Hi All!
Sorry this has been taking me so long. I
have a list of reasons a mile long (just got a new car and I've been out
cruising and showing it off, I've been sick and now that I'm off the
antibiotics I can think straight again, and I've just been tired :-) I'll do my best to get more out faster.
All relative disclaimers apply. Thanks for the reviews and comments! They are greatly appreciated!
Enjoy,
Failte
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Darcy had felt incredibly guilty after speaking to her father and she tried to talk Lance into sleeping in his own room.
"No," he replied simply.
She stood beside her bed, hands on her hips, looking down at Lance while he reclined on her bed flipping through the channels of her televiewer. "I think you should move back into your room just until after the wedding, it's only a week. I think you can keep your hormones in check that long."
He shook his head, "This isn't about hormones. This is about you. Until we know what's wrong with you, I am not leaving you alone."
"I spent this afternoon alone."
"That's different."
"How so?"
Lance sighed, "Because everyone was awake, there were people everywhere. If something happens in the night, I don't want you having to go hunt someone down."
"I wouldn't. I have my communicator and I would go straight to your room."
"No."
"Lance…"
"Darcy," his tone changed and he raised his eyes to hers. "This is not open for discussion. If it would make you feel better I can have a cot brought in here and I'll sleep on that, but you are not staying alone all night."
She knew it was silly to do that, but she was feeling rather annoyed at him. "Go get a cot."
Lance raised his eyebrows, "Are you serious?"
Darcy crossed her arms over her chest and glared back, "Yes."
They stared at each other for a moment. Lance convinced she was kidding, Darcy getting more annoyed by the second.
"You really are serious," he said, nonplussed.
"Yes!"
He sat up and swung his legs over the side of her bed, "Darcy, honey, I think it's a little late now."
She raised an eyebrow.
"Come on, do you know how uncomfortable and narrow those cots are?"
"You can always sleep in your bed."
He opened and closed his mouth, like he was going to say something and then thought better of it. Without a word he got up and left her room.
Darcy went about getting ready for bed and had just pulled the covers up over her when the door slid open.
"Set it up over by the window." Lance told the guard who wheeled in a folded cot.
"Anything else, sir?" The young guard asked as he finished unfolding the small bed.
"No, you're dismissed."
He saluted Lance, turned to salute Darcy, and quickly left.
"I can't believe you just did that!" She yelled when the door slid shut.
"What? You told me to get a cot." Lance's head began to spin.
"You just walked in here with a guard! I could've been undressed!"
"But you weren't."
"You just don't think, do you?"
Lance counted to ten in his head, trying to keep his calm. When he spoke, his words came out slowly and stilted. "What do you want me to do, Darcy?"
"I want you to grow up. Think before you act."
"I did what you wanted me to do."
Instead of answering, Darcy turned off the light beside her bed, turned her back to Lance and pulled the blanket up to her chin. She listened as he pulled the cover back on the cot and the squeak as he settled on to the thin mattress.
Hours later, Lance was shaken out of a deep sleep.
"Wha-?" He sat upright, alert. "Darcy? What is it? What's wrong?"
"I'm sorry," her voice shook slightly.
Lance shook his head, trying to clear his mind, "What?"
"I'm sorry I snapped at you."
"This, uh, this couldn't wait until morning?"
Darcy sat on the edge of his cot, "I couldn't sleep knowing you were so mad."
Using the heels of his palms, Lance rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "I'm not mad."
"Yes you were."
"No, I wasn't. Go to sleep, Darcy."
She played with the edge of his blanket, "I just think we should wait until after we're married."
Lance ran his hand up her arm, "That's fine, Darc, I just don't want you to be alone."
"I know, and I appreciate your concern." She leaned against him.
He wrapped his arms around her, holding her against him. "Will you sleep now?" Lance whispered after a few moments.
"Yeah."
"Will you let me sleep in the big bed with you?"
She shook her head.
Lance sighed but smiled as he pushed her back, "Fine. Go to bed."
"You aren't mad?"
"No, just tired."
"Oh," she started, suddenly embarrassed, and stood. "I'm sorry. I guess it was silly to wake you. Sorry. Go back to sleep." She put her hands on his shoulders and pushed him back, trying to force him to lie down.
"Darc," Lance grabbed her wrists and pulled her hands from his shoulders, clutching them in his hands. "It's alright. If you need anything, anything, don't be afraid to wake me."
She nodded, feeling very silly.
"Goodnight, Darcy."
"Goodnight," she mumbled, thankful for the dark room so he couldn't see her red face.
Lance watched her dark form as she made her way back to her bed and climbed in. He bit his lip to keep the laugh that was bubbling up in him from escaping. Keith had warned him. There were times when Allura was pregnant when she would be yelling one second, crying the next, and laughing the next.
"Patience," Keith had told him. "That's all I can say. Be patient with her. She doesn't mean to upset you and most of the time she isn't going to make any sense. But it's just nine months of your life and the rewards make it all worth it."
He listened as she shifted and settled, knowing that it would take her a few tosses and turns before she gave in to sleep. He had watched her fall asleep so many times he could picture it in his mind. God, how he longed to be lying beside her. He missed her presence. They didn't even have to be touching, just having her near him, he slept better.
Her breathing deepened and Lance heard a soft snore, it wasn't loud or bothersome, but it was definitely a snore. He tried telling her once that she snored, her nostrils flared and she glared at him. It was four hours before she spoke to him again. Lance thought it best he didn't tell her about the times she talked in her sleep. It wasn't often. Usually after a battle or stressful situation and she just mumbled incoherent nonsense.
Lance stretched out on the cot, dreading the next eight nights. He was sure he could convince her to let him back into her bed before then. He looked out the window and up at the three moons. Their light wasn't as bright as it would be on their wedding night. A thrill skidded down his spine at that thought. Their wedding night. He was actually getting married. Him. Lance Charles Collier, married man. A slight smile crossed his lips as he slid into sleep.
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Lance was in Red, flying over the countryside of Arus. On his lap sat a little, dark haired imp of a girl, she couldn't have been more than three. Her hands rested on her knees and she watched with a patience most adults don't possess.
"Wanna try flying?" He asked.
"Can I?" She whispered shyly.
"Of course, you're the daughter of two of the greatest pilots the Garrison has ever known. You can fly." He took her tiny hands and placed them on the controls. When her hands grasped the stick and her attention was on the scenery before them, Lance reached up and flipped on the autopilot.
"I'm flying, Daddy, I'm flying!" She squealed.
"That's right, kitten, and you're doing great." He leaned back in the chair and watched with pride as she concentrated as hard as a three year old could.
His communicator beeped. "I bet that's Uncle Keith wondering where we are."
"I wanna tell Cady I flyin'!" The little girl exclaimed.
"Alright, but keep your eyes on the sky."
"Lance? Where are you?" Keith asked over the communicator.
"We just took Red out for a quick spin."
"Well, head on back, Sven and Romelle will be here in an hour."
"Alright, Cap." Lance snapped the communicator shut and looked at the girl on his lap. "Ready to go home?"
"I wanna fly." She whined.
"You can fly again later. Besides, you need a nap." Lance lifted her off his lap and buckled her into the fold down seat beside his.
"Daddy?"
"Hmm?"
"Mama flied too?"
Lance felt a sharp tug in his chest. "Yeah, baby, Mommy flew too."
She turned and looked out the window, lost in little girl thoughts while they landed.
Lance followed her as she ran toward the Castle. Before they reached the door, he scooped her up, "You need to take a nap."
"I don't wanna." Her lower lip trembled.
"Too bad, you have to. Uncle Sven and Aunt Romelle are coming tonight."
"An' Erik?"
"Yup, and Erik." Lance carried her up to her room, right next to his. Someday they would get a home of their own, move out of the castle and stop mooching off of Keith and Allura.
Setting her down on the edge of her bed, Lance untied and removed her little sneakers. "Daddy?"
"What?"
"I wanna fly like Mama."
He sat on the bed beside her, "You will. Before you know it you'll be flying better than Mommy or me. Someday you'll take over flying Red."
"An' Cady fly Black?"
"Yup."
She crawled up her bed, "An' Uncle Hunk an' Aun' Patton's baby fly lellow."
"Yup, someday. You can teach him how to fly."
"Yeah, he'll need help." She grabbed the stuffed mouse that lay beside her pillow and hugged it to her.
Lance tucked her in
and kissed her forehead, "Go to sleep and when you wake up, Erik will be here."
"Daddy, tell me a story." She mumbled.
"Okay," Lance crouched down in front of the shelf of story and picture books Darcy's parents had stocked. "What do you want to hear?"
"I wanna
hear about Mama."
"Um, okay," Lance stood awkwardly. "What do you want to hear?"
"Mama didn' like you at first, but you
charm her."
He chuckled as he sat on the edge of her bed, "Did Mommy tell you that?"
She screwed up her face in confusion, "No, Daddy you did."
Lance stretched out beside her and smiled when she laid her little head on his shoulder, "What else did I tell you?"
"Granpa didn' like you, but you charm him too an' Mama flied lellow to help rescue you an' Uncle Keif."
"Yup."
"An'," she stopped to yawn. "An' she was a hero."
Lance's head began to spin as he realized what she was saying. "That's right," he whispered.
"An' Mama was pretty an' smart, like me."
"Yeah, uh, just like you." Lance kissed the top of her head. "Go to sleep now." He slid out from under her and turned off the light.
His head was spinning as he hurried from her room. Okay, he thought to himself. You and Darcy have a daughter, but she doesn't know Darcy. Where is she? He knew the answer to that question, but he didn't want to admit it. Sliding open the door to the room he shared with Darcy, Lance noticed there was no sign of her. No women's clothing. No vanity, no makeup, none of the books she would have read. It was entirely his room. There was no Darcy.
She's dead. A voice said.
********************************
Lance sat straight up on the cot, a cold sweat on his forehead and his heart racing. She was dead. They had a daughter and she was dead. Did she die in battle? No. He knew the answer to that and he felt sick to his stomach.
Slowly, Lance pushed back his covers and stood. He knew it was silly, but he had to check on her. Creeping over to the bed, he heard a sniffle. She was awake.
"Darc?"
"Hm?" She whimpered.
"What is it?"
"Can you…can you get me the medicine?"
"Oh God, of course." Lance flipped on the light and grabbed the bottle off the table. "Why didn't you wake me?"
"I thought it would pass." Her voice was strained.
He helped her sit up a bit so she could swallow the pills without choking. Lance watched her in pain and tried to push away the panic he felt rising within him. What if this did kill her? No, it was just a dream. It was his subconscious showing him his greatest fear. No. She was not going to die. No. She couldn't. She could not leave him to raise their daughter alone. They were in this together.
"Lance?" Her voice ripped into his thoughts.
"Yeah?"
"Are you okay?"
He looked down at her pale, drawn face. Her hand rubbed circles on her stomach and she studied him worriedly.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Ignoring her earlier protests, Lance stretched out beside her. "Get some rest."
"You're sweating. Are you sick?" Darcy brought her hand up to his forehead.
"No, I'm fine." Hoping to take her mind off of him, Lance put his hand on her stomach and rubbed soothing circles.
"I think," she whispered. "That if I always have to tell you what's on my mind, you have to tell me what's on yours."
He sighed, "It was nothing, just a dream."
"You had a nightmare?"
"It was nothing. Silly, really," Lance mumbled. "I just have a lot on my mind."
Feeling guilty, Darcy turned on her side and slid back until she was spooning with Lance. "I'm sorry."
Gently stroking her abdomen, Lance kissed the top of her head, "It's not your fault. But I have to tell you how annoying it is that you keep apologizing."
"Sor…" Darcy bit her lip.
Lance laughed, "How're you feeling?"
"It takes a while for the medicine to kick in."
"Well, we'll know tonight just what's wrong and what we need to do about it."
"Mm hm." Darcy closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on Lance's hand, stroking her stomach. The pain was getting worse and coming more often, but she didn't dare tell Lance, he obviously had enough on his mind. What could he possibly have had a nightmare about? She had never known him to have a nightmare before.
The exhaustion soon overtook the pain. Lance listened as her breathing slowed and felt her body relax. Unfortunately, sleep did not come to Lance. He laid beside her, watching her sleep as the sun rose.
