Ok guys, this is it, my last chapter. I'm touching this storyline for a while, but may get back to it someday. Just not before the summer, at the earliest. :)
I don't see any spoilers offhand, but I could be wrong.
The characters are not mine, save for Marcus. If you want to borrow him, please ask.
For other disclaimers, see Ch. 1.
Special thanks to my beta, ZionsStarfish, and to everyone who gave me feedback.
Rommie cut the connection as soon as she managed to tell Beka and Marcus about Harper, and her brow furrowed. All things considered, Marcus took the news as well as could be expected, but there was something about the way he was looking at Beka that just didn't sit right with her. Rommie need to reflect, to allow some of her processing to work on this. She turned and stared at Harper in his bed.
Harper was cured. After all this time, Harper was finally cured. She was no longer afraid she would one day have to watch him die in such a horrific way. She was no longer afraid that she would have to exist without him. Rommie approached the bed and touched his cheek. She simply had never felt so relieved in her existence.
Harper groaned and opened his eyes. "Please tell me we don't have to play scavenger hunt in my body again. I feel like crap."
"We don't. We got them all out, but you lost a kidney and parts of your lung during the procedure. You're going to be okay, Harper."
Harper's eyes snapped open. "You mean I'm really cured?"
"You're really cured. Dylan brought us to the drift to meet up with Beka and Marcus, but Beka is ill and under quarantine. We should be able to see them in two weeks."
Harper sat up slowly. "What's wrong with her?"
"She contracted, of all things, a type of flu. Since she's contagious, we don't want to get you sick again if we can avoid it." Rommie went still as if in thought.
Harper tilted his head. "Alright, spill. I know something is bothering you."
Rommie sighed. "Marcus was looking at Beka funny."
"Funny? How?" Rommie mimicked her son's expression and Harper cracked up. He couldn't help it.
"What?"
"That's the look you used to give Dylan when you had your thing for him."
"I did not have a thing!" Rommie put her hands on her hips.
"Rommie, I designed that expression. In fact, sometimes you still look at him like that."
"Harper!"
"Hey, I'm not jealous of a crush. Crushes are healthy, even if you're taken." Harper was practically beaming at her.
Rommie frowned. "Well, what are we going to do about it?"
"We don't have to do anything, Rommie. If it's serious, Beka will do something about it herself either way."
"But how can you be so flip about this? What about Commonwealth protocols?"
"It's just a crush, Rommie. And the Maru is not a Commonwealth vessel. I hate to break it to you, but the rules you and Dylan follow don't apply to our son." Harper took Rommie's hand in his. "Look, how many crushes have I had since we've met? And of those, how many of them became serious?"
Rommie thought about this. Total number of crushes Harper has had since they met was forty seven. Only three responded in any positive way, and of those three, one was Satrina, and one was Trance (which lasted about three days before they both, thankfully, decided it was a bad idea). Only one really seemed to lead anywhere according to her data. The one he had for her.
Rommie frowned again. How was the fact that he was going to live change how he felt about her now?
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Beka wrapped a robe around her shoulders and slowly walked back into the kitchen area. She made two cups of hot chocolate - one for herself and one for Marcus, and sighed.
Harper, one of her best friends, almost didn't make it. And even if she wanted to, she couldn't have been there. Neither could his son. Beka felt relieved that Marcus had been spared the shock and stress of seeing a parent die. That didn't make the realization that it almost happened any easier. She'd seen both her parents die. She wouldn't wish that experience on her worst enemies.
After Rommie told them what happened, Marcus just got up and left. He was crying but Beka didn't want to leave Rommie in the middle of their discussion.
After all, Rommie was her friend too. And Rommie needed her friends, even if they couldn't physically be there for her. So Beka spoke to Rommie at length about Harper's condition and his prognosis. It made them both feel better. Beka made Rommie promise to have Harper contact her personally as soon as he was feeling up to it, and cut off the connection.
Beka would have to deal with her own worries about Harper later. Right now, as captain, she would have to deal with the emotional needs of one of her crew and her ship first.
Beka picked up the coffee cups and paused. "Marcus, where is your avatar right now?"
The hologram for her ship materialized. He looked like he'd been crying. "He's sitting on...Dad's bunk. Trance told me that I should sleep there on this trip but I still don't see the logic in why." The hologram looked at the cups Beka was holding. "Are we having company?"
"Trance used to sleep in your father's bunk when any of us, but usually your dad, got sick. I'd to take hers, and Harper would get my bed. Trance said from that bunk you could hear the person in my room breathing." Beka grabbed the mugs and made her way to the bunk down the hall. "These are for us. I know you can eat and drink if you want to, and I think I'm well enough for this." Beka reached the bunk, set the cups down and looked at Marcus.
He was sitting on the bunk hugging the pillow to his chest, his face tear stained and looking ahead. He looked awful.
Beka blinked and reminded herself that Marcus was an android and her ship, and not a child in any way save experience. As hard as this was, this was one of life's little lessons he'd have to learn.
"You know he's going to be okay," Beka said, offering him a cup. Marcus took it as if on automatic and took a sip. He stared at the contents.
"What is this? It's sweet."
"Hot chocolate. When I was a kid, my dad used to make it for me all the time when I was upset." Beka shifted and sat on the bunk next to him.
"I accessed Dad's records while you spoke to Mom. He almost didn't make it."
"I know. Harper is the first person I know to have survived an infestation. He's extremely lucky."
Marcus stared at the cup, not moving. "He's damaged. I guess I didn't realize humans could be so..."
"Fragile?" Marcus nodded. Beka could feel him beginning to shake. "I guess I never saw us that way. But he's alive and well. That's all that really matters, isn't it?"
Marcus broke into tears. Beka took the mug from him and put it back on the floor before pulling him into her arms. Marcus settled his head on her shoulder, sobbing.
"Shh... Hey, you're lucky too. I had to watch both my parents die slowly. It's not an easy thing to have to go through. You have time to spend with him, with both of them..." Beka rubbed his back gently, letting him sob. She'd been through this with her own parents. She knew how scared and helpless he must have been feeling.
At least he wasn't feeling angry too. Helplessness and fear anyone can get over quickly, but anger can make it feel unbearable. Beka knew that Marcus may not believe it, but he was going to be all right.
Beka listened to the hum of the ship as she held Marcus and turned briefly to kiss his cheek. Marcus held on tighter, continued to shake, and said almost too softly for Beka to hear, "Do you think they need me now that he's well?"
"Marcus..." Beka tilted his face up and wiped his cheeks. "They would have wanted you if Harper was never sick. And you're part of my crew now, so you're not going anywhere. Got it?"
Marcus nodded and gave her that same sad look she noticed earlier. A brief memory of Harper looking at her like that soon after Bobby left played in the back of her mind. Just before he made a pass at her...
Beka closed her eyes for just a moment.
Marcus leaned in and kissed Beka softly. It was barely a tap, but she jerked back quickly. Marcus frowned. "I... I saw you and Dad do that once in one of the surveillance logs. I'm sorry. I'll go work on the slipstream drive."
Marcus got up and left for engineering.
Beka muttered to herself, "Valentine, you are in deep trouble."
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Harper got out of bed with Trance's help and made his way to the room. He hurt all over but in his opinion, hurt was a good thing.
Feeling hurt meant he wasn't dead. Harper eased himself onto the bed and looked up at Trance with a grin. "You sure I can't get back to work now?"
Trance smiled and pulled the covers over Harper's thin frame. Tilting her head to one side, she said, "Are you sure you don't want to go back to Med Deck?"
"All right, all right. I'll stay put. Say Trance, thanks."
"For what?"
"Yesterday. Keeping me alive long enough, treating me while I was sick, that sort of thing."
Trance sat down on the bed and looked at Harper. "That's what friends are for, aren't they?"
"Yeah. Most definitely."
Trance looked down and flicked a piece of lint off Harper's blankets. "Think Marcus and Beka are getting along?"
"You kidding? Who doesn't Beka Valentine get along with?"
Trance nodded, not looking up. "I think, after all this time, Beka could use a friendly voice to talk to. Maybe you should talk to her."
"Okay. I'll go do that." Harper sat up and got ready to send the Maru a message.
-----------------------------------
Beka was sitting at the helm, eyes closed, listening to some music to clear her head, when she heard Marcus' voice say, "Beka, incoming message."
She assumed it was Dylan or Trance checking up on her. "Patch it though."
"Damn, Beka, you look terrible."
It was Harper. Beka opened her eyes. He looked pale and thin and sickly. In fact, he looked worse than he did when she first met him. But he was alive. "And you look like the Vedran Empress."
Harper gave another one of his mock chuckles. "Oh, don't you think I'd look good with the feathers and the legs?"
Beka smiled. "You must be feeling better. You're already full of it."
Harper smiled back and chewed on his lower lip. "I don't. I ache all over and I'm gonna need some serious rehab time with Tyr. Shame too, I don't go for the muscle types. So, how are you feeling?"
"Achy, but I'm being taken care of." Beka frowned.
"And how's my kid?" Harper looked concerned.
"He's adapting. But I think he'll feel better when he sees you. You want me to go get him?"
"Beka... you sure you're okay?"
Beka sighed, and made a decision. "Marcus, can I have some privacy please?"
"Privacy mode engaged," Marcus' voice said, and then cut out.
"Shoot, Ma. You need to vent." Harper shifted on the bed. He looked like he was in pain.
Beka tried to explain. "I'm wasn't sure if it was a hallucination while I was sick..."
"Huh?"
"But then today confirmed it, I think."
"Beka?"
"I think I made a pass at your son while I was sick, Harper. You can send Rommie to kill me now." Beka buried her face in her hands. She heard silence for several seconds.
Finally she heard what sounded like a snicker. "I wondered if Rommie's impression of the way he was looking at you was accurate."
Beka looked up. Harper was smiling. Of course he'd find this funny. It was his way of keeping her from being too serious. "Harper."
"I know, it's not supposed to be funny. But you gotta admit, my son is hot, just like dear old dad."
Beka rolled her eyes. "I take it Rommie wants to kill me now?"
"Nah, I already got Rommie covered. You're safe. So what happened to make you think you weren't hallucinating about that pass earlier?"
"He tried to kiss me."
"That's my boy!" Harper was practically beaming.
"Harper!"
"Okay, okay. So I take it you don't want to live up to your responsibility and marry my boy but you don't know how to let him down easy, is that it?"
"Harper, we didn't... I shouldn't have told you." Beka buried her face in her hands again. This was getting her nowhere.
She heard Harper sigh. "Look, I know you. You want to live up to whatever it is that you're trying to use as a model, probably Dylan and his protocols. But remember, you're Beka Valentine, captain of the Eureka Maru, one of my best friends, and if nothing else, a great woman who cares about her crew. Your crew includes my born-as-an-adult-with-the-mind-the-size-of-a-planet son. Well he's the AI to the Maru so it's closer to a moon, but you get my point. Protocols won't apply to you here."
Beka looked at Harper again. "Did Rommie give you brain surgery while she removed the larvae by the way?"
Harper rolled his eyes. "No, I just know you should do what's best for the both of you, no matter what it is or when."
Beka took a deep breath. "Thanks."
"For what?"
"For reminding me why I didn't kick you out of my airlock five years ago."
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When Beka found Marcus in the engine room ten minutes later, he had disassembled, cleaned and reassembled the slipstream drive and was now repeating the process on the AV generators.
Poor guy. Beka squatted down on her heels and looked under the generator at him. "Hey, can we talk."
Marcus slid out from under the generator and looked at her. He was wearing his sweats again and his face and hands were covered in grease. Beka passed him a towel to clean himself off with.
"Sure, Beka."
Beka took a moment to steady herself because she wasn't sure where to begin. "The surveillance file you mentioned earlier, can I see it?"
Marcus nodded and provided a holographic version of the file. She watched and smiled. "Marcus, that file was taken on one of our heists. We had to pretend to be a couple to get a device for a client."
Marcus tilted his head and accessed related records to verify this. "There were other times in other files..."
"Marcus, your father and I ran scams for a living."
Marcus blinked and processed the meaning of the word. "Oh. So you only kiss people like that during a scam?"
"No. No, I don't. But with Harper, that was almost always the case. He's my friend. Hell, he's closer to family than even Rafe sometimes."
Marcus looked down at the floor with a sad face. "I see. So I shouldn't kiss you like that unless we're... working?"
"I don't take jobs like that anymore. I probably won't for a very long while unless Dylan and your mom need me to."
Marcus looked even sadder. Beka frowned and put her hand on his shoulder. "Let's just say I rarely kiss any of my crew unless I'm close to them, and even then it's barely a tap. It's not that I don't think you and I would be close, you're part of my home now. But we're just not yet, so it would be a bad idea."
Marcus nodded. "I think I understand."
"Good. You want some hot chocolate?"
"Okay."
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It took another week before Beka and Marcus could come back to the Andromeda.
When they finally did, the first thing Marcus saw once they docked and left the Maru, which was now him, was his mother's grin as she ran up and hugged him.
Rommie almost knocked him over in her enthusiasm. "Wow, you look great. I've missed you hon."
"Thanks mom. Missed you too." Marcus returned the hug and stared at his father.
Harper was walking with the help of crutches, but he was on his feet. Marcus walked up to his father and hugged him as gently as he could, whispering in Harper's ear, "I love you, dad."
"Ditto." Harper let go and looked at Beka with a grin. "Did it turn out okay?"
"Yeah." She gave Harper a faint tap on the lips and smiled.
Marcus studied his father's reaction, and found it interesting.
Later, when Marcus went back into his room, unpacked, and went to bed, he linked with his mother and roamed around the ship as a hologram, looking in on each member of the crew.
Tyr was back in the gym. He'd see him tomorrow for more training, but knew the Nietzschean was looking forward to his next lesson. Tyr may not show it, but Marcus was pretty sure he liked his father, at least.
Rev Bem was in his quarters, meditating. Marcus hoped to learn from the Magog about The Way. He didn't expect to convert, but he was curious.
Dylan was hard at work in his office. Marcus still wasn't sure what to make of him, other than the simple fact that his mother loved him and would do what it took to protect him. The reverse, in its own way, was true for Dylan. Dylan was his mother's past, and her only connection to it.
Trance was sleeping. Marcus took his time studying the purple alien. She was beautiful, but the fact that she was so secretive intrigued him. Marcus decided to watch this one closely.
He saved his parents for last. They were almost always together on the Obs. Deck at this hour anyway. He materialized in miniature and watched them.
Harper's arm was around Rommie's waist, looking out the view port.
"Rommie, can you remove the scan for me?"
"You mean the one I promised I'd keep?" Rommie tilted her head. Harper continued to look ahead.
"I don't think you'll need it now, do you?"
"No... Scan erased. Harper, would you have said yes anyway? I mean, if you weren't sick," she asked.
"In a nanosecond," was his reply. He turned to her and smiled.
In that look, Marcus thought he finally understood why his father had said yes, despite the fact that he was dying, in the first place.
--- End---
I don't see any spoilers offhand, but I could be wrong.
The characters are not mine, save for Marcus. If you want to borrow him, please ask.
For other disclaimers, see Ch. 1.
Special thanks to my beta, ZionsStarfish, and to everyone who gave me feedback.
Rommie cut the connection as soon as she managed to tell Beka and Marcus about Harper, and her brow furrowed. All things considered, Marcus took the news as well as could be expected, but there was something about the way he was looking at Beka that just didn't sit right with her. Rommie need to reflect, to allow some of her processing to work on this. She turned and stared at Harper in his bed.
Harper was cured. After all this time, Harper was finally cured. She was no longer afraid she would one day have to watch him die in such a horrific way. She was no longer afraid that she would have to exist without him. Rommie approached the bed and touched his cheek. She simply had never felt so relieved in her existence.
Harper groaned and opened his eyes. "Please tell me we don't have to play scavenger hunt in my body again. I feel like crap."
"We don't. We got them all out, but you lost a kidney and parts of your lung during the procedure. You're going to be okay, Harper."
Harper's eyes snapped open. "You mean I'm really cured?"
"You're really cured. Dylan brought us to the drift to meet up with Beka and Marcus, but Beka is ill and under quarantine. We should be able to see them in two weeks."
Harper sat up slowly. "What's wrong with her?"
"She contracted, of all things, a type of flu. Since she's contagious, we don't want to get you sick again if we can avoid it." Rommie went still as if in thought.
Harper tilted his head. "Alright, spill. I know something is bothering you."
Rommie sighed. "Marcus was looking at Beka funny."
"Funny? How?" Rommie mimicked her son's expression and Harper cracked up. He couldn't help it.
"What?"
"That's the look you used to give Dylan when you had your thing for him."
"I did not have a thing!" Rommie put her hands on her hips.
"Rommie, I designed that expression. In fact, sometimes you still look at him like that."
"Harper!"
"Hey, I'm not jealous of a crush. Crushes are healthy, even if you're taken." Harper was practically beaming at her.
Rommie frowned. "Well, what are we going to do about it?"
"We don't have to do anything, Rommie. If it's serious, Beka will do something about it herself either way."
"But how can you be so flip about this? What about Commonwealth protocols?"
"It's just a crush, Rommie. And the Maru is not a Commonwealth vessel. I hate to break it to you, but the rules you and Dylan follow don't apply to our son." Harper took Rommie's hand in his. "Look, how many crushes have I had since we've met? And of those, how many of them became serious?"
Rommie thought about this. Total number of crushes Harper has had since they met was forty seven. Only three responded in any positive way, and of those three, one was Satrina, and one was Trance (which lasted about three days before they both, thankfully, decided it was a bad idea). Only one really seemed to lead anywhere according to her data. The one he had for her.
Rommie frowned again. How was the fact that he was going to live change how he felt about her now?
-------------------------------------
Beka wrapped a robe around her shoulders and slowly walked back into the kitchen area. She made two cups of hot chocolate - one for herself and one for Marcus, and sighed.
Harper, one of her best friends, almost didn't make it. And even if she wanted to, she couldn't have been there. Neither could his son. Beka felt relieved that Marcus had been spared the shock and stress of seeing a parent die. That didn't make the realization that it almost happened any easier. She'd seen both her parents die. She wouldn't wish that experience on her worst enemies.
After Rommie told them what happened, Marcus just got up and left. He was crying but Beka didn't want to leave Rommie in the middle of their discussion.
After all, Rommie was her friend too. And Rommie needed her friends, even if they couldn't physically be there for her. So Beka spoke to Rommie at length about Harper's condition and his prognosis. It made them both feel better. Beka made Rommie promise to have Harper contact her personally as soon as he was feeling up to it, and cut off the connection.
Beka would have to deal with her own worries about Harper later. Right now, as captain, she would have to deal with the emotional needs of one of her crew and her ship first.
Beka picked up the coffee cups and paused. "Marcus, where is your avatar right now?"
The hologram for her ship materialized. He looked like he'd been crying. "He's sitting on...Dad's bunk. Trance told me that I should sleep there on this trip but I still don't see the logic in why." The hologram looked at the cups Beka was holding. "Are we having company?"
"Trance used to sleep in your father's bunk when any of us, but usually your dad, got sick. I'd to take hers, and Harper would get my bed. Trance said from that bunk you could hear the person in my room breathing." Beka grabbed the mugs and made her way to the bunk down the hall. "These are for us. I know you can eat and drink if you want to, and I think I'm well enough for this." Beka reached the bunk, set the cups down and looked at Marcus.
He was sitting on the bunk hugging the pillow to his chest, his face tear stained and looking ahead. He looked awful.
Beka blinked and reminded herself that Marcus was an android and her ship, and not a child in any way save experience. As hard as this was, this was one of life's little lessons he'd have to learn.
"You know he's going to be okay," Beka said, offering him a cup. Marcus took it as if on automatic and took a sip. He stared at the contents.
"What is this? It's sweet."
"Hot chocolate. When I was a kid, my dad used to make it for me all the time when I was upset." Beka shifted and sat on the bunk next to him.
"I accessed Dad's records while you spoke to Mom. He almost didn't make it."
"I know. Harper is the first person I know to have survived an infestation. He's extremely lucky."
Marcus stared at the cup, not moving. "He's damaged. I guess I didn't realize humans could be so..."
"Fragile?" Marcus nodded. Beka could feel him beginning to shake. "I guess I never saw us that way. But he's alive and well. That's all that really matters, isn't it?"
Marcus broke into tears. Beka took the mug from him and put it back on the floor before pulling him into her arms. Marcus settled his head on her shoulder, sobbing.
"Shh... Hey, you're lucky too. I had to watch both my parents die slowly. It's not an easy thing to have to go through. You have time to spend with him, with both of them..." Beka rubbed his back gently, letting him sob. She'd been through this with her own parents. She knew how scared and helpless he must have been feeling.
At least he wasn't feeling angry too. Helplessness and fear anyone can get over quickly, but anger can make it feel unbearable. Beka knew that Marcus may not believe it, but he was going to be all right.
Beka listened to the hum of the ship as she held Marcus and turned briefly to kiss his cheek. Marcus held on tighter, continued to shake, and said almost too softly for Beka to hear, "Do you think they need me now that he's well?"
"Marcus..." Beka tilted his face up and wiped his cheeks. "They would have wanted you if Harper was never sick. And you're part of my crew now, so you're not going anywhere. Got it?"
Marcus nodded and gave her that same sad look she noticed earlier. A brief memory of Harper looking at her like that soon after Bobby left played in the back of her mind. Just before he made a pass at her...
Beka closed her eyes for just a moment.
Marcus leaned in and kissed Beka softly. It was barely a tap, but she jerked back quickly. Marcus frowned. "I... I saw you and Dad do that once in one of the surveillance logs. I'm sorry. I'll go work on the slipstream drive."
Marcus got up and left for engineering.
Beka muttered to herself, "Valentine, you are in deep trouble."
--------------------------------------
Harper got out of bed with Trance's help and made his way to the room. He hurt all over but in his opinion, hurt was a good thing.
Feeling hurt meant he wasn't dead. Harper eased himself onto the bed and looked up at Trance with a grin. "You sure I can't get back to work now?"
Trance smiled and pulled the covers over Harper's thin frame. Tilting her head to one side, she said, "Are you sure you don't want to go back to Med Deck?"
"All right, all right. I'll stay put. Say Trance, thanks."
"For what?"
"Yesterday. Keeping me alive long enough, treating me while I was sick, that sort of thing."
Trance sat down on the bed and looked at Harper. "That's what friends are for, aren't they?"
"Yeah. Most definitely."
Trance looked down and flicked a piece of lint off Harper's blankets. "Think Marcus and Beka are getting along?"
"You kidding? Who doesn't Beka Valentine get along with?"
Trance nodded, not looking up. "I think, after all this time, Beka could use a friendly voice to talk to. Maybe you should talk to her."
"Okay. I'll go do that." Harper sat up and got ready to send the Maru a message.
-----------------------------------
Beka was sitting at the helm, eyes closed, listening to some music to clear her head, when she heard Marcus' voice say, "Beka, incoming message."
She assumed it was Dylan or Trance checking up on her. "Patch it though."
"Damn, Beka, you look terrible."
It was Harper. Beka opened her eyes. He looked pale and thin and sickly. In fact, he looked worse than he did when she first met him. But he was alive. "And you look like the Vedran Empress."
Harper gave another one of his mock chuckles. "Oh, don't you think I'd look good with the feathers and the legs?"
Beka smiled. "You must be feeling better. You're already full of it."
Harper smiled back and chewed on his lower lip. "I don't. I ache all over and I'm gonna need some serious rehab time with Tyr. Shame too, I don't go for the muscle types. So, how are you feeling?"
"Achy, but I'm being taken care of." Beka frowned.
"And how's my kid?" Harper looked concerned.
"He's adapting. But I think he'll feel better when he sees you. You want me to go get him?"
"Beka... you sure you're okay?"
Beka sighed, and made a decision. "Marcus, can I have some privacy please?"
"Privacy mode engaged," Marcus' voice said, and then cut out.
"Shoot, Ma. You need to vent." Harper shifted on the bed. He looked like he was in pain.
Beka tried to explain. "I'm wasn't sure if it was a hallucination while I was sick..."
"Huh?"
"But then today confirmed it, I think."
"Beka?"
"I think I made a pass at your son while I was sick, Harper. You can send Rommie to kill me now." Beka buried her face in her hands. She heard silence for several seconds.
Finally she heard what sounded like a snicker. "I wondered if Rommie's impression of the way he was looking at you was accurate."
Beka looked up. Harper was smiling. Of course he'd find this funny. It was his way of keeping her from being too serious. "Harper."
"I know, it's not supposed to be funny. But you gotta admit, my son is hot, just like dear old dad."
Beka rolled her eyes. "I take it Rommie wants to kill me now?"
"Nah, I already got Rommie covered. You're safe. So what happened to make you think you weren't hallucinating about that pass earlier?"
"He tried to kiss me."
"That's my boy!" Harper was practically beaming.
"Harper!"
"Okay, okay. So I take it you don't want to live up to your responsibility and marry my boy but you don't know how to let him down easy, is that it?"
"Harper, we didn't... I shouldn't have told you." Beka buried her face in her hands again. This was getting her nowhere.
She heard Harper sigh. "Look, I know you. You want to live up to whatever it is that you're trying to use as a model, probably Dylan and his protocols. But remember, you're Beka Valentine, captain of the Eureka Maru, one of my best friends, and if nothing else, a great woman who cares about her crew. Your crew includes my born-as-an-adult-with-the-mind-the-size-of-a-planet son. Well he's the AI to the Maru so it's closer to a moon, but you get my point. Protocols won't apply to you here."
Beka looked at Harper again. "Did Rommie give you brain surgery while she removed the larvae by the way?"
Harper rolled his eyes. "No, I just know you should do what's best for the both of you, no matter what it is or when."
Beka took a deep breath. "Thanks."
"For what?"
"For reminding me why I didn't kick you out of my airlock five years ago."
--------------------------------------
When Beka found Marcus in the engine room ten minutes later, he had disassembled, cleaned and reassembled the slipstream drive and was now repeating the process on the AV generators.
Poor guy. Beka squatted down on her heels and looked under the generator at him. "Hey, can we talk."
Marcus slid out from under the generator and looked at her. He was wearing his sweats again and his face and hands were covered in grease. Beka passed him a towel to clean himself off with.
"Sure, Beka."
Beka took a moment to steady herself because she wasn't sure where to begin. "The surveillance file you mentioned earlier, can I see it?"
Marcus nodded and provided a holographic version of the file. She watched and smiled. "Marcus, that file was taken on one of our heists. We had to pretend to be a couple to get a device for a client."
Marcus tilted his head and accessed related records to verify this. "There were other times in other files..."
"Marcus, your father and I ran scams for a living."
Marcus blinked and processed the meaning of the word. "Oh. So you only kiss people like that during a scam?"
"No. No, I don't. But with Harper, that was almost always the case. He's my friend. Hell, he's closer to family than even Rafe sometimes."
Marcus looked down at the floor with a sad face. "I see. So I shouldn't kiss you like that unless we're... working?"
"I don't take jobs like that anymore. I probably won't for a very long while unless Dylan and your mom need me to."
Marcus looked even sadder. Beka frowned and put her hand on his shoulder. "Let's just say I rarely kiss any of my crew unless I'm close to them, and even then it's barely a tap. It's not that I don't think you and I would be close, you're part of my home now. But we're just not yet, so it would be a bad idea."
Marcus nodded. "I think I understand."
"Good. You want some hot chocolate?"
"Okay."
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It took another week before Beka and Marcus could come back to the Andromeda.
When they finally did, the first thing Marcus saw once they docked and left the Maru, which was now him, was his mother's grin as she ran up and hugged him.
Rommie almost knocked him over in her enthusiasm. "Wow, you look great. I've missed you hon."
"Thanks mom. Missed you too." Marcus returned the hug and stared at his father.
Harper was walking with the help of crutches, but he was on his feet. Marcus walked up to his father and hugged him as gently as he could, whispering in Harper's ear, "I love you, dad."
"Ditto." Harper let go and looked at Beka with a grin. "Did it turn out okay?"
"Yeah." She gave Harper a faint tap on the lips and smiled.
Marcus studied his father's reaction, and found it interesting.
Later, when Marcus went back into his room, unpacked, and went to bed, he linked with his mother and roamed around the ship as a hologram, looking in on each member of the crew.
Tyr was back in the gym. He'd see him tomorrow for more training, but knew the Nietzschean was looking forward to his next lesson. Tyr may not show it, but Marcus was pretty sure he liked his father, at least.
Rev Bem was in his quarters, meditating. Marcus hoped to learn from the Magog about The Way. He didn't expect to convert, but he was curious.
Dylan was hard at work in his office. Marcus still wasn't sure what to make of him, other than the simple fact that his mother loved him and would do what it took to protect him. The reverse, in its own way, was true for Dylan. Dylan was his mother's past, and her only connection to it.
Trance was sleeping. Marcus took his time studying the purple alien. She was beautiful, but the fact that she was so secretive intrigued him. Marcus decided to watch this one closely.
He saved his parents for last. They were almost always together on the Obs. Deck at this hour anyway. He materialized in miniature and watched them.
Harper's arm was around Rommie's waist, looking out the view port.
"Rommie, can you remove the scan for me?"
"You mean the one I promised I'd keep?" Rommie tilted her head. Harper continued to look ahead.
"I don't think you'll need it now, do you?"
"No... Scan erased. Harper, would you have said yes anyway? I mean, if you weren't sick," she asked.
"In a nanosecond," was his reply. He turned to her and smiled.
In that look, Marcus thought he finally understood why his father had said yes, despite the fact that he was dying, in the first place.
--- End---