"Look who's awake," Jim Shannon's cheery voice teased the slowly waking Commander as he leaned over him.
"And I thought you were ugly from a distance, you're down right hideous. Either back off or kiss me," Taylor was sure he could get a swing at him before he moved. Shannon stood upright, laughing. "How long did our local witch doctor knock me out for?" His mouth was dry and had a bad after taste.
"Three days. She figured you needed the rest and didn't know how else to make you behave."
Taylor looked at the bed next to his. Washington was still there, her vital monitor showed what his eyes first confirmed, her chest was rising and falling.
Shannon's gaze followed and he sobered. He had spent much time in this room, unofficially overseeing them both. He had this area blocked off with an endless supply of soldiers volunteering round the clock guard duty. He put Reilly in charge of scheduling troops while he carried Taylor's plexpad, trying to make sense of the commander's usage of military terms. Finally, he got his own out and transferred his notes to the Commander's pad so Taylor could review when he woke up.
"Elizabeth hasn't woke her yet. She figured you would want to be present," Jim moved towards the curtain, "I'll get her," he slipped out while Taylor was still processing his 'Wash' was still with him.
He sat up, grimacing as a sharp pain twisted his guts. Slowly he stood, looking around for his pants and a shirt. Not finding any, he moved barefoot to her bed and took her slender hand in his large one. He noticed the red marks of restraining bands. He lifted her hand and kissed the mark softly, moving his lips to the back of her hand and finally her knuckles. His eyes moved over her body searching for additional damage her ordeal caused. "I only wanted you to be safe, Wash," he whispered into her hand.
He felt the comforting touch of a hand on his bare shoulder, "Sit down and I'll update you," Dr. Shannon carefully replaced Alicia's hand on the bed beside her as the Commander went back to bed, covering his lower half with the light blanket. At least they had left his underwear, but he was still self-conscious with his nudity around strange women, even if they were his doctor.
Quickly, she detailed the operation, making him understand Washington would indeed live and her physical appearance would be unchanged, "I was able to repair the holes and fill in the missing bone with bone replacer. There might be a small scar, but makeup will cover it. The exit wound was larger, but again filled in and hair will cover her scar. All in all, she couldn't have been shot in a better location for a head shot. No brain or eye damage. Her loose teeth will reset without help. I cleaned and repaired the sinuses," she stopped for a breather before getting to the bad news. "However," she reached and placed her smaller hand over his larger one as she saw it grip the blanket, "I couldn't restore her hearing in the left ear, too much damage," she let go as he visibly relaxed. He was prepared for worse.
"That's all?"
"No, her balance will most likely be impaired. I won't know how much until she's on her feet, but no more fighting or training for now. The troops who found her said she was leaning heavily on a stick. Maybe she couldn't stand without it. She's going to need a recovery period; a long one."
Now for the uncomfortable part. She and Jim had talked about Taylor and Washington's relationship. Being new to the colony, they weren't sure if there was a personal relationship or they were just very good friends. Jim could be dense at times and she hadn't been around the two all that much together. Oh, she had seen Washington fuss over the Commander when he and Jim had come back from spraying pheromones to relocate the Malcolmussaursia, their friend Malcolm had named after himself. But the Commander seemed to shake off her affections and left alone to sleep, while she had accompanied her husband home. Elizabeth didn't want to imply anything or overstep her position, "You seem extremely close to Lieutenant Washington," she chanced a glance at Jim. He knew what was coming. "I can't tell if it's how you treat your friends or something else. I need to know." At his closed expression, she elucidated further, "It will determine her recovery program." She was sure there was more to their relationship outside of the unmerciful teasing of his second. He was so broken up with her death, more like a lover than superior.
Commander Taylor remained silent for a moment, processing his answer. Finally, he replied, "Fraternizing with subordinates is forbidden, at least in the future. We had been here two years, and were dedicated to building the colony. Then I kicked Lucas out of the colony and shot the General. Boylan knew. I knew he wouldn't say anything; he just wanted to retire, so I let him. He's not a bad person; I wouldn't let your boy work for him otherwise. Wash was the only other person I could tell. She was there for me and it slowly sank in; we weren't going back, ever. The rules in the future didn't seem so important here. I allowed myself to feel again," he stopped to let out a chuckle, "and to my surprise, Wash didn't push away my advances." He shook his head, still disbelieving after five years and added, "I didn't want our relationship to affect our duties, but it did, for both of us." He looked at them both, "I didn't listen to her. I haven't gone into battle without her for almost twenty years," he slapped the cover. "I just wanted to keep her safe. I wasn't thinking like a soldier. My feelings were to protect someone I loved. For once I wanted her to be my woman, not my second." He looked helplessly at them, "If I had taken her with me, she most likely wouldn't be there," he gestured at her bed. "My fears for her got in the way of my judgment," he stopped talking and just stared at the other bed.
"So I can count on you to be their every step of her recovery?" Dr. Shannon wanted to be sure of his commitment to the woman he professed to love.
"When I got back, if things went well, I was going to ask her to marry me," his blatant admission reinforcing his willingness to be there for that woman.
"I'm waking her tomorrow. If you promise to behave, you can have your clothes," she smiled at his nod. He meant well and she went to find the clothing Jim had brought for him, leaving the men alone.
Jim went to Wash's bed, taking her nearest hand in both of his, he gazed at her coma induced face, "Sorry Wash," he whispered, "you didn't deserve this for my family. We should have found another way."
"She did her duty. That's why we didn't want anyone to know about us. It might change how she was treated. If you knew what I actually was losing, would you have come, or sent her and stayed behind," not a question, just truth. "It doesn't matter anymore. Look on the bright side, Shannon," the men locked gazes, "Lucas took my soldier away, but he left the woman, and of the two, the woman is the one I want the most."
Elizabeth entered carrying pants, t-shirt and socks.
"Your boots are under the bed, and good luck convincing her of that," she smirked and left him to dress.
Dr. Shannon and Commander Taylor were the only ones present when Elizabeth injected medicine to wake Washington. Like the trained soldier she was, she lay perfectly still, fully conscious and listening for sounds to determine her circumstances before making any movement. She figured she was in the clinic and heard Taylor ask a question and heard Dr. Shannon answer.
"Open your eyes, Soldier," she smiled at her Commander's order.
"I can't believe she fell for you with a bedside manner like that," her eyes flew open, both of them. What had he told the doctor about them, "Good, how many fingers am I holding up?"
"Two," she croaked, "water"
She felt her head gently held by Taylor as the doctor put a straw to her lips, "Better?" the doctor asked after seeing half the glass drained before her patient spit the straw out.
"Yes," her voice was steadier and stronger.
"Can you see out of your left eye?" Dr. Shannon flashed a light in both eyes, "Excellent," she stated at Wash's soft affirmative. "Follow my finger," she moved it back and forth and up and down, "any pain?"
"Some, not when I keep my eye still."
"That's to be expected. Do you remember what happened?" Was Elizabeth's final question.
Taylor leaned in and took her closest hand in both of his, squeezing softly.
"Lucas…Lucas shot me," she felt a slight shaking; a tremor ran through Nathaniel, being forced to live the horrible scene once again in his mind.
"What happened after that?" Dr. Shannon inquired.
"I woke to the sound of feeding, made a break for it; tried to make the camp. Got their too late, couldn't move fast enough," her face was starting to hurt and she flinched, causing Dr. Shannon to up her dose of pain meds. After a minute she continued, "I was out three nights that I remember," she saw her commander and the doctor exchange glances.
"Actually you were out for four, you were probably unconscious for at least twenty four hours," Dr. Shannon had the information she needed. Washington's memory and brain were un-impaired, "I'm going to knock you out again, not for as long, but you've done all the talking I'm allowing for now. You've got two minutes before this kicks in," she quickly left to give them time alone.
Nathaniel lost no time in doing what he wanted to for days. They kissed and she fell asleep with his low gravely whisper of, "I love you, Alicia," into her good ear.
Alicia switched the red cane and bag to her right hand, left gripping the rail as she slowly made her way up the steps. A light mist was falling, making the steps a little slick. In her concentration, she didn't notice Mark Reynolds lope up behind her and take the items from her right hand before she could protest. He smiled and offered his arm. Once, a proud Lieutenant would have slapped it away. With a smile she accepted his help.
"Allow me, Mrs. Taylor," he stressed her new name with good natured ribbing.
"Give me my cane back and I'll Mrs. Taylor you," she joked back.
"Don't you remember your last performance review," he laughingly reminded her, "You don't follow orders very well."
She rolled her eyes, "Taylor was joking and I can walk up these steps without your help. I wish I wasn't treated like a glass vase about ready to fall."
"Commander's orders. How they doing?" he pointed to her stomach.
"It's been a constant wrestling match. Taylor's sons all the way. I wouldn't expect anything else."
"I'm sure being your sons has something to do with it also." They entered the command center and Mark handed her cane back and set the bag on a table against the wall while Alicia settled in the chair behind the command desk.
"Have you heard from the away team, Reynolds?" Alicia had been at the doctor's and shopping all morning and hadn't heard from her OTG husband and his group of twenty soldiers. They'd been gone over a week with no contact. He had purposely left Mark Reynolds behind with a private warning to take care of his pregnant wife or he would answer personally to him. A task Reynolds took to heart, even sleeping on the commander's couch to be within earshot if she should need anything.
"Nothing yet, but they've been gone longer before," he wanted to take as much worry from her shoulders as he could, but when the Phoenix army moved, the entire colony was restless until the soldiers returned.
"Mark, I have a question," he smiled at her use of his first name. Usually meant she was going to ask him something of a personal nature. "Whenever I go out around anyone, I feel like everyone is watching me. Am I just paranoid, or do people treat me different because of what happened?"
A touch one, be honest, "Ummm, everyone still can't believe you're alive. They like seeing you. They respect you a lot," she shook her head at that. "You're a hero to the kids. I've heard the little girls pretend to be you." They laughed together. "Zoe Shannon thinks you came back and is a ghost. She tells the other kids you can do miracles and kill vampires."
Alicia shook her head in disbelief again, "She comes up and gives me hugs all the time. Nathaniel was complaining to her that she never hugs him anymore so last time she hugged him first." Alicia struggled to stand and Mark hurried to assist, "I'm going to lie down. Wake me if you hear anything," she headed to a small room at the back of the command center that Taylor had fashioned into a bedroom for himself when the Command Center was first built. Now it would be a daytime nursery and a place for the mother to rest.
Mark moved to the balcony and sat at the chess board, looked out over the market and waited.
As Alicia settled on the comfortable bed to rest, she marveled at the previous nine months.
Two weeks was spent in the clinic learning how to walk, with a permanent tendency to tilt to the left. Malcolm brought a red cane and with Nathaniel's help she managed to cross the room straight, head held high. She was grateful for the reconstruction on her face and Nathaniel repeatedly told her she was beautiful even if she didn't agree. She remembered telling him she felt ugly now. He responded by kneeling and asking her to marry him. She had been released earlier that day and he escorted her to her quarters. The first thing she noticed were his belongings strewn about.
"I'll let you put them away where you want," was his only explanation that he moved in with her. She would learn later, he never went back to his place from the day he returned to the colony, but slept in her bed with her scent surrounding him.
He bought dinner from the market and they ate their first meal together. "What?" he kept staring at her all through their meal.
"I can't get enough of you and tonight I have you back in our bed, where you belong. Honestly, until we make love, I'm still dreaming."
"You want to make love to someone with a face like this?" she wasn't hearing him correctly, damn that one ear.
In response, he stood and pulled her from the table. She remembered him gently lifting her hair over her left ear and raining soft kisses on that side. It was still slightly swollen and yellow was the hue of her healing skin.
"No," he cupped her face in his large hands and placed a kiss on her lips. Slowly he knelt on one knee taking her hands in his, "I want to marry you. You are beautiful to me. I was going to propose when I got back from the eleventh. That's why I kept you back. I was scared and I wanted to protect you. My heart overruled my head and where you're concerned, I'm never going back. I love you Alicia Washington, marry me."
She had known. His bluster covered his fears and his actions that fateful day were not those of a soldier or commanding officer. He was a man trying to protect the woman he loved. His increased late night visits leading up to the eleventh and she caught him looking at her often, although his expression was enigmatic. She was sure it was after the Sixers roughed her up that he changed even more. They argued more after that and he changed her orders on more than one occasion, moving her to a safer location. He never voiced his concerns outside his jesting, teasing manner. Now with him on one knee, being straightforward, he waited her answer.
"Yes," a simple answer, but supper was forgotten as he carried her to what would forever be their bed.
The colony looked wonderful the day they exchanged vows. Hurried repairs were stepped up when the day after she accepted his proposal he told everyone he encountered, and the rumor mill had the entire colony informed by noon. She was still housebound, but soon Dr. Shannon, Maddy, Skye and Debora were entrenched in the living room, pushing the Commanders belongings to the side as they wanted details and made plans.
The entire colony was present. It duplicated as a promotion ceremony. Another month had passed, giving her time to heal. Never again would she lead a unit or train soldiers in hand to hand combat. Instead she would be Taylor's right hand, involved in all aspects of his decision making. He kept her so close to his side, on the rare times she wasn't present, the soldiers would worriedly ask after her health. An unspoken loyalty to watch out for that special woman returned to them made all; civilians and soldiers alike take special care for her needs. Taylor had told them he approved of the treatment of his fiancée and soon to be wife. She was treated like a queen and he approved. She earned that position and was gracious to all who welcomed her back.
Five promotions preceded the wedding. Reynolds was promoted to Corporal, Dunham to Sargent, Reilly to Captain, Jim Shannon given field commission of Lieutenant and Washington to Lieutenant Commander. When he got to her, she was last; Taylor had started with the lowest rank and moved up, he turned to the crowd, "Lieutenant Washington is getting a promotion and a demotion today," he couldn't stop smiling, "She's promoted to the rank of Lt. Commander and the demotion is definitely marrying an old war horse like me." The crowd clapped and laughed and hollered.
At Wash's request, Thomas Boylan performed the simple military ceremony. She didn't forget he had her back during her stint in his bar. He kept her drinks watered down, while doubling the drink of whoever she had targeted. Taylor would have preferred Malcolm Wallace for the sacrifice he made, so they compromised, Boylan performed the wedding and Malcolm was best man while Alicia had Captain Reilly stand with her. Both had been extremely honored to be asked and as for Boylan, he almost cried. Having to be nice to that invading army and his association with Mira; he was the last person he figured Taylor would ask to have anything to do with a wedding of that magnitude. He made sure a bottle of his best was waiting for them in their home for later. At the end of their vows, rings exchanged, they faced each other hands held and together repeated together into each other's eyes, "Forever together until death do us part," then they kissed as husband and wife.
Almost from their wedding night she got pregnant. At first she attributed the morning sickness to inner ear dysfunction, but finally a visit to Dr. Shannon proved her wrong. Twins. Nathaniel had been ecstatic, telling anyone who would listen that two more soldiers were coming. They had wanted to know the sex so Dr. Shannon placed the monitor over her stomach and proceeded to explain that two eggs had been pierced by two sperm. The boys wouldn't be identical. "I just wanted to know the shade of black to decorate the nursery," Taylor joked when provided so much detail.
"Lieutenant C, they are back," Reynolds knocked on the bedroom door.
"Come in," Alicia was trying to struggle off the bed. Reynolds hurried across the room and hauled her to her feet so they could meet the caravan together, "Why didn't they radio in?" she asked Reynolds as they hurried to the balcony.
"Don't know." They watched the front rover roll to a stop in front of the Command Center and a weary looking Commander stiffly got out from behind the wheel while Jim Shannon exited the passenger side into the waiting arms of his wife. The Commander looked automatically up until his eyes found who he was searching for and he grinned and with considerably more energy bounced up the steps two at a time until he had her in his arms, her protruding belly making it impossible to pull her as close as he wanted. He leaned in for a long kiss, not caring they were in full view of the inhabitants below. At one time he would have never done more than slap her on the arm until they were alone. He liked this new arraignment much better.
"Dismissed Corporal," he led his wife inside while Reynolds made his escape. They went directly to the improvised bedroom where he shed armor, jacket and boots. Lying on the bed he snuggled his wife, 'Wash' as he stilled called her to him. "Once we left the badlands, we didn't stop for more than a few minutes at a time. It was a long drive," he relaxed glad to be on his back, and more than happy to have his wife touching him again. She had her hand under his t-shirt rubbing from his chest down to his belt and back up. "We got close enough to see Mira and Lucas are with the Phoenix Group, like we suspected. They are set up near a fissure in the side of a cliff. There were artifacts strewn about. We couldn't tell what exactly or from what era. Lucas was building something. We set up a surveillance camera with a remote viewer that Malcolm designed. It was working when I left. I set up relay outpost from the equipment back to here. We should get relay updates regularly. I'm putting you in charge of gathering info." It was important to him to keep her involved and recon information gathering was one of her many specialties. He had taken over her training and physical duties. Her getting pregnant was the catalyst he needed to convince her, a permanent change was required. Her impairment alone wasn't going to stop her from trying, "We decided any radio contact might tip them off, so I ordered radio silence. Sorry to have worried you."
"I suppose you want your reward for assigning me this assignment?" Alicia ran her hand down to cover his swollen member.
"That's what your job title says," he unfastened his pants for her to have access over his black military issue briefs.
"You better have my job description double coded. I'd hate to have to kill Shannon if he ever finds it," she muttered into his mouth as they dueled with tongues while her hand squeezed him into a moan of appreciation. As a joke on their honeymoon, he wrote her job description and placed it in her file.
All orders, request or assignments by Commander Nathaniel Taylor to Lt. Commander Alicia Taylor will be responded with appropriate sexual gratuity.
Her entire job description summed up in one sentence. Improvised hand ministrations the best they could do in the command center in the middle of the afternoon, although nobody would dare enter after the couple had been parted for so long unless it was an emergency.
Finished for now. I'm thinking about a sequel crossover with Star Trek TNG