Home Again

[Liara]

“Definitely worth sticking around.” Selene grinned.

[Cece Ryder]

The Next Morning --

Cece was sitting in the kitchen, dressed head to toe in Cross Archery workout gear, a couple of padds on the table as she made a few refinements to Rommie's program so that she wouldn't be entirely missing too much, but restoring some of the more recent updates while keeping Alice and Nick's secrets. She had a pot of coffee and a warmer with a tea pot sitting on the counter.

"Hey Cece..." James said as he walked down the stairs in a freshly pressed pair of slacks and a dress shirt, a tie half done around his neck.

"Sharp dressed kid coming through." Cece commented as she sipped her tea. "Hot date?"

"No... uhm, Kassie needs me to help with some of the new hires, Ajem'dasis acolytes took out a bus a few weeks ago, we lost some secretarial pool and communications people. They were on their way to the Compound when they attacked. Official story was the bus had a tragic mishap..." James sighed heavily.

"Yeah... they'll do that. I heard about that, wondered who we lost." Cece said and closed her eyes. "Hey, don't tell Bella and Jon I'm back yet. I would rather tell them myself."

"Will do. You look thinner, eat some breakfast." James said as he poured himself a thermos of coffee.

"Yes dad." Cece deadpanned. "Are the lovers awake?"

"No idea, not checking. I know their room is soundproof but they really need to move the bed so it doesn't hit the wall." James winced.

"Try being telepathic." Cece said as she cocked her head. "They are certainly... intense."

"He's happy, she's happy... I'm happy their happy. I'm happy you're back." James said and took a stool near Cece. "So... Nanny huh?"

"More for Kaitlyn. Always promised Selene that if anything happened to her, I'd do whatever I could to help Clint with her." Cece said as she took another sip of tea and smiled. "I also need to just... psychically refresh."

"Understood. And hey, if you want me to bring you anything, just let me know." James said as he glanced at his watch. "Kaitlyn's still asleep... never should let her stay up and watch that whole season of Puppy Patrol. Oh well, she was way too awake last night. Not like she has school or work."

"Mornin' all." Clint said as he walked down the stairs in just shorts. "Hey is there... yes! Coffee..." he went over and poured two mugs of coffee.

"You can take the whole pot. Just... don't do that thing where you drink from the pot. It's not cute." Cece teased.

[Liara]

Liara awoke to an empty bed and the smell of coffee drifting up the stairs and in through the open bedroom door. She rolled over to face the balcony doors to find a large four legged animal starring her on the face. The animal she assumed was the dog Coulson. He was a lot bigger then she’d imagined and he just stood their starring at her as if he were assessing her.

“Clint!” Liara called after a while of starring each other down and the dog had yet to look away. It was eerie and she wasn’t sure if she was about to be Coulson’s lunch or not.

[Clint Cross]

Clint came into the room and gave Coulson a look. "Coulson... don't give Liara that look. She's Selene's twin... she's good. She's not food." he handed Liara the mug of coffee. "We joke that he eats people, he hasn't. Although there was an Imperium agent that we could never find and he mysteriously had a couple of large bones, but I think they were planted by Bella to add to the 'legend'. He's a good boy." he crouched down and rubbed his chin. "Big cuddler."

[Liara]

“Does he always look at you like he knows things?” Liara inquired as she took a sip of coffee and eyes the dog.

[Clint Cross]

"Yeah, he's a weird breed, I would swear he's smarter than some people I know. And some people I know would say he's smarter than me." Clint said with a laugh and sipped his coffee. "He's perceptive and very protective. He's probably confused, you look like 'his' Selene, yet you smell different."

[Liara]

“Maybe.” Liara said as she starred at Coulson. “Maybe he’s trying to figure out if I’m good enough for you. I’m still alive so maybe he approves.”

[Clint Cross]

"He's probably playing with you, see if you'll flinch and freak out." Clint mused and scratched his ears. "Bella and him were super close then once Selene got pregnant, he was her constant companion until Kaitlyn, now he watches over Kaitlyn and James. I've even see her trying to ride him."

[Liara]

“Well I’m not here to hurt anyone and if I do you can dine on me. But it’ll never happen.” Liara told Coulson as she sipped at her coffee. “So judging by how quickly you got up here I take Cece was up.”

[Clint Cross]

"Yeah, she made coffee and tea. Apparently she's doing a few things on Rommie, saw her code still loaded on her computer." Clint said with a shrug. "She's always been an early bird."