Walking through the corridors of the college Mr. Blackbourne reached a door and knocked gently before opening it.

Inside was an office with two desks, each one with a computer. One desk was an example in organization, with all the things on it being arranged on their proper places.

The other desk was a disarray of papers, pens, books and other things that probably shouldn't be on the desk. Such as the purple and black, running shoe Sean had claimed he'd lost the day before.

In one side of the office was a wall of windows with texturized glass that impeded the view from the outside. On the other side were shelves full of books and file cabinets.

On top of one of the cabinets was a small radio playing a violin concert.

Sitting in a high backed chair behind the organized desk was a young woman. Her back was turned to him, but he knew that her eyes, whose hadn't left the computer monitor for even an instant, were a deep green color, her skin pale like his. Her hair was a beautiful mix of shades of blond with a little red mixed in, twisted in a knot in the back of her head.

Her face was angled toward the monitor with a regal tilt. Her small, delicate fingers flew over the keyboard. Her lips were pursed in concentration as she worked.

She was perfection.

"You do not need to knock to enter your own office, Mr. Blackbourne." She mumbled, her melodious voice sounding low and distracted.

He paused by his desk, where she was sitting at "How did you know it was me coming inside, Miss Sang?"

Finishing her work she raised her eyes to mine and smiled with amusement and a hint of embarrassment, her cheeks reddening slightly.

"I could smell that it was you, Owen." She said.

I lifted my eyebrows, impressed. This girl never ceased to amaze me.

"How is your research going, darling?" I asked her as I reclined against the desk, leaning closer to the monitor.

She fixed her eyes back on the display and showed me what she'd found. Apparently the suspect that North and Luke had been investigating a few days ago had been warned that he was being watched, which was why the boys had found his house empty.

"Huuummm." Stepping away from the desk I sent a text to Sean about her findings.

His answer came fast and unhelpful.

Sean: "Our Pookie is just plain amazing, Owen!"

Of course she was, he didn't need Sean to tell him that.

Me: "Focus Sean! We need to find Mr. Hendricks before he runs from the country with all the money he stole from that school!"

Sean: "Don't fret, O-man! I am sure that with ours and Toma's team working against him all will end well."

I sighed in exasperation. Sean got on my last nerve sometimes.

"Talking with Dr. Sean?" Sang asked, her amusement ringing in her voice. She knew that only Sean had the capacity to annoy me as much as he had.

"He don't take things seriously enough some days." I told her.

She looked thoughtful for a moment before answering. "I am not sure I agree with you, Owen. Sean, as well as Luke, always takes all matters very seriously. They just choose to hide it behind their jokes and flirting." Looking me straight in the eye she added. "You know it is their biggest asset. Everyone underestimate them because of their personality, but those two are capable of doing a lot of surprising things."

She was right, of course. Sang had a tendency of being perfectly right when she talked about my brothers. But it didn't make him feel less exasperated at Sean.

She rose from her chair and walker over to me, standing right in front of me, she put one of her hands on my left shoulder, her other hand going to caress my cheek.

I leaned into her touch, closing my eyes, loving her proximity and warmth.

These moments between us were so few and so precious to him. He valued every second. This month had been very emotional for them both with her return, the joining of their family, and her introduction to the world of the academy.

She wasn't an official member yet, but she already helped us in various missions we took on.

I raised my arms and circled her waist, pulling her into my chest for a hug and we just stood together for a few minutes, her head resting on my chest, my chin on top of her head.

Her introduction for the academy would come soon. The Council was already asking about her, feeling extremely interested based on what little Owen had revealed so far about the tiny girl in his arms.

He sighed. He hoped all went well. He knew she would insist in staying with them, but it still wouldn't be easy.

He lowered his head and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

She smiled up at him and he gave her one of his reals smiles.

Her eyes lit up in joy and he smiled wider. This girl was too precious.

"I love you, darling." I told her, lowering my head.

"I love you too." She murmured, her eyes closing as I met her lips with mine in a kiss that I hoped told her how much she mattered to me.

We kissed for a long time, lips telling about feelings that we couldn't express any other way. Her hands on my hair keeping me close, my arms around her waist doing the same.

The ringing of a phone was what made us pull apart. Pulling it out of my back pocket we read the display together, looked at each other and stepped back.

She grabbed her bag and I took my coat and we left the office together. Our family had called with a problem, it was time to go back home and solve it.

Together.

......

Pocketing his phone after sending one last text to Owen, Sean turned his attention back to Gabriel who was painting the bedroom wall at a mad speed.

They were currently on Sean's guest room, in his condo, which would soon be his Pookie's room.

Not that he didn't want her in his room and his bed. He did.

But he thought that after years of living in Hell's dormitories she would like to have her own room, decorated by Gabriel Coleman and Sean Green of course.

"I think that tree over there needs more shadowing, Gabe." He mused.

"I am working on it, god damn it." Gabriel told him, sounding irritated.

Sean often saw his finished projects, saying that he appreciated fine art. Gabriel never believed him, but now that the doctor had asked him to paint the wall of the room that would belong to Sang, Gabriel looked like he didn't know what to think.

After they finished with the painting they would bring in the furniture that the other boys had been doing for her.

North, Silas and Nathan had worked together to make a bookshelf, desk, and nightstands for her along with a dresser. All in wood, with carvings depicting hearts and leaves along the edges.

The furniture had been then painted white and Victor had bought a new bed, also white, to combine with it.

The bedding sheets and most other decorations on the room had been chosen by Gabriel, Sean and Victor.

Kota and Owen had contributed by buying books that Sang might like and a new violin for her, since she didn't have one after she left Hell.

New clothes had been bought for this room's closet and for the boys' closets so that Sang could stay with any of them without worry.

He hoped she liked her room.

His phone vibrated on his hand and he looked at it. He'd received a text from Kota asking for a family meeting.

Raising his head he called to Gabriel.

"We need to go. Family meeting at Kota's."

Gabriel turned back to him with curious eyes. "Something wrong?"

I shook my head "I don't think so. They would've told us." Pointing to the wall I asked, "Can you leave it?"

He looked back and studied his art for a moment. "Yeah. I can finish this later, no problem."

So we headed over to Kota's.

......

Kota sat on his living room' couch with his spine straight and hands on his knees, counting.

One, one-thousand

Two, one-thousand

Three, one-thousand

His mother was standing by the living room window, a solemn look on her face.

Kota feared what was about to happen.

The door to his house opened and in walked his family.

Mr. Blackbourne... Owen, was the first one, followed by Sean, North, Silas, Luke, Gabriel, Nathan, Victor and at last, Sang.

His mother greeted then all with a nod of her head, never losing that solemn expression from her face.

Once everyone had settled around the room, some looking curious and others a little worried, she started. "Very well, boys..." She looked at Sang who was standing by Owen's chair, already blushing and raising her finger to her lips in nervousness. "...and girl."

His mother paused, smiling, and walked over to Sang pulling her in a hug which she returned awkwardly "I am Erica, Dakota's mother." Pulling back she asked, "What is your name, sweetie?"

"Sang." She answered, looking timid.

My mom smiled at her before stepping back so she was in the middle of the room, facing us all.

"It was a pleasure to finally meet you, Sang." She said, and then added. "I was the one to call you all here today."

Her eyes turned sharp and her hands found her waist, her spine snapping straight as she gave us the "You are all in trouble" look.

"Now boys, I understand that there are things my son can't tell me about. I'm okay with that because he is a good boy, as are the lot of you, and I trust you all to not do anything wrong." She paused for a moment. "However, I don't agree with him keeping secrets of a personal nature from me."

She glared at me for a moment and I felt sweat bead my forehead.

Four, one-thousand

Five, one-thousand

Six, one-thousand...

"You can all imagine my surprise when I find out that my son has a girlfriend..."

There were shocked gasps around the room, but the worse was still to come.

"...and that his girlfriend had boyfriends." She added, with a raised eyebrow, crossing her arms over her chest. "Would you boys care to explain how this came to be for me?"

I saw a few of my brothers gulping. Sang looked white as a sheet and seemed to be trembling too.

Owen pulled her on his lap, to which she seemed to go rather unwillingly. He could understand how the situation made her hesitate in approaching any of them, but this was their choice, not their parents.

And he knew his mother. He knew she would come to accept Sang on their family.

Owen was the first to talk. "I apologize if the news came to you as a surprise, and that Kota had to keep this from you, Ms. Lee. But you must understand, such a delicate matter isn't easily discussed."

She fixed her glare on Owen. "The only thing I need to understand is what you boys think that you are doing. You do realize there is nine of you for one of her, right Owen?"

Owen paused for a moment, choosing his words before he asked. "What part of this arrangement really bothers you Ms. Lee? I know you are friends with Ms. Anderson and isn't contrary to her living style."

My mother scowled at him, her glower scarier than North's "I am not "bothered" Mr. Owen Blackbourne, I am worried. Worried about my son's feelings, worried about his "family" future, worried about this tiny girl who has to deal with not one academy boy, or even two, or three but NINE academy boys." She said, throwing her hands in the air before returning them to her hips and glaring at him.

Only my mother would dare to glare at Mr. B.

"How do you expect her to deal with your lot, as demanding, stubborn and downright cavemen as you all are?" she raised her hand in a stopping motion to stave off any complaining. "No offense, boys. You are all like sons to me, and I love you all dearly, you are good boys. But I've practically raised the lot of you and am perfectly aware of your flaws and virtues."

We quieted, knowing in our hearts that she was right, we were a lot to deal with.

"I don't agree." Said a soft, feminine voice.

We all snapped our attention to her. Sang had remained quiet during his mother's outburst, but now that Erica was done venting Sang stood up from Owen's lap, straightening and facing his mother.

"I understand that you would worry Erica. I, myself, worry about this arrangement because like you said, there are nine of them to one of me."

Luke opened his mouth to add a comment but Sang stopped him, "Shush Luke, the women are talking." The two women faced each other and we all gulped.

These weren't normal women. Sang and his mother were both special, strong women who had survived hell and come out stronger. They had more in common than his mother was aware at that moment.

"But never doubt that we are all going to do our best to make this work, and never think that they are too much for me." Sang looked at us then, letting her gaze rest on each one of us for a little, the love in her eyes clear to see.

"If anything I am not enough for them. But they are exactly what I need." She said.

We all protested immediately. There was no way we would allow her to think she wasn't enough. Never that.

My mother put her fingers to her lips and whistled, calling our attention.

"I am not sure I can agree with your choice." She said, and then she sighed, "But I love you all and I will always support you." looking at Sang she added "I know we have not met at the best of situations but I hope we can become friends. You are a part of their family now and I hope you accept me as well as them."

Approaching Sang, my mother took her hands in her own. "I am here for you if you need a female friend."

Sang looked at my mother with tears in her eyes and said a simple thank you that conveyed more feeling than most words could.

......

Erica didn't know what to think.

On her college days she'd met people who got into polyamorous relationships and what she remembered from those "relationships" wasn't pretty.

They were nasty, with a lot of jealousy and disrespect between all the members. The relationships were always sordid and made even her, who wasn't involved, feel slightly dirty.

The mother in her wanted to worry for her children. The one born from her and the ones she'd adopted.

But another side was observing quietly, taking in all the details and possibilities. In truth, she wasn't surprised by the boys' choice of sharing a girlfriend.

She'd always found their closeness very... well, it was a bit weird, even if reassuring. She loved how much they took care of each other, but she worried about their future. She couldn't imagine how they would maintain their relationship after meeting girlfriends and forming a family.

Seeing how they interacted with Sang, she could see that the girl had brought them closer rather than separating them.

Not only that, but they seemed happier. You could see how loving, caring, and respectful they all were of her. And Sang, surprisingly, seemed to return all of their feelings. For all of them.

She wasn't sure if she agreed with this relationship completely, but she loved her children and she would support them always.

Walking over to Sang she was determined to befriend the young woman. Erica knew she would be family and the girl and her boys would need all the help she could give them to go through with this complicated relationship as smoothly as possible.

I hope all ends well.

AN: 2640 words