Goodbyes and New Beginnings.
Spoiler Warning: Assumes you've seen up to and including the Season 4 final. Written without any actual knowledge of Season 5 but timeline wise I'm setting this what I assume would be at least a few months after the end of Season 4. I'm going to assume that Tom Mason has returned to earth safely and that the Voam and the surviving humans are making good progress in the war against the Espheni. This may not be how season 5 shapes up, but it works for my purposes.
AN: This was written after watching the Season 4 final. I ship Maggie/Ben and it doesn't seem many people do so I had to write my own Maggie/Ben fanfic. Not sure if there is an audience out there for this but I wanted to write it anyway. If there is some interest I may follow this up with some one-shots.
"I can't believe we did that," Maggie was panting, her chest heaving with exertion and exhilaration. She pulled her clothes on in a flash and rolled to her feet.
Ben laughed happily. Impressed by her reaction. He too pulled his clothes on quickly, standing awkwardly next to her on the rooftop.
Maggie's breathing evened out quickly, her recover time was amazing with the spikes, and it had taken a lot of exertion to exhaust herself but Ben was her equal.
Maggie had never imagined that being with Ben would feel so… natural. What he had lacked in experience he more than made up for in athleticism and enthusiasm. Suddenly Maggie started to cry. "Oh my god. Hal. I'm a horrible person. I can't believe we did that," this time her tone was grief stricken.
"Shhh," Ben calmed and led Maggie over to the side of the rooftop. He sat down, perched on the side and dangling his feet over the ledge. Maggie sat beside him, the sense of power that came with her newfound confidence with heights calming her.
Without their spikes the darkness of the city below them would have been overwhelming at this high but they could make out the angles of buildings from the slight light of the moon and the stars. The darkness and their remoteness from the camp where Hal was on patrol had given them a sense of privacy.
They were a few miles from the warehouse where the remnants of the 22nd mass had made camp since Tom Mason's return from space. Those humans who had survived the last conflict with the Espheni were committed fighters and would not rest for long before rejoining the efforts to round up the skitters, but with the Voam's support dramatically increased since Lexi's attack on the Espheni power sauce the tide had turned and spirits were high. This was the safest they'd felt since Charlestown.
Ben and Maggie were able to be together physically in a way that would not long be possible with an ordinary human, like Hal, that thought filled her with guilt; guilt for thinking of Hal when she was with Ben, guilt for being with Ben when Hal still loved her, guilt for the growing realization that she had real feelings for the middle Mason child.
"What are we going to do Ben?" Maggie asked, desolately. She wasn't talking about the war.
"He said you were having some time apart to work things you, you weren't technically cheating," Ben comforted.
"Don't kid yourself Ben. I'm breaking his heart. I'm a monster. How can I love him and do this to him? How can I still love him and still feel like this when I'm with you?"
"Like what Maggie? What is it you feel when you're with me? Because you say it's just the spikes, but I've known other kids with spikes, this is different. This isn't just me. You're got to stop pretending it's all the spikes." Ben turned his face to Maggie's, his spike-enhanced eyesight about to make her out clearly from this distance.
"I know. I'm not. I just. It's awful. I'm awful. I'm falling in love with you Ben and I shouldn't be. That makes me a cheater."
"Was my Dad cheating on my Mom when he fell in love with Anne?"
"That's not the same thing. Hal's not dead."
"I'm just saying human beings can love more than one person at once. You can love one person while falling in love with another person."
"Since when are you the expert in love?" She didn't mean to sound cruel but was conscious of the age difference and Ben's inexperience.
"I've been watching you for a long time Maggie, since before you even noticed me. I know there's more to this than just the spikes. You've changed. You and Hal had problems before the spikes. You wanted different things didn't you?"
Maggie didn't want to admit it but this much was true. The second Espheni invasion had given them both an excuse to ignore it but it was still there, and now that it looked like the Espheni's days on earth might be numbered old questions and arguments loomed ahead of them.
"What do you imagine when you imagine your life after the Espheni? What do you want to do? And is it what Hal wants?" He doesn't want to sound like he's interrogating her but he needs to push her forward. She's so close to realizing that they're meant to be together but she keeps fighting it out of loyalty to Hal.
"Hal loves me."
"I know he does. But that's isn't always enough," Ben reasoned.
Maggie nodded sadly. "What about you Ben? What do you want to do after all this?"
"I know I want to keep my spikes. I don't want to go back to being weak. I know I want to help people. I keep trying to imagine what it would be like, having these powers, in a world where there aren't any Espheni to fight and I think maybe I could do some good. I could help deharnessed kids learn to cope, but I could do other things too, we're faster and stronger than regular people Maggie, that can be a good thing. I could build things or rescue people from fires."
"So you want to be a superhero that builds houses and helps kids?" Maggie teased. Her tone was mocking but she was impressed. Ben was younger than her but he had a strong sense of purpose and self. He had already lived a lifetime worth of trials and challenges. Who honestly had been through more than him? He was a survivor.
"I don't know. But I want to do some good in the world. I want to have a purpose. Don't you?" Ben raises an eyebrow questioningly. He at once looks young and wise. Maggie's feelings about Ben always seem to be in conflict like this. It would be so much simpler if Hal had the spikes and Ben was… not in love with her.
Maggie looked straight into Ben's intense eyes and she saw a maturity and conviction that was both reassuring and inspiring. "Yeah I do," Maggie replied quietly, smiling shyly. She bit her lip nervously and Ben pushed a stand of blonde hair behind her ear. His touch felt so right. They fit together. He understood her and now she understood him. "And is that enough for you? You don't want a normal life?"
Ben smiled. "I want this life, and I want you. I know that makes me a horrible brother but I'm not a bad person and neither are you. As long as we're honest with him then we've got nothing to be ashamed off."
"I wish saying it made it true."
"Time heals all wounds."
"I want to believe that. I don't think Hal will agree with you."
"When did Hal ever agree with anything?" Ben teased.
Maggie smiled. "Okay Mason. Enough talk about your brother. Shut up and kiss me. I'll talk to Hal in the morning."
Ben couldn't disagree.
"Hal, we need to talk," Maggie began. They were alone in an ally way, a nice distance from the camp. She had planned this carefully after rehearsing what she would say over and over in her mind all night.
"I figured." Hal Mason sighed, his heart falling, dread and knowing washing over him.
"Hal you have to understand I never stopped loving you."
"I know…. But it's not enough is it? Not when he and you have this weird alien connection?... Jesus Maggie," Hal kicked a 44 gallon drum that had been used as a fire pit. The metal dig hallow and dead.
"I'm so so sorry. But it's not fair to you to keep dong this to you. I need to let you go. I need to let you move on." She reached for his shoulder but she shoved her away and rounded on her, an accusing tone rising into his voice.
"What if I don't want to move on? What if I can't stop loving you? What if watching you falling in lust or love or whatever you think this is with my little brother is killing me?" Hal let Maggie see the anguish written across his face. "What if there was another option? What if you and I ran away? What if we put as much space between you and Ben as we can?"
Maggie shook her head slowly. "I can't. We can't."
"I'm willing to give up my family for you Maggie."
"I know and I can't let you do that. But if it's too hard for you Ben and I can go away. We can start over. We don't want to hurt you."
"We? God Maggie listen to you. He's barely more than a kid."
"He's been through a lot Hal. He's more mature than you realise."
"Who hasn't Mags? Matt's been through a lot, you gonna shack up with him next?
"Don't make out like this is easy for me. Like I haven't given myself a hard time over this."
"I'm sure it's just horrible for you."
"It is Hal," there were tears in her eyes and her voice was cracking.
"Was it horrible for you when you slept with my brother? Because I bet that really sucked for you. It sure as hell sucked for me."
The word strung. She didn't know if he knew or if he was guessing. But it made sense of her that Hal would know. Would somehow feel the change between them. "Hal…" Maggie began, but she couldn't deny it. "I'm sorry," she repeated. She'd said those words over and over since the first time Hal had caught her and Ben kissing and she knew it had to stop. She could spend the rest of her life apologizing but she couldn't lead Hal on anymore. "We couldn't help it. That's why I have to make this choice. I have to stay with Ben now. I can't keep hurting you."
"So you're dumping me for me? What a hero," Hal returned bitterly.
"We want different things Hal."
"Yeah I want you not to be screwing my brother."
"It's not just that Hal. The war is coming to an end. The last of the skitters are being rounded up. When its over you want to settle down and have kids. I don't."
"That's what this is about? Maggie we're a long way off playing happy families. I can't believe you would end us because I might want kids one day. Like I'm such a horrible person for wanting a real life after all this, and you don't think Ben might want that one day?"
"It's different for us Hal."
"That's right because I can never understand what it's like to have spikes. I see how you look at me now Maggie, like you pitty me, like I'm less than you. You never even wanted them in the first place. How do you know they won't find a way to take them out?"
"I don't want to. This is my life now."
"And it's all my fault isn't it? I made the decision. I forced you." He wanted to hate her for her betrayal but he couldn't.
"I don't blame you anymore Hal. I would have done the same thing for you."
"Thanks for forgiving me for saving your life," Hal spat back resentfully.
"I hope one day you can forgive me," Maggie begged gently.
"I might forgive you, but I'll never forgive my brother."
"He didn't steal me away from you Hal. We both tried to stop. You don't have to lose Ben as well," Maggie wished that explaining it would make it less painful. Would help heal the relationship she had torn to pieces again and again since the spike-transplant.
"What so you can feel less guilty? So you can sleep better beside my brother?
"I'm still your friend Hal. I care about you. Ben loves you."
"Well he's got a funny way of showing it," Hal scoffed and walked off. "Good talk Maggie. Goodbye and good riddance. You're right. I'm done. Have a nice life."
"Goodbye Hal," Maggie called back, her voice hallow with remorse.
Maggie watched Hal walk away and then she turned and ran, bounding up onto an awning and valuing onto a second story roof, from there it was easy to leap to another higher rooftop. Her legs pumping she ran and jumped across the city to find Ben. Her spikes lit up and she sensed him, followed her instincts towards him. She felt like she was coming home. She felt free.
"It's done," she explained when she landed next to Ben. Her face was still red and wet from crying. Ben hugged her and pulled her to him.
"It's okay," he whispered. "You did the right thing. Hal will be okay."
"What if he's not?"
"He's tough. He can handle it. Dad's home now. He's not alone. Dad, Anne, Dan, Matt, they'll take care of him."
"What will we do Ben?"
"Whatever you want. This is a new beginning for everyone."
"I think we need to give them some space. I think we need some space to work out what we are without them."
"Sure. I'll tell my Dad he'll understand."
"Will he really? He must hate me."
"He doesn't hate you Maggie. Yes you hurt Hal but you've made me so happy Maggie. Dad knows it's been hard for me, being the only one with spikes. He'll understand."
"Really?"
Ben nodded. "You're like a daughter to him. He'll support us whatever we decide to do."
"Okay. One month. We'll check in with them in a month. Just you, me and the skitters until then. That's not too much to ask is it?"
"We can take as long as you want and go wherever you want."
"What if they move the camp and we can't find them again?" Maggie asked worriedly.
"That's a risk I'm willing to take. The Masons always find each other. We always find home, but you're my home now Maggie."
"You're my home too," Maggie promised and she kissed him with everything she had. The decision was made. There was no turning back now. As their lips tangled and Ben's hands grasped her back firmly she knew they'd made the right decision.
THE END