Forever and Always
Part 2
A scout ship rocketed through the blackness of space toward Earth. The four days it took to get ready seemed more to Throttle like four years. Fortunately the actual journey would only be a day with the new advanced engines and improved fuel, but it still wasn't fast enough for the anxious Martian wanting desperately to know the status of his wife and child.
"You think we'll find them, bro?" Throttle said staring out into the starry expanse, reminiscing about the many nights he'd spent sitting on top of the garage roof holding Charley looking up into the night sky. His arms securely around her while telling her of all the places that he'd seen, all the places that he one day wanted to show her and their new baby.
"I'm sure we will. You guys got somethin' special and when you love like that, a little thing like an interplanetary war can't keep you apart. You'll see, just keep the faith bro. Keep the faith."
Throttle glanced gratefully over at Modo, the gray giant was always the one who could see the bright side of any situation, no matter how bleak it may have seemed. During the worst times, like their imprisoned on Plutark, he never let them give up.
They entered Earth's atmosphere and Throttle began surveying the area closest to the Last Chance garage hoping the vacant lot, they'd used for landing ships, was still unoccupied. To his shock not only was the lot gone, but everything in a ten-mile radius seemed to disappear, including the Last Chance Garage.
"No! There's nothing left!"
"Don't panic, bro. It doesn't' mean that anything happen to them. Let's just find a place to land and check it out." Modo attempted to calm his friend seeing the terror that cover Throttle's face.
"I thought once Limburger was gone and the top fish heads took the other bosses off this planet they'd be safe. I thought we'd done our job by stopping them from exploiting the resources here, so my wife and child would be safe. It never occurred to me that things from this world could still hurt them." Throttle bemoaned pounding his fist on the metal control panel, not taking his eyes off the radar screen.
"We don't know what the situation is, Throttle. Try and relax until we know what's goin' on." Modo continued to scan the area and found an unpopulated wooded section not far from the city. It would only take them an hour by bike to get back to where the garage had been.
*****
Charley had little time to think about anything other then getting them resettled. A few boxes still had to be unpacked, but she had gotten most of the rooms fairly well arranged.
That morning she woke to the sound of birds singing, something she had to get use to. She stretched and looked over to the empty side of the bed and her hand gently touched the pillow. You'd think she would be use to sleeping alone by now.
Suddenly Galataya was standing at her door in her Minnie Mouse tee shirt and matching underwear precariously hold a tray of food, "Mornin' Mommy, I fixed you breafist."
Charley giggled shaking her head watching Gally balance the breakfast she'd prepared. On the tray was a cereal bowl filled to the brim with fruity colored cereal and milk that was splashing out of the sides every time she took a step. A glass of orange juice that was half full with the rest of the liquid mixing on the tray with the already spilled milk. Two pieces of smoking burnt toast, which were also soaked by both the juice and the milk. But the best thing on the tray was a bright white and yellow daisy that was propped in an empty jelly jar.
"Well isn't this a nice surprise. My you have become such a big girl and you take such good care of Mommy," Charley reached over to help her daughter lift the tray onto the bed.
Gally's face beamed, "I gotta. Daddy said to take good care of you till he comes back and get us."
Charley looked puzzled at her daughter wondering how the little girl could have possible remembered exactly what Throttle said the night before he'd left. She was just a little older than a year and he barely whispered it in her ear while she slept. But she said nothing remembering that Throttle had told her of the strong mental and emotional bond that was forged between most Martian parents and their children.
"Yes, Daddy will be very proud of you, Sweetie." Charley pulled her daughter close hugging her tightly. "So after we eat this fine breakfast and clean up the mess I know is in the kitchen why don't we go out into the garage and get some work done. I have to start fixing Mr. Jackson's bike and you have to get your lessons done for the day.
"Awww, Mommy do we haveta do school today," Gally pouted falling back on the pillows crossing her little arms.
"You know we have school every weekday, Gally. Today isn't any different from any other day. Tell you what, you get all your lessons done and when I finish what I have to do we can go downtown when it gets dark."
"To the hole?" The little girl popped up excitedly.
"Yeah, to the hole," Charley smile looking out of the side of her eye while picking up the glass of orange juice taking a sip.
"Yay and maybe Daddy will be there this time." Gally rejoiced happily jumping off the bed and running to her room to get ready.
Charley took a breath and put the glass back on the tray. She got out of bed a walked over to the dresser and picked up the picture of Throttle holding Galataya. She wanted to believe that one day he'd be standing there waiting, looking for them, but it got harder and harder as each day past. She walked over to the door and closed it quietly and sat on the floor in front of it. She held the picture to her heart and rocked slowly not letting the painful cry escape but allowing the tears to flow down her face.
*****
They'd landed smoothly and activated the stealth system hiding the ship. Moving around on Earth would be easier at night especially with the new totally black helmets and redesigned leather trousers that allowed them to comfortably hid their tails on the inside of the leg. Both Martians wore black turtleneck shirts and short leather jackets and Modo had long since stop wearing the blue and red metal chest plate.
Everything was so different. Most of the damaged buildings had been rebuilt or were in the mist of being rebuilt. They past by the place where the large yellow Limburger tower use to be. The last trashing they had inflicted was the beginning of Limburger's death song and now it was as if he and Plutarkians never existed.
*****
Nighttime had finally fallen and Charley dressed Gally in her blue footy pajamas so she could pop her right in bed as soon as they came back. They would make their journey to the old placed at least three times a week. Each time Gally would anxiously look around hoping for that one special person. "So you ready, Sweetie?" Charley smiled looking at Gally through the rear view mirror mounted on the windshield."Yep, leth's go," Gally hugged her furry tan best friend tightly while tapping her covered toes together eagerly.
*****
Modo and Throttle continued riding in the direction of the garage. Before getting to the building they screeched to an abrupt haul. Throttle stared at the sight of the huge open space surround by a 15ft barbed wire link fence. Slowly getting off his bike the shocked Martian mechanically approached the fence. There wasn't a trace of anything. The area was so large, it took up the place where Chief Andy's Hoagie Palace use to be, the little corner bar where they would sometimes hang out for a beer and a few laughs, everything was gone.
The fear surged through him like a raging fever and in that moment of panic he thought that maybe, in a last sick act of revenge the deranged, foul, Plutarkian murders had blown up the whole area killing Charley and Galataya along with how many other innocent people. His hands tighten around the metal of the fence and it began too bend like paper.
Modo walked up next to him, "We still don't know how bad it is. You gotta keep it together if we're ever gonna find them."
Throttle leaned his head on the fence and tried to make the word sink in. Modo was right; he would need to think straight to figure out the next move they had to make. He began settling his emotions and gaining back his control.
"Your right, Big Fella. Me freakin' out won't change anything and won't make finding them any easier," he took a breath and began to think. " Let's see if we can't locate Jack.
He'd know something I'm sure."
"Sounds good let's get back to the ship and see if we can find him." Modo slapped Throttle encouragingly on the back and they left.
*****
Charley pulled as close as she could to the section where her garage had once stood and parked. Gally hurriedly unlocked her seat belt and climbed over the front seat scrambling to the window as if she actually expected to see Throttle waiting. But other than the sight of headlights fading in the distance the area was deserted. It broke Charley's heart to see the disappointment on her daughter's face and thought maybe coming there wasn't good for either of them.
Maybe it was time she faced the honest hard facts that Throttle wasn't returning. Whether because he lost his life fighting for what he believed in or he couldn't make it back for some other reason, she had to let go of the hope that he'd ever physically be in their lives again. She had to do it for Gally as much as for herself.
Galataya had fallen asleep half the way home and once getting back Charley secured everything in the garage and gently carried her sleeping daughter to bed tucking her safely between the covers and kissing her tenderly. She couldn't help but stand and watch her sleep. A tear filled smile crossed Charley's face as she pushed the golden hair from her daughter's eyes just as she had done to Throttle so many times. Her life had been blessed in so many ways and if she had to face the future with just the two of them, then the love that would forever warm her heart would give her the strength to move forward.
*****
Modo stirred from his sleeping compartment wondering if Throttle had slept at all. He followed the sound of soft tapping coming from the control room. There was Throttle absorbed in the task of trying to find out any information about the area where the garage had been.
"You been at that all night, Bro?" Modo said rubbing the sleep from his eye.
Throttle reached up and took his field specks off rubbing his aching head, "Yeah but it was more than worth it. I found out what happened. Seems like the Fishes didn't do anything directly but because Limburger had stolen so much of the surrounding land the area became unstable and the city made everyone move out of the danger zone"
That's Great! They should have a list of who went where."
"Well, they did, but Charley for some reason wasn't on it. I was tying to find out where Jack might be and it took some digging, but I found the number of his last job. I was about to call when you came in."
"You look pretty wiped out. Why don't you let me do that and you grab some Z's."
"Nah, I'm okay. I want to do this."
"Okay bro, I understand. I'll go rustled us up some eats." Modo left to find them some breakfast.
*****
Charley let the baby sleep a little later than usual. She was up early sipping her coffee and gazing out of the kitchen window. She was trying to figure out how to tell Gally that they weren't going to the hole any more, in essence that her daddy possibly was not coming back.
"Mornin' Mommy," A small yawny voice shook Charley from her thoughts.
" Mornin' Sweetness, come sit her next to me we need to talk." Charley pulled a chair closer to her and pat on the seat for Gally to hop up on.
"What we gotta talk bout?" Gally looked at her mother with a bright fully awake smile.
"Going to the hole, baby." Charley reached over and held the child's small face in her slightly trembling hand.
*****
Modo came in carrying a tray with two cups of hot Vandovain elixir, a thick, blue-black liquid with a slightly sweet nutty taste but with the caffeine equivalent of 20 cups of very very strong coffee. Along with that, was a pile of what looked like Earth hot dogs if you ignored the slightly greenish color.
Throttle was sitting with an odd look on his face, "What's the matter bro? Couldn't you find anything?" Modo stepped closer putting the tray down.
"Yeah I found out plenty. I got in touch with Jacks last job and they said he left the country to a place called Australia with his wife and daughter about a year ago. I pulled up the flights that left around that time and this is what came up. He showed Modo the ticket information.
First Class, One Way:
A. McCyber
Wife: C. Mc Cyber
Infant female: G. Mc Cyber
"But that doesn't mean it was Charley and your baby."
"Yeah it does. That would explain why there is no record of where she went. Why record someone whose leaving the country. They had a good thing once; they just picked up where they left off. I can't blame her for that, she deserves a good life and the baby need a father, even if it's not me."
"But don't you wanna go and let her know you' re still alive? Don't cha wanna see your little girl?"
"We'll find them, if for no other reason then to make sure they are happy. I know Mc Cyber is taking good care of them and I haveta see um' one more time. But I won't mess up their lives. They think I'm dead, I'll just stay buried." Throttle got up and left the control room. The Gray mouse sighed and started the task of finding exactly where Jack had gone to live.
*****
Charley sat on the stairs of her back porch looking up in the warm night sky. The moon was at its full and everything was so clear as if the whole meadow that surrounded her house had been freshly cleaned and pressed. A mellow evening breeze blow her hair around her shoulders and into her face, filling the air with a light scent of wild flowers.
Galataya hadn't taken the news well and spent most of the day crying curled up on her bed. Charley did as much as she could to try and comfort, but thought it better to let her have a good cry. In fact a good cry didn't sound like such a bad idea. Yes, she'd love Throttle forever, but finally accepting his, possible lose, was just as hard for her.
"Mommy," a little voice came from behind her. Charley turned around to see Gally standing in the screen door. "Cani come sit wif you?" she asked softly.
"Of course you can, Sweetheart." Charley held a hand out inviting Galataya into her arms.
"Where is it, Mommy? Show me again." Gally snuggled deeply into her mothers arms and lifting her violet eyes upward.
Charley stroked the soft golden curls of her daughter's hair. She reached up pointing to a small pink crystal, twinkling among the bright lights that scattered the velvet black night. "There baby, that pretty pink one just a little above my finger."
"Mommy, we don't gotta go to the hole. Like you said, Daddy will find us no matter what," she smiled her hope stronger than ever.
"That's right darling and I'm glad I have you to remind of that. You keep all your hopes and dreams strong. Daddy loves us both so much and I'm sure if he's out there and if he can, he'll try getting back to us." Charley reassured he daughter and her own heart as well.
Gally smiled and laid her head down on her mother's breast and Charley securely cradled not only her precious daughter, but the part of Throttle that would give her the strength to face what ever life had in store for them.
Suddenly Galataya sat up and turn to look down the little path that meanders through the meadow and toward the wooded area not far from their house.
Charley straighten up to see what had gotten her attention, "What is it baby? What's wrong?"
"Oh Mommy," Gally whispered not taking her eyes from the path. The little girl pushed way from her mother's grasp, jumped down the stairs and took off running.
"Gally! Baby! Where are you going?" Charley ran after her.
Gally ran faster and faster and Charley could hardly keep up, "Gally! Galataya! Where are you going?!"
*****
Throttle couldn't stop smiling as they returned to Chicago, his mind slipping back to the events that had just transpired. All the frustrated digging, through the tons of information to finally find where Jack lived, seemed to take an eternity.
The way his stomach churned, as they got closer to the area were the large sprawling ranch was located. The yearning to see his wife and child and the unbearable sadness in knowing he'd never be able to hold them or even let them know he was alive. After all his noble words could he really stand at a distance and see the woman his arms ached to hold, live forever as the wife of another man, to have his child know someone else as Daddy.
The way they hid watching the house hoping to catch Jack coming out and maybe get, at least, a tiny glimpse of Charley and Galataya. If they had been thinking clearly, they would have realized that sneaking up on Jack would have been all but impossible. When their red haired puzzled friend found them couching in the shrubbery near the house, Throttle didn't know if he wanted to hug the smiling human or knock his lights out.
Then came the odd and confusing conversation with Jack saying how much Charley missed him and how much she still love him and then the glorious moment of relief when Jack's beautiful, brown skinned, dred-wearing, wife walked out of the house and Modo stated the obvious," Hey, that ain't, Charley girl."
There was a few seconds of silence before Throttle could come to grips with the fact that he hadn't lost his Charley. True to the vow they'd made she was still waiting for him. Once getting all the information they needed and being introducing to Jack's family, something that finally got his wife to stop thinking that her husband had been living an illusion all those years, they high tailed it back.
Now they were landing less then a mile from the house and he could hardly breath with his heart beating so fast in anticipation of finally having his family back.
*****
Gally couldn't hear her mother's frantic voice, all she could do was follow the warm loving feeling coming from the person she could see approaching her down the path.
The two Martians left their bikes parked at the head of the path and started walking toward the house. The feeling taking him over caused Throttle's walk to explode into a full run, leaving Modo behind.
Charley stopped in her tracks; she couldn't believe the name Gally started to call.
"Daddy, Daddy," rang through Charley's head as her hands fly up to her mouth and she could see the tall figure dashing toward her daughter.
In a clash of emotion Throttle fell to his knees opening his arms to welcome the child who never was out of his thoughts for a moment. Gally wrapped her arm around the neck of the father whose face and memory was planted in her heart on the day she was born, who she loved as if he'd been with her every day of her life. Throttle held his daughter's face and kissed her forehead, her cheeks, her whole face, over and over whispering; I love, before each gentle kiss.
"I knew you'd come get us, I knew you would," Gally repeated through her joyful tears.
"Yes, baby. I know you did." Throttle slowly ran a shaking finger along the trail of tears that descended his baby's sweet face, "I promise Darlin', I'll never leave you or Mommy again. I came to take you home."
Throttle looked up in the direction of the house and saw Charley's silhouette standing in the full moon light. He stood as Modo walked up behind him, "Why don't you let me have a hug from my pretty little niece and you go to your wife. You don't mind giving your uncle Modo a big hug and kiss while Daddy goes say hi to Mommy, do you lil Darlin?"
Gally smiled just as happy to be with the uncle Modo Mommy had told her so much about, " Unca Vinnie, didn't come?" Gally asked as she past from Throttle's arms to his.
"Well, Uncle Vinnie had to get things ready for you to meet all your family back on Mars, but you'll see him and everybody when we get back."
Gally nodded agreeable as she and Modo watched Throttle walk the path toward Charley.
Charley was frozen and all she could do was let the years of painful separation escape in trembling sobs, as she watched Throttle's image come closer and become clearer.
He watched her letting every moment of what was happening sink deep into his heart.
He finally stepped up close enough to touch her, but stood and just looked into her eyes taking his field speck off so she could look into his. The moonlight caught in each of her sparkling gems and with both hands he captured her face and brought it slowly near his own. Her eyes closed and the warmth of his lips, little by little, traced her face until he found her lips and the taste of her kiss consumed all his senses. She wanted to hold him, but the fear of him disappearing, that it all might be a dream, kept her arms locked to her sides. His hands moved through her chestnut tresses, down her neck, over her still shaking shoulder and down her arms until is hands interlocked with hers. No time had past, years of being apart evaporated in a reuniting that could never be described in mere words. The love of two beings, worlds apart, joined once more in a moment that was rarely experienced any where in the universe.
They finally parted and she pulled her hands away and throw her arms around him, crying against his neck, "Your late." She whispered.
He held her tightly and spoke softly in her hair, "And you're beautiful."
****
"You ready to go, Pumpkin," Throttle called out as he picked up the last of the bags they would be taking back to Mars.
Gally came bounding down the hall with her stuffed friend swinging by his tail, "Yep, I'm ready. Daddy, what's gonna happen to our house?"
Charley followed up behind her daughter with the little freedom fighters jacket Throttle had brought for her, slipping it on her small shoulders, "We are going to keep it. When Uncle Jack comes back, he will need a place to stay and Sometimes daddy and others freedom fighters will come and check up on things, they'll use the it too."
Okay," Gally ran out of the door where Modo was sitting on his bike. He reached out his tail and wrapped it around her waist and sat her in front of him on his bike.
Gally giggled, "I hope my tail will grow bigger so I can do neat stuff like that."
"Give it time little darlin', give it time." Modo smiled while putting a child size helmet on Gally's head.
Throttle snaked his tail around Charley's waist pulling her closer to him, "You ready, babe?"
Charley leaned her head on his shoulder and looked around the room one last time, "Yes, let go home." She kissed his cheek and they walked out of the door and on to a life together.
Epilog
Throttle stood by Galataya's bed watching the red moonlight reflex on her, the light sparkling off each golden highlight in her curls causing an almost copper glow to surround her face. He reached down to kiss her gently and tucked the covers more securely around her neck. Charley quietly walked up behind him sliding an arm around his waist.
"She's so beautiful," Throttle whispered in a shaking voice while pulling Charley closer.
"Yes she is, all things made from love are," her head rested on his shoulder.
"Come on, she's settled. I have something for you." Charley gave him a special smile and took his hand leading him into the small living room of their quarters. She pushed him down on the couch, "Don't move and don't try and peek." She kissed the top of his head and disappear into the their bedroom.
Throttle removed his specks rubbing his happy but tired eyes leaning his head back relaxing from all the excitement the day held. It was what could be considered a family reunion of sorts. The joy of seeing how many close friends and family had actually survived was mixed with the sadness of those who weren't there. He could imagine Carbine smiling at the fact that he'd followed her suggestion and gotten on with his life as she had. There would always be a feeling of loving pride connected with her sacrifice and all the memories they'd shared during their lives together.
Suddenly the lights dimmed and soft music filled the room. Charley walked out dressed in the same beautiful sleeping attire she'd worn on their honeymoon. She stood in the middle of the room and held a hand out for him to join her dancing to the same song they shared on that first night as man and wife. He smiled appreciatively and rose to take her in his arms.
After a few wonderful moments she looked up into his eyes, "You haven't lost any of your moves, spaceman."
He titled his head back and gave her a handsome mischievous smile, "You think so? Well, Charley girl, you ain't see nothin' yet. He lifted her into a kiss filled with passion and desire. Not speaking another word he carried his wife to his private family reunion.
The End