Chapter 52


"Why can't I finish my breakfast. you know I only have a 10 minutes before I have to get to work." Kara told him.

"Humour me." Danny said with a wry smile as Kara was not being very pliable this morning as she was more focused on eating and getting back to duty at the command centre.

"I'm taking my porridge with me." Kara said with a slight pout as she'd pick up her bowl and spoon before following Danny slowly out of the house. "Why are we going to our death trap of a house?" she asked as it didn't take a genius to know where Danny was taking her.

She knew the crew had been working on her house as they weren't subtle in asking her how she felt about the colour 'white' or her thoughts on floorboard finishes. She had to admit she was immensely grateful and happy someone else was saving her the stress and heart ache of fixing up the house as she couldn't face it. Which was amusing to her given she could handle the CIC in the middle of a conflict scenario but wondering about the engineering of taking down walls and light fixtures made her break a sweat.

"Because I wanted you to see the progress." He said.

"It couldn't wait until I finished my shift tonight?" she asked him, she didn't want to be rude but being pregnant was taking it's toll with the stress and long hours. She honestly didn't want to spoil the surprise of how much work the crew had put in for her and Danny.

"No, come on." Danny told her, even on crutches his legs still ate up the space as he was at the doorway before her but then she was slightly distracted by her breakfast. Eating and walking was hazardous but breakfast was a must for her.

"Ok, I'm coming." She told him and he smiled as his dirty mind took that phrase a very different way. She walked up the steps and ate another spoonful of porridge and fruit before she put the spoon into the bowl and held it one hand and opened the other door. She hadn't stepped foot into the house past that day and even then she'd hadn't really walked into the house past the hallway to see the man sized hole Miller and Larrin created. So the view that greeted her held her starstruck.

"Wow." She murmured feeling a little breathless as the interior was perfect. Sure it wasn't finished but the bones of it and what had been done so far was perfection to her eyes.

It was now a livable home to her. She hadn't even seen past the hallway but she already knew it was going to be perfect. She stepped into the house and slowly took in the creams and white colour scheme that contrasted in a lovely fashion with the floorboards or at least what she could see as drop sheets were covering them as protection from grubby shoes and whatever else. The more they stepped into the house the more she felt like she had a lot of thank you notes and beer to buy but it was worth it as this was a 'home'. This was a place she could comfortably settle into and raise her and Danny's baby.

"It's perfect." she said with a brilliant smile to Danny who was right behind her.

"There's still a lot of work and we'll have to live with a few of the original parts of the house until we have the resources and more importantly the money-" Danny started but Kara cut him off.

"I don't care, this is 'home'," Kara told him, as she felt overwhelmed with joy.

"There's a nursery upstairs for the baby, I can't get up there yet but you should check it out. I'm told it's the only room that's completely finished bar a few items that need to be bought." Danny said with a smile as he was so relieved that Kara was happy with the house. Not that he didn't expect her not to be happy but he was happy that she envisioned the same things as he did.

"Are you sure?" she asked him as she was tempted to see the baby's room, but felt bad for leaving him downstairs and seeing it before him.

"Yeah, go on up. Just don't stay too long as the fumes are strong." he told her, Kara held out her bowl to him which Danny took from her. Before he could even say another word Kara was already gone. He smiled as he carefully placed the bowl on the floor out of the way and then moved to the bottom of the steps. He pulled the ring he'd been saving for Kara out and waited for Kara's return.


"Dad, you cannot go over there. You'll ruin the moment." Kat told Tex as she yanked on his shirt to pull him back into his seat at the dining table. She'd forgotten how much of a meddler he could be when he set his mind to it. She had to admit she was amused and a little mortified because if she didn't tell him to keep to himself he'd probably have his nose against the front window with a goofy grin on his face watching Kara and Danny.

"But we'll be witnesses, I love seeing happy ending." He told her with a smile, he was trying to convince them all to go over because what's the fun in watching a proposal if you didn't have others to share it with.

"Well you're missing this one. We'll be at their wedding. So don't stick your nose in their moment." Kat told him in a mockingly unimpressed manner, she wondered why she felt like she was the parent in this conversation.

"When did you get so bossy?" He asked her as he settled into his chair as he could tell Kat's sentiments were shared by the others around the table.

"last year." Kat informed him with a snarky smile.

"I don't like it, we could just take a tiny peek through the windows. To see if Danny hasn't mucked it up." Tex told her, joking this time as he had no drive to get up and find out how Danny was doing. If anything he figured Kara would ask Danny to marry him before the man got the stones to ask her himself.

"Like a Peeping Tom? Don't be so creepy." Kat said making a face as she knew he was joking now but it was still taking things a little too far.

"I agree with Kat, they'll rush over here first to share the news. So calm your horses." Barbara said as she came over to the table with a fresh cup of tea.

"What's your say Miller?" Tex asked.

"I'm staying out of it." Miller told him as he focused on his muesli and not getting into trouble.

"Good, I also made a lunch for Wolf again though it would be nice if he came home to shower and get changed as his poor sister will probably keel over from the stench of him when she wakes up." Barbara commented.

"I'll go pester him and make sure he comes home." Tex offered with a smile, he like Barbara but she was a little controlling for his tastes but he let it slide as she was probably used to getting her way. Plus that trait of hers was the reason the house next door was coming together so quickly thanks to her knowing what style she wanted the house to have and Andrea wrangling the labour to make it happen.

"Good, when are you going back to work?" Barbara asked him, just proving she was a woman who liked to know where everyone was going and doing. Control freak which in some ways explained why Miller was so sheltered in certain aspects of life. But in saying that Miller was a good man, so she was better at parenting than Tex felt he was. But then he was an absentee father.

"Got a couple more days off and then I'm back to the grind. Speaking of the grind, you start school soon too. Do you have everything?" Tex asked Kat, reminding himself he was definitely going to up his game. Luckily for him he just had to raise a near 15 yr old, she already had manners and toilet training down. So that just left Tex to make sure she was fed, sheltered and supported when she asked for help and present for when she was too afraid or prideful to ask for help.

"Ah I think so. I won't really know what I need until after my first day." Kat said, she couldn't say she felt excited to go to school. In fact she was dreading it but she had to go back. She kind of wished she could talk to Kara or Larrin as they were closer to her age than Barbara, they were also more like older sisters she could talk to. She also felt Larrin understood the isolation she felt. But now that was gone as Larrin probably didn't remember her.

"Ok, if you're missing anything we'll get in the next couple of days." Tex told her, she gave a closed lip smile and nodded as she appreciated the offer but more than anything she liked that he thought of her needs and making sure she was prepared for going back to school.


Kara stood in the nursery with the biggest grin on her face and tears of joy in her eyes as she loved the baby nursery. She had to admit she loved the thought and effort the most when it came to the room by their friends. The bright teal iron crib with it's white mattress with tiny little grey anchors on it. The colours were all gender neutral and adorable. If anything it really set home that she was having a baby, it was all becoming very real.

Sure she had the baby bump and all the symptoms of pregnancy but the concept of a baby coming into their lives was still that; a theoretical concept as she had no real grounding or experience on how it would be. She'd held babies before but never once did she ever think she'd be having one of her own this soon in her life. It really set home how much of her life was going change, the goals she once had for herself were going to be pushed back. It wasn't a bad thing, it was just a little bittersweet but then she was getting something she always wanted. A home, a family; she wasn't going to baulk at his timing but accept the good that life has given her.

She ran her hands across the railing of the crib smiling softly, she could just picture the tiny baby that looked like a pudgy mini version of Danny with dark brown hair. She knew her genetics would win out in the eyebrow and hair department while he or she would have Danny's eyes and chin and face shape. But who knew, it could end up the opposite way and she didn't mind as it was their child. That thought warmed her with a mix sense of joy, anticipation and contentment.

"It looks pretty good in here." Danny said drawing Kara out of her thoughts, she swung out to see him standing in the doorway, he leaned heavily on the frame looking exhausted from the exertion of climbing the stairs.

"You said you couldn't come up." She said half chastising him already as she wanted him to look after himself.

"I changed my mind, though I'll pay for it later. Totally worth it." Danny said as he looked at her smile and looked around the room itself. There was a strong odour of varnish and paint fumes but he ignored it for the moment as the window was open letting some air circulate. Plus he figured they wouldn't be up here long enough for it to be a health issue.

"Danny." Kara said in that way that said she wasn't impressed with him but entirely upset. Like when he'd sneak kisses from her or give her 'that smile' which tended to lead to a whole lot of fun which was why they had a baby on the way now.

"The crew did a really good job." Danny said as Kara moved to him and placed her hands on his hips and smiled at him.

"They did and are doing a good job. I don't know how I'll make it up to them all." Kara said as she deeply appreciated the love the crew had shown them in renovating the parts of the house they had. They had a home on the Nathan James and the crew now were giving them a home on the mainland.

"I was thinking a BBQ, double celebration of thank you." Danny told her as he pushed off the wall and straightened up as he refused the memory to be impinged by his injury.

"And?" Kara asked as he didn't say what the other half of the celebration was. That was until Danny pulled a diamond ring out of his pocket and held it out to her.

"Our Engagement." He told her with a grin, Kara bit her bottom lip looking at the ring. She was going to say 'Yes' because she deeply loved him but she couldn't help but hold out just a bit.

"I'm not sure what you're asking Lieutenant." Kara said with a grin, she didn't need him to get down on one knee or anything special but she would like to be asked, she watched a light blush graced Danny's cheeks. His grin grew into a quiet smile as he grew serious and gave her a look that stole her breath away as he showed her everything he felt with his eyes.

"You are the strongest, most kind and beautiful woman I know. You make me laugh with your wicked sense of humour, you hold me up when I don't think I can stand on my own. You and our child are everything to me and I want to spend the rest of my life with you both. I want to make a home, I want to make future for us where our family is happy, cared for and loved. So would you do me the honour of marrying me?" he asked her.

"Yes," she said nodding her head, she let him slide the ring on her finger before she cupped his face with her hands and kissed him deeply.


"I'm so happy for them. Pass on my congratulations." Rachel said to Tex.

"I will." Tex assured her, he'd managed to get Wolf to go home just so he could shower and get a couple hours rest. It wasn't like Larrin's condition had changed. She was still sleeping and while she had some more colour in her cheeks; Doc assured him that she wasn't going to be waking up anytime soon but if she did they'd call him.

"Now you just gotta find a hairbrush, suit and a date." Andrea told Tex.

"You want to be my date?" Tex asked Andrea putting her on the spot but smiling nonetheless. He knew it was a waste of time asking Rachel and to do so would only confuse the friendship they had. Andrea on the other hand was a free agent and liked to set the boundaries, so he knew he didn't have to worry about overstepping himself.

"Sure, but don't think I'm going to have sex with you or wear a dress." Andrea told him.

"I don't know what I'm more disappointed about you not putting out for this." Tex gestured to his body "Or not wearing a dress." Tex joked, Andrea pegged a Portuguese custard tart at him which he skillfully caught with his mouth and ate in one go.

"Such a dog." Andrea said as she shook her head at him as Rachel tried hard not to laugh too much as it pained her chest wound.

"Are we still friends?" Tex asked her.

"Yes, for now." Andrea told him after she took a deep breath to calm her own nerves. She knew he was asking as a friend but she still couldn't help but feel a little nervous at just being asked out. But then she was used to being invisible to men when it came to be 'sexual creature' but then she didn't want anyone on the ship having sexual thoughts of her.

"So Doc, you want to be our third wheel?" Tex asked Rachel.

"I think I'll go stag and see how I fair." Rachel joked as she wasn't even sure she'd be invited but if she was she'd go and enjoy the festivities. It wasn't like she'd be without friends as she had Andrea and Tex there. She would like to celebrate something good happening especially something that had absolutely nothing to do with her work at all. She had decided that she would take a sabbatical on top of her recovery time.

A decision she'd only come to that morning, but it felt right she take time out for herself. She also wanted to see how Larrin was, maybe help with her recovery and if her intelligence and education were intact then Rachel could mentor her, a job that she felt would be more rewarding at the moment than chasing this virus. If she were honest Milowsky was more than qualified to continue her work and improve on it as he was a vaccine maker while she was a virus hunter. Right now she was done globe trotting, she wanted to put down roots and real connections with the people she had left in her life. Something she learned from her hallucinations among other things.

"Look out, we have a live one." Tex said snapping Rachel out of her thoughts, she looked over to see Larrin try to place a hand to her forehead only to have muscle weakness get the better of her. Instead of her hand pressing down to cover her eyes; her arm conked out and ended up slapping herself in the face. She made a half groan, half whining noise like she was in pain and not wanting to be awake at all.

"I'll grab a doctor." Andrea said as she left the room as Tex got up to calm Larrin who looked about three seconds away from a panic attack.