Bella nodded, and said "Awesome, so I can actually do the real heroing??"

"Not like I could stop you, you seem to be as strong as I am, besides I'm not much older than you are and I'm out doing it, I'd feel like a hypocrite if I forbade you. Just, try not to go off on your own, let one of us know at the very least okay?"

  Bella smiled, and said logically "Well, you know I'm on the mindworm net.  I'll usually answer, since I've had the thing since I was teeny."  She gave him another hug, then headed into the kitchen as she added "Umm.  Dads?  How often do you hit Mom up for meals at the moment?"

Bill smiled returning the hug. "OFTEN. PRetty much whenever we can. We try not to go over there too much, she offers a lot though."

  Bella giggled, and said "Well, Mom taught me to cook.  I spent a lot of time there when you were both out doing your stuff when I was little.  Mom's always coparented with you."

"I'm sure that was neccessary, I can only imagine the panic we were in when you had your first period."

  Bella giggled, and said "Oh, it was scary, Mom says.  The first time you had to do a diaper, she says you looked TOTALLY lost.  You were like 'what if she pees on me?' and she said she just laughed and laughed."

Bill laughed. "Sounds like me." Turning to Darren he asked. "Will you be okayy sleeping alone Love? I'm going to be getting to know our daughte, your free to stay up with us but you'll need to slleep eventually"

  Darren yawned, and said "I'll be okay as long as I can hear you.  I;m about bushed from the shocks and all."  He gave Bill a loving kiss, then gave Bella a hug, and headed into the bedroom, yawning again, then slid into  the bed, tossing his clothing out from under the covers.

"Sleep well love" Bill called after Darren. Following Bella into the kitchen he leaned against the counter. "So tell me about you."

  Bella said slowly "Well, I'm yours and Darren's daughter.  Meg gengineered me for you.  She's always been Mom.  I'm a voracious reader, homeschooled, mostly by Mom, since I already have my GED.  I read something like a hundred and fifty pages an hour, and most of the scientific types of just sorta clicks for me.  Umm.  I'm debating into particle and quantum physics to get a college degree.  Maybe."

Bill nodded still leaning against the counter. "I've alwasy been more into english than science. Much better with words then numbers. What are you into entertainment wise?"

  Bella nodded, and said "Well, you ARE good at writing, Dad.  You wouldn't be a very successful author if you weren't."  She clapped her hand over her mouth, and then said "Ooooops."

Bill smiled. "Really?! Thats awesome! What kind of stuff do I write? Or were you not supposed to tell me that?"

  Bella half smiled, and said "It's a temporal flux thing.  I can influence the future by what I say, and I don't know what will happen.  If that might recreate the timeline I'm from or what.  See, I'm safe from paradoxes, but not from the timeline totally disappearing."

Bill nods. "I understand, can you at least tell me if its any good? And what do you read usually?

  Bella smiled, and said "Yes, Dad.  You're a good author.  And no, I won't let you read anything you've already written."  She hugged him, then pulled the fridge open to survey it.

Bill smiled before frowning. "Bella, about what I said earlier, I'm sorry. When, you showed up I thought I was going to get a glimpse of who you were gonna be. When I found out it was more than that, I panicked, I don't know how to be a father, I don't know how to be everything you need me to be. But I'm glad your here."

  Bella closed the fridge, and wrapped her arms around him.  She said quietly "It's okay, Dad.  I  forgive you.  I didn't expect to be totally stranded either.  But I knew SOMETHING was off when I got here, which is why I was waiting for you to get home."

Bill smiled returning the hug. "So umm, what about boys? Did you have a boyfriend? In your own time"

  Bella shook her head, and said "No.  For one, I'm not allowed to date until I'm sixteen.  Which, I'll be honest, it was June when I  was, and it's the middle of winter.  I was a New Years baby."

Bill frowned. "Not really sure how THATS going to work, I mean its not like we can change your birthdate. What about just friends then? Got lots of gal-pals?"

  Bella grinned, and said "Mostly I run around with Diantha.  Umm.  Is she even born yet?"

"She is still a baby though, a few months old, she's apparently a telepath so she can talk in your head, if you'd like to go see her sometime?"

  Bella grinned, and said "Please??  No wonder she always liked me!"