Welcome to Our New/Old World! The third installment in the series, so naturally it has long chapters. You've been warned lol. It took some time but hopefully, it was well worth the wait. But remember, I want to know what you think of it. Leave a like or a review, and I'd be eternally grateful. Please enjoy!

All non-canon characters are mine.

"Wait, wait, wait." Ian stopped his parents after they explained. "Back up, old people. You're telling us that Grandpa Alister is still alive, existing in a frozen state for decades. Before any of us had a sliver of a chance at existing when he saved the universe and Dad's tail forever ago."

Kori nodded and shot a glance at Ratchet. "That is correct."

"And you're just telling us now?" Zeon looked at his aunt and uncle, Rosie in his lap. "How long has this been a secret?"

Ratchet rubbed the back of his neck and tried to escape but Kori grabbed the back of his shirt. He sighed. "Your Uncle Clank and Sigmund knew of a time anomaly for years but it wasn't until recently they were able to definitely tell where it was, or who it was." Ratchet shrugged. "And since they found him they had been working on restoring him to his natural Circadian rhythm."

"That's when you visited Uncle Clank!" Rosie jumped up, almost accidentally hurting Zeon. "That was on my birthday!"

Ratchet smiled a little. "Yes, Rosie."

"But," Claire frowned at Kori and Ratchet. "Are you sure he's safe? That he won't hurt any of us?" She took Orion's hand and glanced at their bedroom door, their baby napping inside.

Orion frowned. "If there is any doubt, I'm not letting him anywhere near my son." He wrapped his arm around Claire. "Or my wife."

"He won't hurt anyone." Ratchet shook his head. "Not if he knows who you are, and I'll be the first to talk to him. He knows me."

Kori took a breath, resting her hands on her heart. "No, I want to talk to him." Everyone looked at her. Ratchet took a step toward Kori, reaching out for her.

"Kori," Ratchet spoke softly. "What if he hurts you? He doesn't know you."

Kori took Ratchet's hand and interlaced their fingers, a look of anger on her soft features. "Then I hurt him back." She smiled sadly, her previous anger replaced by kindness. "He's my father, Ratchet. If anyone should talk to him, it should be me."

Ratchet smiled weakly and nodded. "If you're sure, then I'll stand behind you." He thought for a moment before Ratchet frowned. "But if he tries anything, I don't care if he is your father. You matter more to me than him."

"I think Kori will be fine," Kaden spoke from his place in the hallway, the kids turning to look at him. "She has her mother's healing touch." He smiled.

Alister was still asleep when he arrived, as Clank promised, and Ratchet was left to stand guard over him in case he woke up early. Kori briefed their family, even Becca came.

"My darling family, we have brought you all here in the event of a massive development." Kori looked at her family, especially to her mother. "I know it is going to be hard to believe because I can hardly believe it myself."

Montay looked to his children, now both almost grown. "Should be we concerned?" He asked his sister.

Kori shook her head. "You shouldn't, but I am not quite sure."

"Kori," Ratchet whispered, poking his head out the door. "He's waking up." They hurried to switch places, leaving Ratchet to explain.

Kori slowly and quietly entered the room Alister was put in, a mix of nervousness and excitement fluttering in her heart. She saw a person she both knew and didn't, a face she saw her brothers in, and minimally herself. Kori sat down next to Alister and put a cloth in cold water like her mother had done when she was little.

"Where am I?" Alister groaned in discomfort, eyes open just a crack. His voice gruff, a voice completely new to Kori, not even from her deepest and darkest dreams. "What's going on?"

Kori spoke softly. "Try not to move too much," she rung out the cloth and gently pressed it to her father's head, "you had a terrible hit to your head." Kori made sure to move slowly, calculated to not provoke any violence from Alister. "And you need not to worry. You're on Fastoon, safe."

"Fastoon?" Alister questioned. His eyes were unfocused and adjusted painfully slow. "Who are you?" Alister's body was stiff, his muscles ached from a strange pain.

Kori smiled to herself. "You wouldn't know who I am, but that's okay." She moved slowly and made the cloth cold again. "I was born far from here, far away from here. What seems like forever ago." Kori gently rung out the cloth, never turning her back to Alister.

Alister's mind was clouded. "Are you a Lombax?" His thoughts muddled and trying to sort themselves out.

"I hope so," Kori gently touched the cloth to Alister's temple, she smiled warmly. "My mother and father are both Lombaxes."

Alister slowly sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Do I know your mother or father?" Kori gently rested her hand on Alister's back to help him stay vertical.

"I do believe you do." Kori nodded gravely. "You see, it was such a long time ago. Now more so than any time before it. Back after the Great War but before the Lombax's escape, my parents lived on Fastoon with my two older brothers. Then they found out they were having me, but before they could tell anyone else Tachyon attacked." She placed her hand to Alister's arm. "My mother was forced to go but my father was forced to stay." Kori frowned. "My parents are Becca and Alister Azimuth."

Alister stopped and he looked at Kori, through almost adjusted eyes. "It's only been 24 years since Tachyon attacked." He said in disbelief.

"No, Alister," Kori spoke kindly. "It's been 57 years now." She called in Ratchet, careful not to call him by name. "There is someone you may recognize better."

Ratchet came in carefully and smiled at Alister. "Hey, General." He waved. "It's been a long time." Before Alister could ask he continued. "You see when you sacrificed yourself you didn't die. The blast of energy just had you on pause for a while."

Something in Alister clicked. He looked at Kori. "You're…" Alister smiled. "You're my daughter." Kori was still as he touched her face, and they smiled at each other. "I always wondered what the baby was, as it turns out I didn't have all sons."

Kori put her hand on her father's, a laugh escaped her lips. "Almost, but you haven't met your son-in-law." She turned to smile at Ratchet, still holding her father's hand. "Meet my husband."

"You married my daughter?" Alister looked to Ratchet, withholding his look of surprise.

Ratchet shrugged and put his hands on Kori's shoulders. "What can I say? She is quite the Lombax, she's the one who wanted to take up the complete reconstruction of Fastoon. And we had a few bumps along the way, but we prefer to call our children by their names."

"Children?" Alister asked, his face lit up. "You have children?" He didn't want to get his hopes up but… "Are they here?"

Kori smiled. "When we knew you were coming I made sure they were all here," she shrugged a little, "besides the three that live here with us."

Ratchet called in Claire, Franklin, Ian, Liza, and Rosie. They entered the room and stood in line. The children introduced themselves, until Little Rosie hid behind their father, peeking around his leg to look at Alister. Ratchet smiled and put his hand on Rosie's head. "You'll have to forgive Rosie, she's shy."

Alister smiled a little at Rosie. "You don't need to be afraid of me, little one. I won't harm you." He coaxed the little lombax from behind Ratchet's leg and put her in his lap. "Your name is Rosie, that's a pretty name."

Rosie smiled. "My full name is Rosalyn, but that takes too long to say so everyone calls me Rosie."

"I see," Alister smiled. "You've got quite a few siblings."

Rosie nodded. "Yeah, and I have a nephew."

"Rosie," Claire spoke up, smiling. "That was supposed to be a surprise." She laughed at her youngest sibling.

Alister looked at Ratchet and Kori. "You have a grandchild?" He grinned, a warmth feeling filling his chest.

Ratchet smiled. "Yup, I've officially become old." Rosie giggled and told her father he was already old when she was born. "Thank you, Rosie, real ego boost there."

Claire looked to Ratchet. "Should I go get my son now that the surprise is spoiled?" She was given permission, so she slipped past her siblings to get her own husband and child.

Franklin nodded. "It's getting quite crowded in this room, perhaps we should leave because the baby steals the show." Rosie hugged Alister before jumping off his lap to join her siblings in leaving.

Claire came back, holding Baby (who was quite vocal about it, as vocal as a week old baby could be), and dragging in Orion. She pushed Orion toward her grandfather, reassured by how he handled her youngest sister.

Orion introduced himself and shook Alister's hand. "Grandson-in-law Orion Vital, General Azimuth."

Claire sat next Alister and showed off the little baby. "This is your great-grandson," she smiled, whispering to Alister. "He doesn't have a name yet, we haven't been able to decide on one."

Alister's hands trembled slightly. "My...great grandson." He received silent permission from Claire as he was handed the tiny babe. Alister beamed and laughed lightly. "He looks like his father," he smiled at Orion.

"Not a true surprise," Orion shrugged. "But we're sure he got some of his mom in there."

Claire smiled and gently grasped her son's foot. "He has three eye colors to pick from." She looked her grandfather in the eye to show off her heterochromia.

"That's just our family." Kori smiled. "Are you ready for the rest?"

Alister looked at his daughter. "The rest?" He scanned all the faces in the room. "What do you mean the rest?"

"Let's just say we called in the troops." Ratchet shrugged.

Claire smiled. "How about we let him adjust to us for now? He can meet them when he's ready." She nodded to her father. "It took some time for Dad to accept he was going to be a grandpa."

"We'll leave you alone," Ratchet smiled. "Baby can turn anyone around." He helped Kori up, grabbed Orion and left with them.

Alister looked at Claire, a smile in his voice. "Where did you find him?"

Claire smiled shyly. "Let's just say I was allowed some exploration in my youth, Orion just happened to follow me home."

"How did your father take it?" Alister whispered, smiling.

"Not happy for a while." Claire laughed. "But he came around."

Baby yawned a big yawn and stretched. Alister smiled and rubbed the baby's back. "I never thought I would ever see another baby lombax again, let alone my great-grandson." He watched the little baby sleep. "The last one I held was your dad."

Claire smiled. "He's not a baby anymore, the big lug." She touched his arm gently. "Do you think you're ready?"

Alister took a deep breath, looked at the infant, smiled and told his granddaughter he was ready. Claire took Baby and helped Alister out of bed. He was still a little stiff after "being paused" for about 30 years.

Claire closed her grandfather's eyes and led him to the family room where everyone sat waiting. Becca silenced her gasp and Montay slowly started to stand. Somewhere in the deep recesses of his memory, Rolin recognized this individual in front of him.

Alister opened his eyes and saw a large group of lombaxes. "Who…" He breathed, his words escaping him. So many lombaxes; adults, teens, and young adults. And one, a girl, white like him.

Becca stood and slowly approached him. "Are you really…" She slowly and gently touched his face. "My Alister?" Becca was afraid to breathe, scared this was just her imagination.

Alister didn't recognize her at first but he looked into her eyes and saw his wife; the way he tried to remember her, younger and happier. "Becca?" He remembered her when they got separated. "But...they took you away from me…" To have to watch his sons and wife dragged away to a place he could not follow….

Becca smiled. "Your son, Montay." She gestured to their eldest son, who moved to stand behind her. "The troublemaker made a new system for interdimensional travel."

Montay nodded to Alister. "Hello, Father." He stood tall before his father, like a soldier before his commanding officer.

"My boy," Alister grinned and clasped his hand on Montay's shoulder. "I always knew you would do great things."

Rolin got up quickly and approached the group. "Let's not forget Rolin." He smiled at his father. "Cause I'm here too."

Alister faced Rolin and smiled. "How could anyone forget you?"

"You'd be surprised." Rolin shrugged, a smirk on his face.

Alister stepped back and looked at the three before him. "My family…" He spread his arms and wrapped them around his wife and two sons. He smiled at all of them for a moment before turning and pulling Kori into the embrace. "My wife, sons...and daughter."

Montay grinned. "It's not just us anymore." He escaped his family's gathering and got Grace and Mac. "These are my children." He hugged his children. "My daughter Grace and my son Malcolm." Grace waved weakly while Mac just smiled.

Rolin did the same. "My wife, Astrid. My son, Zeon. And my daughters Harper and Ginny." 16-year-old Genie corrected her father on her name, again.

Kori smiled. "Let's complete the set." She grabbed her family. "My husband, Ratchet. My daughters Claire, Liza, and Rosalyn. My sons Franklin, Ian, and Orion. My grandson, He-Who-Is-Yet-To-Be-Named." And she looked off to the room where Kaden had been hiding. "And my father-in-law. Kaden."

Alister stopped, his smile faded, and looked at Kori. "Kaden?"

Kaden finally came out of hiding and smiled at his oldest friend. "Hello, Alister." He nodded. "I have a lot to apologize for, I know."

Alister approached his friend. "I thought you were dead." Disbelief in his eyes and voice.

"I believed that was the right thing to do." Kaden nodded. "Talia is still angry with me about that."

Alister grinned slyly. "How is Talia?"

"Talia is Talia." Kaden smiled. "She is in the Lombax Dimension, I'm sure fawning over stills of the newest addition to our family."

Alister embraced his oldest friend. "You got old." He patted Kaden on the back.

"Not all of us can be kept in a state that keeps them the same age for 30 years." Kaden embraced his friend back. "Besides I like being a great grandpa, though my good eye is going bad and my joints aren't what they used to be." He smiled and grabbed Ratchet's shoulder. "But I've got my boy."

Ratchet grinned at Kaden and Alister, both men vastly important to him. A reunion thought never to happen, nothing but a far off and distant dream. Claire saw her father and grandfather so stupidly happy to be reunited with their friend and comrade. She smiled up at Orion when he wrapped his arm around her and gently rubbed their baby's ears. Claire looked out at the faces of her family and one face stuck out, Grace. Grace was hunched over, holding her stomach, and frowning.

"Grace," Claire escaped Orion, handed Baby to her mother, and approached Grace. "Are you okay?" This attracted Astrid and Rolin's attention, Astrid making her way to Claire and Grace.

Montay looked down at his daughter as she held her stomach and grimaced. "Grace?"

"I'm just…. experiencing some discomfort." Grace tried to smile for her father. She slipped out of her father's embrace to sit down on the couch behind them. "I'm sure it'll pass."

Claire frowned. "Why don't you lay down in our room, Grace?" She and Astrid helped Grace to stand, led Grace to the room and Orion helped her settle in. Giving her lots of pillows.

"Relax, Grace." Astrid smiled. "I'm sure you'll feel better after some rest." Grace smiled weakly and nodded.

Claire smiled at her family. "Why don't we all leave the house and show Grandpa Alister around Fastoon? I'm sure it's different from when he saw it last." She grabbed the baby back from her mother. "And give Grace some peace and quiet so she can rest."

Kori assured Montay. "I'll stay here with Grace."

"No." Montay shook his head, smiling. "She's my daughter, I'll take care of her." He put his hand on Kori's shoulder. "Go show Dad your work, and don't let Kaden take any credit for your hard work."

Kaden crossed his arms and smirked at the siblings. "Like I would take credit for what your sister has done."

"Maybe not Kori," Becca smiled. "But I remember you taking credit for something Alister had done."

Alister turned to Kaden. "Yeah." He smirked and crossed his arms. "I do remember something like that."

Mac, Genie, Harper, and Rosie rushed up to their grandparents. "Tell us!"

"You don't want to hear that old story." Kaden held up his hands, shaking his head.

Kori held her finger to her lips. "Tell it elsewhere, Grace is trying to rest."

Montay waved goodbye to everyone as they were excited to show off Fastoon's reconstruction and hear the story about Grandpa Kaden. He went to check on her a couple times, she didn't sleep and she laid in the bed trembling. Montay slowly approached his daughter and sat next to her on the bed. "Grace if you need to go back home…"

Grace shook her head and tried to smile at her father. "No, just help me up." Montay helped her to the bathroom and waited for her to call him to help her back. But...Grace didn't call him. Not for what seemed like too long.

Montay opened the door and saw his daughter's legs covered in blood, sitting on the bathroom floor. "Grace?" He whispered.

Grace smiled at her father through tear filled eyes. "I'm sorry, Dad. I…." She picked up a towel bundle she had hidden behind her, revealing two baby lombaxes. "I didn't know."

Montay dropped to his knees and slowly crawled to his daughter. "Are they…?" He breathed.

Grace smiled and let her tears fall. "They're alive but they're small." She gently laid them on her stomach. "They're breathing."

Montay's hands trembled. It felt like his mind was frozen. His daughter just had twins, that they had no idea she was pregnant with. "I don't understand how this could happen."

"Lance is never going to believe me." Grace laughed, rubbing her eyes. "How am I going to tell him?"

Montay touched his daughter's face, rubbing her cheek with his thumb. "How are we going to tell your cousin you had twins in her bathroom?" He smiled at her. Montay touched the twins, part of him wanted to make sure they were real. They weren't identical, one was white like Grace and the other was grey like Lance. "Make sure you remember which one was born first, I'll be right back."

"Dad, wait!" Grace tried to stop her father to ask before he ran off. She took a deep breath and looked at her babies.

Her babies. Grace's mind raced at the thought of becoming a mother. Or that she just became a mother, rather.

Montay ran to find Kori, one of the times he would visit Fastoon he had to get himself a pair of hoverboots. She was walking next to their father, but Montay grabbed her and attracted the attention of their father. "Grace needs to go back to the Lombax Dimension." He got out through gasps of breath. Montay was never in shape but it didn't help he was now well into his 60s.

Alister frowned. "What's wrong with her?"

"Not her, her babies." Montay held his knees, bent over gasping.

Kori gasped. "Grace is pregnant?"

"Not anymore," Montay shook his head. "She just had them."

Kori looked at her father, and Alister just gave his daughter a firm nod. Kori grabbed her brother's hand and took him back to the house. Kori ran to check on Grace. She stopped when she saw all the blood. "Are you and the babies alright, Grace?" Kori knelt down next to her niece and covered her and the babies with a free towel.

"They may need supportive care." Grace smiled and rubbed the white baby's back.

Kori smiled at her niece and helped her pack up herself and the babies. Montay got the portal ready by the time Grace was ready to go. He quickly got his daughter to the hospital in the Lombax Dimension. Grace's boyfriend, Lance, was called and he got there faster than Montay thought he would.

Lance quickly found Montay and nearly mowed him down. "Where's Grace?" He asked. "Is she okay? What's wrong?" The young lombax had grey fur, dark eyes, and dark stripes. "Am I too late?"

"She's fine," Montay nearly laughed at Lance's wording. "But there is something that Grace needs to tell you." He led the younger lombax to Grace's room, but Lance was so preoccupied with worrying about Grace he didn't realize they were in Maternity.

Grace perked up when she saw Lance, and she smiled when he greeted her with a kiss. He was just relieved that Grace was okay. Grace started to explain but before she could get to the good part a knock came at the door. Montay pushed Lance onto the bed next to Grace, forcing him to sit down.

Two nurses pushed in two little baby beds with the twins in them. Lance looked at Grace before he looked at the babies. Grace smiled at him. "Like I was saying, I was visiting my cousins when I received a surprise." She smiled at Montay. "Two surprises, really."

Lance swallowed. "So...these are…?" He pointed at the babies, hands shaking.

Montay patted Lance on the back. "These are your sons," Montay smiled at the two small babies wrapped in blue, "A surprise to us all."

Lance began to feel lightheaded, he held his head in his hands. "You mean to tell me…" He looked at Grace. "That me….and you…?"

Grace nodded. "Yup."

"Why didn't you...tell me?" Lance's hands shook.

"Because I didn't know." Grace smiled sympathetically.

Lance took a deep breath and looked at the twins. "I'm….I'm…." He processed, starting to smile. "I'm a father. I'm a father..." Lance started to laugh. "I'm a father!"

"Yeah, thanks." Montay laughed. "Making me a grandfather."

Grace smiled at Lance. "Are you okay?"

Lance took a couple deep breaths. "Am I okay?" He said, looking at her. "I should ask if you're okay. You just gave birth to twins, unassisted at your cousin's house." Lance smiled. "I should be in awe of you, mother of my children. That feels weird to say," He grabbed Grace's hands. "But it's true. I wanted to marry you before Grace but now-"

"Wait," Grace laughed. "You want to marry me?"

Lance rubbed the back of his neck, laughing nervously. "If you'd agree to it, I'd marry you right now." He kissed her. "And I knew today would be a good day."

Montay shook his head, smiling. "Lance, why don't you get to hold one of your sons first?"

"Can I?" Lance turned quickly to Montay, excited.

"You made them," Montay laughed and grabbed the white one, the marked firstborn, and gave the baby to Lance. He gently picked up the grey one and gave it to Grace. "You should get to hold them."

Lance and Grace smiled at each other and the babies in their arms. Lance kissed Grace and whispered to her. "I can't believe it, we're parents."

An old maintenance man walked past the room and threw a handful of confetti in the air as he walked by. "Mazel Tov."

Thank you so much for reading! Please, leave me a review. I won't be offended, there is always room for improvement lol. I really hope you enjoyed it, and I'll see you next chapter!