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Dale yawned and stretched as he awoke, the room was dark and for a moment he was confused, where was the sunlight? Then he remembered, he was on Polar sleeping in the childhood house of his husband. That meant the room was a good ten or more metres underground. It didn't even have any windows, there was no point this deep in the ice.

With a wave of his paw on a sensor, he brought the lights on. Gentle warm orange light filled the room growing brighter and whiter slowly, Polar design to help your eyes adjust without discomfort. His few days on the planet had really helped him see his husband's people in a new light. They weren't just big lugs, they were technologically gifted and clever.

It had been easy to overlook his husband's own skills as an engineer as a species aberration. After all, Benny was his husband, he had long ago stopped even noticing his mate's species. In the end that was a tiny factor in why he loved the big bear. Benny had done something no other Polar ever had, he had declared his sexuality and then fled to the gay-friendly lapine world. Now many years later things had changed on Polar, it was no longer legal to kill someone just for being gay. That had caused great political upheaval across the planet. There had been some casualties.

Five of those casualties resided in the house Dale was staying in: Kaylee and Tray a lesbian couple very loud proud and strong. Moir a young female whose father had convinced himself his girl just needed a taste of what she was turning down and paid some males to show her. Si a big polar bear male young, brash and gay Dar the smallest bear Dale had ever met. Dar was youngest and the frailest. His family had driven him into the snow to die and tried to take him by force when they found out he had found refuge. The poor bear had a caffeine habit, the innocent drink for most species had an effect on bears similar to pot on humans. Dale figured it was harmless and he could understand the young bear needing a crutch to lean on in such times.

The black rabbit crawled out of the bed and stretched again as he stood up. The room was surprisingly warm, the rabbit suspected his husband had turned up the heat just for him. After a quick shower and getting fully dressed the rabbit headed upstairs. His nose told him halfway there that breakfast was already cooking and as he entered the living room he found it full of bears eating. The five young bears greeted him politely, though they only paused briefly in their meal. It was a good sign for Dale, polar bears pausing in a meal for more than a few seconds usually meant all hell was about to be let loose.

Benny wasn't among them and the rabbit suspected he knew exactly where his husband would be. He headed through to the kitchen, expecting his husband to be cooking and instead found Benny's mother cooking. She gave him a stiff nod and gestured to plate on the bench, "morning Dale, I set that aside for you."

"Thank you, where is Benny?" The rabbit asked, not looking at the meal. He found it hard to be so close to the female, the woman who gave birth to his love and not too long ago had very nearly killed him. She may have changed her heart and done many good things since, but the rabbit would never forgive her for all the pain she caused. At best he was trying to forget enough to tolerate her presence.

"He is upstairs, I think he wanted to eat his breakfast and watch the snowfall, there is a light shower going on," the female replied politely and kept a respectful distance.

Grabbing the plate and a fork the rabbit headed upstairs. He found Benny sitting on a chair staring out the window. "Hey, sweety." The bear said as he turned to see who was behind him.

"Hey, I thought you guys preferred to be underground when inside," the rabbit observed as he sat down and looked out at the gentle snowfall. The sun was not very high in the sky, its orange rays cutting gently through the clouds.

"After so long on Lapros I think I am too used to sitting on the surface all the time. Besides, it has been a long time since I watched the sunrise from this window."The bear replied putting an arm around the rabbit as Dale leant close. "I forgot how beautiful the view could be."

The rabbit looked out of the window and then up at the smiling face of his husband, "the view from here is certainly beautiful."

A deep rumbling chuckle erupted from the bear's chest, vibrating the rabbit resting against it. "You charmer."

"Just telling the truth," Dale replied his paw reaching up to stroke the bear's soft furred cheek. "I love you." The words were whispered softly as the two pressed closer.

With a kiss to the rabbit's paw, Benny whispered back," I love you too." His huge head dipped lower and their warm lips met in a soft tender and loving kiss. Their paws caressing each other's cheeks and chests. Soft moans escaping from both of them as their tongues met and danced slowly and gently, like two old partners each knowing the others next step and dancing to it perfectly.

Their moment was broken by a polite cough from the other end of the room where Dar and Si stood with goofy smiles on their faces. "Estel wanted me to check and see if you wanted any more for breakfast," Si said with a cheeky grin on his face. " I am guessing you two might be hungry for something else."

"Yes indeed, I am starving for some privacy. Think you can ask my mother to whip some up," Benny replied with a snort and a meaningful look.

"Hint taken," the younger bear replied and dashed back down the stairs.

Dar just stood his jaw hanging open in shock staring at the two in disbelief. It was as if he had walked in on an orgy in full flow, he was too shocked to move and too curious to look away. It hit Dale a second after Si's paw returned to grab Dar and pull him away, the boy had probably never seen two males kissing before.

"There, alone again, though I think they broke the moment before they left," grumbled the large bear.

"We can always make another," the rabbit replied his eyes fixed on the spot the young bear had been standing in.

"Plenty of time for that," Benny agreed pulling the rabbit close. "I have a couple of things I would like to do out and about if you don't mind."

"No of course not, are you planning on going to town?" Dale asked, slightly worried, Si had been assaulted just the day before, as a known gay walking alone in town.

"I want to visit the spot of Chris's pyre, pay my respects and there is something else I want to do afterwards." The bear muttered softly and sadly as he thought of his first love and lost friend.

"I understand, I can come with you, but if you want to be alone I understand. I don't want to intrude," The rabbit replied leaning up to place a kiss on the bear's cheek.

"No, you could never intrude and... I think Chris would have liked you," Benny sighed loudly his arms pulling Dale close in reflex.

Dale didn't say anything, he knew he didn't have to. All he needed to do was hold his love and try to help him through the day. Benny rarely spoke about Chris or those days, when he did he tended to do so with a tear in his eye. Although many of the stories he told were happy ones, of childhood friends and their adventures. The rabbit never pushed him to talk about those days, no matter what Benny said he always felt he was intruding, or trampling over the bear's memories.

"Well if you go get your warm outside clothes on I will let the others know we are going," the bear said pulling himself to his feet. "Thank you, for coming all this way with me."

"I'd go a lot further for you," the rabbit replied quickly his voice full of passion. He meant every word, there were no lengths he would not go to to make his love happy. Benny didn't reply, but he turned to smile briefly at his love.

The two headed down quickly, the rabbit off to their room where he had a selection of warm clothing to choose from. Benny had a brief conversation with his mother, she wasn't too happy with the two going out alone, not after what happened to Si. However, Benny had inherited his stubborn streak from her and she knew there would be no convincing him. Plus her son promised to stay away from town, so the chances of him getting jumped like Si were quite small.

Armed with earmuffs, hand warmers, a flask of hot tea, thick thermal coat and leggings Dale and his husband ventured out into the Polar wilds. Although to Benny they were far from wild, they were just his home. The rabbit, on the other hand, found everything quite exciting. There were trees this far south on the planet. Benny explained they relied on mineral deposits slowly being brought to the surface through thousands of years of slow ice movement. The ice here was thin, indeed with several rock mountains, it was none existent in places. One of only a handful of places away from the equator you could see land on Polar. A day's hike was all it would take and your paws could stand on freezing cold rock, instead of ice.

For Benny, these were the woods he played in as a child. It was strange how familiar they felt, even after decades these were still his woods. After half an hour of easy walking, they entered a small clearing, at one end the ice was black, to Dale it looked almost like smokey glass. "This is it, the pyre was here," Benny whispered pointing to an area of ice that looked like any other. "It will have been buried in ice and snow long ago. The fire melts the ice and as the body turns to ash it sinks into the pool created under it. We become one with the ice."

Dale stared at the black ice he could see, it wasn't just some frozen water. It was someone's mother, father, sister, or brother. It was clear the site was used often to burn the dead. As he stared, Benny got down on his knees and scooped up some of the snow and ice. "I... I came back." It was clear to Dale Benny wasn't talking to him. The rabbit knew this was the time to give Benny some space.

"Took me a long time, I'm sorry about that. Sorry about so much." The bear whispered as his paws dug a little deeper in the ice. "I never forgot you, Chris, or what we had. I was weak and stupid, I hope you can forgive me." The bear looked up and around the clearing as if searching for a sign from beyond. Instead, there was silence, nothing more than a small flurry of loose snow running from a light breeze.

"I miss you," Benny whispered his fingers playing with the snow, digging a little deeper. "I found someone else and I love him, but you are still in my heart. You will always be there too. He's a really nice guy, you'd like him a lot." As he spoke a light snow began to fall, large flakes lazily floating down. A huge one landed on Benny's huge nose and stuck there, melting slowly.

Benny smiled and twitched his nose. "I knew you would understand. Things are changing here now, I hope to be able to come back again. I have to go now... I love you. I wish I had gotten to say that to you while I had the chance, just once." The bear looked up at Dale a little guiltily as he got back to his paws. The rabbit had tears in his eyes, but he reassured Benny he understood with a gentle hug and a kiss on the cheek. When their lips parted a large snowflake landed on Dale's nose as well. The bear laughed and kissed away the snowflake and whispered. "Chris likes you."

Dale blushed and chuckled, "he does?"

"Snowflake on the nose, it is a good sign. Plus it wasn't scheduled to snow today." the bear replied confidently as he put his arm around the rabbit he loved and led him away from the clearing.

"So where are we going next?" The rabbit asked a few minutes later as the bear walked him out of the woods and up a small hill.

"There is something... something I wanted to do," the bear replied averting his gaze from the rabbit.

Dale felt a chill run up his spine and it wasn't a cold wind. Benny was avoiding the question and he could tell there was something unpleasant in the reason. "What is it?"

"I... don't really want to say. It might be better if you were to go back to the house," Benny replied as he stopped, turning his head looking about.

"No, I'm not leaving," the rabbit replied his heart beginning to race. He knew he couldn't leave there was something unpleasant coming and he would be damned if he left his husband to face that alone.

The bear gave a smile, though in his eyes Dale could see more than a hint of sadness. "Ok, I understand. There is something I have to do, some people I have to find."

"People?"

The bear didn't reply right away, he was looking intently at the small hills and the mountain in the distance. "Yes, they are here, beneath us."

With a rising dread, Dale looked at his feet to see the white snow and what he knew to be miles of compacted ice and he shuddered a little. Something told him that there wasn't some secret home under his feet.

"They were killed, murdered for being gay. A long time ago," the bear replied as he got down onto his knees. "I was brought here as a cub, along with all the cubs of our village. They wanted us to learn what would happen... if I turned out like I did. I promised myself if I ever got to come back, I would find them and burn their bodies, give them the pyre and peace they deserve."

Benny dug into the snow quickly with his claws, turfing it away in piles. As he dug he gasped when two mitt covered paws reached into the hole. It was Dale on his knees doing his best to help the bear he loved. Part of him hoped they wouldn't find anything and another part of him hoped they would. He couldn't imagine what it would be liked to be killed just for his sexuality, the least those poor bears deserved was a proper funeral.

The two dug for hours, digging out several deep pits of snow, but they found nothing. The cold weather began to bite Dale hard, he drank the hot tea and warmed his freezing mitts on the cup. All the while Benny didn't stop or even slow down. With a belly full of warming tea Dale rejoined the hunt. The two dug pit after pit, the sun in the sky was beginning to set when a voice behind then said, "they ain't there."

The couple spun around to find they were not alone. A large male polar bear was standing behind them, Dale recognised him as the polar guard, a lawkeeper who had helped Si out the day before. He was also the late Chris's brother and he clearly had not forgiven Benny for the part he played in Chris's death. "How do you know?"

Gary was carrying a large blaster rifle on one arm, he let it slide down and deftly caught it in one paw. "Because I dug them up years ago, you ain't the only cub that remembers them." There was more than a hint of accusation in that tone.

Benny got to his feet, his eyes slipped onto the rifle, held more than casually in the guard's paws. "How did you know we were here?"

The bear shrugged his shoulders, his neat uniform crumpling slightly, "you guys ain't exactly hard to follow. A bears tracks and...that's tracks are more than a bit of an unusual sight." Benny growled on instinct as his husband was insulted.

"That is my husband! A Lapine, they were our allies during the war," the guard knew it and Benny could tell he was being baited, but he couldn't help taking the bait. Nobody insulted the man he loved, rifle or no rifle.

"So I heard," the bear replied taking a few steps forward, his paw slipping around the rifle finger resting on the trigger. The barrel was still pointed at the snow, but it would just take a twist and a gentle pull to fire and he wanted them both to know it. He was in charge and they were to do as he said, he was the lawkeeper and the one with the big gun. "I also heard more than a couple of people in town suggesting we should bring you up here and send you to join the two you were looking for. Make another example, for all the cubs to see, the evil ones get what they deserve."

Dale felt Benny pulling him, gently tugging the rabbit behind himself. "Is that what they said?"

"Aye, it is. Now I told them, idiots, that the law had changed and I was its keeper," Gary stepped closer and kept his rifle ready. "That any who broke it would face justice. Now, of course, the two you were looking for they faced justice too, good thing for you thing have changed. I had to break a few bones but the message is out there, for now."

"For now?" Benny asked calming down a little, he was sure that this wasn't an attack now. He could see it in Gary's eyes, the bear didn't like him, maybe even hated him. However, he didn't want him dead.

The other bear shrugged his shoulders again, "your mother and her kids, they are not well liked. That young un, Dar's family are back in town and they are not happy. The whole town knows what you did, what you are. That message you sent when you left, that 'fuck you I'm gay', well maybe it needed to be said. However, there's many in this town ashamed of it because you came from here. Many that shook your Ma's paw when they found out she tried to kill you. Now here you are, back after their world has changed and you are rubbing their noses in your 'perversion.' They don't like it, they hate it and they hate you. My advice to you is, go home. You don't belong here anymore, go back to your world filled with happy little bunnies and don't look back, or someone will shoot your eye out." With a deft practised motion, Gary swung his rifle back onto his shoulder.

The couple watched as the guard walked away slowly, he didn't turn to look back even once before he left their sight. Eventually, Benny heaved a deep relieved breath, "well we knew coming here would be rough."

"Yes, we did." Agreed the rabbit and he added. "I hope Martin and Dillon are having a better reception than we are."

"I hope their travel permits come through quickly," the bear replied his eyes fixed on the retreating guard, while his ears still rang with the man's warning. He was mostly sure it was a warning, not a threat... mostly.

<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>

Half a world away a brown rabbit was waking in the depths of a snug Polar farmhouse. His paw reached out to find the bed empty. Dillon was gone, but that was expected the bear had said something about helping their hosts on the farm. Dane had accepted the offer of help with a slight smile and nod. The huge bear rarely spoke, he dwarfed Dillon easily a foot taller eight foot tall at least. However, a gentle giant he was a silent but caring male, Martin could see that when the big guy played with his cubs, twins Cor and Corlina. They had taken very much to their new 'uncle' and he to them.

Then, of course, there was Aurora, Dillon's sister. She had a burning passion about everything she said and did. In that she reminded Martin of his lover, the bear was deeply passionate. Certainly, he had been the night before, the rabbit's sore rump had borne the brunt of that passion. Not that the brown rabbit had been any less passionate, pushing back wantonly into every heavy thrust. With a smirk he remembered waking Dillon up to ride his bear rump as well, no doubt he was not the only one waking with a tender stride.

Dressed and more awake, Martin climbed up the stairs to the upper levels, wonderful smells filled his nose. Aur was cooking breakfast and the rabbit found her in the kitchen, "morning!" Her voice was bright and cheerful as she nodded to the rabbit. A plateful of food was dished out, a strange vegetable mash mixed with meat from the hunt larder. All the vegetables were grown on the farm, the meat hunted by Aurora. Martin had been shocked to find Dane never hunted, in fact, the bear almost never seemed to touch meat.

"Morning, you don't need to cook for me you know," the rabbit said with a smile. Although it didn't stop him from tucking into the delicious plateful.

"Need? No. Want to? Yes." The bear replied with a cheery tone as she helped herself to a plateful as well. "Besides I don't know how long you guys are staying and I want to make sure you feel welcome. So you know you can come back, anytime." For just a moment Aur's beaming smile faded just a fraction.

"I'm sorry," Martin said reaching out a paw to reassure her. "I kept him from you..."

"No, he kept himself from us, you kept him safe and loved in a strange new place," the passion returned to her voice. "I will never forget that! You brought him home, made my family whole." Her paw reached out and squeezed his. "More than whole, we have a new member. An uncle for my cubs, a brother for Dane and me."

Martin couldn't speak, he could feel tears in his eyes. All he had heard from Dillon, all the talk of the dangers, the rabbit had had such a strange warped opinion on Polar. He had half-expected to be attacked the moment they landed, to be beaten and sent packing. The last thing in his mind had been that he would find a new family. However, he had loved the last few days, learning more about Dillon's past, his home and roots. It had been wonderful.

Aur chuckled and pulled her paw back, "I'm going into town for some supplies and to make a few trades. You are welcome to join me, or you can stay here alone. Last resort you could go help my husband and brother plant some crops. Pick me, I'm talking shop with a couple of restaurants in town. You might be able to get some tips to take back home. I mean the stuff you've shown is nice, but very South Polar Cuisine. You could expand your range."

With a chuckle, Martin agreed to join Aur on her trip into town. The female polar bear left a little note while the rabbit helped the cubs get dressed. The next few hours were a revelation for the rabbit. Aur was very popular with the people in town, it seemed like almost everyone stopped to talk with her. Martin heard her talking about Dillon and she even introduced him as her brother's partner. There was no hesitation on her part and what surprised him more was just how many of the bears just nodded at him, he sensed no hostility.

After hearing Dillon and Benny talk about their homeworld in such bleak terms for years and worse finding his friend stabbed by his own mother, Martin could hardly believe it was the same place. Aur laughed at him when he confided in her and just said, "that's the south for you, people up here don't care much. Be a good person, treat them with respect and they will do the same. You should be here during winter, the world seems to try and kill you most days. Snow and ice all day, you have to rebuild your entire house some years or just dig a new entrance. Months go by when you won't see anyone but your family. When you see just how small and insignificant we really are, what does it matter who loves who, so long as they ain't hurting you? There are better things to do with your time than hate."

The group visited two restaurants and in both of them, Martin not only got to learn some things, he got to show off what he knew. Bringing some of the lapine influence into his food, after years working with Benny the two had developed a range of items that were a unique blend of the two worlds. He made a few vegetable soups and some unique meat rubs, to add to roasts. For his demonstrations, he was rewarded with examples of Northern polar baking, something Benny had never shown him, and possibly didn't know of.

It was amazing to watch such huge creatures crafting delicate and intricate pastries with paws far bigger than the rabbit's head. Mixing in varieties of spices that were both sweet and warming on the tongue and belly. It wasn't until Martin turned to see Aur sitting in the corner with the two cubs on her lap almost falling over asleep, that he realised how long he had kept them there. The rabbit said his goodbyes and promised to share some more recipes with the head chef.

With tired eyes and full bellies, the group returned to the farm, to find Dane and Dillon waiting and hungry. Dillon gave his love a huge, lifting the rabbit up in his powerful arms and whispering, "I missed you."

"I missed you too," Martin replied returning the hug happily. He closed his eyes and just basked in the content of the moment. "But it was a great day, I learned so many new recipes."

"Our travel permits came through," The bear replied and Martin could hear more than a hint of sadness in the bear's voice. He felt more than a hint in his own heart, just a couple of days with Dillon's family and he felt happy and at home. He wanted to get to know Aur more, she had told him just a few stories of Dillon as a cub, he was sure he had barely scratched the surface of the wonderful secrets he could learn from her.

"You... you think we could maybe stay another day or two?" Martin replied and glanced over at where Aur and Dane were sitting, nursing one sleepy cub each. "Your sister has really been missing you and I think they were hoping you would stay a while longer."

"We... can message Benny and Dale, see how they are doing," Dillon replied firmly and then looked at his family. "If they don't need us then we can stay here longer, I'd like that."

"I really like your family," the rabbit whispered.

A soft kiss was placed on Martin's neck and Dillon whispered, "I think you mean, our family." The rabbit didn't reply he just held the bear tightly closing his eyes.

"Hey, you two need us to leave or something?" Aur shouted from across the room with a smirk plastered over her face.

"Yeah, thanks. That or just put a bag over your head," snorted Dillon in return as they broke their hug.

"Ouch, you wound me, dear brother," his sister replied with mock pain.

"Wound you? You chipped a fang when we arrived," laughed Dillon as he and Martin joined them. "I hope you don't chip another one when I ask if we can maybe stay a little longer? I mean if our friends don't need us."

For a moment Dillon could see his sister's eyes grow glassy and she nodded her head. The bear smirked and said, "sorry what was that Aur? You saying no?" The bear teased and got back to his feet. "We'd better go pack Martin, I don't think we are..." The bear never got to finish his teasing joke as the wind was knocked out of him by his sister's embrace. It hit him like a powerful punch, knocking the wind from his lungs as she held him tightly.

Dillon couldn't stop a tear rolling down his own cheek as he returned her hug just as powerfully, "I was just joking."

"Don't joke about leaving," his sister hissed fiercely. "You are both welcome here, for a day or a lifetime, never, ever think anything different!"

Martin felt a tear in his own eye as he watched the brother and sister, his lover and new sister. Then a large warm paw landed on his shoulder. He looked up and then further up into Dane's huge face. The bear gave him a wink and simply said, "brother." The rabbit didn't reply he just put his paw on top of Dane's and nodded his understanding.

<<<<<<<>>>>>>

It was a long and worrying night for Benny, Dale and everyone in the house. Gary's warnings of Dar's family stirring up trouble put everyone on edge. Si and the three females spend most of the evening upstairs watching out of the windows, waiting for any trouble to show up. Fortunately it never came and eventually, the sun rose again. Leaving four very exhausted polar bears dozing in seats.

Below the four lookouts, things were not much better. Dar had gone to his room the moment the news had been shared. Dale had never seen anyone look so scared. The rabbit had followed him and found him on his knees in his bedroom, trying to put some coffee beans into his little machine. His paws were trembling so badly he kept dropping them on the floor.

The bear yelped as Dale's paws touched his, "It's ok Dar. Let me." The rabbit said comfortingly as he took the device from the bear's unresisting paws. A small shot of caffeine would help calm the bear down, ironically the same shot would only put the rabbit more on edge. So he just made one tiny thimbleful and offered it to Dar. The youth grabbed it and drank it in one quick gulp, gasping and panting softly.

A few seconds later the bear gave a soft sigh. Dale sat down next to the young male and said, "I'm not going to ask if you are ok. I will say that you will be ok, eventually. All things pass, bad times like this they end and things change."

"What... what if... the change is a bad o...one?" the bear replied, not turning his head to look at the rabbit.

"Then you push through the bad times and hope the next change will be better. If you keep trying things might get better, if you stop they probably won't," as the rabbit spoke he reached out a paw stroking gently over Dar's shoulder. "You got a lot of people here who will push with you..."

"They won't be around," the young bear cut in sharply and Dale jumped a little. It was the first even marginally forceful thing the bear had said.

"They are not going to abando..."

"You don't understand!" Dar snapped his words a little. "I got my call up, in three months time. Turn up for duty or go to prison for the duration of my tour."

Dale froze as he heard those words, he knew that every polar was expected to serve a tour in their army when they turned eighteen. However, one so small as Dar, a known gay, it would not be just a tour. All the bears he knew had come out after completing their service, but he wondered what would happen to a young timid known gay male if he turned up for duty, he couldn't imagine a pleasant experience. Surrounded by armed bears, many of whom would hate him just for what he was, worse still he wondered if Dar would be safe, training accidents happen all the time.

Unable to think of what to say he leant forward and hugged the bear. Dar returned the hug, squeezing so tightly Dale almost struggled to breathe. In the end, all he could think to say was, "it'll be ok." A hollow shell of a promise he had no idea how he could make come true. Maybe the others would know a way to fight it, maybe there was some exemption he could ask for. He could feel the bear trembling against him, hear the struggled gasping for breath of someone desperately trying not to cry. "It'll be ok."

While the rabbit held the crying bear he heard the door open. Glancing up he saw Benny's worried face and mouthed to him to leave them alone. He knew Dar would have to share everything with the rest of the household soon. However, he thought the bear needed a little more time, some more tears drained and maybe even a few hours of sleep. Which is exactly what happened a few moments later, the rabbit found himself curled up next to the sleeping teenager, the bear's arms holding him too tightly for him to get away.

He stroked Dar's face gently as the bear slept, he was actually quite handsome when his face wasn't contorted with the worrying lines. Beneath the fur, he could feel bumps on the skin, scars that had never fully healed. Maybe it had been some childhood accident, but Dale was sure that the real story was something far darker. Eventually, his own eyes closed and he drifted off as well.

It was some hours later when a polite cough woke them both. Benny standing in the doorway with a bemused and yet smiling face, "you trying to steal my husband Dar?" The bear meant it as a joke but Dale could feel the young man's heart race skyrocket.

"We just were chatting and fell asleep, as well you know. Don't tease, not at a time like this," Dale rebuked his husband and Benny noted the tone in his voice and the look in his eye.

"Sorry, dinner is on the table and I got a comm from Dillon," there was something in Benny's voice that told Dale there was more to the last statement.

"Alright, Dar go get something to eat, I need to have a chat with my husband about his sense of humour," Dale replied giving the young male a reassuring squeeze on his shoulder before standing up. Dar looked a little doubtful but did as he was asked. The moment the door closed behind him Dale turned to Benny, "so what's up?"

"Their travel visas have arrived," the rabbit could hear the but coming before it slipped from his love's lips. "But, they are wondering if they could stay a few more days. Seems like they are getting a much better reception than we are. I guess we can do without them for..."

"No!" The rabbit snapped quietly but firmly. "No, we can't. I know you, stupid big lug who would give his last credit to a homeless beggar because he always thinks his needs are less important than others. We need them, yesterday." The rabbit stepped forward as he spoke, his worried eyes spoke volumes more than his words ever could.

"I will tell them to get here as fast as they can," Benny replied and pulled Dale into a hug. " It'll be ok."

"I hope you are right," the rabbit whispered as he squeezed the bear in his arms. "But a part of me wonders if those two poor guys we spent all morning digging for thought the same. I don't feel safe here, and I don't like it."

"I understand," whispered Benny and for a few moments, the two hugged in silence. "So what is up with Dar? Too much coffee making him nervous?"

"No...well yes, but that's not all. He got his call up, military service," Dale could feel Benny shudder in his arms.

"I was afraid he might be just about the right age, is he scared?" Benny knew the answer, but he had to ask the question anyway, knowing the rabbit would want him to fix the problem and that he dearly wished he could.

"Yes, he is terrified. He is worried someone will attack him, or worse," the rabbit confirmed.

"It could easily happen, of course, he might be ok. There is no way to be sure, things are changing," it was all he could think to say to try and reassure his husband.

"What are his options?"

"Turn up for duty or be arrested. The third would be, have a blood relative serve his duty for him. That option is aimed at those too physically or mentally disabled to serve. However, I doubt anyone in his family would be willing. He doesn't have any family he can count on." The bear sighed as he spoke, the feeling of helplessness did not sit well with either of them.

"He has family and he can count on us!" The two turned in shock to see Si standing in the doorway. The young bear had a determined look in his eye. "I will do his service for him. I've done it once, I can do it again."

"I don't doubt you could, but unless you are a blood relative and never mentioned it then you know you can't," the older bear replied.

"Well, I can just claim to be a brother or cousin..."

"They will check, even if you could get fake id to pretend to be his cousin they would send the confirmation papers to his address." Benny snorted. "If there was an easy way out of this I would have said so. It is Polar law."

"Fuck Polar law!" The two bears paused in their discussion to look at one outraged rabbit. "Just fuck it! You ignored it once Benny and got away with it, Dillon too."

Benny opened his mouth to say something, but the words died on his lips as a loud knocking suddenly started echoing through the house. It was a visitor, an impatient one and from the sounds of bashing a desperate one. The three rushed upstairs but were beaten to the door by Benny's mother and the female Polar. They were looking out doubtfully as a horde of bears gathered outside.

"Si, Moir get the guns out of the weapons locker. Kaylee, Tray help me with these cabinets, we need to barricade the windows," Benny's mother barked out orders with the calm composure of a general on a battlefield. "Benny, we need to call for help. They don't know you fixed the comm system. Don't call the guard here, contact the district judges and make sure they know an offworlder is here. They will act faster if they think an interplanetary incident is about to happen."

Dale was astonished to see everyone springing into action following the female's instructions without question. Desperate situations called for clear actions and arguing about who should do what or what to do was a waste. That was a lesson learned by all polar when they were conscripted. "What should I do?" He asked, wanting to help in any way he could, partly because he knew a task would keep his mind off the fear that was making his heart race. A mob at their door, no way to run.

"Keep your eye on the peephole, let me know if the buggers move," growled the female bear as she helped Tray move the sofa and lift it to block the window. The same sofa Dale had sat on that morning, kissing his love and watching the snow fall.

The rabbit stood on his tiptoes and placed his eye to the door, outside he could see dozens of bears. He expected them to be yelling, or singing something horrible. However, they were silent and still, dozens of eyes staring coldly at the door. A trail of blood led from the door to one of the largest male bears. "One of them is bleeding."

"That often happens when I punch someone in the face," Benny's mother replied and despite his fear the rabbit laughed. The old battleaxe had enough of an edge to still draw blood. "Cheeky bastard told me to get out of my own home. To abandon my kids. Over my dead body. He is lucky I only bloodied his nose!"

Putting his eye back to the hole he could see the bloodied bear staring daggers at the door, a rifle clasped in his paws. Benny's mother had punched an armed bear, with a whole mob to support him. If only his first meeting with her had gone better he had a feeling he could really like his mother-in-law. While he was thinking this he saw the crowd outside stirring, parting for a new figure to come through the crowds.

"It's Gary, the guard!" The rabbit squeaked relief flooding him, just that morning the rabbit had been outraged at the warning the lawgiver had given him and Benny, at almost gunpoint. Now he was an armed hero coming to their rescue.

"Thank Grall, he should be able to talk some sense into them." The elder female muttered as Benny and the others returned. Rifles were handed out, to all but Dar and Dale. The rabbit knew they were not giving Dar one because he was an untrained child, his pride took a dent from the knowledge they viewed him the same. Although he had the sense of mind not to say anything about it, after all, he had never handled a weapon and the idea of shooting anything living made him nauseous.

Gary had spoken to the bloodied bear who ranted and waved his gun threateningly at the house. The lawkeeper left the mob and approached the house, knocking on the door he bellowed "open up, you are all under arrest."

"What for?" Benny's mother bellowed back.

"Assault, and as this door hasn't opened resisting arrest," Gary turned to face the crowd after he spoke. "There you go, they are all my prisoners, now go on about your business!"

"You expect us to just walk away?" The bloodied bear asked. "I want my bloody bastard child! Dar! Get out here, do the decent thing and just walk into the snow. Grall will forgive you and heal you of your evil, ready for your next life."

"Dar isn't going anywhere, you evil small minded cunt!" Dale was shocked to realise that was his own voice bellowing back. The hate and anger in his tone shocked him. However, nothing in his life had prepared him to hear a father demand his child kill itself, the fear from earlier had gone, in its place was anger and the desire to protect the young bear.

"Well said!" Benny said beaming with pride.

"Yes indeed, they are not getting any of us without a fight," muttered Si approvingly as the bears took up kneeling position in front of the windows, all with a rifle in paw.

"You lot keep quiet! You just added a charge of disturbing the peace to your list of crimes," growled the lawkeeper loud enough for those in the house to hear. Stepping forward he held up his rifle, "I am the lawkeeper, you all know me and you know the law. I don't make the laws, I enforce them. Now go home and let me do my job."

"You go home, we don't want to hurt you." Replied the bloodied bear, Dar's father the one that Gary said had been rabble rousing. It seemed he had finally raised enough rabble to support him. "I don't care what the law says, Grall tells me this is wrong, evil and what is worse the entire world knows that it spread because of this town. Our shame is in there, he was the one that showed the world this perversion." The bear turned to the crowd as he shouted." Think of how many of your sons and daughters heard his call and let that vile bastard lead them astray, how many have we lost? How many can we save, by showing them the right way, the right price? What..."

With a roar and a stamp, the lawkeeper silenced him, "the occupants of this house are under arrest, that means they are under my protection until they face a judge. Nobody will harm them without facing me and the law!"

"The law? The law? What use is the law when it protects vile people like that?" The bear replied in a mocking tone. "Think how much shame we face, knowing our town birthed him. How many of you have heard others talking of our home as the birthplace of this perversion? That we should have killed that repulsive Benny when he was a cub. Now we have a chance, a chance to show the world we are still faithful, that we are clean. That we are not perverse!" Dale had never been so grateful to not have a gun, he knew that if he had one he would have shot that bear down, hearing him talk about the bear he loved in such terms. However, what troubled him more was the mob, it was no longer silent it was rumbling and shouting back at the bear.

They were shouting so loud that Gary had to fire his rifle into the air blaster bolts spitting out, lighting up the hillside like lightning the sound echoing down the valley. "Go home, now! You will only get to my prisoners through m..." Another shot rang out and the hillside lit up. The lawkeeper stumbled backwards his body thumping into the door.

For a moment everyone paused in shock, silence filled the valley. Then more bolts fired from the crowd hitting the wall with a thump. Bolts of light blew out the windows as Benny and the others returned fire. The mob diving for what cover they could find. Many of them running away, while plenty stayed to fight.

Dale felt like a rabbit possessed like he was observing himself from afar. He watched as he opened the door and helped the struggling Gary crawl inside. The bear had a smoking hole in his side but had been able to crawl through the door.

"Dar, medical kit now!" Benny's mother shouted without taking her eyes off the outside world. The young bear was on his knees by Gary and Dale in a moment, a small medical device in his paw.

"Looks worse than it is," Gary muttered through gritted teeth. "Just give me a shot for the pain and slap on a patch to stem the bleeding. Then help me up, I need to talk to them. I can still stop this."

"They just shot you! They are not going to listen to reason!" Benny snarled as he snapped off a few more shots.

"This is all your fault! Coming back here, rubbing your sexuality in their face..."

"No! This is our fault, we raised our children to hate for thousands of years. Stupidly, blindly believing what we were told, not what we knew in our hearts." Benny's Mother replied without looking away.

"Just help me up, let me see if I can talk us out of this," Gary replied and with Dale under one shoulder and Dar the other, he struggled to his feet. "Everyone hold your fire! It's your Lawkeeper speaking." By some miracle, the bolts stopped firing. "I know you are angry, I know you think you are doing the right thing. But think, you just shot a lawkeeper, a guard! You know the punishment for that, death. If you put down your weapons and go home... I will see that there are no charges filed."

"Very generous an offer," observed Moir.

"Not sure I would offer the same if someone shot me," snorted Si.

"They outnumber us five to one, I just hope they aren't too stu..." a blaster bolt shot through the window Gary had been shouting out of proved the mob was indeed too stupid to see a good offer. Or maybe they just figured if Gary died they could make up any story they wanted, a certain way to avoid charges.

"Looks like they are too stupid," Benny muttered as they returned fire. "We sent out an emergency comms. How long until help?"

"The military station at Reast is about half an hour away," grunted Gary as he struggled to lift his rifle.

"Half an hour? What about local lawkeepers?" Dale asked as he heard the splatter of more bolts, the room was filling with smoke as some of the wood smouldered.

"Yes, give or take it's just a guess. My colleagues should already be here, or just about to arrive," the lawkeeper replied as Dale and Dar dropped him down against the wall. "I reported in a few minutes ago, the shooting should bring them. There's only five of them, so they may keep back rather than risk their necks for..." The bear paused and glanced around the room. "You lot and I am not exactly their favourite colleague."

Benny glanced out of the window, their attackers were going to push soon he knew it. Maybe the local law enforcement would arrive, but it seemed unlikely. He glanced at his mother and the others. So far everyone but Gary had been lucky, but that luck wouldn't hold out if the bears outside kept things up.

"Can I ask a dumb question? Why don't we get out of here?" Dale shouted above the sound of a fresh barrage of blaster fire.

"If we stop firing they will charge the house, downstairs there is nowhere to go. We could make a stand by the stairs, but it'd be short and bloody. Better to hold them off up here," Gary replied, just as he did Si yelped out as a bolt screamed passed his shoulder, close enough to burn his fur.

"I'm fine!" The young bear shouted as people turned to look. "Just a little singed. We need to actually hit a few of these fuckers, then they might back off."

"Oh right, good idea, let's all stop trying to miss," Benny barked back dryly. Those attacking were just as well trained as those inside, and they were smart enough to have their fire coordinated. A heavy barrage of fire preceded anyone dashing from cover to cover. The defenders return fire was only slowing them down.

"Another question, don't you guys just dig more space when you need it, can't we just dig a tunnel out?" The rabbit shouted and for a moment everything froze as all the bears turned to look at him. Digging a tunnel out of your house was definitely not a polite thing to do in Polar society, however, getting gunned down by your neighbours in a pointless firefight was less desirable.

"Dar, you and Dale take Gary downstairs, tunnel out from there. We just need a hundred meters or so then go up." Benny's mother ordered as they resumed firing. "Shouldn't take long then come grab us."

Some leftover of his ancient lapine ancestors made Dale feel safer downstairs. While above him he could still hear the muffled thuds of blaster bolts, his heartbeat had never been so rapid as he and Dar set up a small drilling laser.

"We'd normally set up pumps, to drain the water away as we drill, no time now so it will flood the bedrooms," Dar told the rabbit as he pointed the laser at the wall. The young bear had stayed very calm during the assault. It was as if now that the worst had happened he could stop anticipating it and try to deal with it. With an orange glow, the bear shot a narrow beam at a section of wall, the wood panelling having been pulled off before they set up. The white ice glowed with the light and Dale could feel the heat radiating off the beam.

Running water streamed over his boots and the rabbit turned to the downed lawkeeper. "How are you doing?"

"I've been shot," the bear snorted in reply. "Apart from that and the mob of people trying to kill us I'm absolutely fine."

"No need to be a dick, I was just checking on you," observed the rabbit.

"I've been shot, trying to defend you and your lying scumbag of a husband, so I get to be as big a dick as I want," retorted the bear.

"Wow, after all this you still blame Benny..."

"He lied and my brother died for it, yes I fucking blame him!" Growled the bear with a shake of his head. "Just cause some assholes decided to break the law is no reason for me to suddenly forgive him."

"So, you don't disagree with what they are doing, you were just doing your job?" The rabbit asked as he glanced nervously at the tunnel, it was rapidly forming, meter after meter. He tried not to think of the thumping sounds from above, nor that each thump was a shot fired at the love of his life. He knew if he focussed on the thought that he might lose Benny he would cease up, be useless to them.

"I never said that," snorted the bear. "I love my brother, I don't give a fuck if he was gay or not. I see my mother twice a year and don't you think for a moment that I forgave her for letting them do what she let them do to him. The law says being gay is legal, so I don't let people do to others what they did to Chris."

"So why blame Benny, he was just a scared kid..."

Dale was interrupted by a paw grabbing him roughly, "because I did nothing, just let them take Chris away, because there is so much fucking blame to go around I have no god damned clue where to place it. Because he lied and then he escaped, while I lost a brother. Pick a damn reason and stop talking about it."

The rabbit took a few steps back and decided that he had done enough poking of this particular bear. He glanced at Dar, "How are we doing?"

"Almost there, go tell everyone one minute and then we should be out," the young bear replied as he shut down the laser and grabbed it to rush into the dripping tunnel. The floor was a foot deep in freezing water, the rooms below totally flooded. Dale splashed through the water as Gary got to his feet and followed Dar without another word.

Upstairs was a true battlefield, all the walls and decorations had been blown apart. The wooden doorway and one window frame was on fire. Kaylee had taken a shot to the arm. She was sitting down against the stairway, with a medipatch in her paw. Everyone else was miraculously unhurt. "We are ready!" The rabbit yelled.

He offered to help Kaylee down the stairs, but she refused and pushed him down before her. With an army of bears after him, the rabbit found himself wading into a flooded tunnel. The cold clawed through his pants as the ice water soaked them, as he clambered through the tunnel it grew darker. Behind him, he heard a blaster shooting and there was a shriek, like some animal screaming in pain, as the ice cracked and the tunnel end collapsed behind them. Sealed by whoever was last into the tunnel to slow down any pursuit.

The trip through the dark ice water filled tunnel seemed to last forever. A chill was already setting into Dale's bones and he could feel himself trembling with the cold. Then suddenly the tunnel ended and he could see Dar framed against a hole above him offering a paw. He grasped it desperately and was pulled out. One by one the bears were pulled out after him.

"We should get moving, it won't take them long to figure out where we have gone," Gary said gesturing. "This way, if rest of the guards are anywhere it'll be down at the crossroads waiting for the army."

The group moved as one. Dale found the going difficult, his pants froze to his fur. Each step became more difficult than the last, he felt more tired than he had ever done before. People spoke, but he couldn't focus on the words enough to listen he just kept drudging, step after weary step. Until someone grabbed his arm, something warm wrapped around him, Benny's arms and his broad chest pressing up behind. "You're safe now." A voice whispered in his ears and he believed it, closing his eyes just for a moment.

When he opened them he found looked up at the ceiling of a room. He sat up in a rather comfortable bed and realised he was alone. In a small room by polar standards, pretty big by his own lapine ones. The room was neat and tidy, though sparsely furnished just a bed and a single large wardrobe. Swinging his legs over the edge of the bed the rabbit realised he was naked.

Just as he stood up the door opened, the rabbit pulled the blankets around his waist. Only to see Benny stepping inside, "Ah, you are awake!"

"Yes, where are we? What happened?" The rabbit asked, letting the blanket fall and embracing his love desperately tightly.

"Gary was right, we reached the other lawkeepers at the crossroads and they escorted us here, Gary's home." The bear replied hugging the rabbit tightly. "You gave me quite a fright, I forgot, in all the excitement, you are not a cold weather animal."

"I didn't do bad..."

"No, you did amazing! Your idea to tunnel out... we bears tend to stand our ground, even when running might be the more intelligent option." Benny said earnestly. "It's all a bit of a blur now, but the army turned up and most of the mob has been rounded up. Dar's father will be tried for attempted murder, not sure on the rest. Although I think given how public this has gone several of them will be prosecuted. Most of them were drunk, which is lucky considering had they been sober we might have been overrun sooner. As it is, it is over and nobody dead on either side. Gary was taken to hospital, along with Kaylee, Tray and Moir went with them. Si refuses to go, insists it's 'just a scratch'."

"Where are my clothes?" Dale asked sitting back down.

"Ah well, they were wet, so I had them cleaned and they are drying," the bear replied a little embarrassed.

"You know, you don't have to go to such lengths just to get me naked," Dale whispered coyly.

"Oh I know, but if I don't put effort in you might think I don't care for you as much as I do." As he spoke the bear lifted Dale's paws to his lips and kissed them. "And I really, deeply, love you."

"I love you too," Dale replied standing on his toes and kissing the bears lips. His black furred body pressing up close to the bear. Strong arms held him and the events and worries of the previous days slipped away from him. The rabbit's eyes closed as he relaxed into the embrace, his tongue dancing with Benny's. His paws knew his lusts better than his mind, wandering down to the bear's pants. He found a firm bulge pressing to his palm and his nimble fingers quickly released a thick black polar rod from its cloth confinement.

Benny gasped against Dale's lips and broke the kiss, "my... my mother and everyone are up... upstairs. Ohh!" His desperate panted objections were noted, but half-hearted as two dexterous paws worked over the thick meat they knew so well. The rabbit drummed the fingers of one paw over the bear's coronal ridge. While the other grasped the shaft, squeezing it and jerking softly.

Dale smiled as he leaned up to steal another kiss from the bear, feeling his fingers growing wet as the ursine's pre began to flow like a stream. His own breath was panted and hot, in the bear's fur as he replied, "I need you, we can be quick. I just need to feel you, inside me." The rabbit didn't know why he needed Benny so badly, maybe part of him wanted to feel alive, maybe the new planet was triggering some early heat desires. Or just maybe he had a wonderful and sexy bear alone and in his arms and was determined not to let such an opportunity pass him by. It didn't matter, he wanted his love and his love wanted him.

The bear knew he couldn't say no, it had been a good long week since they had last lain together properly. More than that, he could sense his mate's need and he wanted nothing more than to fulfil that desire. He was certain that Gary wouldn't appreciate them doing this and worse still there was the risk his mother might actually walk in on him. However, as the rabbit's fingers played his powerful erection like a master flautist plays the flute, any thoughts or fears melted from his mind. They were replaced with a burning lust, a desire and need to be with the one he loved.

Their kisses resumed with a consuming passion, lips wrestling, tongues dancing. Hot panted breaths were shared as clothes were stripped and fell to the floor. The bed groaned under the weight of two, far more than the single bed was even intended to endure. Dale broke their kiss and wriggled in the bear's arms, turning under him, the feel of their furs intermingling was electric, thrills ran through them both, two hearts beating as one and as rapidly as it could. A moist cocktip pressed to a quivering warm pucker.

"I love you," Benny whispered into his mate's ear and then thrust forward, moaning in delight as the heat spread around his spear. Their muffled cries as one as they joined together, the rabbit taking his mate to the hilt with practised ease and yet still feeling stretched and full. More than that, he felt complete, his eyes closed as he pushed his hips back.

The bear above him thrust forward relentlessly, his hips bucking faster and faster. He could feel the beat of his lover's heart through the throb of the maleness inside him, he felt the heat and strength surrounding him and he felt safe and loved more than ever before. With a cry they both lifted their voices as Benny began to rut, unable to contain themselves they writhed and bucked like wild animals, lost to lust. Yet within that burning furious passion, a soft warm heart of tenderness lay. Soft kisses rained down on Dale's shoulders, while the bear could feel his love squeezing around him, letting him know he was not being too rough.

Dale could feel the bear's huge furry orbs smacking off his own, beating out a filthy rhythm for their amour. A giant paw clasped around his, fingers lacing between his and he grasped back tightly, giving himself utterly to the one he loved. The hips above him slamming home with the speed and determination of a beast in heat. They bucked wildly, the bed groaning and complaining under the actions. Neither one heard or cared. All they wanted was each other and that was what they were getting.

With desperately fast thrusts Benny knew he couldn't hold back. His orgasm was already on its way and he wanted nothing more than to finish inside his husband. He plunged his thick black meat deeper and deeper, using the full length of his shaft to tease his husband's prostate. He felt the rabbit under him squirm and writhe, just as he always did when the bear hit his spot. Then he felt the warm velvet glove around his cock become a velvet vice, clamping down as his nostrils filled with the scent of rabbit spunk.

Roaring into the lapine's neck he claimed his mate with furious passion. Thrusting and bucking until his cock began to throb, rutting and shoving his seed as deep into his lover as he could. The two bucked, and rolled, around in pleasure until they were both spent and lay together panting in a sweaty naked mess. Dale pulled himself on top of the bear and kissed his lips, "I love you." He whispered.

"I love you too," Benny whispered and the two lay there panting as the minutes passed by. After five minutes Benny roused himself, "I had better get dressed and go find your clothes, before someone comes looking for us. Dillon and Martin should be arriving in a few hours as well."

Dale smiled as he watched the bear dress, eying up every curve of the pear shaped body, wishing they had the place to themselves for a week so they could really enjoy their vacation. "It'll be good to see them again."

It was a quite joyful reunion as Dillon and Martin arrived. The four had only been apart for a few days and yet it felt like much longer. What was more Aur had insisted on joining them and the outspoken female was a welcome new friend. After several hours Gary arrived home, he wasn't exactly happy to find it full of strangers. He informed them that the malcontents had been rounded up, for the most part. He also had some bad news for Benny and Dale.

"That's not fair!" The rabbit whined at the lawkeeper.

Gary shrugged, "I agree and I did argue that it was not your fault. However, the opinion is that the situation here clearly shows that things are very delicate right now and... well quite frankly we don't have enough ships to move all the homophobic bears off the planet. So the government thinks it is easier and simpler to revoke your travel visa's." the bear shook his head, "in a gesture of good faith they have booked your passage home, first class." The guard glanced over at Dillon and Martin, "just for two of you. You two are welcome to return to the north as it seems your presence there was not disruptive, plus it is Benny who is the real focal point."

"You send the planet one 'fuck you I'm gay,' message and they never let you forget it," Benny muttered in a vague attempt at humour. "We could probably get you two tickets on the same transport."

Martin and Dillon exchanged a glance or two, Dillon nodded and replied, "I'm sure we could..."

"However!" Martin cut in quickly, "we are going to stay for a proper visit, with family." The rabbit could see Aur's face as he spoke and the smile that she gave him warmed his heart so much he could have walked outside naked and the snow would have melted around him.

"You are welcome to stay, as long as you wish. In fact, you all can, if you wish. We have plenty of room at the farm, and I bet it will take some time to get your house fixed up, assuming you want to return at all." The female bear said gesturing at the rest of the bears. "I promise no blaster wielding mobs, although we might ask you to pitch in with the fields."

"And you have to watch out, she has an evil sense of humour," muttered Martin just loud enough for Dillon to hear and chuckle, while Aur glanced at them wondering what the joke was.

"I think the young ones would benefit from a stay somewhere more hospitable. I will stay here, to organise the repairs," Benny's mother said, accepting for the others like the overbearing mother she could be.

Benny caught her eye and pulled her to one side, "are you sure you are safe here alone?"

"I am sure, the lawkeepers will keep an eye on everything. I suspect, after a few trials and a possible execution, people will be a lot more careful." The older female smiled, "I have never been popular anyway, but I think I need to stay here. In case someone else needs me."

"I... will try and come back in a few years," Benny said and stepped forward to hug his mother.

"I will be here, and you will always be welcome," as she glanced over Benny's shoulder to see Dale staring at them. "Both of you."

"There is a taxi outside, it will take you all the way to the spaceport," Gary observed pointedly.

The two bear's separated. There were some hugs between everyone and then ten minutes later the two were in a taxi heading full speed to home. Dale suddenly jumped, "turn around, we forgot something!"

"Our luggage is in a solid block of ice by now, besides it's just clothing," Benny replied with a dismissive shrug.

"No, please driver we have to go back!" Insisted the rabbit.

*************

Lapros spaceport was a busy place, especially for two fathers and their young child, a unique toddler. More than a few people paused as the little guy scampered around. Brian was used to people having to look twice at a child with a fox muzzle and tail, but rabbit ears. A medical miracle, a hybrid child. The fox and his rabbit husband had long since gotten bored with rejecting requests to study their infant. They insisted he only got medical checks as required by their paediatrician when he grew up maybe he would consent to more tests himself. For now, he had two loving parents watching over him.

"Ben, be careful and stay close," the fox warned the young guy. He knew it wouldn't be too long before the little guy got tired. They had arrived a few hours early, so that their son could watch some of the spaceships landing and taking off from the observation lounge. Benny and Dale had returned several weeks earlier than planned, Dale's message had told them there had been some unpleasantness, but that it was over and everyone was well.

"Their transport is docking early," Daniel observed, his rabbit lover a teacher and highly organised person had sat where he could see the arrivals board.

"We still have ten minutes for them to get off and another ten for them to collect their luggage," observed the fox picking up his half drunk coffee. It hadn't been cheap, spaceport cafes never were. Just because travellers passed through who didn't necessarily know the true value of a credit on Lapros meant they could raise their prices. It irked the fox that he had paid so much for it and he intended to finish it before he moved.

"I guess you're right," the rabbit replied, reaching down to pick up his son as the little toddler reached up his paws. "What do you think happened to them?"

"Oh probably some drunk fool took a swing, or something. Dale said something about a fight," observed the fox as he took another sip.

The vulpine almost spat it out as a familiar voice behind him said, "Actually it was about thirty drunken fools and by swing at us, they shot an officer of the law and besieged Benny's mother's house."

"Benny, Dale!" Daniel exclaimed. "We didn't expect you to get through passport control and luggage claim this fast."

Benny and Dale exchanged a glance, "well our luggage is frozen in the ice of Polar at the moment, plus we were given first class tickets, so we were off the transport the second it docked." The rabbit explained getting down on his knees to play with Ben, "Hello, little Benny, how are you?"

"Brum!" The little guy replied enthusiastically. "Da, brum!"

"That's his new favourite sound," Daniel explained with a chuckle. "Last week it was dak and the week before it was, no. I realise no is not a sound but it is when you say it over and over again while nobody is asking you anything."

"Yeah, kids do the funniest things, but can we steer things back to the important point?" The fox asked calmly and then exclaimed. "Besieged!!??"

"Oh yeah, just a small one. Like for an hour, there was a lot of gunfire but nobody died," Dale replied with a little bit too much glee.

"It was pretty bad," Benny confirmed. "However, nobody was hurt, those involved were arrested and Dale and I were escorted off the planet. Oh, and we have a bit of news for you two."

"Oh yeah, we talked on the way back and we think we are ready to be fathers too," Dale spoke as he took Ben out of Daniel's paws and started to bounce him in his lap.

"That is wonderful news," the brown lapine replied.

"Yes wonderful, we can give you some of Ben's old toys and stuff. He is starting to outgrow most of his baby stuff," Brian said standing up to shake benny's paw and give him a welcoming hug. "Oh and we can give you the name of the matching agency we used, they found us a great female couple to partner with."

"Ah...well, about that. We decided to skip all that messy diaper stuff," Benny replied winking at Dale who waved his paw.

Brian and Daniel exchanged confused glances and then their jaws dropped as a polar teen walked over to them. Dale stood up and said, "Ok, Brian, Daniel. This is Dar, we adopted him."

"Adopted... a teenager... and took part in a siege... you were only on the damned planet for a couple of days!" The fox exclaimed while the couple laughed and Dar looked very awkward.

Fortunately, Daniel was as unflappable as ever, he stood up smoothly and offered a paw to Dar, "nice to meet you, Dar, I'm Daniel. Welcome to your new home."

The young bear shook his paw and looked around in shock. Brian shook off his own shock and smiled, "I'm Brian, nice to meet you. I know what you are thinking 'can I fit in here?' I thought that when I first arrived and stood in this very spaceport looking around. I can tell you the answer, it's yes and you will find yourself very welcome here."

"Indeed, I stood here and thought that myself eight years ago, looking out at the world that was not mine," Benny said putting an arm around Dar supportively. "When we left Polar, I looked back and realised that place isn't home, not anymore. This place is and it is your home now too."

The young bear didn't speak, but he blinked back a few happy tears and looked around in awe. The place did seem very alien, so warm and far more green than he was expecting. Hundreds of rabbits wandered around, more than a few smiling and winking in his direction. It may not be home yet, but it certainly was better than the alternative.

"Let's go home," Dale said, standing up with Ben in his arms.

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