She was finally safe; the small fragile gift that unexpectedly exploded on to their lives was now sleeping nestled safely in her parent's arms. In the quiet darken bedroom, Vinnie sat with his arms around the woman he loved while she cradled their precious baby close to her heart. Zoey the child of a Martian/Earthling DNA experiment, developed in Karbunkle's lab, born to a life of tortured and tormented almost from the moment she took her first breath. The miniature version of her father, with the jade green eyes and brown hair of her mother lay finally protected holding tightly to the old teddy bear that she was able to salvage from her former brutal life.

The physical bruises had been tended to but the emotional trauma the child had suffered would take much more time and attention. Vinnie couldn't take his eyes off the vicious scar around his daughter's tiny neck the fur having been rubbed away. One of the many injuries caused by her heartless captor, an insidious being that would no longer harm his or anyone else's child. His hand hovering just above it wishing with all his heart he could remove the scar with a touch, along with its harsh memories. They had broken her spirit; shattered her soul, left wounds that would take he and Charley a lifetime to help heal.

"Vinnie you comin' it's getting kinda late?" Modo whispered from the bedroom door as he watched the newly united family.

"No…no.. I think I'll stay here for awhile. I just can't leave them… not yet. I need to stay close and make sure that….. that….they…well…you know." Vinnie stammer slightly startled.

"It's okay bro, I understand." He said as he softly walked in to the room and knelt down closer to Charley and Zoey. "She sure is a pretty little snippet. Good thing she got her Mom's good looks." He teased tying to lighten Vinnie's mood knowing the troubling thoughts that filled his brother's mind.

"Hey I did have something to do with it you know bro."

"Yeah but maybe she'll out grow of it." Modo chuckled quietly

"Yeah right." Vinnie was silent for a second then reached over to grasped his friend's hand. "Modo, thanks. You guys know how much we appreciate your helping us get her out."

"Sure bro. What is it you always say, Hey we're hero's it's what we do."

The third member of the trio stood arms crossed leaning at the door. "Come on Big fella let's leave these folks to some private time. Hey Daddy, we'll see ya tomorrow."

"You got it bros, tomorrow" Vinnie smiled as he watched them leave. "Bros," he thought the word held so much meaning; friends, companions, brothers. The only true word to do it justice could only be said in his mother tongue.

Vinnie's attention once more focused on the figures lying in his arms he brushes a few lost strands of brown/white hair from Zoey's eyes noticing her flinch a little as she felt his hand moves across her skin.

" No…no.. not hurt? " She said in a frighten tear-fill voice. Her small cries and struggles awakening her mother.

"No baby, daddy's here. Nobody is going to hurt you, don't cry please don't cry." He whispered as he brushed his hand tenderly down her cheek trying desperately to calm her, almost at the point of panic.

Charley not opening her eyes increases her hold on the now shaking little girl. Her voice soft and comforting she whispers, "Come stop your crying it will be alright."

Hearing the sweet melody her mother's voice was weaving Zoey opened her teary eyes to gaze up into the faces of her parents. Seeing her strong Daddy holding on to she and her mother the cries stop and a secure smile filled her white furred cheeks.

Vinnie smiled as he saw the complete comfort and security his daughter's eyes held. The voice of his life's mate bringing peace not only to their daughter but his own troubled heart as well.

Before long Zoey again found serenity snuggling deeper into her mother's softness, feeling her father's love. Her emerald eyes slowly closing as a warm safe sleep enfolded her mind.

Was this his life or just some wishful dream he would begrudgingly wake from? After all the pain and sorrow they'd had lived through could all this be real. If it were a dream Vincent prayed to die in his sleep so it would never end. But it wasn't a dream as he pulled the woman he loved closer to him, as his hand caressed the head of his beautiful baby daughter. Not even a dream could compare to what he had now.

"Love you always Jau 'iar," He whispers as the almost invisible tear traces down his cheek.

(Jau' iar can mean source of my existence, center of my life, what ever the feeling of complete love devotion and family conjures up.)

The End