I did not plot this out, My lovely Amie wrote the plot outline, I just made it into a story, so props go to Amie. Please review, make her feel the love.
"Yo dude?" Mark let his lids flicker up to stare at Curren, "The Commander wants Jim Shannon to have this, go take it to him. You know him right?" He was offered a small bag which he took carefully. Yes he knew Jim Shannon. A few days ago when he approached Maddy, intent on talking to her for the first time, Jim nearly bit Mark's head off.
He trekked to their house, having offered Mrs. Shannon his help with finishing the house, but she refused politely, though tense. Maybe they were just private people? He stopped, unsure why for a moment as he stood in the middle of the market. Looking around, he saw a flower on the flower vendors stand. "How much?" He asked, pointing at the day flower.
"One Terra." The woman stated and he paid quickly, gently lifting the day flower into his hand. He would give this to her along with a little memory card in his pocket.
Mark had once seen Miss Shannon reading a plex, and though it was wrong since he was on guard duty, he zoomed his telescope in on her plex and saw a series of complex numbers that he could never understand. So he downloaded almost three hundred books of math and science from the EYE.
As soon as he gave Mr. Shannon the bag, the man growling at him the whole time, he cut around the side of the house. He knew which room was Maddy's because she would often open and sit at the window, reading.
Pulling himself up to the window ledge, he laid the flower over the memory card, before he could lower himself the window flew open and he came face to face with Maddy Shannon. Letting go of the ledge, he fell on his backside, blushing the whole time. Smooth Mark, real smooth.
"M-Miss Shannon, I-I uh, thought you, well I see you read books all the time so I down loaded math and science books and I thought you would like the flower, it's beautiful, like you." Mark was ready to shoot himself out of embarrassment. "I'll….just go now." He got to his feet before she cleared her throat.
"People are like icebergs," He stared at her. What? "You only see the surface of them, ten percent, but if you really knew me, you would stay away. You would not like me, no one does."
"But I do, I like it when you ramble." He shifted his feet. "I like hearing your voice. It's lovely. And your eyes light up, and sometimes you blush and it's all beautiful together." He rubbed the back of his head, "I must sound like a dork, but I really like you."
Before she could respond, she disappeared and Mr. Shannon came into view. "Stay away from my daughter, Reynolds, or I will make sure you regret it."
Mark turned on his heel and strode away, intent on getting away from the devil of a man.
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Mark looked over the people in the market, one he kept a particular eye on as she struggled with her heavy load. Miss Shannon held her grocery bag in her arms, full and, he was sure it was heavy just by the way she held it.
"Miss Shannon?" He asked, causing her to jump and tremble slightly, "May I take that for you?" He nodded towards her bag, but she simply shook her head, her eyes kept low.
"No, I don't need an-" The bag fell from her arms and all her groceries fell out. He immediately dropped to his knees and began filling bag back up as she tried to stop him. "I've got this, it's okay, just go away before my father sees." She whispered, but he smiled.
"But I am not the type of guy to leave a girl stranded. Besides, I told you I really like you didn't I?" He lifted the now full bag once more and motioned for her to lead the way.
"You are really trying to get killed aren't you?" She mumbled as she sighed in defeat and walked to her home, him following. As they walked, a group of soldiers started wolf whistling.
"Look's like Mark is finally going to become a man." One called and Maddy tensed, looking down and causing her hair to curtain around her face. Mark leaned down and scooped up two rocks aiming them expertly at the men.
"If you ever talk about Miss Shannon like that again, I will beat the shit out of you." He growled as his hand reached out and gently guided her away. "I'm sorry for that, their idiots, and I would never take advantage of you like that." He promised, but she just kept walking until they got to her home.
"Reynolds, what did I say?" Jim stood on the front porch when they arrived and Maddy took the bag and scrambled inside.
"Sir, she needed help, I was simply being kind." He nodded and left the fuming man to return to his post.
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He didn't know how Jim did it, but Mark found himself of construction crew duty the next day and the sun was blazing as he worked. Mark had pulled off her shirt and was currently eating his lunch when a water bottle was placed beside him suddenly. "Miss Shannon?"
"It's lemonade, I made it when I found out about your punishment," She bit her lip and looked around. "I told you, you should stay away from me." She whispered as she sat next him. "And I wanted to thank you for defending me yesterday."
"Miss Shannon, I assure you, spending time with you is worth the punishment." He grinned and saw a flicker of a smile. "I saw that, you smiled." She couldn't help the smile now as her brown eyes shyly found his blue ones.
"You have a way of making a girl swoon." She said quietly. "And I got your flower this morning, It's beautiful, thank you."
"Your very welcome." He smiled, before very little body jumped on him, giggling.
"Oh, no it's my niece!" He feigned death as the little girl crawled on top of him. He lifted her up and tickled her, her laughter filling the air. When he looked at Maddy, he found an empty spot where she had been.
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Sitting on his bed that night he looked at a picture he captured of Maddy, she was smiling at her little sister. He wished for her to smile at him more, but he was happy that he got to spend time with her at all.
A knock sounded and he stood to answer the door with a stiff gate. "Miss Shannon?" He looked her over and found that all she wore was a night gown, robe, and tear stained face.
"Can, can I stay the night, please, I'm sorry about waking y-"
"Don't be." He said quickly stepping back. "Are you okay? How did you know where I lived?"
"I hacked the eye and looked it up." She mumbled and she walked in and sat on his bed. He sighed, the night was warm, so he grabbed a blanket and pillow. "My dad found the flowers you were giving me."
"Hey, it's alright, Maddy, I mean what could be so bad about you seeing a guy, even if we are just friends?" He asked, before looking around. "I'll sleep on the bench on my porch, make sure to lock the door behind me." He stated, as he walked out before she could argue. He laid out, head on a pillow and enjoyed the warm night.
Well, Maddy was in his bed, but he wasn't with her. There was something wrong with that right? He shook his head and relaxed, falling asleep soon after.
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Maddy woke up in the darkness, it was still late at night, but she just couldn't sleep, not surprising since the attack. Walking around his room, her eyes landed on a little crib. As she stepped forward she saw a picture frame that had Mark and a little baby in it with the words 'Best Uncle Ever'.
She shuffled to the counter and picked up his plex, she went to the record function and started to leave a message for Mark. When she turned around, her mouth fell open in a silent cry. Mark stood there stunned by the news.
"Who did it, I'll kill him." He threatened, taking her hand and kissing it.
"It was two months ago, in 2149, I was checked for STD's afterwards, but it wasn't until a week before coming to Terra Nova that I learned about the baby." She backed away from him, covering her face as it twisted into agony, a soft sob coming from her.
"This is why your father doesn't want you near me?" he asked, but she shook her head and grabbed her robe.
"I have to go, don't tell anyone." She mumbled as she ran out of his house, leaving him speechless.
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Mark placed the flower on Maddy's window ledge and knocked gently. "What are you doing here?" She asked quietly, taking in his disheveled look.
"I know how to take care of babies, I have baby sat my niece and nephew enough, and, I can help. I will help, I have a crib at my house if you want it-"
"Mark," she leaned down and cupped his face, "I would love your help, but you don't have to, this is a lot ya know."
"Oh, Maddy Shannon you are worth it." He paced around. "I didn't scare you did I, I didn't mean to frighten you Miss Shannon." He promised but she shook her head.
"I'd like your help, um, you'll need to talk to my parents, I have no idea how to raise a baby."
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Mark's entire face hurt after his talk with Mr. Shannon. The sheriff had his gun taken away while Mark was banned from speaking or coming near Maddy or any of the Shannons. Of course, that wasn't happening.
"I never thought he would do this." Maddy whispered softly. She had come to his house after he was released from the infirmary, and now they were sitting on his bed, her dabbing at his face with a cold wet cloth.
"Yeah, neither did I." He mumbled and took in a sharp breath from the pain of moving. "Are you okay?" He took her free hand and she looked at her lap, trying to hide her smile.
"You were beaten by my father, and you're asking me if I'm okay?" He looked at her as well as he could through black eyes, and a little smile tugged at his lips, making his face hurt terribly.
"Your smiling," he hooked a finger under her chin and lifted her face to his gaze. "Your beautiful."
"Stop saying that." She mumbled, letting her eyes drop back down.
"You can keep saying that, but you are the most gorgeous woman I have ever had the honor of knowing." He watched her blush and nearly had the air knocked out of him by her beauty.
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"Oh, you are a vile man." She scoffed at Mark as he insisted he cover her eyes, "How much further?" It had been nearly a month since he gotten a beating and Maddy nursed him the whole time.
"We're here." He dropped her hands and she froze. It was a water fall, a rainbow arching over the stream it fed into where the water misted there. At the edges of the water day flowers grew, and she couldn't help but tell him all about them.
"I found this place years ago, on a mission," talking as he laid out the blanket, she watched him with a smile. "I wanted to bring you out here on a date, but I couldn't convince your dad to let my court you." She snorted after they had sat down on the cloth.
"When does my dad have control over my dating life, as far as I care this is a date."
"It's a good thing you said that." He pulled out two plates from the picnic basket, then a candle stick holder and a candle. "Because if this wasn't a date, then I would have wasted two terras on this candle." He lit it before getting out the food, but watched her blush in the corner of his eye.
She turned around for a moment to grab a few flowers and he took this time to do a fist pump in the air. "Pass me that glass." She pointed at the one that was a little taller than the other two and was alone. "What's this for anyway?" She asked as she placed the flowers in it.
"To be honest, I didn't pack this, my sister did while I watched her kids." He rubbed the back of his neck as she dipped out food for the both of them on to their plates.
"By the way, I saw that." She added as she passed him his plate.
"Oh." It was his turn to blush as she smiled and took a bite of cut fruit.
Later that evening, after talking for a long time and clearing the food away, they laid out on the blanket, Maddy snuggled against his chest. "So what do you think? Good date?"
"My first actually." She yawned softly. "Sorry, I was up early again this morning."
"Morning sickness?" He asked, rubbing her shoulder. She nodded and rested her head on his chest again.
"Hey, my dad wants you over for dinner tomorrow night." She closed her eyes, but he sat up.
"He's going to poison me, or shoot me." Maddy laughed at him.
"He's a big teddy bear."
"He nearly broke my jaw."
"He says that he will be willing to let you 'court' me if you have dinner with the family." She said, then pouted, "Please."
"Alright." He acted like this was the worst thing in the world, but she leaned back into him and he titled her head up. "But only, if you let me." He had tried to kiss her a week ago, but she kept avoiding him, always telling him that it wasn't the right time, or that she wasn't ready to move over the line.
"If you must." She stage sighed and rolled her eyes, but when she looked back at him, he leaned down and gently pressed his lips to her dewy rose petal ones.
She let out a breath and he laid her back on the blanket, holding himself above her as he drank her in, her sweet taste and soft lips, like a parched man.
She had her arms tightly around his neck as he sat up with her, his own arms tightly around her. They were sitting up and almost attacking each other's lips when they were disturbed.
"Hey, get your hands off my daughter." Jim stood up from the bushes from which he had been spying on his daughter and the solder.
She groaned and dropped her head to his shoulder. "Of course he would follow me."
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Mark was wrapped around Maddy Shannon's finger, and everyone knew it. He was constantly doting on her as her pregnancy became known and her child grew larger within her womb.
She was currently sitting in her room, reading from her plex when suddenly a day flower popped up of the ledge of her window. She giggled and stood up, "What are you doing?"
"Oh, just passing by." He pulled himself up and pecked her lips, her smiling wide. "How are you?"
"Good, I'm having an ultrasound today, do you want to come?" She asked as she lean on her forearms at the ledge.
"Sure, just let me go take a shower and I can walk you to the clinic." He dropped from the ledge and she watched him leave, a big goody smile on her face.
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"Oh!" She shifted in her bed slightly, reaching out and grabbing her comm. unit. She spoke softly into the device as not to wake Zoe.
"Mads, you okay?" Mark sounded groggy, but he had answered.
"I feel weird, like there is a rubber band on my stomach." She took a deep breath as the pressure increased then went away all of a sudden.
"I'll be there in five." He agreed and was actually knocking on the door in just that amount of time. He was wearing his regulation clothes but seemed otherwise disheveled. "Mads?" He asked as she opened the door.
"Yeah, um, I need help. With this, my mom said that contractions would feel like a lot of pressure, but not this, this is different." She bit her lip and he nodded.
"I brought a rover with me, if you want to go the clinic we won't have to worry about getting there. Did you want to go?" he asked as she rubbed her large stomach.
"Yeah, but I need to get my mom and the bag if." Her eyes widened. Her hand flew between her legs and she paled. "Either I just wet myself, or my water broke." Mark could see her night dress darken with the dampness.
"Oh, okay, okay, the baby's coming." He sat her down and knocked on her parent's door telling them that Maddy was in labor before retreating to her room to collect her over night bag. It took both Mark and her father to get her into the rover, but she was scared as another contraction squeezed her.
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"Hey gorgeous." He smiled at the girl next to him. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and blinked. "How do you feel?" She cupped his face and kissed him, still tired.
"That answer your question?" she snuggled closer to him. "I wish we could stay like this forever."
"Me too." He tightened his embrace and rested his chin on top of her head. Suddenly the door popped open and little feet ran to Maddy's side of the bed as both parents covered themselves with sheets.
"Mom, mom, come on, come on, time to get ready for school, time for school!" he jumped on the edge of the bed and began bouncing with a big grin on his face.
"Alright, alright, go get your teddy bear and wait at the table." Maddy said as he jumped off the bed and ran out of the room.
"He gets that from you." Mark said as he passed her a robe and pulled on a pair of pants.
"Yep, I was pretty excited for my first day." She smiled as she looked through her closet, "I have never worn this." She said after changing into the form flattering dress. He made a show of looking over her before walking up behind her and holding her close.
"As soon as you get back you will be back in the bed before you can say Carnotarus." He growled and she moaned softly, her eyes fluttering closed for a second. He was a little worked up because he hadn't seen her in two months from an otg, having returned the night before, surprising her.
"Mom! School!"
"Go on Mom." Mark chuckled and let her slip from his grasp.
"I'll be back soon." She promised, this was their day off from both their jobs, and they would not let it go to waste.
"Hurry." He grinned as she walked out and helped her son get ready for school.
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Mark was reading the Terra Nova Times on his plex when Maddy returned. He looked up to see her smile wickedly at him.
"Mark." She bit her lip and motioned with her eyes to the bed room. He stood up and started for her, her lips smiling. "Carnotar-ahh." She was thrown over his shoulder and soon found herself on the soft mattress, her husband caressing her soft skin.
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