"Do you think I'm pretty?
I think you're beautiful
Beautiful?
You are so beautiful, it hurts sometimes."
― Richelle Mead, Vampire Academy
Emily watched Mackenzie silently, the younger woman switching from her uniform to long sleeved shirts They had fallen into a comfortable rhythm with Mackenzie and Taala talking through text only about the hand off of their son. The younger woman threw herself into work, coming home late at night, and waking up early to go for a run with Derek before disappearing for the day. Noah, when he wasn't next door with Taala, clung to the adults in the house, sucking nervously on his fingers. The one time Emily raised her voice in frustration over a case, the little boy burst into tears pleading with her to stop yelling.
"Are you okay?"
Mackenzie arched her eyebrows and nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine."
The older woman let the topic drop, watching the way Mackenzie twisted her sleeves and picked at skin that was barely visible under the material. "How have you gotten out of having any morning sickness?" She asked, shaking her head. "Or...gaining any weight?"
Finally, a ghost of a smile. "I'm a marine. I've eaten MREs and some of the Marine training is a bit intense. This is nothing."
Derek came up from behind Mackenzie and shook his head. "Because Marines go through some sort of torture school and they can eat sand."
Looking over her shoulder, Mackenzie shrugged. "The few, the strong, the brave. Hoo rah." Turning back to Emily she gave her a smile. "And I'm taller and bigger than you to begin with Emily, I'm going to gain less weight. And I have one baby, not two. AND I gain all my weight in my ass." She looked back at Derek. "Plus, he has a big head, those babies are gonna be like 90% bald shiny dome."
"Hey!" Derek rolled his eyes. "My head isn't THAT big."
Emily rubbed her belly and raised her eyebrows. "It is pretty big."
"I'M big!"
Mackenzie looked back at Emily. "Again, why you're going to be bigger than me."
The doorbell rang and Derek peeled off to open it and called Mackenzie over. Her wife was standing in the doorway with Noah.
"Can we talk?"
The younger woman took her son and stook a few steps back, putting space between the two of them. "Go ahead."
"Alone?"
Putting the boy down, Mackenzie nodded. "Mama will be right back, okay?"
Noah stared at them and nodded slowly. "No yellin', kay? No yellin."
"No yelling." Mackenzie repeated softly before walking out with her wife.
"I'm going to therapy."
Mackenzie leaned against the railing and nodded. "Good."
"I want you to move back. I want us to be a family." Taala said softly. "I want us."
"Have you told your colleagues at work about me?" Mackenzie questioned, picking at her nails, her eyes downcast. She was met by silence. "When you finally tell them, and you're out, come back to me."
Taala frowned. "Wait. Mackenzie…I love you."
The darker skinned woman nodded. "I know you do, and I love you too. So fucking much. So much that I put my life at risk being out at work. But I still do it." She crossed her arms over her chest. "When you love yourself enough to be out, come let me know." Giving her wife a small shrug, she headed back inside.
The evening was cool, but not cold, and Mackenzie emerged from the bedroom wearing a pair of running leggings, and a long sleeved shirt. "Wanna go for a run?" She asked Derek.
He looked over at Emily who smiled. "Go, as long as you pick up some Rocky Road ice cream, and some marshmallow fluff. Oh and peanut butter."
Grinning, he walked over and gave Emily a deep kiss. "Got it. Rocky Road ice cream, marshmallow fluff, and peanut butter." He went and changed his clothes into a pair of shorts and a hoodie. "Alright, we'll be back in an hour, max."
They slipped on their shoes, Mackenzie dropped Noah in the running stroller and headed out. Their regular route had been blocked off for a few days earlier so they turned and headed for another route. As long as they ran 6 miles, it didn't really matter where. Noah was happy in the stroller, used to running with Mackenzie from birth. They ran in a comfortable silence, taking twists and turns until they pulled to a stop in an empty lot. Mackenzie pulled out a bottle of water and tossed it towards Derek, checking on Noah who was happily playing with his Spiderman action figures.
"Things are...better with Taala?"
Shrugging, Mackenzie took a long swallow of water. "Starting to, I guess. Says she's seeing a therapist. She wanted us to move back but I told her that until she proves to me, shows me that she's proud of our family." Her fingers raked through her hair to tie it back tightly. "Does she think it's easy for me to be out at work? The black lesbian in the military? In the Marines? We can ask Dave about how accepting most Marines are." Sighing, she glanced around, the hair on the back of her neck standing up. They lived in an affluent neighbourhood, but as was true with most cities, a few neighbourhoods away things could change quickly. "Uh, let's go." She mumbled, closing the zipper on the running stroller.
"Well well well, what do we have here?" The words were spit out, laced with cheap liquor and hate. There were four of them and Mackenzie reached for her phone. One word, then a pin drop on her phone. She exchanged glances with Derek.
"We're just gonna get going." She said softly. "You gentlemen have a good night."
"No, you half breeds aren't going anywhere." He spit out. She could smell the liquor on his breath.
"Look man, we don't want any trouble." Derek said, his hands up. Normally he brought his credentials with him, but today, today of all days, he left them on their dresser.
"If you didn't want any trouble you shouldn't be here." One of them said as they closed in. Squatting in front of the stroller, Mackenzie gave Noah a small smile. "Noah, stay here until Emily or Umi comes." She ordered before she pushed the stroller away and closed the gap between her and Derek. "We're so sick of you people coming to our neighbourhood and stealing our shit, then you spit out kids like rabbits and spend your lives on welfare."
Mackenzie bit her tongue knowing full well that the two of them had more education than the four of them combined. The closed in and Mackenzie raised her fists. Derek turned and faced the other two ready to fight, but four against two was never good odds.
Emily felt her phone buzz and she glanced at it. HELP and a pin. Grabbing her gun and credentials, Emily shoved her feet into her shoes and rushed out to her SUV.
"She's pregnant!" Derek yelled watching one of the men toss Mackenzie to the ground. He threw a punch, only to get hit in the chest by one of the other ones. He felt the blood drip down his face, another fist to the side of his head. He was able to take down one before the other two were on him, boots in his ribs, one holding him down. Glancing over, he saw Mackenzie on the ground with one of the men on top of her. Fists continued to rain down until he heard a squeal of tires and the sweetest, most beautiful voice, screaming.
"FBI, get the FUCK away from my husband."
Sirens blared, and local police rushed the scene. He was woozy, his head and chest hurting. Derek sat up slowly blinking a few times to clear the fog in his head. "Go check on Kenzie." He mumbled as a paramedic walked towards him. "She's pregnant."
He tried to give Emily a reassuring smile, but he's sure it looked more like a grimace. She interlaced their fingers, pressing a kiss to his knuckles.
"How did you find us?" His tongue traced over the inside of his mouth. Nothing serious, but a few loose teeth and swollen gums.
"Mackenzie sent a text and dropped a pin." Emily said softly, brushing her free hand over his face softly. "I'm just glad I got there in time. I was so scared."
They pulled into the ambulance bay and Derek winced, each bump jostling his body. "How's Kenzie?"
Emily shrugged. "Dunno. They took her away pretty quickly. JJ took Noah, they're following." Following the paramedics and the stretcher out, Emily grabbed the forms and walked alongside Derek, catching a view of Mackenzie as she was wheeled by.
Watching her husband get moved into an exam room, she sat down on the edge of the bed beside him. "Never leave your gun and creds at home again." She whispered softly, trying to make herself comfortable. "Better yet, stay at home with me and gain sympathy weight."
He laughed gingerly and leaned against the thin mattress. "How about we just do laps of the neighbourhood? You can invite Tara over and we'll both take off our shirts."
It was her turn to laugh and Emily kissed his temple. "I'll be sure to remember that." Slowly she climbed off the bed when the doctor walked in and settled on the plastic chair. He did a quick exam and diagnosed Derek with three broken knuckles, a broken rib, and a concussion.
"How's Mackenzie"
The doctor shrugged. "I'm not sure, I didn't see her, but I'll go check on you. Mister Morgan, please take it easy. I'll send someone in to cast up that hand for you."
Emily got to her feet and peered out the door seeing JJ walking a still crying Noah up and down the hall. Derek nodded and Emily stepped out. "Hey, have you heard anything?"
The blonde shook her head as she tried to calm Noah who was still whimpering. "Taala is on her way and I can't go in and check." She whispered. They stood in the hallway whispering until the doors flew open and an incredibly disheveled looking Taala rushed in. Her dark hair was pulled in a loose ponytail at the nape of her neck, wearing a loose pair of sweats and what looked like one of Mackenzie's USMC shirts.
"Where is my wife?" She demanded, shifting her weight from foot to foot. They couldn't hear the conversation between her and her colleague but they heard Taala's voice again. "MY WIFE. Mackenzie Rasheed-Wallace." Noah squirmed in JJ's arms and the blonde put the little boy on his feet. He ran over to Taala, his arms extended.
"Umi! Umi! Mama and Dek got owwies." He said waiting until she picked him up. Taala looked back at the nurse.
"This is my son and he wants to go see his mother."
Emily and JJ watched as Taala walked into the other exam room and closed the door behind her. "How's Derek?"
"Broken knuckles, broken rib and a concussion." She said with a shrug, her hands rubbing her belly. "He'll take a week off before he drives everyone nuts and goes back to work." Her eyes were locked on the closed door wishing she knew something about the young woman inside.
Taala sat by Mackenzie's beside, Noah on her lap. Her wife's face was bandaged, a large white one covering the left side of her face. Her left arm was in a cast, a monitor attached to her chest and one to her still flat abdomen. Taala flipped through the file and sighed. Broken orbital bone, broken left wrist, three broken ribs, bruised kidneys, and a concussion. Gently, Taala brushed Mackenzie's hair off her face. "Oh babe, I'm so sorry." She whispered. She watched her heart monitor until Noah climbed down and opened the door, returning with Emily and JJ. Taala gave them a tight lipped smile.
"How's Kenzie?"
"Broken wrist, broken orbital bone, broken ribs, bruised kidneys and a concussion." Taala sighed and softly ran her thumb over her wife's hand. "They have her sedated to give her body, and the baby a break." She said softly. "But they're both okay."
Emily nodded, her eyes on the younger woman on the bed. "I'm just glad that she and the baby are alright." She walked over and helped Noah up on the bed who sat on the end without moving. "Derek will be released tonight, but if there's anything you need us to do."
Taala shook her head, not moving from her wife's bedside. "No. Noah and I will stay here tonight. I'll go home for a bit and pick up some clothes and contact her CO...but...we need to be together. I need to be here for my wife." She said looking up at Emily and JJ before looking away.
Nodding, Emily squeezed the other woman's shoulder. "Okay, but if you need anything. Just call."
The two other women left the hospital room and JJ looked at her best friend. "Alright Mama, you've helped everyone else. How are you and the babies feeling?" JJ reached out and pressed the flat of her hand against the side of Emily's abdomen.
"Okay, I guess." Emily admitted. "I mean, now knowing that Derek is going to be alright, I feel better. I'll give the director a call, but how much do you want to bet my idiot husband will want to be back at work tomorrow?" Her eyebrows arched and she looked at her best friend.
JJ shook her head and moved her hand around a bit. "That isn't what I asked, Em. How are YOU doing?"
"JJ, I'm fine." Emily said before giving her friend a smile. How often had they said that and actually meant it? "I mean, I was scared, but Derek is going to be okay and so will Mackenzie. That's all that matters at this point." They heard a slight commotion and Derek appeared in the hallway sporting a green cast.
"Woman, get me outta this place." He said giving the nurses a look.
Emily looked at the nurse and back at her husband. "Have you been released?"
"I'm fine. And the doctor came - said to take it easy for a couple of days, but like I can leave. Please can I go?" He whined holding his casted hand pitifully.
With a smirk, the nurse nodded. "He can leave as long as he promises to behave."
Derek nodded slowly and wrapped his arms around Emily. "Yes, I promise."
"For a week."
He didn't say anything, just led Emily out of the hospital with JJ close on their heels.
"You are going to behave, you know that right?" Emily questioned her husband as they said goodbye to JJ and climbed in their SUV.
"Well, at least for the next few days." Derek said with a shrug.
Emily shook her head and gently cupped Derek's face, squeezing a bit harder than normal. "Look at me you big loveable idiot. You will behave. I'm going to check on your ass constantly, and I'm sure Taala is going to be home with Mackenzie and she's going to check on you." She squeezed a bit harder and he pulled away. "You're gonna be there for the birth of our babies and I'm not letting some half brained racists wreck that."
His eyebrows arched before she shook her head.
"This isn't up for debate."
Derek pouted softly and buckled his seatbelt. "Will you take care of me at home today?" He asked, batting his eyelashes and pulling the most pitiful face he could manage.
Pulling out of the parking lot, Emily smiled and kissed his casted hand. "Baby, tonight you can just lie there and I will take care of you."
