only in erich and ada's life would the concept of erich's old "friend with benefits" be the only person trusted with their child. "i fully agree. you know you are the brains of this operation...and the looks...and the talent." erich says into adas ear as he hugs her firmly,taking care not to move her arms. " karoliena just loves those kids. which is strange,as she never was a kid person.i dont think i ever actually met cassie's children. but they must be something. she was....spunky before their birth." erich laughs. cassie was spunky indeed. she was probably the most hated person in music for quite sometime.which was the way she wanted it. it makes erich happy to know ada wouldnt change things. its always been a small,but vocal part of him that thought she wanted someone more sensible. "the...duke? as in the ship not john wayne's grave?! why?" erich is astounded ada would want to go there of all places. and with their baby?

erich runs a hand through his hair,making a face as the grease touches his fingers. over a decade of greaserhood,and it still hasnt sunk in:pomade is greasy. ada had a point. he certainly was happier when the hess clan was a small commune,instead of individual chapters spread across the globe. "it was..magic,ada." erich lets out a sigh and puts his hands behind his head,going over all the memories on that ship. great memories,not so good memories. " ah the dancing to tom jones....it just doesnt have the same ring here,huh? fuck it,lets do it!" erich says,excitedly. he kisses adas hand and nods agreement. " true. once you leave home,it never is home again...but new memories will take those places...i am pretty sure karoliena isnt going to come. cassie is some... i dunno,music mogul or something. erica and nichole...may join us.well,i know erica will. you know she just adores you. you and a baby? even better. i cant see castor and nina coming though. they would have to take their daughter out of school." erich says,ticking off people on his fingers. the two missing people though,are near heartbreaking to think of.

erich chuckles,ada is certainly correct. if nichole wants something,she gets it. " that she is. she is indeed a driven young woman. how would you feel about... mariko being there?" erich asks gently. he wasnt sure if she even wanted to live there. but seeing as her sister was going to be there,it only made sense to ask. " ruthless works,but so does being sweet. i am pretty sure you always get your way too." erich laughs before giving ada another little hug. for 9 months he was afraid of squishing the baby,so now there was no reason not to give her many many hugs. "i'll pack too and give our neighbors the finger. lousy bastards. oh,the ship is already baby safe. took care of it months ago,potato. all free range firearms accounted for and locked up. all drugs and paraphernalia disposed of.baby gates on every door...that took a loooong time.broken glass swept up,exposed wiring fixed,lead paint removed and repainted with non lead paint....it may be a bit dusty after sitting for so long,but it is safe. i went down there and fixed it in case we wanted to take a ride for old times sake." erich says with a small smile. he was going to miss their apartment. it was the first home of ada and him. but with 2 dogs,a cat, and a baby..it would get tight,quick.

He gives a little smile to Ada. He just loved when she called him "herr hess". It always reminded him of the days they first met. He scoots closer to Ada,since the baby he felt he never could be close enough to her. Marlena had made an already bright personality even more magnetic. " you are very welcome. I did not expect it to be so soon,but I wanted marlena to see where it all began...of course SOME details should be left out...at least until she is old enough to really be grossed out by them." Erich laughs and looks at the peaceful marlena."you are gonna have some life,kiddo." He says to himself . "That woman?! Mariko....oh that,woman. I am sure it will be fine. She and Mariko do not live together and from what I gather...." He looks around as it this is juicy gossip and culture uncut could be lurking anywhere. " they are not that close anyway. Erica says good friend at best. They rarely....you know." Erich says with a slow and steady nod. " the only nina onboard will be a drake. Who loves you as much as anyone....except me. I love you more. Because if I didnt..." He says,shaking his fist at...himself?

Erich was silently glad that nina and Mariko had the relationship they did. The duke was big,but not big enough to house Ada and nina Tarantino. Plus if mariko's girlfriend couldn't stay...it could be a big thing with Erica. Crisis averted. Ada laughing at someone's misfortune was oddly amusing,as it hinted to what that sweet exterior housed. She was sweet as pie,but a prison pie that housed a shiv. "I do feel a little sorry for Mariko though...a little. It's not like she didnt do everything in her power to get nina to date her. I guess it was more lust than anything. Oh well. Not our problem." He gives a little shrug. He knew Mariko since she was 17 or so, she always had bad taste in lovers. " the drakes. I love them too. The duke played a pretty big part in that relationship too..the love boat,or what?"

"I vote implode. Mariko will ride a sinking ship until it hits the sea floor. " Erich says with a little regret. He was around the kobayashi sisters briefly before mariko was slowly isolated by her abusive husband. Everyone warned her,but she would not listen. He also silently promised marlena he would kill anyone who laid a finger on her. He had a strong alibi for insanity,so it could work. " I.. Honestly never expected nina and castor to last. They were just so... Different. But in a good way,I think they really compliment each other well. Oh that little girl...such a little lady. But destined to be slightly less precious than our marlena. It's just the way it's going to be." Erich nods,very proud of their daughter already.

Erich lightly touches under markena's chin. There was no skin softer than baby neck skin. The baby stirs slightly,smacking her toothless little mouth. " babysit Virginia? I don't know if castor would let us. He is understandably very protective of her. And I.....well most people wouldn't want me around their kids. I do think virginia and marlena would love each other. " he nods his head with certainty. " on the subject of other kids....what of...the others? You know." Erich doesn't want to out and out say it,but Nichole's kids and Erica's daughter. These will probably be the wild ones of the group. With Erica's daughter probably being the spoiled princess of the group.

"By now he probably should. Plus look at our daughter. We clearly are child rearing people. He'd be a sucker not to let us watch Virginia. Ooh,I hope we can watch her around Christmas. I want to finally say," yes,Virginia.there is a Santa Claus" to an actual Virginia" he says brightly. now erich was excited to watch someone's child. That joke was prime territory and he wanted to get in in the ground floor of it. When thinking of heir friends kids, erich slowly shrugs . "You have a point. But I guess I just feel sorta guilty knowing the lives those kids were cheated out of.you know? I guess clearly Sam wasnt all he was cut out to be...and Natalya would eventually found out about Nichole and Erica. You know I deal in an idealized version of reality." Things probably were actually better this way. Having a father that wasnt ready for it,wasnt better than Nichole's mourning. Erica Having the bitter fight that would have occurred had Natalya not been killed ,certainly wouldn't benefit their daughter. Erich hated reality sometimes. Probably why he tried to avoid it for so long.

Erich smiles when Ada touches him. For the most part,he never let much of anything really bother him. But when things did get through his protective layer of not giving a fuck,it really irritated him. Erica and Nichole fit that small sliver of things that bothered him. Ada,however could always put things in perspective and make it better. " you are right,Ada. So always right. They'll be fine,as will their kids. " erich says,looking to Ada. He gets himself situated and gives Ada a nod. " always ready to hold that little munchkin." Erich was petrified of holding other people's kids. But for some reason,his own did not. " so how many more are you ready for?" Erich chuckles while he awaits the baby transfer.

Erich smiles down at the face of marlena.other than Winston Churchill,he couldn't say who she resembled more,Ada or himself. He was lax to ask to hold marlena. Ada certainly put in her time while pregnant,it was only right she got holding privileges . " but you were adorable when pregnant...and pretty darn sexy too. I guess marlena will be a limited edition. No other woman is getting my essential bodily fluids. "