
wear me out before any of them even had a turn." He quickly turned to look
at Meena. "No offence meant dear sister-in-law... but your mate is one of
the few men who can still give me a good fight, so I'm keeping you out of this."

"Damn right," Farr'in snorted. "Just so you remember that!"

though Meena had been joining in with the fun bantering of the brother's,
she was still aware by the looks Dan'yar kept shooting towards the door that
he really was worried about the twins.

"Dan'yar...if they don't come back soon..."she started slowly and was
stopped by both her mate and Dan'yar himself.

"We'll handle it while you stay here and rest!" they chorused.

Meena rolled her eyes at them both. 

"I wasn't going to suggest going out myself to look for them... but you
might think about asking Trevor to have Trissana try out her special *ping*
to see if she can find them... She has met Fayona and Kayrana hasn't she?"

Dan'yar looked puzzled. 

"She does have to have met or at least been in contact with the one she
trying to find. Doesn't she?"

"I don't really know how she does what she does," Dan'yar said slowly as he
thought her suggestion over. "Maybe I'll ask him if they don't return soon."

[[Tag Kris... if Meena wants to give him some more advice... and John if
Kellie wants to talk about the baby or anything more...]]

[[ add Dan'yar's going to see Trevor from my post ** When Daddy Doesn't
See.....* here.....]]

****Submitted by: *******

Dan'yar & Shinner, Alpha Wingleader
Turner; Mastersmith
Farr'in & Tergath
Cleft Warren

Aka Barbara