The world is small

Lucas was working at the lab when Skye came to see him.

"How did it go?" She asked eagerly, worried.

"Nowhere," Lucas replied somberly, not looking at her.

"Oh," she said, disappointed. "What did you say to her?"

"I told her I loved her."

"What did she say?"

"She said it was too late."

"There must be something you can do or say to change her mind," she asked herself and started pacing.

"She made it clear."

"Did you tell her you were sorry?" He stayed quiet, thinking. Actually, he had not. He had lost every word he wanted to say when he had seen her. Yet, he had had two weeks to think about what he should say to her, seeing her again had brought back all the anguish he had felt when she had left him. He resented her so much for having left without saying anything.

"No," he sighed, looking at her now. "She said it though."

"She said she was sorry?"

"Yes."

"What for?"

"For leaving me."

"Lucas honestly, you are really bad when it comes to expressing yourself!" She said, giving him a roasting. "You should have said it! Isn't it obvious?"

"She didn't want to hear what I had to say anyway. She had made up her mind before I even tried to talk to her."

"Lucas…" She sighed, shaking her head. "You are so so so wrong. You must do something, you can't give up so easily. The Lucas I know is always doing what he has to do to have what he wants."

"What should I do then?" He asked, annoyed. He didn't like to ask for help but obviously he would need some to get Alexandra back.

The urge to see her parents made Alexandra wake up at 6. She quickly realized it was a little bit too early to go and see them, so she took the time to have a shower and a proper breakfast. Yet, it was only 6:30 and she was ready.

"Never mind," she convinced herself, grabbing her gun and tying it to her belt. She left the house, trying not to run, yet she walked so quickly that she was at the infirmary in less than 5 minutes. When she arrived, she saw Taylor was already there. He was talking with Dr Shannon, outside her parent's room. She felt disappointed not being the first, then his presence worried her.

"Is there something wrong?" She asked quickly, concerned.

"Good morning to you too Alex," Taylor said, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Sorry. Good morning commander. So, is there?"

"No. Nothing's wrong. I just explained to your parents what their lives are going to be."

"And their lives are going to be…?"

"Well, as scientists, your parents proposed to us to work in the lab and help with the actual projects." Alexandra felt a knot forming in her stomach. Her parents were already back to work and it saddened her. It reminded her that they were working a lot when she was younger, she felt stupid to have imagined that time would have changed them.

"Are they going to work on the portal too?"

"Yes, actually, I told them they are going to meet Malcolm and Lucas. Malcolm is OTG but Lucas should be at the lab. Can you go and bring him back here?"

"Can't you do it yourself?" She winced. She regretted her words immediately. It felt right when she thought about saying it but it sounded really rude in her mouth. Dr Shannon and Taylor starred at her in disbelief. "Or… Can't you call him?" She grimaced, trying to sound more respectful.

"Go and bring him back, please," he commanded her firmly, yet politely. Alexandra sighed loudly to express her annoyance and left them. She walked to the lab, shambling. She didn't want to see Lucas after what had happened the night before, she was not ready to talk to him again. As she reached Lucas' lab, she suddenly stopped. Through the window of the lab, she could see Lucas and Skye talking. Skye was apparently explaining something to him, sat on his desk, while he was sitting on his chair in front of her, listening carefully. Alexandra felt her heart flinch. She stayed for a minute staring at them, then Lucas turned his head and noticed her. At the sight of his face, he was surprised. He stood up quickly and Skye did the same, her face reflecting fright. Alexandra glanced at the ground, recomposing her face. She didn't want him to see how distressed she was. Lucas didn't know what to do when he saw Alexandra in the hall. He quickly thought about what she could think, seeing him and Skye together in his lab. And that he thought it could not be worse! Alexandra took all the courage she got and opened the door. She didn't look at Skye, she knew it would upset her more than she already was.

"Your father wants you to come to the infirmary," she said coldly.

"Sure," Lucas nodded immediately. Alexandra spun quickly and started to walk away, followed by a bemused Lucas.

"Why?" He asked after a moment.

"Can you be more explicit?" She asked him, not turning her head to face him.

"Why my father wants to see me at the lab?"

"He wants you to meet my parents," she sighed with annoyance. He walked faster and grabbed her arm, stopping her.

"Why?" He asked firmly, suspicious. She glared at him and looked at his hand, tightly gripped on her arm. He realized how much he was hurting her and slowly let her go, a red mark appearing on her arm. He gulped, embarrassed. She cleared her throat and exhaled quietly.

"I don't know why. I guess you'll find out soon." She turned and walked in the direction of the infirmary, rubbing her arm. Lucas followed her in silence, still ashamed of his previous attitude. When they arrived at her parent's room, Taylor asked them to stay outside for a minute while Dr Shannon was giving them their last medicines.

"Then they're free to go." Taylor said. Then his walkie-talkie rang and he left them to talk to his interlocutor. Alexandra was waiting with Lucas outside her parent's room, both sat on a chair. She felt uncomfortable being so close to him and she could feel his eyes boring into her.

"What?" She snapped, annoyed, without looking at him.

"Nothing," he smiled, looking away too, his eyes narrowing as he suppressed a laugh.

"You were looking at me," she stated.

"No, it's just the way my eyes were pointing." She rolled her eyes in annoyance, suppressing a smile. It made Lucas chuckle. He knew his sense of humor would be his best asset to conquer her.

"Yeah well point them somewhere else."

"Yes M'am."

"What is taking so long?" She asked out loud to herself, standing up.

"I'm sure there's nothing to worry about."

"You don't know that."

"Right, I don't. But I'm sure there's nothing."

"Stop talking please, you're not helping," she gestured to him with her hand, stomping. The door eventually opened and Dr Shannon came out.

"Where's Taylor?" She asked them, looking around. Lucas pointed his finger in his father's direction as an answer. "Ok, we'll wait for him then."

"Can I see them first?" Alexandra asked quickly.

"Sure." Alexandra walked into the room and shut the door behind her. Dr Shannon stayed with Lucas, it was the first time she was alone with him. She sat next to him.

"So, how are you doing Lucas?" Lucas' eyes narrowed.

"Fine," he smiled, suspicious.

"How things are going between you and Alex?" She asked in a light tone.

"I don't want to be rude but, why do you feel concerned?"

"I don't want to interfere in your life, but I consider Alex to be a member of my family, and the way you acted with her yesterday does concern me."

"We had a… kind of disagreement."

"On what?"

"You are really curious aren't you?" He chuckled.

"I know you two are having problems. Maybe I can help."

"Problems? Who told you that?" He didn't like the idea of people talking about them. Didn't they have other things to do?

"People are talking Lucas. Some of them think you shouldn't be here, some others think you don't deserve Alex. To be honest, I like you and… I think you're a good man," she confessed. "I think there's something really strong between you and her. I can't explain what it is, but I can see it and I just hope it's not going to make you have extreme reactions." Lucas looked intensely at her. She really seemed to care for her, for them. It was really strange. She was the first 'real' adult he was talking to. Skye was not really an adult and their past was quite complicated. His father, well, he was his father, he would never talk about this with him.

"Is it what happened between you and the sheriff?" Dr Shannon was surprised by his question, yet, she thought he would understand what she wanted to tell him.

"Actually, yes. We had problems in the past, we've been separated, we argued, we hurt each other, people told me to forget him, but in the end, we ended back together, because we belong with each other." Lucas was amazed to see how sure of herself she was. He softened his attitude.

"Dr Shannon, I appreciate your concern, but I'm not going to have an extreme reaction and I won't hurt her, if that's what worries you."

"Lucas, I know you love her and I'm sure you want what's best for her. My advice : give her some time."

"How do you know it's gonna help?"

"Because love always wins in the end," she smiled truthfully.

While Lucas and Dr Shannon were chatting outside the room, Alexandra was having a discussion with her parents.

"Hi mum! Dad," she smiled at them. She felt so relieved to see them again. She knew she was stupid to think something could have happened to them but it was just how she felt the whole night. "Sleep well?"

"Hospital's beds," her mother joked lightly, wincing.

"I know!" She said truthfully.

"How do you know?" His father asked her.

"Huh… I don't. I mean, it was just an expression, you know… Everybody knows hospital's beds aren't good." Her father nodded but she was sure he knew it was not the total truth.

"I still can't get used to it," her mother sighed.

"What?"

"You, having a gun. It's a little bit too extreme no?"

"Mum, have you seen the soldiers that we are fighting with?"

"They aren't there anymore."

"They are, we just don't know where yet."

"Aren't you a little bit too young for that anyway?"

"I'm 22."

"That's what I mean."

"Mum…" She sighed, annoyed. "I'm not 14 anymore. I'm an adult now, remember?"

"Can we get in now?" Taylor asked from behind her. He had opened the door, only his head was visible.

"Yes commander," her father answered quickly. Taylor and Lucas entered in the room and Alexandra noticed immediately Lucas' reaction when his gaze met her parents. He was startled, yet his confusion faded in a second, his face becoming expressionless. Alexandra looked quickly to see her father smiling. Smiling too much, almost proudly. She stared at them, lost. What was that?

"Charles, Alice, let me introduce you to my son, Lucas."

"Nice to meet you," Charles said, shaking his hand, grinning.

"You too," Lucas replied in a casual tone, shaking Charles' hand, then Alice's hand.

"I've heard a lot of great things about you," Charles started to say. "I think we are gonna do a good work together!"

"I'm sure we will," Lucas stated, tilting his head, his eyes scrutinizing the people in front of him.

"I'm looking forward to it," Charles added. Alexandra looked at her mother, she seemed embarrassed. Alice was like her daughter, not a really good liar. Something was obviously annoying her but Alexandra couldn't find out what it was. There was no reason for that, except the fact that she was going to work in the lab maybe. She really didn't know what it was and an alarm set in her mind, warning her something was wrong. Taylor, Lucas and her parents continued talking about what they were going to do during a moment. Taylor had brought some clothes for her parents, they all agree they would live at Alexandra's house. They scheduled their first day of work at the lab for the next day. Today, they would visit the colony with Alexandra. They were all leaving the infirmary when Alexandra caught the good opportunity, grabbed Lucas' arm and stopped him from getting out the building.

"I haven't told my parents what happened between us and I won't," she whispered.

"Do you think I'm stupid?" He spat harshly through gritted teeth. His reaction surprised her.

"No, it's just…" She started to say.

"What's good for me saying it to them huh? What do I get out of telling them?" He roared. He was at the edge of losing his temper. Alexandra's eyes widened in shock.

"Ok, sorry. I just wanted to be sure we were okay."

"We are. It's like nothing happened," he said coldly, before leaving her. She stayed alone in the corridor, speechless. Maybe she had been rude with him, asking him such a thing? Yet, his reaction was a little bit extreme, wasn't it? She tried to forget about what had just happened and ran after her parents. She spent the day showing them her house, the market, Boylan's bar… the whole colony, except the lab. She didn't want to meet Lucas and she was sure her father would have stayed there. At the end of the day, her mother wanted to cook a good dinner for their first evening together and asked Alexandra to go and buy more fruits from the market. Alexandra went to the market and bought a dozen pieces of fruit that she put inside her backpack. She was headed back home when she saw Lucas walking towards his father's headquarter fast, his face reflecting determination. She stopped him at the bottom of the stairs, arms folded on her chest.

"What's wrong?" She asked him directly. He looked at her, annoyance clearly visible on his face.

"What do you mean?" He sighed, looking away.

"I saw the way you looked at my parents. What is it?" She claimed, tilting her head so he would be forced to look at her.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't lie to me."

"I'm not. I have to go, my father is waiting for me." He didn't leave her time to reply, he was already gone, pushing her on his way.

"I know you are," she mumbled to herself, hurt by his reaction. Lucas could feel her eyes boring into her back.

Taylor and Damon were in the headquarters. Taylor had expressed his interrogations and theories about Alexandra's parents to Damon. They both agreed that something was suspicious.

"I observed them since we found them. Alice seemed to be a truly lively person, yet she is very shy. I suspect she reserved her reactions because of her husband. Charles is a really intrusive person. He controls everything and his obsession about the portal is really creepy. He nearly reminds me of someone we both know…" Damon drawled.

"Yes I know. But I'm more concerned by his fake kindness and interest for us. He is lying, I don't trust him. It's too good to be true, it can't be a coincidence."

"They are both hiding something, we must find out what this is," Damon sighed.

"I know exactly what they are hiding," a voice from behind replied. They both turned to see Lucas, leaning against the doorway, arms crossed. He must have been there for a while, but they had not noticed him. "And I can assure you that their presence does not bode well…" He warned them. They stared at him, worried, yet eager to know more.


So? I'm listening! Who are they? What's your theory? Hehe, the answer in the next chapter!