No Special Occasion

Just a little tableau, if you will. Danziger decides to make dinner. Family bonding ensues. On the menu…flashbacks galore! Please leave a comment for the chef if you enjoy the meal. If not, remember it was free!

I do not own Earth 2 or its awesome characters. But maybe if we all chip in a few bucks, we can work something out.

Chapter 1

Yale couldn't believe his luck. For a record-breaking three days in a row, he had been the first one home at the end of the day. After trying to keep the attention of ten hormonal teenagers all day, the last thing he needed was to come home to two more. Uly and True would be home soon enough, but Yale savored these moments of solitude. He poured himself a glass of Cameron's latest concoction and relaxed on the couch.

Yale was thinking of visiting the Terrian caves later that night to commune with the sun stones. He had had a lot of luck with them lately. It left him feeling peaceful. Liberated. As he stretched his legs and lifted his feet up to the coffee table, John burst through the front door. Yale sighed and reluctantly put his feet back on the ground.

"Hey, Yale. Good, you're here. I was hoping I would've caught you on gear before you left school. I thought I'd make dinner tonight. Maybe I'll get the kids to grab something from the market."

Another rarity. John rarely made it home before sunset these days, staying late at meetings or in his office. Sometimes he could be found down at the garage, tinkering around with the vehicles until Frank would tell him to get out of his shop. Yale hated to admit it, but John's mood had improved considerably since he'd ended his relationship with Kate.

"I'm gonna try to get the kids on gear. Anything you want them to pick up?" John asked, busily searching the kitchen cabinets.

"No, thank you, John. What's the special occasion?" Yale rose to meet John in the kitchen and took a seat at the table.

"Special occasion? No special occasion. Just thought it's been a while since I made dinner. Can't expect you and the kids to feed me all the time. Gotta pull my own weight."

Yale watched as John grabbed various pots and pans and placed his gear on his head in one fluid motion. "True, get me some carrots. And eggs… What do you mean, 'what for?'"

John swung the eyepiece in place and finally stood still, hands on his hips. "No, you're not going to Tasha's for dinner. Hey, is Uly with you? Well, where is he? Damn right, he better be on his way home. Yes, he's still in trouble, True. Anyway, carrots and eggs. Chicken eggs, True. Hurry home. I'm getting started right now. No, there's no special occasion, but Yale says he's starving, so you better hurry up."

John grabbed the gear off his head and tossed it onto the table. He began filling a pot with water. Yale sat and watched, laughing to himself.

"What's so funny, old man? I notice you're not offering to help."

"Wouldn't want to get in your way. You are obviously a man on a mission."

"Alright, Yale. I know you love to think you can read my mind and you can trick me with your fancy talk into getting me to basically tell you everything you already know, so let's cut to the chase. Yes, I'm glad it turned out True wasn't with that Tariyal boy the other night when I couldn't get a hold of her. And that she was actually at the hospital helping Julia with the kids. Yes, I'm glad it's been two whole months since Uly got back from his last disappearance, and he might actually be sticking around this time. Yes, I'm sure I made the right decision to end things with Kate. And, yes, I'm glad Julia's team has finally pinpointed the cause of Devon's illness." John refused to look Yale in the eye. Didn't want to give him the satisfaction. He just turned to the spice rack, noisily grabbing canisters and putting them back into place.

"Anything else?" Yale asked, raising an eyebrow.

John couldn't keep his angry façade up for long and let out a low laugh.

"'Anything else.' You're hilarious, you know that? Things are finally looking up, is all. Work's been going well. Meetings have been downright relaxing now that Morgan's back from paternity leave. Something about all those babies at home really helps him focus at work. Reminds me, I invited them over for dinner next week." John watched the pot of water boil before turning to look for salt.

"Another dinner?" Yale was having too much fun. He couldn't remember the last time John had come home with so much energy or had spoken in more than grunts around the house.

"Yeah, poor Bess needs to get out of the house. She really misses school, too. Says she'll get back to teaching next month."

"That will be nice. Her students miss her."

"And it'll give you more time with Nina, right?" John winked at Yale, pouring salt into the boiling water.

"I can't say I would mind if she had to give up her job substituting for a little while."

"You got lucky with that one, Yale. Just the type of gal to keep you in line," John teased.

Yale let out a bark of a laugh. "You are in rare form tonight, Mr. Mayor."

"Dammit." John yanked his tie loose. "That reminds me. Can you keep an eye on things for a few minutes?" Without waiting for an answer, John left for his bedroom.

Yale smiled and sipped at his drink. He also couldn't remember the last time John didn't make changing his clothes his absolute first priority when he got home. Usually his tie was off before he even got in the door.

Yale heard the front door open again as Uly made about as much commotion entering the house as John had. Yale still couldn't believe how much Uly had taken after his surrogate father. If Devon returned…when Devon returned, Yale corrected himself with a smile, he was sure he would be to blame. But John was a force of nature. It was impossible for Uly not to have been influenced by him, particularly at his impressionable age. He would never mention that to Uly, of course.

"Hey, Yale," Uly shouted, running straight through the kitchen and heading up the stairs.

"Wait a moment, Uly," Yale called.

Uly slowly backed down the stairs. "What…"

"John is making dinner tonight."

"I'm not hungry. I'm gonna go work on my homework." Uly turned to make his way up the stairs again.

Yale stood and walked to the base of the stairs. "I think it's important for you to help out with dinner tonight."

"I think Danziger can handle it," Uly called, before slamming his bedroom door shut behind him.

Yale sighed. It was going to be a long night.

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When John returned to the kitchen, he was wearing the shirt. That awful shirt. His good luck shirt. When he wore that shirt, the kids knew things were ok. It was a good time to ask a favor or hope for a decrease in punishment. John hadn't worn that shirt since Uly ran off the last time, three months ago. Yale knew this was important, and Uly's behavior broke his heart.

"Was that Uly just now? Kid sounds like a herd of buffalo. Yale, water's boiling over. I thought I left you in charge?" John grabbed some pasta and poured it into the pot.

Yale returned to his seat and his drink in silence. His good humor gone, it was John's turn to ask questions.

"What did he do now?"

"Well, at least he came home," Yale answered with a sad smile.

"That kid. He's lucky he has a home to come back to…"

Yale understood. Both of them had spent enough time trying to reassure each other that Uly was only going through a phase. That he was entering his teen years and was ruled by hormones. But Yale and John knew it was more than that. And that they had failed again and again to reach Uly.

"Just makes me sick sometimes to think that the only reason he's here is because the Terrians sent him packing. What did we do wrong?"

It was a conversation they had had too many times before with no easy answers.

Yale shook his head. "John, you've been an amazing father. Uly is lucky to have you. But all he sees at this age is his own pain and hurt."

"He's turning thirteen. I was a terror at that age, too. But this is different. We know it's different. Maybe Alonzo can try talking to him again. Maybe get the kid Dreaming again, at least." Before Yale could respond, John stomped to the bottom of the stairs, and grabbed the rail, tightly. "Uly!" he shouted angrily. "We are having a family dinner tonight. And whether you like it or not, you are part of this family. And we love you, dammit!" John crossed his arms, fingers tapping his elbows impatiently.

Yale heard Uly's door open. "Geez, fine. Calm down," Uly muttered. He sauntered down the stairs as slowly as possible, head down, long curls hiding his face. John stood his ground at the bottom of the stairs, blocking Uly's passage. It was then that Uly noticed the shirt and a very faint smile came to his lips before he quickly disguised it.

"What's the special occasion?" he sighed, trying to sound as disinterested as possible.

John just grabbed him in a bear hug. "You drive us nuts, Ulysses Adair," he growled. "You know that, right?"

"Whatever." But Uly couldn't help it. He felt his eyes sting as tears started to form. He tried not to sniff. He was glad his hair was still hiding his face. He broke away from the hug gently and went over to the stove. "Pasta?" He was noticeably disappointed. Pasta was about all Uly could make, so this was nowhere near what he expected from some special family dinner. "Your gear's blinking," he stated, as he dropped himself into the chair at the opposite end of the table from Yale.

John grabbed his gear. "True? Are you almost here? I'm declaring a new holiday. Uly's sitting at the table and everything. See you soon."

"What's she doing?"

"I asked her to pick up a couple things at the market."

"What. More pasta?"

Yale had had just about enough. He stood up abruptly, the wooden chair scraping the floor behind him.

He didn't have to say a word. Uly met his eyes and looked away. "I'm sorry, John. And Yale."

John pretended not to notice the wordless exchange between Uly and Yale. "Here, cut this tomato."

Uly dragged himself over to the counter and grabbed the knife out of John's hand. As he cut the tomato, he felt a lump in the back of his throat. His eyes filled with tears again, but he quickly wiped them away. John pretended not to notice this, either.

The three men continued in silence. John bustling around the kitchen, Uly chopping vegetables, and Yale sipping his drink.

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True had taken a little longer at the market than necessary. Home had been so gloomy lately, she tried anything to keep away. Helping out at the hospital, helping Bess grade vid reports, babysitting all the babies that had been born in the past couple of years. They were all worthwhile causes, so her dad and Yale couldn't really complain too much. Until her dad thought she'd been out with Jay Tariyal. Please, like Jay would even give her the time of day. He was much too mature for her. And definitely too good-looking. And smart. He was so smart. And funny. True shook her head to banish thoughts of "that Tariyal boy," as her dad still referred to him.

Her thoughts turned to Kate. She was still mad that her dad had made such a huge decision without consulting her first. What was her dad thinking? Kate was beautiful, fun, and she was always making cool stuff for True. It's like her dad just didn't want to be happy. Ever. But she couldn't keep that train of thought for long. The truth was that as wonderful as Kate was, she just couldn't make her dad happy. They had had some fun times, and it was great having another girl around sometimes, but True knew it hadn't been right. But it didn't mean she had to like it. Rumor was that Kate was already dating her dad's friend Lyle. She wondered if her dad knew about that.

True picked some flowers on the way home and waved to various friends and their parents as they made their way around town. She never thought she'd ever know so many people or have so many friends. The younger children adored her, and the parents used her as an example. True milked it for all it was worth. She knew part of her sunny public demeanor was a downright shameless attempt to make Uly Adair look even worse. The boy who hardly ever smiles. The boy who runs away to the Terrians like a little baby instead of sticking up for himself.

But she had to admit, she was starting to feel sorry for him. After the last time he'd run away without a word, the Terrians had told him he was failing them. They were disappointed in him. He was supposed to be the first true link between humans and Terrians…and the planet itself. Most of the Syndrome kids had been changed, too, but the Terrians still claimed that Uly was different. Even the other Syndrome kids thought Uly was a little strange. They enjoyed their health and new abilities. They felt a closeness to the planet and kinship with the Terrians that even the adults who had learned how to Dream could not truly comprehend. But while they reveled in their change, it only seemed to bring pain and loneliness to Uly.

True felt tears welling in her eyes at the thought. Her friend…her brother. She had reached out to him so many times. They all had. Was it his mother's absence? His expression had barely changed when Julia gathered them all together to give them the news. Her team had found the cause of Devon's illness. Now, they just needed to find the cure. It had been a couple of weeks, but Uly still wouldn't talk about it. She had even tried Dreaming with him, but he had blocked her attempts. That's what had hurt her the most. When her dad heard her crying, he had assumed it had something to do with "that Tariyal boy." She didn't want to upset him more by telling him it was really the Adair boy. The stupid Adair boy who used to be her best friend. Her only friend. Now she just wanted to punch him in the face, she thought, her hands tightening into fists around the handles of her market bags.

True stood just outside of the door of their house and took a deep breath. She spent a moment taking in the sight of it. Sometimes she pretended she was Devon, seeing New Pacifica for the first time. What would she think? Would she want to live with them? Or would she build her own house and take Yale and Uly away? There was a room for her. Next to her dad's room and across from Yale's. True and Uly had rooms upstairs, so that it would be harder for them to sneak out at night, her father insisted. Devon's room was perfect. Yale and her dad had made the furniture, and she and Uly had worked on the pillows, the rug, the blankets. They had painted murals on her wall. Sometimes True would sit at Devon's desk and look out of her window and wonder what it would have been like to grow up like Devon Adair. She had to admit she hadn't given it much thought when Devon was actually around. But since the colonists arrived, she heard the name Devon Adair uttered like the name of a saint. She'd never really seen the news vids when she was a kid, before they came to G889. But plenty of colonists had them recorded. Devon Adair in news conferences, at galas, at fundraisers. Devon Adair, always perfectly beautiful, always so strong, giving speeches before the Council about the Syndrome, about immigrant workers' rights, about "collective bargaining." Yale had taught True about all those issues, but never dwelt on Devon's role. She didn't know if it was because it was too painful to speak about, or if he knew Devon would have been too humble to have Yale speak of her accomplishments too much.

Part of her dreaded Devon's return. Part of her ached for it.

Encouraged by a nudge from her cat, True opened the door.

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When True arrived, it was like the first day of spring. In a single explosion, the world blossomed with color and light. She beamed at her father and presented Yale with the flowers she had picked, kissing him lightly on the cheek.

"My, what's all this?" Yale chuckled. Her father looked on suspiciously.

True just shrugged, still smiling radiantly. She took two flowers from the bouquet. With a small dramatic spin, she handed one to her father and hugged him tightly. "Nice shirt!" she sang. She deposited the groceries on the counter.

"Don't worry, Uly, how could I ever forget you?" she sighed sweetly. It was enough to make his teeth itch. He took the flower from her outstretched hand limply.

They all knew it was just a show, but it worked.

"Well, it's comforting to know that if you don't make it as a doctor, you'd make an excellent actress," John snorted. But his daughter had lifted his mood again. This dinner was going to be special.

It then occurred to True that the only vase they had was the one Kate had made. There hadn't been much use for a vase until Kate started hanging around. True grabbed it out of the cabinet anyway. Her dad was the one who'd made the decision to break things off, so he'd just have to deal with the reminder.

She filled the vase with water and placed it in the center of the table. Yale obliged, arranging the flowers neatly.

"Beautiful, True. What a thoughtful gesture."

"Oh, Yale, it's no big deal," she said, trying to sound modest.

John walked over and put his flower in the vase, too. He looked at the vase for a moment, lost in thought. Then a smile broke out on his face, and he returned to manning the stove.

"Dad, you kinda messed up Yale's arrangement. I'll fix it. Uly, give me that flower back."

Uly was still hunched over the counter, chopping onions. Chopping more onions than John could possibly use for dinner. He had the flower tucked behind his ear.

"No way. You can't give someone something and then just take it back."

True was just happy he was actually speaking to her. "I can do whatever I want. And you look silly with that thing on your head."

Uly still wasn't budging. "Remember that time Morgan made us put that vid together?" he asked.

"The vid for the colonists? 'Welcome to New Pacifica!' That's right, we had flowers in our hair. It was hilarious. Bess wanted us to look sweet and innocent." True giggled at the memory…

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