Falling for Maggie
Disclaimer: This is a work of fan-fiction. The story I tell about Ben and Maggie is my own invention, and it is not purported, or believed, to be part of the Falling Skies story canon. It is for entertainment only, and is not part of the storyline.
Chapter Seven:
Ben:
He didn't quite have a handle on how the fighters would do in the field, until the day they landed the plane. Ben watched as the fighters eliminated the rogue skitters that had the other human's surrounded. The spike kids followed the escaped skitters into the trees, and Ben could vaguely sense them - through the spikes - chasing down the enemy, and killing them - one by one.
The surviving humans, the ones they had heard firing their weapons when they'd landed the plane, appeared one by one from the tree line. "Never thought I'd see an airplane like that land in the middle of a field." A scruffy looking man - holding a rifle - shouted. "You want to identify yourselves."
"I'm Ben Mason," he shouted back, "Second Mass. Who are you?" Ben yelled back.
The man's thick eye-brows raised, and he turned to exchange looks with the soldiers on his right and left. "We're the Second Mass. Outer patrol. You landed that bird a long way from base-camp, Ben Mason."
"There's a storm just south of here. Had to land here."
"And save your asses," Pope threw in, coming to stand next to him.
"Is everyone okay?" Ben asked, under his breath.
Pope nodded. "The spikes?"
"I can sense them. They've taken out the rest of the rogue skitters."
"Overlords?" Pope asked.
Ben shook his head. "I don't sense any in the area. Those skitters weren't under Overlord control."
"Yeah well, thanks, but we've been following those skitters for a week now, trying to track down the Overlord making them. You just interfered with our mission." The man shouted back to Pope.
"You're welcome," Ben said. If they hadn't "interfered" when they had, they'd be talking to dead men. "How far to camp?"
"You're a good two days walk away." The soldier replied. "I'm Harrison, I'm in charge here. Since our mission is apparently over, we'll be heading back to base. You can come with us if you want."
"Do you have a radio?"
The solder shook his head, and put his hands on his waist. "I did. Had to drop my bag when we got attacked. Not sure where that was, to be honest with you."
Ben sighed. It would have been nice to radio ahead, and let the others know they were okay, and coming with reinforcements. Also, his dad might want to send someone out to guard the plane, until they could get it refueled and, ultimately, to Fayetteville. As it was, it was left to him to assign some guards to stay behind. "We have some unloading to do," Ben called back. "Why don't you take a break, while we get organized, then we can all head out together."
The soldier seemed to be contemplating Ben's suggestion. He rubbed his furry chin. "Seeing as you're Tom Mason's long lost son, I think we'll stick around. Make sure you get back to camp okay. Yeah, we'll give you an hour to get ready."
Pope's eyes cut over, and they exchanged a look. Ben signaled to his fighters, who were quietly surrounding the alleged "Second Mass" soldiers. The fighters converged on the soldiers, and disarmed them quickly, and without much of a fight. "What the hell is going on?" Harrison demanded, surrendering his weapon to one of Ben's fighters.
"Sorry. Just a safety precaution. As soon as your story is confirmed, we'll let you go." Ben said. "Let's get everyone unloaded." He told Pope.
###
It took three hours to off-load all the passengers, get everyone organized, and carrying their fair share of weight. They were taking all of the weapons, and ammo, with them, and enough food and water for two days of travel, and leaving almost everything else behind. Ben had selected Daniel, his best spike kid, a black haired boy with a mischievous smile, and five of Pope's best fighters to stay behind and guard the plane, until someone could return and relieve them. At the last minute, Alex demanded to stay behind. "I can run some system diagnostics, get everything ready for the fuel you're bringing back." He asserted, rubbing his hand with a rag and stepping away from the electrical compartment he had opened on the plane's belly. "You are bringing fuel back, right?"
"I'll tell you the same thing I told the others. I won't know for sure until I get into camp and find out where the Second Mass stands. Assuming they have fuel, and the vehicles to spare, we'll be back for you in a few days. If not, it could be longer. Long story, short, I can't make any promises, Alex. If you stay, you're on your own until we get back."
Alex nodded, glancing up at the plane. "I'll stay with her anyways. Natalie would have wanted me to."
"That's fair," Ben said, "We'll see you soon."
He walked over to where Maggie, Pope, and Sara were waiting for him. He wasn't surprised to see Thomas sleeping in Pope's arms. The five of them would walk at the back of the procession, along with two other spike kids, Zoe and the one that called himself Razor. Ben was undecided about whether or not they could trust the new people they'd saved about where to go, so they just headed north, toward the city, hoping to come across another patrol, closer in, with a radio.
Pope and Sara started walking a few paces ahead of her, and Ben. Maggie was quiet, her eyes on the woods around them. They were all on high alert. The entire area seemed like a good place for an enemy ambush, but Ben felt it was best to keep strength in numbers, rather than splitting up and sending fighters - who didn't know the terrain - ahead to scout. He wanted his group with him and, deep down, he knew it was because he needed them to protect his family. He couldn't let something happen to Thomas or Maggie, not this close to finally making it home. "Hey," Ben said, touching Maggie's shoulder and gently drawing her to a stop. He slowly pushed her hood down. "Your hair..."
Maggie gave him that shy smile, glancing up from under those big lashes. "What do you think?"
She'd cut it short, a few inches above her shoulders. The blonde was gone, and what was left was her natural color; a deep, chestnut hue, a color that suited her better, Ben thought. "It's great. It brings out those big, beautiful eyes," he said, swinging her into a bear hug. "Ouch."
"Sorry," she said, "You're going to have to get used to not grabbing me when I'm holding a rifle again."
"Yeah, I'll be sure to remember that next time."
She laughed. "It's nice, being outside again, isn't it? I was going stir crazy in that bunker."
"It's nice," Ben agreed, adjusting his own gun, "This will be his first time out. He's going to freak when he wakes up."
Maggie froze. "I didn't even think about that." She put her hand up to her face, shaking her head.
"Hey," Ben said, "You've got a lot on your mind. I didn't think of it until just now either. You're so tense, Maggie. What's up?"
She relaxed a little, and drew the rifle behind her back. She stretched her arms out, and drew them in against her chest. "I mean, have you thought about what we're walking into, Ben? I've wanted to tell you for some time now, that my feelings about us, and Hal, and how we left...I'm still really conflicted."
"I have." He said. Hal and Maggie had never really broken up. Technically, what he and Maggie were doing, was cheating, no matter how he'd managed to blur the lines in his head. "Thought about it."
"I don't want him to hate you, Ben. I don't want to be the reason for that. You know? I mean, he's going to hate me, and I'll take that, own it, but I...I can't stand the idea of hurting him, and hurting you."
"Hey, catch up, you two," Pope yelled over his shoulder, about three hundred yards ahead.
"Does he not realize that I could be on his heels in five seconds?" Ben asked.
He turned to see a tear running down Maggie's cheek. "I'm sorry," he said. Stepping up to her, he wiped the tear away with his index finger.
"Ben, I still love Hal, too. It's different then how I felt about him before. It's different then how I feel about you, but it's still there...I just needed to let you know that before..."
Ben felt a twinge of pain flutter through his gut. It was an uncomfortable, unpleasant feeling, but it was tolerable, and he never lost sight of the fact that she had every right to feel that way. "I won't get in your way, Maggie, if you need time to decide. But I'm never going to stop feeling this way about you. I'm sealed to you, and I can't just cut that off." He put his hand over his heart, "If I was capable of doing it, I would have let you go a long time ago. I would have spared you all of this."
He took a step toward Pope and the others, hoping she would follow him. Hoping, beyond hope, that she didn't feel like she had to go into details about the things she felt for Hal. He felt a hand hook his elbow, and she pulled him back toward her, wrapping her arms up and around his neck, and she pressed her body against his. She stared into his eyes for a minute, before leaning up on her tip-toes, and brushing her lips against his. It was like flipping on a switch strong enough to power a city. A charge went through him, and he instantly longed for her, craved her. Just this simple exchange, set him on fire. He leaned down to kiss her more, and she drew her head back just enough to be out of reach...teasing him. He groaned and slid his arms up her back, lifting her off her feet and bringing their lips together. He tasted her, letting his tongue trace her lips.
They realized they had an audience at the same time. Ben slowly put her down, as they turned to see Pope and Sara standing a few feet away, Thomas stood between them, holding one of each of their hands, and swinging back and forth. "Look!" He shouted, pointing up at the sky. "Look blue."
"That's right, buddy," Maggie said, peeling herself off Ben. She gave him a look, and said, "I told you he was paying attention to that color and shape book we were reading."
Ben laughed, feeling their energy start to separate, as she drew away from him, as her hand slipped down his arm, and then she stopped, and curled her index finger around his, pulling him behind her, and over to Thomas. She let go of Ben's hand long enough to swoop Thomas up in her arms, and then he felt her hand slide back into his.
###
Maggie:
"Is he asleep already?" She asked him, as he strolled toward the fire between their tent and Pope's. The fire-light lit his eyes, as usual, and she felt the warm waves of heat from the fire, bouncing off his electric energy as he approached. Ben didn't realize it, but his presence had a strong effect on the environment around him, and on her. She'd noticed it about him after spending a month underground getting to know him. He was getting stronger. The more training he did, the more he fine-tuned his powers, the more he seemed like a walking angel to Maggie. Like an otherworldly creature. She shook the word 'deity' out of her mind, but she had to admit – at least to herself – that she worshiped him.
He sat down beside her, and pulled her into his arms, nodding at Pope and Sara lost in bantering that Maggie had managed to ignore for ten minutes. "Yeah, he was so talkative." Ben said, his eyes dancing with amusement as he spoke, "He was telling me the names of everything in the tent, and there were these little bursts of words about all the stuff he saw today. He asked about you. I reminded him it was your night off. We were counting sheep. We got to ten and, literally, in mid-sentence, he passed out."
She loved hearing him talk about their son. Ben had surprised her by being a natural at fatherhood. He had this way with Thomas, that she didn't understand, but she felt blessed to be witness to, to simply be a part of. "He stayed awake all day. I expected him to take at-least one nap earlier."
"I think he's just over-stimulated. It's a lot for him to take in."
"So, kid, how far away do you think we are?" Pope asked, stretching his legs by the fire, and resting his arm behind Sara.
"The men we picked up say we'll be there by sundown tomorrow."
"And you believe them?" Pope asked.
Ben shrugged. "Not necessarily, but until we get closer, it's the only intel we have about the layout." Maggie knew Ben didn't like taking prisoners, let alone someone claiming to be part of the Second Mass, but he also had a hard time trusting anyone, with good reason. His choices became harder, and harder, everyday. It made her feel guilty for burdening him earlier in the day with her drama.
They heard some of the fighters laughing at a camp-fire nearby, and Sara sat up suddenly. "Oh, I almost forgot, you guys. Look what I stole from the bunker." She dug around in her jacket for a minute, before producing a pint of cheap vodka.
Pope put his hand on her head, and ruffled her hair. "I knew there was a reason I was keeping you around."
She swatted his hand as he grabbed for the bottle. "So, here's how it goes," Sara said, addressing the three of them. Maggie glanced over at Ben and saw him smiling a little, and she couldn't help but smile also. Being outside, under the stars, on a fairly warm night - with the fire - and the sound of their men around them, had a certain magical, nostalgic quality about it. She focused on what Sara was proposing. "Each person has to tell a secret about themselves, then take a shot, pass it on..yada, yada, you get the drift."
"I'm not sure that's a good idea," Ben was saying, "what with the long day tomorrow and..."
"You got something to hide, Mason?"
Ben''s grin widened at Pope calling him out. "Don't we all, Pope?"
"I find the Mason's have more secrets than most."
"No, no, no," Sara said, "this isn't getting turned into a pissing contest. I'm not talking about murder confessions, or deep, dark secrets. I mean funny things, sexy stuff, maybe an embarrassing moment or two, but let's keep it light, fellas."
Maggie laughed. "You aren't afraid of a little game, are you Ben?" She asked, digging her shoulder into his underarm.
"That's the spirit," Sara said, and passed Maggie the bottle.
Maggie accepted it. "Oh, am I going first?"
"Okay if she goes first, I'll play a few rounds." Ben said, giving her a daring look.
Maggie turned the bottle around in her hands. "Okay. I can't believe I'm telling you people this, but I was a dancer. I mean, I'm good at ballet. I was good enough to dance in New York City when I was fifteen." She didn't know why she said it, and hadn't been planning to, but it felt good to reveal something old about herself.
"You're kidding," Ben said.
"Mags a ballerina? Nooo," Pope was saying, and Sara put her hand over his mouth, blurring out the rest of what he was going to say.
She nodded. "No kidding." She felt herself blushing as Ben stared at her, clearly unable to conceal his shock.
"Prove it," Sara said, "Show us some moves."
Maggie frowned. "No way, that wasn't part of the deal."
"Prove it, prove it, prove it," Sara started chanting, rolling her finger in front of her, encouraging Ben and Pope to join in, and so they all started chanting. Maggie shook her head.
"Come on," Ben said, "you aren't afraid of a little game are you?"
He had her there. She was the one who had goaded him into playing. She bent down and unlaced her boots, "I get two shots for this," she said in reply to their cat calls. She stepped up, in her socks, onto the log Ben was sitting on. She started with a pirouette, spinning completely on one foot, into a croise with her legs crossed at an angle, she balanced on one, and crossed her other leg across it several times. She ended with an arabesque, a position on one leg with her other leg raised behind her body, and extended in a straight line. She bounced back down to both feet, amidst applause from the others. She laughed, and sat down by Ben, sliding her boots back on. "That was...seriously cool." Ben said, "Why didn't you tell me you could do that?"
"It's not necessarily something I want a bunch of people to know about me. I did it, for the game." She said, and hoped Pope wouldn't tell everyone they knew. Ben handed her the bottle.
"Drink up, tiny dancer," Pope said.
She unscrewed the cap, sniffed, and took a big swig. It burned a bit going down, but in a good, familiar way. Sara made the motion for her to take another drink. She did, enjoying in the warm feeling in her chest. She passed the bottle to Ben. "You're turn, Mason."
He laughed, and took the bottle from her. "Actually. I've got a good one. This" he held up the bottle, "Will be my first time drink." Maggie cleared her throat, suddenly feeling very old.
"What? Seriously Ben," Sara said, "you never had a drink in camp?"
Ben shook his head. "I decided to wait until I was eighteen, and then there just never was a good time."
"Well, kid, you've got some catching up to do. Have two," Pope insisted.
Maggie laughed, with the others, as Ben took two big swigs, coughing from the first, but taking the second one like a man. "Gross," he said, standing up, and handing Pope the bottle.
The game was fun after that. Pope admitted to playing Dungeons and Dragons as a kid, and Sara displayed her uncanny photographic memory. By the time they finished the bottle, Maggie worried she was going to have to carry Ben to bed, rather than the other way around. "This was a bad idea," he said, as she propped an arm under him and they made their way to the tent.
"Shhh, you'll wake Thomas up."
"Sorry, was I being loud?" Ben asked.
She laughed. "You're still being loud."
"Oh,' he whispered, "Maggie listen, about earlier."
"Not now, let's not talk about it right now, Ben."
"It's just, I can't hide stuff from you, and it really makes me mad that you still have feelings for Hal. I know it shouldn't, but it does."
Maggie sighed. "Of course, it does. You wouldn't be human, if it didn't."
He pulled her to a stop, surprising her with a sudden burst of strength. "That's just it, isn't it? I'm not just human, I'm more than that, and I should be able to control these feelings. I know, logically, you have every right to feel this way. And I don't want you to stop caring for Hal, it's just...it hurts that it's in that way."
"What way?" She asked, meeting his eyes, "I never told you exactly how I felt."
"You didn't have to. I could see it in your eyes. And you actually said you still love him."
She inhaled deeply, and intentionally brushed a finger against the spikes on his neck. "Let me show you."
Ben frowned. "Maggie, I don't want to..."
"Just shut up, and look, dummy." She activated the spikes, and showed him everything. She didn't hold anything back. It was now or never. Ben needed to know what it had been like for her and Hal, in the beginning, when they first met, and as their relationship progressed. She couldn't describe it all to him. He needed to see her feelings, for what they were, now. So she showed him everything, from the most tender moment, to times when she truly thought she hated his brother. She hoped he didn't hate her for showing him, but at least he'd know. She knew what it was like to doubt someone's feelings for her, and she wouldn't put Ben through that. Not when she could do something about it. Then she showed him the ugliest part of it all; the guilt that was eating away at her for coming between brothers, for falling in love with Ben when she was with Hal still, for everything that had happened since then. All the memories she had of Hal were overshadowed by the endless sea of guilt she had, in her heart, over what she'd done. It was enough to swallow her up, but then she felt Ben's empathy, and somehow he found her in the middle of all the guilt they shared. He started kissing her, and she drew him down to the mossy forest floor in front of the tent.
She laid her head on his arm, and felt him breathing hard under her. "Was that okay?" She asked.
"Sure," he said, "You know I'm a big fan of honesty."
"What do you think?" She put her hand on his chest, felt his heart beating quickly, slowing a little as he recovered from the spike connection.
"We aren't bad people, Maggie, and us being together isn't a bad thing." He put his hand on top of hers, over his heart. "I want you to be my wife."
It was her turn for a racing heart. She propped her head up on her elbow, and looked him in the eyes. "Are you proposing to me, Ben Mason?" She asked, "Was that some kind of post-apocalyptic proposal?"
He gave her a sly smile, and she saw him reach for something. When his hand reappeared something shiny, and gold as his hair, glinted in the moonlight. "I found this for you," He said, and she felt his heart speeding up again, and heard a tremor in his voice.
He drew her left hand out from under his, and slid the ring on her finger. It was a little big, but not loose enough to pass over her knuckle. She held it up in the light. It was a thick gold band, with a large heart-shaped diamond in the middle. "It's beautiful...thank you, and, yes. It's going to be complicated, but yes a thousand times."
###
Ben:
He blamed the flutter in his belly on two things; his excitement over the way Maggie kept looking at her ring when she thought no one was watching, and his apprehension over reuniting with the Second Mass. "Carry dada," Thomas yelled, and Ben welcomed the distraction, bending down to pick up his tiring son.
The boy's clothes were getting too small for him. Hopefully, they could find a clothing store somewhere in the city. He shifted his gun to the opposite side that he was carrying Thomas on, and looked up at the city. It loomed, seemingly abandoned, before them, like the ruins of some ancient, giant ghost town. "Heads up," Pope said, looking through a pair of binoculars. "Looks like we've got a welcoming party." He handed the binoculars to Ben.
Ben held the binoculars up, and looked through them. "See," Thomas shouted, trying to take them from him.
"Hold on, buddy, let daddy look first, then you can."
"The hell he can. Those are my best pair of binoculars."
Ben ignored Pope, and studied the zoomed in terrain. "Three humvees," he counted out, "one armed with a fifty cal. Is that...?" Did he just see a familiar face. Was that Anthony standing behind the gun?
"What?" Pope said. ""What do you see?"
"See, dada," Thomas demanded, grabbing at the binoculars.
"Okay, okay," Ben said, giving in and putting the band around the boy's neck.
Pope sighed. "What did you see, Mason?"
"Anthony. I saw Anthony. Those are our people, Pope. It's the Second Mass. I think we're home." He heard the fighters moving in behind him. "Hold steady. Keep them up, and stay tight, but no one fires without my order," Ben shouted.
"Did I hear you say you saw Anthony?" Maggie asked, stepping up next to him, her gun raised at the oncoming bloom of dust blown up by the vehicles.
"Help. See," Thomas yelled, getting frustrated as he tried to manage the big set of binoculars on his own.
"Yes," Ben told Maggie, "Here," he held the binoculars up to the boy's eyes.
"Trucks." Thomas said.
Maggie laughed. "You see trucks, my little prince?" She asked, and tousled his hair.
The trucks slowed as they approached, and cut their engines, coming to a stop within firing range. "Who goes there?" Someone shouted.
"The prodigal son has returned," Pope yelled back. Ben saw Maggie smack him out of the corner of her eye.
"Anthony," Ben yelled, "It's Ben, and Maggie, and..."
"Is that John Pope?" Anthony said, jumping off his vehicle, and running toward them, "Little Ben, and Maggie. We thought you guys were long dead. Skitter bait, you know?"
Pope walked forward, and rushed into a hug with Anthony. Pope slapped Anthony's back, then let go. "Maggie," Anthony said, grabbing her for a hug as well. He hugged Sara, then turned to Ben. He noticed Thomas, cocked his head, and looked back at Maggie, then back at Ben. "Oh lord," he said, "It's going to be an interesting night. Come on, let's get you people home safe."
"Hold on," Ben said, handing Thomas to Sara. "Do you have a radio? And we need someone to vouch for some fighters we came across a few miles back. We haven't seen them before, and weren't sure they were really with the Second Mass."
"Sure, I've got a radio, Ben," Anthony said, "But you're less than a mile from camp. Whatever you've got to say, you can be saying it, in person, in ten minutes. We'll load up as many people as we can in the other vehicles, and help the others walk in. You four can ride in my Humvee. Ride on in. Your dad would be pissed at me, if I let you wait."
Ben turned to Zoe and Razor, "We got this," Zoe said, and he saw her eyes flash curiously at Anthony, "Go see your family, sir."
Maggie touched Zoe's shoulder, "If you need anything, you know how to reach us. We'll see you in a couple hours."
Anthony lead them over to the Humvees. "This is Tom Mason's son. Take them to him, right away."
Ben climbed in the back seat with Maggie, Thomas on her lap, Sara next to her, and Pope - as they all suspected he would - rode behind the fifty cal. "Dada," Thomas was calling over the engine. Ben looked over to see Thomas holding his arms out for him.
"Traitor," Maggie teased, smiling, as she unbuckled, and handed Thomas to him.
Ben strapped the boy in on his lap, and put a hand on Maggie's thigh. Their long journey was almost over. They were almost home.
###
They passed through three outer walls which looked to be constructed from debris, and enormous, steel slabs. The third wall was the tallest, about four stories up, and men patroled on top of it, carrying guns. There were several guard towers, with large Volm modified weapons aimed at the skies. Fayetteville wasn't the dump that their last home had become. Sure, destruction was everywhere, but people were actually living in the buildings, and there were even some gardens up, here and there. Civilians and fighters, alike, walked the streets, stepping out of the way for the Humvee. They drove through what looked like a marketplace, with vendors exchanging goods. Finally they pulled up at a two story colonial like brick building surrounded by trees, in the middle of a square of sorts. Someone had spray-painted, "Fayetteville City Hall" on the sign out front, which used to bear the name of a church.
"What is this place?" Sara leaned forward, and asked the driver.
"HQ," the driver stated, "And the Mason's place of residence."
"Nice place," Sara said, gesturing to the entire compound.
"Didn't used to be so nice, ma'am," the driver replied, pulling the car to a stop in front of the step, "We lost sixteen men securing this block."
"I'm sorry," Sara said, and Ben noticed the memorial wall a few feet away, plastered with pictures. Candles burning on the ground in front of it.
The driver shrugged. "That was then. This is now. What can you do?"
"You can keep fighting, that's what," Sara answered, smiling at him.
Ben saw someone emerging from the front door, and his heart started to slam in his chest. Tom Mason, a little shaggy looking, a little worn for the wear, but real - heart and soul, was walking down the stairs, a puzzled look on his face – probably wondering why one of the Humvees had returned so quickly. Ben unbuckled his seat belt, opened the door, and - careful not to hit Thomas' head on the door frame, ducked out of the car. He stepped around the door, into his father's sight.
Tom came to an abrupt stop, and steadied himself on the railing. "Ben? Is that you, son?"
"Dad," Ben called. He adjusted his son's weight, and closed the gap between them, holding out an arm to hug Tom Mason. For just a moment, he let himself remember being a kid, waiting at the door for his dad to come home from work, and jumping into his arms the minute he crossed the threshold. He let himself feel that warm, comforting feeling that always made him feel safe, and reassured as a kid. A feeling that only his dad could give him. "I missed you, dad," he said, pulling back only when Thomas started to fuss. He felt hands on his back, and turned, to present Maggie to his father.
"Wow, Maggie, you look so different. I'm glad you made it." Tom said, giving her a genuine smile, and pulling her into a hug as well. "You guys are okay?" Tom said, holding both of them by the shoulders, "We thought...well, when I got back from the trip, and you were both gone, no one knew where you were...we waited, but after a while, we thought you were both..."
"Dead?" Pope asked, stepping up, and saluting Tom. "Not on my watch, Mason."
Tom cut his eyes over to Pope. "You've been with him this whole time?" His dad asked him, shaking hands with Pope.
"We left to track down an Overlord. When we came back, everyone was gone. There was a message. We knew the Second Mass had escaped, and at the time, we believed Hal was in an Espheni induced coma. We had intel that told us we could find the cure at a lab in the Midwest. On the way there, we stumbled onto another militia. They knew about you guys, Fayetteville, and Hal...they said he woke up. So we came home."
Tom nodded slowly. "He is awake. The militia that destroyed that lab came here, and brought the antidote with them. Who's this?" Tom asked, gesturing toward Thomas.
"This," Ben said, "Is hard to explain."
His dad cocked his head, and raised an eyebrow. "He looks an awfully lot like a boy I once knew."
Ben swallowed. "Let's go inside, dad."
Pope chuckled. "Oh to be a fly on the wall for that conversation."
"Shut up, Pope," Maggie and Sara said in unison.
"Some things never change," Tom said, taking one last glance at Ben, and Thomas, before taking Ben by the shoulder and leading them up the stairs.
###
"You're telling me you have a hundred able-bodied fighters heading our way."
"They should be right behind us." Ben said, setting the drink of water on the table in front of him. "I wish I had more, but it's all The Embassy could spare."
"No, no," Tom answered, "it's incredible. Don't apologize, I'm just...still trying to wrap my head around all of this."
"We also have a jet. It needs fuel, but it's big. Big enough to seat a good three hundred people or more, if need be."
Ben watched his father taking it all in. Tom rubbed his hands together. Ben noticed that one hand was bandaged. Ann sat beside Tom, and Ben didn't miss the way her eyes followed Thomas as he toddled around the room, followed by Matt, naming off every object he saw. Dan Weaver stood by the door, still grinning, from ear to ear, after hearing of their return. Maggie sat next to him, and he could feel the tension rolling off of her. They hadn't touched each other since they'd entered the building.
The room was sparsely decorated. Hardwood floors, thread-bare oriental area rug, a fire in the fire-place, a large desk with stacks of paper, and maps spread across it. Candles burning everywhere, though the daylight was shining through the windows. No electricity meant burning candles day and night. "Okay, I'm just going to come out and say it. There's an elephant in the room." Ann stated, holding her hands up. Tom looked over at her, and reached out, taking one of her hands. Ben met his eyes. He knew his dad knew, but he was waiting for Ben to tell him.
"Thomas. Come here," Ben said. He saw his father's eyes light up with enlightenment, and he gave that slight, proud nod, his Adam's apple dipping.
"Dada," Thomas called, from behind the couch Tom and Ann were sitting on.
"He's hiding," Matt said, crossing his arms, and pretending not to see the boy.
Ann craned her neck, trying to peer over the edge of the couch. "Dada. Find." Thomas called.
"You better do it," Maggie mumbled, nudging him a bit. "You know he won't come out until you do."
Ben pinched his lips together, and nodded. He stood, feeling their eyes on him, and walked around the back of the couch. "Aha," he said, making a big production out of finding Thomas, and he crouched behind the back of the couch. "Found you."
Thomas belly laughed, his entire face shining as bright as a star, and in that moment, Ben knew everything was going to be okay. "Come here," he said.
"Dada," Thomas yelled, attempting to run, and almost tumbling into the edge of the couch. Ben caught the boy before his head hit the sharp edge. Thomas cuddled into Ben's chest, and reached up, touching his cheek. Ben carried him around to where his Dad and Ann were sitting. He knelt down in front of them.
"Dad, this is Thomas Edward Mason, my son, and your grand-son. He's ours actually," he gestured to Maggie, who looked like she'd just seen a ghost, "Maggie's and mine."
"Oh Tom," Ann breathed, putting her hand up to her mouth, "So, he's..." she turned to look at Maggie, then back to Ben. "He's...like..."
"He's advanced, like Lexi, but also, nothing like her." Ben heard Maggie say, glad to hear her voice, to hear her taking part in telling them.
Thomas was watching them, and Ben could feel his son's curiosity about Tom and Ann. Ben waited. It took about ten seconds for Thomas to turn on the charm. He took Ben's hand in his two, tiny hands, and covered his little eyes with it. Then he peeked out, at Tom and Ann. He did this for ten seconds, before he couldn't stand them not reacting anymore. "Boo!" He said, and started giggling.
"He's..." Ann said, and Ben was surprised to see she was crying. "He's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. Tom, look at him."
"He looks just like you, Ben," Tom said, finally finding his voice. "I mean...the spitting image. I have an old photo album, I'll show you later. Can we hold him?"
He reached out to the boy. Thomas saw his grandfather's bandaged hand, and frowned. "Owie," he said, pointing at the hand.
"Yes," Tom said, his voice amused and tender, a voice Ben remembered from his own child hood. "It does hurt."
Thomas reached out for Tom, and Ben watched in awe, as his father took Thomas - tears in his eyes - and sat him between him and Ann on the couch. Ben tore his eyes from them, only for a moment, to look up at Maggie. He thought he saw moisture in her eyes, as well, and she quickly looked away, trying to hide the tears, and the blush creeping up her cheeks.
"I'll be damned," Weaver said, stepping up, and putting an arm around Matt, "kids sure grow up fast these days."
"They have to," Ann said, running her hand through Thomas' hair. "It's evolution."
"Dad," Ben said, "Where's Hal?"
Tom looked up, the smile fading from his face. "I'm afraid he isn't here anymore, son."
Ben felt Maggie tense beside him. "What do you mean? You said he woke up, right? Where is he?"
"Damn fool put his name in the draw for the first recon team to D.C.," Weaver told them, when Tom didn't answer. "They aren't back yet."
"How long have they been gone?"
"Over two weeks." Tom said, and he didn't have to say another word. Ben heard it in his voice. Two weeks was too long.
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A/N: Special thanks to everyone who reviewed the last few chapters; Happytalz, Paul'sImprint1293, LightningBolt21, Narutofanfic48, and especially Rdk3 whose review seriously inspired this chapter. Your comments were so helpful, and sweet. Thank you! Please keep reviewing, guys! I'm totally serious when I tell you that your comments keep this story going! Things are about to get action-packed, and sexy, in the next chapter! I've got some surprises up my sleeve. Hope you all stay tuned, and keep telling me what you think! :)