Life Renewed - Revised

Josh nervously got into the Suburban sitting outside the hospital. For some reason, the thought of Adam driving them over to meet with Dr. Richardson did not instill confidence. Adam's assurances that he did NOT drive like his big brother didn't help any, but after repeated statements by Mike and Eric that Adam was a safe and legal driver Josh gave in.

Josh's jaw dropped as they turned in the gate and headed up the long drive. About a quarter mile in, the drive split to form a circle with a large fountain in the middle surrounded by some really impressive landscaping. At the head of the driveway on the right side was a garage large enough to be useful as public parking in most major cities. To the left of the house was a two-story building which, while obviously a residence, it could easily double as a capital building on short notice. Adam pulled into the driveway off to the left of the house and swung into a large parking area near a landing pad with two shuttles sitting on it. Josh could now see that behind the huge house was a small village of homes, along with a large round building with no markings except a small sign at the door which Josh could not read from the parking lot.

Adam giggled at Josh's gawking. "C'mon Josh; I'll show ya around once the boys are able to join you. Dad's waiting!"

Josh shook his head then followed Adam into the building marked Federation Youth Services. To his surprise, Adam just waved at the young receptionist and said "Hi Crys!" before leading him through a door marked 'Authorized Personnel Only'.

"Don't I need to check in?" Josh asked as the door closed behind them.

"Nope." Adam grinned. "Only F.Y.S. Clients need to check in. You are a Clan Client; that means I get to walk you past a bunch of red tape." Adam turned a corner then opened a door. "Go on in; I need to call Mom and check on my kids then I'll be right in."

Josh had just made it through the doorway when he realized what Adam had said. "Your KIDS?" he asked the closing door behind him.

A chuckle from behind him made Josh turn back around. "Did he just say his kids?" Josh asked the forty-ish man sitting behind the desk.

"Yes he did; three of my grandsons in fact." the man said. "You must be Doctor Michaels; I'm Dan Richardson, the resident shrink of this nuthouse. Please, just call me Dan; have a seat."

Josh collapsed in the offered chair. "Hello Dan; just call me Josh. Is there ANYTHING normal around here?"

"No," Dan responded with a chuckle. "What you've seen is mild; sometimes things get REALLY strange. I've seen things that would be considered too crazy for a Twilight Zone episode happen right in front of me. The good side of it is, that when it's all said and done, the right decisions get made. The same insanity that is making you wonder if this is for real is what made it possible for you to be going home with two sons tonight."

Josh pondered Dan's comments before replying. "When you put it that way, I can see what you mean. Tell me one thing; are these kids ever normal boys?"

Dan smiled. "It matters what you consider 'normal' Josh. I must tell you I have Jamie's full report on you; including your sexual preference and reactions to what happened. It's all confidential information which I would have never got unless the boys thought I needed to be involved. I'll give you the definition of 'normal' around this compound. Sixty percent of the boys here are known to be either gay or bi. Of that group; ninety percent are in stable long-term relationships and about half of those couples are raising families. Ninety percent of those kids have been abused severely in one or more categories. Ten percent have developed special abilities which general society would shun them for. Every single one of them would go out of their way to ensure any kid they run across has the best life possible. As far as I'm concerned, their definition of 'normal' is a hell of a lot better than the world's definition."

Josh nodded his head. "I agree; from the sounds of it, I'd expect to see a bunch of basket cases. You did a great job with them."

"I can only claim two of them," Dan replied. "The rest of them helped each other over the hurdles of recovery. Just remember that no matter how old any of the boys are, they have equal say; one boy can speak for all of the rest of them if acting officially. Especially a certain six-year-old strawberry blond; if he speaks, listen up."

"I'll have to see on that last one." Josh chuckled.

Just then, the door opened and Adam walked in, followed by a twelve-year-old strawberry blond boy in full Federation Security uniform. "Hey Dad." the boy said. "Pop asked me to fill in for him; he's kinda tied up at the moment. 'Roo was practicing his Scout knots on him and Uncle Matt is trying to figure out how to undo them. Pop says he's definitely YOUR grandson!"

"Better him than me!" Dan chuckled. "JJ, this is Doctor Joshua Michaels. Josh, this is my son, Commander JJ Richardson; Head of Security for Clan Short of Vulcan. I believe you already know his life-partner Adam. For your information, 'Roo is one of their sons."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Commander," Josh said, as he stood long enough to shake JJ's hand. "It sounds like you have quite a handful for a son."

"Just call me JJ; save the official stuff for courtrooms. 'Roo is not too bad really; he just gets excited when he's trying something new and tends to overdo it to get it right. I think the knot he put on Pop's legs could probably hold the Iowa!"

Josh chuckled as he sat back down. "I still have one of my old books from when I got out of boot camp. I'll send it over and he can practice some of the ornamental things in it. Shall we get down to business?"

"Thanks, he'll love that!" JJ responded. "I'm up-to-date on the situation, so go ahead, Dad."

Dan leaned back in his chair. "Okay Josh; here's the situation. You are going to be getting both sides of the story here. CJ and Chad have multiple issues that you need to be prepared to deal with. The most obvious is the physical abuse. Both boys are going to be extremely touchy about punishment of any sort. In their minds, something as simple as not covering their mouths when coughing is reason for a strapping. They are going to become jumpy any time they make the slightest error; you need to address those errors at the proper level; gently but firmly, until they regain the knowledge subconsciously that they will receive fair punishments based on what they did wrong. The last thing you want to do is tell them, 'Don't worry about it,' when they do something they think is wrong; you could end up with a backlash which gives you two uncontrollable boys that refuse to listen unless punished severely. Instead, you need to talk to them every time a situation comes up and either work out a plan that will help them to not repeat their mistake, or calmly issue a fair punishment that you fully intend to follow through on. I know a lot of that is common sense to you; but you need to really think it through when dealing with a child who has been through that. Isn't that right Adam?"

Adam looked up toward the ceiling. "I have no idea what you are talking about, Dad!"

"Buhshut!" JJ coughed. "Do I need to call Mom?"

Josh chuckled. "I get the picture! I'm confused though; I've heard Dad, Pop, and Mom all being used. Care to fill me in?"

Dan chuckled. "Not a problem. I'm JJ's dad; my partner John is his pop, and Teri is Adam's mom. Most of the boys either call Teri 'Mom' or 'Aunt Teri', so it's common to hear her referred to like that. Since these two so-called angels are a couple, they both call us by the same references."

Josh shook his head. "I THINK I got that; at least enough to figure out what you meant. Anyways, back to the boys."

JJ took over the conversation. "The next part of what you are going to be dealing with is a lot trickier. This part I've had to help my little brother through; even though up to just a short time ago, I didn't know what exactly had happened to him. I won't go into his history, but what I learned from helping him applies to you and the twins."

JJ paused to make sure Josh understood the seriousness of what he was about to say. "Josh; Jared was a deeply-closeted bisexual. Shortly after your sister died, he caught the two boys experimenting orally. To put it bluntly, he beat the living shit out of them. He turned the years of inner hatred for the part of himself that had always wanted to try to do the same thing against the boys; searching constantly for any reason to reinforce his 'lesson' that 'no son of mine will ever do that'. Earlier today, you took the first steps of helping them recover. Unfortunately, it's not going to all be that easy; he actually managed to set them back psychologically on the sexual development scale. At the very minimum, you are probably going to have to sit in and reassure them, as they share their bodies. They need to be shown both verbally and through your body language, that not only is what they are doing okay; you honestly approve of it. Right now you are the only person they really trust fully, and will accept the opinion of. Even that trust is extremely fragile right now; any action which even hints of rejection will close that door and you may never get it open again. The one thing we can't tell you is how deep the damage is; if it is not too deep, then just being there will be enough. Going from what I do know, there is a good chance that you will need to start walking a tightrope. In my brother's case; watching was not enough. Even though both of us were partnered with the ones we are with now, he had issues that haunted him. He's only eight; but due to the acts performed against him, even the simple touching that he wanted to do with his partner was causing issues. He's recovered quite a bit, but if it comes down to it, there are only two people he trusts, and I'm one of them. His subconscious wasn't satisfied with me telling him that the things he would have liked to share with his boyfriend were okay to do; for that part of him to heal and the ghosts of his past to be vanquished, I had to allow him to lead me through actually performing the acts with him. That way he KNEW by my actions and words that it was really okay for him to share with someone he loves; it also showed him the difference between love and raw abuse. He had a relapse a little while ago; that time the one other person he trusts ended up reinforcing what I taught him. What I'm saying is, they might come to you needing physical reassurance; if so the only time it becomes wrong is if you go past exactly what they are asking for, or if you allow them to do something which causes them pain."

Josh thought it over for a minute. "There's only one difference; no offense intended, but you are still a kid too."

"Only in age," JJ replied. "Legally, I'm an adult. CJ and Chad don't have the luxury of having someone their own age they trust that completely. You are their only option. We double checked to make sure."

"Not even Sammy?" Josh asked in surprise.

"Nope; not even Sammy," JJ replied. "They are too afraid of him rejecting them to approach him; even though we all know Sammy is not like that and would never reject a friend in need."

Josh sat back and pondered the situation. "I had a friend once tell me the details of his youth. He lived in group homes where sex was the replacement for love. He got placed with someone who rejected his attempts to show love with sex, but ended up teaching him, once he learned to love without sex. I didn't totally understand the reasoning at the time, but now I think I see why that was what was needed for him to mature into the caring man he is today."

Adam nodded. "We know Josh; all three of us know Mike's history from not only your side but his side too. You gave him what he needed, at a very rough time in his life; he'll be there to support you through this time, to help bring back the boys you love."

Josh was about to comment when the door swung open and a little strawberry blond six-year-old strolled in with a young eagle perched on his shoulder, wearing nothing but an Indian breechclout. "Unca Dan; Daddy says to tell ya you ain't gettin' paid hourly no more! CJ an' Chad are gonna be wakin' up soon, so's you gotta let Doc Josh get back over there."

"Thanks, Timmy," Dan replied with a chuckle. "We'll be right over."

Timmy nodded, then turned to Josh. He exchanged clucks with the eagle on his shoulder a few times, then looked Josh straight in the eyes. "The Great Spirit says to listen to your heart and ignore your mind. Only your heart will tell you the true path to follow." With a quick flash of what appeared to be warpaint across his face, Timmy turned and left the office.

Josh stared at the closed door. "What the hell was that? He's a cute little guy, but I swear I just saw something on his face. What's the deal with the eagle? Was he trying to talk to it? What's this 'Great Spirit' reference?"

JJ's reply to his questions made Josh spin back around. "That was Timmy; possibly the deadliest six-year-old the world has ever seen," JJ replied seriously. "He is literally an Indian Warrior; that eagle on his shoulder is William, one of the two Spirit Guides for Camp Little Eagle. Timmy and William are paired as Guide and Helper. He actually WAS talking to William, and when he was speaking to you that was a direct message from Up There. That 'something' you saw could have very well been a warning; that was warpaint, and if you are seeing it you better hope it's not directed at you."

"Wow," Josh exclaimed. "But how deadly could a six-year-old be?"

"Lethal," Dan replied with a straight face. "He is trained and licensed to carry and operate a weapon so deadly that if you see him with it and you are not on his side, you are either dead or will wish you were. This weapon is restricted to Clan Short; not even the Federation has access to it or knowledge of it. To give you an idea; every single shot he has ever fired was an ace."

JJ nodded. "He put a smiley face on his first target at fifty feet. He vaporized the second one."

Josh's face turned pale, as he glanced at the door. "Holy Shit!" he moaned. "I definitely don't need to cross him!"

JJ came over and placed a hand on Josh's shoulder. "As long as you follow the instructions he gave you, Josh, you never will."

Josh nodded. "Let's go see my sons; I've got a lot of work ahead of me."

Camp Little Eagle Medical Center:

Dan escorted Josh to the admissions desk. "Rocky," he asked the teen behind the counter, "Have you heard anything about the status of CJ and Chad? This is Dr. Michaels; he has just been cleared to accept custody of them."

Rocky nodded. "Timmy said he'd be right over. The attending physician wants to talk to you before you see the boys, Doctor. He asked me to call him as soon as you arrived. On a personal note; the guys saved me the trouble of castrating that bastard by terminating him."

Josh felt a chill at the serious look on Rocky's face when the statement was made. "You're not the only one."

Rocky gave a small grin. "I know; the list is getting long." He then picked up a handset. "Dr. Barnes; you have a worried parent at Admissions." He listened for a minute then put the handset down. "He'll be right up, Doctor."

Josh nodded. "Thanks, Rocky."

A minute later, a nine-year-old boy wearing a white smock walked up to Josh. "Doctor Michaels?"

Josh looked down at the boy and smiled. "Yes; how can I help you son?"

The boy shot a dirty look at Rocky, who had started giggling softly. "Watch it Rock; you're just askin' for bedpan duty!" He then turned back to Josh. "I'm Doctor Antonio Barnes. I'd like to go over the recommended post-op recovery procedures for the boys with you before you see them. We use some higher tech equipment than what you are probably used to, so the recovery is going to be different than you would expect."

Josh somehow managed to turn his head to look at Dan, despite his jaw resting halfway down his ribcage. Dan nodded seriously. "He's for real, Josh. One thing you're going to need to get used to with this group; they NEVER pull pranks or joke about professional positions."

Josh looked back. "I'm sorry, Doctor ... it's just that ..."

Antonio held up his hand. "I know; I get it all the time. If it helps any, I'm not what I seem when you look at me. Genetics are a funny thing; in some ways, I'm nine, but in others, I'm thirty-six. It comes in handy though; sometimes I'm the only doctor a kid will let near them."

Josh nodded. "I can see that side of it. Let's hurry up so I can see the boys."

Antonio led Josh to a conference room where another doctor was sitting there waiting for them. Antonio barely managed to keep a straight face as he introduced the new doctor. "Doctor Michaels, this is Doctor Michaels."

Josh looked at the new doctor with a questioning look. The doctor motioned for Antonio to join him as he replied. "Pleased to meet you Doctor; just for reference, USUALLY, the boys all call me 'Doc Austin', but somebody decided to be funny. We're all professionals, so Austin is just fine."

Josh smiled. "So I see; please, just call me Josh, Austin."

Austin pulled Antonio onto his lap. "Kid time, 'Tonio; I'll take care of briefing Josh for you. You're pushing yourself again."

Antonio cuddled up under Austin's arm. "Okay Doc." he purred.

Austin looked back up at Josh. "Sorry about that; munchkin here really got stressed over your boys. He ended up calling me in from home to assist; something he never has done before. Would you like to hear what we found?"

Josh shivered at the thought that the boys were bad enough to need an emergency call in. "Go ahead; I'm not sure I'm going to like it, but I'd better hear it."

Austin nodded grimly. "I don't want to say it either; I understand. If we didn't have access to Federation Medical equipment, you wouldn't be taking the boys home for a few months. Just from the exterior damage, they were in so much pain that their brains had actually stopped trying to sort out where it was coming from. CJ had six ribs with greenstick fractures; Chad had eight. How they were managing to walk, I have no idea; both of them had four bruised vertebrae in their lower spine. On Chad, one kidney was seriously bruised, but the biobed was able to heal it. His spleen wasn't so lucky; we had to go in and remove it. CJ was generally bruised on some of his internal organs, but most of it could be healed by the bed. Unfortunately, he was unable to notice pain from one important area due to the general pain he was in; the abuse had damaged his upper intestine to the point that we had to cut a foot out of it. While we were in there, we also found severe damage to his appendix, and we barely got it out before it burst."

"Oh my GOD!" Josh exclaimed, as he put his hands over his face. "WHY!?"

"Uncle Josh?" Antonio said softly, as he climbed off of Austin's lap and came over to put his arms around Josh.

"Yeah, kiddo?" Josh replied through his tears.

Antonio snuggled close. "They're okay now; don't cry. Cory just officially backed the termination of the slimeball. You ain't gotta worry 'bout him anymore."

Josh gave Antonio a squeeze, as he looked up at Austin with a questioning look.

Austin nodded seriously. "The boys had no idea how bad the damage was when they sentenced that scumbag. I heard Cory discussing it with Sammy; Sammy agreed to let Cory get him help for having to perform his first execution. Sammy's really having issues with what was done to the twins."

"Execution!?" Josh replied in shock.

Austin nodded. "Under Vulcan laws, the penalty for attempted murder of a Vulcan citizen is execution on the spot; Cory has used it before, and will again if absolutely necessary. From what I overheard; Sammy decided, based on all available evidence, that this situation was necessary. Sooner or later, the twins are going to be worried about him coming back after them; at that time, you can tell them how he was penalized for his actions."

"I'll try not to smile too much when I tell them," Josh replied, seriously. "How bad is all of this affecting the boys?"

"That's the good news," Austin replied. "Exterior recent damage was fully repaired; the only scars they will have were already formed. One hundred percent regeneration of the damaged ribs on both boys by way of the bio-bed, same with internal bruising, with the exception of the organs that required removal. Their spines might be a little stiff for a few days as everything settles back into place, but the bruising is taken care of. Plan on some back rubs; they'll appreciate it. Other than that, Chad is back to one hundred percent physically. CJ is going to be on nutritional supplements for the rest of his life, due to the area we had to remove; if Chad wants to join his brother in drinking them, it won't hurt him."

"I've never seen a kid volunteer to drink that nasty stuff," Josh commented dryly.

"He might, with this one." Austin chuckled. "It was developed by Doctor 'Bones' McCoy; you can't tell it from a high-dollar strawberry shake. I've tried it, and it's good."

"I'd like to see that for myself! So, you are saying they are fully healed, and waiting for me to show up?"

Austin smiled. "Fully healed yes; even though I think a follow-up in a week might not be a bad idea. As far as waiting; not really. The bed is keeping them 'under' right now; to protect their mental stability, Antonio set it to hold until you were standing there."

Josh squeezed Antonio again. "Thanks, Doctor Barnes, for thinking about the boys." He then asked, "Is there anything else I need to watch for?"

Austin shook his head. "Nothing we saw. The biobed was able to accelerate the healing of CJ's intestines, once we got the irreparable section out; he can resume eating normally as soon as he feels like it, but I'd still suggest soft foods for a couple of days to play it safe, for both boys."

"I agree. Shall we go wake them?" Josh replied as he started to stand.

Austin stood up. "Follow me, Doctor."

Recovery Room Four:

Josh stood nervously holding onto the limp hands of both twins, watching as Antonio bounced between the bed's control panels to bring the boys out of their induced sleep. He started to relax and a small smile began to form on his face as one, then the other boy weakly squeezed his hand.

About a minute later, Chad weakly asked, "Uncle Josh?"

"I'm right here, kiddo," Josh replied, softly.

"Where's CJ? I can't feel him." Chad asked, panic creeping into his tone.

"Shhhhh, relax, Chad. He's on the other side of me; he's just not as awake as you, yet. A very special doctor just got done fixing you guys up so that you can come home with me." Josh replied, giving Antonio a quick worried glance.

Antonio scanned the display on CJ's bed, then gave Josh a 'thumbs up'. "He's starting to wake up now, Chad," Antonio said as he reached over and hit a control on Chad's bed. "You can sit up now if you want, so you can see him; as long as you promise to hold on to your Uncle Josh. It's going to be a few minutes before you are going to be awake enough to sit up without holding on to someone."

Somehow, Josh managed to assist Chad in sitting up while still keeping contact with CJ's hand. Chad leaned into Josh's side, and weakly wrapped his arms around him. "Why am I so sleepy, Uncle Josh?"

Josh leaned over and kissed Chad's forehead. "It's because Doctor Barnes used some stuff I've never got to see to fix you guys up. It fixes you better if it puts you to sleep."

"Okay," Chad answered. "CJ's wakin' up now."

Josh looked over at his other new son and couldn't see any difference. A few seconds later, CJ's eyes fluttered, and he squeezed Josh's hand lightly. "You're here," he stated weakly.

"Yes, I'm here. I promised you guys I would be." Josh replied, as a tear coursed down his cheek.

"Why you cryin' Uncle Josh?" Chad asked, in a somewhat stronger voice.

"Because I love you guys," Josh replied with a smile. "I'm crying because I'm so happy that you are okay."

"We love you too, Uncle Josh," Chad stated with certainty. "Can I sit with CJ?"

Before Josh could ask, Antonio replied. "Go ahead and lift him over there Josh; the stasis field just cleared the rest of the way."

"Thanks, Antonio." Josh replied, as he lifted Chad and rotated him onto the other bed.

Chad reached down and placed his hand on top of Josh and CJ's hands that were still clasped together. Josh felt a warmth crawl up his arm, from his hand as soon as the contact was made. He glanced between the two boys, and saw the small smiles on their faces; as soon as he returned the smile, the warmth shot the rest of the way up his arm and filled his chest. Without a second thought, he leaned over and kissed CJ's cheek, then repeated the action on Chad once CJ had returned the kiss to him. Chad then leaned over to CJ and exchanged cheek kisses with him, before sitting back up and smiling. "Was that okay Uncle Josh?"

Josh returned the smile. "Yes, it was. I'm not exactly sure what it was just yet, but I can tell you guys just shared something special with me. I just hope that you guys always feel that I deserve it."

Chad tilted his head before replying. "I think we will, Uncle Josh."

CJ used Josh's arm to steady himself, as he finally managed to sit up. "Uncle Josh? Why does my tummy feel weird?"

Josh moved his arm to steady CJ, as he formulated a reply. "Your ex-daddy hurt a couple of parts inside of you so bad that they had to be taken out. Why don't we have Doctor Barnes just do a quick check to make sure it's all okay?"

CJ glanced over at Antonio, who had just picked up a tricorder. "Is it gonna hurt?"

Antonio shook his head. "No, it won't hurt a bit. With this here, I'll be able to see how everything healed."

CJ nodded. "Okay, I guess."

Antonio slowly scanned CJ's intestinal region, then hopped up on the bed next to him. "Would you like to see what it said?" Antonio asked.

CJ nodded and leaned onto Antonio. Antonio selected the display he wanted, then explained to CJ what he was seeing. "Do you see those two red areas, CJ?"

"Yeah."

"That's where you were fixed at. I had it mark them in red, so you could see them. This little one used to be your appendix; that's something a lot of people have to get removed after it gets infected, or else it'll break and hurt them real bad. Yours was pretty messed up, so I took it out." Antonio switched displays. "This shows me how close to being fully healed you are where your appendix used to be. What does the recovery line say?"

CJ looked closely at the display. "It says ninety-nine dot sixty-five. Is that good?"

Antonio smiled. "Yes, it means that the bed was able to help you almost fully heal; one hundred is fully healed. Do you see anything under the word 'warnings'?"

"No."

"That means that everything is okay. Do you want to check out the other spot I showed you?"

CJ gave a small smile. "Yeah, this is pretty kewl."

Antonio brought up another display. "This one might sound a little scary, but it's going to be okay. This area is your upper intestines; it's where the food goes after it leaves your stomach. You've normally got about twenty feet of it, all coiled around inside you. One part of it was messed up so bad, we had to take it out; it was about a foot long. I'm betting that's why you feel funny; your body is trying to adjust to the new way everything sits in there. Are you ready to look at the screen to see how it has healed?"

CJ nodded nervously. "Uh huh."

Antonio switched screens, and after double checking the readings, CJ smiled. "It says that I'm okay!"

Antonio nodded. "Yes, you are just fine. I was able to check you from the bed too; if you were not ready to be woke up yet, I would have let you sleep until it was healed up. Do you like strawberry shakes?"

CJ tilted his head. "Kinda; but I like blueberry ones better. Why?"

Antonio placed a hand on CJ's shoulder. "That piece we had to remove is part of the area that gets the vitamins and things like that out of food for your body. There's still a lot of that area left, but to make sure you stay healthy, we've got a shake that you need to drink every day. They're really good; I'm going to go get a cherry one, as soon as you guys are awake enough to come with me to the cafeteria. I'm pretty sure they can come up with a blueberry one for you, and if you want one Chad, just ask; it won't hurt you to drink it too."

"Does it taste like medicine?" CJ asked, with a sour look.

"No way; if it did, I'd hate it too." Antonio giggled. "You guys think you're ready to take a little walk?"

Chad looked down and giggled. "Not like this! Everyone's gonna see our stuff!"

Josh quickly glanced around and noticed the robes Ron had given the boys earlier draped on a chair. "We can't have that; you'll make everyone jealous!" he quipped, as he went over to retrieve them.

"Uncle Josh!" both boys exclaimed as they began giggling madly.

Camp Little Eagle Medical Center - Cafeteria:

Josh found himself anchored in place by two suddenly clingy boys as they entered the cafeteria. What surprised him the most was that he could feel their unease at the group of people waiting for them. Josh wrapped his arms over the boy's shoulders. "You can relax guys; all of these people were worried about you and wanted to make sure you were okay."

"But we're not supposed to talk to anyone." CJ whimpered. "We'll get in trouble."

Josh managed to kneel down while keeping contact with both boys. "Did I tell you that?" Josh asked softly.

"No; daddy did," Chad responded.

"Do you see your ex-daddy anywhere in this room?" Josh asked, patiently.

Both boys quickly looked around. "No ..."

"Do you know why?" Josh asked, working them towards the realization of their new status.

"Grandpa Ron wouldn't let him come?" Chad asked, hesitantly.

"No, little buddy; he's gone, and you'll never see him again," Josh replied.

"You could say that." a young voice from behind Josh stated.

Josh turned his head and found a fourteen-year-old boy in the familiar black cloak of the Clan, standing behind him. The boy's bright blond hair was still seriously out of place from recently taking off the hood.

"You must be Josh, CJ, and Chad. I'm Cory Short, Patriarch of Family Clan Short of Vulcan. CJ, Chad; don't worry about your ex-father; he's not coming back ... ever."

Josh felt the boys' distrust, so he asked the question that he knew they wouldn't dare ask at this point. "Sir, could you explain to the boys WHY he's not coming back? They need the closure."

Cory motioned towards a nearby table, far away from the rest of the room's occupants. "Let's have a seat over there. 'Tonio, go tell SamSam to join us."

"I'm on it Cor!" Antonio announced, as he jogged to the other side of the room.

Once everyone was seated, and Antonio had returned with Sammy, Cory began. "CJ, Chad. Before I tell you what has happened, I need to make sure you understand how it was able to happen. If you have any questions or comments, I expect you to stop me; okay?"

Both boys nodded their understanding as they cuddled into Josh. Cory smiled and began. "I guess I need to know how much you guys know. Have they told you about Vulcan in school?"

CJ nodded. "Yeah; they said that Vulcans are a bunch of people from another planet who can't feel nothin and think like computers."

Cory giggled. "That's pretty basic. The full explanation is a lot longer though. Vulcans use logic to decide what is right and wrong. Humans use their emotions when they make decisions, which means two different people can come up with two different answers to the same situation. Vulcans don't have that problem; by looking at right and wrong as opposites, they leave no loopholes for someone to slip through. As far as feeling; they can feel, but they suppress the emotions so that they do not affect their thinking. Does that make sense?"

"Yeah," CJ replied as Chad nodded his agreement.

"Great." Cory continued. "You heard me say I'm Patriarch of Family Clan Short of Vulcan. What that means is I'm the leader of a Vulcan Family. A Clan is like a family within a family. Our family is headed by Ambassador Sarek as the living representative of Surak's family; I am the leader of my family and any decision I make is the same as if Surak had made it himself. Sarek filed a charter with the Federation on our behalf; what that basically means is he told them in what areas my word has the same effect as his own. That Charter made me responsible for preventing children from being abused, anywhere I or any member of my Clan happens to be. I have the authority to handle the situation under Vulcan law, if I think it is logical to do so. Are you still with me?"

Chad decided to respond this time. "Yeah; you get to be a Vulcan if a kid is getting hurt."

"Pretty much," Cory replied. "Now is where it starts to involve you guys. I know that you guys consider Sammy a big brother and he thinks of you like little brothers. A little while back, Sammy became a part of the Clan; I'll let him tell you about it after y'all go home. When he became part of the Clan, anyone who he considered family was automatically included. That includes you guys. When your ex-father attacked you, he was attacking a member of my family. Sammy, why don't you tell them what you did, and then I'll fill them in on the rest."

Sammy nodded. "Okay. You guys met Jacob, and he explained about being able to see in your head, right?"

CJ nodded. "Yeah; he said it's kinda like when Chad and I talk to each other without talking."

Josh felt Chad stiffen. "It's okay guys; I figured that out long ago about you two. I think its standard equipment on twins, from what I hear."

"Tell me about it!" Cory quipped, which caused Chad and CJ to giggle softly.

Sammy continued with a smile. "His brother Jamie came over as soon as we heard about what was happening to you guys. Jamie looked into your ex-fathers head and found out what he was doing to you. Cory put me in charge if anything happens around our house, so Jamie filled me in on everything he found. If Cory's not around, anyone he designates can hold a trial; since you guys are my little brothers, I order him being terminated on the spot."

"You did that for us? Why? We were the ones being bad." CJ asked.

Sammy looked CJ straight in the eyes. "Little brother, no kid can be bad enough to have the stuff done to them that he did to you guys. You never deserved to be beaten like you were. If I ever hear of anyone hurting you like that again, I'll kill them. That's a promise."

Both boys nodded, obviously still unsure, but beginning to consider that maybe they were not in the wrong after all.

Cory took over the conversation. "As soon as you guys got here, Antonio called me. Sammy came over when Josh did; once he was here, we discussed what he had done. I agreed with how he handled everything, then Antonio came out and filled me in on how bad you guys were hurt. After that, all possible doubt was removed; what your ex-father did to you went beyond abuse and became attempted murder. I don't like to let anyone else handle that kind of trial; Sarek had to teach me the way to handle serious decisions like that. Sammy was right in not waiting, and his decision stands. You can forget everything Jared ever threatened you with; he's not coming back and his threats no longer mean anything."

"Daddy's dead? What's gonna happen to us?" Chad asked, tears beginning to roll down both his and his brother's faces.

Josh squeezed both boys tightly against him. "You are coming home with me, angels."

"But ..." CJ started to reply before Cory stopped him.

"Guys, you don't have to worry about it. Legally, Josh is your guardian forever now. That's another thing that I can do, but Sammy beat me to it this time." Cory said seriously.

Sammy added in his view. "Uncle Josh loves you guys; he always has. If I know Clan Intelligence, they can probably tell you what Josh had for dinner the night before you were born. He won't hurt you, and he'll help you learn what right and wrong really are. We made him your new dad before you even woke up; the only thing left to do to make it official is for you guys to say yes or no. It's your choice now; what do you think?"

Chad and CJ both looked up at Josh's face. "Do you really want us?" Chad asked softly.

"More than anything else in the whole world," Josh replied with a smile.

"Even if we're really, really, really bad?" CJ asked.

Josh nodded as he wiped a tear from CJ's cheek. "Yes, little one; even if you guys mess up and do something really, really, really bad. I bet you don't ever do that though; no matter what you might have been told by Jared, I know that you have never come even close to that."

"Uncle Josh? Can we call you 'Daddy'? Please?" CJ asked.

Josh pulled both boys into a big hug. "I would love that, guys. You can call me whatever makes you feel the best; what counts is that we'll always be together as a family."

Cory smiled and nodded at Sammy and Antonio. "That makes it official, guys. Let's give these guys some space, I'll bet they join us once they've had a chance to recover."

A few minutes later, Josh headed towards the waiting group on the other side of the room with his two new sons securely attached to his sides. Ron and Caroline split off from the group and met them halfway.

"How are my two favorite munchkins doing?" Ron asked, as he knelt down in front of them.

The boys broke away from Josh long enough to give both of their grandparents' quick hugs.

"We're all fixed up," CJ replied.

"And Uncle Josh is our new Daddy!" Chad added, as both of them reattached themselves to Josh.

Ron looked up at Josh. "How ...?"

Josh shook his head. "Ask Mike and Sammy to explain it; I think they're about the only ones who can."

Antonio came over to join them. "Guys, you wanna come with me and get some shakes, while your Dad and grandparents talk adult stuff?"

Chad and CJ looked up at Josh wordlessly. "Go ahead, guys," Josh said with a smile. "Doctor, here's some cash to cover whatever they want," Josh added, reaching for his wallet.

"You don't need to pay," Antonio replied quickly. "Everything they want is covered by the Clan."

Ron began reaching for his wallet. "Nonsense; save the charity for those who need it."

Antonio placed his hand on Ron's arm. "It's not charity, Sir. Chad and CJ are family; this hospital is totally funded by Clan Short to provide full services to family and those that any family member feels need medical care. We do not even have a billing department; there is no need for it since all services are provided pro bono."

Before Ron could argue any further, Josh quickly said, "Boys, why don't you go ahead with your Doctor and get something on your stomachs. We'll meet you at the table, okay?"

"Okay Daddy." the boys chorused, before splitting off and following Antonio to the serving line, with Caroline following behind to watch over them.

Once the boys were out of hearing, Ron turned to Josh and asked point-blank. "Who is that kid; and what is this 'doctor' crap?"

Josh knew from experience the only way to deal with his dad in situations like this was to be blunt. "That 'kid' is Doctor Antonio Barnes; and he is solely responsible for your grandsons standing here in front of you, instead of being fitted for a pair of caskets. He is their attending physician; in fact, at this moment he's working with CJ to get him the first one of the nutritional supplements that CJ is going to have to take for the rest of his life. Just so you are not shocked, it is disguised as a shake; from what Antonio said earlier, all three of them will probably come back with one."

Ron's face began to turn red. "What exactly do you mean by fitted for a casket?"

Josh looked his father directly in the eyes. "I mean exactly that. Both boys were within twenty-four hours of dying from internal injuries if they had not gotten medical attention. In any other medical facility, they would still be in ICU right now, and would not be going anywhere for a couple of months. I watched Doctor Barnes as he reviewed CJ's injuries with him and explained to CJ what would need to be done because of them. CJ lost a foot of his upper intestine; yet due to the skills of 'that kid', he is able to eat and come home tonight. I've spent my life learning the medical profession; if I'm satisfied at his credentials, then you should be, as well."

"Point taken," Ron replied.

Josh replied seriously. "He was executed for two counts of attempted murder. Talk to Mike and Sammy if you want details; it looks like the boys have finished raiding the food line and are coming back."

Ron nodded. "I'll do that."

They had just managed to take their seats when the boys joined them. Chad had picked out a loaded cheeseburger and fries to go along with a huge cherry shake. CJ had what appeared to be a double helping of scrambled eggs to go with his equally large blueberry shake. As the twins took seats on either side of Josh, Antonio sat down across from them with his cherry shake. CJ looked up at Josh with a grin. "Guess what, Daddy? We got to watch them make our shakes, and mine was made just like Chad's and Antonio's!"

"That's great!" Josh replied. He glanced at Antonio, who smiled back.

"All of the shakes here are made like the ones I prescribed for him," Antonio explained. "Doc Austin and I discussed it a while back. We decided that since a lot of the kids coming through here have not been eating like they should, it made sense to make it standard for everyone. I believe their Grandma is in the process of learning how to make them right now; while the twins were ordering, I explained the reason behind the shakes to her."

Josh looked over to see that Caroline was absorbed in conversation behind the counter with the kitchen personnel. "Knowing Mom, they're probably exchanging tips. Don't be surprised if you see some additions to the menu!"

"That's the truth!" Ron chuckled. He smiled as he looked over and saw matching shake mustaches on the twins. "How are the shakes, guys?"

Chad smiled. "They're awesome! We wish medicines always tasted this good!"

Josh chuckled. "I hope Mom's taking notes; I get this feeling I'm going to be making a lot of them."

An hour later, everyone was satisfied that the boys were really okay. Cory had cornered Ron and caught him up on the family's standing within the Clan, which seemed to calm Ron considerably. Ron stood up from his seat and got everyone's attention. "I would like to thank all of you for your concern and support over the shocking treatment of my grandsons. Thanks to the hard work and selfless giving of the group of young men that we have been honored to meet today, my grandsons have been given a new chance at life. Patriarch Short; with God as my witness, I swear that any assistance you may ever need, I will provide it to you if at all possible. With that being said, I believe it is time for us to return home so that these two angels can get some much-needed rest. There will be a celebration next weekend at my home, to mark the first week of Chad and CJ's new life; I would be honored if the Clan members involved in treating the boys and dealing with their ex-father would be present with their families. Everyone who came over with us to lend your support, please also join us for the celebration and bring your family with you."

Josh's house; one hour later:

Josh pulled into the garage and smiled at the nervous boys sitting in his back seat. "It'll be just fine, guys; things won't be any differences between us now than they were before all of this happened. Let's get inside and relax."

Both boys nodded silently, and climbed out of the car. They followed Josh to the door, and almost ran into him, when he suddenly stopped.

"I'll be ..." Josh chuckled, as he took a note down off of the door. "Listen to this, guys!"

"What's that?" CJ asked.

"It's a note from Jamie and Jacob. Listen to this:"

Josh folded the note carefully and put it in his shirt pocket. "That's it, guys."

Chad wiped his eyes. "I miss Mommy."

Josh wrapped both sniffling boys in a hug. "I miss her too, guys. I've always believed that when someone you love dies, they never really leave you. Doctor Richardson told me that none of the boys in the Clan joke around when it comes to official work; that means that Jamie and Jacob were more than likely really passing on a message from your Mommy. I'll bet we find out how, next weekend; but for now, we just need to believe. Let's find out what they brought over for you guys and how much unpacking we need to do."

Josh stood and took both boys by the hand. "CJ; could you please open the door for us son?"

CJ smiled warmly. "Sure Dad!" he replied, as he reached out and let them inside.

The boys held Josh's hands the entire way as he looked throughout the house at the things that Jamie and Jacob had brought in. Instead of being piled in the center of the rooms like he expected, everything had been placed in what could only be called the 'logical' spot for it. Even the extra things in the den had been placed in such a way that Josh was happy to leave them where they were. The last stop was the room that had been chosen to be CJ and Chad's room. Josh opened the door and froze in shock as both boys exclaimed "WOW!"

The room that had been picked actually used to be two bedrooms, but Josh had just finished having the rooms combined to form one large room that he had planned on making into a game/exercise room. The previously empty room now had posters and pictures on the walls; two queen sized beds, multiple dressers and wardrobes, and three obviously brand-new computer desks. Two of the desks had state-of-the-art computers sitting on them running screensavers with the boy's names scrolling on the screen; the third desk held a unit with the Clan Crest filling its screen, and a note attached to the bottom.

"Dad? Where did all of this stuff come from? Some of it's not ours." Chad asked.

"Let's see what that note says; maybe it'll explain it," Josh replied.

They walked over and Josh picked up the note. After reading it, he chuckled. "It looks like you guys made some really nice friends. The computers are gifts from Jamie and Jacob; they saw your old one, and decided you needed two new ones. They said that all of your pictures are in the same places with the same passwords. This unit is a terminal you can use to talk to any of them any time you want; they'll show you how to use it next weekend. The rest of the furniture is the same thing that all of them use; they did not think your old furniture was good enough for you since you are their brothers."

"Why us? We're just a couple of spoiled brats." CJ asked with conviction.

Josh sat on the nearest bed and motioned for them to join him. Once they were seated, he replied. "You are not now, nor have you ever been, 'spoiled brats'. I've seen a lot of spoiled brats taking care of officer's kids in the military, so I know what one looks like and acts like. Neither one of you guys has ever done anything to even get close to being a brat, and you definitely are not spoiled; no matter how hard I've tried over the years. There is a lot of stuff your ex-father told you that is wrong; any time you feel like what I say or do is different than what you think should be said or done, you need to let me know. I won't lie to you, but I need you to help me find out where he lied to you, so that you can learn the truth. Does that make sense?"

"Yeah." both boys replied.

Josh sat and watched as they explored the room. After a half hour, they came back over to where he was sitting. "Dad? We're getting itchy." Chad announced.

"Stay right here; Antonio told me you might have that happen. Let me see where I put the lotion when I was finishing up this room."

"Okay, dad," CJ replied, as they both took a seat on the bed.

Josh got up and went into the bathroom that was attached to the boys' bedroom. He chuckled when he found an unfamiliar bottle sitting on the back of the sink, with a big note saying 'use this for itching'. He picked up the bottle, and returned to find two naked boys lying on their bellies. "Where do you itch, guys?" Josh asked as he sat between them.

"All over. Why are we itching?" Chad asked, softly.

"Your skin is dry from all of the healing it's been doing," Josh replied. "The lotion will help make it wet again."

"Can you do our backs first? They itch the worst Dad." CJ stated.

"Sure, little buddies," Josh replied, as he started at their shoulders, one hand on each boy. After the initial shivers from the cold lotion, the boys settled in and enjoyed the lotion being massaged into their backs, shoulders, and lower necks. Josh took extra time on their backs, reapplying the lotion until he was satisfied that the muscles in both boys' backs were completely relaxed. Before he went any further, Josh made sure the boys were aware of what he needed to do. "Guys; normally I would skip rubbing lotion on your butts, because of your age. Since some of the really bad hurts you had were on them though, I'm going to do that area too. You guys might get stiff up front, from being rubbed on your butts and legs; that is perfectly normal, and it just means you are growing up. If you need to move them, to be more comfortable at any time, just do it, okay?"

Both boys turned their faces towards Josh and gave him the first genuine smile he had seen all day. "Okay Dad; thanks for warning us," they said in unison.

"You're welcome, sons," Josh replied as he renewed his efforts.

Josh worked his way down until he was rubbing the feet of two extremely giggly boys. "Okay guys, as soon as you feel comfortable, roll over and I'll do the front."

To his surprise, both boys immediately flipped over and expectantly waited for his reaction. Josh took one look and chuckled. "Do you guys have flags to go with them thar' flagpoles?" he joked, in a fake southern accent.

Both boys giggled. "You're silly, Dad!" CJ stated.

Josh nodded. "You bet I am!" He then started at their ankles and worked his way back up, skirting the very edges of their pride and joy, when he reached that point. Once he reached the tips of their fingers, he sat back. "Does that feel better, guys?"

Chad and CJ both gave Josh a scared look. "Daddy?" Chad whispered.

"What's wrong guys?" Josh asked with concern.

"You're gonna be mad." CJ whimpered.

"I'm not going to be mad, as long as you are honest with me," Josh replied softly.

Chad and CJ both dropped their eyes, as Chad whispered. "It's something really dirty. It's gotta be, or you woulda done it. Our wieners are itchy too, but it's nasty to touch your wiener if it's stiff. Now you hate us for being dirty, don't you?"

Josh lifted their chins so they could see his face. "Does it look like I hate you? You just told me about a problem; I can't be mad at you for that. It is up to you how we handle the problem; legally, there is only one way to handle it, but I need to know which way will show you that touching a stiff penis is really okay. You need to consider the choices I give you really carefully; whichever one is right for you is the one I'll do. If you both decide something different it is perfectly fine. Do you guys understand what I mean?"

"Yeah; you want us to tell you what our hearts say is right, not our heads," CJ replied. "Is that right?"

"Exactly. A little redhead taught me that, recently." Josh replied. "Here are your choices. Legally, you can put the lotion on that part yourself. The other option is somewhat legal, mattering on what state you live in; put the lotion on each other. The final option is for me to put it on there for you. The only thing I'm concerned about is what you need. Give it some thought, and then each of you gives me your reply."

Josh was proud to see both boys took their time before looking back up at him. "We're ready, Dad," Chad announced.

"Okay boys; what did you decide?" Josh asked softly.

"I want you to do It," they replied in unison. "Is that okay, Daddy?" CJ added, expectantly.

"That is just fine. I actually expected you to decide that." Josh replied. "I need to tell you a couple of things before I do it, though. When that part of your body is touched the way I need to touch it to rub in the lotion, it causes you to get some feelings that feel really good. Those feelings are normal and a really good thing, as long as you and the person touching you both want to do it. You might reach a point where it feels like you have to pee really bad; that is the start of what is called an orgasm. Seeing how long you guys have been stiff, and how me putting the lotion on you affected you, there is a good chance that you are really close to that point already. There will be a bunch of new feelings for you, if it happens; do you trust me enough to believe that no matter what happens, its okay?"

"Now remember Doc Tonio & Doc Austin wants me to help you through this, I can only do something once though. I am doing it to prove to you that I love you even with what your old dad caught you. What you did wasn't bad or wrong but you need to do those things with kids your own age. I will apply the lotion this time because you need me to show you that I still love you. Do you understand what I am saying?"

"We know you ain't lying, Daddy. We trust you." CJ replied with a small smile.

Josh placed a big glob of lotion in one hand, and then placed his hands together to warm it before he started. "Are you ready guys?" he asked softly.

Both boys nodded, small smiles on their faces. Josh began to apply the lotion, but was stopped by Chad. "Daddy? Can you lie down and hold us while you are putting the lotion on?"

Josh smiled. "I think we can do that. I knew I had long arms for a reason!"

Josh lay down and immediately had a boy lying on each arm. He reached around and resumed applying lotion; almost immediately he felt a small hand gripping him lightly at each of his elbows. As he expected, their bodies immediately reacted, and before the lotion was half rubbed in, both boys hands had traveled up his arm and were tightly gripping his wrists. Seeing that they were already nearing orgasm; Josh changed his actions to bring pleasure, instead of just the mechanical applying of the lotion. A few seconds later, the boys grabbed Josh's hands with both of theirs and crossed over the edge. They relaxed back on top of Josh's arms, holding his hands in place as they came down from their high.

After a few minutes, CJ whispered, "Thank you Daddy; that was the most awesome thing we've ever felt, it ... it was ... I mean ..."

"Yeah, it was ..." Chad tried to add.

"I know, Angels." Josh softly replied, as he flexed his arms in a semi-hug while keeping his hands where the boys were holding them still.

"Is it really okay to feel like that?" CJ asked, with worry creeping into his voice.

"Yes, it is CJ. I love you guys, so I'll never let you learn a feeling that's not okay. Now that you have learned it, don't go doing it too much though; you can make sores down there if you try to get that feeling too much. We can talk about that later though; just enjoy how you are feeling right now."

The boys were silent for a few minutes, then Chad spoke up again. "Daddy? We kinda did something earlier that might make you mad."

Josh lifted his head and looked at their still-glowing faces. "Go ahead and tell me, honey. I promise to be fair, okay?"

Chad nodded. "You remember when we held hands on CJ's bed at the hospital? You said you felt something?"

"Yes Chad; would you like to tell me about it?" Josh replied, softly.

"Well, we kinda made it so we could tell if you were lyin'. We didn't know if we could do it, but we kinda hooked you up, so we can feel you like we feel each other."

Josh smiled. "Why would I be mad? That was a very smart thing to do, considering how your ex-father treated you. I wouldn't trust anyone after that either. I don't know if you realize it, but I can tell if you guys are scared or worried, now. I just didn't know how I was feeling it until you just told me what you did."

"You don't mind?" CJ asked, with surprise.

"Why would I? It's a special part of my two favorite boys." Josh replied. "Did I understand right, that you have never shared that with anyone else? If so, I am honored, not mad. In fact, it made what we just did, very special; I could feel exactly how you guys were feeling when you had your orgasms. That is something I'll always remember."

Both boys smiled widely, and rolled over to give Josh a hug, throwing their legs over his to be as close as possible. As Josh held them tightly against him, CJ giggled. "Daddy; did you pee? Our legs are getting wet."

Josh groaned before chuckling slightly. "No, munchkin, I didn't pee. I think your link is working a little better than you thought. When you guys had your orgasms, you gave me one without me even realizing it. When a grownup has an orgasm, something called semen squirts out; that's what is getting your legs all wet."

Both boys studied Josh carefully for a second. "You're not mad." Chad stated.

CJ kissed Josh's cheek. "It really is okay. Daddy, can we see the semen?"

Josh took a second to make sure what his heart thought was right, before answering. "As long as you guys don't try to make me make more of it right now, you can; none of us are ready for that yet."

"We promise to be good." Chad giggled. "You took our clothes off when we were hurt; can we take yours off to look at it?"

Josh smiled. "If that's what you guys really think is fair, go ahead."

Both boys leaned in and kissed Josh's cheeks before carefully taking off the dress clothes Josh had chosen for the party. As they took down his pants, CJ asked, "Daddy? Why are you wearing shorts instead of underwear?"

"Those are called boxers, munchkin; it's a different kind of underwear."

"Oh. Can we get some?" Chad asked.

"Sure thing, we'll go shopping tomorrow," Josh replied.

As they removed Josh's underwear, both boys giggled. "You made a big mess Daddy!" CJ commented.

"Look at all that hair! You got a huge wiener, Daddy! We'll be right back; we gotta get a really big towel to clean you up!" Chad added.

Josh watched with humor as the boys came back with two washcloths and proceeded to clean up the mess they had created. He pretended not to notice when he felt a couple of fingers 'accidentally' slip into a wet area to feel the new discovery. Once they finished cleaning, both boys climbed back up into their previous positions and cuddled Josh.

"Daddy; can we sleep with you, tonight? Just like this?" CJ asked carefully.

Josh gave each of them a quick kiss. "I don't mind you sleeping with me; but can you tell me why you want to sleep like this? You mean with all of us nude, right?"

Chad replied. "We kinda feel all safe and stuff feeling your skin touching us all over. Is that bad?"

"No; it's the nicest thing anyone's ever told me," Josh replied. "Hit the bathroom guys then let's get some sleep. You've had a long day."

A few minutes later, Josh climbed into bed followed by his new sons. Within seconds of cuddling up against him, both boys were sound asleep. Josh smiled as he closed his eyes. "Thank you, Lord, for delivering these angels to Me," he whispered, before drifting off himself.

Josh awoke to find two serious faces looking up from their perches on either side of his chest. "Hey there Angels! Good morning; why the serious faces?"

Chad responded first. "You didn't want to touch our stuff last night," he stated.

CJ took over. "You did it anyway; you were happy that we shared our organasims with you but you still felt bad about touching us."

"Why?" they both chorused.

Josh pulled both boys tightly against him. "I knew that you guys needed me to do that for you to prove it was okay. Normally adults are not supposed to do that kind of stuff with kids because it is too easy for the adult to lead the kid into something that the kid is not ready for, emotionally or physically. Sometimes the adult does not even realize they are doing it. Someone's first ORGASM is very special; I'm honored that you guys shared that with me. While I'm not really comfortable with doing that kind of stuff with you guys, I will help guide you in learning about your bodies with each other without anyone getting hurt. You have to ask me the questions though; I don't want to put any ideas into your heads that you are not ready for."

Both boys pondered his speech for a few minutes, Chad then softly asked. "Daddy? Does that mean that you liked knowing we were feeling good but you don't wanna be the one making us feel good, because you might hurt us even if you don't want to?"

"That's pretty much it son; I love you guys too much to do something that might hurt you."

"Does it hurt us if we share how we feel inside with you while we are feeling good?" CJ asked in thought.

"No, it doesn't," Josh replied.

To Be Continued ....

Author's Note:

Hmmm .... it seems the boys are hedging their bets! Right now things are fairly calm, but how much more time will it take before the ghosts of the past start rearing their ugly heads? We'll see what happens tomorrow morning; I have a sneaky suspicion Josh has got a long road ahead of him.

AC

Editor's Note:

Once again the collaborators have given us a fantastic chapter. This story continues the tradition of great stories that intersect with or are just plain part of the CSU. I love how the boys have been helped to understand that love is the important thing, and not how you go about following somebody's rules. ACFan, you have outdone yourself on this one and Dark Star, Your boys have done a fine job too. Thanks to everyone involved in bringing it to us.

Darryl

AKA Radio Rancher

Clan Archivist Review Notes:

It looks like Josh is going to have his hands full with his new sons. I don't think he really understands what he is in for with the Clan involvement. He has no idea how many nephews he now has. This is turning out to be a very interesting story and I can't wait to see where it goes. I wonder how Mike is going to deal with the fact that Sammy now has two more brothers.

The Story Lover