And guilty, I may be
But don't give up on me
In the wake of the Odyssey
We will still be thick as thieves
You and me, still thick as thieves.
-Thick as Thieves by Shinedown
Chapter 33 - Epilogue
Michael awoke in his bed feeling refreshed. Wiping the sleep from his eyes, he smiled as the warmth of the morning sun greeted him. He put on his uniform and headed out into the kitchen where Wash was trying to give Will his bottle in his highchair. He laughed as the kid seemed more interested in playing with the bottle rather than drinking it. As soon as Will saw him, he threw down the bottle, letting formula leak everywhere.
"Dada!" he beamed.
Wash let out a heavy sigh. "Why can't he ever greet me like that?" she said with mock disappointment.
"He's a daddy's boy," Michael joked, kissing the boy on his head before grabbing a slice of toast from the toaster.
"He's his father's son," she said, clearing up the mess Will had made with a towel. The boy giggled innocently, causing Alicia to smirk.
Glancing at her watch, Alicia stood up and tied her hair back. "I've got to go. I'll meet you later. Do you mind dropping Will off after breakfast?"
"Sure. Show 'em who's boss, Captain Washington."
She smiled warmly. Leaning towards him, she gave him a quick kiss on the lips. "I love you."
Michael smiled and gazed into her eyes. He never got sick of hearing it. "Love you too."
He watched her leave, taking a bite out of his toast before ruffling his son's hair and making him giggle.
"Right," he said, beginning to clear up. "Who's ready for a trip to see their godparents?"
Maddy Reynolds gave them the biggest smile as she opened the door to greet them. Her protruding stomach seemed to get bigger every time he saw her.
"You sure you're going to want Will running around once you've got your own munchkin?" he queried as Maddy took Will in her own arms, balancing him on her large bump.
"Of course! In fact, it's really useful for me to see Will in this stage of his development. I mean, all babies grow at different rates but it's a good indication for me to understand what kind of food he's eating, what vitamins he needs, how much he's crawling or even walking…." She paused, blushing as she watched Michael blankly nodding at her. "Sorry. I do that sometimes."
Mark appeared behind her. "I think it's cute," he said, planting a kiss on her cheek before waving at Will. "I'm all set," he said to Michael.
After bidding Maddy and Will goodbye, the two corporals paid Curran a quick visit in Memorial Field. Michael knew he wasn't really buried here but the Commander had put a tombstone in anyway as a mark of respect, not far from Guzman actually. Some people weren't happy about it at first, but they got used to it. They eventually accepted that Curran had died helping them, that he died a hero and he deserved to be respected. Michael would visit him and Guz often, telling them about the changes that had been happening.
And there had been plenty of changes. Michael passed many of them on his walk through the colony with Mark. For one thing, dozens of new housing units had been built. He and Wash had moved into one a little while ago with the baby and with Baby Reynolds on the way, Maddy and Mark had applied for one as well.
They passed Deputy Mira who was settling a dispute by the agricultural fields. Doctor Chang had fallen out with one of his workers, it seemed, but it was getting resolved now. She spotted Michael and Mark and nodded at them. Michael waved back. She may look bored, but he knew she was enjoying the job.
Zoe and Sienna were playing with some of the other children outside the school. Sienna gave him a big wave before they were called inside to do some more learning. She pouted, clearly disappointed that her playtime had been interrupted, until the teacher said they were going to learn about dinosaurs and then she practically ran indoors. That made Michael chuckle.
Walking further, he heard some familiar bickering coming from the new and improved science lab.
"The reason you have a problem with these ideas, Malcolm, is because you're a biologist. Argue with me when you become an expert in a real science."
As Michael came closer, he saw Lucas standing by the open door, shaking his head as he scrolled through his Plex. But he had the smallest smirk on his face, as if he enjoyed winding up Malcolm. He noticed his brother walking by and offered him a playful wink before Malcolm launched into another argument about how through his extensive knowledge of biology, zoology, medicine, and even engineering he had saved the colony more times than he cared to mention - and he liked to mention it a lot. Lucas rolled his eyes and headed back into the lab to continue on whatever they were working on. Michael snorted. They fought a lot, but he could tell Lucas had found a good fit working in the science lab with Malcolm, even if it had been tough at first.
They approached the market which was bustling with people. Back to its former glory, there was all the food and technology anyone could ever hope for. Casey Durwin seemed happy again, the slightest smile on his usually grumpy face as he greeted his customers and collected their terras.
He could see Boylan shopping at the fruit stand for ingredients. He had been implementing some new cocktail recipes recently and was eager to try new, exotic fruits to entice his diners. A new menu to go with the new look of the bar, Tom had said. He had ditched the dark and dingy look of the old bar and gone with a fun and fresh feel, open and bright, even alluring the likes of Deborah Tate for a visit on 'Ladies Night' with Skye and Tasha. Michael liked the new look but, acting as a guinea pig for Tom's eccentric new beverages, he thought they could still use some work.
They stopped outside the new Command Centre to collect their vehicle. The new centre mimicked the design of the old base, however, there was now a ground floor for the Sheriff Station where Jim and Mira worked. Jim had gradually appointed more deputies, including his son who still seemed to be figuring out what he wanted in life. Unlike some others he knew. He spotted Skye chatting to Jim inside. She appeared to be on duty, perhaps filing Jim in on the security report, when she glanced behind her and noticed the boys staring at her. She smiled politely at Jim, dismissing herself, then approached them.
"Where are you boys off to?" she smiled.
"Ancora Village," Mark replied. "Just taking over security for the construction team."
Skye looked slightly jealous. "I hear it's coming along nicely. I'd love to check it out sometime. Hard to believe they only started building it eight months ago."
"Yeah, well, the Senator wants it more or less ready by the time the twelfth pilgrimage comes," Michael added.
"That's today, isn't it? I wanted to escort but I promised Lucas I'd play chess with him."
"He has you playing chess with him?" Michael scoffed. "He hates chess. My dad had to force him to play."
Skye shrugged. "Well, I re-taught him. Someone has to keep an eye on him. and it keeps him out of trouble. "
"Well whatever you're doing it seems to be working."
She looked a little smug at that. "Anyway, you guys be sure to tell me all about the pilgrimage. Hopefully it goes a little more smoothly than the last one."
"Yeah, it'll be interesting," Michael speculated. "I know Dad hasn't been too keen on negotiating with a politician."
"We didn't have much of a choice," reminded Mark. "Besides, he's kept up with his side of the bargain so far. The colony's stronger than it ever was. In exchange for some ore and materials, seems like a pretty good deal to me."
"Please don't mention deals," Michael joked, closing his eyes.
"Still, I get why your dad's on edge," Skye added. "We're almost where we started, being controlled by a higher power."
"Yeah except this guy's a real Man of the People," said Reynolds. "He even has the Rebels on side. I hear some of them are even on the next pilgrimage. I mean, now they're not rebelling anymore."
"Then maybe he really is trying to be the good guy?" Skye pondered aloud.
"The road to hell is paved with good intentions," Michael mumbled. "I know that more than anyone."
"Well, you losers have fun at Ancora," she grinned. "I get to go on another patrol. Lucky me."
"You love it really," Michael teased.
Skye giggled and headed off.
Ancora Village was a few klicks away from Terra Nova. The village itself was going to be quite serene. It was built beside a rather large waterfall, leading to a lake in the centre. Hundreds of housing units were being built around it, which meant it looked a little like a construction site at the moment as Mark and Malcolm pulled up to the gates. The corporals guarded the village for the next few hours, patrolling the area whilst the workers continued building.
Development had started a few months after the colony began negotiating with the New Nichol. This was part of the new vision for Terra Nova. Ancora was going to be for everyone. No lottery, no exclusive invites. Anyone was welcome if they wanted it. Michael wasn't surprised when his father reacted badly, but they had to comply. The Council agreed it was in everyone's best interests. Of course their previous experiences had led to initial hesitance and suspicion, particularly as the Senator's General was the one who wanted to weaponise the Mutant dinosaur. But the Senator himself was extremely charismatic. And powerful. He promised them all sorts of things to help improve and expand the colony. Eventually, he won them over. The negotiations had saved the colony. And he may not have said it out loud, but Michael kind of liked this new vision of everyone being welcome to live in paradise. He just wasn't certain how it was all going to work yet.
Later, Mark dropped Michael off at the portal. He hurried towards the group of soldiers already waiting to escort the next pilgrimage, joining Wash by the terminus.
"You're late, Corporal," Wash scolded him. "Looks like some things never change."
"Apologies, Captain. Traffic was awful."
She rolled her eyes, smirking slightly.
"How long has he been back there?" Michael asked, indicating to the portal's blue energy.
"Almost half an hour," Wash replied. "It was supposed to be a few last minute negotiations before the pilgrimage came through." She looked down at the console in her hand, beginning to look concerned.
After a few minutes, Taylor walked through the portal, looking furious. Wash handed the console to Michael, catching up to the Commander.
"Close the portal," Taylor demanded.
Wash seemed confused. "Sir?"
"Typical politician. Should have known he was twisting the truth. We agreed on 150 civilians. There's damn near 300 back there. Shut off the terminus. Now!"
Michael pressed a button and the electric blue faded away.
Wash frowned. "That's a little more than we anticipated…"
"A little?" Taylor scoffed. "Ancora's not ready. I said no. He didn't take it well. Neither did all the civilians he had lined up ready to come through."
Michael cleared his throat. "Isn't there something we can do?
"Yeah," his father said. "Keep the terminus powered down."
"You know that won't stop them," Michael argued. "They'll open the fracture their side. And if it's not tethered here, it'll open elsewhere."
"Well, we'll see just how willing the Senator is to risk the lives of his new supporters. Besides, he knows if he doesn't have our cooperation, we can make life very difficult for him. He can't send an army through this time. Not with the whole world watching."
"What about all those people?" Michael asked him.
"They'll just have to go home." He sighed when he saw Michael's disappointed expression. "The village isn't ready, Michael. Terra Nova isn't ready. Maybe it will never be ready."
Michael's mind cast back to those Phoenix Group soldiers who had pleaded for a place in the colony, but were denied. He thought about Gus and how all he wanted was to save his city and protect his family. He thought about Mira and Sienna and Mark and how their desperation for a decent life had led them down a dark path. He thought about Miranda Nichol and how that dying world had produced such cruel and greedy people who profited from the suffering. And then he thought about Peter Boylan. The kid with the coin who died from breathing the air. That world had killed him. How many more kids had to die? How many more people had to suffer?
"I know what you're thinking, Michael. But opening that portal won't solve anything. It'll just let in hundreds of people we can't provide for."
"They deserve to live good lives," Michael stated.
"How do you know that?" countered Taylor. "The new vetting system's a joke. We have no say in who comes here. They could be criminals. Murderers."
"You mean criminals like Mira or Carter? Or Murderers like me?"
"That's different. You're different."
"Why am I different? How are any of us different? We've all made mistakes, and we were all allowed a second chance."
Taylor looked around him impatiently. "You're going to give me that console."
Michael's finger hovered over the button. It would be so simple. Just one press of a button and all those people would come through. It was a scary thought. But a worse one was turning them away, condemning them to a toxic future. How could he live with himself? How could they call themselves good people? He shook his head. It wasn't fair, it had never been fair. He thought back to Nichol's terrible propaganda back in 2150 and how, deep down, he had believed it too. If the Commander had his way, they would still be cut off from the future. That was the best way to stop the problems of the future following them here. But how was that being better? How had trying to get it right led them to getting it so wrong?
"Michael," his father warned him. He was stern, angry. On the verge of...that look. The one Michael hadn't seen for ages now. They had come so far this past year but things had never quite gone back to how they used to be. Hard to believe he and his dad had once been two sides of the same coin - thick as thieves - now they were trying to repair something that may never be fixed completely. They had both been trying so hard. Maybe it just couldn't be fixed. "I can't protect you if you do this."
He watched his fellow soldiers point their weapons at him, once again. He was probably ruining any credibility he had left, but he had always been a bit defiant. When he stole the box for Mira, he thought he was doing the right thing. Saving Alicia's life. And again when he was working for Nichol, he was saving his family. Maybe there was no right way to do the right thing. Maybe to enforce change, he had to break the rules.
He looked over at Alicia. She lowered her weapon. He saw it in her eyes. She was thinking of her friends in the Rebellion. She knew he had a point.
Michael became aware of Boylan's coin in his pocket again. It was always there, a comfort. When he felt lost like this, it grounded him. It helped him be brave.
He took a shaky breath. Here he was. Thinking with his heart again rather than his head. He would regret it.
Or maybe he wouldn't.
He pushed the button.
The End
A/N: If you got this far, thank you for reading! If you liked it, why not leave a review? I'd like to know your thoughts, if you enjoyed it, what you made of Michael's journey back to Terra Nova. Originally the concept for Michael was to make a redemption story for Lucas, to make Michael into the Big Bad that even Lucas would have to turn against. But my heart couldn't do it. I like the idea of Good being in the both of them. I don't plan to write a Season 3 but I might consider a few One-Shots covering Lucas' reintegration into the colony (from prisoner to Malcolm's Science partner!); Lucas' relationship with Skye and his family, especially Will; a Michael/Wash wedding and how Lucas would react to it. I picture several new characters and personalities coming in from the portal to mix things up and Taylor and Jim constantly being on edge on trying to keep order in their expanding colony! In my head the new boss in the future, The Senator, would attempt to be the Good Guy but as we know most politicians are corrupt in some capacity so that would be interesting to explore. Anyway please comment, say hi, and hopefully I'll see you again!
Check out my youtube or tumblr for Michael edits (username: jemmalynette).
