Home Again

[Liara]

"Whip cream." Kaitlyn said as she tried to get down.

"It does detach." Selene said as she let Kaitlyn go and gave Clint a thank you look. She knew living with Clint meant the kids were a packaged deal and that eventually there would be interaction. She wasn't prepared for it to happen so quickly.

[Clint Cross]

"Kid's got good grip, I'll give her that. When she's maybe a little older, I'll get her into gymnastics. I think she'd do well, natural balance, grip like iron." Clint said as he handed off the whip cream and laughed when he saw her put more cream than ice cream in her bowl.

"She gave Bella and Jon a few heart attacks when she'd jump up onto the railings and walk on them with her hands in her pockets." James shook his head. "Told you I'd tell dad on you."

Kaitlyn just stuck her tongue out at him and continued adding whipped cream.

"So Selene... you and dad didn't happen to get a news padd while you were out?" James raised an eyebrow.

"Oh what now?" Clint rolled his eyes.

"Oh, just some asshole reporter with a picture of your naked backside and wondering why you aren't going off after Dominus and instead 'playing in the sand with a mysterious redhead.'" James pulled the padd out of his messenger bag. "As if you're not allowed to blow off steam. I thought cameras weren't allowed there? Lyashev and Daisy are checking into it, I mean... lots of spy folk head there because of that. Isn't that why clothing's optional so it's harder to hide recording devices?"

Clint looked at the picture more closely. "It was Ting. That bitch. Okay Selene... you can kill her now."

[Liara]

"Director of Navel Intelligence lets it all air out on beach vacation with mysterious redhead." Selene read over his shoulder. "Only if I get to kill the men she was with too. I didn't like the way they looked at me."

[Clint Cross]

"We can run a trace on them. Maybe they're dirty and we can write it off." Clint whispered. "Yeah they were kind of scummy looking." he handed her a bowl of ice cream and brought out a fresh whip cream can and a shaker of sprinkles. "He should be working on the Dominus situation, not cavorting on a beach'. As if I'm the only Intelligence director on the planet? Navy Intel's got more than just me too, I'm the Director but there are section directors under me. We keep things small because last time... we lost everyone in one fell swoop. Even if Joe's were wiped out, we'd still have a half dozen other offices and teams and directors to carry on."

[Liara]

"You place a lot of stake in what these reporters say. Just kill them." Selene said with a shrug as she took the bowl of ice cream.

[Clint Cross]

"Would that I could." Clint chuckled. "Well, others do think like them and hey I don't care what they say about me. At least they didn't say something like 'Director Cross fakes wife's death, insurance scammer?'" he smiled when he saw Kaitlyn enjoying her ice cream. "Whatever... let them say what they want about me, all I care about truly is in this kitchen."

[Liara]

"You know Bella isn't going to let you live that down." Selene smirked. "It is a nice picture though."

[Clint Cross]

"Yeah... it kinda is... all those glute workouts are paying off... and look at my back muscles... damn I'm ripped." Clint blew the picture up a bit. "Now I know why you keep walking a step behind me sometimes..." he pointed her out. "Your ass is pretty good too y'know..." he whispered.

[Liara]

"To bad your kids are here." Selene whispered back. "I'd show you more of it."

[Clint Cross]

"I just ate it what? Two hours ago?" Clint whispered back and winked as he prepared his ice cream and sat with James and Kaitlyn. "So, I trust I won't get any reports from Jon and Bella about you two?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary." James said casually. "Other than Kaitlyn being able to say 'senatorial sub committee' but Selene Lanara is impossible... although I do second that I like 'Liara' as a nickname."