The gorgeous Latina bit her lip apprehensively, and her eyes flashed with excitement as she nodded her agreement.

“Whack!" His firm hand spanked her perfectly round young buttock, causing the pliant flesh to tremble with the aftershock of the impact.

Sparks was holding her breath as she watched the scene unfold before her. She felt herself getting very aroused as John chastised his girls.

“What did they do?" Sparks gasped out.

“They had fun on their own in the playroom. They should have joined us instead, so I could see them together," he explained patiently.

“I'm sorry John," Alyssa told him, and sashayed up to him and tenderly kissed his cheek.

“It won't happen again," Calara said, standing at his side and gently kissed his other cheek.

"I know, you're good girls," he said, carefully stroking their smarting bottoms reassuringly.

They both grinned up at him loving this new playful side of his character.

"Now let's eat," he said graciously. "I think we've all worked up an appetite!"

The four of them gathered around the table and sat together as John dished out the Paella. The girls tucked in, eager to try the delicious smelling food and they all thanked him appreciatively as they savoured the contrast between the chicken, seafood and bacon. Trying this dish was a first for both Alyssa and Sparks and they marvelled at how food could taste at the hands of a skilled chef. The wine flowed freely and the conversation followed, as they talked together happily.

John watched the three girls as they chattered animatedly, looking relaxed and happy. He could see that Calara and Alyssa had welcomed Sparks wholeheartedly into their Little group and he was pleased to see them all getting along so well. His life had taken a few bizarre twists and turns over the last couple of months and he marvelled at the situation he found himself in now. He felt closer to each of the girls sitting in front of him, than any other person in the galaxy, and he thought back on his conversation with Sparks earlier in the kitchen.

“We're your family now," he had said, and he really thought of them all that way. He suddenly realised that the same sentence applied to him equally as well.

Admittedly it was a slightly unusual family, with him as patriarch and the three girls his enthusiastic lovers, but they all cared for each other, and that's what really mattered. He knew he would do everything in his power to protect these young women and keep them safe. They had all been through traumatic pasts, but if he had anything to say about it, he would make sure that they would never have to experience such pain ever again.

He sighed contentedly and focused on the teenagers again, trying to catch up with the current topic of conversation. Calara and Sparks were engrossed in a lengthy dialogue about the ship's weaponry, but Alyssa was unusually quiet. John focused on her and saw that the stunningly beautiful young blonde was looking at him with big eyes that were welling up with tears. He got up and held out his hand for her to join him and they went to sit on a comfortable sofa overlooking the vista of space.

“Thank you, John, your thoughts were beautiful," she whispered quietly in his ear.

“I overheard what you said to Sparks earlier as well, and it felt Like the same words applied to me too," she said, her voice catching.

“Of course they do honey," he whispered back to her.

“I consider us all a family, but I feel so closely bonded to you, I truly feel like I've discovered my soulmate.“

Alyssa sighed happily, and the two kissed with soul searing passion as he held the exquisite young woman in his arms. They lost track of time, until they eventually became aware of Calara and Sparks cuddled up on the adjacent sofa, watching them quietly.

“You two look amazing together," Sparks said wistfully.

"So much in love," Calara said affectionately, a big smile on her face.