The sound of Aja's truck arriving only made the man waiting for her grin. Padriq had been cooking for at least an hour now, making sure that the meal was ready for her when she returned. He figured she would have ate something at the party, but if she was hungry he was going to make sure he was fed. That, and he could have used a bit more practice, he was getting better with each meal.

While he set bacon strips on a ban to cook, he started to hum an Irish toon and await his beloved Hummingbird. One hand slipping in his pocket to finger the ring he had carried all this time.

Aja came into the house after the bachlorette party was over. The staff had been paid to clean up and the crew stored the barge that had fired the fireworks. It would be dealt with later. Aja didn't have the brain power to do it now.

She ambled into the kitchen following the sounds of pots and pans being moved around. Which she always associated with Padriq's attempts to cook. And sure enough, he was at the stove poking at the bacon he was cooking.

"Something smells good." She said as she came further into the kitchen. She moved to the fridge and grabbed a soda before settling at the kitchen island.

"Ye'll jus" "ave t' wai" till i" be done." He said as he leaned back and rested against the counter, arms folding over his chest.

She crossed her feet at the ankles resting them on the island stool and looked at him standing there for a quiet moment before cracking a smirk.

"Imitating an Indian Chief today, are we?" Aja was already getting into Princess speak mode, and was aware of how she spoke.

"India" wut?" Brows rose in curiosity, he looked to her before prodding a bit of bacon. She smiled a little and waved a hand.

"Was a joke, love." she smiled at him and leaned on her elbows watching him cook. Fascinated with it as she still couldn't. "Ya just looked pretty serious there for a second."

He continued to push and prod at the bacon in the pan before answering to him. "I wus thinkin" luv. I be sorry." He said with a warm smile to her.

"Lot of that going "round this week." she smiled easily enough while turning her soda can around idly. "Lots going on this week and all. Rachael's party, which went well enough. Tomorrow we have ta go to Ballentine and do the foo foo thing. Then Rach's weddin." Aja thought over the weekend to come and sighed. "I'm tired jist thinkin about it."

"Aye, n" I ge" t' come alon' fer the ride. " He said with a casual grin to her.

"Gotta say," she grinned across the island at him. "I'm lookin forward ta seein ya all spiffed up for my sisters shindig." Aja waggled her brows at him.

"Yer brother "as me in a naval uniform thin"." Waving his hand from side ot side. "Nuffin" li"e wut I be used t". I jus" wan' t' wear me cap n" wut nae. I thin" I'd look goo' "n me captain's jacke"."

"A naval uniform?" she shook her head thinking about the whys and whatfors for just a moment before speaking again. "Suppose he has ta contend with a few lands not crazy about pirates." she eyed up Padriq then picturing him in the Ballentine navy uniform and smiles slyly. "Might be worth seein." she grinned.

She continued to watch him cook, her thoughts wandering in the bits of silence.

Fixing her a plate of bacon wrapped shrimp and steak, Padriq paused to look at her with a curious gaze. "So, tell me somthin" luv. "ow did ye go from one thin" to another, n" end up pirate gone straig"t."

"Doin what I have ta for family." she said and looked at what he was doing. "Ajay's world is a lot different than ours." If he was hinting at something else, she was missing it but not on purpose. Her head was full of stuff.

"I kno' tha". I wus askin" wut made ye change." He said softly, giving her a smile as he set up his plate.

She looked at him for a moment, thinking about that.

"Ya mean from sailin da blue ta runnin a town and just building ships?" she asked curiously and picked at the bacon.

"Aye." Settling on a stool and taking a bite.

She leaned on her arm, and looked at him eating. She thought for a long moment.

"Tanner." she said with a soft smile. "It was his idea to settle here."

His jade eyes rested on her. "n" so ye too' up the atmosphere o' a land luver?"

"We still took small sails as we built up the town. Made friends with different ports, captains. Made connections for all sorts of things." she lifted her drink. "I've been on journeys further inta the lands. Here and there." she smiled thinking of those trips. "Learned how ta employ strategy for battles there." she watched him. "Yer awful curious tonight." she smiled at him and then took a bite and nodded approvingly. "Jus" wanted t' learn somethin" bou" the woman I luv." Speaking softly between bites. "I kno' qui"e a bi" bou" ye already, bu' ye never cease t' amaze me."

She laughed lightly. "Nothing really amazing about it." she poked at a shrimp. "just took what came along, did what I had ta do."

"Ye be a survivor. Tha's wut I luv bou" ye." Speaking warmly.

"So are you." she grinned at him. "What' Couple weeks on a deserted island. Ya got through that."

"I "ad somethin" t' keep me sane, luv." His eyes locked on her, silently telling her that it was her that kept him going.

"Me?" she laughed. "I thought I made ya crazy?" she raised a brow grinning at him.

"Aye, bu' I knew ye'd kick me arse iffin" I died ou" there." That was true. "So I kep" fightin" through i" "opin" I'd ge" t' see ye again."

She nodded while taking a bite of the shrimp, then smiled softly and swallowed. "Aye. I would. Followed by yer sister. Then Hina.." she chuckled. "Bridget was going nutty." she winked at him. "I knew ya were too stubborn ta die on me."

"Or t' give up o' ye." He smiled to her softly, admitting before taking another bite.

"Well," she set her fork down. "That part, I just hoped for." she reached out to caress his cheek.

He kissed at her palm softly and cupped her hand. "Ye be my life luv, I wud "ave wai"ed ferever fer ye." That was true as well. "I know I strayed, after wu" "appened n" all, bu' tha's nae importan". I missed ye luv. I missed ye n" I always fel" empty those days." He kissed her palm again. "Bu" nae now."

"Well, I don't blame ya fer taking off." She frowned. "Plenty of days I wanted to." she made a face. "Tru was...." she moved the shrimp around idly with her fork. "like havin another kid around. Was always trying to keep him in line. Trying to keep him from steering Hochi wrong. Luckily for me, Hochi was a smart kid."

"Aye, "e be a wunderful ki"." He smiled to her. "I gla" I "ave ye now though. Throug" i" all we "ave always come ou" stronger."

"Mmm." she made a noise of agreement to it. "Gotta wonder....how much stronger do some need ta be. Ya know?"

"We be stron' nough"." He said as he leaned back. "We jus" need t' enjoy ourselves." Winking softly.

"Can't yet." she grinned at him. "Gotta go get all foo foo tomorrow."

"Nae a reason why we cunnae enjoy ourselves." Grinning to her. "Ya realize we'll be with JiJi and Ajay and whole bunch of uptight advisors who I'd like to smack right in the melon." she smiled at him. "Jist keep me from doing that, Ok" No need to upset Ajay with something that would be fun."

"Spoil spor"." He gave a mock sigh.

"I know. Ajay's a little uptight. But he's got a kingdom to run and all." she winked at Padriq then.

He gathered up her plate along with his own, starting to do some dishes as he mused. "Aye, I'll be?ave."

"Thank you." she said. "Just make sure I do." she winked at him.

"Aye, I promise." He began to scrub and wash as he hummed a small Irish toon.

She watched him with a soft smile. And leaned on her arm tiredly.

"You're a lot different than Stephen, Robert and Donal." she smiled. "Well, Donal seems alright. But the other two. You're nothing like them." the unasked question of how come he was so different was there but she asked it anyway. "How did that happen?"

"I take af"er me mother." He said softly, setting the dishes in the dishwasher.

"I bet she was a heck of a dame." Aja grinned. "But then, she'd have to be with you boys."

He chuckled softly. "Bridge" wus "er prime worry a lo' o' the time." He grinned. ?"ad fathers comin" o"er all the time t' arrange "er marriage n" all."

Aja made a face at the mention of that but said nothing. "I've only seen pictures of mine." she paused. "Well, some video of the alternate reality version of her too." Aja was smiling wistfully. "She was beautiful. Had a good laugh."

"I cun imagin" she bein" lo's li"e ye." He smiled to her warmly. "Be" yer fa"her luved "er spiri" n" "er "eart. Somethin" ye "ave n" spades."

"I haven't seen video of my father." she added. "Just pictures of him." that made her pause. "Huh." she seemed to get stuck on that. "Wonder if JiJi has?"

"Ye nae ever used tha' device thin" t' see?" He looked over his shoulder to her.

She shook her head slowly. "Just the once or twice, looking for a place to send Tru. Ran across one where apparently, my mother was still alive and she was here. In Arcadia." Aja thought about that. "Huh. Guess dad never came here."

"Thin" she wus born "ere?" That was a curious thought.

"No." Aja shook her head. "Ajay said she was born in..." she thought hard. "Ai...I can't remember now. But, in that reality, she apparently lived, and came here...maybe to get to know me."

"I cunnae thin" o' any other reason tha' tha"." Smiling to her softly as he dried off his hand. She smiled at him.

"I think she would've liked you, though."

"Aye' Tha' so?" He leaned against the counter, his hand teased through his hair softly.

"Sure." She smiled at him. "You're handsome. Fun loving. Protective of me, even when I can take care of myself." she winked at him. "Ya love my kids like they're yours." she nodded. "Yeah, I think she'd like ya a lot."

He did love her kids, they were good children. Arms folded around her, wrapping her up as he mused. "I wud "ope so." He gently kissed her brow. "Wut do ye thin" o' "avin" more kids" Ye kno' fer us?" His brows rose, curiosity back.

She pulled back and looked at him like he was crazy and then laughed. "Gods, no." she kissed his nose. "Not that I don't love you. But, I'm way too busy ta chase after wee people, honey."

"Aye luv, I understan' tha"." He reassured her with a warm smile.

"We could talk about adoptin one or two." she motioned to the house. "We got the room fer that."

His smile grew and he nodded. "Aye, we cud tal" bou" adoptin, but nae fer a while luv." She smiled at him and leaned into him nuzzling his neck.

"We should think about going to bed." Aja smiled at him. "We have a long day tomorrow."

"Aye. Le's." He swooped her up and started out of the kitchen, one arm under her knees and the other at her shoulders. "Another thin", were ye serious bou" bein" ready fer me to propose agai??" Not wanting to ask if she wasn't positive she was ready for it. Isn't that just like proposing" Not to him.

"Well. I got things settled with Tristan. Things are good. Ya can go ahead with plotting some grand plan." she chuckled at him.

"Goo"." He kissed her brow before starting up the stairs and heading for their room. Aja just shook her head lightly and laid it down on his shoulder.