A/N: You might have worked out by now that this story was based on 'A mine is a terrible thing to waste, part 2' and in particular, my dislike of Wheeler's time in the trees. ;) It might have a few references to other series in there too.

Anyway, this is the last chapter. I decided when I started that it would fit in with the episodes, though obviously it starts and ends after the series finished, but that also meant that it wouldn't be quite as happy as some of my others… i.e. the fates of Linka's father, Gi's Teesa and Ma-Ti's parents. (You'll have to watch the series again if you want to know what happened to them.)

Thank you for your support and I hope you'll enjoy this final part, even if it's not quite what you might have expected.

Chapter Eleven – Facing the Consequences and Moving On

1983

"I got back late last night," Kwame explained to his mother in their native African dialect, remembering how his employer had dropped him and the other hired workers off in their home villages, as his truck travelled across the plains. "I did not want to wake you. How are you feeling?"

The sickly woman smiled and assured him that she was getting better every day and now he was home would soon be well. "Mobutu will be pleased to see you as well, the village needs strong hunters."

Kwame began to prepare breakfast with what little food he could find. "I will speak with him after we have eaten," He checked the pockets of his jeans with some satisfaction, "I still have some money left from my wages and I have had lots of practise using my English, I will bargain well with the traders."

His mother nodded her approval. "You will be an asset to our tribe."

ooo

Wheeler awoke with a groan, his muscles feeling stiff from sleeping on the cold metal of the fire escape. He sighed with resignation, it was time to go home, there was no sense in putting it off any longer. He crawled through his bedroom window, landing with a clatter as his foot caught something in the dark.

The light came on a few seconds later and a harsh but familiar voice greeted him, "So, you've finally decided to come home have you? You have some nerve you worthless scrounger, I should throw you out and be done with you, but I'll make you regret it first I swear I will!"

His father advanced menacingly towards him but though only ten years old Wheeler stood defiantly and met his gaze. "I can't stop you trying, but I won't regret it. I met good and decent people and now I know, I swear, that when I grow up I'll be a better man than you!"

The anger in his father's face grew and in the doorway his mother started to cry…

ooo

"Teacher's pet!" The dark haired girl sneered and yanked her victim's long blond hair, angry that their classmate hadn't got in more trouble for her disappearing act.

Alina sighed. "You really need some new lines, you know that?"

The other brunette stepped forward trying to intimidate the petite blond with her height. "You run away for a few weeks and suddenly you think you're tough? Well, you're not. You're nothing, just a stuck up brain!"

It hurt, but Alina wasn't about to show it, "You're right, I am far more intelligent than you and I am the teacher's pet, but do you know what that means? It means that if I tell on you they will believe me and you will get in trouble. Do you want me to tell on you?"

The first girl looked wary but answered stoutly, "We haven't done anything."

"And if we did it would be worth it." The other replied defiantly.

Alina let tears fill her eyes and she suddenly clutched her arm, "Please miss, don't let them hurt me anymore…" They spun around quickly but there was no one there and Linka smiled, "Convincing?"

The two, nine year old bullies glared but let her pass.

They will not be fooled forever, Linka thought sadly as she made her way to the computer lab and her favourite seat at the back of the class. She was very lonely.

Present

"Sit down." Gaia directed, and waited until her Planeteers made themselves comfortable on the wooden floor of the Crystal Chamber. She hadn't wanted to perform the procedure until Gi and Ma-Ti returned but now that they were all together again, it was time.

Wheeler and Linka had been inseparable all afternoon, though from what Gaia could tell they had not talked much or done anything but stare out to sea. The American was being over-protective of his companion but she couldn't blame him, what Linka had done that day had taken a lot of personal strength and would no doubt haunt her for some time regardless.

The Spirit of the Earth knelt in front of Kwame first and placed her fingers to his temple, "I'm going to remove the memory blocks, there's no need for them now. You might be a little disorientated at first as your real memories re-assert themselves, just remain still until it passes."

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Wheeler reach out and hold Linka's hand in a gesture of comfort, which was odd when she thought about it because Linka already knew more than he did about what happened.

Kwame gasped and blinked, and then a frown creased his forehead as he began to sift through the images in his head.

Linka was next and she automatically gripped the hand that was still holding hers, receiving a calm, firm squeeze in return. Like her African team mate her focus turned inward as she processed the new information, her eyes closing to shut out the present for a moment.

When it was Wheeler's turn he stiffened and released the Russian's hand and the set look on his face showed that whatever was going through his mind he didn't like it.

"Are you ok Yankee?" Linka whispered beside him, very aware of his sudden absence.

"Fine." He got up, ignoring Gaia's advice, "I just need to go for a walk."

The Wind Planeteer drew up her legs and wrapped her arms around them as if feeling the cold.

"I am not going to apologise for my actions," Kwame said suddenly, "I stand by my decisions, I did what I needed to do for the good of my people, but… I want you to know, that you can still trust me. My loyalty now and in the future is to the Planeteers."

Gi moved closer and gave him a hug, "We never doubted that."

It was then Linka realised that Wheeler hadn't yet left the hut. He stood with his back to them, one hand leaning against the door frame, and he spoke softly, just above a whisper, "Well, I'm sorry. I didn't even put up a fight, and for what? It was all fake and I fell for it like the idiot I am."

Linka was on her feet in a moment and in his arms the next, "Stop it Jason. You are loyal to the people who are good to you, that is not a bad thing. I had far more to lose and even I was tempted by what they offered."

"That's not true," He argued, but he held her against him all the same. "You never fell for their lines, you never gave up wanting to go home. You didn't even disappear did you?"

"I was fading in and out." She confessed, "I could feel myself drifting and I nearly disappeared more than once. Blight made a mistake with me, she took me. It was not my decision and it set me against her, but between Mal and… and you. I was tempted to stay, and do not forget that I had no idea of how little time I had left with my father, as far as I was concerned my family would always be there."

Wheeler released her again and she wondered if she'd said too much about his influence on her. "I'm gonna take that walk." He took a step away and then turned back as if something occurred to him, and took Linka by surprise by brushing the backs of his fingers down her cheek and adding, "Don't worry, just give me some time."

Linka nodded, her face heating as she wondered what the others made of the gesture when she wasn't entirely sure what to make of it herself.

He left then and she went back to the others, reminding herself that Kwame had been her friend back then too and despite his assertions, probably needed her reassurance as much as her tempestuous Yankee.

Wheeler sat up in his bed, reading one of the books Linka had given him for his last birthday. Anything to stop thinking about the memories Gaia had revealed and their consequences. He'd worked for Plunder for longer than the others and he had a pretty good idea of the damage he'd unwittingly contributed to… he wondered how he'd managed to look Gi in the face, let alone Linka.

They had all been subdued when he got back to them around dinner time, and the air of disquiet continued until they finally gave up and sought their beds. Sad memories mixed with guilt meant that a restful sleep wouldn't be easy for any of the Planeteers to find that night but it had also meant that Wheeler couldn't bring himself to offer the comfort he usually would to the young woman that meant more to him that anything else.

A tentative knock on his door broke through the space adventure he'd been absorbed in and a nervous looking Linka entered. "I cannot sleep, can I sit in here for a while?"

He smiled, knowing she'd said those exact words before and that her use of them now was not a coincidence. "You're not going to make me sleep in my chair are you?"

The lovely blond smiled back and shook her head, glad that he'd understood her reference. Not everything about their shared childhood experience had been bad after all. Wheeler lifted his bed covers invitingly, half expecting to be slapped down, but she slid in next to him and made herself comfortable in arms that were only too eager to welcome her.

"This is better," She said with a sigh, her head on his shoulder.

"I have to tell you something." Wheeler said at last, relieved that she'd come to him but unable to relax until she knew the truth.

Linka looked up at him, a teasing light in her eyes. "You are married."

He kissed her forehead but didn't offer a smile in return, "No. I'm serious Babe… you have to hear this."

"Go on." She replied softly, her expression now one of perfect trust that didn't make what he had to say any easier.

"I found… I found a book about us, back then, it had a page about your Dad." He swallowed. "I knew. I knew and I let him die."

Linka's eyes filled with tears and he thought for one awful moment that she would run from him and never speak to him again. "I know. Ma-Ti told me… you were going to give it to him, to warn my Papa and he stopped you. Because it was the right thing to do. Yankee I let him die too, and… that is far worse!"

Wheeler couldn't meet her eyes. "No, because you did it for the sake of the world, because it was the right thing to do. I did it because Ma-Ti told me it was the only way I'd ever see you again."

The words were wrenched out of him, and were followed by silence.

At last Linka said, "We were children, desperately in need of friendship… of love. My Papa was not real to that little boy, she, I, was… You have to stop second guessing yourself Jason, you will destroy both of us."

"I'm sorry." He held her tightly, tears in his own eyes and his voice rough with emotion. "I'm so sorry. You're right, there was no choice. For either of us, then or now."

Crying a little as she had been doing all day, the Russian finally calmed once more. After a while she said, "Gaia would have blocked his memory, she let him remember us as a gift for not revealing the truth."

Wheeler hesitated, not wanting to upset her even more but she sensed his uncertainty and encouraged him to continue. "I just… I had the feeling he knew, like he knew he wasn't around. I know he said I should take you to visit him but…"

"Maybe." Linka allowed. "I am not sure I want to know."

He pressed his lips into her hair, "I'm glad I got to meet him, I liked him."

"He liked you too." She turned to kiss his shoulder in return.

Wheeler smiled, "Thank you for wanting me with you, I know it didn't work out but it meant a lot. And it's kinda cool that we got to meet twice."

She chuckled, "And make a bad first impression both times?"

"Nah, you were totally in to me from the get go."

"Which time?" She asked skeptically.

"Both times!"

She didn't answer.

"Babe?" Still no response. "Hey, Alina Orlova, you're supposed to say, 'Da, Yankee – or Jason if you prefer – you are completely right as always, it was love at first sight."

Linka looked up at him and smiled, "I do not believe in love at first sight, that is nothing but physical attraction." He sighed but she continued, "Real love is when you know all of someone's bad points and love them anyway, would do anything for them, and know you cannot be happy without them."

"Yeah." He agreed seriously, and somewhat pointedly, "I know."

"I know too." She blushed but met his eyes, letting him see her meaning.

Wheeler's face softened, an unguarded look she rarely got to see. He moved slowly until he could bring their lips together in a soft, tentative caress. It was sweet and loving, a tender brush of heaven. Linka sighed against him, responding to his warmth and encouraging him to continue.

"I do not want to lose you again." She whispered when they parted, their lips still close enough to touch. "I have lost too much, too many friends and I have lost you twice already, my heart could not stand it."

"You haven't lost me." He assured her, pulling her close again, "Not once. We were just… on pause. I know it wasn't easy, Babe. I wish I could take all the pain away, I'd do anything for you."

She gave him a watery smile, "Da, but I would not let you. Just… do not let me go now."

"Never again." Wheeler kissed away an escaping tear, "Look, let's get some sleep, you've been through a lot today… I really wish I could have been there with you."

Linka nodded and snuggled into him, closing her eyes. "You are always taking care of me."

He stroked her hair back off her face, "That's my job."

"I will take care of you too." She promised sleepily.

"You always have, even when you were a little girl. You taught me to stand up for what's right."

Relaxing in his arms Linka whispered back, "And you taught me not to be afraid to stand up for myself."

He kissed her smile, and they settled down to sleep, sure of a future together.

6 months later

Linka heard the bathroom door open and quickly minimized the window on her laptop, leaving her e-mail client open on the screen.

Wheeler emerged with a towel around his waist, his hair still wet from the shower, and came directly over to lean over his girlfriend's chair, "Checking your messages? Anything interesting?"

"Some new petitions, a few event invitations," She turned in her chair, smiling and raising her lips for him to kiss as his arms slipped around her, in a gently suggestive manner. "We have work to do, we do not have time for that."

"For what?" The young man grinned, feigning innocence, and kissed her again.

Chuckling, Linka returned the embrace briefly and then pulled away and told him to get dressed, taking a few moments to watch before turning back to her computer. Pulling on the last of his clothing, Wheeler asked if she was ready for breakfast.

Shaking her head slightly the beautiful young woman said, "I will be a little longer, you go on ahead."

"Not too long." He countered, claiming one last kiss before heading out, "See you in a minute."

Linka nodded but waited for him to leave before opening her internet browser again and studying the chess game it contained.

She loved her Yankee deeply and didn't want to hurt him, and it was possible that Wheeler would understand her choice of opponent, after all he'd told her himself how Mal had helped them, but she didn't want to argue with him about it.

When the program had first contacted her she'd been a little wary but she figured that with Doctor Blight in jail he was feeling lonely, she wasn't sure exactly where he was and she'd taken extra security precautions before responding, but she couldn't forget that in his own way, he had been her friend.

She made a move and sent it with a brief message, before logging out and shutting down the system.

The message read, 'Check Mate.'