Quaranteam Down Under: Part 10

A Barbecue, an Aussie soldier, a large family, the number 11.

Based on a post by SilverRyden, in 15 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels.

Chapter 10.

Marshall Household, Melbourne Southeastern Suburbs, Victoria, Australia, November 1, 2020, 4:45 AM

Sleep still eluded him, so Ty sat on a plush sofa in his basement, the whole thing having been extended twice over the years to encompass a full wine cellar and small apartment with lounge area all in the one space. The apartment was originally intended for Ty's parents to use after they turned the house over to their eldest. Or at least, that had been the plan until their illnesses had claimed them early.

When Antonio Marshall, Tiberius' great-grandfather, had first built their family home in the early 40s, the sprawling house had four bedrooms on just the one level, with a basement, originally to be used as a wine cellar. He had bought the land for cheap and planned to turn the acreage behind the lot into a vineyard for his wife. Unfortunately, they had zoned the land for residential, and so the vineyard had to be moved a little further towards the heart of the Yarra Valley. There, it thrived, and three generations of Marshall women had managed it: his great-grandmother, his grandmother, and his mother. Each generation had added to both that growing business and the house, expanding and remodeling once it became theirs. By the time of his mother's passing, the vineyards operating under the Marshall banner had grown to encompass a good third of the valley; the house had been remodeled to have a second story and extended basement, and now, both had passed into the hands of Tiberius and Damian, though Damian had no interest in running the business and had turned over his interest to Ty for a fair price. They had both, however, agreed that the first among them to have children would let those children inherit the house, as had been tradition.

Tiberius, being a full-time soldier and not having the time or the knowledge to run the vineyards, had hired a manager; conveniently a school friend of his, and had given them a major stake in the business as a means of payment and as a way to ensure they would be invested in the long-term. It had proven to be a very smart decision, as under Nik's careful watch, the vineyards had thrived just as they had under his mother and grandmother's watch. Now, with both his Army income and the passive income from his controlling interest in the vineyards, Ty was set for life.

Recently, Ty had been considering retrofitting the apartment into; well, into a playroom. That plan had come to a screeching halt two days ago. Ok, that wasn't entirely true. He was still considering making it into a playroom, but now the term 'playroom' had taken on an additional, completely non-erotic meaning, and well, he was okay with that too. Admittedly, that may have been at least a little due to the albums scattered across the coffee table before him. Juno had brought them over when she'd brought some of their things the previous day. His partners and the kids were asleep upstairs, though Ty had awoken early and come down here to just; think. He pored over the albums, a separate one for each year of the children's lives. Juno meticulously documented everything. Every step, every milestone. Every moment he'd missed.

Again, the thought rankled. He'd downplayed it on the day, but he was devastated to have missed so much of his children's lives. Who cared that it happened in a drunken stupor? It happened, and it was too late to change that. Six whole years. Part of Ty wanted to scream, to shout at Juno and Zoe and tell them just how badly this hurt, tell them how selfish their decision to keep him ignorant was, but the rational part of him knew it would only do more harm than good. Everyone could see just how terrible they felt for their roles in the deception, and Ty wouldn't be the one to drive them into a corner to assuage his feelings. Especially not when it would change nothing. No, he had to figure out how to get over this and move on. Just another thing to add to the pile.

He refocused his attention on the albums, smiling as he saw the kids in the photos. Their first steps. Playing in a kiddy pool with Zoe. Their first day in daycare. A visit to Juno's parents' ranch. Every photo sent a thrill of happiness through him alongside a surge of sadness.

Never again. I don't ever want to feel this sadness again.

Letting out a deep sigh, he leaned back, closing his eyes as the tiredness finally set in.

He was asleep in seconds.

Marshall Household, Melbourne Southeastern Suburbs, Victoria, Australia, November 1, 2020, 9:00 AM

Ty awoke to feel gentle weights leaning on either side of him. Whoever it was had turned out the lights, and for an instant, he thought it was the kids, but the presences were too big for that. Turning his head one way, he could just make out the ash blonde locks of Béa as she leaned against him. On his other side, Grace had an album in her lap and was carefully leafing through it, a gentle, but decidedly sad smile on her face. He had imprinted both the previous day after being released from the hospital, and both had slept for over half a day. Now, it seemed they were finally awake.

"Good morning, ladies, when did you two wake up?" He tested his left arm, finding that there was just the barest hint of pain left, before pulling both women closer to him. Béa purred, snuggling in closer, and Grace let herself lean against him, still not taking her eyes from the photos. Ty enjoyed feeling her back in his arms, realizing how much he'd missed the sensation and that he hadn't quite gotten to experience it the previous day. Even with what he'd been told about how frenzied a woman would become after being injected with the 'Dead Man's Switch' as Grace had called it, he hadn't been prepared for just how animalistic she became. Ty had been intimate with her before, and he knew she could get wild, but this was nothing like that. Almost seconds after Alice had administered the serum, she had quite literally slammed into him like a cum-seeking missile, knocking him to the floor with her entire body weight and proceeding to ride him like a madwoman until he couldn't help but give her what she craved. Still, it had been an experience he'd never forget, and it meant that she was safe, even if he had a few new scratch marks on his chest and back to show for it.

"We awoke not long ago, mon amour, and were surprised to find you gone. It's just past nine now, so Alice and Talia have already gone to the hospital to fetch Zoe. Charlotte and Leticia are in the kitchen, making preparations for later and Juno and Elizabeth are looking after the children. Why are you sleeping down here?"

"I nodded off. I; was spending some time just looking at these and I guess the tiredness finally caught up with me. You two could have stayed in bed."

Grace finally looked up from the album, a small smile on her face. "We wanted to be near you, but you weren't in bed with us. So, we came looking and found you fast asleep down here." That smile took on a hint of sadness, and she continued. "For a moment, I thought you didn't want to share the bed with us, but then I saw the albums scattered on the coffee table."

Ty shrugged. "No, I'm always happy to share a bed with a couple of beauties. I just couldn't sleep and didn't want to wake you, so I went downstairs. It was later that I realized I wouldn't be able to wake you since you two were in imprinting sleep. Then I saw the albums and brought them down here so I wouldn't disturb anyone else, no matter how I reacted to their contents."

The words brought a look of deep concern to both women's faces as Béa asked, "Are you still angry with Juno? She's almost beside herself with worry, mon amour."

Both women watched him carefully, and Ty took a moment to collect his thoughts. Juno had done her Oracle and had been quite surprised to see their compatibility was in the upper half of the 80s. Ty had just rolled his eyes at the news. He could have easily told her that. The girls had also reassured her that he wouldn't leave her hanging, so she had agreed to join the family, and Ty would imprint her either that night or the following one. So, no matter how he looked at it, he was not going to gain anything by remaining angry. Rather, he had far more to lose. But as long as he could be a part of the kids' lives, he'd be satisfied.

Eventually, he processed everything and spoke. "No. I'm not. I can't get the time back, but that's something no one can do anything about. But as long as she doesn't pull this kind of thing in the future, all is forgiven. She's given me two absolute treasures, so I consider myself a very lucky man and I won't take that for granted. But if I find out that I've inadvertently fathered more kids and nobody's seen fit to tell me, I might chuck an absolute spaz and none of you can tell me I'd be fucking wrong to do it." He shuddered a moment before he continued. "Having found out that I have six-year-olds made me think about old girlfriends I had from around twelve years ago and the terror that inspires is something I can genuinely do without."

Grace nodded, running a hand over the cover of the album in her lap. "Seeing these reminded me of Jason at that age." Her voice quivered as she spoke, and Ty understood.

"He'll be remembered. Have you spoken to Temperance since you got here? They're going to hear about Ben sooner or later, and they're going to worry about you."

She shook her head and leaned against Ty even more. "I've been so caught up in everything; and to top it off, the last few days have been;”

Leaning over, he kissed the top of her head and spoke into her oak-brown hair. "Go grab your phone if you don't have it already and give her a call. It's actually a reasonably good time, and I'd like for Temperance to know what's going on."

As Grace fumbled for her phone, Béa stretched and began to rise, but Ty stopped her, pulling her back into his arms.

"And where do you think you're going?"

"To give you some privacy. This is Grace's family, no? What business do I have ..”

Grace reached out and took the French woman's hand in hers. "You've been sluffing, Béa. Ty's been saying repeatedly that his Team is his family and since we're both bound to him, you're now my sister in bond, even as Tempe is my sister by blood." She put their hands over his heart and Ty instinctively squeezed them tighter against him. "Can't you feel it? We're in there, girl. And above all, I'd be happy to introduce you to my family. You're already a part of it. Plus, mom loves hearing accents. She positively gushed over Ty's when I brought him home."

Ty chuckled. "You told me we were going to lunch." He turned his head to look at Béa, a wry grin on his face while Grace stifled a snort on his other side. "However, she failed to mention that lunch was at her mum's place." His expression went deadpan, and Grace began to squirm, barely able to contain herself. "With her entire family. Who already knew about me. I was blindsided by the fucking Spanish Inquisition."

Finally unable to take it, Grace erupted into a fit of giggles. "Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!"

Béa burst into laughter and Ty just sighed.

"Just call your sister, ya goof."

It took barely two rings before the call was answered and Temperance's face stared back at the screen. "Now look who's finally decided to call. Hi baby sis, how're things?"

"Hi Tempe, a lot of stuff happened and things have been moving pretty fast. Sorry I haven't called."

"Work stuff. I get it. Where's Ben? That doesn't look like ..” Ty leaned into the frame and the woman, a very marginally older version of Grace, smiled broadly. "As I live and breathe, Tiberius Marshall. I wondered when Grace would let us see you again. Where have you been hiding?" Turning her head, Temperance called out to someone off-screen. "Martin, Mom, come have a look. Grace is on the line with Tiberius."

Ty gave her a warm smile. "Under a rock, as it so happens, Temperance. It's great to see ya. You look lovely, as always."

"Flatterer. Now, I'd start by asking what's up, but from the looks of you two, I can see there's a story to tell, so I'll wait until Mom and Martin join us. They'll want to see you both."

Ty took the phone from Grace's hand and held it out a little so all three of them entered the frame. "Oh. All three of you. My, isn't she gorgeous. Tiberius, you sly dog you."

Ty just grinned. "I reckon the phrase is 'a flower in both hands'. Though truth be told I've got the whole bloody bouquet, and never has a man been so happy with flowers."

Temperance laughed and Béa blushed before giving Ty a gentle swat on the chest. At that moment, another head appeared onscreen and Ty marveled at how much like sisters these mother and daughter appeared to be. "Hello, Tiberius. It's lovely to see you, dear."

"Hi. Prudence. Likewise. Though you look even younger than before. You've got to tell us the secret. Most people don't age in reverse."

The older woman tittered, a faint blush tingeing her cheeks. "If only, dear. So, I understand you've gotten in on this whole partnering thing, Tiberius? How many do you have now?"

The smile on Ty's face froze and he choked for a moment. "Uh;”

Temperance smiled widely and prodded at the opening her mother had left. "Oh, come on. Martin has three partners now, including me. Surely, you've got a couple more lovely ladies on top of that beauty beside you?"

Now Ty was sweating. He didn't know how she'd react to hearing the number. "Sure; a couple."

Temperance gave him a look and swung her gaze to either side of him. "Will one of you answer that question? He's clearly not going to. How about you, uh; ?" Temperance fixed her gaze on Béa, but floundered as she didn't know the other's name.

Béa giggled and spoke. "I am Beatrice. Beatrice Martin. It is lovely to meet you, Temperance, and you as well, Prudence. It is very clear where Grace gets her, well, grace."

Prudence positively melted at the sound of Béa's voice. "Oh my. French, right? Such a beautiful voice too. It's wonderful to meet you, Beatrice. So, do tell, how many lovely ladies does that big fella have? I have my guesses, but I'd like to know how close I am."

Smiling, Béa counted them off. "There's Charlotte, Leticia, Talia, Alice, Elizabeth, myself, Grace, and soon, Juno and Zoe."

Tempe's smile had swiftly transformed into an expression of astonishment, and she gave Ty a stern gaze. "Why is my sister counted there? She's partnered with Ben Morgan."

Grace gave her sister a look. "Ben; Ben passed away, Tempe. He got involved with bad people and was forced into something he wouldn't have done otherwise. Then those people killed him."

"So, you jumped ship?"

Temperance's voice had no small amount of judgement in it and Ty couldn't help himself. "Tempe. Since you have been paired, you no doubt know at least some of the aspects of the serum. Like perhaps the requirement for a woman to exchange bodily fluids, or rather, semen, with her partner? The gradual buildup of lust and loss of control when it doesn't happen? What do you think happens if a woman's partner dies and is no longer producing that?"

Both women paled, their eyes going wide. "But then; how?"

Ty's shrug was noncommittal. "We made it work. None of us can talk about how, so don't bother asking, and you can't let that tidbit out, either. But Grace asked the rest of the family if she could join, and they approved, so they approached me about it. As you might imagine, given our history and ongoing friendship, I was never going to say anything but yes, and here we are. That said, I wanted Grace to call and let you know that she was okay, since there might be whispers down the grapevine that something's happened to Ben, and by extension, her."

While they seemed a little off kilter at the news, they were genuinely happy that Grace was safe, and so they chatted idly for a minute until a third and fourth face appeared on their side of the screen.

"Hey there, Ty. You're looking'; comfy. This is Sally, my third partner. Georgia, my second, isn't feeling all that well today, so she'll sit this one out."

"Good day Martin. How ya going'? And nice to meet you, Miss Sally. The name's Tiberius. Tiberius Marshall. You already know Grace, I presume, and this is Beatrice Martin."

Temperance's husband was a rugged guy with sandy blonde hair and brown eyes. He made his living as a manager at a construction company with a big rep and a penchant for handling government contracts. Sally was a clearly younger woman, probably in her early 20s, a slender waif of a thing with her flowing red hair braided down her back. She gave Ty and Béa a brilliant smile as she stepped up and gave both Prudence and Temperance a hug.

"It's very nice to meet you, Tiberius. And just call me Sally. Mama Pru and Tempe told me about how Grace was going to Australia and then about you. They made you sound like quite the hunk, but they didn't do you justice."

"Well, Sally, you and Martin both seem to have excellent taste in partners. He'll treat you right. And if he doesn't, well; Tempe will take care of him."

They all laughed, and Ty spent a moment observing them before movement from Béa caught his attention. She was typing away on her phone and he gave her a questioning nudge.

"The others are coming down to join us. Well, those who are here. If we're still on the call when the last three arrive, then all the better, no?"

Ty nodded and felt a smile tugging at his lips at the sound of the little footsteps thundering down the stairs. They had been nervous when Juno had brought them to the house but had quickly relaxed when they saw the large backyard and the assortment of play goods that Ty had dragged out of storage. By evening, they were exploring the whole house freely, their laughter brightening everyone's day.

Now, they thundered down the stairs, eager voices laughing and calling out 'Dad' as they ran towards him. He passed the phone back to Grace and scooped the children onto his lap, noting that while everyone else had come up to the sofa, Juno was staying a few steps behind. He waved her over and she took a deep breath, seemingly relieved.

"Temperance, Martin, Prudence, Sally; I'd like to introduce some people. Behind me are some of my other partners. Charlotte and Leticia Valiant are the twins. Elizabeth Connors is the lovely young brunette standing behind Béa, and last but not least, is Juno Claudius, the mother of these two rug rats. And of course, these two are Bellona and Mars. My kids."

Ty had hesitated for just a moment at the last two words, knowing the loss Grace's family had only recently suffered. But contrary to his fears, as the kids said hello and introduced themselves, Temperance and Martin smiled warmly and responded in kind. Prudence had tears in her eyes, but she too gave her greetings and introduced herself as 'Granny Pru'. The kids warmed up to them immediately, and Martin turned his gaze to Ty.

"They're adorable, Ty. Miss Juno, they're positively a credit to you. You must be so proud."

Even though they could see the sadness in his expression, Juno's smile was a mile wide.

Finally, Grace's father also joined, having woken up from his nap. Grandpa Tom had his focus on the kids, having set up a separate call with Ty and Martin's phones so they could chat without interruption. The adult group spent another several minutes just chatting, while the kids regaled their new grandpa with tales of their 'adventure' in Ty's house the previous day.

"Sounds like you had a lot of fun, kids. It'll be wonderful to meet you in person sometime."

The last was clearly aimed at the adults, and Ty nodded. "It'll be good to get the whole extended family together once things cool down. Hell, the kids are going to be so spoiled with that many grandparents around, and hopefully, the ladies that want kids of their own will be well on their way to having them."

Charlotte tapped him on the shoulder, and he nodded. "Hey, I'm sorry to chat and run, but we've actually got guests coming today. Bit of downtime before we get really stuck into it, so I thought we'd have a bit of a barbie. Have some fun and that. Once everyone's around, we can give you another call if it hasn't gotten too late for all of you. I know it's already mid-arvo there now."

Prudence answered for everyone with a brilliant smile. "That would be lovely, Tiberius. It's Saturday here, so we don't have to worry about getting up in the morning, so you can call a bit later too, if you want. The only thing we have on tomorrow is the usual Sundae dinner."

"Sounds good, Prudence. We'll speak later."

Marshall Household, Melbourne Southeastern Suburbs, Victoria, Australia, November 1, 2020, 12:28 PM

"Why don't you just draw what you need for the house from the winery account? It's all your money anyway, and it's not going to cost that much since we're taking care of actually buying the other property." Baz took a pull from his beer and waved one hand out in what he believed to be the winery's direction.

Ty shook his head, his own drink forgotten as he readied his second grill. He already had several racks of ribs going in the smoker, but for the other things, the hot plate and gas grill would work better. While he worked, Ty had been telling Baz about some of the renovations he'd planned and was lamenting to his friend that it'd have to be done in stages due to funding. "It's not so simple, Baz. Nikoletta's running the show, including finances. Even if I need money, I need to make sure the funds aren't tied up or expected for a different purpose."

"Is that safe? What if she just runs off with the money or makes a bad decision? Don't you think she's got too much power?"

"Nik isn't that kind of person, and I gave her the job because I knew she could be trusted. Besides, she can't just spend money as she pleases. As the majority stakeholder, I still need to approve it, but she's proven to be good enough that 99% of the time I just let her run the show and watch the balance grow. Besides, she has a major stake in the business, so it'd do her no good to steal from it. It'd be shooting herself in the foot."

"If you're sure. Then, hell, why don't you just add her to your family? That'd make it simpler, right?"

Ty sighed. It wasn't the first time he'd heard this. He'd talked about Nikoletta Bianci, his high school friend and the current manager of the Marshall Vineyards, with his partners, and apart from the twins, who knew her, all of them had suggested the same thing. But there was a problem with that.

"It would, except that her girlfriend would take that very poorly. Nik's a dyed-in-the-wool lesbian, Baz. I think she dated one guy in high school and she ended up kicking his balls so hard they replaced his fucking tonsils. Since then she's never given another bloke a second look. So, she's got as much romantic interest in me as I have in other blokes. That is, none. She and I, we're great friends and I trust her with my family's livelihood, but she'd no sooner fuck me than she'd rut a cassowary. So that's not an option."

"Have you asked her? I mean, not to have a go with you, but her opinion on what to do?"

There was a moment of hesitation before Ty replied, and Baz didn't miss it. "No. But that has a lot to do with the fact that we can't talk about it, and to begin with, I have no idea what the vaccine solution for the lettered community is going to look like. Better to have her stay hunkered down than to get her hopes up when I have nothing for her to go on but a solution that isn't going to do her any good."

"Well, what about if you imprint her and her girlfriend as a preventative measure? It'll protect them and maybe it can just be an extension of your existing business relationship."

Reaching for his own drink, Ty took a long pull before responding. "I will never make an offer like that as a 'business transaction', Baz. It's not only outright disrespectful, but a complete dick move to bind her to someone in that fashion. Even more so if that someone is me. But you're right that I should at least let her know. She's been a good friend all these years and deserves better from me. But let's drop the topic. This is supposed to be a day for us to just kick back."

"Still;”

Ty interrupted, wanting to change the subject. "So, how's your family doing? How did Sophie take the idea of you having other partners?"

"Well, She's happy. Or at least, she is now, anyway. Though it was a little shaky right out of the gate. After all, my second partner was her best friend."

"Why would that make things shaky? It's a good thing for Sophie to know her friend is safe, right?"

"Fucking hell, I was certain I'd die the day Hayley turned up." Baz shuddered for a moment as the memory came back. "Not in the least because neither Sophie nor I was expecting her. But when they sent me the documentation, and her name popped up, Soph looked like she was ready to strangle me. It took me six hours and Hayley's intervention to convince her that I had nothing to do with the situation."

Ty couldn't help the chuckle. "Jealousy?"

Baz let out a breath. "I won't ever say it anywhere she could hear, but while Sophie is beautiful, Hayley; she's the stuff men's dreams are made of. You saw her."

The shrug was involuntary as Ty replied. "They're both beautiful, no doubt. But, well, sorry. That may have been my fault."

Baz sprayed a mouthful of beer. "You fucking what? What did you do?"

The younger soldier was definitely feeling a little sheepish now. "I may have suggested that Angela approach Hayley about it. I did know they were friends, after all."

His expression dumbfounded, Baz stared at Ty, open mouthed. "Angela. As in, Sophie's assistant, Angela? As in, my other partner, Angela?"

"Yeah, that one. Angela was doing her Oracle at the same time, and I pushed them both through one after another. She was the one that suggested Hayley should be first. I; thought Sophie would appreciate having her best friends around."

Baz paused, looking at his half-empty beer. "She does. Hayley does too. She doesn't have any relatives, so it's good to know that she's safe. I considered her a good friend too, just; never had plans to; you know? That was something I never considered, even if I did always think she was beyond hot. As for Ange, well; Ange is great. She's probably the best assistant Sophie could ask for, and she's become a really good friend over the years. The girls probably appreciate that you kept us together."

The two lapsed into silence as Ty continued his preparations, turning only as Lottie stepped through the patio door, Rayne and his Team in tow. Giving Lottie a kiss, he turned to Ray and gave his friend a hug.

"Hey Ray. How are you holding up?"

"Still a bit shaken, Ty. That could have gone a lot worse." Rayne shuddered, glancing back at his two injured partners. "As it is, Trish and Simone are worried about their jobs, and I don't want them to push themselves while they're hurt. So can you do whatever you can to ease their way while they heal?"

Ty nodded, understanding the man's concerns. "I get it, mate, I really do. Your partners are okay, and don't worry, their jobs aren't at risk. We've already got others helping while they recover, so I reckon you should all pull up a chair, grab some beers or whatever you'd like and relax. Today's about having fun."

Ray stepped back into the kitchen and Ty refocused, turning next to Rayne's two injured lieutenants and smiling widely at them. "Lieutenants Jennings and Barclay. This should be the only time today that I address you by rank. You've done an amazing job keeping that guy safe, and as I said to him, you're in no danger of losing your jobs. Today, we're here as one extremely extended family, so relax and enjoy yourselves."

Trish looked star struck, even as she tried to salute with her injured arm and winced. "Lieutenant Colonel; it's an honor, sir. We'll do our best to get back on duty asap, don't worry."

Ty raised his hands in a placating motion. "Relax. Take your time and get back into proper fighting shape and let me know if you need other resources. We'll make it happen."

Simone looked quite surprised at how easily Ty was taking this. "Shouldn't you be more critical of us? We're not very much good to him right now."

Ty shook his head and pointed at Ray, who was engaged in conversation with Lettie back in the kitchen. Every few seconds, he was throwing a glance towards them, clearly concerned. "You see that guy over there? Your partner? The one that despite all those brains is occasionally as dumb as a sack of bricks? He's one of my dearest friends, and I can see by how he looks at the two of you that you're beyond 'important' to him. I mean, the dumb bugger is seriously worried that I'll overtax you while you're not at full strength, and that just isn't going to happen. You might be junior officers, and my job as a senior officer is to make your lives difficult, but since you're bound to Ray, you're also family. His sisters and I, we'll look after you."

Ty's grin widened as he gestured towards Baz, who was watching impassively. "Now this guy on the other hand, might not look so fondly upon two seemingly under-utilized lieutenants. But you'll have to take that up with him."

Baz continued to stare at them for a moment and the two ladies blanched, finally realizing that they were standing in front of the Brigadier. Then he grinned too and waved them off. "Relax, ladies. He's messing with you. And one day that's going to get him stabbed."

"Already happened, Baz. Just a couple days ago, remember?"

"You got shot, you dumb bastard, and next time it might stick."

Ty feigned hurt, clutching at his chest. "Don't sound so hopeful. It hurts my feelings."

Baz threw his hands in the air, the smile never leaving his face. "And you hurt my damned head every time you open your mouth, you smarmy bastard. Hell, someone grab me another beer."

Baz turned and wandered off, passing by Talia, who handed him a fresh bottle before stepping into Ty's space and poking him in the chest. "You say all that about your soon-to-be brother-in-law, forgetting entirely that you are far more often dumber than the proverbial sack, even without the bricks. After all, how long did it take you to finally realize our feelings for you, even when we were telling you point blank? We were sending you every signal barring shooting at you with a flare gun."

Ty's grin turned sheepish and he pulled her to him, kissing her forehead before replying. "We now know bullets bounce off my head, so maybe flares might have made it a little easier."

Talia just snorted and turned towards Simone and Trish. "Take any advice he gives you on military matters. He's solid and dependable there. But if he offers you advice on your relationship with Rayne, you would be best served to nod politely, walk away and forget it ever happened."

Studiously ignoring the two men laughing behind him, Ty squeezed Talia. "Hey, I give great advice! Honestly, I think you two ..”

"You will stop talking, or I will make you regret it. Do not corrupt these young women with your nonsense, Tiberius. Now, enough of this. I came to tell you that Colonel Anderson and his family have arrived. Was Lieutenant General Hoffmann coming?"

"Yeah. Uncle Jon will be here this afternoon. I think Narmada was going to show up as well, but you'll need to check with Alice as to when. Anyway, ladies, go and mingle. Everyone here is family, so be at ease. Drinks are in the eskies and any of us can make special requests. Rank is irrelevant."

"Tiberius, this is my wife, Candace, and my second partner Abigail. And my daughter Bethany." Bill Anderson gestured to his partners as he spoke, clasping forearms with Ty as he greeted the younger man. Bethany appeared to be trying to hide herself behind her mother's skirt, just barely peeking out from behind her as Bill introduced her.

Ty greeted the two older women graciously, pausing only to give Lettie a squeeze and introduce her as they made small talk. Pausing for a moment before he dropped to one knee to shake the little girl's hand, smiling widely as he pointed to where Bella and Mars were playing. Ty watched her eyes light up and she scampered off, her mother in tow. Lettie suggested they get a drink, and she and Abigail made to follow after Candace.

After the women left, Ty turned to Bill, not able to keep the grin from his face.

"A, B, C. Really, Bill? Next, you'll tell me your next partner's name starts with D."

Bill sighed as though the words had caused him physical pain and Ty did a double take. "You're shitting me. Really?"

"Daphne Miller, from accounts. Abby and Candy were with me when we went over the paperwork. Neither could stop laughing, and it's become a joke."

"I might have to start a pool on the odds that Edith from the motor pool will be your fourth."

"Fuck off, I'm almost terrified that you'll be right."

Ty grinned for a moment, then let his expression turn serious. "Jokes aside, any progress on the sheikh issue?"

Bill nodded, taking a deep breath. "We, that is the Americans and ourselves, are organizing a team. They'll deploy soon and after that it will be radio silence until the job's done. Op security." He frowned, looking at his hands for a moment. "I've also been taking a good hard look at our personnel as well. Despite the oddities, I don't think we have a leak."

Letting out a heavy sigh, Ty just nodded. "I told you. Or I told someone to tell you. It would have been simple for them to just follow us with a drone. None of us were looking for it and there just isn't enough manpower to track that right now. It slipped through the cracks. We'll have to pick up our game from here on, but at least we know now."

"I guess so. Some part of me wants there to be someone else to blame, but it's not always that simple." His hand curled into a fist for a moment before he huffed and shook it off. "Whatever the truth is, I don't want to think about it again. Especially not today."

"Fair. I've kept you long enough anyway. Grab yourself a drink and kick back for a while. I've got to go start grilling up some hot dogs and burgers for the kiddos. Which does Bethany prefer?"

Marshall Household, Melbourne Southeastern Suburbs, Victoria, Australia, November 1, 2020, 1:18 PM

The men had all pitched in to drag the picnic tables onto the lawn and the ladies set out the food. Conversation flowed, as did the booze. Ty watched as small groups of people congregated around the yard, pockets of friendly discourse on a comfy Sunday. The children, having eaten first, were back playing in the yard with more than one pair of eyes watching over them.

It was idyllic. Or at least it would have been, had the world not been in the middle of a near apocalyptic pandemic. As it stood, there were but five men in that yard, among a sea of women. And one young boy, of course, but that was neither here nor there. It was a ratio that would have been unthinkable except in the dreams of drunk college boys. Ty nearly snorted at the idea. This was reality. People were dying by the millions as a result of someone's carelessness, or worse, as the result of someone's malice. The thought was sobering. But at least right here, Ty could pretend that aside from missing friends, there was little wrong with his world.

Still, he surveyed the scene, stopping as he saw Alice, Béa and Talia sitting together, plates in hand, engaged in conversation. Beside them, Jonathan and his wife Eloise sat with Narmada Rai. The older man simply sat there as his wife chatted amiably with the doctor. He seemed unwilling to take his eyes from the two women and Ty's face broke into a shit-eating grin as the man finally glanced his way. Ty just mouthed the word 'payback' to the older man and pulled up a chair to sit beside his three partners.

Béa leaned into him and spoke, barely above a whisper. "Tiberius, Talia and Alice were just telling me about the lifestyle you, Charlotte and Alice are a part of."

Ty gave his best noncommittal shrug as he acknowledged the words. "And? What of it?"

She blushed, not meeting his eyes as she spoke, "I admit to being curious regarding the lifestyle, amour. I have not really had all that many dalliances in my life."

Ty thought for a moment, but ultimately it wasn't up to him. "If you're interested, have a more in-depth conversation with Lottie and Alice. Hear what they have to say about the lifestyle and do some reading online. If you're still curious after that, we can try it. At least if you do it this way, it'll be in a controlled environment."

She smiled and nodded, leaning against him slightly as she turned back to her conversation with Talia and Alice. Almost as though it was scripted, Eloise got his attention and he turned towards the older trio, not surprised in the least to see the women smiling at him and his Uncle Jon giving him a look that said retribution would be swift and violent.

Eloise spoke up, the warmth in her voice making it easy for Ty to smile back. "Tiberius, dear, I know you brought the three of us together on purpose. Narmada here has been alone for quite some time, and I think she's positively wonderful. She absolutely deserves a second lease on life." She paused, glancing at the doctor sitting beside her. "If she approves, would you test her against my Jonathan? He won't admit it, but he's smitten."

"She's stubborn, aunty El. Her granddaughter gets that from her, I reckon. But if you can convince her to find herself some happiness again, I'm all for it."

Narmada took Ty's hands and held them between hers. "You have already given me such joy by making my Alice so happy, Tiberius. You have proven in every way that you are a good man, and that has made me consider this seriously. I'm still at a good age. I certainly won't be having children again, but that shouldn't preclude me from finding a partner. Eloise has painted a very pleasant picture of Jonathan. I may not dive in right away, but as long as the two of them can accept that, I would like you to run the test. We can get to know one another before we make any final decisions."

Ty's smile widened and he turned his gaze towards the older man that was currently glaring daggers at him.

"You set me up. I was fine with just El. Then you had to introduce me to this consummate beauty, every bit a match for El, albeit in different ways. Then we talk to her and she's smart, and witty and; damn you!" His glare sharpened as Ty's grin threatened to split his face in two, and he stretched out a hand. "Hand it over, ya bastard!"

The younger soldier couldn't hold it in any longer and burst into laughter, reaching out to Alice, who handed him an envelope. Eloise and Narmada both looked surprised, but Eloise spoke first.

"You already did it? Before we even met?" She took the envelope from Ty's outstretched hand but made no move to open it.

"Someone very smart told my Lottie this not long ago. Before Oracle, men and women had to rely on themselves to pick their partners. They had to rely on their wits and intuition to determine compatibility. But sometimes, you just know. And while she didn't say it, I believe that sometimes, even outsiders can see the truth. So, I took the chance. I admit that I looked at one of the numbers, but only because it was on top."

Slowly, Eloise opened the envelope and pulled out the papers inside. Three numbers sat prominently on the documents. 91%, 89% and 96%. "These two I understand, Tiberius. 91% is my compatibility with Jon, and by the looks of it, 89% is Narmada's. But what is this 96% an indication of?"

Ty's grin was back, and he met Jon's gaze as he spoke. "The compatibility between you and Narmada, aunty El. I thought it'd be fun to see how well you two would get along. I learned later that Oracle already takes that into account, but it was an interesting experiment, nonetheless. You're fucked, Uncle Jono."

Jonathan's expression fluctuated between confusion and disbelief for a moment before he resumed his glare at Tiberius. "I'll get you for this, you shit. Now go on and let us old folks get to know one another."

Extending his hands to the two older women, Ty didn't hesitate with his response. "Well, since the only old fart here is you, geezer, I'll take all five of these lovely ladies with me."

Jon just shook his head, a small smile cracking his expression. "Hands off my wife and my prospective partner, boy."

Ty just laughed as he and the three younger women resumed their own conversations.

Marshall Household, Melbourne Southeastern Suburbs, Victoria, Australia, November 1, 2020, 1:48 PM

Lottie and Lettie sat beside their soon-to-be sister-in-law, just chatting away as they ate. Stella, for her part, had relaxed amid the familiar company, and was enjoying the conversation.

"How are you actually holding up, Stel? With all of the stuff that's been dumped on you and Ray?"

She started, not expecting the sudden segue from the otherwise banal conversation. Taking a breath to calm herself, she tried to process her thoughts. "I was scared I'd lose him at first you know? Either to another woman or DuoHalo when he caught it and didn't have enough protection to fight it off."

Lottie leaned forwards. "And now?"

"Now I'm not anywhere near as worried. It finally got through to me that all of the women in his vicinity, at least right now, adore him and are okay to share his time. Am I disappointed that I don't get to have him all to myself? Of course. But does that mean I don't want him at all? Of course not. He's the love of my life. He just happens to also be the life partner of a number of others."

Lettie smiled warmly. "I can tell that they all adore you too, girl. You've got a good family around you."

"I almost lost a lot of them though;” She shuddered as her imagination filled in the images.

"We'll deal with that prick, but if you guys need support, you get it immediately, okay?"

"The last couple of days have let me come down from the tension and chaos, so we'll see how everyone's feeling in a few days."

"Don't let it get away from you, hun. Get on top of it early. If you need, I'll get a list of professionals from Alice. So don't be afraid to ask."

"Thanks, Lettie. How are things with you guys?"

She shrugged. "Similar, honestly. We finally got the big guy to really look at us as romantic partners, and while I might be the first to get a ring, I have no doubts that he's got others on the way. Now we just have to figure out how to get him to stop running at the gunfire."

Lottie giggled. "That's probably impossible."

Stella was curious. "What's he doing now?"

The twins looked around, spotting him laid out in his hammock. They watched, smiling as Zoe padded over, carefully clambering into the hammock beside him and curling up.

"Looks like he's taking a nap."

Stella just smiled. "Aww, Isn't that cute?"

Marshall Household, Melbourne Southeastern Suburbs, Victoria, Australia, November 1, 2020, 2:45 PM

Ty was pulled out of his doze by the sounds of a camera shutter, accompanied by the giggling and cooing of women. Blinking the sleep away, he opened his eyes, only to realize that not two, but three bodies were curled up beside him on the hammock, one rather larger than the other two. Looking up, the twins were taking photos and he could see Zoe's silvery hair draped languidly over his chest as she slept.

Ty's tone was bemused as he whispered to the giggling twins. "Well, this is somewhat familiar."

"Isn't it just? I guess Zoe was feeling a bit tired after lunch so she was going to take a nap when she spotted you sleeping there and decided to curl up beside you. Then the munchkins wanted to join in too, so Juno helped them up. I was a little unsure if the hammock would take everyone's weight, but it seems to be fine."

Ty chuckled. "If there was enough physical space, this thing could take all of us plus the two of you as well. The supports are anchored in the ground and the cables are extra strength. Some of the boys are idiots, so I made sure it wouldn't be a problem."

He looked down at the kids and it took him a moment to realize that he'd seen the blanket they were wrapped in before. Only it had been wrapped around the young woman now curled up with her head on his chest.

"Is that Zoe's blanket?"

Lottie smiled and nodded. "She asked me to get it from her room next door."

Zoe's voice broke in, still slightly muffled from sleep. "I thought it'd be a nice gesture. A blanket that can get handed down through generations. If it tears or gets damaged, I'll fix it myself. And when more kids are born, it can go to them to use. I certainly don't need it anymore, though I love the memories attached to it."

"Me too, sweetheart. And it's a wonderful gesture, thank you."

She smiled up at him, and her face shone with contentment.

"I think the thing I love the most though is sleeping with my head like this. I can hear your heartbeat and it makes me feel so calm. It's nostalgic, for obvious reasons."

The big soldier just smiled, then turned to the twins. "So, where's Juno? Don't think I haven't noticed her avoiding me all day."

Lettie gestured off to one side of the yard. "Sitting at the edge of the property by herself. You need to go to her, big guy. She needs you."

Within minutes, Ty had extricated himself from the hammock and gone to find the wayward mother of his children. She was just where Lettie said she'd be, sitting on an old stone bench seat his grandmother used to love. Wordlessly, he sat next to her and put an arm around her, waiting. It was several minutes before Juno found the words.

"Can you forgive me?"

Ty remained silent for just a moment before he replied. "Yes Juno. I wish you had told me and let us decide together, but I forgive you. Honestly, you never needed my forgiveness."

"Thank God. I'll do whatever it takes to prove that I'm sorry, Ty."

"You don't need to do that, but now I have to ask. I want to raise those rug rats together with you, but are you only joining the family because you feel guilty? Because I don't want that."

She looked taken aback. "No! I told you, Ty, I have been in love with you for years. The children are a direct result of those feelings and a copious amount of liquid courage. And if I'm feeling guilty, it's because I kept them from you, but I'm not joining this Team because of that guilt." Juno turned to look at him, placing a hand on his chest. "I'm tired of being alone, Ty. As horrible as the pandemic has been, it's given me the opportunity to be with you, and, even more than that, I want our babies to truly know their father. Not just through pictures or video. But to be able to wake up and see you; talk to you; hug you, any time they want to. It was something they couldn't have when you were away for nine months of the year. And don't say that you would have transferred. I know you would have, and you'd have hated it. Six years ago, you still had that wanderlust."

That stung, but Ty knew he couldn't argue. It was probably truer than he'd ever admit. So he said nothing, just watching as Juno continued.

"So, it had to wait. For both our sakes. I'm sorry I took the decision away from you, but I had to protect them, and myself. Besides, it's too late. Alice gave me the serum just a little while ago."

Ty nodded, squeezing her gently. "How did Zoe get involved?"

"She ran into me in town early on and saw the kids. It didn't even take her a second to realize who their father was. I had to swear her to secrecy, and she still objected every time we spoke. She said you deserved to know, and I knew she was right, but I couldn't."

"You'd best make it up to her, if anything. She was in quite an uncomfortable position, stuck between the two of us."

"I'll do that, Ty." She snuggled into his side as she finished. "Thank you."

Ty just snorted. "You won't be thanking me once you realize the terrible mistake you've made. After tonight, you'll be locked in, love. You're never getting rid of me."

Juno just giggled as she buried herself deeper in Ty's embrace. "Just what I wanted."

Marshall Household, Melbourne Southeastern Suburbs, Victoria, Australia, November 1, 2020, 2:50 PM

Lettie watched as Ty lumbered over to where Juno sat, her eyes never leaving the big man's back. Their expressions remained complicated, but she thought she could understand both of their feelings well enough.

"What's on your mind, Lettie? It's unusual to see that expression on your face." Hasumi's voice reached Lettie's ears, and the redhead turned to face her, instinctively looking down before remembering that her friend was no longer wheelchair bound.

"Hi Sumi. It's nothing really. Those two are just frustrating, dancing around one another. The kids have just muddled the issue."

"So, it's true? Those little darlings sleeping in the hammock are his?"

Lettie shrugged. "They are. The problem was that he never knew that, so he wasn't involved in their lives except from a distance."

"From everything I know of him, that would have stung."

"Yeah, that big oaf has always been free with his love, though he's no cheater or deadbeat. Juno; was doing what she thought was best for her and the kids, even though it was wrong of her to keep Ty out of the equation."

Hasumi watched as Juno buried herself in Tiberius' chest, and she smiled. "It seems to have worked out in the end."

"Looks like. But enough of the big guy's dramas. How are you? I haven't gotten to talk to you much since you got imprinted, what with all the excitement." She turned towards her friend and gave her a tight hug. "I'm glad no one got badly hurt in all the chaos, Sumi. I don't know how I'd react if anyone else died."

Hasumi felt the tears filling her eyes. "Learning to walk before I run, quite literally, actually. I heard about the circumstances. You tell your colleagues to end that monster. He deserves no less for what he has done."

"I'd love to, but for the sake of security, nobody is being told who is going. Of course, we're all going to know once they leave, but until then; well, never mind that. He'll get what's coming to him. How are things going with Ray? Has he been treating you well?"

"He's the best. I couldn't be happier, honestly. As much as I love him, I adore Stella too, and so I'd resigned myself to spinster status until all of this came into play. God, can you believe that it has barely been eleven days since this was all set into motion? It's all happening so fast!"

"Faster for some than others, Hasumi." A third voice interrupted, the clipped British accent giving away its owner's identity instantly. Victoria joined them, her long legs allowing her to cover the distance in just a few strides. "I had barely made it into the house when some hooligans decided to shoot holes in it. That was quite a bit more excitement than I had ever wanted in one afternoon. Thank God Rayne, Simone and Patricia weren't too badly injured. They're too wonderful to lose."

Lettie nodded and gave her a smile. "You got cut up a bit too, didn't you, Doctor? The fact that you're still here after that experience says a lot about you, too. You weren't bonded to Ray at that time, so you had every opportunity to change your mind, but you didn't. Thank you for staying at his side. He's lucky to have you. All of you."

"Scratches, if barely that. And your brother is a remarkable man, Leticia. I'm the lucky one. You should be very proud of him."

"Oh, I am. So is Lottie."

The three chatted idly for a few minutes before joining the rest of Rayne's family, who were engaged in conversation with Bill Anderson and his partners.

"Do you know who they're sending as your next partner, Dr. Valiant?" Bill's deep voice was soft as he addressed the young scientist.

Rayne shrugged. "They were going to give me a reprieve in the pace after Victoria, since I was starting to come unglued with all the new faces, but circumstances have changed. Another soldier will be joining me. Someone from the SAS this time, I'm given to understand. I believe her name was Evie? She's a Major, like Ty was until recently."

Stella spoke up, clearly having a better knowledge of the subject than Rayne himself. "Her name is Evelyn Taylor. I figured Tiberius would know her and could give us an idea of what to expect, but maybe you can do the same, Colonel."

Bill chuckled. "Just call me Bill. And Major Evelyn Taylor? Our very own Wonder Woman? Well, I can assure you that you're in great hands. Lieutenants, she's very tough on other servicewomen, but that's because she's always pushing them to be better. She's even tougher on herself. Outside of that, she'll be your best friend and biggest cheerleader. Helps that she's tougher than steel."

Both Simone and Trish looked a little apprehensive. "Why do you call her Wonder Woman?"

Ty's voice cut in, and he couldn't suppress the laugh as he and Juno walked back over to rejoin the crowd. "Because the woman is a fucking Amazon War Goddess. On top of basically being a taller, fitter, and downright hotter version of Gal Gadot, she's a much better soldier than me, and the only reason she doesn't already outrank me is because she declined the opportunity more than once. That woman's got bigger balls than any of us."

Lottie poked Ty in the rib as he came to stand beside her and shook her head. "What he's not saying is that Evie is probably one of the best possible additions for your team, both in personality and capability. She's lovely, Ray, and you'll get along like a house on fire."

"Ty nodded. "She really is one of the best. She'll whip your two Lieutenants back into fighting trim once they're healed. She might even teach them how to use a lasso." He paused, grinning. "Hey, Lots, was it Evie or Addie that swore like a sailor?"

There was a nearly manic giggle as she replied. "Both, but you're thinking of Addie, you goof. She is the sailor."

Jon snorted, looking triumphant. "Captain Addison Taylor of the Royal Australian Navy is your next partner, boy. She's quite keen on the prospect. I think her ship will dock in a couple of days, so she'll be briefed and dropped off at your place after that."

Ty gave the man an exasperated glare. "You're taking the piss, right?" The old man just laughed and shook his head. "You know, Uncle Jon, for the head of Australia's Quaranteam project, I seem to have very little say in who joins my Team. I've also accelerated way ahead of the expected partner curve."

He grinned. "It's all by design, I assure you. We need Navy participation. RAAF(Royal Australian Air Force) boys and girls are already in play."

"And just how much more 'good' do I need in my life before you're done? I suppose I should consider myself lucky you haven't fixed me up with someone from the RAAF?" It hit him then. "Oh hell, you don't need to because Grace is USAF."

The old man's grin was telling. "She sure is. Certainly saved me the trouble of matchmaking, and she added another tick to the 'international' box. I'm still working on the Japanese, but I've just about got the South Koreans onboard. A delegation is actually taking the trouble to fly down and talk to us, with the promise that the ambassador, a man named Kang Byung-Chul, will be able to get the serum immediately to bond to his wife and staff. In return, he's offered for his daughter Mi-Rae to join one of our prominent teams as a show of faith. No surprise, I nominated you. Congrats, she's a prominent TV personality over there, I'm told, so she's probably a real looker, son."

Ty couldn't suppress the groan.

Marshall Household, Melbourne Southeastern Suburbs, Victoria, Australia, November 1, 2020, 5:04 PM

"How're things over there, Damo? We're having a bit of a get together and thought we'd give you a call." Ty sat in front of the big screen, having hooked up his laptop to get the Zoom call going with the least fuss.

Damian blinked groggily at his brother for a moment, not sure how to respond to the statement. Eventually, he decided to just go with deadpan. "Well bro, you apparently forgot that it's like 7AM here. That aside, Lou and Amélie were worried, but you seem pretty sprightly for a bloke that's just out of hospital. That bandage from you hitting your head?"

Ty chuckled. "Nah, you know me, I'm hardheaded enough that the bullet they tried to put there just bounced off."

Damian had turned away to look at something off screen, but his head whipped back to face his brother at the words. Louise's face joined him a moment later, her expression horrified. "You're messing with me, right?" Ty chuckled and shook his head. "You got shot in the head, and they let you out of the hospital? You can't be serious."

"It was barely a graze, Damo. I told you it glanced off my skull. And I'm going back for scans again tomorrow just to be safe."

"You bloody well better, bro. I don't have enough brothers that I can afford for the one I do have to die of a fucking brain aneurysm or something." Damian took a deep breath, releasing some tension that had built up after he'd heard of the shooting. "So, there are a few more faces since I last saw you. All of those lovely sheilas yours?"

"No, like I said, there's a bit of a get together happening before we kick the rollout prep into high gear. Right around me are my fam, most you've met before, but you know Juno Claudius, and this is Elizabeth Connors and of course, Captain Grace Lawry. Ray and his Team are just behind us, as are Colonel Anderson, Brigadier Davis and Lieutenant General Hoffmann and their Teams."

Damian's eyes went wide. "Connors? As in Ja..”

"Exactly that Connors. She's his younger sister, but she's also nothing like him. You'll like her a lot once you get to know her. I sure do."

Damian just nodded and greeted Liz, who was somewhat embarrassed at Ty's words. She responded in kind before pinching Ty and running off, her face bright red.

Ty rubbed his arm where she'd pinched him and chuckled. "Well, that was a fresh reaction."

While Damian greeted the other officers and did a brief introduction to their families, Ty felt a small tug at his pant leg and he grinned, reaching down to scoop up the kids. "Oh yeah, I've got a couple more very important introductions to make." He pulled the twins close and pointed to the face on the screen. "Kids, on the screen there is your Uncle Damian and Auntie Louise. My little brother and his girlfriend. Damian, I'd like to introduce you to Mars and Bellona. My son and daughter."

If Damian had been expecting anything, this was not it. "Bro; uh; what the f..” He caught himself before he continued and took a breath to steady himself. "It's great to meet you, Bellona, Mars. I'm Damian, your dad's brother." His gaze shifted from the kids back to Ty. "Look, bro, I know I don't call all that often, but seriously? When did you have kids and how the; heck; did I not know about this?"

Ty burst into laughter, causing the kids to giggle. "That's a story for another time, little brother. I'll call later to have a one-on-one with ya. Suffice it to say I was pretty bloody surprised too."

Damian's expression became a little melancholic. "They're what, five or six? A couple years older and mum would have passed knowing she was a nonna. She'd have loved that."

Ty sighed, feeling the bite of loss cut into him. "They're six. Just last month. And yeah. It would have been nice if one of us had gotten around to it a bit sooner, but it is what it is, Damo. Now Mum and dad are watching from above, and you can be sure they're beaming from ear to ear." A small grin slid onto his face and he looked his brother dead in the eyes as he asked. "And I might be a dad now, but I'm not an uncle yet, so when are you and Louise going to get started? It's time to make babies, baby bro."

The young Frenchwoman blushed to the tip of her ears and Damian sputtered, once again at a loss for words. "Christ, Ty, how much have you had to drink?"

Ty just laughed. "Nowhere near as much as you'd think, Damo. Got a partner to imprint, so I can't get totally smashed. Anyway, don't leave it for too long, alright? Get busy getting' busy."

Damian was clearly trying not to throw something and Louise's expression was completely mortified. "When we start having kids is none of your business, you hear me?"

Ty just kept laughing, his sides beginning to hurt. "Of course it isn't. I'm just saying don't wait too long, yeah?"

Damian huffed and walked off, but Louise drew closer to the camera and winked. "He will not admit it, but we've started trying and I am sure he will propose soon, so expect a call about that, Tiberius."

Trying his best to look contrite and failing miserably, Ty gave in and gave her a warm smile. "Congratulations, Louise. And if I made you at all uncomfortable with my teasing, I'm sorry. A lot of that is just how I interact with Damo."

"Think nothing of it. He's over in the kitchen right now, having a meltdown about becoming an uncle. I rather think he's ecstatic, if the grin on his face is any indication."

The rather pointed, "Hey, don't tell him that!" from off-screen nearly set Ty off laughing again and he bid Louise goodbye, along with asking her to tell Amélie that everything was progressing smoothly and they'd have a shipment in the air within a few days.

Marshall Household, Melbourne Southeastern Suburbs, Victoria, Australia, November 1, 2020, 6:30 PM

Juno sat at the edge of the bed, her heart in her throat and her body completely aflame. She knew full well that the first time between her and Ty had been a drunken mess. And now, even though Alice had told her it would happen, she had definitely failed to mention just how fast the serum would ramp up her lusts and now Juno was terrified that her second encounter with the man of her dreams was going to end with her as a hot mess.

As she fretted, the big soldier stepped out of the bathroom, watching her with no small amount of curiosity. As she sat there, mostly undressed, he could see that she hadn't let herself go over the years. Healthy curves that had only been accentuated by motherhood. She had a glow to her, partly from her good health, and partly from her arousal. It took her a few moments to realize he was watching her and she shuddered.

"Are you sure you're okay with me, Ty?"

Ty strode over and sat beside her, the towel around his hips just barely keeping his modesty. "God damn it, woman. That's my question, as late as it is now that you've taken the serum. Juno, we may never have been a couple, as it's understood. But I've always adored you and the person you've been. The fact of the matter is that you and I never gave anything between us a chance."

Juno looked indignant. "But you were ..”

Ty raised a hand to forestall her. "I know. At the time I had just been dating Suzune and she ran off and left me for reasons I still don't understand. Then Damo turns up and asks me to do a double date with him, Louise and Béa. A date I screwed up because I was wrapped in my own head. Then we had New Year's Eve and things got very awkward between us. I mean, I understand why, now, but we never had a chance to get our feet under us. Maybe now we can. Even if the kids weren't in the picture, I know I'd like that. How about you?"

She stared into his eyes, hoping that what she'd read in them was the truth and she wasn't disappointed. His steel grey eyes never wavered, filled with warmth and affection.

"I want that more than anything."

He beamed. "Good. Just no more hiding important things, got it?"

Sagging in relief, she buried her head in the big man's hairy chest and took a deep breath, her nose filling with his post-cleanup scent. With how aroused she was, it was almost an aphrodisiac, sending her body into overdrive.

Tilting her head up, Juno tried her best to devour Ty's lips, assaulting him with a kiss filled with an ardour that she didn't think she'd ever felt before. The pair's hands roamed, exploring each other and this time, without the copious amounts of alcohol muddling their senses, the fondling only drove their desire for one another ever higher. Ty's towel fell away and Juno's bra and panties were sent flying as they groped away at one another. Something long repressed had been released, and now there was no going back.

Finally, after what felt like hours, though it was only minutes, their mouths separated and Juno buried her head in Ty's chest and moaned throatily as his fingers ploughed their way into her. The more they sawed in and out, the more drenched she became and her cries rapidly grew more lustful and frantic. She was mere moments from an orgasm but that damned serum was blocking it and it was driving her mad.

"Ty, I can't take it anymore! I'll never hide things from you again, so please, don't make me wait any longer. Please Ty, let me cum!"

Giving her a wicked smile, he rubbed a finger over the head of his throbbing cock, coating it in some precum before bringing that finger to her lips. She opened her mouth greedily to accept it, but he paused, just out of reach.

"This is the last possible moment for you to change your mind, Juno. I pray you won't, but the option is there. If you have any hesitation, turn away. If you have any doubts, speak up now, because unless I keel over dead, there's no going back."

Offering his precum-coated finger to Juno once again, Ty held her gaze. To his relief, she didn't hesitate at all, opening her mouth to lick from the base of his finger up. The moment her tongue ran over the glistening pad of his finger, her body bent like a bow and her mouth fell open in a silent scream. Her body convulsed and Ty was startled when she actually squirted; a veritable tide spraying out from her nether regions and over him. To his credit, he just took it in stride, leaning down to latch onto one of her puffy nipples, running a tongue over her darkened areola as her chest heaved and she tried to regain her senses. He drilled his fingers back into her steamy depths, thumbing her clit as she writhed in delicious agony.

To be continued in part 11. Based on a post by SilverRyden, in 15 parts, for Literotica.