"So what all do you plan on taking back with us?" Wash asked as they unloaded the crates they brought from the warthogs they borrowed.
"I had Nathan make a list of everything he wanted from his room," Locus sighed. "Most of it is made up of what I'm assuming are toys."
"Well, we're grab those and then clothes," York replied stretching out his shoulders. "You two can do that and North and I can started on clearing out everything else, starting with the kitchen?"
"That works I suppose."
"Alright. Let's get to work. Sooner we get done, sooner we get home," North said motioning towards the house.
They followed Locus in. He pointed the kitchen out to North and York before heading up the stairs to where the bed room was. Wash followed him up the stairs and into what he safely assumed was Nathan's room. Locus stood in the middle and looked around, leaving off a big sigh as he scratched his head.
"Want me to start packing up his clothes?" Wash asked.
"Thanks…"
"Don't mention it," Wash said walking over to the dresser to start pulling out some things. He looked around for somewhere to put them before giving a chuckle. Locus gave him a confused look. "Just thinking that it's too bad we didn't have any more of those future cubes to move all the stuff." Locus gave a snort. "New thought though."
"What's that?"
"Instead of packing up the clothes separate…you need the furniture too, don't you?"
"The thought occurred to me. You thinking we should just carry that out without emptying it?"
"Why make more work?" Wash shrugged giving a chuckle.
"True," Locus sighed. "Let's get the toys and books boxed up first. Once we do that, North and York should be free from the kitchen to help carry the heavier things down."
"Sounds great," Wash nodded bending down to pick up a couple toy cars.
They worked in silence for a while before Wash caught himself. He took a breath, "So Mila said you stopped her to ask her if she could talk to South?"
"Oh…uh, yes, I did."
"Mind if I ask what about?" Wash asked curiously.
Locus gave a big sigh, "I told South about the message that Sierra left. She-"
"Nathan's mom, right?"
Locus nodded. "That was the codename I knew her by at least. Anyway…South thinks that I agreed Nathan could stay with us because Sierra wanted him to. She's upset that I am apparently listening to a dead woman over her."
"Are you?" Wash asked curiously.
"It's a bit more complicated than that." Wash raised an eyebrow at him. "The way her message came across made it sound like there was more to it than him just coming to me because I'm his father."
"You think she was involved in something?" Locus nodded. "She'd risk that with a kid?"
"Depending on the situation, yes most likely."
"And I take it you attempted to explain your concern to South?"
"Of course, but you know how she gets when she's already upset about something." Wash nodded, making a face. "Not that I am expecting it to help, but hopefully Ross can get through to her."
"Mila will certainly do her best I'm sure."
"Thanks for inviting us to come with," South said as she at the kitchen table with Ross, Tasha, and Preston.
"Figured it'd be good for Nathan to meet some new friends," Ross shrugged. "Tash was the one who suggested."
"Well, thanks either way."
"More the merrier," Tasha smiled at her. "Mila gave me a brief run down when I talked to her earlier."
"Must be nice to not have to do any work," South smirked.
"Not my fault my boyfriend won't let me do anything anymore," Ross huffed rubbing a hand across her stomach.
"Well, you could, but that'll start a fight," South chuckled.
"One I'd rather avoid. Besides, I do what Mei said I'm allowed to do. I've been debating about getting some computer lessons from Emma just so I have something to do," Ross said.
"Em would love that," South replied. She looked at Preston, "Dare I ask if you're coming back anytime soon?"
"I've been thinking about it…" Preston shrugged. "At least starting with drill first. Then we'll see about the afternoon stuff."
"That AI really fucked with your head."
"South," Ross slapped her.
"No, it's fine," Preston sighed. "There was nothing I could do to stop it at the time. It's something I have to accept."
"The therapist that's been working with her has been excellent. And I'm really thankful to have her here," Tasha wrapped an arm around Preston's shoulder. "The boys love her and she's super handy."
"Just doing my part," Preston shrugged. "Especially since you were nice enough to take me in."
Tasha gave her a squeeze before looking back at South, "So Mila said that Nathan's mom was a former co-worker of Locus's?"
"That's the nice way of explaining it I suppose," South sighed.
"How's the adjustment going? He doing ok with his mom's death?"
"Yes and no. Night-time is the worst right now. I mean, it's only been a couple days so I'm still waiting for the worst of it to come," South replied.
"And Mila said they went to go pick up his stuff from his old house?"
"Yup."
"Which is good because that gives you some space to hopefully cool down?" Ross raised an eyebrow at her.
"Did that ass ask you to talk to me?" South gave her an accusatory look.
"He may have," Ross shrugged. South growled. Ross nudged her, "Oh come on. That's a good sign that he came and asked."
"How is that a good sign?"
"It means he cares enough about you to have someone else step in to help him understand why you're pissed off."
"Men don't always know how to handle situations with loved ones," Tasha chuckled.
"One of many reasons I'm glad that I want nothing to do with the opposite sex," Preston mumbled her arms crossed.
"Except you haven't had Ash over in how long?" Tasha raised an eyebrow at her.
"We talk at least once a day," Preston shrugged looking uncomfortable all of a sudden.
"A relationship can't last on just phone calls."
"You'd know."
"Daisy, that was rude," Tasha rolled her eyes. "And while true, it's still rude." Preston huffed. Tasha looked back at South, "So what did he do to piss you off?"
"Kid's mom left him a message asking him to take care of the kid and even though I was telling him the same thing, he listened to her rather than me," South grumbled.
"Can't he listen to both of you?" Tasha asked curiously.
"No, because that would make sense and make someone else seem totally insane and selfish," Ross gave South an innocent look.
"You're an ass," South growled at her. "No, what pisses me off is that he's not thinking about the kid. I wanted him to agree so that he could get to know him. Most normal people out there, if they find out they're a parent, they want to get to know their spawn."
"Does the kid know Locus is his dad?" Preston asked confused.
"No. He doesn't want to tell him. At least not yet."
"Also, in case you're not aware," Ross made a gesture at her, "You two are far from normal."
"You are so lucky you are pregnant…" South glared at her as she lifted her wine glass to her lips.
"He'll get there," Tasha shrugged. "It'll take some time, but it's a big adjustment. They'll be playing catch before you know it."
York stretched his arms over his head after he put the last box on the warthog, "How many more do we have?"
"I think the rest is just stuff that's getting trashed," North answered.
"Awesome. So we'll probably be heading out soon. Great." They turned to head back to the house.
"I heard the sarcasm in that," North chuckled. Someone standing outside the front gate caught his eye. "Looks like we got a visitor."
York looked in the direction North had nodded, "Huh." They walked over, York pausing when they got close. "Hey there. Can we help you?"
"Oh uh, hey," the guy answered glancing at them and then back at the house. "I was looking for the woman who lived here."
"Sorry dude, she passed away last week," York crossed his arms.
"Well that's terrible…what about the kid she had?"
"He's being taken care of," North replied.
"Oh, ok. Uh, thanks."
They watched the man put his hands in his pockets and walk away from them down the street. They watched him until he rounded the corner and then headed in. York scratched his head, "That seemed weird."
"A bit," North agreed as they headed inside.
"What seemed weird?" Wash asked catching their conversation.
"Some guy just stopped by," York pointed over his shoulder.
"What guy?" Locus asked, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.
"Don't know, just some dude. Saw him after we took that last box out," York answered. "Asked about Nathan and his mom."
"Did he ask for either of them by name?"
"He did not," North shook his head.
"And he didn't give his name or anything?" Both of them shook their heads. "Did anything stick out about him?"
"The interaction was strange. Hard to tell if he actually knew them or not," North answered.
"Had a nick on his right eyebrow," York added.
"Maybe we should alert the general in charge just to be on the safe side," Wash suggested. Locus nodded after a moment. "North?"
"On it," North gave a nod before turning to head back outside to make a phone call.
"Are we heading out then?" York asked.
"We still need to clean out the rest of the house," Wash said before chuckling as York groaned. "Oh come on, you knew this wasn't going to be quick."
"One can hope," York sighed.
"How goes the coding lesson?" Emma asked walking out of her office after putting Oliver down for his nap.
"Better if someone wasn't a giant douchebag," Ross grumbled glaring at the AI hologram that was floating next to her.
"It's Church, you should be used to it by now," Emma chuckled.
"Love you too, Em," Church sighed. "And she's doing fine for being a novice."
"Be better if you'd stop making the screen flicker…" Ross grumbled.
"I'm… not doing anything to the screen…?" Church replied sound confused.
"Oh good, so it's the headache I have then," Ross sighed leaning forward to rub her eyes.
"Why don't you take a break from staring at the screen?" Emma offered giving her a concerned look. Ross sat back in the chair. "How long have you had a headache?"
"Sorta woke up with one. I feel fine otherwise. Lucy's moving around so nothing wrong there," Ross moved one of her hands away from her face and put it on her stomach.
"Have you taken anything?" Ross shook her head. "You probably should."
"No, it's fine. I'll suffer…"
"Ross, don't make me call Wash," Emma gave her a serious look.
"He knows I have a headache, I already talked to him."
"And did he tell you to take something?"
"He told me if it got worse, I should talk to Mei or Felicity about what I could take. It's not at that point yet."
"Church?"
"Hey, I'm not getting in the middle of this," Church put up his hands. "Besides, she's not wrong. It's not as worse as the one's C used to get and nothing is wrong that I can tell and yes I will alert the appropriate parties if I see it getting any worse."
"You're the best Church," Emma chuckled.
"Tell me something I don't know," Church laughed. "By the way, North sent a message. They left this morning and should be back in an hour or so."
"Lovely," Emma smiled. She looked at Ross who was sitting with her eyes closed, "You should go home and lie down at least."
"No, I want to be here when Wash gets back."
"Well then there are beds in Medbay you can borrow for a nap."
"I'd prefer not to be in the Medbay if I don't have to be…"
"You are difficult," Emma chuckled.
"Wash tells me that all the time," Ross smirked.
"Well, now I believe him. Take my couch. You and Oliver can take a nap together."
"That I guess I can accept," Ross sighed.
"Great."
"Oh and speaking of difficult, your sister-in-law is higher than me on that scale," Ross pushed herself up out of the chair.
"Believe me I know. Is this about Locus and his reasoning on the kid?" Emma asked.
"Hit the nail on the head," Ross shook her own. "I think we got her calmed down a little last night about it."
"Good, so she's going to talk to him about it when they get back then?"
"Hopefully," Ross sighed. "Daisy might be coming back next week for drill."
"Well that's good to hear. She doing better?"
"Trying. They're having Khaza and Kole over tonight. Kole misses seeing her."
"That's good they're still considering her as family," Emma sat down at the computer for the Floor.
"Definitely. Ruth meant a lot to them from what I understand. Tasha wanted to get to know them a bit and apparently the boys all love the idea of hanging out with aliens," Ross gave a chuckle.
"Sounds like a bunch of boys to me," Emma smiled. "Now go lay down all ready."
"Yes ma'am," Ross sighed walking into Emma's office and closing the door.
Emma turned and looked out over the Floor just in time to see Carolina throwing one for the recruits over her shoulder and straightening up to close-line another. She winced in pity as the two laid on the ground for a few seconds as Carolina stood smugly over them.
