Author's Note: And here's chapter two of 'Riding the Storm Out,' in which Rex and Octavia do things their own way, while Esther comes to terms with the choices she made. And in case anyone is wondering, yes … the title of the story is taken from the REO Speedwagon song. They were one of my favorite rock groups when I was a teenager. The title of the first chapter came from the Blue Oyster Cult song. The title of this chapter comes from a song by Alkaemy, The Mystery. Look them up on the web … so far as I know, they only released one album, 'The Merlin Mystery.' Forward, march!
Part Two
In The Heart of the Storm
The Tregarth Homestead, Oklahoma
Same Day
"Where are they? They should be back by now," Priscilla fretted. Esther didn't respond … she was too focused on the little girl sleeping in her grandmother's arms. At least, she was trying to be. Rex and Octavia returned a few minutes earlier, both wet after a shower (at least, she hoped it was the result of a shower). Rex was obviously embarrassed, especially after he looked at Jason and Lucas … however, Esther noticed that he wasn't letting go of Octavia's hand. She resolved to have a talk with her aunt and the second in command at her first opportunity … needed to give them both a shovel talk. It was only fair, she thought, to warn Octavia against hurting Rex, and warn Rex against hurting Octavia.
And it was Octavia who told her sister, "Remember, Nat got the more potent dose. They'll come back when it's time. You okay, sweetheart?" This was asked of Esther, who nodded. Octavia smiled at her, and put her hand over Esther's, gently squeezing her hand. She did not, however, tell Esther that she was proud of her, much to the younger woman's relief. That conversation already took place between Esther and her birth mother, and that was embarrassing enough. Her grandfather actually intervened and nudged Esther to monitor communications.
She moved to the communications console, and listened to what was happening around the county. It was her first tornado, and had no idea what to expect. Her grandmother quietly reminded her that Ailsa was born during a tornado … Esther would have countered that the little girl's birth mother died as a result of said tornado, but the youngster was semi-awake at that point, and worried about the only mother she had ever known. Hearing that Mommy was hurt while on a mission with Rex and the boys, but Jack was taking care of her, helped the little girl, but Esther knew from dealing with her nieces that kids could make connections you didn't expect them to make. She would call Melanie and Alys once the storm passed … it was their first tornado as well, and while Esther had complete faith in the Hallorans, she needed to know that her girls were safe, and she knew that they needed to know that she was safe.
A glance around the room told her that Priscilla wasn't the only person worried about the two missing members. Owen and Adriane were holding hands, whispering to each other with anxious faces. She wondered briefly if Adriane would have made the same choice that she did, and then dismissed it from her mind. Only Adriane could work that out.
Esther would … The sound of a throat being cleared brought her attention back to Rex (the source of the voice clearing), and her former CIA supervisor said almost defiantly, "Octavia and I wanted all of you to know, once the storm passes, we'll be shopping for engagement rings in town." It took about thirty seconds for Esther to process what was just said. And then she actually squealed (waking Ailsa in the process … sorry, Nat), rushing forward to hug her aunt. Octavia giggled (yes, giggled) as she wrapped her arms around Esther in turn. That broke the paralysis of the rest of the family.
Esther's grandfather observed dryly, "David asked for my daughter's hand in marriage … but you aren't David, so I would never ask you to do such a thing. I ask only that you never break her heart. For if you do, it won't be me that you need to fear … it will be her sons." Truer words were never spoken. Esther didn't even need to look at Jason and Lucas to know that the boys were nodding, their expressions determined. To his credit, Rex swallowed hard and nodded his acceptance. Good. He was taking her grandfather's promises seriously. Then again, over the last year and a half, he'd seen what her family was capable of. And that brought her up short. This … this was her family. Not just because she'd been born into it, but because she and Rex and Owen were absorbed into it. This was her family … this was their family.
"It's not just the boys I need to worry about … but Octavia has promised that she's telling her brother-in-law about this. Assuming, of course, that he doesn't already know about it," Rex answered, muttering the last ten words under his breath. Esther was too busy hugging her aunt to look at the rest of her family, but she could just imagine about what kind of expression was decorating her grandfather's face to provoke Rex into pointing out, "I have absolutely no issue with hiding behind a woman in this case, since I shot the bastard in Los Angeles during Miracle Day. And we're still working out whether or not he's invited to the wedding."
"Weddings? I love weddings!" came a familiar voice. Octavia released Esther, who turned as Jack ambled back toward them. And he wasn't alone. Natalie walked at his side … holding hands with him, actually … looking exhausted but … oh. She was all right. She was really all right. Not just safe, but truly all right. Which wasn't to say that she was at one hundred percent. Natalie was clearly exhausted, leaning into Jack's side. She was exhausted, and a little pale, but she was all right. Just seeing her aunt's tired smile reassured Esther of that.
"Jack, so help me, if the next words out of your mouth are 'drinks all around,' I will hurt you!" Natalie teased, eyes glittering with mischief. That surprised a laugh out of Esther and Natalie … actually winked at her. And her smile. Oh, Esther hadn't seen her smile like that in so long! Not since … Esther stopped her train of thought as she realized the last time she saw Natalie smile like that. Not since Esther woke up in the Families' compound to see the maid called 'Tal' smiling down at her gently.
Something slipped into place for her at that moment. Natalie was at peace … with herself and with her feelings for Jack. Esther exhaled slowly as her eyes met those of her best friend. Natalie mouthed, 'thank you.' Esther just shook her head. They would talk about it later. Jack teased Natalie about being a violent woman (she smacked his rear in response, and Jack pointed at her as if to say, 'see, that proves it!') Esther just rolled her eyes, hugged Octavia one last time, as Natalie lifted her daughter from her mother's arms. Ailsa wound herself around her mother, burrowing her face into Natalie's shoulder.
"Why did you do it?" Adriane asked softly as Jack walked over to confer with their grandfather. Esther looked at her younger sister, raising her eyebrows questioningly, and Adriane elaborated, "Not, why did you send Jack after Nat? I know you love her … I do, too. I still regard her as a sister. But there was no hesitation, no second thought, not even a hint of resentment for Jack sleeping with Nat. Why?" Esther knew what her sister was asking, even if Adriane didn't. She texted a message to Alice, 'come home when the coast is clear,' because Alice needed to know that she still had a home to come to and because it gave her time to think.
At last, however, she told her younger sister, "Jack is not Owen. He didn't grow up like Owen, he didn't grow up like any of us. I've always known that. It's nothing unusual for him to love more than one person. I've realized, listening to him, that he loved both the Doctor and Rose. He still loves Ianto, just as he still loves Angelo, and he still loves Carlyon and Sophia. I know that he loves me, even if it's not necessarily the same way I love him … and he loves Natalie. I'm good with that." Adriane regarded her for a few more minutes, and then nodded. She returned to Owen's side, even as Esther's phone beeped at her. She found an answering text from Alice, 'thanks. Will head home shortly. All is well?'
Esther smiled as she typed back, 'all are well. Few complications, but all is well. Come home when able. Porch light will be on.' She was aware of her youngest aunt sidling up to her, Ailsa still wrapped around her, the little girl sleepily mumbling that Mommy smelled like Jack. Nat's eyebrows shot into her hairline, but she smiled and asked Ailsa if that was okay. Not surprisingly, Esther's youngest cousin said yes … it was just that she smelled different from usual. Nat just hugged her a little tighter and told Esther softly, "Thank you."
The former CIA analyst stroked a lock of hair back from Ailsa's face, smiling a little at the cranky little girl swatting at her hand, and simply said, "I love you." She was aware as she spoke that Jack was at their backs, and if pressed, couldn't have said if she was saying it to her aunt and best friend, or to Jack. In the end, it didn't matter. She loved them both, just as Jack loved them. She loved them entirely both too much to let Natalie burn from the inside out, and let Jack shoulder more guilt that wasn't his to bear.
TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW
Rex Matheson had no way of knowing (and, in fact, probably didn't want to know), but the sensations he experienced were far different than what Natalie Tregarth endured. He felt a burning, yes … but a burning need. All he wanted was … everything. And he wasn't in pain, he just … hungered. Yes, that was a good way of putting it. He hungered. And through all of it … the long ride home in the back of the boys' car, the near-animalistic coupling with Octavia and the more seductive love-making that followed, there was a part of Rex's mind which was horrified that he could be undone so easily. But it was more of a little whisper in the back of his mind. Instead, he indulged himself in Octavia … in her curves and her gasps of pleasure, in her vulnerability and in her strength. And oh, his Octavia was a strong woman. He'd always known that, from the moment he met her.
He just hadn't known how strong. Strong enough to raise two young boys on her own after her husband's murder, and strong enough to risk destroying her relationship with him to protect those two boys. One thing Rex learned from dating Octavia … Lucas and Jason might be grown men, but they were still Octavia's boys and likely they always would be. Maybe that was why, as they lay together on the cool floor of the Hub, both breathing heavily, he whispered, "Marry me, Octavia." Just those three words. She turned her head to look at him full on … eyed him curiously for a few moments, before smiling and nodding.
In some ways, it was anticlimactic, especially given how … tumultuous? Topsy-turvy? Just plain weird? Well, given their relationship, it was almost anticlimactic, but in this case, that worked for him. And given how things had been between them recently, it actually made sense that he proposed during a tornado. As she nodded, Octavia squeezed his hand and murmured, "Just tell me when and where, and we'll do it. Oh. How do you feel about getting married here? Dad has some contacts and I'm sure that my mother and older sister would adore planning a wedding here. If not here, there's Nat's inheritance from Angelo. I'm sure they wouldn't mind hosting a wedding. The only thing that would make it better was if Olivia Colasanto was there, but she's dead, so …" Rex stared at his new fiancée, and Octavia blinked at him, asking, "What? You know that I can be a bitch at times, and Olivia was always really good about bringing the absolutely worst out of me."
"Tave … she's dead. She can't hurt anyone ever again. Just keep telling yourself that. And if she was alive, Nat wouldn't have the compound," Rex observed. Octavia arched her brows at him, and Rex conceded, "Okay, you're right. Angelo had already disinherited her. But my point stands. She's dead, Tave, and she can't hurt World War II or your sister or anyone else. Besides, I just asked you to marry me and you agreed. I think we can find better things to talk about than Miss Malice." Octavia smirked and Rex groaned, "Yes, Tave, I did pick up on Jason's nickname for her, now can we move on?"
That just made her smirk widen … but she did change the subject. And now, they were with the rest of the family … a family to which Rex would belong officially before too much longer. He hadn't really been part of a family since his mother died. And while he would never thank the Families for bringing him first to Torchwood, and then to the crazy Tregarths, he would thank World War II … but only once. He didn't want the other man to get a swelled head.
Besides, judging from how long it was taking for Jack and Natalie to return from their tryst … well, he would leave the innuendos to World War II. And then, the pair were joining the rest of them, hand-in-hand. Jack was issuing one of his corny lines and Natalie was swatting his ass. Rex shook his head with a smile that on anyone else would have been termed 'fond.' Octavia joined Esther and Natalie as Jack went to Carlyon. The patriarch was looking at his youngest child worriedly, but that didn't stop him from shaking Jack's hand. It seemed likely that he was thanking Jack profusely for saving Natalie's life.
"Do I need to tell you what'll happen to you if you ever hurt my little sister?" Priscilla asked softly. Rex would have jumped, but that would have negated the image of a former CIA agent that he wanted to project. Besides, by now, he should have been used to Priscilla's ability to move quietly. Something World War II taught her, no doubt. Still, he nodded slowly … not because he needed her to tell him what she would do to him, but because he didn't. Even so, Priscilla went on, "My sister has been through a lot. I know you have, too, but Octavia is my sister. I helped to put her back together after David was murdered, and I helped to raise her boys. I helped to raise her as well."
"I understand," Rex answered softly. And he did. It was how he felt about Esther. In truth, he gave World War II a roundabout version of the shovel talk when he and Esther first … got together (and damn if that didn't bring images he really didn't need in his head). Priscilla nodded, and then thoroughly shocked him by throwing her arms around him in an equally fierce hug. He rocked back on his heels a bit, his eyes meeting Octavia's over her sister's shoulder. She looked amused, damn her. But he wrapped his arms around her in turn, smiling a little as she quietly welcomed him to the family … officially.
"It's quieting down out there," Harper observed, referencing the storm above them, "is it almost over, or are we still in the eye of the storm?" Rex realized he'd assumed that it was almost over, as he'd also noticed the calming outside. Damn. Harper figured out something that he'd missed. The doctor would never let them live this down. And judging from the Londoner's smirk, it was pretty clear that not only did he know that, but he would take great pleasure in rubbing Rex's face every damn chance he got.
"Good question. Esther, I know you've been in touch with Alice … text her again and warn her to be cautious if she tries to return now. Let her know that this might be the eye of the storm," Carlyon observed. Esther nodded and immediately began texting the message to World War II's daughter (something Rex was still wrapping his mind around … it was one thing to hear that Jack was technically over two thousand years old … it was anything entirely to meet the living proof, in the form of Jack's forty-something daughter). Carlyon went on, "I think we should assume that this is the eye, until we hear otherwise … so bunk down, everyone. That's why I had the Hub built the way I did."
"Oh," Jack observed with a mischievous smile, "is that why?" He actually squeaked (yes, World War II, that was a squeak, not a yelp) when Natalie swatted his butt again. He looked over at Esther (what was going on with that), and she nodded with a small smile as she once more took Ailsa from her mother's arms. Jack beamed down at Natalie, pulled her into his arms and dipped her, before kissing her thoroughly. Oh. That's what that was about, then.
TBC