NORMAL
This is another "alternate universe" one shot. How does the former commander of G-Force fare as a new father and how does he see his life now? Rated "M" for very suggestive fluff toward the end; if this sort of thing offends then don't read it. This story is dedicated to the best e-mail pals in the universe; Jen23, GoldAngel2, WhiteSwan, and MistyGirl1. The usual disclaimer still stands; "Battle of the Planets" belongs to Sandy Frank Productions and "Gatchaman" to Tatsunoko Productions and ADV.
The tiny cry could be heard from the monitor on the bedside table; a little snuffling noise that caught the attention of the young man who had previously been lying in a blissful slumber. Approaching wakefulness, he turned to look at the digital clock next to the monitor, trying to focus his deep blue eyes in the dark. 3:00 AM! Man! , the young man thought while pushing his fingers through his burgundy mane, Matthew we have got to work on your timing! The young man's lips then curled into a smile. This was what he always wanted, a place to come home to, a beautiful wife, and now a son. He was no longer G-1, the commander of G-Force, formerly known as 'The Eagle'. Now he was simply Mark Beckham, owner of a courier business, married, and now a father.
His son's mewling continued and Mark shook his head at Matthew's impatience. He looked over to his right at the shapely figure lying next to him and placed a light hand to her shoulder. Princess was seemingly unaware of what was going on, her black hair providing a veil for her lovely face, so Mark was unable to tell if she was awakened by their son's shrill announcement. He received his answer when Princess snuggled further into the covers. Mark leaned and brushed his lips over the soft slope of his wife's shoulder. Alright sweetheart, it's my turn. Mark then silently got out of bed, stretched his arms over his head, and padded barefoot to the nursery allowing the light from the moon to guide his way in the dark house.
Mark reached the crib and turned on the small teddy bear lamp nearby. The 3 month old was putting up quite a fuss; the tiny cry from before had erupted into an angry roar, his little arms and legs punching at the air; his eyes tightly shut. Mark shook a finger at the baby and spoke quietly as if to reprimand the infant, "You know better than that Matt." Matthew's response was to open his large blue eyes and instinctively grab his father's finger to place it in his mouth. Mark laughed, "You're hungry huh? If you keep this up you're going to be as big as your Uncle Tiny. Besides, I'd thought you'd be sleeping through the night by now?" Mark then shot a glance at one of the books he'd been reading about infant and child care left on the dresser across from the changing table. "What do the experts know?" He lifted the little bundle, decked in a blue sleeper with footies, out of his crib and headed for the changing table. "Let's change your diaper first and then Daddy will get you something to drink."
After changing Matthew's diaper, Mark turned off the baby's lamp and headed for the kitchen, holding his son cradle style near his bare chest. Matthew's jet hair was a stark contrast against his father's tanned skin and Mark could feel its downy softness against his chest gently reminding him of the tiny being in his arms. The baby had placed a chubby hand into his mouth and began gumming his fingers. Leaning over carefully, Mark opened the refrigerator and pulled out a prepared bottle of breast milk, placed a small saucepan on the range after filling it with water, and placed the bottle in the pan to warm...
Later, Mark returned to Matt's nursery and sat in the rocker facing the window over looking a nearby lake. The moon continued to provide just enough light to cast a faint glow in the baby's room and the young father was able to see his infant's satisfied reaction once the bottle of warm milk was placed in his mouth and Matt began to suckle contentedly.
Mark stared wondrously at his son, still not quite believing that he had shared in creating this beautiful little being with the woman he had adored since he was a teenager. He and Princess had been married immediately after the war with Spectra ended. A house followed soon after, along with a mortgage, and an endless supply of bills. But through it all, Mark and Princess reveled in the tribulations that other married couples dreaded. Both had decided having children would be planned; something that could wait until they were able to spend some much deserved time on their own. After being married for three years and witnessing the births of Tiny and Allie's twin girls not to mention Jason and Rachel's son, the young couple began to feel as if though something was missing from their own life. That pitter-patter of little feet that everyone talked about. Getting pregnant had not been as easy for Princess as they had imagined. Having endured numerous injuries during her role as G-3 had made it somewhat difficult. An earlier pregnancy had ended in miscarriage after only four months; the grief was almost insurmountable to Princess, the young woman blaming herself for the inability to carry the baby to term. A whole year had passed before she became pregnant again, finding out she was with child while on a second honeymoon trip to Hawaii that Mark had planned as a surprise. Princess had been ill the entire time, and Mark couldn't help but wonder if his wife were slipping back into the depression she suffered from the year before. Discovering Princess was two months pregnant was an astonishment, but nothing was more profound than witnessing the birth of Matthew Kenneth Beckham seven months later. He was named Matthew after Mark's brother who died several years ago in a plane accident and Kenneth after Mark's father, Colonel Kenneth Beckham AKA Colonel Cronus, who sacrificed his life to save planet Earth from Spectra's X-3 Doomsday weapon.
Matthew continued to stare up at his father with infant adoration while drinking from his bottle, his indigo blue eyes reflecting his father's proud expression and his jet black hair curling slightly on the ends like his mother's. "Little guy," Mark began in a gentle voice while rocking back and forth in an easy rhythm in the wooden chair, "You've made me the happiest man in the universe. At one time I never would've dreamed it was possible. Sad to say there was a time in my life when I wanted to say 'The hell with it' and throw it all away." Mark lifted his head and stared out toward the peaceful and serene view the lake provided, the beam from the full moon spreading over the surface of the water; the pine trees casting shadows along the lake's edge. "This is what I always wanted, what my heart desired most; a sense of normalcy. If it hadn't been for your mother, I never would've found it. Princess was the one constant in my life that stood by me through the thick of it all. Don't get me wrong; your Uncles Jason, Tiny, and Keye were there too as well as your Grandpa Anderson. But Princess being there was different. I tried my best to keep my distance from her, knowing that if she got too close she'd see how much she truly mattered to me. Yet, she just kept hammering at my resistance, until I finally had no choice but to let her in. My father, your grandfather Ken, had instilled in me that caring meant weakness. That as a soldier it was my duty, my responsibility to leave my emotions out of it." Mark brandished his head slowly from side to side, a heavy pelt of his coffee colored hair spilling over his left brow. "How can you do that? How can anyone not care about the people that fight along side them, not only as soldiers but as friends? It was your mother that made me realize that caring for someone, loving someone, doesn't weaken you Matt. As a matter of fact, loving someone can strengthen you. Loving makes the most impossible things seem possible again. When Princess told me she loved me I felt as if though I were in some sort of dream; that what she said wasn't real. And that sooner or later someone would awaken me and snatch me back to my cruel reality. My mother, brother, and father were all gone. But another reality existed; Princess. I would've died if it hadn't been for her. She reminded me of what we were fighting for in the first place; that freedom that each of us was seeking…" Mark's voice began to quiver slightly, "…so we could live the type of lives our parents never had; in peace."
A tear had trickled onto Mark's cheek and he returned his gaze to Matthew, having finished his milk, his eyes closed and lips still in suckling motion, while his father carefully removed the bottle's nipple from his mouth. The exultant young man held his son close to his chest and patted his diapered bottom. A slow smile spread over Mark's handsome features and he placed the plump little figure against his shoulder, rubbing a firm hand against the baby's back. He was rewarded with a small burp after several minutes and later returned the satisfied baby back to his crib, placing a gentle kiss on his forehead before doing so. "I love you Matthew," Mark whispered while placing a small powder blue blanket over the child. He left the room on silent feet, like the White Shadow he once was.
Mark returned to the bedroom and discovered Princess awake sitting up against the pillows, a small bedside lamp was on, casting a soft glow about her beautiful features. Her jade green eyes were illuminating; almost beckoning him from across the room. He leaned his muscled physique against the doorway, crossing his arms in front of his chest. His wife flashed him a sensual and knowing smile.
"How long have you been awake?" Mark asked suspiciously, his blue gaze sweeping appreciatively over Princess' supple form in the sheer teddy she was now wearing, her long dark hair cascading about her shoulders.
Princess returned her husband's appraisal with a demure look. "Long enough to hear that very sweet speech that you bestowed upon our son. I was so touched by it, that I felt you should be rewarded." She lifted a hand and extended her forefinger, urging Mark to come forward.
"Gee, I don't know. It's been a long time and I may have forgotten a few things," Mark joked though his voice was husky and deep as he sauntered toward their bed and loosened the ties of his lounge pants sitting low on his hips.
Princess reached eagerly for Mark's hand and pulled him onto the mattress next to her. Mark repositioned himself over his wife, and placing his firm hands on her hips, slowly situated her body beneath his. His eyes reflected a heated intensity, like that of a wildfire matching his body's aroused state.
Looking into her handsome husband's face, Princess reached over to her right, and turned off the lamp's switch. "Let's see if I can do something to jog your memory," she whispered against Mark's full lips. Princess feathered Mark's lips open; seeking and finding that special flavor he possessed. Her hands migrated slowly over Mark's sinewy skin and had traveled toward his shoulders. She curled her arms around Mark's neck as the kiss deepened.
Mark fingered the thin straps of Princess' teddy from her shoulders. He pulled away from his wife's mouth briefly, his lips brushing over the swell of her breast as he spoke whimsically, "It's all coming back to me now. I think I can handle things from here." Mark's mouth returned to Princess' while his hands were pulling the flimsy piece of material apart. Princess began to simultaneously work the thin lounge pants past his hips, arching her body to surrender to Mark's erotic assault; her legs spreading like those of a butterfly's wings, waiting for Mark to surge his hips into hers when…
An obtrusive little roaring sound sluiced through the groans of the highly aroused couple, their bodies trembling with the heat of anticipation.
"You've got to be kidding!" Mark choked above his wife's quivering form, as Matthew's howling could be heard over the baby monitor. The couple stared at each other, their faces reflecting their obvious frustrations. Suddenly Mark's shoulders shook and he collapsed onto Princess. She threw her head back and within seconds both burst into a fit of laughter.
Princess spoke between giggles, "Remember this is what we both wanted? Normal." She reminded Mark gently and rubbed her hands over his strong back, kneading his taut muscles into relaxation.
Mark sucked in his breath, then lifted his head from Princess' shoulder and grinned humorously into her well meaning face, "Yeah but we've got to do something about that kid's timing!" Princess kissed her husband's cheek and wriggled from underneath his lean frame. She turned on the bedside lamp, grabbed her plush terry cloth robe nearby, and went to answer the call of the wild.
Mark turned onto his back and placed his hands behind his head, his blue eyes fixated on the ceiling of their bedroom. He sighed as he contemplated the night's events and the corners of his mouth lifted into a gratified smile. This was what I wanted, the now happily married man and proud father surmised. Normal.
Thanks for reading!