Thys sat at the end of the bed that he used to share with his wife, his head held in his hands as tears dripped down his face. He was facing away from the three little cots that stood against one wall, the babies sleeping peacefully but he didn't know what to do, Cassila was gone, how could he live without her he was his life, his light his reason for living. He knew that his children should be his new reason for living but he was unable to think about them yet still to wrapped up in his own grief to deal with them. He broke down sobbing then, before sobbing himself to sleep. He was woken three or so hours later by his children screaming their little lungs out but he couldn't move from the bed swamped with memories of how much he had wanted them and what it had cost him. 


Jace Jorden

Jace had been feeling the lose of his sister and his wife harder then he had even thought possible, but he knew that Thys had even more on his hands at the current. It was this that lead him to checking on him. He needed to be sure that the kids would be okay. He headed towards Thys room and when he heard the screaming babies, he didn't even bother to knock. He was surprised to still see Thys in bed and not looking after them. He quickly moved to the cots and first picked up the little girl, who seemed to be being the loudest. He couldn't help the small smile that crossed his face at holding the baby in his arms. It reminded him of happier times when he had held Mackenzie at this age. "We need some bottles Thys", she shouted over the screaming. It was more a order then any suggestion and he hoped the other guy followed through. He knew he needed to get the other guy out of the mood he was in. Jace shifted the girl in his arms and shifted to pick up the louder of the two boys too. He rocked them both carefully until they started to settle.

Thys started when he heard someone yelling loud enough to be heard over his kids. He stood on autopilot getting the bottles from the fridge, heating them in a pan of water he walked over holding one in one hand and two in the other. "Put them on the bed." He tells him, before placing the bottles there so he could feed both babies at once. Thys then walked over to the baby in the last crib. He looked down at the baby before reluctantly picking him up and placing the bottle gently against the babies lips hoping that the baby would latch on. He felt guilty, he should be there for his kids but his whole world didn't make sense since Cassila had died nothing made sense.

Jace carefully placed both kids on the bed and picked up the bottles to fed them. He knew he was probably being a little harsh on the other guy. He did understand Thys's pain although at this stage it probably didn't look like it. He also knew that someone needed to bring Thys out of the depression he was in or take over the children until he could get himself out of it. He knew though that Thys would cope even less with out them. They would have to have a chat that he didn't really want to have at this time. Once the two where finished he placed the bottles back down and finding a baby's bib he placed over his shoulder before burping first the girl and then the boy. Glad that neither actually threw up on him. He didn't want to have to talk to Thys while smelling like baby vomit. He watched Thys as he picked up both the two kids again and rocked them to settle them back to sleep. Once he was sure they where settled, he placed them back in their cots, tucking them in gently with a small smile on his face as he watched them sleep.

Thys watch Jace it was strange to see him like this, so soft looking he was much more used to him being a hard ass. He stroked the babies cheek while he fed him unable to believe that this little being was part him. Thys burped the child before rocking him to sleep and placing him back in his crib tucking him in he stroked his cheek for a moment before picking up the bottles and taking them over to the sink starting to clean them and refill them to place them back in the fridge. He knew that Jace had something he wanted to say to him but he wanted to put it off as long as possible so he puttered around till he had no other choice but to sit and hear him out. He took a seat looking at the floor waiting for Jace to speak.

Jace watched the children as Thys cleaned up, trying to find the words that needed to be said. When he saw Thys take a seat, he knew he had no longer to work it out. He lent against the wall and looked him. "I know what you have lost, and trust me when I say I understand how it feels. But I can not sit back and watch as you hurt those kids", he replied. "I am willing to help you with them but If I see you not getting up to them again then I will not hesitate to take them away from you until I am sure you can handle them", he continued. He waited for Thys to look at him. "I mean it Thys. I will stay in the bunks here and I will help you, but I need to see that you care about them. Cassila is gone and they need you know."

Thys burst into tears sobbing into his hands unable to form words. "They deserve better than me, I just when ever I look at them I remember that it's my fault that their mother is dead. If I hadn't wanted more kids she would still be here." He says after taking a deep breath and wiping off his face. "You should take them you would be a better father than me, I mean come on I couldn't even protect their big sister I don't deserve them. I whenever I look at them I think of their mother they look like her and she should be here." He says before starting to cry again turning his head to look at the babies, before standing and walking over to them looking down at the children he loved them with all his heart but they deserved better than him, he was not good enough for them. "You would be a much better father than me."

Jace shook his head, "No they need you and even if they didn't, I can't take care of all three of them at once", he replied. He instantly was regretting even mentioning that option. He knew Thys well enough to know that he would always regret that if it happened. He let out a large sigh, "And you forget, the blame there lies on me as well. I regret everyday that my heart beats and theirs does not, but we are the ones that are left and if don't look after those kids then it is all of them that we let down. I for one do not want to let them down. How about you?" By the end of it he was standing beside him and looking down at the crib with the little girl.

Thys look away clenching his jaw remembering the promise that he made his wife. "Okay, I'll do it." He says after a while, reaching down to stroke the baby in front of him's cheek. "They will need names, I just, she was supposed to help me name them." He says letting out a shaky breath the words running through his mind. Look after them, okay Thys? love them and move on give them a mother like you were a father to Araseli.. He sighed, feeling drained. "I wish she was still here she would be so much better at this than me. I mean I haven't even named them, we talked about it once you know, what we'd name them. She hated all the names I suggested."

Jace nodded, just glad that his message had gotten through to him. He knew this was going to be hard on them both. "We will pull through this together. I promise you that. We still need to name them. How about Cassandra for the girl. In honour of her mother?", he replied. He wanted to only give suggestions. The actual naming he would leave to Thys. He knew that Cassila may not have liked the names he would pick either but they couldn't leave them name less. "and I mean there is always Salvador and George for the boys", he continued with a small smirk. "Okay in all seriousness maybe not George. I think she would have hated that."

"Cassandra, yeah I like that." He said with a small smile, the first one he had had since Cassila died. "I like Salvador and George but they don't look that to me, Jorden and Kane Arion I think, Cass wanted to name them after me and you anyway but I want them to be there own people. Cassandra Araseli, Jorden Salvador and Kane Daniel I think." He says leaning over and picking up the baby in front of him who had black hair stroking his cheek. "You look like a Kane Arion I think." He tells him giving him a kiss on the head before placing him back in the crib and picking up the other little boy who had brown hair, My little Jordan, Jorden Salvador." He places Jordon down before picking up Cassandra rocking her as she whimpered before whispering to her. "My little Cassandra Araseli."

Jace smiled as he watched him. He wasn't overly surprised about Cassila wanting to name them after the to of them. It sounded like her to him. A smile crossed his face as he stroked the cheek of the little Jorden. It was then that a loud knock sounded on the door and Jace opened to see a rather pissed off tired Mars camper. "I sorry we disrupted your beauty sleep. It appears you need it", he stated simply, blocking the punch that was the campers response. He twisted the hand he blocked behind the guys back in the process. "I understand you are annoyed about being awoken but those kids have lost their and we are working on it. I suggest you leave us be", He stated. He shoved the guy forward as he let go of him and watched as he went back to bed. He hoped that would be enough to keep their fellow campers away from them. They still had a lot to work out and take in.

Thys Kane

Thys shook his head in disgust at the camper, no compassion these people we not Jace but he understood what he was going through because he was going through it too. Without Jace he didn't know what he would have done to the children, let them down probably. He picked Kane up as he started to fuss, checking his diaper and finding it wet he moved over towards the changing table he placed Kane down changing the diaper quickly he then put him back to sleep letting him back into the crib once he was totally out. He cracked his neck before heading towards the shower, he stunk, he couldn't plan the future like this so he had a shower. Walking back out in his towel he dressed quickly before taking a seat on the bed. "Okay what now?"

Jace changed Cassandra's and Jorden's nappies while Thys was in the shower and took a seat in a chair near the cots as he waited for Thys to come back. "Well you look even tireder then I feel so I suggest you get a couple of hours sleep. I can watch them while you do", he replied. Jace was to lost in thought to sleep anyway. He still couldn't truly believe that Cassila was dead. She had been a constant in his life since he arrived at the Roman camp and to have lost Sakarra at the same time crushed his heart. He wasn't sure he would be able to let himself grow close to anyone else. He had already failed both Kayleigh and Sakarra, what if did so again.

Thys Kane
words: 130

Thys snorted moving over and pulling Jace up before pushing him to lay on the bed. "You can sleep too the kids are asleep again and will be for at least an hour, sitting here brooding won't do anything to help." He tells him, checking the kids before he climbed into bed curling up on his side of the bed he yawned a few times before saying, "You get out of this bed before you have a sleep you'll be on diaper duty for the rest of the triplets lives." He tells him before falling asleep getting to sleep was never the problem it was the nightmares that haunted him and the fact that killed him even more was that the dreams weren't nightmares but memories of failing to save the one and only woman he had ever loved. He started to toss and turn muttering in his sleep.

Words: 150
Jace Jorden