"Fussy babies? Are you talking about Bug?"
Douglas smiled. His MJN family accidentally picked up on his nickname for his daughter. Bug-a-boo. It made her laugh and Douglas blush. So of course, it was now her preferred name.
"Yes, Martin I am. According to her, I have always had wings. Never questioned it."
"Can everyone see them?"
"The best answer is No."
"The second Mrs. Richardson, Bug's mother, couldn't. Neither could Helena. About half of my relatives can see them."
"When was the first time you saw yours?"
"About two weeks after I got my EASA-PPL. Scared the hell out of me. Thought someone spiked my drink. Four of us were at dinner with our flight instructors Brian and Alex."
"What happened?"
"We all went back to Brian's flat. Where they explained everything. All four of us popped our wings that night. I was just first."
"Typical."
Douglas just smirked.
"How do I..?"
Douglas looked contemplative.
"Give me another wing hug. Like you did before."
After a few minutes Martin was getting frustrated.
"I have an idea. One moment."
Douglas disappeared from the room. He came back to Martin using the mirrors in the loo to look at his back.
"You won't see any bumps or anything Martin. It doesn't work like that. Come here."
Martin laid down on his belly. Douglas put a pillow under his head and handed him a photo album. Douglas sat down next to him.
"Bug's favorite photos?"
"Something like that. Just look and tell me if any pictures look strange to you."
Martin dove into the book. The pictures chronicled from Bug's birth to today. She also had some pictures of a much younger Douglas in there. Martin found quite a number that the poses made no sense.
"What is wrong with these pictures?"
"Nothing wrong. You just can't see everything. Show me."
Martin picked one from the end of the book. Bug was firmly planted on her father's back. Douglas' face was lit up with a luminescent smile. Bug's hands were up with fingers spread looking like a conquering hero. The phrase "I win :) " was written underneath. Douglas lit up like landing lights.
"That is one of my all time favorites."
Martin had a shiver run down his back.
"Stop that."
"I'm not touching you Martin."
Ah, ha.
Douglas sat down on the floor, in front of Martin.
"Ever since she could walk, Bug would try to get me to pop my wings out. It has become a game. My wings always come out around her. Kind of like breathing."
Martin starts rolling his shoulders around.
"Martin are you ok?"
"Yes my back is just itchy or something."
Douglas starts gently flexing his wings trying to entice Martin's to emerge.
"Do you recognize where that picture was taken? It is a very recent picture."
Martin studied it.
"This is at Carolyn's house. Sod it!"
Martin takes the photo album and starts hitting between his shoulders.
"Martin! Easy. It is ok. Focus on the picture. Trust me."
Martin concentrates on the picture trying to ignore the sensation between his shoulders.
"Is this how we lost the hide and go seek game Arthur organized?"
"Yes it is. I was ambushed. Carolyn flushed me out and Bug tackled me. I was not giving up any information. Thus, we were at an impasse. Until Bug and Carolyn decided the following. I could go free and keep you and Arthur hidden, if I could keep my wings in for five minutes."
"Wasn't that a bit unfair?"
"I thought so. However, my feelings did not count in the matter. The longest I had ever hidden my wings from Bug was three and a half minutes. I made it to four minutes and thirty five seconds. Bug did not even touch me for the first four. For all my resistance, I looked like you do now."
Martin nodded.
"Wait. Carolyn has seen your wings?"
"Of course. So has Arthur. They aren't a big secret. With your past, neither of them has pushed to ask. They know sometime they will see them."
Martin grunts and starts slapping his back with the photo album again. Douglas immediately grabs the album.
"Martin would you like some help?"
Martin nods. Douglas sits next to him on the bed.
"What made your wings finally pop?"
"This."
Douglas gently walks two fingers up Martin's spine. Martin gives a laugh and a shoulder twitch. Douglas is left with a face full of wing. Douglas says nothing because both Martin and his wings need to relax. Calming hands on Martin's shoulder blades seem to do the trick.
"Are the creepy crawlies gone from your back?"
"Yes. Please don't move your hands."
"I'm not. Just relax and look at the album again."
Martin opens the album and gasps. Martin starts pointing at pictures and Douglas explains.
"I'm feeding her for the first time."
"Daddy's wings were not great for teething. Tasted horrible."
Martin keeps flipping. Douglas is just happy that Martin is relaxing.
"That is a magnificent picture of the seven of you. Is that when they gave you Metis?"
"Yes."
They were posed in front of Metis' nose. Patty and Olivia were sitting. Will, Matt and Simon were standing behind them. Jordan and Douglas posed slightly behind book ending everyone. Jordan and Douglas had one wing each crossed behind Simon. The other two wing tips were being held by Patty and Olivia.
"You have Owl wings. Jordan has...Albatross wings?"
"Yes."
"What kind of wings do I have?"
"Would you like to see them?"
Martin nodded.
"Keep you eyes closed."
Douglas led him to the loo.
"Martin. Take a look."
Douglas had done this with eight other people. Had been witness to another twenty or so. He had seen every possible reaction.
"I look like a bloody Flamingo."
Was a new one.
"Martin, Flamingos are pink. What I am seeing is a match to the riot of ginger on your head. Your wings are a snapshot of a sunset."
Martin looked unsure of what to do.
"Martin touch them. You have to get used to that. They will be a bit sensitive since you don't have them out at all."
Martin grabbed hold of a wing tip. It felt like feathers. Douglas leaned against the door frame and just watched. It reminded him of Bug figuring out what her hands and feet were.
"Douglas, I really have wings."
"Yes you do."
"I'm meant to fly."
"Yes you are."
Douglas could see Martin light up and his eyes gloss over. Martin started flapping his wings. Watching the motion. Douglas could see the "tears of joy" start to gather in Martin's eyes.
Rejoice Martin. You have earned this moment.
Martin's eyes quickly darkened and his face turned sullen.
"What..."
Martin ran past Douglas and dove for a photo album. Douglas didn't move. Martin looked at the picture of Douglas being unwrapped at the hospital. The outer third of each wing was almost stripped. Handfuls of feathers were missing from the rest of each wing. Martin looked horrified.
I am sorry I just ruined your moment.
Douglas sat down in front of Martin again. Douglas watched as Martin gently started tugging on a few feathers.
"Please don't Martin. You never want to acquire that knowledge."
"Then why?"
Douglas couldn't quite meet his gaze.
"Was it a combination of your injuries, your anger at everything that happened and your self destructive streak?"
"Yes it was. The worst part was how it affected everyone else."
"They were all shocked and saddened? Probably wasn't great for Jordan in his condition."
"No it wasn't. It was Will's reaction that...really drove the point home."
Douglas' voice was quivering. Martin waited for Douglas to finish the thought.
"Will was raised in the Australian bush. Very spiritual. He is the very definition of stouthearted. It takes the world on his shoulders for him to crack."
"What happened Douglas?"
"When I woke up for the first time. They filled me in on what was wrong with me. How Jordan was. Etc. I wasn't awake for long. I rolled on my stomach and started falling asleep again when.."
Douglas chokes himself on the words.
"Douglas you don't have to tell me."
"I need to. You have...to know why you should never do this."
"He wasn't awake for long." Herc quietly states.
"Captain. Douglas' body has so much repair work to accomplish. Sleep is the best thing for him."
The nurse gets nods from the three men in the room.
"I will be straight down the hall if you need anything."
"Thank you."
Hector and Herc dive back into their books. Will sits down next to Douglas and takes his hand.
"Douglas. You total idiot. Why."
Hector and Herc are puzzled by the tone of his voice. He didn't sound mad. That would be normal. Will lowers his head and starts raggedly breathing.
"Will?" Hector asks.
Will finds himself gently cocooned by Hector and Herc. He can see the shocked expressions on their faces.
"Will he is going to be fine. No permanent damage."
"No he won't, Hector."
Will tried to keep his voice low. It was 4 am.
"Look at his wings. Look at them."
Will runs his hands close to but doesn't touch Douglas' wings.
"Can these things even heal? I don't know. Herc? Your the bloody pilot."
Will drops the side rail and hugs Douglas around his shoulders. Hector looks to Herc for some guidance. Herc just gives a blank stare.
"I guess I must have heard Will in my sleep. I did what was natural. I tried to throw a wing over him."
Hector backs up and lets the wing settle on Will. Will just breaks down into quiet sobbing.
"Hector let me try something."
Hector and Herc had made their peace earlier in the day. Hector had correctly called him out in the tower. Herc understood Hector's reasons. Herc gradually unfurls his wings and shakes them out. Hector realizes what is about to happen and gives a smile and nod.
Herc gently touches his wing tips with Douglas'. Hector watches as Herc's face contorts in pain. Herc is soon shaking like a leaf and trying his best not to cry. Hector's steady hand is soon on Herc's back.
"Douglas tried to rip his own wings off Hector."
Hector is rubbing soothing circles between Herc's wings.
"Herc. We all know Douglas has a temper. He is punishing himself for something. I will not even venture a guess as to why."
Hector settles Herc on the couch in the room. Will had heard every word stated. Will quietly watched as "Mr. Unflappable" became overwhelmed. That scared him even more.
"Will come here."
Will joins him on the couch. Herc wraps his wings around Will. Will had only been wing hugged by Douglas and Jordan. Sometimes comfort given by a relative stranger can be a powerful act.
"Herc? Really?"
Martin gave Douglas a moment to gather himself.
"Yes, Martin. Herc."
Neal has seen most of the scene unfold from the door of the room. Hector and Neal exchange smiles. Bizarre was the only word in Neal's mind.
The healthiest pilot among them all has a massive heart attack. A brand new plane nearly fell out of the sky. The Seven Wonders crew then granted a few miracles.
Miracles don't come for free.
Neal just leaned against the wall and watched his Captain and Will gently weep with each other.
"Will, you will all heal. It is just going to take a long time. I promise to do everything I can to help."
"Thank you...Neal."
"Herc is a good man, Martin. He just screws it up by being a colossal arse at times."
Douglas shakes his head and laughs. Martin quiets for a moment.
"I now understand why it took you so long to step back in any plane again. Also why you didn't want the promotion."
That's my boy.
Douglas smiles at him while starting to cleaning up the bed.
"I also understand something else."
"Hmm?"
"How we really lost the hide and go seek game."
Martin walked behind Douglas and replicated Bug's hand posture at the bend in Douglas' wings.
"Martin, No!"
Douglas' laughter soon filled the room. Martin just smiled and held on to the twitching wings. Martin needed to see Douglas' body light up with laughter.
"It is 5:30 am, you goof! We do need some sleep."
Martin agreed and let go of his wings.
By 6:30 the room was dark and tranquil. Martin was sound asleep next to Douglas. Daedalus was snugged into Martin's chest. Douglas got comfortable next to Martin. Like he had done countless times before.
At least the bed is bigger and light years more comfortable than the cheap motels.
Douglas would have liked to sleep alone but Martin looked shaky at the thought. Small price to pay for the success of the evening.
Now I just have to get him back on GERTI.