Hope you guys like! There's a twist coming up … hold onto your seats! Haha
Zoe wakes up later that morning and is thrilled to find that Maddy and Mark are there. "Mark! Mark!" she says excitedly. "Do you want to see my cubby?"
"Your cubby?" Mark asks confused.
Zoe just smiles. "It's where I go when we have to play hide away." She grabs his hand and leads him near the back wall of the apartment. She's small, short and thin, but is able to pull the grate off of the vent. Inside, there is a small space that she climbs up into, turning and lying on her stomach. There is a pink blanket, a pillow, an oversized elephant, and a few coloring pictures taped to the sides. Zoe looks up at Mark smiling, proud to show him her secret passage way. However, Mark can't help but wonder what this family's plan was. Zoe will one day grow bigger than the size of that vent. "My clothes and toys are in the one in Mommy and Daddy's room," Zoe tells Mark. "I usually sleep with them, but sometimes I get to crawl up in the loft with Maddy."
Mark smiles, "That's cool."
Mark thoroughly enjoys spending the rest of the day with Zoe and Maddy. Maddy is amazing with her – so patient and caring. They read little kid books on Maddy's Plex together and watch videos. Maddy is a really good teacher; she teaches Zoe while keeping her engaged and excited. Meanwhile, Zoe is ecstatic to have another friend and finds Mark very funny. After lunch, Maddy lends Mark her Plex and together they read some things on military strategy together while Zoe eats. Mark doesn't think he will ever stop being amazed at how quickly Maddy picks things up. "If you are already done your school work for the day," Mark starts, "and you seem to pick everything up so quickly, why don't you skip another grade?"
"Why would I?" Maddy asks. "I mean, yeah I had the option, but I would be in the same grade as John and Louise, which would increase the probability that we have the same classes."
"Maddy," Mark says slowly. "Why would you let them hold you back?"
"Mark," Maddy says in the same tone – slightly condescending – though mockingly. "I'm fine. I'm content. I missed a lot of school with the whole coma thing so I just used it as an excuse to drop the issue. I don't want any more attention." Mark sighs, annoyed that she's forced to waste her talent for a stupid reason.
Mark sees that she obviously doesn't want to talk about it, but he also can't seem to let it go. "Why haven't you told anyone?" he asks. "Teachers? Your parents?"
"I told you," Maddy says coldly, though keeping her voice low so Zoe doesn't hear, "that the teachers turn the other way. And I am not going to upset my parents with this! My dad would probably go down there and commit murder. Not to mention the fact that my parents freak if I so much a cough now a days. Besides, I am going to Terra Nova soon so I don't see why this matters."
"It matters," Mark continues, "because of what's already happened. Why did you let it get that bad?"
Maddy holds her breath and counts to ten to keep her mouth in check. Honestly, dealing with Zoe is less stressful. The six-year-old grasps concepts easier. "I tried to handle it," Maddy snaps. "I told Josh when it started, but by the end of the week he got into a fight and was suspended. His arm got broken, okay! I tried to stop the situation before it got out of control, but that didn't work. If I'm going down, I'm not the kind of person who's going to drown others with me. I manage."
Marks sighs. He knows Maddy isn't that kind of person, and that is exactly why he simultaneously likes her so much and is so annoyed with her right now. If it's possible to be too selfless, the prime example of that is Maddy Shannon.
The thing about Maddy is that Mark has this urge to protect her – and it's a more personal feeling than on any other job he's had. It tears him up inside to know what she deals with. Not to mention the new information about how she had been in a comma only several weeks before they met. Mark knows that once someone's lungs are compromised like that, the person is more susceptible to other illnesses from poor air filtration systems.
Somehow, Maddy seems to be reading his mind. "I'm okay, Mark," she says. "I'm surviving school, and I survived the coma."
"I didn't say anything about that," Mark says quickly.
"Not with words," Maddy responds. "But I've seen the look you've been giving me all day. The pity look; I've gotten used to it by now but I don't want if from you. I'm not fragile. I'm strong, independent, and I can take deal with whatever life throws at me."
Mark has no doubt that she can do just that; she's one of the strongest people he knows, despite the short amount of time he's known her. Maddy Shannon deals with harassment at school, fatal illnesses, and helping raise and hide her parents' illegal third child. She does all of this but still finds time to be a complete genius, argue with her brother over petty things like any other sister, and have a smile on all the time.
There's no doubt in Mark's mind that she's capable. He hadn't purposely looked at her any different. Had he? Mark bites his lip, not sure what to say. And what did Maddy mean by I don't want that look from you?" But deep down Mark knows he's just overthinking things. Maddy didn't mean anything deep or personal by the offhanded comment, and he's overstepping his boundary of security guard.
"I see," Mark says shortly. But he can't help himself from leaning slightly closer and adding, "I have no doubt that you can handle whatever life throws at you, Maddy, but what I do doubt is whether or not you realize that life isn't supposed to be this hard."
Maddy's eyebrows draw together in the middle of her forehead as she and Mark look at each other. Before either can say anything else, a small brunette jumps up in between them. In the process, Zoe bangs her head on Mark's chin and Maddy jumps in surprise. "Ow," Zoe says with a frown as she rubs her head. Mark gives a small a laugh and pulls her onto his knee.
"And what exactly do you think you are doing, Miss Shannon?" he asks with a smile.
Zoe giggles. "I wanted to surprise you guys," she says grinning.
Maddy lovingly rolls her eyes at her young sister. "Mission accomplished," she mutters. Mark watches Maddy as she stands up. "I'll clean up your lunch," she tells Zoe, "then we can finish school work for the day."
The rest of the day passes quickly and before they know it, Zoe has to hide in the back bedroom, for Elisabeth is coming home with Reilly. "Hey mom," Maddy smiles from the couch where her and Mark are talking.
But Elisabeth doesn't seem focused. "Are you feeling better?" she mutters, keeping up their cover as to why Maddy had to stay home today.
"Yeah, how was your day?"
"Fine. Have you heard from your father?"
Maddy raises her eyebrows in concern. "Dad? No, why would I have? Is something wrong?"
"Everything's fine," Elisabeth snaps. But Mark can tell from the look on Maddy's face that Elisabeth doesn't usually snap at her kids like that.
"Should I be concerned?" Maddy asks.
Elisabeth just sighs and repeats, "No, everything is fine. I'm just going over to the police station to talk to him about something. Josh is on his way home. Get dinner together for you guys."
Maddy nods obediently and goes into the kitchen as her mom and Reilly leave. She stares at the door for a moment after their departure. Mark looks from Maddy to the door. "What was that about?" he asks.
"I don't … not sure," she mutters. "It's probably nothing." Mark nods slowly and Maddy works in the kitchen. She calls for Zoe, explaining that mom and dad have to work late, so she doesn't have to hide.
Josh comes homes, leaving Foster out in the hall. "Maddy," he asks immediately, "what in the world is going …" He trails off when he sees Zoe and Mark playing some sort of hand slapping game on the couch. "Are you freaking kidding me?"
"It's fine, Josh," Maddy says tiredly. "Mom and dad know he knows. Move on. Oh, and I'm perfectly fine. Sorry about lying this morning; we stayed home to watch Zoe, not because I'm sick."
Josh scoffs, slightly irritated, "Okay, but what is going on? Because mom messaged me saying that I had to get home asap to watch you and Zoe, but she didn't say why."
"I don't know," Maddy answers. "She came home, talked to me, then left. She asked about dad." Josh sighs, apparently letting the issue drop.
"Are we not concerned?" Mark asks.
"Of course we are," Maddy says sharply. "But this isn't the first time this happened. Every so often we have one of these nights where we stay up waiting, not sure if he will ever come back."
Mark lowers his eyes. He knows the feeling all too well. The night his own father didn't come home from work, the following weeks spent looking for him, the sinking realization that he left them on his own accord. He knows what it's like to worry about someone. Since he could think for himself, Mark's been worried every time one of his siblings leave the house that their rebreather could malfunction somehow, they could get attacked (considering they don't live in the best part of town), and he would never see them again.
Stressing about not ever getting to see someone you care about again is one of the worst feelings ever, especially when you are absolutely helpless in the situation. It's the sinking feeling Mark imagines Emily feels every time he goes out on another job. It's the feeling he gets when he looks at Maddy, though at least with her he knows she will be in a better place after going through the portal.
"Of course," Mark responds. "I understand," he comforts as earnestly as possible, though he isn't sure Maddy really believes him.
That evening, Foster takes patrol outside of the apartment. Maddy finishes dinner and her, Josh, and Zoe eat in silence. Mark refused the offer to eat and instead paces near the door. He has tried to contact Reilly half a dozen times since she left with Elisabeth but has yet to receive a response.
After dinner, Josh paces for a while before going up to the loft and messing around with his guitar, and Maddy and Zoe take to the couch. Maddy had tried before to get Zoe ready for bed, but the little girl wouldn't have it. The two now sit watching some cartoon on Maddy's Plex. Mark eventually sits on a chair near them and watches the screen blankly but can't stop bouncing his leg. "Can you please sit still?" Maddy whispers, shoot a glare in Mark's direction.
The guitar music has ceased from the loft and all is eerily quiet in the apartment. "I still can't get in touch with Reilly or either of your parents," he says, as if that explains it.
"Well you are driving me literally insane, so can you please panic without motion?"
Mark just lets out a huff of air and slouches down in his seat.
"What do you think is wrong?" Maddy asks softly after a short pause.
"I … I have no idea," Mark answers. "Someone found out your dad is going to Terra Nova and took out jealously or whatever on him?" he guesses.
Maddy sighs. "I don't know," she says as she strokes a yawning Zoe's hair. "It doesn't feel different than any other time that he's been so late. Only you are here. Which is somehow making me more nervous than anything." Mark just nods mutely. "I meant nervous that something more serious could have happened," Maddy quickly spills out as an afterthought. Mark just smiles slightly, too tired to try and read her mind right now, though he has his guesses, more like hopes, about what else she was thinking.
Mark's gaze rest on a combination of the clock and Shannon girls for the rest of the night. He gets up only to get a glass of water, and both Maddy and Zoe eventually fall asleep together. Worried someone could come home without warning, Mark picks up Zoe from Maddy's lap to take her to the back bedroom. Maddy jumps when she feels Zoe missing from up against her side. "Shhh," Mark touches her arm lightly. "It's just me. Go back to sleep." Maddy appears to lie down and close her eyes again, but by the time Mark gets back from putting Zoe down, he finds her up and pacing in front of the digital clock behind the table.
"It's two a.m.?!" she squeaks on the verge of hysteria. "Where are my parents?" Before Mark can say anything, she flies over to the loft to find Josh slumped asleep over his guitar. She leans up again the ladder, her head spinning. The room starts to sway when she feels something on her shoulders. Maddy looks up and see dark splotches threatening her vision, but she also sees Mark.
"Are you alright?" Mark asks worriedly. It concerns him that while holding her arms, he seems to be supporting most of Maddy's weight right now.
"No!" Maddy answers. "These are my parents, Mark. And they're missing."
Mark searches her eyes. "I know, okay, just breathe. I'll try to contact Reilly again." Maddy chews on her fingernails as Mark pulls out his comms. However, before he can do anything, the front door slides open, illuminating the dark apartment with light from the hallway. The lights are turned on and Mark's and Maddy's eyes adjust to see Elisabeth and Reilly.
"Mom?" Maddy breathes. "Where's dad?"
Elisabeth grabs Maddy into a tight hug. "I'm so sorry I didn't answer your calls," she says. "We were so busy."
"Busy with what?" Maddy asks. "Where's dad?" she repeats.
Elisabeth hesitates, running her hand over her daughter's hair. "Your father … he's … he's at Golad. There was an incident."
"Why did he personally go all the way to Golad to book someone?" Maddy asks shakily.
"He's … in Golad," Elisabeth's voice cracks.
"This has to be some misunderstanding!" Maddy bursts.
Elisabeth sighs, holding back tears. "This afternoon he was leading his team on a drug raid into an apartment," she explains. "The family had two children, who both showed signs of abuse. When they were ransacking the place for more stashes, they found another child, a baby, hiding under the bed." Maddy blanches, though still unsure how this landed her father in prison. "As I heard from the captain, it was kind of chaotic and Jim tried to sneak the youngest child out with the other two. Population control was on standby to deal with the two known kids though and immediately jumped on the third. Instinctively, your father fought them off. He was arrested for interfering with a federal arrest."
Maddy gasps, trying to breathe. "But … how … why Golad? That's a death sentence mom!" she cries.
"The population control officer was one who already didn't like Jim," Elisabeth says. "He's the one who'd been here before, so he wouldn't even acknowledge me when I tried to talk to him. Jim punched him in the face and knocked down one of his men. There is a string of other offenses that he's trying to peg him for now."
Mark and Reilly exchange a glance, Mark pretending to be confused. Reilly speaks up for Mark's apparent benefit, "Dr. Shannon has explained to me before that the officer and Mr. Shannon disagree," she says, "so he's searched their house a few times before, though there obviously isn't another child here. He's just wanted an excuse to lock Jim up."
Mark nods in understanding, fighting the urge to steal a glance at the back room. "He'll probably come here at some point," Elisabeth says. She looks from her daughter to Mark. "Everything's in order here, right?" They both nod, not wanting to say more in front of Reilly.
"Mom," Maddy says, her forehead creased in worry, "What about dad?" She feels about five years old when she asks, "What will happen?"
Elisabeth sighs, "We will figure this out Maddy. We always do. There has to be some way to get him out."
Mark watches Elisabeth and Maddy embrace is a comforting hug. He wants everything to work out for them, but this time, he doesn't really see how it will.
Dun Dun Dun … Will Jim make it to Terra Nova with the family? I hope so, tell me what ya'll think!