Chapter 11

"Shannon," Taylor said for the sixth time, "Shannon do you copy?" He had been trying to raise Jim on the radio for half an hour now. He first assumed he was running late. Then, when five minutes turned into thirty, Taylor tried to call him. Jim was now an hour late, nowhere in sight, and not answering his radio. Concerned, Taylor quickly called the hospital.

"Commander Taylor," said the woman who answered.

"Sarah, yes, I need to speak with Dr. Shannon."

The doctor shook her head. "I'm sorry, she's not here yet. She was supposed to check in over an hour ago and we've been unable to communicate with her. We were just about to call you and notify you."

Taylor's frown deepened as his mind began whipping through scenarios in which the entire Shannon family had been murdered or kidnapped. "All right, thank you Doctor. I'll let you know when we know more."

He cut the connection and quickly radioed the school, getting the same response from them. The girls had never arrived. Now, thoroughly concerned, he called in the guard standing at his door.

"Sergeant, I need you to get together a group of five men and meet me as soon as possible at the base of the stairs. Just get whoever is available, understood?"

The soldier nodded and went to carry out his orders. Taylor took out his radio, calling Wash.

OOOOO

Wash and Mark were in the gym, both clad in tight fitting cloths suitable for sparing. Mark had a lot to learn from Wash, but she was at least a fair match for him. As he prepared himself for another attack, Wash's radio crackled.

"Wash," came Taylor's voice. She quickly dropped her stick and went over to grab it.

"Commander."

"We have a situation developing with the Shannons. It's a long story but I've put together a small team and we're heading over to their house. I'd like you to join us."

Wash eyed Mark, who was looking concerned, and answered. "All right, be there soon."

She quickly shrugged on her jacket and picked up her gun. Seeing Mark's look, she said, "All right, you can come. Let's go."

Grabbing his jacket, he hurried after her.

OOOOO

Wash and Mark arrived at the Shannon's house first. Wash stopped Mark from barreling in since Taylor hadn't told them the nature of the situation and she didn't know what they'd be walking in to. As they waited, Mark paced, watching for signs of life from their house. All was quiet.

Not too long after, Taylor and his contingent arrived. "Any sign of life Wash?" Taylor asked, his blue eyes concerned.

"No sir," she answered. "What exactly is going on sir?"

"Well, is seems that the entire Shannon family has forgotten to show up for life today and no one can raise them on the radios. I don't know what's going on, but I hope it's all a silly misunderstanding."

Wash nodded. "Yes sir."

Taylor turned to his men. "All right, let's move in. Braket, Tyile, I want you two on the back door."

They complied and Taylor took point, Wash close behind. Mark, despite the fact that he was missing a weapon, followed behind Wash. Taylor took out the master key and unlocked their front door, pushing it open.

His first thought when he saw the state of the inside was, "they've been robbed," and then "they've been kidnapped." The house was in such a state of disarray, he didn't realize it was actually planned disarray until he noticed the table filled with empty dishes and a few remains of food. He looked at Wash with a curious expression, wondering if they were still here sleeping and where they'd gone in such a hurry as to leave the kitchen in such a state.

As he walked a little farther in, he almost slipped in a puddle of batter, a hardened film over the top. Pots and pans covered the counter, along with egg shells, meat cloth, syrup, knives, onion peels, pepper tops, flour, and pancake batter. Come to think of it, the pancake batter was everywhere. It looked like there had been a war waged with it. The table was similarly littered, but mostly with dirty dishes. One pancake lay on a plate and two pieces of sausage were left, grease pooling around them. Taylor shook his head in disbelief, taking another step forward.

His view no longer blocked by the kitchen table, he spotted the whole family, curled up in various positions on the floor in the living room. He nudged Wash and pointed, her face cracking a smile as her eyes glanced back at him. The soldiers coming in the back door had noticed them as well and seemed to relax. Jim was laying on his back, wedged between the chair and his wife. Elisabeth was on her stomach, one arm over Jim's stomach and one under her head. Josh lay above them all, parallel to the couch, and on his back. Maddy's feet were on his stomach and the rest of her body was curled around so she seemed to be laying on her stomach, one arm under her head. Zoe, the smallest, was somehow wedged between Josh and Maddy, her head laying in the crook of Maddy's body, her legs curled around Josh's shoulder. They looked somewhat like a human puzzle.

Taylor shook his head again. Never in all his days in the military had he ever encountered a stranger or more touching answer to someone being late. Taylor thought for a moment and then came to a decision. Motioning for the soldiers at the back door to move out, he told the soldiers at the front door to do the same.

"Wash," he said in hushed tones. "Go to the infirmary and make sure they'll be okay without Dr. Shannon for the day. It looks like this family needs a day off."

"Yes sir," she said with a smile in her voice. Taylor quickly jotted a note down and left it among the mess on the counter, hoping they would see it. Then, clasping Mark on the shoulder with a smile, he pushed him lightly out the door, leaving pancake footprints behind him, and locking the door.

"Well Mark, you've got housing duty. But, let's meet for lunch k? I'll be there at 1200." Mark nodded curtly as he watched Taylor walk back towards the main square. Turning back to look at the house briefly, he shook his head. Maddy's family was special and he hoped one day he could be part of midnight pancake madness. He had thought hard last night, instead of sleep, and this morning, he knew without a doubt what he wanted. Even if she wasn't carrying his child, he wanted to make Maddy Shannon his wife.

OOOOO

Instead of reporting to housing detail, Mark radioed Wash to see where she'd ended up. Turned out, she was just making her way back to the main plaza. Mark asked if she would wait for him so they could talk briefly before he had to start work. He jogged his way to where she was waiting and she smiled at him.

"Reynolds, what's up?"

He smiled tightly and then looked forward as they started to walk. The butterflies in his stomach were completely out of control, but he ignored them resolutely. Nothing was going to keep him from telling Wash this time. He knew what he wanted.

"Uh, do you know Laura Kandar?"

She nodded curtly, continuing to walk.

"Well, after Maddy and I broke up, she and I were together."

"Okay…" she said, waiting for him to continue. He sighed, taking a deep breath.

"Well, the other reason I bolted the other night was…I kissed her… more like… made out with her the other night."

Wash stopped walking and turned to him sharply, staring him down. He tried to hold her gaze, swallowing thickly, but had to drop his eyes. She had the most intense stare of anyone he knew.

"You made out with her," she said slowly, "After you asked Maddy to date you again." Her mouth was set in a thin line, her eyes hard. He swallowed again and nodded slightly. She was holding her hands tightly in fists and obviously struggling to control herself. Quickly turning away from him she began walking. Reynolds thought for a moment she was going to leave but she turned back, coming towards him again.

"You of all people I would never have expected this of."

Her hard stare was back. Mark clenched his jaw, nodding.

"You are the epitome of a faithful man, Mark. I thought that's what you were. Are you telling me you're not that person?"

The question didn't seem to warrant an answer so he just stood silent, waiting, hands behind his back. She turned away for a moment, running a hand over her head and then quickly turned back.

"Why, Mark? Why did you do it?"

Mark's eyes seemed to crease together as his face became a grimace. "Well, I've been thinking about that question a lot and I think I know the answer."

She waited with an expectant expression on her face.

"I didn't know what I wanted. I had Laura throwing herself at me, practically begging to be with me, and Maddy, pregnant with my child, who I love, but not throwing herself at me in any sense of the word." He paused, taking a deep breath. "Well, I didn't sleep last night. I talked with Trevor and then I thought hard pretty much the whole night through. I want Maddy, Wash. I want her, and I want this baby, and I want to make her my wife. I've decided that I'm going to be committed to her, end of story. And even if she wasn't pregnant, I would still want to make her my wife."

Wash started him down for a good two minutes, thinking about what he'd said. After a while, she said, "Tell me what happened. And don't leave anything out." Her tone was hard.

Mark nodded and told her in detail of the events of that night; of his anger leaving the Shannons, of walking past Taylor's office, of meeting Laura, of Laura's attitude and insistent physical contact. When he had finished, Wash was looking at him with a little less anger than before. She nodded curtly.

"All right Reynolds, we're going to have a talk with Laura and attempt to figure this out. And just because she's coming on to you does not, I repeat, does not, give you an excuse."

"Yes Ma'am," he said as he adopted his familiar soldier stance.

She sighed. "Does Maddy know?"

Marks expression visibly fell. "Yes. I told her yesterday and she… she broke up with me."

Wash nodded. "But it was the right thing to do you know."

Mark nodded. "I know that."

"And points for telling her right away."

Mark tried to smile but it didn't quite come out. Wash sighed, grasping one of Marks shoulders with a firm hand. "She'll come around Mark, but you have to show her that you're serious about what you told me; that you're committed to her and that you want to make her your wife. She's going to need a little time."

Mark nodded, looking at the ground, and then cleared his throat, visibly blinking his eyes to keep the tears from collecting. She released him from her grip a little roughly.

"Come on, let's go talk to Kandar. Then you can go do your housing job."

As they began their walk to the main plaza, Wash couldn't help but think about how her boyfriend had failed her all those years ago. She had never thought that Mark might fail Maddy. She knew he wouldn't now that he'd got his head on straight again, but she couldn't shake the feeling that he might not be the committed man she knew he was. She sighed, thinking about how disappointed she was in him and hoping he wouldn't continue that way; knowing that he wouldn't, but wondering all the same.

When they arrived at the stairs leading to her and Taylor's offices, she turned to him, her eyes sad.

"You know Mark, I hope you mean what you said about being committed to Maddy. She's a good kid and she's counting on you to take care of her. I want you to know I have faith in you but I really expected better from you and I'm disappointed."

The line felt like a dagger to the heart, and as he contemplated those words, he knew he couldn't let them continue to be a reality.