Damien and his Brothers just continued to breathe evenly. The little family needed to do this experiment when they felt we weren’t watching. This was the perfect time for it. We’d let them take as long as they needed. Finally, they reached a decision.


    “We’re okay here. I remember them. This really is family,” Jonathan announced in that loud whisper and the little boys all murmured agreement.


    “We will trust them, if you are sure, Brother,” Mycah said with authority.


    That familiarity they’d felt to us was a good thing. Apparently they’d decided to ept it. I almost smiled as I heard them rx. The tension they’d held in their little bodies had been palpable.


    Mycah’s family was yawning and stretching. Feet passed in front of me as two boys headed back to their original spot. Behind me someone stumbled over Aiden as they made their way past and hands dug into my hair. Aiden stretched out behind my head and wrapped the softness in his fingers. ncing over I saw Jonathan curled up next to his father sucking on Evan’s fingers.


    “It’s cold,” I heard Niahin.


    He groused that he wanted his Brothers toe sleep with them. Mycah and Rees were also whining, they wanted to be closer. My men had had enough of being kept awake at night. It was time for sleeping.


    Bane pulled Rees over his chest and cocooned him between himself and Kein. Niah followed his Brother and fitted himself in the crook of Bane’s big arm beside Rees. Damien did the same thing with Mycah and the lead Brother snuggled between Evan and Damien, using Damien as a pillow as he yawned. My husbands tucked the boys in and I felt contentment spread around the bed.


    Reaching out a hand I stroked Jonathan lovingly. He was sleepy and calm. I kept a hand on him and he didn’t mind at all. In fact he seemed to rx further into the touch.


    My men cradled the small family that had finally epted them. For too long we had felt the separation of our family as an acute pain. We had our daughters returned to us, but our our sons had been lost. This night was the final step toward putting the family back together. We all felt right for the first time in a long time. The love in the room was throbbing round and round through the bonds that linked us.


    The boys fell asleep almost instantly. They liked being surrounded by family. This new family was big and strong. Once they determined we were good, they fell into an almost instant deep sleep. Hearing Aiden snore behind me I knew they hadn’t slept well in days.


    I smiled at Evan in the dark and saw the sh of white as he smiled back. They were our boys again. We had nothing to worry about. I fell back to sleep feeling more loved than I’d ever imagined a person could feel.


    ************************


    “I like it here,” I heard Jonathan whisper and I opened my eyes.


    Evan was propped on his side talking to our son. It was near moonset and Evan had woken when Jonathan did. Now theyy side by side talking in the early morning.


    “We didn’t like thepound,” Jonathan said with conviction. “My Brothers and I knew there were more in the family and not just us. We didn’t like the Keepers and we felt lonely….”


    “We missed you all, too,” Evan told him, as he stroked his boy’s hair. “You are family and we wanted to be close to you. I promise we won’t let anyone take you all again.”


    As theyy next to one another and talked, I knew what Evan was doing. He was reestablishing the connection we’d worked so hard to cultivate with our son. Jonathan said he remembered us and he loved us. It was alling back.


    The rest of the little ones were waking up, probably at Jonathan’s mental prodding. I felt Aiden behind me stretching and snuggling in my hair. Jonathan’s attention turned and was on his Brother immediately.


    In a sh I was smothered under Jonathan’s writhing form as he attacked Aiden. I pushed Jonathan up and over and he continued to wrestle with his Brother behind my head. I tugged my hair free and sat up to watch the boys.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    Once Aiden was excited and awake, Niah and Rees were their next targets. The boys pounced on Kein and Bane, intent on getting to their Brothers thaty nestled between the two men. Rees was the hardest to wake up and he didn’t rouse until Mycah crawled over Bane to get to him.


    The boys tumbled and yed on the bed until Damien pped his hands.


    “We go to swim and bathe, boys,” he said in amanding tone, “put on your clothing!”


    They were up in a sh. Watching the boys try to dress themselves was somewhat amusing. They were too young to get itpletely right. They put their shirts on inside out and used each other’s boots. At thepound the Keepers would have assisted them, for the first time in a long time I was able to help my boy. It was a wonderful feeling!


    Before we left for the pool, Evan spent a moment untangling my hair. I sat on a chair and let him work behind me. Aiden had made a terrible mess of the back, as he had always done before.


    “Where is Halil?” Aiden asked crawling up on myp with absolute familiarity. “Where is Rynal?”


    The other little boys looked up from what they were doing and started to ask simr questions. It sounded like they were all asking for their breeders.


    “Halil went to The Great Harmonious Spirit,” I told Aiden gently, “and we will have to find Rynal.”


    The rest of the boys asked only for one name and I assumed they only knew their female breeders. Damien promised we would find them and the boys seemed somewhat satisfied with that answer.


    The halls were mostly dark and quiet as we made our way to the bathing hall. It was still early. Mycah’s family walked with us and they were all questions this morning. We answered everything and encouraged them to look around.


    “The camp is new to your family,” Evan told them. “You should pay attention to everything as we pass.”


    That was all the permission Mycah and his Brothers needed. They bounded down the hall and peered into the unlit fire pits. Nosy boys stuck their heads in different doorways to see what was in each room.


    It was like watching five parts to a ma. The boys would separate and see five different things. A momentter they would be back in a group talking rapidly about what they’d seen. In the blink of an eye, they’d be off exploring again. It was not behavior I’d seen on the monitors from thepound, but then the Keepers had never encouraged curiosity.


    “I am jealous,” Christof said watching them.


    We were encouraging their inquisitiveness and wonder, and not stifling them. Christof would have liked to have grown up with this freedom.


    “And I am sorry, Brother,” Damien told him solemnly.


    It had been his job to control Christof. He’d had to limit Christof’s nature, so the family could seed.


    “We did what we had to, Brother,” Christof told him. “This is much better, though.”


    Inside the bathing hall were many men with small children. Evidently everyone had the same idea. It would be easier to watch the little ones with fewer grown men here. We got the boys undressed and guided them toward the pool.