Chapter 26

Deeper in the woods, Michael and Taylor were walking together in silence. It was unbearable. He still wasn't sure where he stood with the Commander. It seemed like there were a thousand things to say but no way to say them.

He squeezed rainwater out of his uniform, finding the dampness increasingly unpleasant. His lower lip trembled as the air cooled around them.

"Sun's going down," Taylor said, noticing Michael's shivering. "We'll need to get to a camp soon. I just hope Terra Nova knows what it's in for."

"Jim should have it handled," Michael reassured him, though he had been anxious about it himself. "We were expecting the worst. Jim's done a good job prepping everyone."

Taylor raised an eyebrow. "Good to hear he's been doing a good job in my absence. I knew he would. How has the colony been?"

"On edge. Worried...about you. About everything...It took them a while to accept me back. Most of them still haven't, but I'm working on it."

"Well, you were convincing," Taylor said, looking over at him. Michael instantly felt a pang of guilt hit him, as if someone had just run him over with a Rhino. "How did you manage to convince Jim to trust you?"

"When I changed my mind about the deal." He suddenly felt ashamed. "I was wrong about Nichol, about all of it."

"Well. Better late than never," joked Taylor. "What made you change your mind?"

Michael smiled. "Crazy as it sounds, it was Alicia. I just thought of her and...it was like she was guiding me, reminding me who I was."

Suddenly, he stopped. Noticing this, Taylor halted too, turning around to look at his son. Michael was watching the floor guiltily.

"Dad, I made a mistake leading you to that portal." He risked looking into his father's eyes, seeing that familiar stern look. But his father's features softened.

"Son, I'm not gonna lie to you. Whether you believed in that deal or not, you took a huge risk. You risked my life and the lives of everyone in the colony. I don't take that lightly. But, seeing Nichol's whole operation, how she manipulates people, it opened my eyes." He sighed deeply. "I understand why you did it. You thought you were saving Wash and your child. And I didn't make it easy on you while you were here. You or Lucas." Michael watched intently as his father came closer, a remorseful look on his face. "I admit it. I failed you both. I treated you like my soldiers rather than my sons. I let it get too far and I'm sorry for that."

Michael was surprised to hear his father apologise properly. He was speechless. Years of being made to feel ashamed, insubordinate, treasonous. Finally, the old man was apologising for all of it?

"Maybe Lucas will always hate me," his father continued regrettably. "Maybe you will too. But I hope not. Whatever trust has been lost between us, I want to help repair it. From both sides."

Michael nodded slowly. He wanted that too. It might take a while to get there, but he was willing to try.

"Dad...I am sorry. Lucas got in my head. He kept saying all these terrible things and I realised I felt them too. I did hate you. Everything that's happened between us...I felt so disconnected from you. I resented you for it. For throwing me away like you did with Lucas. I was angry. All those months working for Nichol just made it worse. I felt alone. I felt like there was no other way. I'm just trying to make you understand what it was like."

"I'm beginning to," Taylor admitted. "I know I rule with an iron fist. Perhaps I can try to change that."

He smiled at Michael. He was just about to carry on walking when Michael stepped towards him.

"There was something else that Lucas said too. It's actually been on my mind for a long time now."

Taylor was looking at him now, intrigued.

"You were so against me and Wash being together...is that because you and her..." He felt his temperature rise, unsure how to phrase it. "Did something happen between you two?"

Judging by his father's reaction, he thought he might not want to know the answer. But it was deep in the back of his mind, the idea that they might have been something. Lucas' allegations only solidified that fear.

"The only woman I've ever loved is your mother," confirmed his father. "'Til the day I die, whether that's today, tomorrow or years from now." Michael was about to breathe a sigh of relief when his father continued. "Wash has always been a good friend to me, and a loyal ally. After your mother passed, I was a mess. Wash was there for me, she helped me through it." He avoided his son's curious gaze. "Sometimes when a man is at his weakest, he does things he's not proud of. I'm no exception. There was a brief moment when I took advantage of her kindness. Of our friendship."

"A moment?" Michael repeated sceptically.

Taylor nodded shamefully. "Like I said, I'm not proud of it. But that's all it was; a moment. Lucas must have picked up on it and blown it out of proportion."

Michael stared at him, remembering the vehemence in Lucas' words: 'Don't tell me you never saw it? The way they were with each other? It made me sick!'

Now he knew there was some truth to his words. Lucas hadn't been lying, at least not entirely. How right had he been?

"Was it out of proportion?" Michael questioned with uncertainty.

"Of course it was."

"Then why didn't you tell me about this? Why didn't she?"

"Because there was nothing to tell," Taylor insisted, looking at his son. "There has never been anything going on between us. That's not why I criticised the relationship. It was because I cared about you both and I didn't want to see you get hurt." He paused, taking in a breath. "But you're together now and you have a family of your own. That's all that matters. I won't let anything get in the way of that now. This is what you both want then that's the way it will be."

It was astonishing for Michael to hear this. If only he had heard it several years ago, when he and Wash had first got together, then a lot of pain and resentment could have been spared. For a moment, Michael didn't say a thing. He didn't know if he was angry, sad, happy, relieved. But then he found his voice.

"Better late than never," he repeated his father's earlier comment.

The blazing fire warmed Lucas' hands as he pushed the wood around, allowing the fire to spread. He sat closely to it, allowing the heat to dry his clothes and body. The warmth was comforting, though he wished he could do something for the bullet hole in his lower abdomen. That magical spray of Skye's wasn't lasting long as the wound kept reopening and blood kept leaking through his shirt.

As Skye came back with an armful of firewood, she almost dropped it all at the sight of Lucas already warming himself on the flames. Her jaw dropped. "Are you kidding me?"

"I told you," Lucas said smugly. "I've had a lot of practice."

She huffed in annoyance, carrying over the remainder of the wood and dumping it next to the fire. Frustrated, she pulled her hair out from her bun and let it drape wildly over her shoulders. She noticed him staring, then her gaze lowered to his wound and her frown deepened. "You're bleeding again. I'll have to bandage you up." She sat down next to him, grabbing her medical kit. "Take off your shirt."

He raised an eyebrow. She raised both of hers to express her impatience. So he sighed and did as she commanded. He carefully took his shirt off over his head, revealing his bruised torso. He felt Skye's eyes take him in for a brief moment before she grabbed her bandages and started wrapping it around his stomach. The gentle touch of her fingertips on his skin made his heart jump slightly. She was soft and meticulous, avoiding his gaze as she worked.

"What happened back there anyway?" Skye asked. She risked a look at the cuts and bruises on his face but, catching his eye, quickly looked away again. "Who did you piss off?"

"I think, everybody," answered Lucas mirthlessly. "The shot was from the Wicked Witch herself. So I guess I'm fired."

Skye paused. "So you're done with them. Your employers."

"I think I'm just done," muttered Lucas.

She tied off the bandage, the sudden pressure making Lucas wince.

"Lucas, this is good. You and Michael aren't being controlled by them anymore. You could come back to Terra Nova."

"Don't be ridiculous, Bucket," spat Lucas. He pulled his shirt back on, feeling the evening chill. "I can't go back there."

"The Commander forgave me. I'm sure he'll forgive you and Michael too."

"Why do people crave his forgiveness so much, as if that will fix anything?" Lucas ridiculed bitterly. "I don't want his forgiveness. You don't understand. When we met, I thought you did. You'd been abused and kicked aside by him too. It's what drew me to you, Bucket. But it turns out you're just another one of his clueless followers."

He watched as Skye narrowed her eyes at him. Then she pulled out a needle. "Hold still," she mumbled. "Your face needs stitches."

Michael led the way back towards where he had left Skye and his brother. It was dark now and the trail was hard to follow, but he was confident he could find his way back. For one thing, it was obvious that the Cruentusaur had tore its way through this part of the forest. That meant Skye and Lucas couldn't be far off.

"Dad, what's the plan with Lucas? What are you going to do with him?"

Taylor thought for a second. "That's up to him."

Michael guessed what that meant. Lucas could either come quietly or...he could make things very very difficult for himself. Michael sensed his choice would be the latter. They all knew how stubborn Lucas was. He'd rather kill himself than accept defeat. Michael was now willing to try to earn back everyone's trust, but Lucas? He wouldn't care in the first place.

Lucas winced as Skye sewed the needle through his sore flesh. His cheek burned.

"I suppose there's no more of that magical little healing spray of yours?" he mumbled pitifully.

"Nope," Skye pouted unsympathetically. "All gone I'm afraid."

Lucas frowned, wincing again as the needle pierced his skin. He sensed her claim wasn't entirely true.

She rolled her eyes. "Stop being such a baby. You've had bullets in you. This should be nothing."

He grimaced. "Perhaps you're letting your current feelings for me impair your sewing ability."

She locked eyes with him for a second. "Current feelings?"

"I upset you."

"You didn't upset me," she replied, though the quick stab into his cheek seemed to suggest otherwise. "Stop flinching."

He watched her up close to him, holding his face as she focused intently on her work, her blue eyes glimmering in the glow of the campfire. She looked so beautiful in that light, but in a different way to what he remembered. She looked so much more confident. So much stronger. He remembered when they first met, the way he tried to intimidate her. How terrified she had seemed.

"Are you not afraid of me anymore, Bucket?" He smiled sadly, beginning to feel ashamed of some of the tactics he'd used to manipulate her.

"Do I look afraid of you?" she asked, concentrating on tying the knot on the stitches. She finished up, lightly brushing her thumb along the sutures. She caught him looking at her again and she gently lowered her hands. "I was at first. Then I thought I could be the one to save you. I mean, before I even met you I wanted to help find you, bring you home. Be a hero." She sighed shakily. "Then I saw how crazy you were and what you did to Lieutenant Washington and Michael, and I should have wanted you dead. But I didn't. Not really. I didn't want to shoot you." She paused, staring at him with such intensity. "I still hoped I could fix you. But I'm not sure I can. You don't want to be fixed." A twisted smile appeared on her lips. "I don't know, maybe someone else can."

She was about to turn away when he grabbed her hand, surprising her. She stared at him, her blue eyes wide with confusion. "You were right," he said. "When Michael took you, there was a reason I came for you. I didn't want him to hurt you, Skye." The use of her real name surprised even him. "I have thought about you every day since I left. I thought about seeing you again. I thought about...that night. When you kissed me. I know it wasn't real. I know it was just some clever manipulation." He spoke quickly, as if the courage to say these things, to open up this much, might soon dissipate. "But I couldn't stop thinking about it. Even after you shot me, after you rejected me." He laughed hollowly. "I just wanted you more."

"Stop," she begged. Her eyes were watering. Despite her previous encouragement for him to show some humanity, she appeared to quickly regret it.

He didn't want to let go of her hand, but he did. As soon as he released her, he was startled to find her lips meeting his in a feverish kiss. She kissed him like she was starving; she was so commanding, so frenzied in her movements. For a second he was dumbfounded, but quickly settled into the kiss, moving his lips as eagerly as hers. His heart was pounding. His mind was racing. His skin was on fire. His hand drew up to the back of her head, losing it in her mane of hair, bringing her closer. His body instinctively moved with hers, craving her. But it was then she pulled away. She was crying.

"I can't," she wept. "I can't feel this way about you. It's all wrong."

He stared at her, his chest rising and falling, breathing hard. He was still trying to evaluate what had just happened.

"Skye?" a voice in the distance interrupted.

Skye turned, seeing Michael and the Commander emerge from the shadows. She grinned, quickly wiping at her tears. "Michael?"

Lucas watched as she ran over to them, embracing them both. He got himself back under control and rose to his feet, returning the scrutinising gazes of his family members.

Skye stepped back, glancing back at Lucas apprehensively.

Whatever the plan was, they were about to find out.

As they headed to the beach, Skye listened intently to Taylor's exciting account of his adventures in 2150. From being held captive by EdenCorp, to finding Wash and joining forces with the Rebels, Skye was fascinated.

"It really is bad back there, huh?" she said, walking next to the Commander.

"Just as Michael said it was," lamented Taylor. "I wouldn't have made it without Wash. She got the Rebels to trust me; it's because of her we were able to attack EdenCorp."

The Commander continued his tale of valiance and bravery, as Lucas trudged behind with a scowl. Hearing his father's gloating tale of heroism made him want to puke. It was all he could take not to start another argument with him.

"I expect he'll be lapping this up for years to come," grumbled Lucas to his brother. "Another tale to add to the legend. We knocked him off his throne just so he could return even more triumphant."

"Why does everything you say have to sound like Arthurian Legend?" Michael questioned derisively.

"I always thought it was more like Greek tragedy," Lucas quipped.

Michael side-eyed him, surprised to find him making a joke. They looked at each other before chuckling. It felt good to laugh even if just for a second.

They fell silent as they walked, Lucas watching their father ahead of them, captivating Skye. "It's unbelievable the way she looks at him," he said. "At both of you."

"She's part of our family...If you hadn't left, I'm sure she would have loved you too."

Lucas laughed disbelievingly. "I'm somewhat hard to love," he mumbled, remembering all the terrible things he had said and done to Michael. "I don't doubt I made it hard."

"You tried your best," agreed Michael. "But love endures so much. No matter what you do, he'll always care about you," he asserted, looking over at their father again.

Lucas rolled his eyes. "Five minutes with him and you're back under his thumb. Don't you remember all those long talks we had about him? Don't you remember how much you hated him? How he treated us?"

Michael lifted his head to the night sky, sighing. "Yes but...he's different now. He actually apologised to me. He wants to change. But he said we all have to take responsibility for what we've done."

Lucas scoffed, his lower lip curling with disgust. "He gave me that sorry monologue too. I was so close to finishing this. I had him right where I wanted him. I could have finally got him back for everything he did to us...then he hits me with that deplorable speech. I almost believed him, but even if I did, it doesn't matter. It doesn't erase what he put me through. It doesn't undo how I feel." He glanced over at Michael regretfully. "And now I've lost you again too."

"You haven't lost me, Lucas."

"We'll see."

When they eventually got to the beach, they found the rest of their group hunched together by a large campfire. Lucas watched as the happy reunions took place. Lots of hugs, smiles, even tears. Michael embraced Lieutenant Washington; Boylan handed over baby William to Skye whose eyes lit up at the sight of him; Reilly and Mark greeted the Commander with relief, shaking his hand at his triumphant return; Curran slapped Michael on the shoulder in congratulations; Mira sat in the sand, snuggling a sleepy Sienna on her lap; even Carter was enthusiastically recounting the excitement of the day with his new Terra Novan allies who were nodding and laughing - all past sins now forgotten.

Lucas sat on the beach by himself, letting his feet dig into the grains of sand. He remembered this place. His father had taken him and Michael here once for a swim but Lucas had refused, fearing the kinds of monsters that must have lurked beneath the water. He didn't feel much like joining in anyway. So he had sat in the sand and watched by himself as his family enjoyed themselves without him. He looked back towards the forest, thinking. How hard would it be to just slip away?

"Hey." He snapped out of his thoughts as Michael sat down beside him. "So apparently my son is called William?"

"Ah. Yeah." Lucas shrugged. "Sienna insisted."

"It's a good name," Michael smiled. "Think Alicia and I will keep it. We need to call him something."

Lucas smiled briefly as if to humour him.

Michael looked down at the sand for a moment. "Back at EdenCorp, Nichol said something about you visiting William. Did you do that often?"

Lucas felt himself sinking into the sand, his feet digging deeper into the grains. He nodded. "He was so alone," he admitted forlornly. "I felt sorry for him." He looked over at little William. Skye was still holding onto him merrily, tapping at his nose and showing him off to everyone, trying to get Malcolm to hold him. The kid was home. He didn't need Lucas anymore. "I'm glad you got him back. Despite who his mother is...it's good you're all together."

Watching Lucas, Michael knew what he was thinking. "Please don't run," he pleaded. "We're all together now. We can figure this out."

A sorrowful smile took over Lucas' features. "I appreciate that, brother. But there's no happy ending for me. Even if I did want to stay." He looked back at Skye cuddling the baby, a sight he found both sanguine and regrettable; a glimpse of a life he could never have. But his brother had managed to achieve it and he couldn't let that go. Lucas understood that now.

"Your family needs you," Lucas indicated as Michael glanced over to see Skye hand the baby back to its mother. Alicia smiled at him. "Go," Lucas said.

Releasing a defeated sigh, Michael got to his feet. Lucas nodded at him. Michael jogged back over to Alicia, picking William up and raising him over his head. The baby giggled as Michael played with him. Everyone laughed and smiled at the sight.

When Michael glanced back over at Lucas, he was gone.