Vaight Cottage ~ July 23, 2033 ~

"Mummy..." Darius flung himself at his mother, unafraid to cry when she was there. Mummy didn't mind if he cried...she said it wasn't weakness.

He locked his arms around his mum and started to cry quietly onto her shoulder.

Darien closed his eyes, and the expression on his face was one of pain.

"Oh, honey," Diana wrapped her arms around Darius securely, "It's alright, it's alright, let it all out."

To Darien and Nick she sent daggers.

She started rubbing Darius' back in a comforting manner. "My poor baby..."

Whatever it was, she was sure the two men in front of her where guilty. In fact, with the bags by the door and the shared guilty faces of Nicolas and Darien, she was pretty sure she could figure out what had happened. Oh her poor baby.

"Let's get you upstairs, you must be tired." She said scooping Darius up carefully.

To Darien and Nick she glared a warning, 'I'll be back,' she mouthed.

Darius nodded, sniffling slightly.

He glanced briefly at both Uncle Nick and his father, before rubbing a small hand across his red eyes.

Darien didn't move, still on the floor with eyes on the floor.

((awww, I wana lil Darius for myself to hug... XD))

Nicolas stood by, silent as well.

Diana kissed the top of Darius' head as she carried him across the hall and up the stairs to his bedroom.

"Are you hungry darling?" Diana asked Darius softly. She sat down on the bed, Darius still securely in her arms.

Darius sniffled.

"Not really..." He supressed a yawn, with difficulty.

His tears slowed and he released his mother's shoulder. "...Sorry I made your shoulder wet, Mummy..." He mumbled.

"It's alright Darius hon," Diana said fixing Darius' hair. "You should get ready for bed, you're tired."

----

Nicolas rounded on Darien. "Now look what you did, you made the little guy cry."

Darius sniffed. "Okay Mummy." He yawned again, but didn't move.

-------

Darien looked away from the carpet long enough to glare at Nick. "You're just as responsible for that as I am."

"See Mister, you're tired." Diana said kissing Darius' cheek. "Come here, let's get that shirt off and into your jammies."

---

"Really?" Nicolas said sarcastically. "He seemed happy enough before we saw you."

Darius yawned, but pulled off his shirt and hunted around for his PJs.

-----

Darien growled, but held himself in check...barely.

"Do you want me to help you put them on?" Diana said wistfully.

=____=

Nicolas smirked rather pleased with himself.

Darius shook his head. "S'Okay Mummy...I just need to find them first."

He rooted around under his bed, still unable to find them.

-------

Darien glanced briefly up the stairs, then continued staring at the floor.

Diana giggled. Darius was so cute. With a wave of her wand, she summoned them. "Here they are."

-----

Nicolas looked at the wall pictures.

"Thanks Mummy!" Darius beamed, pulling on his pajamas.

He slipped under his duvet and hugged a toy dog close. "Night Mummy."

------

Darien continued to stare at the floor.

"Night Darius," Diana said kissing him on his forehead and making sure he was snugly under the covers. "I love you."

___

Nicolas walk towards a family portrait. Hmm... they should get one of those.

"Love you too Mummy." Darius yawned again and closed his eyes.

He was asleep within minutes.

--------

Darien's gaze flickered to the stairs instead of the floor.

Diana closed the lights then headed downstairs.

"Now, why don't you tell me what happened?" Diana asked.

"Well - " Nicolas started but was stopped by Diana's hand. "I want to hear it from my husband, if you don't mind."

Nicolas shut up and the both of them looked at Darien expectedly.

Darien's voice was emotionless.

"Nick decided to buy Darius half a toy store, even though he doesn't need it, and I told Darius to give them back. But he started crying...I just didn't want him being spoilt! He has plenty of toys already!"

Diana narrowed her gaze. "So you made him return bags filled with toys that he thought were already his?" She didn't sound pleased. "And you're wondering why he's crying?"

"He didn't need them! I just don't want him to grow up used to being spoilt!" Darien glared at Nick. "Then your cousin tried to undermine my judgement!"

"I'm sure he did," Diana said turning to Nicolas. "And you! Where do you come off buy Darius all this stuff?!"

"I just wanted to do something nice for him." Nicolas said defeatedly. "Aurora dragged us in the toy's store and I couldn't simply buy Aurora toys without buying Darius some too. You should have seen his face."

Darien scowled at the floor, but managed to keep himself from saying anything.

Diana sighed. "So you bought him half the toy's store?"

"I didn't buy him that much stuff honestly!" Nicolas said defensively. "I don't know what the big deal is, they're just toys! He's not going to turn into a brat just because I bought him a few things. He's a good kid he won't turn bad."

"Look at that pile and tell me that is 'a few things'!" Darien jabbed a finger at the large pile of bags crammed with toys.

"That is a few things," Nicolas said stubbornly. "Merlin I'd hate to be your kid, you guys are sucking him dry."

Darien growled. "At least my son won't grow up as pampered as your daughter!" He stood up, glaring at Nick.