What's In A Name?
Anne helped carry their bags back into the house as Marcy followed behind with their daughter held close to her chest. Sasha opened the front door and held it open for them. Marcy headed straight for the couch and sat down. She was still so exhausted she was about ready to fall asleep. Anne put their bags away and Sasha waited by the door for their boy to be dropped off. She slipped out when she saw the car pull into the driveway. Anne returned and kissed Marcy on the cheek and she jerked back awake.
"Sounds like Troy is home. Do you want to get some rest?" Anne asked softly. Marcy rubbed her eyes.
"No, he can meet her properly first." Marcy yawned as she straightened up. There were heavy bags under her eyes. The door swung open and their toddler ran in.
"Mama! Mæ̀!" He shouted as he hurried over. Sasha was saying goodbyes as she shut the door.
"Indoor voices please." Sasha reminded him. The sudden sound woke the baby and she started to cry. Marcy started to rock her back and forth. Troy scrambled onto the couch to get a better look at his sister.
"Why's she so small? Why's she bald? Why's she-" He launched into a hundred different questions. Anne picked him up and sat him down on her lap.
"She's just a baby, just like you were at one point." Anne said, making sure he was gentle when he reached out to her. Sasha joined them.
"What's her name?" He asked curiously. Sasha and Anne froze.
"Andria." Marcy smiled as her daughter started to calm down.
"Oh! Like your one friend!" He said quickly, making Sasha and Anne look at Marcy.
"Yes. He was a good friend." She began as Sasha turned red with anger and Anne made to open her mouth. "He made mistakes but he's working on fixing them." She said touching the scar on her chest. Sasha crossed her arms in disbelief and Anne frowned. Marcy glanced at them. "He made sure I'd be safe if I got hurt again." She reasoned.
"I don't know about that." Sasha said under her breath. "If he really cared he wouldn't have-"
"Hurt me?" Marcy replied. "I know, but you didn't get to know him like I did." She said sadly. "He wasn't a bad guy. He was just scared and confused."
"Scared and confused!?" Sasha started angrily.
"He could have k-!" Anne joined in.
"Stop." Marcy said wearily and pointed to Troy who was looking worried at his moms' raised voices. They looked away guiltily.
"I'm sorry." Anne said, looking down at him. "Mom and Mæ̀ were out of line. We didn't mean to scare you." She glanced at Marcy. "Or hurt Mama."
"I just- I don't understand." Sasha said finally. "Why forgive him after everything he's done?"
"The same reason I forgave you two." Marcy said, trying to get them to understand. "He wasn't the only one who hurt me back then, you guys did too." Sasha and Anne winced.
"You hurt Mama?" Troy asked aghast.
"Marcy, we're so sorry." Anne began.
"We never meant to." Sasha pleaded. Marcy waved them down.
"I know and I forgave you. And look at us now." She smiled down at their son and daughter. "I think he deserves a second chance too." Anne bit her lip. There was a stretch of silence.
"You're right." Sasha admitted, surprising Anne. "I mean, I threatened all of you with, well…" She trailed off. Marcy kissed her. They looked at Anne.
"Of course people deserve a second chance." She smiled weakly and Marcy kissed her too. "Speaking of chances, I think Mama needs a chance to rest." Anne said, leaning forward to kiss Marcy on the forehead. Marcy nodded tiredly. She was reluctant to let go of her little girl. Sasha offered to take her and Marcy handed her over before getting up. Anne put Troy down before wrapping an arm around Marcy to make sure she kept her balance. Marcy leaned on her and they made it to their large bed.
"Wake me if she needs anything." Marcy asked, before closing her eyes. Anne caressed her cheek as she stared at her lovingly. She was fast asleep. Anne quietly closed the door behind her as she left. Sasha was cradling their daughter while Troy continued to ask questions.
"What do you mean you pick names?" He was asking as Sasha snorted.
"Well, we picked Domino's name didn't we?" She replied.
"No. Domino was named Domino when we got Domino." He argued. Anne joined them and wrapped her arms around Sasha. They swayed back and forth as Anne looked down at her beautiful baby girl.
"We picked your name." Anne said, looking over at Troy. "You didn't come out with a name tag." She smiled.
"Okay but," He tried to process this new information. "Why is she Andria and who am I?" He was struggling with his words but Sasha got the meaning.
"Are you asking who we named you after?" Sasha asked. Anne pulled back and looked at Sasha.
"How did we get that name?" Anne asked curiously. Sasha blushed.
"Oh, well, you let me pick it. I mean, we went through some options but Troy just seemed to fit." Sasha explained. "Also, I kind of had a dream similar to Marcy's after giving birth." Anne blinked.
"You did?" She asked surprised. "Who di-"
"Grime." Sasha said in a choked voice. She quickly rubbed her eyes. "We were looking out over this river and-" She trailed off as she was too overwhelmed with emotion.
"Grimes named me?" Troy asked. Sasha nodded.
"He did?" Anne said as she was struck with this new information. "He said Troy?" Sasha laughed and shook her head.
"He said I had a fine little foot soldier." She said, looking at Troy affectionately. Anne opened and closed her mouth. This was still a lot to take in.
"That's what Troy means?" Anne said, running a hand through her hair. She looked at Sasha and raised her eyebrows. "I thought it was Greek or something." Anne shook her head. Of course Sasha, Grime's lieutenant, would name their boy after some sort of military ranking.
In the next room over, Marcy was tossing and turning in her sleep. She frowned as she heard someone crying in the distance. She wanted to reach out, to help them.
Marcy opened her eyes and was back in the flooded library. More time had passed but not too much. She spotted the familiar hulking figure hunched over. She waded through the cool water towards him. His head was in his giant hands. Marcy sat beside him and leaned against him. His body shook with silent sobs.
"I don't deserve this." He said finally as he looked down at her. "I don't deserve this kindness or honor."
"It seemed like a fitting name." Marcy smiled.
"The name of a tyrant?" He said, full of self-loathing.
"The name of a friend." She replied, patting him. He laughed cruelly.
"A friend who nearly killed you." Andrias scowled. He clutched the chains around his neck. They were his penance. "I never even apologized. What makes you think I was ever remorseful?" She kicked her feet back and forth.
"You took care of me."
"I had General Yunan and Lady Olivia put you in a tank."
"You came by to check on me."
"I was preparing you for the core."
"You were crying." Marcy said, looking back at him. "You asked me to forgive you. You said you were scared." Tears began to roll down his face once more.
"I didn't think you could hear me." He clenched his fists. "I was so obsessed with continuing my father's legacy that I didn't realize what I had truly done until hours later. That's when I visited you. Yunan and Olivia would have never left your side if I hadn't ordered them out. They deserve your kindness, not me."
"How are they?" Marcy asked curiously. Andrias cracked a smile.
"Happily married and living in Wartwood." He said, staring off into the distance. "They named their child after you." Marcy covered her face.
"That's so embarrassing!" She said turning red. Andrias blinked in surprise before letting out a deep booming laugh.
"Is that why you named her after me? To embarrass me, Master Marcy?" His eyes sparkled.
"No!" Marcy said, patting his arm.
"Then why?" Andrias asked seriously.
"You deserve a second chance. I want to remember the friend I made. The one who told me I deserved to be treated better." She bit her lip self-consciously. "The one who listened and kept my secret about my two crushes."
"I remembered what it was like back then for me." Andrias said, thinking fondly of Leif and Barrel. "I expect your next child will be with the fiery blonde one, yes?"
"What?" Marcy asked, confused. "We can't-"
"Have those human scientists take another look at your DNA." Andrias said, with a twinkle in his eye. "Your kind has experimented with stem cells, have they not?" Marcy appeared to be turning redder by the second.
