Author Notes:-
It's been on my mind for years to rewrite all my old First Wave fic so I have eventually gotten around to it.
Summary;- Part three in The Fair Maiden Series in which journalist Elizabeth Baker helps Cade and Eddie to expose the alien conspiracy.
Timeline;- Season 2 after the episode The Channel
Disclaimer: - The First Wave Title and Characters are the copyright of First Wave Productions. Cade, Eddie and the Gua are the property of Chris Brancato, Larry Sugar and Francis Ford Coppola. Everything else belongs to me! (April 2000 - rewritten July 2019)
The Birth
"Kayla, I believe the child will be born soon," Joshua boomed in his deep voice to the woman in the white lab coat standing beside him. They were both looking at a file in the cold sterile office lab.
Kayla bit on her lip as she was wondered the best way to break the news to him. He would be angry any way she told him. She decided to come straight out with it. "Yes, but we have no idea where."
"What do you mean?" asked Joshua.
"They've disappeared," replied Kayla.
Joshua stared at the woman. "How could you let this happen?"
"This is not my fault. I tried to contact them a week ago but they were gone then. I don't know how long..."
"Kayla, that child is a product of our two species. Human and Gua. It could be the biggest breakthrough from our experiments to date and now they are all missing. I want you to locate them," Joshua demanded.
"We are trying Joshua but they... they're gone," Kayla looked at the photograph of the woman in front of her
/\\\
"Quatrain 10, Century 3
In a blizzard among the woods and bluffs, A child of mixed heritage is born,to become a salvation to those, who resist the common enemy.
This quatrain seemed to suggest that a child that is half human and half alien would be born. Eddie seemed to think that the woods and bluffs reference referred to the small town of Woodsbluff in Minnesota. We took a road trip to investigate this quatrain. Liz had a friend who lived in Woodsbluff so she came along with us. Now we are trapped in a snowstorm."
The windscreen wipers of the caddy strained under the weight of the white pristine snow. It had started an hour ago and already the snow was building up on the roads. The highway was fine but as soon as they got off the main road conditions and visibility had gotten worse. Cade and Eddie had taken turns to get out and clear the windscreen.
"We're lost," complained Eddie who was driving strarms.d to look out the window. He didn't relish the idea of having to stop again.
"We're not lost!" Liz said from the back seat of the car.
"You said that half an hour ago when we took that wrong turn!" stated Eddie. "I thought you said you knew the area."
"I do. I just haven't been here when it was snowing," Liz admitted.
"Ahh you are agreeing that we're lost," Eddie said.
"No!"
"Yes you are! "
"No I'm not!"
Cade rolled his eyes listening to the two arguing. "Would you both pack it in? I've been listening to this for the past half an hour and you are both driving me nuts!"
"Foster, we're lost," Eddie said again.
Liz looked out the window and saw the turn off that she had missed the last time."There it is. See I told you we weren't lost! "
"So this friend of yours, is she a journalist?" asked Eddie.
"No, she's a teacher. Why?" replied Liz.
"Being in the same room with two journalists like you would drive any one crazy," Eddie said.
"Shut up!" replied Liz as she hit his arm lightly. She looked out the window again and spotted the small road leading to her friend Madelyn's house. "That's it there! "
Eddie pulled up outside the little wooden house. The snow hanging off the eaves and nearby trees made it look picturesque and pretty. A pathway had been cleared to the steps and around the little porch. Liz blew her hands as she tapped lightly on the door. "Hellloo? Anyone home?" she called. She shrugged her shoulders at the two men sitting in the car and taking one last look at the house walked down the steps.
"Lizzie?"
She turned to see her friend peeking out the side of the door. "Maddie! I should have called before hand I'm sorry. "
The dark haired woman came out from behind the door. "My God. Lizzie what are doing here?"
"You'd never believe me if I have told you, " replied Liz. Her eyes were drawn to the swollen stomach of the other woman. "Oh my God, you're pregnant!"
Madelyn smiled. "I am! Since you came all the way here you better come in! It's great to see you!'
"It's great to see you too! " smiled Liz
Maddie looked over to her shoulder at the caddy. "You can bring your friends in too! "
Liz glanced at the car. "They're grumpy. The cold does it to them!"
/\\\
"These are my friends Cade and Eddie, " Liz said introducing them all as they stood in the warm living room of the little house. A fire blazed in the hearth.
"How did you know I was here?" Maddy asked as she brought mugs of hot coffee from the kitchen.
"I remember when you bought this place. You always wanted to spend winters in Minnesota," replied Liz. "We went to Green Bay. There was no one there so figured you would be here. Is Jeff here? I can't wait to see him."
Maddy glanced over at Liz. A look of concern briefly clouded her face. "When did you go Green Bay? "
"Right before we came here, " replied Liz picking up a photo from the mantel. It was a photo of Maddy and her husband on their wedding day. Liz had been bridesmaid at their wedding.
"Oh I see," replied Maddy as she rubbed her back. " Baby's kicking up a storm. "
"I thought the doctors said you couldn't have children," Liz said as she sat down in an armchair. "They did. Jeff and I went to a fertility clinic in West Virginia where they did some sort of new technique for fertilisation. And hey presto! It worked! "
"Wow! exclaimed Liz with a smile.
"Do you know something else. This is the first child to be born in Woodsbluff for 10 years. It is like a miracle!" Maddy said.
Liz turned from the hearth to see Cade and Eddie share a look between them. "You're right. This is a little miracle! Will Jeff be home soon?"
Maddy let out a sigh. "Liz. Jeff is gone. Said he couldn't handle the responsibility of becoming a father. "
"I don't believe that! You two are perfect together!" exclaimed Liz.
"Lizzie, always the optimist. Things weren't right for a long time. Trying to get pregnant took a lot out of the marriage," Maddy said.
"You have always worked things out before," Liz said.
"I know. But not this time. I guess I'm going to have to raise this one on my own," Maddy said sadness creeping into her voice. She sniffed as Liz moved over to her and gently rubbed her arm.
Cade cleared his throat as he stood up. "Eddie, we need to change the tyre on the caddy. Those snow chains did a bit of damage to the rear one. "
Eddie nodded knowing that Cade wanted to speak to him alone. "Sure. I was feeling it 10 miles back."
Liz watched as they left the house realizing that they really want to talk to each other alone. "Surely there is something that can be done for you and Jeff?"
/\\\
"So what do you think?" Eddie asked Cade.
"I don't know," replied Cade. "It could all be just coincidental but the facts are that Maddy who was unable to have children went to some fertility clinic in West Virginia where they were trying out some new technique. It could have been an alien experiment in fertilisation."
"So you think one of them is Gua? "
"I don't know, maybe," replied Cade.
"This Jeff guy could be the alien, Foster."
"Why would he leave then?" asked Cade.
"Dunno, but one thing is for sure, Liz will flip when she finds out. Didn't she go to college with them?"
"Yeah, I saw the look she gave us when we came out here. She's not going to be happy," Cade said getting out of the car.
Liz came down the steps of the house as they walked back.
"Maddy gave me the keys to her truck. I am going to find Jeff and try and get him to come back," she told Cade.
"Liz, I know these two people are your friends but…" Cade started to say.
"I saw the look that you two gave each other. You think he is Gua!"
"Liz it adds up," Cade said.
"You put 2 and 2 together and came up with 5," Liz said sarcastically. "I know these people."
"Liz the evidence is there. You can't argue with the facts," Eddie said.
Liz looked at her two friends and knew deep down that they were probably right but she didn't want to admit to herself.
"You're wrong," she said angrily.
"Liz it's a gut feeling," Cade said.
"You've been wrong before. You're wrong now!" Liz exclaimed.
"I know that they are your friends and that's why you are not looking at this right. You have to be objective. You're a journalist . ..you should know about remaining detached from the situation".
She scoffed when she looked at him as she opened the car door.
"You can't afford to let your emotions get the better of you Liz." Cade said softly catching her by the arm.
Liz turned around sharply and glared at him. Her blue eyes flashing with anger. "God forbid we let our emotions show! " She pulled her arm away and climbed into the truck. "It's called being human! You should try it sometime!"
"That's not fair," Cade replied knowing that she was talking about their past relationship.
She didn't answer as she started the engine and drove off.
Cade watched her drive away. "Dammit!" He looked at Eddie who shrugged.
/\\\
A brisk wind picked up as the snow fell steadily outside the house. The weight of the snow caused tree branches to bend and as it fell off it left large mounds under the trees. The pathway that had been cleared earlier was soon covered again and large piles of snow drifted against the steps and around the house.
"Liz and I were room mates in College. She always had the notion that when things go wrong they would work out in the end. She's an eternal optimist," Maddy said to the two men."That's why she became an investigative journalist, she wanted to make right things that went wrong, She has this incredible determination."
"That's Liz alright," Cade smiled at her
"We hung out together. In fact Liz and Jeff dated before myself and Jeff got together," Maddy explained.
"Do you know where he is now?" asked Eddie.
"He was working in Holton the last couple of months as a substitute teacher. That's where Liz is gone," replied Maddy.
"How far is Holton from here?" Cade asked looking out the window and seeing how much the weather had deteriorated in the last hour.
"It is at least an hour and a half hour drive. Who knows long it will take now!" Maddy said.
"I was thinking that maybe we should go after Liz," Cade said.
"You can do that but it looks pretty bad outside now," Eddie told him. "We might have to wait till it stops".
"Yeah you're probably right," he said to Eddie as he leaned against the window sill and watched the snow swirl around outside.
\\\/
The main highway had been cleared of snow but traffic had slowed slowly all the way to the college in Holton. Liz walked through the covered courtyard to the business department building. She passed a group of students engaging in a snow ball fight in the plaza. Smiling to herself as she heard the shrieks of laughter.
"Excuse me? I'm looking for Professor Harewood?" she asked two female students who were watching the snow ball fight.
"I think he is still here. He was correcting papers last time I saw him," replied one of the students. "But if you go to across the quad. He's in the building opposite the bell tower. Room 43. "
"Thanks," smiled Liz.
She reached room 43 and peered in the round window and saw him seated at a table with a pile of papers surrounding him.
"I think you're going to get snowed in here, " she said opening the door and walking in.
He looked up in surprise at the sound of her voice. "My God, Lizzie, what are you doing here?"
He rose from his desk and swung her around in a big hug.
"I was working on a story for the newspaper," replied Liz with a giggle when he finally released her from the hug.
/\\
"Maddy told me you left," Liz said as she sat at one of the desks
Jeff let out a long sigh. "It wasn't working out."
"What do you mean it wasn't working out? She's having your baby, Jeff. She needs you!" Liz exclaimed.
"I know, a baby is what we always wanted to have but trying to have it cost us our marriage, " he replied.
She turned to look at him. "Jeff, I know you two can work it out. Please come back with me."
Jeff took her hand and squeezed it. "Always the optimist.".
"This is a chance to make things better for you and the baby." .
Jeff sighed again as he let go of her and rose from his seat. He walked over to the classroom window that over looked the bell tower. "Sweetie, I can't."
She followed him over to the window."Why?"
He turned to look at her. "Because it won't work. "
"Jeff, in college you once told me that she was your soulmate. How could have this have changed?" asked Liz.
"Maddy will always be my soulmate but I can't go back."
"Please Jeff, can't you just try? Can't you do this one thing for me?" asked Liz.
"Ok," he said.
\\\/
"More coffee?" Maddy asked Cade and Eddie who had just come in from clearing the steps and pathway of snow.
Cade blew on his hands as they both stood by the blazing fire. "I'll get it. You should put your feet up and rest. "
"If I put my feet up I'll never be able to get back up!" She complained as she rubbed her bump.
A loud bang startled all three of them and they found themselves standing in darkness with only the fire providing any kind of light.
"Dammit, the generator is gone," Maddy said trying the light switch.
Cade picked up his cellphone and noticed that there was no signal on the screen. "No phone signal either."
"We'll just have to ride the storm out then. I'll get the candles, " Maddy said as she waddled into the kitchen.
"Looks like the travel monopoly is on the agenda," Eddie said as he and Cade stood at the door and looked out.
Cade rolled his eyes at the other man. "I told you before, Eddie. I'm never playing monopoly with you again! Sore loser! "
"Aw come on Foster... " whatever Eddie was going to say was interrupted by a loud crash in the kitchen. They looked at each other when they heard Maddy moan loudly. They ran in and saw her doubled over in pain clutching her stomach.
"My waters just broke!" she exclaimed breathlessly.
Eddie raised his eyebrows in surprise. "What?"
"I'm in labour," she replied holding on to the counter top as she was hit by a contraction.
"Let's get you by the fire," Cade said helping her into the other room.
"It could just be a false alarm," she said as they helped her get comfortable on the couch.
"When are you due?" asked Cade anxiously.
"2 weeks," replied Maddy.
"We better get you to the hospital just in case!" Eddie exclaimed picking up the land line phone.
"That's not necessary...ohh," cried Maddy clutching her stomach again. "I think this is it. "
Cade ran over to the door and realized there was no way they could drive to the hospital in that weather.
"Foster, the lines are still down," exclaimed Eddie dropping the phone.
He looked at Eddie and then at her. "Maddy the lines are down because of the storm and we're not going to get to the hospital…."
"I don't believe this," she cried wincing as another contraction came.
"I don't either." replied Cade.
"Foster, what are we going to do?" Eddie asked.
Cade puffed out his cheeks and pushed his his hands through his hair. "I looks like we are going to have to deliver the baby. "
"Foster, have you ever delivered a baby before?" Eddie asked starting to panic.
Cade looked at him. "No, have you?"
"NO, what are we going to do? " Eddie asked again.
Maddy screamed out in pain again. "It really hurts." Cade knelt down in front of her and stroked her hair to soothe her.
"Eddie help me get her into the bedroom and then get some towels and boil some water on the fire."
"What for?" asked Eddie.
"I don't know. Isn't that what they do in the movies!" exclaimed Cade.
\\\/
"We probably should have waited till the storm abated, " Jeff said to Liz as they drove back. She didn't answer as she concentrated on the road ahead. Visibility had gotten worse with swirls of snow blowing about. She stopped at one stage and the two cleared off the windscreen. Jeff had offered to drive but she insisted on it. She leaned forward to get a better view when all of a sudden a deer appeared in the middle of the road. It took off when the headlights startled it but as Liz jammed on the breaks and swerved to avoid the deer but the truck tyres lost it's grip on the road and it slid down an embankment hitting a snow covered tree leaving the windscreen shattered and it 's occupants unconscious and bleeding.
\\/
Candles and a gas lamp illuminated the room. Maddy cried out in pain again as she was gripped by another contraction. "Time them," she said to Cade who was holding her hand. "This is a very special baby."
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"I know about Jeff," she replied.
"What are you saying?" Cade asked.
"He told me after I had the last miscarriage. He said he knew people who could help us have a baby. I didn't believe him at first, I was shocked but I loved him. He left because he knew that once our child was born, the Gua would take it away from us. I can't let them take my baby away," she said wincing as another contraction came.
"Was he always one of them?" asked Cade helping her through the contraction.
"Yes," replied Maddy breathlessly. Her contractions were coming faster and faster now. She knew she would give birth soon.
Cade helped her sit back on the bed. "Tell me what I can do to help you ."
Maddy screamed in pain again. Eddie came in with the towels and the water and set them down by the bed.
"Eddie take her hand. Help her with her breathing," Cade told his friend.
"Where the hell is Liz when you really need her?" asked Eddie rubbing his head.
\\\/
Jeff groaned as he came to in the truck. He checked himself for any injuries but found nothing. He looked over at Liz and saw that she was still unconscious. He saw that she had a nasty looking wound that had congealed over her eye. He leaned across and gently shook her. "Liz?"
When he got no response he kicked open the passenger door and climbed out of the truck. Stumbling and shivering he made his way around to the driver's side. He pulled open the door and shook her a little more forcibly. "Liz. Come on wake up!"
She opened her eyes and cried out in pain as she brought her hand up to her forehead. She ached all over but she had a blinding pain in her head.
He carefully checked her over examining the head wound with some concern. "Are you hurt anywhere else?"
"Just my head," she said.
"Come on. Let's get you out," Jeff said helping her out of the truck. She stumbled a little bit as she got to the snowy ground but steadied herself. She looked at him and then she looked at the smashed up truck. He got into the truck and tried the ignition but it wouldn't even turn over. Letting out a long breath he sat back in the seat in defeat. "We are going to have to walk out of here," he said as he took note of his surroundings.
"How far are we from the cabin?" asked Liz.
"About an hour and a half, maybe more with the weather. There are caves around here. We're better off camping out in one of them until the weather gives in," he said getting back out of the truck and pushed back the seat to reveal a long metal box. He opened it and pulled out a shotgun and other items.
"Come on, this way," he said as he took by the elbow and they made their way through the thick trees to the caves.
\\\/
"I can't do it anymore! " cried Maddy as she lay against the pillow Eddie had placed behind her. Her hair was covered in sweat as she sobbed. Eddie flipped through the pages of the baby manual they had taken out.
"OK, Maddy, you just need to start pushing now," Cade said. He looked at Eddie who looked like he was about to faint.
"Are you all right, buddy?" he asked.
"Yeah," Eddie replied.
Maddy cried out again as Eddie helped her sit up. "I can't!"
"You just need to start pushing now," Cade said gently. "Just breathe through it and push."
"I can see the head!" Cade exclaimed. Maddy pushed even harder and he guided the baby out. The baby let out a long cry as he took his first breath of air.
"It's a boy!" he said looking at the baby in his arms. Maddy cried as he cut the cord and wrapped the baby up in one of the towels and placed him in her arms.
"Congratulations Foster," Eddie said to him who had tears in his eyes.
\\\/
Liz held her hands up against the warm glow of the fire that Jeff had made inside the small cave they had discovered amongst the high cliffs in the valley. Every so often a soft plopping noise caused by snow falling from the trees outside occurred. The heat from the fire generated a lot of warmth as the two sat close to it.
"Your head still hurt? " Jeff asked as he picked up a branch that he had brought in from outside and threw it into the fire. It blazed up as the flames took hold of the wood.
"It's reduced to a dull throb, " replied Liz rubbing her hands together. "I'm surprised you didn't get hurt at all. That was a bad smash back there."
"Must have got lucky, " he replied watching her through the orange flames.
"There's luck and there's..." Liz started to say but she noticed how intently he was looking at her. Her breath hitched as she came to a sudden realization. He wasn't injured because his wounds had self healed.
"And there's what?" He asked using a sharp knife to peel away at a branch.
She shook her head and her mouth formed a half smile. "Nothing."
He shifted his position. "I want you to know Liz that I do love Maddy and I would do anything to protect her. "
Her hand flew up to her mouth. "Oh my god. You ARE one of them. You're Gua!".
"Liz…" he started to say.
"How long..." She swallowed as she tried to form words. "Have you been here?
Jeff glanced at her as she stared at him with horror. "Since College. We discovered that Madelyn has rare DNA which was compatible with our DNA for the means of reproduction."
"This was an experiment?" Liz cried in disgust.
"At first. Then I fell in love with her," Jeff said sadly.
Liz jumped to her feet. "Love. What would you bastards know about love?"
"You have been in love before. Knowing that you want to spend your life with someone." He stood upd the two faced each other in front of the fire.
"How could you?" Tears began to well up in her eyes.
"Liz, I love Madelyn but the Council want to take the baby when it was born. To do tests on it. I couldn't let that happen so we moved. But the Assembly found out we were gone so that is way I left Madelyn. I couldn't let them do that to my son."
"So what do you intend to do? Because they're still going to come looking for you! "
Jeff looked down at the ground and picked up the shotgun that had been lying beside the fire. "I was going to kill myself so the Assembly would not find out where they were.
A small laugh escaped from her mouth."Go ahead. Why don't you?"
"I want you to," he replied shoving the shot gun in her hands.
Liz looked at the object in her hands. She sniffed as she took a couple of deep breaths and pointed the shot gun at him.
He noticed her hesitation."Why don't you do it?"
"Shut up," she said as her voice rose an octave.
"Pull the trigger Liz. You've killed Gua before haven't you?"
"Yes," Liz said hoarsely.
"You know what to do then."
Liz had her finger on the trigger and was about to squeeze it but instead she threw the gun at him, turned around and walked towards the entrance of the cave. She jumped at the sound of the gunshot but steadied herself against the wall as she heard the unmistakable sound of the alien dissolving. Taking a deep breath she walked out of the cave.
\\\/
"Thank you, for helping me," Maddy smiled at Cade and Eddie as she cradled her newborn son in her arms.
"You're welcome," Eddie said with the biggest grin Cade ever saw on his face. He cood over the baby.
"Any sign of Liz? " Maddy asked Cade who was standing near the window. The blizzard had finally stopped creating a beautiful winter wonderland sky appeared through the clouds and the sun was shining brightly.
"No. I'm getting a worried. I'm going out to find her," replied Cade. He looked out the window again. "I'm going to look for her."
"I'll stay here...and mind the baby," Eddie said sitting on the rocking chair beside the bed. Maddy smiled at him as he leaned over to coo at the baby again.
Despite the sun shining it was bitterly cold outside. Cade got as far as the Caddy when he noticed a figure walking up the road. As the person got closer he saw that it was Liz. He ran towards her. He saw that she was shivering and had a nasty gash above her eye.
He put his arm around her shoulder and helped her inside. "What happened "
"I crashed the truck. Cade, I'm so cold," she whispered with teeth chattering.
"You were right, Cade. He was one of them. He wanted me to kill him so he could protect his baby but I couldn't. He killed himself instead," Liz explained as Cade sat in front of her cleaning up the wound on her head. Eddie handed her a cup of coffee and a blanket as Cade placed a band aid on her head.
"I couldn't do it," she repeated. "Do you know why?"
"Yeah, I think I do," smiled Cade.
"How could I face Madelyn again knowing that I killed the father of her unborn child?" she asked. She noticed the look that passed between them. "What?"
"Actually we have news on that score," Eddie said with a grin.
" News?" Liz asked curiously.
Before they could answer she heard the baby crying from the bedroom.
She looked at them in surprise and got up and went into the room followed by Cade and Eddie and saw her friend holding the baby in her arms. "Oh, my God, When did this happen? How?"
"This morning, he came early," answered Maddy smiling at the two men.
Liz looked at them with raised eyebrows. "They delivered him," she asked incredulously.
"Yeah," Cade said smiling.
Liz moved closer to bed and looked down on the sleeping baby. "Can I hold him?"
"Sure," replied Maddy handing the baby to her.
"He's beautiful," exclaimed Liz playing with the baby's tiny fingers.
Maddy glanced at her. "Did you find Jeff?"
"No," lied Liz. "Do you have a name for him?"
Maddy smiled. "Actually I was thinking about calling him…. Kincaid Edward."
Liz looked over at Cade and Eddie who were standing in surprise at this announcement. She smiled "Hello, Cade, how are you today?" she crooned to the baby.
"Can I hold him?" Cade asked moving closer to her.
"Sure," replied Liz gently as she handed the baby to him.
With tears beginning to form in his eyes he gazed down at the newborn child and out the window.
"As I held my namesake in my arms I couldn't help but think … of Hannah… and the children we planned to have. How much I had wanted to be a father then and wonder if I ever will".
"C'mon Liz, we better go," Cade called out to her as she cuddled the baby later that evening.
Maddy watched as the three prepared to leave.
"Thank you, " she said to Cade who took her in his arms and gave her a hug.
"Make sure you look after your mom," Eddie whispered to the baby who was gurgling in the cradle. "I think he smiled at me!"
"It was probably wind, " Cade said with a smirk.
"No it wasn't," replied Maddy lifting the baby from the cradle. "He knows his Uncle Eddie."
"Keep in touch," she said turning to look at Liz.
"Of course I will," she replied giving her friend a hug and gave the baby a kiss.
"As soon as Maddy feels able for it she is going to leave Woodsbluff with her baby. Eddie worked out a new identity for her so that the Gua will never find them.
Jeff killed himself to protect his child. That child was a product of our two species. Maybe he will be our salvation. A hope for our future."