Chapter Twenty-seven

They pulled up to a giant mansion made of a mix of a stone facade and a log cabin look. The building looked to be four stories. On the second story there was a balcony that bridged the two sides with a large bank of windows that went from the third floor to the first as it showed the view of the grand stairs that was within. Dawn was in awe at the whole mansion.

From the balcony in front of the large windows, she saw several creations looking out and waving at their SUV. Next to them was a normal looking woman who turned and started to moved inside. Dawn could she her curly blonde hair dance as she hurried down the stairs.

Barr pulled the SUV up to the front door and parked. Pana opened the side door as Barr and Han got out themselves. Han walked up to the blonde woman when she came out of the front door and he lifted her up spinning her around.

Targ turned around in his seat as Pana got out of the SUV. "That's Diana. She's very nice and as shy as you. I think you two could become friends."

Dawn smiled to him as he scooted out of his seat. Then Mark and Dawn got out of the SUV. Barr was busy getting the luggage out of the back of the vehicle with the help of others that came out after Diana.

"It's always good to see you little sister." Targ said as he walked over to Diana and kissed her cheeks.

"You have fun with Patience? Find what you were looking for? Or should I say whom." Diana asked with a bright smile on her face. Her smile seemed so inviting, teasing, and alluring. A smile to make others smile.

"Not quite, but I bring home some friends." He turned his smiling face on Mark and Dawn. "Meet Mark and Dawn. You two, meet Diana. The cutest and sweetest normal little sister in our family."

She hit his shoulder playfully. "Don't embarrass me in front of our guests." She turned to smile at the two new comers. "It's very nice to meet new people. These pack of animals can be a handful sometimes."

"Ah, but you love us." Han said looking down at her.

"And you above all." She said looking up at him. Dawn could see they were together. She could also see the shining wedding rings on their hands. They were married to each other.

The sunlight shifted and glanced of the windows of the SUV. Anyone who hadn't seen Dawn in the sunlight yet was struck in awe by the shimmers of Dawn's skin and hair. She shifted till Mark shielded her from their view.

"We should go inside. Too much attention for her." Mark said to Targ.

"I'll show you to your room." Diana said as Mark put his arm on Dawn's waist and they followed her into the mansion. She took them to the third floor on the left of the landing.

When Diana opened the door, she revealed a warm and cosy bedroom with a view that looked out over the mountains in the near distance. The view was beyond spectacular from the room. Dawn looked around and found several bags in the room next to the bed.

"I'll let you get settle. Lunch is in an hour and a half on the first floor. Just follow the growling stomachs. There's always so many." Diana giggled as she left the room and the two to their privacy.

Dawn walked over to the bags and opened one. She looked at Mark as he came to her. "Your camera from your studio. Along with all sorts of things I think you use." Showing him what was in the bag.

Mark knelt down with a smile on his face. "Guess Patience figured that I would love to take pictures while I'm here. She knows I get itchy without a camera in hand."

He opened up another bag while she did the same. "Here's your stuff. Looks like they went to the condo and got our stuff for us. Oh..." He held up a bikini top.

Dawn blush furiously as she snatched the top from Mark's hands. "I don't know if I'll be comfortable to wear that."

He smiled as he looked through the bag. "That's okay. Looks like they put some swim shirts in here for you." He looked up to her again. "Should we go ahead and put these clothes away to see what we have?" Dawn nodded handing Mark his bag while he handed hers to her.

Hour and a half later there was a knock on their door. Targ stuck his head inside and grinned. "Lunch time if you're hungry."

"I'm very hungry myself, you?" Mark asked as he turned to Dawn who nodded to him.

Targ smiled as he led the two down the hall, down the stairs, and to where they heard the sounds of hungry people already eating. Laughter and joking could be heard even before the three had even gotten to the stairs. Dawn knew this was what Diana was talking about. They could have been heard at the airport for how much ruckus they were making. Definitely a pact of animals.

They enter a large dining hall that had one massive dinning table made of what looked to be a single tree. Rustic chairs lined all the way around the table. Only a third of the chairs were filled. There were slightly more men then there were women sitting around the table.

There were three seats at the head of the table empty. Targ took the empty seat next to Pana and gestured for the two to sit next to him. Everyone quieted for a moment when they did.

Targ rose and cleared his throat. "Everyone. These are our guest for the time being. Most of you know Mark through Patience. Next to him is his girlfriend Dawn. Be nice to both." He rolled his eyes seeing some look at Mark. "And yes she knows his past. He has changed and is no longer the man you had first heard about."

Most nodded to Targ as he took his seat again. There were quick rounds of greetings before they dug back in. Dawn leaned over to Targ after seeing what the others were doing. "Maybe I should teach them table manners."

Targ started to laugh. "You could certainly try. I suggest trying later."

"What did you say?" Mark asked curious.

Dawn smiled and the faintest of blushes lit up her cheeks. "Teach them table manners." Mark chuckled as he reached out for the first bowl of food. He first dished some out on Dawn's plate and then his own. He did that for all the bowls of food. The others at the table thought that was interesting. They found it especially interesting when Mark stopped from putting one on her plate. She had smiled at him when he didn't. Many were curious about that.

Next they couldn't believe their eyes at how she ate. Some even shifted in their seat and started to eat a bit more properly. Targ laughed and shook his head. He was thinking that she didn't have to teach them as they were mimicking her.

Lunch ended and Targ's brothers and sisters only asked a few question. Dawn had willingly answered some which he found delightful. It looked like she was breathing being away from the city with Mark. She was even smiling and giggling freely.

Targ stood up at the table and turned to Mark and Dawn. "I was thinking that I would show you around the mansion. If you two aren't too tired?" The plan ride wasn't that long and not rough at all.

"That would be nice." Mark said with a smile and Dawn nodded with a smile too.

They left the dinning room and Targ showed them everything. The workout room they called the dojo. It was designed to look like a japanese style training room. Complete with bamboo mats on the floor, rice paper looking walls, and moving panels to reveal the equipment. Targ made sure to tell them to take their shoes off when they entered the room.

Targ showed them the large indoor/outdoor pool. Right now the retracting door was up as the day was nice. The fresh green of the spring trees were seen through all the windows that lined most of the room. There were lounge chairs around the pool inside and out. Potted topiaries and sculpted bushes were spread out all over the area giving it more of a hotel pool look with a warmer feel.

There was even a large theatre room in a deep basement room. "On the weekends there's usually a movie marathon of some sort between noon and midnight each day. I think Diana makes a list of what movies they're showing at what time." He showed them where a large dry erase board was where they could find out what was playing. "I think she also had a written list which she makes copies. There maybe one in your room tomorrow."

"She doesn't have to do that." Mark said.

Targ shrugged. "She's very nice like that. It's who she is." Most everyone here was nice though a little rambunctious at times. What would you expect from a bunch of animals? Neat and clean fun? Never!

There was a game room, a large library, and even a computer lab attached to the library along with other different rooms throughout the first and second floor of the mansion. The other two floors were the bedrooms.

Targ had showed them his room along with Han and Diana's if they needed anything. He wanted to make sure they were alright with everything. He didn't want them to not have people to look to if they needed something. And he figured Dawn could have some girls she could talk to while she was here.

The tour took so long that by the time they came down the stairs dinner was being served. The laughter and jubilee were once again what graced their ears even before they entered the dinning room. This group was really making Dawn feel comfortable being around them. Their humor and playful manner was warming Dawn up and seeing there were nice people in the world.

By the end of dessert, both Dawn and Mark were tired from the plane ride and the tour of the mansion. They excused themselves from everyone and retreated to their guest room.

"You seemed to enjoy yourself at dinner." Mark remarked as he gathered his night clothes. He was going to change in the bathroom to give her privacy in the bedroom.

"They are very delightful to be around. They're definitely an interesting group indeed." Dawn smiled over at Mark and giggled. "Did you see when they were watching me eat? They started to eat more properly afterwards. I think I embarrassed them."

"I think you did. I think they wanted to impress you as well." Mark walked over to the bathroom. "I'm going to change. Just shout when you're comfortable." He grinned and winked at Dawn as he closed the bathroom door.

Dawn changed and got into the bed. She shouted to Mark that she was comfortable. Within minutes he was smiling as he came out and over to the bed. To her surprise he didn't get in, but knelt down next to the bed.

He took her hand and kissed it. "If you don't feel comfortable with me sleeping next to you, I'll sleep on the couch under the window. I'm sorry I never asked before."

Dawn tugged on his hand and pulled him into the bed. "You would have me sleep alone without comfort in a strange new place?"

Mark settled beside her smiling. "I just wanted to know you wanted me to sleep next to you. I didn't want to just assume like I have been."

Dawn crawled closer to Mark and he automatically wrapped his arms around her resting his cheek on the top of her head. "If I didn't want you to sleep next to me, I would have pushed you away. But I haven't and I won't. You're the only person that I feel safe with. That I can let everything go. That I could have any courage with to tell what happened to me in time. You've warmed me up when I was so bitterly cold in the dark."

He tightened his arms around her. "You helped me too. For the first time in my life, I'm whole. Thank you for trusting me and coming back to me. Even when you were bleeding in my arms at my door, I was happy. Happy that you sought me out to help you. You had faith in me and I tried to keep it."

"Creations are really strong."

Mark chuckled. "So you have forgiven me."

"The second you asked for forgiveness."

Mark smiled as he rubbed her back. "Thank you. Should we get some sleep? You must be so tired." She nodded in his arms. He smiled as he felt her drift. He drifted too as she tangled her legs around his tying them together. Just the way Mark would always want to be.

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