Katarina shifted the almost empty bag over her shoulder to settle her unexpected nerves. She hadn't returned to the Lark since her row with Johnny, purposely making herself busy or creating other excuses. But now with Locke's desire to visit, she couldn't ask for a better situation to help ease the tension. Her gloved hand squeezed Locke's as the Lark came into view, "Ya gotta look real close a' Meggie's chin an' nose. You'll see tha' it looks jist like mine."

"I gotta? What are you going to do if I don't?" Locke had eschewed the messenger bag he usually carried with him for a box that just barely fit under his free arm. He had put on clothing that was a little less dressy than his usual best: a gray cable knit sweater that was baggier than most of the clothes he normally wore, khakis, brown loafers and braided belt. Still, he seemed completely comfortable as he approached Johnny and Sianna's residence.

"I'm gonna... gonna think 'bout th' wors' punishmen' eva, an' then giv' it ta ya, savvy?" She made her best mean face as she approached the door, "An' I ain't gonna giv' ta any mercy eitha." However, she wiggled her brows to him, before promptly knocking on the door.

?Goin? ta hav?ta run ta th? studio later t?nigh? ?r tomorrow ta ge? some work done. When?s th? bes? time fer me ta be gone fer a solid few hours, ya think?? Johnny was sitting cross-legged on the floor, moving Ian?s legs back and forth while the tiny boy chortled with glee at the game. He looked up and over at Sianna for a moment to judge her reaction to the statement and question. When the knock at the door arrived, he stood and scooped up Ian. ?Think abou? i?, I?ll see who tha? is.?

"Not even if I do this?" He let go of her hand and pulled down one eye lid, in an attempt to make the saddest face ever. He shifted the package under his other arm while he waited.

"Nah, nah even tha'. So ya betta be payin' atten'ion. Now, where's mah greetin'?" Her hands went to her hips at the lack of dogs barking.

At the statement and question combo, Sianna had turned her face towards the window, a cloud of shadow passing over her eyes. The sound of workboots on the floor indicated that it was safe for her to look back, a carefully crafted smile on her face. A thin blanket draped across her and Meggie. From their sleepy spots in a stream of spotlight, the dogs barely stirred. Only the tiniest of wuffs escaped Branan.

Johnny hadn?t missed the way Sianna turned her face to the window, nor her lack of a reply to the question. His jaw was therefore set as he opened the door, giving a harder look to his expression than normal. That melted away when he saw who was standing there, and he opened the door wider and stepped back to welcome in the pair. ?Heya! Look who th? Katie-kat drug in!? He called back over his shoulder, ?Si! Katie an? Locke ?r here!? Ian managed to turn his head from looking down the hallway to staring with wide dark-green eyes at the new arrivals.

"Good afternoon, Johnny." Locke smiled warmly, glancing in Ian's direction briefly and then quickly looking back towards Katarina. Most people in RhyDin thought little of a blue-skinned elf, but Locke was still nervous of how the infant twins might react to the sight of him. Avoiding eye contact was about all he could really do.

She snickered over her shoulder to Locke at Johnny's wording, before stepping fully inside. "Hey Jo. Ian!" She grinned happily to the small bundle in Johnny's arms. "Kin I?" She offered her arms out, "An' if ya kin grab me a coupla blankets, i'd be real shiny." She smiled reassuringly to Locke.

Sianna's smile became a genuine one as the pair entered the house, though she could make no move to greet them. Shifting Meggie beneath the blanket, she took a moment to rearrange so that things were decent.

??Course.? Johnny handed over Ian without a qualm, and strode off to find some more of the small blankets that now seemed to litter the house. ?Y?all make yerselves a? home, righ??? Meanwhile, Ian was still staring with wide-eyed fascination at Locke. Abruptly, the infant performed a whole-body lunge in the ice-elf?s direction.

He returned Katarina's smile, but he still looked hesitant, almost nervous. Ian's lunge in Locke's direction seemed to confirm whatever fear Locke had inside, and he found himself instinctively taking a step back and nearly losing his balance on the porch, and his grasp on the box he was holding. He regained control, and quickly scurried inside before anything else could go wrong.

"Oh, easy there li'l man." With experienced arms, she brought Ian up onto her shoulder before trying to also keep Locke from toppling over. "C'mon, ain' gonna hur' ya." She grinned, giving Locke another moment to get adjusted to the infant, before nodding towards the living room. Rubbing Ian's back with her free hand, she led them into the living room where she smiled upon seeing Sianna, "Hey, Si!"

"Good afternoon tae ye both. 'Tis a pleasant surprise. Decided tae come calling, did ye? And about time as well, Locke. I dinna think I've seen ye since Hogmanay...." Sianna gave the elf a chiding grin, her eyes bright. "Though I've had it tae very good report that ye've been most busy and well all this time."

Re-entering the room in time to hear that statement, Johnny grinned over at Locke. ?Ya mean ya ain? even seen?em ye?? Ya been cheatin? yerself, bro ? these?re some?a th? cutes? kids aroun?, even if?n i?s me sayin?.? He walked over and offered Katie the pair of small blankets he had found.

Sianna had been open-mouthed, ready to answer Katarina back, when the expression on Locke's face struck her mute. Instead she sat and bounced Meggie in her arms, content to just grin until she thought her cheeks would crack.

Ian seemed to be just as fascinated with the ice elf. Within the swaddling blankets, small lumps of tiny fists struggling to move showed he was trying to reach for Locke. Muddy-river-green eyes were wide and fixed on Locke?s blue skin and white hair.

The look on Locke's face warmed her heart and eased any nerves that could have lingered. So she moved to sit next to him on the couch and looked down at Ian as well. "I dunno who I thin' he looks like more."

?Don? know ? no? too much like mos?a our family, I don? think. Prolly more like Si?s side than anythin? if?n I ha? ta guess.? Johnny?s voice was thoughtful as he moved to the front of the couch and crouched down to smooth his large hand over Ian?s small head. ?Meggie looks more like th? Smith side, I think, ?cept her mouth?s like her ma?s.?

"Can't touch my face, mate," he murmured to Ian, watching as the baby attempted to break free of the blankets. He looked sideways at Katarina, though his attention was primarily directed towards the bundle in his arms.

"He ain't gonna break free o' th' swaddle, Locke. Ta tereva Are ya, li'l man?" She squinted her face for the baby's amusement.

Ian promptly chortled with laughter at the face Katie was making, and Johnny grinned. He shifted from crouching by the couch to sitting on the floor halfway between Locke and Katie on the couch and Sianna and Meggie in the chair. ?He?ll make a go?a i?, bu I don? think he?s getting? ou?. How?s Meggie doin? now, Si??

Sianna chuckled softly from her vantage point. "D'ye see them, wee Meggie? D'ye see yer family and how silly they can be... no' able tae see that ye both look like yer dadein?" Pausing from their little tete-a-tete, she grinned broadly in response to Johnny before picking up the conversation. "Tell Da, Meggie... tell him how ye be." As if on cue, the little girl began to yammer and coo.

Locke nodded to Johnny and Katarina, looking quite relieved at their reassurances. Her silly face prompted Locke to make one of his own, the tip of his blue tongue sticking out of his mouth and his bushy white brows raised as high as he could.

"Silly Smiths. Go' a nice ring ta it. Huh, Meggie? Ya like yer cuz Katie. Ya go' mah pretty li'l nose." It was tempting, reaching out to Sianna to offer to hold the little girl.

Just shaking his head at Sianna?s assertion that the children looked like him at all, Johnny grinned as he watched the interactions. Ian went from chortling at Katie?s face to a hiccupping giggle at the face Locke was making. ?Y?all are all silly. Bu? tha?s all righ?, I love y?all anyway.?

Sianna scooted to the edge of her chair and then stood slowly, extending Meggie to Katie's open arms. Smacking her lips noisily, Meggie looked about the room as if commanding everyone's attention, dimples peeking from the sweet cheeks.

"Sentimen's shared, Jo. There's m'gal, hmm?" She held Meggie against her shoulder opposite of Locke, giving a feather light touch to her nose that she claimed was very Smith.

Locke's elastic features returned back to their usual appearance, though his own dimpled smile never left his face. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, and with a look of fierce concentration, he began to rock Ian, eyes focused on the lad to make sure he was still comfortable.

"And just what makes ye think ye escape th' same classification, leannan? Ye dinna think yerself silly wi' the rest of us?" Sianna had crossed the room to stand behind her husband before sitting on the tufted ottoman. Her hands lightly rested on his shoulders as they watched the pair entertaining their children.

The lad in question seemed quite comfortable, blinking his eyes before suddenly yawning hugely. Johnny answered Sianna cheerfully, ??Course I am, an? prolly worse?n mos?.? He pulled up his knees and rested his forearms across them while he watched Katie and Locke with the twins.

"Oh, yeah, definitely th' wors' o' us growin' up. Ain't changed much. Yer nah tha' silly, ar' ya?" Her free hand again rose up to rub Meggie's back soothingly. " 'Course bein' silly mean' he was 'n trouble mor' 'n th' res' o' us too." She snickered.

Locke began to hum as quietly as he could, almost as if keeping the song to himself and Ian. His brows and forehead furrowed a little, and his own eyes half-shut, as if he were seeking to remember something.

Determined not to let darker memories taint this, Johnny grinned over at Katie. ?I don? know ? ya were th? one with a lo? of th? ideas, I jus? seeme? ta ge? caugh? more. Ya always di? know wha? buttons ta push on a dare.? Ian blinked again, sleepily, and his eyes didn?t quite fully re-open.

"Now that is th' most shocking thing I've ever heard. Katie bein' an instigator?" A wry grin split Sianna?s face as she laughed.

"Wha'... whay 'm I always ta blame?!" She kept her voice quiet for the benefit for the children, but it did not disguise the mock hurt, " 'm nah a' instigata, yeah?" She rounded her eyes over to Locke, hopeful.

In response, he closed his eyes and started humming just a little bit louder, like he was attempting to drown her out.

Johnny tried to muffle his laughter, though rather unsuccessfully. Finally he bent his head and buried his face in his arms so he could laugh without disturbing either the wide-awake Meggie or the nearly-sleeping Ian.

Freshly dressed, Sianna paused near the doorway, not wanting to step in and burst the bubble of such a moment. Content to just listen a moment, she leaned against the lintel, her eyes half-closed.

Catching the motion out of the corner of his eye, Johnny smiled to Sianna and nodded to the sight of Locke holding Meggie and the tiny girl?s rapt adoration of the singing. With another nod, he invited Sianna to take a seat by him, though he didn?t speak to interrupt the song or wake Ian.

He shook his head softly, more to himself than anyone else, his near picture-perfect memory finally kicking in and making up for some of his earlier nerves when he'd started to sing. He'd thought to remove his earrings before coming over, so the usual dance of silver that accompanied the gesture was missing.

Katarina peeked an eye open to catch the glimpse of Meggie near slumber. She closed her eye again and resisted the temptation to curl her long legs up onto the couch and drift into slumber along with her newest cousins.

Moving through the room on quiet tip-toes, Sianna bent low to place a kiss to Ian's head before sitting on the arm of the chair Johnny occupied. Fingers lightly tapped against her knee in a counter-rhythm to Locke's song.

With a silent laugh to shake his shoulders, Johnny tipped his chin in Katie?s direction, trying to catch Locke?s eyes and indicate how well his lullaby was working. He grinned, emerald eyes shining with laughter, and shook his head.

He winked and smiled at Johnny, even as the song was nearing its conclusion. The tempo slowed down gradually, and the volume descended until his voice was barely a whisper. He looked over at Katarina out of his peripheral vision, with a more toned down and secretive version of the smile he'd just favored Johnny with. This time, he made no immediate move to hand off Meggie.

"That was lovely." Her voice was barely a whisper, but the smile on her lips spoke volumes.

It took her several seconds to realize that the song had reached her conclusion. Her hand came up to cover a yawn, not quite able to open her eyes yet. "Very. Been hol'in' ou' 'n me." She chuckled, finally forcing her eyes open but didn't move otherwise.

"Yeah - din' know ya could sin' like tha', bro." Johnny was in complete agreement. His voice was quiet, geared to cross the room but not wake either of the sleeping children. "Welcome ta come back anytime an' take go a' gettin'em down fer a nap."

The compliments had him blushing purple, eyes down on Meggie until he felt less embarrassed. He looked up to the parents first. "It was nothing at all, truly. But I thank you all the same for your kind compliments." Then, he glanced over at Katarina. "You never asked me to sing for you, salkaamin, or else I would have."

"Well, now I will. I mean, ya neva hav' asked, bu' I'll tell ya now, tha' I kin sing jist 'bout as good as Jo." She had indeed her her cousin's remark, and chose to not remark until now. Her cheek remained on his shoulder, quite comfortable there.

"Tha' ain' a goo' thin'." He said it as a very firm warning to Locke.

"But I'll tell ye, they both sing wi' tons of enthusiasm, sae 'tis hard tae no' smile regardless." Sianna chuckled lightly, bending one leg to improve her balance.

?She?s biase?.? Johnny grinned as he said it, though, and shifted Ian to his other arm. ?Ya wouldn? smile if?n ya hear? us.?

"I suppose I am just fortunate, then, Sianna, that my enthusiasm is somewhat tuneful." Finally, he seemed ready to let go of Meggie, holding her up for Katarina or Sianna to take. "Trust me Johnny, I know. I've heard you whistling."

She had to quickly cover her mouth to keep the sound down, her other arm going around her middle as she laughed gleefully.

Baritone chuckle rumbled quietly at that speedy comeback.

Sianna moved to take Meggie from Locke, stifling a giggle as she did so. Draping the sleepy girl over her right shoulder, she bounced lightly and waltzed through the room. "Now now, th' whistling is cute."

"Fer ya only, Si." She was still snickering happily.

Locke held up his hands in surrender. "All right, all right. I promise to be nice. For a little while longer, anyways. I won't make any promises for my long-term behavior."

That had her giving Locke a sidelong glance even though he couldn't see it, and her snickered eased into a more natural smile. However, she just could not bring herself to move.

Johnny was more than content to sit with Ian in his arms and watch the banter and byplay. It was a pleasant afternoon spent with family and a friend who was as close as family, now.