Damage Control

Part: Twenty Seven

'The Heart of the Matter'

Author: Jacey

Rating: PG13 - R

Disclaimer: Krit, Syl, Max Alec, and known characters belong to James Cameron, Chuck Eglee, and FOX. The names of Jondy and Zane also belong to them, but their personalities and characters belong to me. The story idea belongs to me, along with any additional ideas.

DEDICATION: For Lexie :D For being the best friend ever! And for Sea Siren, for leaving me all the encouraging messages in the form of reviews. :D Thanks girl!

A/N: Sorry bout the delay, but as I mentioned in the last chapter, I was going away. But now that I'm back, I'll hopefully have a lot more time for writing! Enjoy this chapter!

A/N: Ughhh, so Christmas came and went, and I wrote no more…………. And I realise that it's FOREVER since the last update, but the truth is, I'm kinda over DC……… but, I figure, I'll finish it. So, a few more chapters. And Damage Control will be over…. End of an era ;)

Terminal City, Jondy and Zanes Apartment

Jondy sighed, and turned to Zane. 'Can I just state, right now, what's pissing me off about this?' she asked.

'Uh, yeah.' Zane grunted, as he watched the TV.

Jondy turned and glared at him, 'ZANE!'

'Hmmm?' he murmured, before he jumped and screamed, 'GOAL!'

Jondy took the remote from his hand, and switched the TV off. 'Listen.'

Zane looked at her, with a scared look in his eyes, 'Ok…..'

'I can't believe,' Jondy said, starting her rant, 'That Max is actually MAKING me send Moxie to the farm….. this totally sucks….'

Zane patted the seat on the couch next to him, and when Jondy sat down, he put his arm around her. 'Jon, honey. Look at it this way. At least Moxie gets to stay alive, by going to the farm. Here, she's biting people all the time. And I mean Krit's STILL scared to hell of her.'

Jondy sighed, 'I spose…' she muttered. 'But that doesn't make it fair…..'

'I know honey.' Zane said. 'But in a while we're gonna have a kid, and I don't know whether having a sheep around too, will be the right thing….'

Jondy rested her head on his shoulder, and said, 'Yeah… I know……. Oh! I know!' she exclaimed.

Zane rolled his eyes, 'What?'

'We can name the baby after Moxie!' Jondy said, sounding excited.

'I am NOT,' Zane stated, 'Naming my child after a sheep…..'

Jondy pouted, 'Please?'

Zane rolled his eyes, 'That pout would SO work for anything else… but not this. We are NOT naming our child after a sheep.'

Jondy pouted again, and then jumped up, 'Let's go visit Moxie!' she said smiling.

Zane gasped, 'NO!' he yelled and then paused, 'I mean…. Uh, how about we go in….' he looked at his watch, 'I dunno, half an hour?'

Jondy looked at him sceptically, 'Um, OK……'

Zane relaxed back onto the couch, and Jondy sat down next to him.

'Sooooooooooo……' Jondy said.

Zane switched the TV back on. 'Mmmmm.' He murmured.

Jondy rolled her eyes and sighed. 'Fine, I'm gonna go read a book, kay?'

Zane nodded, eyes still glued to the TV screen.

Half an hour later, Jondy exited the bedroom, an grabbed Zane's hand and pulled him off the couch. 'Time to visit Moxie!' she squealed.

Zane smiled, 'Kay!'

Zane grabbed Jondy's hand and dragged her out of the apartment.

'Gee, in a hurry much?' Jondy complained.

Zane slowed down and shrugged, 'I just wanna, uh, see Moxie, that's all…….'

Jondy rose an eyebrow, questioningly at him, 'Um, ok?'

Zane rolled his eyes, 'Come on, let's just go see the damn sheep…..'

He grabbed Jondy's hand again, and pulled her off in the direction of Main Hall. Jondy, however was far to busy complaining about how Moxie, was NOT 'that damn sheep', to even notice that they weren't heading towards the yard where Moxie had been living.

As Zane pulled open the doors, Jondy looked up, 'Hey, what are we doing here?' she questioned.

Zane grinned at her, and waved his hands towards the open doorway. 'Well….' He said, before a sudden chorus of 'SURPRISE!' was heard.

Jondy whirled around, and waked slowly into the hall. 'OMG!' she exclaimed, 'Guys!'

Max came up to her and hugged her, 'Happy Baby shower little sister.'

Ash and Lee came towards her, with Bram following, muttering to himself, 'I still don't get it! There aren't any showers around….'

Jondy grinned and pulled her sister's into a hug. 'Thank you SO much!' she exclaimed.

A voice was heard form behind her, 'Oh, don't thank us, it was all Jace and Tinga's idea……. They wanted to do something for their little sister, who they haven't seen in forever…..'

Jondy whirled around, and came face to face with Syl, who was standing in front of two women and tow children – a boy and a girl.'

Jondy gasped, 'Jace! Tinga! Ohmigod!'

As they hugged, Bram realized that the boy, was about his age. His eye's lit up and he walked over to him. 'Hi.' He said quietly, 'I'm Bram. What's your name?'

The little boy looked up shyly, 'Case.'

The girl who had been standing with him, was older – about 10. She grinned at Bram and stuck her hand out. 'Hi! I'm Maxie. I'm 9, and I'm named after that lady over there……..' she pointed to Max.

Max frowned and pulled Jace away from the others. 'Um, Jacey? Remember how you were pregnant, oh, only 2 years ago? How, is she 9 now?'

Jace sighed, 'Looooooong story, involving Manticore, gene therapy, and a 7 month old baby who suddenly was 8 years old.'

Max nodded. 'Oh.'

Jace laughed, 'OK Maxie, don't faint on me.' She said, as she lead a pale Max over to a seat.

Meanwhile, Maxie was on the other side of the room entertaining Case, Bram, Tai, Talia and Amaya with stories that she'd learnt from her mother.

Ash was watching from a distance, and when she felt Lee come over and lean on her shoulder, she smiled and said, 'Maxie's really good with Bram. We can never get him to listen to us like that…..'

Lee smiled, 'Yeah, well…….. she's not an adult is she? I think that makes a difference, I mean, she's just some cool big kid for him to listen to.'

Ash grinned, 'Actually, I think it's more puppy love, than worship of the cool big kid thing……'

Lee's eyes lit up, 'Our baby has a crush! This is SO exciting!'

A/N: Sorry guys, not as long as I'd hoped it would be - But I'm gonna try and get more done in the weekend…. Plus I have Friday's off from Uni at the moment, so I'll try to get some done by then! Until then, you'll have to just wait to find out what happened to Maxie and Jace, and whether White and the Familiars had anything to do with Maxie's miraculous aging….. hint hint ;) Jacey