DT Serum, Primary Testing In Progress

Ashton grinned and Layla giggled at that. Speak of the devil, Gaster slipped into his office to grab some information before he could progress on a project.

Lex looked up at Gaster.  "That's not good timing at all."

Gaster furrowed his brow as he found the papers he wanted. "Huh? What do you mean?" He asked, genuinely confused, which made Layla giggle.

"Never mind, Doctor Dad," Lex smirked.

Just then, True arrived with Sam, Shuni, and Paul, shaking water out of his hair.

Gaster shook his head and headed back to the lab. He smiled when he saw the rest of his boys, and directed them to his office. Paul gave Lex a big bear hug when he saw his "biggest brother."

Lex managed to hide the pain as he carefully hugged Paul back, then, surprisingly, Shuni and Sam.  "Been good?" he asked seriously.
"Better then you've been," True teased, rolling into the room.

Paul beamed and nodded vigorously with Sam. "Jeffery is nearly all painted, and I drew lots of pictures for you and everyone!" Paul told Lex excitedly. "True didn't want the water to ruin them, so they're at home. I'll show them to you then, and give you yours when you get home!"

"Cool.  Nice going," Lex praised, leaning back in the couch.
"I like the Jeffery colors," Shuni said quietly.  "They look cool.  And Paul's pictures are pretty.  Where's Ashton?"

Paul beamed and started chattering to Lex about some of the pictures he drew.

Ashton lightly bopped Shuni on the head. "Right here. I guess I'm kind of hidden when you first home into the office..."

Lex seriously listened to Paul, holding perfectly still, but clearly listening to the younger boy's stories.  Once Paul had told him a few, Lex turned his attent to Sam and asled about his days.

Shuni topped hic head back and grined ups at Ashton.  "Hi!"

Sam smiled and told Lex about all the awesome paintwork he and True were doing on the bot. His voice wasn't as energetic as Paul's, but seemed to enjoy talking to Lex none the less.

Ashton grinned back. "Staying out of trouble for True?" He asked his little brother. 

Layla smiled a little at True. "How are you doing? Have the younger ones driven you up a wall yet?"

Lex listened to Sam just as seriously as he did Paul, asking the occasional question but mostly listening.

Shuni nodded happily.  "Yes.  I cook all the food now!  Oh, and I brought you food."  He held up a paper sack filled with a variety of uncooked meats.  "True said I could bring it all and you can bring home whatever you don't eat.  When you do come home.  When are you coming home?"

True gave Layla a blank look.  "There's a way to climb down from the wall?  I hadn't realized!" he joked.

That seemed to make Sam happy. "How are you doing, Lex?" He asked when he was done talking, as curious about how his older brother was feeling.

Ashton looked in the bag and grinned, ruffling Shuni's hair. "Thanks, Shu! This will make tasty dinner. As far as when we're coming home, it's up to Dad. I think he just wants to make sure Lex is recovering all right first."

Layla couldn't help but giggle at that. "In theory there is."

"I'm alright, getting to feeling better," Lex told him.  "Just waiting for Dad to clear me to come home and start bugging you little dudes."

Shuni nodded.  "Can I stay with you?"

"Nah, it's all good," True chuckled.  "They are good kids.  We have a lot of fun together."

Sam and Paul laughed. "I hope that's soon!" They both agreed on.

Ashton smiled a little. "As much as I would love you too, I think it would be wiser if you stayed at home. I'll be back before you know it, and there's not really a lot of room for everyone to stay here. I'm here because I made a promise I would be."

"They seems like a good bunch." Layla agreed thoughtfully as she looked about the room and looked at everyone. "They're all so close... it's remarkable."

"It will be.  Just behave yourselves," Lex growled, ruffling their hair.  "Otherwise, I'll have to think of some horrible thing to threaten you with.  I don't like thinking.  It's too hard."

Shuni's smile dimmed then brightened again as he nodded.  "Promises are good to keep.  Okay.  But what if you need help sleeping again?" 

"We all know we've been hurt, and we choose to trust and love each other," True shrugged.

Paul giggled and Sam grinned. "We promise to be good!" Paul told Lex. "We won't make you think!"

Ashton smiled and hugged Shuni. "Ah, I'll be fine. I've done more on less sleep, sadly. I'll be good until we get home."

Layla looked down on that and fell quiet. True's words had struck a bit close to home for her; closer than she cared to admit.

"Good little munchkins," Lex praised.

Shuni hugged Ashton back tightly.  "I love you, big brother!"

True smiled faintly and patted her back.  "Looking forward to getting you back home with us."

Paul cheered at the praise and hugged Lex again. The little kid liked being happy and hugging people, especially when they were happy too.

Ashton laughed some and smiled. "Love ya too, Shu. You're a pretty good little bro."

Layla looked at True in faint confusion and surprise. "Huh?"

Lex grunted softly.  "Are you tryin' to suffocate me, kid?"

"You'll tell me if you need something?" Shuni asked hopefully.

True quirked an eyebrow.  "I'm looking forward to having all of you home again."

Paul just giggled. "No, I'm trying to hug you!"

Ashton nodded. "I will." He promised. "As long as you be good and don't drive True mad."

Layla nodded a little and glanced over at Lex. She remembered the moment when he found out she was hurt, and what he said after that. The serious way he looked... the dark emotion in his eyes.... even if Lex didn't realize what it was, did that mean he loved her, or at least cared for her?

"But it's so tight!  You're going to choke me!" Lex pretended to gag.

Shuni looked alarmed at that.  "I don't want True mad!"

True reached out and touched Layla's arm. "Layla, are you alright?"

Paul got worried and concerned, releasing Lex. "Lex I'm so sorry! Are you okay?!"

Ashton laughed a little. "It's a figure of speech. 'Diving someone mad' is another way of saying 'make them crazy.'"

Layla looked back at True and nodded, smiling slightly. "Yes. I was just thinking is all."

Lex flopped back on the couch, eyes closed, tongue sticking out comically.

"Will he be mad if he's crazy?" Shuni frowned.

"You look a little... rough around the edges," True said softly, reaching up as though to touch her cheek.

Paul started to freak out. "True!" he cried. "True, I hurt Lex really bad and now he needs help!" Paul cried.

Ashton shrugs. "Maybe. I don't know how True's mind works."

Layla laughed some as she saw the interaction between lex and Paul. He was such a cute, innocent, and gullible kid.