A/N - I've decided to be extra generous and post another chapter. I've gotten a few emails of reviews for the last chapter so I'd like to thank those who reviewed, it means a lot! I also want to quickly mention how much I enjoyed the finale of the show, I'm very glad they didn't kill Reynolds off!
Previously...
Reynolds moved towards the house, smiling briefly in Maddy's direction as he passed her in the doorway, Maddy offered him a shy "Hi" as he passed before her eyes moved towards her father. He was watching her carefully as he spoke the next words that came from his mouth.
"That's how you know a boy likes you!" he shook his head and turned to leave.
"Maddy, close the door" her mother spoke up as she left.
While Maddy knew there was some serious danger coming, she couldn't help but smile widely as she thought that she'd at least be spending sometime with the man of her dreams, Mark Reynolds.
Chapter Four - I'll Always Be There
Okay, so maybe their time together wasn't exactly what Maddy was hoping for, their home was under attack and Reynolds had been knocked unconscious when a couple of the Pterosaurs managed to climb through the vents. She'd helped Josh drag Reynolds into her bedroom where the group hid themselves as the creatures reeked havoc on their home. There had been a scary moment when Maddy's heart had almost stopped as she'd glanced around the room and realised Zoe was not there, Josh had immediately sprung into action and went to retrieve her, earning some injuries from the angry home invaders.
The group was currently sitting around waiting for the crashing in the other room to stop, Josh was sitting in the corner having a quiet little chat with Skye as Maddy found herself sitting on the floor with Mark's head in her lap as she carefully tented to the wound on his forehead from where the vent cover had smashed into him.
"Is he gonna be okay Maddy?" Zoe's sweet little voice startled Maddy.
"Oh, erm...Yeah, he'll be fine Zo!" Maddy replied calmly.
Nothing else was said after that, the room fell into a peaceful silence. When Maddy glanced around the room again, everyone was fast asleep, she took a quick glance down at Reynolds when he let out a pained groan and begin to shift around, his eyes opened carefully and suddenly widened when he realised where he was, he shot up quickly then groaned from the pain in his head.
"Maddy!" He exclaimed. "What happened? Where are we?"
Maddy chuckled slightly at how freaked out he was. "We're in my bedroom, we kinda got chased in here."
Mark nodded slightly and took another glance around, noting the sleeping forms of Maddy's siblings and Skye. He let out a deep breath before turning back to Maddy and smiling at her sweetly. She'd been taking care of him, the thought warmed his heart and made him happier than he could admit.
"I'm glad you're okay." He grinned. "Thank you for taking care of me!"
He reached up and tenderly touched the wound on his forehead, wincing slightly when it throbbed, Maddy was blushing and staring at the floor when he glanced back towards her. It made him oddly proud that he could get this type of reaction from her. For the next few hours they sat back and talked quietly, getting to know more about each other and finally getting to finish their 20 questions game they'd started earlier. Mark left at sunrise after checking that the Pterosaurs had left and Maddy moved to wake the others, Skye left soon after.
Maddy's parents had returned home a few hours later to find their children fast asleep in the living room, they quietly snuck by and headed to bed.
It came as quite a surprise to Maddy when the blows kept coming, not too long after the ordeal the colony had been through, some sort of virus had been created at an outpost that her parents both somehow managed to get to and apparently Dr. Shannon had lost most of her memories, the thought had left Maddy in a panic when she thought she'd have lost her mother forever. A cure had been created however and her mother's memories restored. Maddy was now lounging around on the porch of the family home, enjoying the sun's burning hot rays as she heard footsteps approaching, her face lit up when she saw Mark coming her way.
"Morning Miss Shannon" He spoke as the twinkle in his eye that she loved made an appearance.
Maddy waved slightly. "Morning Mr. Reynolds, to what do I owe this visit?"
"I wanted to check in and see how you were doing before I start my shift." He took a seat beside her, laying down his weapon and resting his hands on his knees.
"Me? Weren't you the one who was held at knife point?" Maddy laughed. "Sorry about that, by the way."
Mark shrugged and grinned at her. "Don't worry, it wasn't your fault."
Maddy sighed and turned towards him, raising an eyebrow before replying. "You wouldn't have been there if you didn't follow me though."
"I couldn't let you go alone, I had to make sure you didn't get into any trouble." He winked.
Maddy giggled and felt her face flush. She could still see the image clearly in her head as she'd entered Commander Taylor's quarters to confront Lieutenant Washington to get answers on where her parents were, Mark had of course chased after her, leaving two guards to watch Zoe before doing so, he'd ended up with a knife to her throat as they entered the office. Commander Taylor had suffered from the virus too and had forgotten where he was, he had come to the colony and confront Washington for answers, Maddy and Mark had barged in and interrupted.
"I'm still sorry." Maddy sighed.
Mark shocked her when he reached over and took her warm hand in his own, holding it gently before squeezing slightly. "Don't be. I'd do it again if it meant you had some peace of mind."
Oh my god. He's holding my hand.
Dork.
Shut up!
Maddy blushed and glanced down at their joint hands, Mark coughed slightly being removing his hands and mumbling an apology, turning away as his hearty raced. Had he moved too quickly and scared her?
"Don't be." Maddy repeated his earlier words, taking his hand back in her own.
She sent him a smile as she interlaced their fingers together and moved closer, leaning into his side. This was the bravest she felt that she'd ever been, she'd never normally be this confident but he made her that way, she felt like she could be bold and make the first move but only because it was with him. Mark's lips turned up in the corners as he let out a content sigh and bit his lip, glad that she'd wanted to hold his hand. He felt like such a girl for thinking that but he didn't care, the young Shannon girl made his heart beat faster and made his head spin whenever she was around and he would gladly die knowing he made her feel the same.
"There is something I need to discuss with you but I have to go now, I'll see you soon, okay?" He spoke up, standing.
Maddy followed his lead, their hands still linked, she nodded and finally let go, though she hated to do so. Mark retrieved his weapon before grabbing her hand and bringing it up to his lips, placing a gently kiss to her knuckles before turning to leave.
"Until soonthen, Mr. Reynolds." Maddy chuckled.
Mark turned and grinned. "Yes...good day, Maddy."
Maddy barely had time to react before he was walking away, she watched him leave, her eyes trying not to stray from his well defined back that was hidden beneath his uniform, she blushed at the thoughts running through her mind before she headed inside.
While out at the market place the next day to escape her family after an orphaned sixer had shown up at the colony and somehow now lived with her family, Maddy found herself walking from stall to stall, a basket hung over her arm as she searched for the groceries listed on the sheet of paper her mother had made that morning. Her eyes moved slowly over the various fruits before her, her sight catching on a large, round yellow fruit.
"Maddy" his voice called out from behind her.
"Hey" she replied, turning slightly to face him.
She moved to the next stall, his footsteps behind her telling her that he was following. "Are you doing anything right now?"
"Yeah. I'm just picking up a few things."
She glanced at him, his eyes showing that he had something he clearly wanted to talk about.
"Uh...I wanted to talk to you about something" He spoke slowly.
Probably what he mentioned yesterday.
Ssh, he's speaking!
Maddy moved towards the woman behind the table before her as she paid for the fruits she'd placed in the basket. Mark shoved his hands into his pockets as his voice seemed to falter slightly, Maddy's heart picked up its pace slightly before she managed to calm it. She moved down a few more tables, her ears struggling to try and pick up the sound of him following her, maybe he's gone. She glanced around slightly and found him watching her.
"I...uhm" He began. He stopped to take a deep breath. "I want to declare my intentions for you Maddy Shannon."
Maddy paused. "You wanna do what to me?"
He shook his head slightly, his nerves getting the better of him as he moved forward to approach her. "To...court you."
Maddy felt her lips slide into an easy smile. "Court. You mean like... date?"
She watched him form a smile of his own. "Yes."
Maddy laughed slightly. It was an old fashioned concept but she found it so sweet. "You know you could have just said that!"
Mark swallowed. "Well you see that's not really how it's done here. According to Commander Taylor, I have to address you in a certain way, I have to talk with your father and then call at your house and then have the honour of escorting you to a planned event outside the home that might please you."
Maddy's heartbeat sped up slightly. Oh my god.
"They used to do it this way." Mark's face flushed. His smile hesitant.
There was a short silence before Maddy smoke. "Well technically, they will do it that way... in the future, then again they'll also wear corsets."
Mark watched her carefully. "So..." He paused. "May I have the honour?"
Taking a deep breath, Maddy smiled. "Yes, I suppose you may." She mocked lightly.
Mark flashed her a dazzling smile and chuckled at her light humour. She said Yes. He took a deep breath.
"Awesome." Maddy said, trying to fill the silence.
"Yeah?" Mark smiled.
Maddy nodded. "Definitely, my day has just been so awful."
She turned to make her way through the next couple of stalls, Mark followed her quickly, offering his arm with a smile. "Well, Tell me about it."
"Where should I start?" Maddy asked. "The fact that I can't even look at some patients without vomiting while doing my internship with my mother" She stopped. "Or the part where Leah is just..."
"Start at the beginning." Mark cut her off, holding out his arm for her. "I've got time, especially for you."
Maddy linked her arm through his before they set off down the street, Maddy describing just how awful her day was as he listened intently, offering replies when needed and enjoying her company, feeling his heart soar as it always did around her.
Terra Nova seemed like it wouldn't be the fresh start the Shannon family had hoped for, so far there'd been dinosaur attacks, a memory stealing virus and several sixer attacks. This time there was a murder just outside the colony, one of the soldiers having been killed when someone had planted a Nykoraptor in a utility post. As it turned out, the soldier was a good friend to Mark. That's why Maddy had found herself searching for him most of the day when he hadn't turned up at her house to see her as he had told her to.
"Excuse me." Maddy addressed a soldier walking past her. "Have you seen Mark Reynolds anywhere?"
The soldier pointed her towards a path she remembered taking while looking around the colony on one of her first days here, it had lead to the most beautiful garden she'd seen, that's where Maddy found Mark today, sitting on a bench, overlooking the view of some of the most stunning flowers Maddy had ever seen.
She took a seat beside him, watching him look out to the distance. "Hey."
"Hey." He muttered quietly.
"Listen, I heard about Foster, I'm so sorry...I know he was a good friend of yours." Maddy comforted him, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Yeah. Yeah he was." He spoke, his voice cracking slightly, his eyes clouded with grief.
It broke Maddy's heart to see him look so lost, she moved closer slightly and wrapped her arm around his shoulder, pulling him gently to her side. He didn't move, instead he let out a sigh and coughed, wiping at his eyes slightly. Maddy moved to stand.
"I can go...if...if you want to be alone?" She asked.
She stood slightly, turning to leave but was startled when his hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. She turned and found his eyes watching her, pleading with her to stay.
"No!" He let out quickly. "Please. Stay."
Maddy nodded and took her place on the seat beside him again, her arm returning to his shoulder again, willing him to just let her in. This time however, he did, his arm moving to pull her to him as he wrapped her in a hug and squeezed her tightly. She inhaled his scent slightly as she squeezed back.
"You make it all feel...better." His voice answered, muffled as his face pressed into her neck.
Maddy felt a slow smile creep onto her face as she nodded and rubbed soothing circles into his back, holding him to her.
"I'm glad." She spoke. "I want you to know I'll always be here if you need me."
Mark nodded and sighed, pulling back before grabbing both her hands in his own. "Thank you, likewise with you." He smiled.
They spent the next few hours just holding each other, enjoying the peace they felt in those moments, when it came time to finally leave, they found themselves returning to a large crowd of people gathered as Commander Taylor moved to address the colony and begin the trial for the supposed killer who had apparently killed Foster.
"Can I come see you later? Please?" Mark's voice pleaded with her.
Maddy nodded, squeezing his fingers in her own before moving to stand with her family as Mark joined the ranks of soldiers standing to the side of the crowd, his eyes falling on the girl who he knew, in that moment, he would spend the rest of his life with.
A/N - Okay, so as I said earlier, I was feeling generous so I couldn't help but write another chapter. I felt quite inspired by the finale and couldn't resist doing another chapter.
Reviews will again, be very appreciated.
I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and until next time. Enjoy. :D