Team: Alpha (Knights of Ares) (5 page)

“But I like you around.” Honey said softly. “I want you to be around. Will you try?” She asked with tears about to fall. “I think you are a better man than you think, or my mom wouldn’t have fallen in love with you. She’s a good judge of character. Just ask her.”

"Don't cry," he breathed out pressing a hand to his chest. Tears were his Achilles heel. Tears on any female just about killed him. "I," he looked to Daisy and then back to her. Closing his eyes he nodded slowly, "I'll try," he whispered softly wondering how badly he was going to fuck it all up for everyone because he couldn't seem to walk away.

Daisy looked at Mik and shook her head. Smiling she said, “Come and help me in the kitchen. Otherwise you are going to have to be shown all of her ribbons and trophies. She’s quite the gymnast, your daughter.” She hoped that he would soon relax into that because if not Honey would be broken hearted.

Snorting, Gareth coughed softly and rubbed at his nose, "Wonder where she gets that from?" he murmured with a quick grin to Daisy.

Shaking his head Mikhail followed Daisy to the kitchen. "What did you need help with?" he asked softly. "You're not the sort to need help Daisy, so what's up?" he leaned a hip to the counter as he watched her.

“You just looked totally and completely lost Mik, and I hate that. I worry about you. I’m very worried about you. Honey won’t give up on you Mik. In her eyes you are her father every bit as much as Gareth is so please don’t break my little girl’s heart; your little girl’s heart.”

"I only knew one thing that was truly me Daisy and that was my time with the Navy," he said softly. "I am lost. I have no idea how to be a father and I honestly never planned on being one," Mikhail murmured checking over his shoulder before looking to her again. "I know I don't ever want to hurt her D, she's so sweet and so much like you."

“She’s an amazing child. I promise that you won’t be able to help yourself from loving her Mik. Leave yourself open and I promise it will come. Just love her, even if you can never love me again, just love her. Let her help you live.”

Hearing Gareth calling him, Mikhail shifted away from the counter and stopped right next to her. "I never stopped loving you Daisy," he whispered leaning in to brush a kiss to her cheek. "You were the only one for me, and will forever be," he murmured before going to see what the other man might want.

Daisy just looked at him, complete shock on her face as she watched him leave. It took her several minutes but she shook her herself out of her stupid freeze and began to work on making them breakfast. Had he really just said that? Had he really just told her that he still loved her?

Taking the phone from Gareth, Mikhail had confirmed with the others what they were supposed to be doing at the farm. That he could handle. That was easy. Hard work and a love for the land he could deal with. The feelings boiling up for Daisy again and the new ones springing up for the kid were much harder and shaking him. He'd honestly thought he'd buried his feelings for Daisy in a place that would never see the light of day again. Obviously he'd been wrong; seriously wrong. Turning, he ended the call and went to pass it off to Gareth only to find him alone in the room with Honey, oh hell!

“Sit,” Honey said with a smile. She walked towards him until Mikhail’s legs bumped the sofa and he sat. Climbing up into his lap, she laid her head on his shoulder and said, “Are you going to make sure that they stop calling my mommy the names they call her? She says she doesn’t care, but she does. Are you going to make her stop crying to? Make her happy? And when can we come live with you and be a family? You are my daddy and you need to give me the answers.” She stated simply.

Stunned he felt his jaw moving but no sound came out as he tried to process the questions she'd thrown at him faster than any machine gun could fire. "Uh," he frowned and looked at her unsure of what to do with her perched on his lap. "If we can, I hope so, if she'll let us, I don't honestly know," he said giving her answers as best as he could in the order she'd given them to him. "What names are they calling her?" he asked quietly feeling the slumbering beast of his temper stretching out its claws at the thought of Daisy being hurt even emotionally.

“Horses and trampolines or something like that.” Honey shrugged. “They aren’t nice words at all. They are very, very mean to her sometimes because they all knew that you two were the ones that were with her. They know that I have two daddies and they never let her forget it.”

"Horses or trampolines?" he asked in a confused tone. It made absolutely no sense to him. "People who don't understand often use harsh and discriminating words to cause you pain," he said as he still worked on the words she'd given him. "But you need to remember that while the words are harsh and mean and may upset you, you know better than they do and you do not need such small minded people in your life. You are better off without their narrow views of what love is."

“I agree. I think that love is what you and daddy Gareth have for my mommy and she has for you. I just wish that you would all get off your duffs and do something about it. I mean really, I want to be a flower girl in my mommy’s wedding. But you need to give her a really pretty ring. Maybe one with two stones.” Honey had it all planned out for them.

"Uh, I think you may need to discuss that with your mother Honey," he said quietly. "She is likely going to have to have a discussion with you about the laws and such when it comes to marriages in this country, or any country for that matter."

Honey shrugged. “I know that she can only legally marry one of you but you can both marry her in a civil ceremony. I know this because I’ve been looking it up a great deal. I know that there is a great deal that can be done via a civil ceremony and then you and daddy Gareth can both adopt me. If you want that is. I understand if you don’t because I’m a girl and no one would really want to have me.” She said with a shrug. “I understand if you don’t want me. I’ve been told that I’m a trollop’s bastard, so I guess that’s a bad thing.”

It all clicked when she said
trollops.
Sighing Mikhail gently wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. "It's up to your mother if she wants to marry either of us or not," he said quietly. "We can't force her into doing anything she doesn't want Honey. But I'll gladly adopt you if you wish; although I think with how your mother did things, we may not even have to do that. Though, again, we'd have to ask her." Looking down at her he gave her a squeeze and smiled slightly when she peeked at him, "I have no clue what I'm doing Honey, so you need to tell me what a parent does. I'm going to have to rely on you to teach me. If you're willing to take on a basket case like me that is."

“Parents do this like this,” Honey shrugged. “They hold their kids, kiss their boo-boos, walk them to school, and help with History homework.” She said with a groan, “I hate history. I hate how you have to remember about fights and wars and stuff. I wanna just remember the good parts.” She muttered darkly. “And they don’t let my mommy be alone or hurt anymore.” She added with a shrug. “And they just love each other. That’s what family does. They just plain ole love each other.”

"Right," he muttered trying to process everything she was telling him. "I think I can handle most of that except maybe the history homework. I slept through most of my history lessons and I was home schooled. It’s very hard to sleep through anything when you're the only one in the class." Chewing on his lip he sighed, "Speaking of school, don't you have it starting soon? Shouldn't you be eating breakfast and getting ready to go?"

“Yep,” Honey patted his chest and then gave him a fierce hug. “I just wanted to make sure you were okay Daddy Mik.” She admitted to him softly. “Now come on. Mom’s making us snake pancakes with lemon and strawberry stripes, so good.” She assured him.

"Well hopefully she leaves the strawberry off some, I'm allergic to them," he said helping her off his lap. "Though I don't know if I ever mentioned that to her," he murmured standing up and tucked his hands into his pockets.

Honey shrugged, “If not, she will make you more.” The child said confidently and then grabbed one of his hands out of his pocket and slipped her much smaller one into it. “You look too tense when you do that. When you don’t know what to do, hold my hand or mommy’s, we will always let you.” She assured him and pulled him with her towards the kitchen.

Shaking his head he followed after her letting her lead him however she wanted. Looking to Daisy he gave a shrug, he was at least trying even if he was screwing up. "Go and sit, you need to eat your meal if we're to take you to school. I'd hate to make you late for the day," he murmured quietly to Honey."

“Okay but come sit beside me. I will sit between my daddies this morning.” Honey stated firmly. “Mom, Daddy Mik is allergic to strawberries.”

“I remember Honey. Don’t worry I made him some plain ole pancakes with his favorite, blueberries.” Daisy looked to Mikhail and smiled, “They are still your favorites, right?”

Nodding he smiled at her, "Yes ma'am," he murmured pulling out a chair for Honey and gave her a hand up. Taking the seat next to her he rubbed his hands to his thighs. Looking up as Daisy set a cup of coffee next to his setting he smiled slightly, "Thanks."

“You are welcome.” Daisy looked at Gareth who looked like he was happier than a clam and shook her head. “And Honey.” She said to get her daughter’s attention, “Don’t try to drag the dads into school with you. I mean it. They have to get back to their ranch. They have things that they have to do and going into the school so that you can introduce them to each and every single person there will just not work kiddo. You will see them Friday night again, I promise.” When Honey stuck out her lower lip Daisy just lifted her brow, “Really?” She asked and saw her daughter relent. “You can get their phone numbers and give them ours and call them,
if
they say it’s okay.” She looked to the men and added, “And find out when it’s okay. They have lives Honey. You need to keep that in mind.”

Gareth pulled out a piece of paper and scribbled his name and number onto the sheet before passing the sheet and pen over to Mikhail. Staring at it for a moment he wrote his name and number down. Handing the pen back to Gareth he passed the sheet to Honey. "Call whenever you want," he told her softly. "If we don't answer leave us a message and we'll call you back as soon as we can; just no calls after eight on a school night."

Honey grinned happily and nodded. “I will go and put these in my phone right now.”

“Not until you are finished with breakfast Honey. After that you wash up, brush your teeth and hair and then you can put them in. You can even send them a text message but that’s it.”

“Gosh mom, you’re no fun.” Honey grumbled. “But I guess I am hungry.” She added and very carefully put the piece of paper on the table in front of her, keeping her plate far from it. As she ate she looked up from Gareth to Mikhail and back again.

Taking a seat at the table with them Daisy shook her head and smiled. She simply drank a glass of milk while watching them and felt her heart clenching inside of her chest. She still loved these two men, Gareth was obviously over the moon in love with Honey but Mikhail was more reserved and trying to pull away from the child which worried Daisy. He had said he never stopped loving her but the simple truth was, she was a mom now and if he couldn’t accept her daughter, he couldn't be in her life. It killed her to think that but it was true. She loved him. Goddamn his beautiful eyes, but if he couldn’t handle her daughter or want her in his life then he had no place in hers. Looking up at the clock Daisy said, “Honey you have five minutes before you have to get ready.”

“Okay mom.” The child said and finished the last of her pancakes. “May I please be excused?” She asked politely. When Daisy nodded she got up, scraped her dish into the trash and rinsed it in the sink before putting it into the dishwasher. She then washed her hands, dried them extra carefully and moved back to the table to get the paper. “Expect my text soon dads.” She said as she flew out of the room.

Daisy smiled and shook her head. “She has more energy, but when she’s tired she drops no matter where she is. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve had to carry her to bed because she just ran out of steam.”

"Can't imagine that," Gareth grinned at her before looking to Mik. Reaching over he punched his friends shoulder, "What's with you?" he asked in a more serious tone.

Shaking his head Mikhail stared down into his coffee and then flinched and shifted. Digging out his phone he frowned at the message on it.

"Holy crap, is that the kid already?" Gareth asked leaning over the empty seat between them.