Title: Thursday's Child
Author: Sita Z
Rating: T
AN: Thanks for the feedback, everyone!
Tata (thank you so much, and yes, I'm writing another one... it's still going to take a while until it's finished, though), volley (one of my betas said the same thing about Archer... you're right, I guess he just didn't get enough character development. Thanks for reviewing, and I'm looking forward to you-know-what ;) ), Gabi (Ja, Zeit wird's (dass er endlich heimkommt)... und sämtliche Shuttles wurden gegen Aircars ausgetauscht ;) ), JadziaKathryn (yes, poor Trip... I can just see Andy dragging him to football practice and hundreds of Tuckers fussing over him ;) ), Emiliana Keladry (thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed the story!), The Libran Iniquity (Hope the plot bunny involving a certain idiot is still chasing you... can't wait to see what the Denobulan "Who Wants To Snog A Starfleet Officer" Club has been up to ;) ), stage manager (It -is- a great book, that's right... thanks for reviewing!), trisuns5 (Yes, Malcolm and the Tucker family might make for an interesting combination... I hope you'll enjoy the epilogue!), Trips Girl (I guess Singer does get away... although he'll never be able to return to Earth. Thanks to you and the cats for reviewing!), Maraschino (hmm, we'll see about the sequel ;) ), Virgo (there might have been something else going wrong, that's right... on the other hand, I think it's time for the boys to go home), Triptacular (Thanks! Yes, for some reason I think Archer'd make a great dad - or uncle, for that matter... let me know what you think about the epilogue!), Rinne (Thanks, I'm glad you're enjoying it), firebirdgirl (Thanks for reviewing chapters 20-22... and sorry, no going after the bad guys, at least not in this story ;) ), RoaringMice ( I guess they had the adoption papers signed even before he got back to Earth :) ), Exploded Pen (Mind control's still working, here's the update...)
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Epilogue
They climbed out of the aircar into a hot August day. The side street where Malcolm had landed the vehicle was flooded with sunshine, and everything was bathed in a dusty white glow. Two small boys passed by on the otherwise deserted sidewalk, gaping at Malcolm's uniform. He smiled at them before they disappeared around a corner.
He hoisted his bag onto his shoulder and for a moment stood, his eyes closed, enjoying the fresh smell and the feeling of the sun on his skin. On going back to Vulcan, Skitra had said what he was missing most (or rather, "the most positive aspect of returning home") was the warmth and sunshine, and right now, Malcolm found that he couldn't agree more. He had been inside for too long.
Behind him, he could hear Trip closing the hatch, and turned around. Just like Malcolm had, Trip remained standing next to the aircar for a few seconds, squinting in the bright sunshine that was so different from the artificial light on a starship.
"It's so..." He looked around, taking in the buildings and small shops that lined the street. "So peaceful."
Malcolm could see that Trip was surprised. Briefly, he thought of the last things Trip must remember of this place - burning houses, screams, death and destruction. Watching his friend, he nodded carefully.
"It is at that," he said. "You still want to have a look around?"
Trip nodded, and, picking up his small bag, slowly began to walk down the street. On their way down to the surface, they had agreed not to go directly to the Tuckers' house.
"Might be easier if we take a walk first," Trip had said. Malcolm, realizing how nervous Trip felt, didn't ask why, but simply parked the aircar a few hundred meters away from their final destination.
Now, however, as he walked down the streets of his hometown, Trip's nervousness seemed to have passed. The way he let his eyes travel across his surroundings suggested that he felt at ease, and Malcolm refrained from asking him if he remembered anything about the place. It didn't matter; as long as Trip could walk down these streets without encountering the demons of his childhood, it didn't matter at all whether he had any memories of his hometown or not.
They passed a memorial in the middle of a small square, an unadorned granite block with a date and several hundred names engraved on the hard stone. Malcolm let his eyes travel across the list, involuntarily looking for a certain name. He found it, and for a moment stood next to the stone, not sure what to say, when he noticed that Trip had already reached the far end of the square. He hadn't spared the names on the stone a single glance.
Turning his back to the memorial, Malcolm walked across the sun-warmed paving of the square and caught up with his friend. Trip checked the padd with the road map and pointed down a street leading away from the square.
"That way," he said.
Silently, Malcolm followed as Trip began to walk down the dusty street. He noticed the crooked old pine trees lining the side of the road, breathed in their minty scent, and realized, to his own surprise, that he liked this place. It was, indeed, peaceful.
After another fifty meters, the street took a turn, leading farther away from the town. Malcolm saw a few detached houses here and there, and an old, two-storey farmhouse at the very end of the road. Trip had stopped in his tracks, staring at the house with a strange expression on his face. This time, Malcolm had no doubt that he did remember the place. And that he was trying hard to muster up the courage to go on.
"Shall we?" Malcolm asked quietly, and after a moment, Trip nodded.
"Yes," he said. "Let's go."
They didn't get very far, however. About fifty meters away from the house, something small shot out from between the hazel bushes, launching itself at Trip with such speed that he staggered back when he caught it.
"Daddy!"
"Daddy!" Sara scrambled down the side of the road after her brother. "Daddy, you're back!"
This time Trip did lose his balance, but he didn't seem to mind, sitting in the middle of the road and hugging the children as if his life depended on it.
Sammy was the only one of the three who was able to say anything, talking rapid-fire English with scraps of Kareedian as if he were trying to fit the entire conversation of the last few months into two minutes.
"-and Matt show me how to swim - I can swim, Daddy! - and I not want to go see the doctor but Susan says we all go and we have ice-cream afterwards and I-"
He stopped for a moment to take a breath, and Trip pulled him closer. "Sounds like you've been busy, partner."
Sara tilted her head back to look at him. "I missed you, Daddy," she said quietly. "Are you going to stay with us now? Not go away again?"
Her dark eyes searched his face, and Trip tightened his arm around her. "I missed you too. And I'm not going to go away again. Not this time."
Malcolm raised his eyes when he noticed someone coming down from the house towards them, a small blonde woman with gray streaks in her hair. An elderly man wearing faded jeans and a green garden apron followed shortly after.
Trip seemed to have noticed them as well - he picked himself up off the street, clumsily dusting himself off. Sara took her brother's hand.
"Come on, Daddy wants to meet Susan and Charles. Let's say hello to Malcolm."
Malcolm hadn't expected it, but the little boy's face lit up at the sight of him, and a moment later he found himself catching the same small missile that had almost knocked Trip down a minute ago.
"Hello, Malcolmreed!" Sammy grinned up at him, clinging to his legs. "I can swim, you know!"
"Then you can teach me one day." Malcolm smiled and picked the youngster up in his arms. "It's good to see you, Sammy. You too, Sara."
The girl smiled shyly. "You're going to stay with us too, aren't you? I don't want you to leave again."
"This time, we're going to stay." Malcolm reached out, taking her hand. "Promise."
He raised his head again and saw Trip and his parents facing one another. For a few seconds none of them said a word, then Susan timidly, carefully extended a hand, touching her son's arm. Her face was pale.
"Trip," she whispered.
A few days ago, Trip had told Malcolm that he was afraid he wouldn't even know what to say. Malcolm, who was quite familiar with the problem, had not been able to offer any useful advice. He had no idea what you said to your parents when meeting them again after thirty years.
It turned out, however, that there was no need to say anything at all. After a moment's hesitation, wordlessly asking for Trip's permission, Susan stepped closer and wrapped her arms around her son, as if she never wanted to let go again.
Trip returned the hug, albeit timidly, and Malcolm saw his arms shake. They remained that way for a long time, silently holding each other. Then Susan stepped back again, wiping her palms across her cheeks.
"I- I'm sorry..."
"Welcome home, son." Charles Tucker had tears running down his face, but he was smiling at the same time, pulling his son into a hug. "Trip."
All the time, Trip hadn't said a word, but now he cleared his throat. "Thank you," he said hoarsely. "I mean... I..."
"It's okay," Charles said. "Don't need to say anythin', son. It's alright."
Susan smiled through her tears, glancing over Trip's shoulder. "Malcolm!" Before Malcolm could say or do anything, she had crossed the short distance between them and pulled him into a hug as well. "It's so good to see you."
Malcolm was too perplexed to do anything but awkwardly return the hug, and a moment later Trip's father had grabbed his hand and was shaking it for all he was worth.
"We're so grateful for all that you've done."
Malcolm had only just started to assemble an appropriate reply in his head when Susan interrupted him.
"Why don't we all go back inside," she said, and Malcolm saw that she was trying hard to sound normal, both for her own sake and that of her son, who still seemed rather nervous.
Sara came over to take her father's hand.
"Yes, let's go inside, Daddy," she said. "I want to show you my new books."
Trip's father smiled at her. "That's a great idea, honey."
Malcolm caught Trip's eyes, and saw a careful smile tugging at the other man's lips. He smiled back, nodding imperceptibly, and the nervousness disappeared from Trip's face.
"I'd love to see your books, honey."
Sara smiled in response, tugging at his hand. "Then let's go."
And they did.
The End
Thanks to everybody who reviewed one or more chapters of this story! Your feedback and encouragement means a lot! And at the danger of repeating myself, another big thank you goes to my wonderful betas - T'eyla, TLI and Gabi - who helped me get things right and get the story posted. THANKS GIRLS!
And, once again, please let me know what you think :)!