Finding Home
"I am now convinced, you are trying to fatten me up, and plan on eating me later."
From the Medi-Bay doorway, Ray grinned, a plate of his triple chocolate brownies in one hand, a cold glass of milk in the other. "I could always give it to Jax, or Amaya." The Omega said as he moved to over to the bed.
"What of Mr. Rory?" Stein asked as he took the plate, Ray placed the milk on the small table that they had moved into the room a while ago.
"He's currently enjoying a beer in the kitchen."
Stein's brows furrowed as Ray's face twisted into something that was one part thoughtful, and another part worried. "Is something wrong?" The Alpha asked.
"I'm not sure, honestly, it could be nothing. So, how are you feeling today?"
Stein gave him a look, but answered his question, "Much better, Gideon as always, is a miracle worker."
Thank you very much Professor Stein.
Ray smiled before swiping a brownie from the man's plate. After talking with the Professor, the Omega went to find Amaya, and found her talking softly with Sara. Leaving the two along, Ray headed for his room. To his surprise, he found Nate there, shuffling around.
"Um, hey."
"Hey, need something?"
"Erm, not really? I mean—it's about Chicago, and what happened, I—"
"I told you," Ray moved to sit on the bed, "it's okay."
"Yeah."
Ray tilted his head, expression turning curious when the Beta did nothing but fidget with his fingers.
"I was jealous!" Nate blurted out just as Ray opened his mouth to ask.
"….Jealous?" Ray blinked after a while, "of what?"
Nate licked his lips, shifted on his feet before going to sit down next the Omega, words stumbling out his mouth. "I was jealous, of you and your relationship with the others members of the team."
"Why? I mean—"
Nate's shoulders slumped a little, fingers picking at the cover on the bed, "Before I got my powers, it was just me and my mom, So, I was never really able to learn how to, you know, make friends. I mean I tried whenever I got the opportunity, but it never worked out."
Ray said nothing, just let the Beta talk.
"And when I see you guys, and the way you intact, when I see you….I-I-I want that, and well, I may have—"
"You can't," Despite his words, Ray's tone was soft with understanding.
It still didn't stop Nate from flinching, and his eyes flickering with hurt, it doesn't lessen when Ray gently bumped against his shoulder. Frowning, Ray suddenly grabbed hold of Nate and fell back onto the mattress, Nate yelped, and wiggled in the man's arms.
"Ray?"
"I told you, you can't." Ray didn't let go, "you're not me. What me, and the rest of the team have, it's something built through time –pun not intended—and a lot of trail, and error. We found a rhythm that is all our own, something you need to find."
By now, Nate had shifted so that he was face to face with Ray, eyes flickering with emotions until they finally settled on uncertainty.
"How?" the Beta's voice was quiet.
There was silence as Ray thought about it, then he smiled, let go of Nate and jumped up from the bed.
"I have an idea, hold a sec."
After getting out a pen, and pad, he sat back down on the bed. Nate sat up, and watched as Ray wrote down names, and made a list.
"Okay, here what you can do. Professor Stein loves brownies, Mick loves anything that isn't a vegetable."
"That's not surprising," Nate chuckled.
"Yeah," Ray smiled.
For nearly an hour, Ray told Nate all about the team's likes, and dislikes. And when they were done, and when Nate left the room. He felt better, and lot more confident.
~.~
"Nobody asked you."
Ray paused on his way to meeting Jax in the loading dock, he looked at Mick's closed door, an earlier worry returning, and tickling the back of his mind had the man not continuing on to his destination.
"Gideon, is there anyone in the room with Mick?" Ray asked quietly.
My sensors cannot find any other life form.
"Thanks."
Ray knocked on the door.
"What?!"
Not bothered by the snappy tone, Ray announced he was coming it, before opening the door. Mick was lounging in his usual chair, empty six-pack by his feet. He was also alone.
"Need something?" Mick grunted.
"Just here to check up on you," Ray moved closer to the man, pausing mid-step when he saw Mick's eyes flicker to an empty spot to the left, before walking again.
"As you can see, I'm fine." Mick paused in thought, "Could go for another six-pack though." He then added.
Ray finally stopped just as his shoes bushed against Mick's boots, "You've been acting weird for nearly a week"
"Pretty sure you're the weird one," Mick pulled at Ray's arm, despite knowing it was an attempt to distract him, Ray went, settling into the man's lap. And amazing feat considering both men's size, the Omega hoped the chair was sturdy.
"Am not, and stop it." Ray smacked the Alpha's arm, stopping the thief from where he was nuzzling into the Omega's neck.
Mick scowled at him, then at the same empty spot
Ray's voice was soft, "Mick, what's wrong?"
Mick doesn't look away, and when he does, its only to tighten his hold on Ray, and nuzzling back into his neck.
"It's nothing Ray," he sighed, "it's nothing."
Now, he was really worried, Mick never called him by his name, it was always Haircut. As he placed comforting arms around his lover, Ray glanced at the spot Mick had been looking at. He found nothing out of the ordinary.
And that made him worry even more.
~.~
Rip was alive.
~.~
When Gideon finished telling them that Rip's brain had been fully altered, and that the man truly did not know who he was, or who any of them were. Ray stood up, and left the med-bay, frowning, Martin followed.
"Raymond," he called, stopping the Omega, "are you alright?"
"He really doesn't remember us," it came out soft, and just a hint of something fragile.
"I'm sure we'll think of something, this is not the end Mr. Palmer, you have to believe that."
"….Yeah."
~.~
They lose Rip again.
And the crack got bigger.
~.~
It was a little after one in the morning, when Len quietly slipped out the bed, watching as Ray rolled over into his empty spot. He stared far longer than he needed to, and it took a lot for him to turn away, and head out to the living room.
Exhaling, Len focused, calling up the familiar energy, "Alright," he thought, "let's go home."
The energy burst, and he's falling in a swirl of warmth, and ice-blue. When he landed, it's with a loud thud, and on something hard.
"….This," he drawled after a long pause, limbs sprawled on the ground, staring up at the sky, "is not home."
Then the cannons started.
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