There is going to be quite a few chapters between S2 and S3 simply because of the AU nature of this story. I have labeled these chapters "Interstices" and they are in chronological order. I had intended for them to be short snippets, but my own plot bunnies got away from me and it's turning out to be its own little neat story. There is also fluff. Lots and lots of fluff. There will be some angst, as well, and we'll definitely get back on some sort of track for S3, but these people deserved a HEA and dammit I wanted to give them at least a part of it.

Determinant: a gene or other factor that determines the character and development of a cell or group of cells in an organism.

Interstice: An intervening space; A small or narrow interval between parts.

Chapter 27: Interstices - Part 1

Jamie, Mitch and the others try to find their place while dealing with the aftermath of the cure and the sterilization of the human race.

Jamie didn't sleep much that night. She laid in her bed alone, curled on her side as her mind refused to quiet down. So much had happened that she could scarcely believe it was real. Mitch was alive. She had been on a roller coaster of emotions ever since Jackson had dragged her from the compound on Pangaea. Anger, grief, sorrow, anxiety, relief...it was enough to exhaust even the most stalwart of minds.

A soft knock on her door startled her, and she sat up with a quiet call to enter. The door slid away, allowing Mitch to step inside. He closed it behind him and crossed the small distance to sit on her bed. He'd left her a few hours before to be with his daughter but he'd promised to come back when she was asleep.

"Hey." The blankets pooled in her lap as she slid back to rest against the pillows. "How's Clem?"

"She's good," Mitch smiled as he limped slowly to the bed and lowered himself down gingerly. "She's been through so much - too much. It'll take some time, but she'll be okay." He paused a beat, then caught her gaze with his own. "How are you?"

"Processing," she told him honestly. "I…" She didn't really know the answer to his question; she was still experiencing too many emotions to properly describe her state of mind to him. She could, however, tell him one thing. "I'm still mad at you."

"I know." He reached for her hand anyway, and she couldn't help but latch on. She felt her breath hitch as he lifted her knuckles to his lips, letting them linger on her skin for a long moment. "And I'm sorry for the pain it caused, but I would do it again. If it meant saving Clem, saving you...I wouldn't hesitate."

"I know." She didn't reclaim her hand, and she saw the small smile that tugged at his lips as he ran his thumb gently across her fingers.

"I have a question for you," he said after a few moments. "And you can say no, if you feel like it's too much." Jamie felt her heart pounding furiously in her chest in anticipation of his next words. They'd been through so much, and though they'd had a few conversations about their future, they'd always been so focused on their mission to really make any concrete plans. But he sounded so serious now, so hopeful, and Jamie had to remind herself to breathe as she encouraged him to continue.

"Okay…"

He met her gaze firmly, his fingers tightening around hers. "Would you change my bandages?"

It hadn't been as bad as she'd imagined, but it was still pretty gruesome. Mitch walked her through the worst of it, from how to peel away the old gauze to how tight to wrap the large bandage around his midsection. Someone had stitched up the three long gashes in his right side, dangerously close to his kidney. The one on his brow was shallower, and she replaced the butterfly bandage there last.

"Does it hurt?" she asked.

"Yes," he answered. "It's not so bad with the drugs, though. There's a bottle of painkillers on my dresser with my name on it."

"Well, until then…" She gently grasped either side of his face and pulled him down to press her lips against the bandage. It was something her aunt has always done whenever one of them had come home with any kind of injury. Even the major ones had earned a kiss on the head, and without fail the pain had subsided.

"Much better," he smiled. "Thanks." He packed the first aid kit away and stood. "I have to get back to Clem. I'm sorry I can't…" he gestured to her bed awkwardly.

Jamie just shook her head. "No, it's fine. You need to be with your daughter. I understand. Just...don't disappear, okay? I swear to God, if I wake up tomorrow and find out this was all a dream…"

He surged forward and kissed her, heedless of the injuries that were undoubtedly causing him a significant amount of pain. "I promise it's not a dream. I'll see you tomorrow." He kissed her once more. "I love you."

Jamie hadn't been sure she'd ever hear those words from him again. Hearing them now brought tears to her eyes. "I love you, too."

She finally let him go - if she didn't do it now, he'd never leave. Once he was gone she laid back down, and this time sleep came much more easily.

Jackson, Dariela and Abe were gathered in the kitchen the next morning when she arrived. Logan had apparently disappeared some time in the night, but Jamie didn't have it in her to care. He'd come through by finding Clem, but as far as Jamie was concerned he'd repaid the debt he owed by betraying them to Davies in the first place. She hoped he found something in this new world that made him happy, but she had a feeling they would never see him again.

The news was already reporting the success of the cure, and all around the world people were celebrating. Jamie knew their lives were about to get very, very busy. Mitch would likely be contacted by every major science journal and publication in regards to the cure, and the others would be interviewed by the government and press alike. It was going to be a PR nightmare.

Jamie grabbed a banana from the bowl on the counter and slid into the chair next to Jackson. He smiled at her warmly and bid her a good morning.

"Where's Mitch?" He hadn't been in his room when she'd finally dragged herself from bed (she'd checked) and Clem was missing as well. She had a very brief flash of fear that it really had all been a dream, but the contented faces of her friends - as well as the rather excited pup begging for breakfast scraps at Dariela's feet - told her otherwise.

"In the conference room, talking to Allison. Apparently she's arranging for him to speak at some big meeting in Washington next week."

"Bet he loves that," Jamie laughed. Mitch hated formal functions, but she had a feeling he'd been wearing more than his fair share of ties before this whole thing settled down. "And Clem?"

"Getting a flying lesson from Trotter," Abe answered. "She begged Mitch this morning until he relented."

Jamie nodded thoughtfully and munched on her banana. Mitch had quite a bit of paternal guilt where Clementine was concerned; it would be easy enough for Clem to take advantage of it to get anything she wanted. She seemed like a good kid, though, and a lesson in flying wasn't the worst thing she could ask for.

"So what's next for you guys?"

Jackson glanced at Abe before answering. "I'm not sure. We talked about going back to Botswana, but now…"

He didn't have to finish his sentence; Jamie knew what he meant. The entire world would soon learn the effects of the TX-14 gas. Every scientist on the planet would be put to work to solve the problem. The notes they had gotten from Pangaea would be critical in beginning to crack the mystery, but it would likely be a marathon rather than a sprint. It was going to take time.

Jamie finished her fruit and tossed the peel in the trash. "If no one has any objections, I'd like to go to California. Mitch's mom is in a safe zone there. Then we can all go to my aunt and uncle's house in Louisiana for a while. I think we've earned a break, don't you?"

"Sounds good to me," Dariela agreed. "It'll be nice to sleep under a real roof."

"Great, I'll go tell Trotter."

She found him standing just behind the pilot's chair pointing at something on the console. Clem was sitting in the plush chair completely focused on the instructions. Jamie let them go for a moment, unwilling to interrupt Clem's obvious delight as she soaked in the information. She was a lot like her dad, Jamie noticed, though she looked nothing like him. Except that smile. The slight pull at the corner of her lips as she worked through the steps for take off reminded Jamie of a certain scientist performing a complex procedure.

Finally the lesson was over and Jamie cleared her throat quietly. Trotter looked up with a guilty look, but Jamie just smiled. "Having fun?"

"Trotter's just showing me how to fly," Clem said shortly. She seemed almost distant, not at all like the sweet girl Jamie had consoled just yesterday.

Jamie tried not to take offense - the girl had been through so much in the past few days, she was likely still processing it all. "Okay, well maybe Trotter can show you how to make a flight plan."

The graying pilot nodded knowingly. "Where to?"

"California," Jamie said. "Safe Zone Four near Sacramento."

"I'll grab the coordinates from the computer," he told her. "We'll be airborne just as soon as I can do a pre-flight."

Jamie nodded her thanks. "I'll go tell the others."

She warned the group in the kitchen of their impending take off before moving through the lab to the conference room. Mitch's sharp tenor floated through the door as he lost whatever argument he was having with Allison.

"Fine," he barked. "Just figure it out and tell me where you need me to be." Jamie pushed the door open just as Allison's image winked out and Mitch turned. "Hey."

"Hey yourself. How you feeling?"

"Like I got mauled by hybrids," he joked flatly. He must have seen on her face the pain his words caused because he reached out almost immediately. She slipped her hand in his and moved to stand close enough she could feel the warmth radiating from him. "Sorry," he kissed her head. "Are those the engines warming up?"

"Yeah. We're wheels up for California soon. Trotter is showing Clem how to log a flight plan."

Mitch smiled and lifted his good arm around her shoulders. "Any idea what flight school costs? Wait, California?"

"I figured we'd go get your mom, then head back to Louisiana. Unless you don't want to…"

"No. I mean, yes that's fine. I just...you're amazing. Thank you."

She lifted up to her toes to kiss him. "You're welcome. I'm gonna go call Aunt Fran and let her know about the impending invasion." At Mitch's look she clarified. "Jackson, Abe and Dariela are coming with us."

"That'll be fun."

She ignored his dry remarks and retreated to her room to call her aunt. It wasn't quite as tearful as the last conversation, but Jamie was glad to hear that her family had survived the gas drop unscathed. She'd been a little afraid that one or more of them would have the ghost gene, but the odds had been in their favor and the only life claimed by the animal rebellion had been her cousin, Stephen. With plans set and goodbyes said, Jamie slipped her phone into her pocket and moved to the nearest seat to buckle in for take off.

Trotter came over the comms a few minutes later. "It'll be three hours to Sacramento, folks. Skies look clear, so it should be smooth sailing."

Jamie unbuckled and went looking for Mitch. He needed to rest, and she knew he wouldn't unless someone made him. She made a beeline for the lab, unsurprised to find him hunched over keyboard trying to type.

"Need a hand?" she rested her hip against the table a few feet from him. "Or two?"

He gave her a rueful smile. "I'm trying to document, well, everything. Organize my thoughts. It's a little slow going with one hand."

Jamie looked up at the screen where he'd managed a few sentences. "You spelled 'synthetic' wrong."

"Cheeky."

"Seriously, though. Want some help?"

He rolled back and stood, gesturing with his good hand. "How are you at taking dictation?"

She took his place and slid up to the keyboard. "I've always wanted to be someone's amanuensis."

Mitch's answering grin was equal parts teasing and wicked. "Well, we can talk about that later. Right now I just need you to type what I say."

Two hours of typing proved too much even for Jamie's experienced fingers. After the third time she had to massage out a cramp, Mitch called it quits.

"We'll be landing soon," he reasoned. "I should probably find out where Clem wandered off to."

"She's probably flying the plane right now," Jamie joked as she stood and stretched. "Trotter's a pushover."

"Should I have a talk with him?" Jamie came up on his good side and smiled as he draped his arm around her shoulder.

"Maybe," she played along. "He did seem smitten."

Clem was in the kitchen scrounging for a snack when they entered. Mitch stepped away from Jamie and moved to help her reach a box of vanilla wafers from the cupboard. "Hey sweetie."

"Hi."

Jamie noticed the quick side glance Clem gave her as she opened the box and unclipped the plastic bag inside. Mitch, however, seemed oblivious to it as he grabbed a bottle of water for himself and one for Jamie.

"I heard Trotter's been showing you some stuff," he began lamely. Clem just shrugged. "Have you been up there with him the whole time?"

"Not the whole time," Clem munched on a cookie. "I went down to the lab looking for you, but you seemed busy so I came up here instead."

"We were just typing up some notes on the cure," Mitch explained as he reached across the island to hand Jamie her water. "Did you need something?"

"No."

"Okay," Mitch leaned back against the counter. "Well, did you have fun with Trotter?" Clem shrugged again. "Clem, I-"

"I need to check on Henry," Clem dropped the still-open box of cookies onto the counter and left quickly, leaving a flustered Mitch in her wake.

He shifted his weight forward to follow her, but Jamie held up her hand. "Can I talk to her? I think I might know what this is about."

"What?"

"I'd like to talk to Clem about it first, if you don't mind." When Mitch gestured grandly, she moved around the island to give him a quick kiss. "It'll be okay." He looked skeptical - and maybe a little fearful - and Jamie had to remind herself that he'd just become a single father rather quickly and was likely still adjusting. She left him standing alone in the kitchen and went in search of the girl.

Clem was curled up on Mitch's bed with Henry's head lying across her feet. Jamie knocked softly even as she slid the half-open door back to step inside. "Hey, Clem. Can we talk for a sec?"

The sour expression on her face confirmed Jamie's suspicions. Still, she sat up and shrugged a shoulder noncommittally. "About what?"

Jamie posted up against the dresser to give the girl some space, at least until Jamie could get a feel for where Clem's head was. "Whatever's bothering you."

"Nothing's bothering me."

"There is," Jamie pressed, "but I don't want to force you to talk about it if you don't want to. I just wanted to let you know that I'm here if you ever do want to talk. I know what you're going through right now."

"No you don't," Clem argued.

"I do. My mom died when I was about your age."

That got her attention, and the crease on her brow soften a little as her curiosity edged out the anger Jamie could see in her eyes. "She did?"

"Yeah," Jamie pushed off the dresser and moved a bit closer. "Cancer. And then my dad left right after she died. I felt so alone, and angry. I remember lashing out at my aunt and uncle all the time because being angry was easier than being sad." Clem looked like she understood the sentiment. "You've gone through a lot, sweetie, and it's okay for you to be upset. We know it's a big adjustment. I just want you to know that your dad loves you so much. You're the most important person in the world to him."

At this, Clem looked up with the same doubtful expression Mitch had given her just minutes ago. Jamie suppressed the urge to smile and urged the girl to say whatever was on her mind.

Clem swallowed and looked down at the blanket under her, picking at an invisible thread as she spoke. "More important than you?"

Jamie closed the remaining distance and sat down on the edge of the bed. There was still a couple of feet of space between them, but Jamie left it there. It would be Clementine's decision to let her get closer, both physically and emotionally, but Jamie wanted to be able to speak face to face with the girl.

"Hey." She waited until Clem looked up and resisted the urge to soothe away the tears she saw gathering in the girl's eyes. "Can I ask you a question?" A quick nod. "When your mom married Justin, did she love you any less?"

"No."

"It's the same with your dad. We love each other, but that doesn't mean he doesn't love you."

"Are you gonna get married?"

It was a blunt question, one Jamie had expected when she started the topic. But despite the few brief conversations they'd had, Jamie had never really given much thought to the future. With the world ending and animals trying to kill them at every juncture, it was hard to imagine any farther than a few days ahead. But as Clem voiced the the question aloud, she knew the answer as sure as she knew her own name.

"Yeah, we are. But it's not gonna happen tomorrow, okay? We all need some time to adjust to everything." Clem nodded, and Jamie was happy to see most of the coldness in her eyes fade away. "In the meantime, would it be okay for you and me to get to know each other better?"

That dubious look was back. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, I know your dad pretty well. I'd like to get to know you, too." Jamie reached out to scratch Henry behind his ears, smiling when he whined in appreciation.

Clem smiled, too, and her fingers sifted through his golden fur lovingly. "Okay."

"Okay." Jamie stood up, not wanting to push too hard, too fast. She was halfway out the door when Clem's voice stopped her.

"Jamie?"

"Yeah?"

She was back to being shy. "Can you...could you tell me about my dad, too? Since you know him, and all?"

Jamie smiled and stepped back inside, this time sliding the door closed. "Of course." She sat back on the bed. "What would you like to know?"

"Anything," Clem said. "I mean...I used to pretend that Henry would go see him every night after I went to sleep. He'd let Dad know how I was, and then he'd come back and tell me stuff about him. Just made up stuff," she continued almost timidly. "Like, he invented chocolate milk."

Jamie laughed softly. "Well, he didn't invent it. But he likes it. And he likes pickles and coffee." At Clem's disgusted look she clarified. "Not together."

"What else?"

"Well, loves Soundgarden. They're a band, or they were. Maybe they still are, I don't know. And he loves crossword puzzles. All puzzles, really." Jamie felt her smile soften as she thought about Mitch's enthusiasm when faced with a good mystery and didn't bother hiding it from Clem's scrutinizing stare. "He's really, really, smart. And funny, but don't tell him I told you." They shared a conspiratorial smile, and finally Jamie felt like they were on good footing again.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome." Jamie glanced back at Henry, giving him one more gentle pat on the head. "I'm sure Henry needs to run around for a bit. When we land maybe Abe and Dariela can take you and Henry outside, and I'll see what we can do about getting him some food."

The intercom crackled to life on the wall as Trotter announced they would be landing soon. Clem scrambled off the bed and dashed for the door, eager to watch the landing procedures from the best view on the plane. Jamie laughed and followed, stopping only when she caught a shadow lurking just beyond the hall.

"Mitch," she called him out and waited until he slinked around the corner. "Were you listening in on our private conversation?"

"You mean the one you were having in my room?" he answered cheekily.

Jamie just crossed her arms over her chest. "Mitch."

"I'm sorry," he held out his hands to stave off an argument. "If it helps, I only heard the last part."

Jamie just rolled her eyes and stalked past him. The nearest jump seats were in the hall next to the lounge, and Mitch followed her quickly as the plane dipped slightly. He seemed to sense her irritation with him and wisely stayed silent as they buckled in. Jamie's stomach flipped as they began to descend, and she unconsciously tightened her straps a bit more. Mitch braved her ire and reached for her hand, and Jamie practically felt him sigh in relief as she allowed it.

"So," he said after a long while. "You think I'm funny?"