North walked up to lean in the doorway to Emma's office. She hadn't appeared to see him so he cleared his throat, "Forget something?"
"Oh," Emma looked up at him. "Shit. I'm sorry. My head was kind of all over the place when I got back and then I was-"
"It's ok," North chuckled cutting her off. He closed the door and sat down across from her. "Everything's good though I take it?"
"Yes," she smiled crossing her arms on the desk to lean forward on her elbows. "Everything is absolutely great. Mei wants to see me in three weeks and we're going to see if she can get a read on the heartbeat then."
"Am I allowed to go with for that one?"
"Duh, idiot," Emma rolled her eyes. "I figured maybe we can tell everyone at Ally's birthday party in next weekend. That's right before it."
"Whenever you would like," North smiled. "Everyone keeps asking me questions."
"I'm surprised you haven't cracked yet," Emma smirked leaning back.
"I fear you more than I fear them."
"As you should," Emma chuckled. There was a knock on the door, "Come in."
The door opened and Carolina poked her head in, "Hope I'm not interrupting anything."
"Nope," Emma grinned. "What's up?"
"The guys are upstairs. Figured I'd come get you," Carolina answered.
"Alrighty," Emma nodded. She grabbed her data-pad and the basket with the rest of the drives in it. She paused to give North a kiss, "I'll see you at home after the meeting."
"I'll have dinner waiting," he replied.
Emma followed Carolina from the room and up the steps. When they walked in, the guys were gathered around the conference room table while Kimball stood near the door waiting.
"Great, Carolina's here. Let's get this over with so I can go eat," Grif complained.
"Alright team, what do you have?" Kimball asked after Carolina took her seat. Emma sat down next to her.
"Well, there really wasn't much there when we got there," Tucker answered. "Like, nothing out of sorts that we noticed."
"I was able to go take a look at the temple and found signs of what we think could have been a fight," Grey continued. "At least, there were marks on the wall that looked like Tucker's sword could have made them."
"Cept it wasn't me," Tucker shook his head.
"Great. So that means that Locus and Felix could still be around," Carolina huffed. "Were there any other signs of anything out of the ordinary?"
"We found this," Simmons replied putting a piece of metal on the table. "Most of us agree that it resembles the same material our armor is made out of."
"And if you look closely at the edges on the one end, it looks like it could have been seared off with that of an energy sword," Grey continued.
"Again, wasn't me," Tucker added.
"We know that dipshit," Grif huffed.
"Hey, at least I wasn't sleeping the entire time!"
"I wasn't sleeping! I was guarding the ship," Grif defended himself.
"Enough you two," Kimball cut in. "The report that came in prior to me sending you out was that the team there had sworn they heard fighting. They never saw anything, but there was gunfire."
"Maybe Locus and Felix survived and were going at it," Donut suggested.
"If they survived, maybe," Carolina nodded.
"They also stated that the two that had been on guard at the time were knocked unconscious. When they came too, they didn't notice anything different," Kimball continued.
"There wasn't anything particularly peculiar when we got there," Sarge agreed.
"Emma, is there any way you and Grey could work on seeing about getting a reading off of that piece of metal?" Carolina asked looking at Emma.
Emma pulled the piece towards her and looked at it. "I can see if I can maybe get a serial number off of it or something. If it's armor, it looks like a piece from an older model. There might be some computer wiring in it that I might be able to access."
"That's what I thought as well," Grey nodded.
"I'm sure between the two of us, we can figure something out," Emma replied.
"Oh it's going to be so much fun working with you," Grey squealed. Emma smiled at the other woman.
"Can we go now?" Grif huffed.
"Almost. Emma has your Access Drives for the facility," Carolina replied. "After she gives them to you then yes, you are free for the night. Just make sure you check in with Wash for drill tomorrow."
"You're making us run drill?" Grif groaned. "I thought we were running this joint? Why do we have to run drill?"
"That's the only thing you have to do," Carolina rolled her eyes. "The rest of the time you are free to do what you want unless Wash or I need your help with a class or something. If you don't run drill, you'll get out of shape and you need to be in shape if we're going to still send you out on missions."
"Stop your bellyaching already!" Sarge scolded.
"The sooner you all shut up, the sooner you can get your drive and go about your business," Emma huffed. They all fell silent. "Thank you. Now these will give you access to the facility and the computer system. Simmons, I have yours set up for the Armory and Storage area so that if you have to make any changes to the inventory, only you can do it. That way, no one else is putting their fingers all over it and screwing it up."
"Awesome. Thanks Emma!" Simmons exclaimed as she handed him hers.
"No problem," Emma chuckled. "Grey, you and Doc are both set up for the Medbay, except you will also have access to the Lab as well." She handed the two of them theirs. "Donut, lunchroom is all you."
"Do these things do anything else of importance?" Tucker sighed.
"They allow you access to your office and parts of the system," Emma nodded. "I'll show you all around the system tomorrow after drill then."
"Emma actually has some really fun training programs set up on the Floor that you all may like," Carolina added.
"Do they involve work?" Grif huffed.
"No more than normal," Carolina shrugged.
"Great…"
"How was your meeting?" York asked when Carolina walked into the living room where he and Ally were sitting.
"Alright I suppose," Carolina sighed.
"How'd the mission go?"
"They found something, but didn't really find anything," Carolina replied walking out to the kitchen to get a drink.
"What's that supposed to mean?" York chuckled.
"Well…the only things they found were what they think was an energy sword mark on a wall and a piece of what we think might be armor. That's the only remnants of anything. Two of the guards that had been on duty there think they were knocked unconscious but they don't remember seeing anything before it happened."
"That sounds lovely," York replied.
"Doesn't sound that lovely," Ally added before turning back to her cartoon.
"Energy sword, huh?" Carolina nodded as she sat down next to him on the couch. "Does that mean…?"
"It might mean Felix and Locus are still alive, yes," Carolina nodded. "We won't know that for sure or not unless they show up here. Emma and Grey are going to see if they can get anything from the piece of armor they have. Emma thinks it looks like an older model if it is armor."
"How are they supposed to tell?"
"Emma pointed out a piece of motherboard she thinks. She was going to take a look at it tonight, but I told her to worry about it tomorrow."
"Did she tell you what her errand was she had to run?" York asked.
"No," Carolina rolled her eyes. "Nor did I ask. I know she ended up having lunch with your mom."
"Ooo…I wonder if she knows," York grinned. "Bet I can get it out of Mum."
"Doubt it," Carolina chuckled.
"Mimi probably wouldn't tell you cuz it doesn't concern you," Ally informed York.
"Do you know something?"
"No," Ally shook her head. "And if I did, you wouldn't get to know unless Aunty Emma wants you to know."
"And why are you insisting there's something you need to know anyway?" Carolina raised an eyebrow at him.
"Because North is being just as suspicious," York huffed. "I got this feeling in my gut that they're not telling us something."
"Look, just because they took a couple days to tell us they got married does not mean they're hiding something constantly," Carolina jabbed him in the arm. "And if they are, then be patient and wait for them to tell us."
"I'm just concerned. It's my sister and best friend so I think I'm allowed to worry," York grumbled.
"And you worry so well," Carolina replied snuggling in to him. "Now pick a movie for the three of us."
"Dinosaurs Daddy!" Ally suggested.
"How are you not sick of dinosaurs yet?" York chuckled.
"Cuz dinosaurs are awesome, duh," Ally giggled.
"What's your favorite dinosaur?" York asked as he flicked through their movie library.
"The raptors!" Ally squealed sitting up. "Squeaks likes the T-rex! Can I go get Squeaks so he can watch it with us?"
"Of course. Squeaks is always welcome for movie night," York chuckled as Ally bounced off the couch and ran around it and up the steps. "Shall I go make popcorn?"
"I'm quite comfy," Carolina sighed looking up at him. "So no cuz that would require you to move and I don't want you moving."
"Alright," York winked. "Oh, did I tell you your kid asked what happened to my head?"
"No," Carolina snickered. "What'd you tell her?"
"I just agreed when she asked if you did it," York shrugged as Carolina rolled her eyes. "Figured it was best to just agree with her, besides it's not far from the truth."
"You're an idiot."
"Ya know, you say that a lot. I'm going to just start substituting it with I love you and respond with I love you too."
"Aunty Emma, you're not eating," Ally pointed at her barely touched food a few nights later.
"I'm not all that hungry right now," Emma replied.
"You didn't fill up on snacks this afternoon did you?" Ally accused as North tried to cover his smile across the table. "You used to yell at me about that all the time."
"No," Emma chuckled. "I didn't. My stomach is just not feeling up to having any food in it right now."
"Oh. I thought maybe you didn't like Uncle North's cooking," Ally giggled.
"I like his cooking very much," Emma grinned. "That's why I let him keep cooking."
"Cuz if you didn't, you'd be cooking."
"Correct," Emma chuckled.
"That's really nice you cook for Aunty Emma," Ally said looking at North.
"Anything your aunt wants, she gets," North smiled at them.
"Cuz you love her?"
"Very much."
"Good," Ally declared. "Momma and Daddy take turns cooking though Daddy breakfasts are the best, especially when he makes pancakes."
"Can he still flip them in the air?" North asked.
"Uh-huh!" Ally nodded. "It's really awesome to watch! I asked him to show me how he does it."
"Good luck with that," North chuckled. "That is a well-guarded secret of his." He watched Emma push her plate away. "You want some toast at least?"
"I'll try it," Emma shrugged. "Need to eat something."
"Are you getting sick Aunty Emma?" Ally asked giving her a concerned look as North got up to take her plate over to the sink.
"Nothing contagious," Emma replied giving Ally a smile. She glanced at North. "Uncle North and I have something we could tell you if you want to know. Or you can wait until your birthday and find out with everyone else."
Ally made a thinking face, "Well...I would really like to know, but then I have to keep it secret from Daddy and he's being really annoying with wanting to know what it is you two are hiding."
"Sometimes he's too smart for his own good," North chuckled from the counter where he was throwing two pieces of bread into a toaster. "Always has been. Gets him into trouble a lot."
"It's totally up to you if you want to know or not," Emma added.
"Can I think about it?" Ally asked.
"Take as long as you want," Emma smiled. "So anything special you want to do tonight?"
"Can we play video games?" Ally asked looking between Emma and North.
"Totally kid," North chuckled placing a plate with toast on it in front of Emma who made a face at it. "Don't force yourself."
"Yea, yea," Emma rolled her eyes at him. "Oh, I finished the program for the range today. Well, at least one of them. I have another one I want to do yet."
"What kind of program?" Ally asked looking at Emma.
"This one is Program Invasion," Emma answered picking up a piece of toast. "Sorta of based off the old Alien Invaders game, works on massive forces coming at you so you have to either act quickly or choose the appropriate weapon."
"That sounds really fun!" Ally exclaimed.
"You'll like the other program much better," Emma grinned. "Program Hunt is moving objects to help with aim and accuracy. Just a few more bugs to work out and then I should be able to get it installed and going in the Range."
"Don't push yourself to get it done," North sat back down at the table. "I'm in no rush."
"I do have other things I need to get done so the sooner this is done, the sooner I can get to the rest of my list," Emma replied. "Besides, it's not like it takes much physical effort on my part."
"Aunty Emma knows what she's doing Uncle North," Ally added.
"I know she does," North chuckled. "I just don't want her overworking herself."
"My knight," Emma grumbled. "Anyway, that one would be perfect to practice with your slingshot."
"Can I test it once you get it working?" Ally asked.
"Course you can," Emma nodded.
"Awesome," Ally cheered.