"He isn't bound, you know," Khalid commented softly after a moment. She knew both men could hear her. "I don't know how or why, but he isn't bound. The bottle downstairs is still empty."

"Perhaps because he's part peri?" Ishiah asked quietly. After all, who'd ever heard of a djinn with wings? Even if they were retractable.

"Maybe," Khalid replied softly. She held Alexander close as he clung to her. "But I don't think it's anything to be concerned about anymore. He won't be like me that way."

Ishiah nodded. "Next order of business will be teaching him some control, I think," he murmured. Not that Alexander was out of hand or anything, not by any means, but control was best taught early.

Khalid nodded.

"He has almost the entire world at his fingertips now, and nothing restricting him," she agreed. "He needs to be taught when and when not to take advantage." She glanced over at the door. "You can come in now, Robin, it's safe," she said.

Robin grumbled something but moved inside with them, looking at Alexander again. He was having problems getting over the fact that his son had wings.

Ish nodded. They were going to have to start teaching him soon. But not tonight. Tonight had been eventful enough already.

Gently, Khalid made Alexander let go of her shirt, and then handed him to Robin.

"We all knew this was a possibility," she commented. "And it will be again if we ever have more."

Robin took Alexander, coddling the boy a little. "Yeah, I know," he said quietly. "Doesn't make it any less startling. Not that it makes an actual difference."

"True," Khalid allowed. She gave a bit of a sideways look go Ish before looking back at Robin. "We both know he wants at least one more, anyways. So we'll know what sort of thing to be ready for next time."

Robin snorted. "Yeah. Next time won't be so bad."

Ishiah snorted. "At least one more," he said with a brief grin. Because he was going to see what he could get away with in a few more years, once Alexander was a little older.

"The next one won't be quite as much of a surprise as Alexander was," Khalid said with a slight grin. "We know better now."

"True." Ish smirked and moved over to her, hooking one arm around her and pulling her over so they could get Robin in on it too. Although only sort of because he was still holding Alexander.

Khalid cuddled in between them briefly. Yes, for the moment, she was happy. She was pleased with her family the way it was, for now.

"So how did you chat go with Cal? He isn't screwing himself over with Jeane again is he?" Robin had to grin at that. Because only the half-Auphe could manage to find someone good for him and almost screw up so many times.

"Not yet," Khalid replied. "And with any luck, they'll both get what they want." She absently brushed a bit of blonde hair from Alexander's face. "What Jeane wants, I make sure she gets. And she wants a baby. More specifically, she wants one with Cal."

For a moment Robin was thinking nothing but "Why?" Then he wrote it off as female irrationalism and just nodded.

"Well, long as we don't have to worry about more Auphelings, good luck to them."

"That was what the chat was about," Khalid said. "I'm going to make it so they don't have to worry about that, at least for a couple years or so."

Robin nodded. "Good idea." Because they all knew it was just a matter of time before the Auphe took over.

Shaking himself briefly, he shifted Alexander a little closer. Hey, he was allowed to be protective of his kid.

"Go on and put him to bed," Khalid said gently when Robin cuddled Alexander again. "It's been a long day for everyone." But she didn't try to take the boy; he was as much Robin's as he was hers and Ishiah's, even if he wasn't technically related.

Robin nodded. "I'll be back in a few." He slipped over to Alexander's room again, settling the boy in bed and staying there for a few extra minutes. He had to make sure Alexander was comfortable and sleeping okay, after all.

"He's changed a bit," Khalid commented softly to Ishiah. "He isn't as impulsive as he used to be." And to be honest, the change was refreshing and a little odd at the same time.

"He also has more to lose now," Ish said quietly. "He's actually thinking about what he has and what he could lose if he screws up." Which was just the littlest bit disconcerting, but Ish didn't really mind. He was still Robin, after all. Just a little quieter and a little less impulsive and puckish.

Except when it came to the three of them. Then he was all puck.

"I didn't think it was possible for him to change that much," Khalid replied. "He's been the same for thousands of years, after all." She peeked into Alexander's room at the puck and the child. "Though I'm surprised at how well he's taken to being part of a family."

"Maybe he's wanted it for too long." Ishiah looked briefly contemplative. Robin had never said anything to him, but that didn't surprise him. The puck had always been somewhat secretive.

"I don't know," Khalid mused. It wasn't as if Robin had ever been all that forthcoming with his honest feelings. He was so full of bullshit all the time to throw people off. "Maybe."