Finding Them

Daniel had woken up with his kids climbing off him. "Would you like some help to get down?" Hunter asked Dakota and Darcy. They both nodded their heads yes so Hunter held his arms out first taking a hold of Dakota placing him on the ground and then repeated the process with Darcy, both children visibly stiffened when they were held. Daniel kept very still pretending to stay asleep, he wanted all his children to bond with the twins. Darcy held onto Hunter's hand taking him over to the stacking blocks while Dakota picked up the car and sat down on the ground. Hunter sat between the twins with Dakota placing his hand on Hunter's leg.

Darcy started to stack the cups so Hunter began to count the cups. Darcy pointed to each cup as Hunter counted "One, two, three, four, five, six" he told Darcy. Darcy whispered "sticks" for the number six and Hunter smiled at her. "That's right sweetheart, there are six cups" he told her. Darcy nodded her head and smiled at Hunter. Dakota was zooming his car back and forth and knocked the cups over causing Darcy to flinch a little. "It's ok sweetheart we will build them again" Hunter told Darcy who had little tears in her eyes. Dakota looked so sad that he upset his sister "Sowwy Cc" he whispered. "Hey mate it's fine we can build it again and knock it down over and over again" Hunter assured his baby brother while smiling. Dakota got up cuddling Darcy to apologise and Darcy snuggled into him and sighed.

"Come on let's stack the cups again" Hunter said after a few minutes. Darcy sat on Hunter's lap and Dakota was leaning on his leg watching what was happening. Daniel snapped a few photos before going to the kitchen to grab a snack for the twins and to check what to cook for dinner. When he got there he saw Jamie had begun to start cooking. "Hey, Dad you are awake. Where are the twins?" Jamie asked. "They are playing with Hunter, I'm just getting them a snack and going to start on dinner" Daniel stated. "Oh, I'm making pasta with a cream and bacon sauce. Something quick and easy" Jamie replied. "Thanks, bud" Daniel said to his son ruffling his hair and earning a groan from Jamie.

Daniel cut up some strawberries and headed back into the lounge room where he saw Dakota, Darcy, Hunter and Mitchell making something and racing cars around the floor. Darcy was giggling away and Dakota was smiling. They were being normal children. "Hey guys I got a snack for you to have before dinner" Daniel stated before heading over to put the bowl of strawberries onto the coffee table. "What dat?" Dakota asked looking into the bowl. "That's strawberries" Mitchell told him earning a nod from Dakota. Darcy stood up and peeked into the bowl "Melon?" She questioned. "Yes, princess it's the same colour as the watermelon" Daniel told her. Darcy picked up a strawberry and nibbled on the edge turning her head to the side. She then smiled and took a bigger bite offering some to Dakota who took a small bite himself. He quickly finished it and took another strawberry then sat back down on Mitchell's lap.

Darcy took a strawberry in both hands and sat down on Hunter's lap taking a small bite of one of the strawberries. "Are they good?" Hunter asked Darcy as she had strawberry juice running down her face. "Some?" Darcy asked while holding her hand up to Hunter to take a bite of the strawberry. Daniel and Mitchell were shocked to see one of the twins offering someone food. They had only ever shared food with each other and were very protective of the food they were given. Daniel smiled as Hunter took a small little bite of the strawberry. "Thanks, sweetheart" Hunter told Darcy who smiled again and ate the rest of the strawberry. "She must really trust you to offer you food Hunter" Daniel spoke up smiling at his son.

Eddie walked in seeing the twins playing and the strawberries on the coffee table. Dakota got up and grabbed another strawberry just as Eddie grabbed a strawberry out of the bowl. Dakota kicked Eddie in the shins "Cc and Kota berry" Dakota fumed out glaring at Eddie who was shocked at how Dakota was carrying on over one strawberry. "It was one bloody strawberry chill dude" Eddie stated. Dakota was angry, that was all the food he and Darcy would get, well that's what he thought anyway as when they lived in the other house food was only given every few days. "Mine" Dakota yelled out causing Darcy to flinch. She really hated loud noises. "Hey it's ok bud, I can get some more" Daniel stepped in crouching down in front of Dakota. "Would you like me to show you where the food is so you can see we have some more?" Daniel asked Dakota who nodded his head. "Ok come on then, princess did you want to come?" Daniel asked but she was being held by Hunter as she was shaking. Darcy only heard Dakota yell twice before and that was when she was getting hurt by her old foster parent.

Daniel looked at his daughter who had curled herself in a little ball in Hunter's lap. "I got it Dad" Hunter told his father who nodded his head and took Dakota into the kitchen. He walked over to the fridge and opened it to reveal all the food. "Bud, if you are ever hungry you come to me or one of your brothers and we can get you anything you like" Daniel told Dakota who was staring at all the food. "Me?" Dakota questioned causing Jamie to swing around and see what was happening. "Yes bud, you can eat anything you like whenever you like. You don't have to go hungry ever again. We also have food in this cupboard here" Daniel said opening the pantry so Dakota could see. "Cc and Kota some?" Dakota asked. "Yes, you and Cc can have anything you like. Jamie here is cooking dinner. Did you want to see and maybe taste it?" Daniel asked his son while his heart was breaking for him and the fact he went hungry so early in life. Dakota nodded his head yes and looked at Jamie. "Can I pick you up so you can see the food I am cooking?" Jamie asked his baby brother. Dakota nodded his head and Jamie picked him up causing Dakota to stiffen.

Jamie took Dakota over to the stove, "This is the pasta and this is the sauce I made with bacon. Would you like to try it?" Jamie asked. Dakota nodded his head yes and Jamie picked up a piece of pasta and scooped up some sauce making sure it had some bacon in it, he remembered his father saying the twins liked bacon. Jamie blew the pasta and sauce cooling it down for Dakota and then brought it to Dakota's mouth. Dakota stuck his tongue out touching the sauce tasting it a little and smiled, Dakota ate the pasta and sauce. "More Cc and Kota?" Dakota asked Jamie. "Sure bud let's call in Darcy and we can have dinner early" Jamie told his baby brother who was smiling, Dakota was happy to have food he could have whenever he wanted.