Disclaimer...yes, I actually remembered to do it in the first chapter!...The Planeteers aren't mine. Anyone that you don't recognize from the show are mine, but who cares because I'm not making money off of this.
Summary: A continuation of the story that started in "Finding the way Home," and continued in "Here and Now." The wedding planning is underway. Will there be a happily ever after? Or will you cry at this wedding, but for all the wrong reasons?
A/N: I'm revisiting my first two fics which I had always intended to expand into a sort of mini series of possibly four stories. Wolvmbm made a request for a specific storyline, and the topic was something that I had always planned on writing, but got distracted by all the other storylines that popped into my head. So, if you haven't done so already, read (or re-read) "Finding the Way Home" and "Here and Now." I had to re-read them too to refresh my memory! Plus this story refers to things that happened in those fics, so you'll be lost if you haven't read them. I usually don't like to start posting my stories until I have them completely finished and then break them down into chapters, but I've been jumping around with this one and I keep adding and taking stuff out so I figured that the best way to stop doing that was to start posting it because I'm less likely to go back and change it once it's posted! Hope you like it!
Oh, and one more thing, I'm not a doctor, nor do I know much about medicine, but I did some research to make things as accurate and believable as I could, but I also took some liberties for drama's sake. And the stuff that I did research, I did my best to try and understand and make it easier to explain without getting too boring with the details.
To Have and To Hold
Chapter 1: In Sickness and in Health
It has been several months since Wheeler asked Linka to marry him. In that time, much has happened. They have been busy fighting eco-villains, going to conferences about environmental issues, sometimes speaking at them, sometimes just listening, helping in relief efforts at various natural disasters, etc. And in between all that, Wheeler and Linka somehow found the time to help his parents move from their tiny apartment in Brooklyn to the newly constructed guest house at Linka's (and now Wheeler's) house in Scarsdale.
Things have been slow for the last few days so when Wheeler's parents called and asked that Wheeler and Linka come home for a visit, although it was unusual for them to ask, the young couple was grateful for the opportunity to go "home" for a few days.
Wheeler was piloting the Geo Cruiser while Linka was reading a book. He had been quiet long enough and needed to make conversation in order to make the time go by faster.
"You know, when most normal people go on vacation, they GO to a tropical island. When we go on vacation, we LEAVE one," he muses.
"Mmm hmm," Linka responds, but seems distracted.
"Something bothering you Babe?"
"Nyet…well maybe. Something just does not seem right. Not that I am complaining, but your parents have never asked us to come home before. I hope everything is ok."
"I'm sure it is. They would have said something if it was urgent. I think they just miss us! Ma probably just wants to show off her flower garden. It's all she's been talking about. I'm kinda excited about seeing the new puppy too!"
"Da. Me too. I still think it was cute that your dad called and ASKED if they could get it!"
"HA! More like BEGGED! Talk about role reversal! I used to be the one that begged them for a puppy, but we could never get one because of the apartment."
"Well, they did not need our permission. If they want a dog, they can have as many as they'd like. I mean, we have got all those stables that are empty too. If they want cows, horses, goats…whatever. They can get them, it is their house too."
"Yeah, but they probably still don't feel comfortable doing that without making sure it's ok with you."
"If they take care of it, it is fine with me. At least it would give your dad something to do. He must get bored during the day when your mother is at work."
"Nah, he's perfectly content watching The Price Is Right and yelling at the TV when the news is on. And now that the weather is warming up, he can putz around outside. He'll probably start his own vegetable garden and become one of those guys that has a million bird feeders and each one is filled with a different kinda seed for all the different kinds of birds," he jokes.
"Nothing wrong with feeding the birds! I could even give him some of my books that identify the different kinds," she replies.
"Haha, my old man…a birdwatcher?! Man, things have really changed."
It wasn't long before they landed at the house and were soon greeted on the lawn by Kathy and Joe Wheeler and a tiny little black fur ball.
"Hey you two! How was your flight?!" Kathy asks as she hugs them both.
"Pretty smooth, Linka only let me do one barrel roll!" Wheeler replies as he scoops up the black Labrador puppy. "Hiya Mindy."
"What?!" Kathy exclaims.
"He is kidding. He does not do any crazy stunts in the plane…at least not anymore," Linka says while reaching out to scratch the pup behind the ears. "She is so cute!"
"Anymore?" Joe asks.
"Yeah, when I first started flying it, I'd give the others a good scare by doing my 'Top Gun' impersonation."
"That's my boy!" Joe says as he slaps Wheeler on the back.
"Are you kids hungry?" Kathy asks. "We have a frozen pizza we could throw in the oven."
"That sounds great. I'm starving," Wheeler says.
They eat their meal and move to sit out on the front porch of the guesthouse. The puppy follows them, but has been very well behaved and when they were eating, did not even beg for food.
Wheeler picked up the puppy and sat her on his lap. She licked his face and then settled into his lap for a nap.
"So where'd you guys come up with the name 'Mindy?'" he asks.
"Well, we wanted to call her 'Windy' since Linka's power is wind. We thought it would be a nice tribute to her for her generosity and kindness, but 'Windy' sort of sounded like 'Wendy' but if you flip the 'W' upside down, it becomes am 'M' and we get 'Mindy,'" Kathy explains.
"Aww, that is so sweet. Thank you."
"Hey wait a minute…I'm your son, why didn't you name the dog after me?!"
"Because it's a girl dog…and besides, Linka is practically our daughter," Joe says.
"Whatever," Wheeler says, feigning hurt feelings. "The next pet better be named after me!"
"Da, the stables are empty…you can get a donkey and name him 'Jackass,'" Linka teases.
"HEY!!" Wheeler protests while Kathy, Joe, and Linka laugh at him.
"Sorry lubov moya. I could not resist," she apologizes. He just gives her a sad look and goes back to rubbing the puppy's belly.
"Kathy, your flowers look beautiful," Linka says, quickly changing the subject.
"Oh why thank you dear! I used to love gardening with my mother when I was younger. I always wanted a flower garden of my own, but the closest I ever had was a flower box outside a window."
"Well, now you can put flowers wherever you want. Do you think the yard could use some flowered trees?" Linka asks.
"Like a dogwood or a magnolia?"
"I do not know the names of them, but yes. Anything that blooms would be pretty."
The mundane conversations about flowers, the weather, sports, and Planeteer missions continued into the evening. Kathy was hoping that the topic of the wedding planning would come up, but it never did. She could no longer wait, and had to ask.
"So how is the wedding planning coming?"
"Wow! I can't believe she waited this long to ask!" Joe teases.
"Ok I guess. There's not much to plan. We're just doing something simple on the Island. All we really need to do is figure out who to invite and then order the food and cake," Wheeler says.
"Really? Is that all you think we need?" Linka asks.
"Well, yeah. What else is there?"
"You need a tux, I need a dress, we both need to figure out how many bridesmaids and groomsmen we will have and ask them to be in the wedding, I have a wedding band thanks to your Grandma Wheeler, but we still need to pick out a band for you. We need to make a list of who we are inviting, order invitations…and that is just what I can think of off the top of my head."
"Have you picked a date yet for the wedding?" Joe asks.
"No. That's the one thing we have talked about though. Once we figure it out, we want to keep that a secret for as long as possible. We figured that the eco villains will either do something to try and ruin the wedding, or chose that day to plan something big because they think we'll be distracted," Wheeler explains.
"What if something comes up in the middle of the ceremony?" Kathy asks.
"Then we will have to go and postpone for another time," Linka says.
"Maybe you should start thinking about setting a date…and soon," Kathy says, fighting back tears.
"Kathy, don't…" Joe says.
"What's wrong Ma? Pop? Is everything ok?"
"Everything's fine son. Your mom's just excited about the wedding."
"No, it's more than that. I'm not a kid anymore and I used to be a detective with the NYPD. If you're gonna lie to me, you gotta do better than that!"
"Is it your health?" Linka asks Joe as she places a comforting arm around Kathy.
"Yeah. When I went to get registered for the donor list, they tested me for blood type so they could narrow down the donor compatibility. Turns out, I have a rare blood type, En(a-) or somethin' like that. The chances of finding a compatible donor are slim to none. My best chance at a match is a blood relative, and I've pissed so many of them off over the years, there's no way in hell they'd be willing to help me…plus it would require that they kick the bucket…and I wouldn't wish that upon anyone. Especially to save my sorry ass."
"Joe, please don't talk like that!" Kathy pleads.
"What if they don't have to be dead?" Wheeler asks. "The liver can regenerate so it can be taken from a live donor. The donor would be fine."
"Wheeler, how do you know about this?" Linka asks.
"I saw it on TV," he quietly admits.
She shakes her head and rolls her eyes. "I should have known!"
"Still. Any kind of surgery is risky. I couldn't ask someone to do that for me."
"Well, what if I volunteer to be tested?"
"WHAT?!" the others all exclaim.
"Absolutely not," Joe states.
"Come on Pop. I could be a match. A few years ago when I had my appendectomy, they had to postpone my surgery because they didn't have my blood type in stock and they couldn't do the surgery without it…just in case there was a problem and I needed it. They ended up having it transferred from a blood bank all the way out in California. But I have no idea what my blood type is. I never asked because I never did understand all that A, B, O AB, and positive and negative stuff. But I'll get tested and find out."
"No Jason. I won't have you putting yourself at risk. I've made my bed, now I have to lie in it. Now listen to me and forget about this whole idea."
"Since when have I ever listened to you?" Wheeler joked.
"Well if you won't listen to me, listen to your beautiful fiancé…tell 'im Linka. Tell 'im to forget it."
"Umm. I…Are you sure there is no chance of finding a donor?"
"I have a better chance of winning the lottery…twice in one day," Joe replies.
"I'm doin' it," Wheeler proclaims. "What's the worse that can happen?"
"You could die!" Linka blurts out.
"Oh come on Babe. It's not like the doctor's don't know what they're doing. It's probably a routine surgery…no more dangerous than getting my appendix out."
"You do not need your appendix Yankee. The liver is a vital organ!"
"She's right," Joe says. "It's not worth the risk."
"Saving your life isn't worth the risk? And the liver can't be THAT important if a person can survive with a partial one for a while until it grows back."
"I'm not worth the risk," Joe says.
"Don't talk like that honey," Kathy begs.
"You agreed to get yourself on the donor list so you could watch your grandkids grow up. You gonna give that up now?" Wheeler asks.
"If something happens to you, I won't have any grandkids to watch. All I need now is to see you marry the love of your life, and know that you will be a better husband and father than I was…but I already know that you will be."
"Is that what this is about? You feel guilty? Pop, I forgive you. It's over. I don't know what more I need to do or say to convince you of that. Maybe if I gave you part of my liver, you'd believe me then?"
"No, there's no need to go that far. Just be a better man than me. Never hurt your wife, remember your anniversary, buy her a nice gift, take her out to dinner…not just on special occasions, but just because. Always make time for your kids. Take them to ball games, play with them even after a long hard day at work. Come straight home after work and spend as much time as you can with your family because before you know it, your kids are grown, and you're old and running out of time. Will you remember that for me?"
"Of course…and I'll be sure to pass it on to my kids."
"Good. Now, it's getting late. We should be heading in," Joe says.
"Yeah," Wheeler says somberly.
"Why don't you kids come over tomorrow morning for breakfast?" Kathy asks.
"That sounds nice," Linka replies. "We will see you then."
Wheeler hasn't said a word since saying goodnight to his parents. He crawls into bed and rolls onto his side, his back to Linka.
"Are you not going to say goodnight?"
"Goodnight," he mumbles.
"Are you mad about something?"
"Did you hear the way my dad was talking?"
"Da, he said some really nice things."
"He's giving up, just like that. He's saying goodbye."
"Do not think of it like that. Think of it more like him giving you some fatherly advice."
"I just wish you'd have backed me up out there. A little support would have been nice."
"I am sorry Wheeler, but I cannot support you on this. I can not risk losing you."
"So I'm just supposed to let my mom watch my dad die?" he asks.
"I feel sorry for your mother. I feel sorry that your whole family has to go through this, but in this instance, I must be selfish. Am I supposed to just let you do something that could take you away from me?"
"What's the harm in being tested? I might not even be a match…I just need to know."
"And what if you find out you are a match? Then what?"
"I don't know."
"I do. You will insist on doing it."
"You know me so well," he quips dryly.
"Which is why I also know that you are going to be tested whether your parents and I support it or not." Now it was Linka who rolled onto her side and turned her back to him.
"Are you surprised?" he asks.
"Nyet. Just upset that you have no consideration for my feelings and how hard it is going to be on me, watching you go through with this, knowing my fiancé could die."
"Husband," he says, rolling over to face her.
"What?" She turns to face him.
"Husband. If I'm a match, I want to get married before me and Pop go through with the surgery."
"Wheeler, you heard your father…he will not go through with the surgery."
"I'll talk to Ma. She'll talk him into it."
"Do you think your mother is going to let you go through with this?"
"Yeah, I think she is. She didn't agree with Pop when he was telling me no."
Wheeler wraps his arms around her and rests his chin on top of her head, "I think we should all meet with the doctors, get the facts, and know the potential risks, if any, before ruling anything out…I promise, if the doctor says it's too risky, I won't do it."
"Promise?" she asks.
"Yes. Listen…this might come out wrong and sound meaner than I want it to, but it's the truth. I love my dad. But he's screwed up alot in the past. We were never close when I was growing up, and I never really felt like I had a 'real' dad, ya know? I felt like I never mattered to my dad. I shouldn't feel like I owe him any favors. BUT he's still my dad. And he's changed alot these last few years. I know he's sorry and I really do forgive him, but YOU are my number one priority. I spent so much time waiting for you and hoping that I'd eventually get to where we are now. There's no way I'm gonna give that up. Not now. Not when we're just getting started…not even for my dad."
"I sense a 'but' coming."
"BUT, if I can do something for him, as long as the risk is low and I know I'll be coming back to you, I gotta do it."
"I cannot argue with that."
"Good, cuz I'm done arguin'," he says as he kisses her cheek. "Now…about this wedding. I think while we're in New York, you and Ma should go look for a dress. Maybe we can have Gi and the guys meet us up here and she can go with you. Plus, she can give some input on the bridesmaid dresses. And I'll take Pop and the guys out to look at tuxes."
"I have two friends from school that I would like to ask to be bridesmaids as well," Linka says.
"Cool. I wanted to ask one of my buddies from the PD to be a groomsman…remember Petrosky?"
"Da."
"So that'll give each of us three. And when we're done, there's a Party City in Yonkers, which is probably the closest one to here, so we can stop there and pick out our invitations, order them, and pick up some decorations and other things for the ceremony."
"Ok."
"What's with the one word answers? Aren't you excited? WE'RE GETTING MARRIED!" he says excitedly as he playfully bounces up and down, causing the waterbed to rock.
"Of course I am excited. It is all just happening so fast. I thought we would have more time to plan things more thoroughly and make it perfect."
"Oh geez…you and your planning. We can put this together in a few weeks and it'll be just as good as if we'd planned it a year in advance. It'll be perfect no matter what Linka. As long as the end result is you and me being husband and wife, that's all that matters."
"I know, but how are we going to get everyone we want to be there to Hope Island on such short notice? Why even bother with the invitations? It is just an extra expense. We should just call everyone and tell them when to be there. I only have Mishka and his family."
"And I only have a few relatives and friends that I want to be there…so that's taken care of. We'll each call our people and let them know."
"And what about food? Wedding cake? How will we get everyone to Hope Island? Who will be performing the ceremony?" Linka asks.
"Relax Babe-uska. I'll take care of it. My mom's brother is a priest, so that's taken care of. We can transport people from New York and Russia using the Geo Cruiser and Eco-Copter. Plus, I think it'd be cool if our family members came to the island a few days before, that way we can all get to know each other, and it won't be like we're rushing around the day of the wedding to get everyone there. It'll be like a family reunion and mini vacation for everyone! We can pick up some stuff to make food and my Ma and aunts can make some dishes for the reception, and we'll order a cake from the best bakery in New York."
"We cannot ask our guests to make food, especially if they are on VACATION!"
"It's ok. They LOVE cooking. My mom's family is Italian, so not only can they cook, but they're GOOD cooks. I guarantee the food they make will be better than anything a caterer can make," Wheeler says.
"Sounds like you have everything under control then. You just tell me where and when, and I'll be there!" she jokes.
"Deal. Well, if Ma's gonna make us breakfast tomorrow, I guess I gotta get up early. We better get some sleep. G'night."
"Goodnight."
Wheeler wasn't joking, he got up early the next morning and was showered and dressed before Linka even woke up.
He went over to the guesthouse to find his mother already up and preparing breakfast.
"Hey Ma, need any help?"
"That's nice of you to offer honey. Can you stir this batter for me while I scramble the eggs?"
"Sure."
"You're up early," she notes.
"Yeah. I went to bed early last night and I had alot on my mind so I didn't sleep very good."
"Everything ok?"
"Is Dad still sleeping?" he asks.
"Yes. He's been more tired lately and sleeps longer. Is Linka still in bed."
"Yeah. She's usually up before me. Maybe she didn't sleep very well either."
"Is something wrong?"
"No…well maybe. She was kinda upset with me for wanting to look into the live donor thing. Then I was kinda mad at her for not backing me up. Then we got that settled and started talking about the wedding and making plans for that. It's just a little overwhelming. She's a control freak and very detail oriented, so doing things last minute and in a hurry isn't easy for her."
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought up your father's situation. You don't need to hurry things along on our account. But we wanted to tell you the news in person."
"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. I wanna get tested to see if I'm a match. I know Dad is against it and Linka's not thrilled with the idea, but I might not even be a match…I just need to be sure. And if I am a match, then I wanna talk to the doctors about the risks involved. If it's not too risky, I wanna have the surgery and save Dad. But I need you to talk him into it."
"That's very brave of you sweetie, but I don't think he's going to agree. And I don't know if I want to put you through that either. I can't lose both of you."
"That's why I want all four of us to meet with a doctor. The doctor can let us know what's involved, how risky or how safe it is. But we're getting ahead of ourselves; I might not even be a match."
Their conversation is interrupted by a knock on the door. They can see through the window that it is Linka.
"Come in dear," Kathy calls to her.
"Good morning. It smells delicious in here!" Linka says.
"Thank you. I hope you like scrambled eggs and pancakes."
"I love them. Can I help?"
"Nah, me and Ma have everything under control Babe," Wheeler says as he goes over to Linka and gives her a quick kiss. "Good morning."
"You are up early. You should have woken me up; I would have come over to help too."
"You looked peaceful, didn't want to wake you."
"I thought I smelled something good," Joe says as he enters the kitchen. "Looks like I'm late to this party though."
"Nah Pop, you're just on time…breakfast is served," Wheeler says as he places the platter of pancakes in the middle of the table.
Kathy brings over a plate of bacon and a bowl of scrambled eggs. The four sit down and enjoy their breakfast. Wheeler sneaks a few pieces of bacon under the table for Mindy. After they finish breakfast and clean up the kitchen, they head outside to sit on the patio and enjoy their coffee while they converse. Wheeler knows that he must bring up the topic that no one wants to talk about, but he has no intention of backing down.
"So Pop, I wanted to talk to you about something," he started.
Linka's back stiffened and Kathy sets her coffee mug down.
"What's on your mind son?"
"I'm going to see your doctor today and find out what my blood type is. If by some chance, I'm a match, I'm going to ask him about a live donor transplant…"
"I told you last night, absolutely not! I WILL NOT put you in the position of risking your own health for me."
"Hear me out and let me finish. I've already talked to Linka and Ma about this, and now I'm talking to you. I just wanna see if I'm a match, if so, then I wanna know how risky the procedure is, and I want all of you there to hear what the doctor has to say, that way we can all ask questions. Then, if it's all good, we'll have a nice wedding with friends and family on Hope Island, and then we'll schedule the surgery."
"There will be NO surgery. Why can't you get that through your thick head?!" Joe argues.
"And why can't you get it through your thick head that I'm gonna at least try to save you? Besides, you're outnumbered," Wheeler counters.
"Is that so?" Joe looks to Kathy and Linka.
"It can't hurt to see what the options are," Linka says.
"At least come with us when Jason is tested. If he is a match, then we will see what the options are," Kathy says.
"And you're ok with this?" Joe asks Linka, putting her on the spot.
"I support whatever Jason chooses to do."
"Yeah, but are you OK with it?" Joe asks again.
"I am scared. But hopefully talking with the doctor will give me…us…answers and ease any fears. I think you should come with us and see what the doctor has to say."
Two hours later, they sat in the waiting room of the doctor's office. Linka picks up a magazine and quietly flips through it. She jumps when Wheeler's name is called by the nurse.
"I hate tests. I didn't even study," he jokes as he stands up.
Linka looks up at him nervously with a slight smile in acknowledgement of his joke.
He brushes his hand across her cheek in a comforting manner and says "See you in a bit."
Kathy pats the empty seat next to her that Wheeler has just vacated and motions for Linka to sit there.
"Are you ok dear?"
"I am fine. Just nervous."
"Jason said you two were talking about alot of things last night. Did you not sleep well?" Kathy asks.
"I slept fine. I think I need some fresh air. Excuse me," Linka says as she stands up and goes outside to the balcony.
Linka is lost in thought and doesn't even hear the door open behind her. She isn't aware of anyone else's presence on the balcony until she is wrapped in a familiar embrace. He whispers in her ear,
"What's a pretty lady like you doin' out here all alone?"
"Waiting for my fiancé to come back from a test," she replies.
"He's a fool for leaving you alone."
"I know," she turns in his arms to face him. "He better never leave me."
"He won't," Wheeler says as he pulls her against him.
"Do they know the results yet?" she asks.
"No. It'll be a while yet. Wanna get something to eat while we wait?"
"Nyet, I do not feel like eating."
A half hour later, while sitting in the waiting room, Wheeler's name is once again called.
"Mr. Wheeler, we have the results if you'd like to come back now," the lab tech says.
"Can she come with me?" he asks, pointing to Linka.
"Of course."
Wheeler holds out his hand to Linka. She takes it and follows him back to the exam room where the doctor is waiting.
To be continued...