Author's Notes:

So, some of my formatting didn't make it in last time, hoping this one won't need as much so it'll still flow nicely.

Takes place, roughly early 3rd season, think post Trail of Blood, Pre-Hollow Men (I think)

Spoilers: more if you don't know who Kate is

Summary: Declan and the children get carried away.

Disclaimer: I do not own Sanctuary. This is a non-profit, fan work. No infringement is intended or implied

It had seemed like such a good idea at the time.

"Would the three of you like to explain to me just what in the hell you were thinking?" Dr. Helen Magnus had her arms crossed as she looked at her three subordinates, all of who looked so busted... and speckled in paint, then she looked up at her fellow house head.

"And you! I'd expect you to know better!" Magnus glared at Declan MacRae, who currently had an icepack against his head.

He too was covered in paint splotches.

"Honestly, Magnus, we didn't think it would get that out of hand," Declan tried.

That just seemed to make Magnus more pissed.

And to put icing on the cake for the moment, Nikola Tesla was sitting on the edge of Helen's desk snickering as he made a comment about being sent to bed without supper.

That might not have been his smartest move of the day either as Magnus said coldly in Serbian, "either keep quiet or you'll be sleeping in this office tonight."

Kate blinked as whatever the doc said made Tesla stand up straight and not say another damned thing.

"Now then, one of you, just one, start explaining this to me, from the beginning," Magnus tried to maintain her calm.

Everyone looked at Kate.

Kate sighed, "cowards," she muttered then took a breath, "well, it all started because you said we were needing to have tactical drills this weekend and well, those get boring so we thought if we practiced first, they'd go faster and... yeah."

Two hours ago

"Drills, the whole weekend?" Henry pouted, "I've got a stack of comics two feet high AND I've got to debug half the mainframe."

"Tickets to a play," Will chimed in.

"Big Guy finally got the Xbox to work, we've got a Tekken tournament to finish," Kate added.

All three looked to Declan.

"Don't look at me, I'll be going home by then," Declan smirked.

The three children groaned.

After a few minutes, "hey, what if we practice?" Kate asked.

"Practice?" Henry looked confused.

As did Will, "how do you practice for a tact drill, we never know what Magnus is gonna do?"

"Yeah, but half the time it's because she wants us to think on our feet, if we practice thinking on our feet before hand, we'll work faster, we'll work together better," Kate said then Henry finished.

"We can be done faster and not waste the whole weekend!" Henry grinned.

"Sweet, but how?" Will asked.

Kate grinned and looked to Declan who straightened, "oh no, whatever you're planning, count me out."

"Oh come on, please?" Kate gave her best Hank eyes, "if you drill us it'll work much better."

Present time.

"So Declan agreed to try and take us out while we tried to capture him," Kate said.

"And where did the brilliant idea of using paint ball guns come into play?" Helen asked.

"We needed to count hits and the lazer tag gear needs fixing," Henry offered.

"So you four decided to run around inside and shoot bloody paint at one another?" Magnus looked ready to pop a vein.

"Well, we didn't originally plan on it being through the building," Kate answered sheepishly.

An Hour and a half ago.

"Oh perfect," Will sighed as thunder crashed.

"It's pouring!" Henry observed with a frown.

"We were so close," Kate sighed.

"No worries, mates," Declan, who'd been so against things now seemed eager, "I'll make sure to only hit the lot of you, not the furniture."

It was unsure if he was kidding or not but the children grinned.

"Says the guy we're gonna take down," Kate grinned.

"Right," Declan laughed, "I'll give you lot a five minute head start, three shots, you're down, remember, you want me alive so watch where you're aiming."

"Done," Henry said and the three of them took off down the hall.

Present time.

"You!" Magnus stared at Declan, "you're the one that suggested they play inside?"

"Honestly I didn't think we'd end up in the residential areas, thought the basement, kitchen at the worst," Declan pleaded.

Magnus shook her head, "so then what?"

Thirty minutes ago

Kate panted as she ducked around the corner, "okay, this is taking forever, we need a new plan."

"What plan did we have before?" Will asked as he tried to get feeling back in his arm, that last hit had sucked.

"He's got a point, Kate, we're just running in circles while he picks us off," Henry already had two shots on his chest.

"Then we'll just have to out smart him," Kate grinned as she pulled out her phone.

"Wait, what are you doing?" Will asked.

"Just sending our British friend on a trip," Kate grinned.

Henry moved closer, "whoa! You can't send a text and pretend to be Magnus! The doc will kill you!"

"He said capture alive, consider this bait," Kate grinned as she sent a message to Declan's phone, asking him to come to her office.

"If we mess up the doc's office," Will said.

"We'll get there first, let's go," Kate took off.

"We're dead," Will sighed.

"Yeah, but what choice do we have?" Henry asked.

Both boys ran after Kate.

"Wait, wait!" Henry said as they ran, "how do we know the doc isn't in her office."

Kate grinned, "because, she's in the lab with Tesla, we won't see sign of those two until dinner at the earliest."

"Ew," Henry made a face then ran faster.

Present time

"So you lured Declan to my office with the intent on capturing him to finish this, game or whatever you were playing?" Magnus asked.

"Well, yeah," Kate said.

"How did that turn into this?" Magnus almost yelled as she gestured around her paint spattered office.

Twenty Minutes Ago

"Crap, he's seen us!" Henry yelled as he took cover around the door.

"Oh, dirty pool, mates!" Declan called out as he started taking rapid shots at the three of them.

Present Time

"So you three took cover in my office," Magnus said, the children nodded then she looked up at Declan, "and you pursued them?"

"Heat of the moment," Declan attempted.

Magnus glared, "fine, you FOUR, are going to clean this place up. I want all the paint dealt with, anything broken glass replaced and since you all think you know better than me on giving tactical drills, you ALL will be writing up reports on the importance of rules, efficiency and following instructions, is that clear?"

"Yes," all three children plus the extra house head responded.

"Good," Magnus left her office in a huff, Tesla right on her heals before he said something that got him in as much trouble as the children.

"Well, this sucks," Will said as he tried to get up without falling over, he'd taken a lot of hits in the chest.

"Hey, could be worse," Kate said as she cracked her elbow back into it's place more.

"How, how could it possibly be worse?" Henry asked.

Kate grinned, "she could have made Tesla stay to help."

"Yeah, that's worse," Henry agreed as he went to find some cleaning supplies.