Since neither Smith nor Artemis knew enough of her species to know how her pregnancy would progress, the doctor suggested they hunt as much as possible while she was still able. They would store up enough food to last them through the arrival of her cubs. Since the snow had melted long ago and they no longer had the luxury of an "ice box", Smith made jerky to preserve the meat for later consumption.

Smith was nervous, almost as much as if he was expecting a child of his own. Once he was assured there would be enough food, he urged Artemis to take it easy. While they waited, the doctor used the material he'd cut from his leggings to fashion a small bed for the cubs. He stuffed it with dried grass as he had the mattress he'd created for his own bed shortly after the arrival of Spring. The small bed wasn't much to look at it, but it was soft, warm, and comfortable.

The doctor examined Artemis daily, sometime twice daily. She endured it patiently. During one of the examinations, Smith remembered the time he had found Artemis' siblings dead and had struggled to revive her. Artemis could sense a tinge of sorrow in him so she understood his desire for all of her cubs to be delivered safely. During these exams, Smith amused Artemis with his memories of when she was just a cub. His excitement was palpable.

As weeks passed and Artemis' belly grew, Smith was able to determine with some degree of certainty that there were two cubs, one less than Artemis' mother gave birth to. The gender was anybody's guess, as the doctor did not have diagnostic tools at his command. He waited on Artemis hand and foot, urging her to conserve her energy, and she gratefully obliged.

Spirits were high aboard the Jupiter 2, despite the seemingly endless weeks with little or nothing to do. The Robinsons and Major West found things to occupy their time and keep their morale up.

"I know he's still alive, Penny. I just know it," Will said, as he pushed a pawn forward on the chess board.

"How do you know, Will? You heard Don. Kai probably killed him. He almost killed me and everybody else on the ship," she replied, as she captured one of Will's pawns with her knight. "I want to believe he's survived all this time, but I just can't be sure."

"I don't know how to explain it. I just feel it."

"I hope you're right. I really miss him," she confessed. "As nice as Kai was to us in the beginning, I would trade him for Doctor Smith in a heartbeat. Even though he does bad things sometimes, at least we know what to expect from Doctor Smith."

"Well, MOST of the time," Will chuckled. "Sometimes he's completely unpredictable."

"True," Penny agreed. "I think the Robot misses him too. I think he feels guilty that Kai used him to get rid of Doctor Smith."

"I tried telling him it wasn't his fault, that Kai had us all fooled, but I don't think he agreed." Will explained. "I bet he'll feel better once we get Doctor Smith back."

"IF," Penny corrected.

"WHEN," Will countered. "I bet Doctor Smith misses all of us, too."

Exhausted, Smith had tumbled into bed in the front room. Artemis hopped up onto the bed and slid down beside him next to the cave wall, as he moved toward the edge of the bed to accommodate her. He needed no blanket, as the warmth of her fur and the warm summer breeze drifting in through the cracks around the door were sufficient to keep him comfortable. He quickly drifted off to sleep.

Smith found himself back on the Jupiter 2, examining Judy. He took the stethoscope from his ears and gleefully announced, "It looks like it's going to be twins!"

"Oh, Doctor Smith, are you sure?" Mrs. Robinson asked.

"Quite sure, madam. I hear two distinct heartbeats. And if they're anything like they're father, they'll be a handful," he quipped, drawing laughter from everyone, including Major West.

"Do you anticipate any problems with the delivery?" Professor Robinson asked.

"Not at the moment," Smith replied. "Things can change quickly in labor, though."

"How long until the babies arrive?" Penny asked.

"It could happen at any time now," the doctor replied.

Suddenly, the scene changed and Smith found himself aiding Judy, who was in labor. Mrs. Robinson was by his side, assisting him. He could see the baby emerging and he helped it along. He pulled the tiny body out and turned to look at it. It was a cub, jet black with a small tuft of white fur on its chin. Judy screamed and pushed again. Confused, Smith handed off the cub to Mrs. Robinson and readied himself to deliver the second baby or cub or whatever emerged. In a few short minutes, he pulled out a second cub. The doctor looked it over, cleaned it off, as Mrs. Robinson had the first cub, and handed it to Judy.

Judy was overjoyed and clutched the two cubs to her. Mrs. Robinson brought in Major West and the rest of the family. They all "ooh'd" and "aah'd" over the new additions.

"We'll need another room for the babies," Major West announced.

"You're right. They can have Doctor Smith's cabin," the Professor announced.

"What?" Smith questioned. Before he could protest, Professor Robinson grabbed him by the collar, marched him out of the ship, and tossed him unceremoniously to the sandy ground. He turned back into the ship and closed the doors behind him. The doctor watched helplessly as the ship rocketed skyward.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

He awoke when he hit the floor with a thud.

Artemis peered over the side of the bed. She felt his terror. You are safe, she comforted. It was one of those nightmares you humans have.

Smith sat on the ground, contemplating the meaning of the dream. Clearly, he was on edge about the birth of the cubs. That is why they appeared in his dream. But, there was something else. He had felt so happy being back with the Robinsons. It was where he wanted to be, where he felt he was supposed to be. Yet, in the dream, they so callously tossed him aside. He didn't fit in to their plans. He was expendable. His heart and mind wrestled as he struggled to forgive them.

He felt a pressure on his shoulder and looked over to see one of Artemis' large paws there.

If they are as fond of you as you are of them, and they are still alive, they will be back for you.

Smith shook his head. "I appreciate the sentiment, my dear. I just wish I could believe it." He stood and climbed into bed again, but could not fall asleep.

Artemis had done all she could regarding his painful memories, but this particular wound was very deep. She laid her head down and sent soothing thoughts his way.

A few more weeks passed, until one evening Artemis nudged Smith awake.

It's time.

The doctor ran a hand over his face and replied groggily, "Time for what?" It took only a split second for his mind to figure it out. "OH!"

Smith jumped out of bed and grabbed one of the food containers the Robinsons had left for him. He ran into the cave, dunked it in the hot springs, and brought it back to the bed where Artemis lay panting heavily. He felt her abdomen and offered her soft words of encouragement.

It took over an hour before the first cub emerged. He was jet black with a small tuft of white underneath his chin, just like his mother. Smith laid his torn, but clean, t-shirt near Artemis' head and settled the cub on it. "It's a boy," he beamed. She proceeded to clean the cub with her rough tongue as he tried his best to crawl toward her warmth. Her attempts were only half-hearted, though, as she was concerned with delivering the last cub.

Five minutes became ten minutes. Ten minutes became twenty. As the wait continued for the second cub, Smith thoroughly bathed the boy cub in the container of warm water, bundled him in the clean t-shirt, and set him next to his mother again.

Thirty minutes later, cub number two joined their world. "It's a girl!" Smith exclaimed. "One of each." He stared into those precious black orbs that nearly melted into her matching jet black fur. He bathed her carefully and tucked her in next to her brother.

"My dear, they're absolutely beautiful, just like their mother," Smith fawned.

She lifted her head to look at her babies, but the spasms of labor continued.

Smith looked at her in confusion.

Another one.

"Another one?"

She nodded.

Sure enough, another cub came shortly after. Artemis heard Smith's gasp of surprise and tried to see what was going on, but she was too exhausted.

Frantically, Smith washed off the 3rd cub, and then brought it to his lips. He puffed into its little nose, as he had done for Artemis when he found her. He massaged the cub's little body and kept up the rescue breathing until he was rewarded with a small cry. He held her against his chest and cradled it. "It's another girl. She's ok."

Smith brought her into her mother's field of vision. Smith felt Artemis' surprise upon seeing the stark white cub. She suddenly realized that the doctor's gasp wasn't about her daughter's condition, but of her appearance. The only cats they'd seen of her species were black.

"Amazing," was all Smith could say.

Indeed.

"What are we going to name them?" Smith asked.

I think you should decide. I did not have a mother to teach me our culture. I do not even know if she named her cubs.

Smith held the little white cub away from his chest and looked at her thoughtfully. "I think I will call her 'Aurora', after the Roman goddess of the dawn."

Artemis nodded her approval.

Smith placed Aurora next to her siblings.

"And her sister shall be 'Nyx', after the Greek goddess of night," Smith continued.

He watched in amusement as the little boy crawled out of the cloth and headed toward him. The cub scrunched his face up and attempted to roar, but all that came out was a tiny squeak. His little paw batted at Smith's hand.

"This one's going to be a holy terror, Artemis," Smith laughed. "I think I'll call him 'Deimos'."

Let me guess, a god of terror? Artemis laughed.

Smith laughed and nodded as he scooped the cub up and placed it next to his mother to nurse. He picked up the girls and placed them each next to one of their mother's teats, encouraging them to latch on.

"Is there anything I can do for you, my dear?"

No. I think rest is what I need now.

"And so you shall have it." He stroked her head and smiled at the three little miracles she had just delivered. "I will look after your progeny while you sleep."