Two minutes later, Aidan arrived back upstairs in the room Col. Tavington and Jae were in, followed closely by Jula and then Brant, who ambled in after them, looking half asleep until he saw the colonel and let out a yelp of surprise.
"Good god, there is a ghost!"
"No, sorry Brant, he's not a ghost; it's really the colonel." Jae said laughing at Brant's reaction.
"Colonel?" Jula said in wonderment, stepping out from behind Brant, who stood frozen in shock.
Col. Tavington smiled and nodded.
"Jula.. it's me..."
Jula stared long and hard at the colonel until suddenly, in a rush of emotion, she ran up to him, and hugged him tightly as he in turn, wrapped his arms around her.
"My god, it is you!"
Col. Tavington smiled and laughed softly.
"Well of course it's me."
"How did you get here?"
"I'll explain that later, but for now, I believe we have to get you and your sister back to the 18th century."
Jae nodded, but then Aidan spoke up saying, "But sir, I'm hardly dressed..."
Col. Tavington cocked an eyebrow and responded, "I can see that quite well, and from now on, you two will remember to observe the rules of proper evening attire. However, I don't see why you're being nearly naked would hamper me in taking Jae and Jula back..."
"Um.. Colonel.. I think Aidan thought that he was coming.." said Jae carefully.
"Well absolutely not!" replied Col. Tavington gruffly. "Ancestor or not, Aidan, you are not even half decent, and not to mention, my wife just gave birth, and there is enough male company circulating throughout my house with my brothers visiting at will.."
Aidan looked as if he were about to argue the point when Jae shushed him and said imploringly, "Dad, with all due respect, I think it might be to your benefit that we bring Aidan along. After all, it is thanks to him that Jula and I were able to make it this far..."
"Dad?" Brant questioned, cocking an eyebrow at Jae.
"Yes, Dad.." Jae replied shortly. "Don't ask."
"Well someone is getting moody..."
"Brant, shut up!"
"Jae-"
"Jae..." said Col. Tavington warningly.
Jae scowled.
"Calm down."
"Gentlemen," the colonel said, turning to Aidan and Brant, "will you please excuse us; I'll let you know when you may come back in. In the meantime, get dressed.. Oh, and Jula, could you please go with them? I do not mean to shun you, but I would like to speak to your sister alone for a while."
"Yeah, ok." Jula replied, and slowly followed Aidan and Brant out the door, closing it behind them, leaving her sister and the colonel alone in the room, staring silently at one another as the tension between them thickened unbearably.
"Jae.."
"Look, I really don't want to talk about this right now. It's really late-"
"But you're not tired one bit; I can tell. Now please, tell me." said the colonel softly, worry filling his icy eyes.
Jae snorted and glared stubbornly back.
"You said that I could later."
"Yes, but I can't take it anymore!" Col. Tavington hissed. "I tried to keep calm for a bit, but the thought that this could be something dangerous and harmful to you won't give me peace. What is going on? Exactly why do you need to go back?"
Jae clenched her jaw.
"Can't we just discuss this when we go back?"
"No.."
"That's only because you want to discuss it now.."
"Jae! Stop delaying it!" said Col. Tavington, barely able to keep his voice low as his temper began to rise with the worry. "You know what happened last time you did that."
"Jae pursed her lips and replied tightly, "I'm not saying anything."
"If this is putting you in danger, I need to know, especially if it is for my sake..."
"No, it isn't for your sake." said Jae quietly. "But I do not wish to say anything now. Please, later.."
Col. Tavington shook with pent up emotion and placed his hands firmly on Jae's shoulders.
"You will tell me, Jae Barrington." he said softly, piercing her like a spear with the intensity of his glacial blue eyes, which had become nearly white with emotion.
Jae stared back, her own gray gaze intense, but it was still no match for the colonel and she averted it, sighing as tears began to slide from her eyes down the smooth skin of her cheeks.
"Please, don't make me tell you." she whispered, burying her face in his chest.
Col. Tavington placed a gentle hand under her chin, lifting her face to meet his eyes.
"Please, Jae..."
"No, you're going to hate me for it.."
"Oh Jae, nothing you do can make me hate you. That I am certain of."
"I wouldn't be so sure about that." said Jae, beginning to cry harder.
"Well let's see then. Tell me.."
Jae took a deep breath, shaking with fear of what his reaction might be.
He's right, I can't keep it from him...
"Dad, I... I... oh god, how do I say this?..."
Col. Tavington held her tightly, stroking her hair reassuringly as she struggled to find the words to tell him that she was carrying his loathsome superior's child.
"Just say it, dear one. The quicker you say it, the less time you have to debate and agonize about it."
"I know... Look, when Jula and I left, I took a piece of the 18th century back with me. Dad... I'm pregnant." Jae finished in a small voice.
Col. Tavington was silent for a moment, his face deadpan as Jae looked up at him, fearing what he would say once he realized he could talk again.
"How far along are you?" he asked quietly, his eye swirling with an emotion that Jae couldn't identify.
"Just under two months, I think... I'm sorry... I know you said I couldn't make me hate you but-"
"No, Jae, I do not hate you, even now. A father cannot hate his daughter so easily." the colonel replied, tightening his hold on her.
Jae looked up at Col. Tavington and smiled sadly through her tears.
"Thank you."
Col. Tavington smiled and bent down, kissing the top of her head.
"It's going to be all right, Jae. I'm here for you. We're all here for you. And nothing is going to change that."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Several minutes later, once Jae had had some time to calm down, Col. Tavington called Aidan, Brant, and Jula back in.
"Well, it's nice to see that you two are dressed..."
Both Aidan and Brant scowled, while Jula smiled impishly, shouldering both hers and Jae's bags.
"Can we go now?" she asked.
"Yes, I believe so. And, I guess you two brothers can come along as well, but only because Jae said you may be of assistance and it wouldn't be right to bring only half a set of twins."
Brant brightened, and Aidan also looked quite pleased.
"Thank you, sir."
Col. Tavington shrugged.
"So, how do we get back?" Brant asked.
"Ah.."
Col. Tavington gestured to a large full portrait of himself in full military regalia.
"That portrait is how we'll get through."
Aidan cocked an eyebrow.
"Sir?"
"It's quite easy, actually." the colonel explained. "All you have to do is walk up to it and stare at it, without blinking I might add, until it begins to ripple. Then, just simply step through. I had it set low on the wall for this specific reason. Although, Jae, you might have some issues, being as you're a bit lacking in the height area of things..."
"Shut up!" Jae said in mock defense. "It's three feet off the ground and I'm five foot two. Yes, I can step through the painting, even if I look like Barbie's High Stepper Horse."
Jula laughed.
"Whatever, Jae.."
"Fine, I'll prove it!"
Jae walked over to the portrait and stared unblinkingly at it until, just as the colonel said, it began to ripple.
Creepy... yeah, I'll pass...
"Ok, nevermind, maybe you should go first, Dad."
Col. Tavington laughed softly.
"Why don't we go together? Here, take my hand, Jae."
Hesitantly, she took the colonel's hand and stared back at the portrait until it began to ripple again. Leading Jae forward, Col. Tavington put one leg through the rippling portrait as Jae stared with wide eyes.
"Tis interesting, isn't it?" he smiled.
Then pulling Jae closer to the portrait, Col. Tavington lifted her up and stepped completely through it, bringing her down on the other side into the same dark room but in a completely different time period.
"Wow..." Jae murmured in mild shock looking around at her surroundings as Jula, Brant, and Aidan stepped through the portrait, also looking around. "It's as if we never left the room.."
Col. Tavington smiled.
"You didn't. You only left the time."
Jae nodded.
"What do you want me to do with the bags?" Jula asked.
"If you leave this room and go down to the end of the hall, there will be four empty rooms, two on each side. Put the bags in the two rooms on the left; Aidan and Brant, your rooms are the ones on the right. Now please, be quiet so as not to wake anyone."
"Thanks." Jula replied with a nod and headed off down the hall with Aidan and Brant trailing behind her, leaving Jae and the colonel alone once more.
"Are you sure the lady won't mind all of us being here?" Jae asked.
"She won't as long as you don't create too much of a stir. And I think she'll be glad of some female company instead of having to deal with my younger brother, Peter, popping in whenever he pleases."
Jae smiled and shook her head.
"Thank you again."
Col. Tavington shrugged.
"I consider you family. Welcome back, Jae."