Chapter two
"Oh somebody better be dead," I say to my pillow as my Comm bud beeps.
"Gracie Taylor," A familiar voice said.
"Josh Shannon." This wasn't going to be good.
"I have something at my bar that you need to see."
Looking at my clock its five A.M "I'm off the clock call Leah Marcos."
"This isn't a solider this something else," He sound worried.
"Fine I'll be there in ten." Still in my sports bra I throw on cargo pants and tank top. Josh tone of worry stick in my brain and strap on my gun belt. Slowly I climb out of window. Our house was near the hospital and command center far away from Boylan's. Mom should be out with Dad doing the morning perimeter walk but I don't take chances. Jogging past the shops and house the colony is still sleeping only a few shops are opening I wave to people. Making it to Boylan's just as the sun comes up.
"Josh," I knock on the door "This better be good."
"Oh," He takes my hand leading me down the stairs to the bar. "Is this worth it?"
"What the hell," I look around the bar along with broken tables and chairs are people young people just waking up. "I still don't see why I'm here doesn't your Dad the dump-ass drunks?"
"Gracie?" Some one moans from my left.
"Alex." I look at my boyfriend who was bloody and bruised.
"This Dumb-ass was crying your name all night." Josh said mixing a large picture of something.
"What is that?" I ask as the frozen mix turns green.
"Wake-up juice Tom Boylan's own recipe. He pasted it down to me when left me the bar." Josh has four glass half full of the stuff.
"Gracie?" Alex said again in a pitiful voice.
Taking the drink over to him "I'm here. Drink this you'll feel better."
"It smells like feet," He said thought half opened eyes.
"No, you smell like feet this smells kinda good."
He take the glass sipping it his eyes open, publes widen "Mother of god."
"Alex what happen here?" I say helping him up.
"Well I...I..."
"He was defending your honor." Josh said holding a glass to a very bloody person called Max.
"That's sweet," I say looking for the first aid kit.
"But?" He said loudly then cringing at his own voice.
"Keep drinking the juice," I say cleaning the cut on his face.
"Gracie I love you but sometimes its just that people think I'm less of a man for being with you."
I chuckle "Less of a man. Babe, you are more then most of the men I lead."
"How, I don't go OTG or shot guns or-"
"Or save lives or make life and death discretions in the blink of an eye."
A smile traces his lips "I guess am like you in that respect."
"You guess?" I say appealing a banged to his cut.
"I'm no fighter." He said lowly.
"Really," Josh said bring up a video on his plex. "Because last time I checked you had Jack crying."
"What?"
"Look," He leaves us the plex. A video plays is low quality but I make out a few words. Alex is drinking taking it all in stride but then Jack said something that sounds like "Limp noddle." Alex smile standing up to face then just as Jack laughs a punches thrown.
"Aww," I say as Jack stumble back. He breaks the glass against Alex's face then it goes to hell.
"Damn, I did that," Alex touches the banged.
"Your no limp noddle that's sure." I say looking at the three victims just starting to move.
"Yeah," He said laughing a little.
"I have to go," I say finished playing doctor.
"I'll come by this afternoon."
After my stint as doctor I came home but couldn't get back to sleep I was wake no sleeping today. I grab a tile from the closet taking a quick shower because my parents could smell that I had been somewhere. Feeling better I started breakfast Dad would work all day and Mom was going with Aunt Elizabeth to outpost four. I would spend the morning on laundry we were running low on clean shirts. Dad would come home, fold the cloths, and put them away. Most people in the colony had a hard time thinking about Dad as a family man and not Commander Taylor the leader of Terra Nova.
"That smells good," Dad said entering the kitchen.
"I thought you were going to sleep in today." Mom said filling her plate.
"I thought so too but I couldn't sleep."
"Umm." They both look at to see if I'm lying they can tell when I am but technically I'm not. Josh waking me up to put Humpty-Dumpty back together had woken me so I wasn't lying. I was with holding bits of the truth but not lying.
"So, what everyone's plans for today?" Dad ask hoping to find the truth in my plans.
"Outpost Four for monthly check-ups with Elizabeth Shannon." Mom said eating.
"I'll be in meeting with Sector Chiefs till five."
They both look at me "I'm going out with my boyfriend today."
"Um," Dad said looking at his plex.
)()(
"We should do this more often," I say as Alex rubs my shoulders.
He smiles "We work to much."
"Sorry but I could never be a shop keeper or farmer." I was to must like my parents.
"I like us just like this," He said putting his tone arms around me. "Over worked and having no fun."
"This as fun," I say in purr. We were at my house in the back yard hammock I would read in. Alex had a house not far from here but right now it was full of people. My house at two o'clock was usually empty except when one or all of us had the day off.
"Its all that armor you wear." He said placing a small kiss on my neck.
"Now that felt really good." I turn to face him we've going out for years now and had gone as far as second base. And that was okay here were we could go as slow or as far as we wanted. Not like Mom's time when stay a virgin past the age of thirteen was weird.
"Your thinking about it aren't you." Alex asked cradling my face in his hand.
"I've been thinking about it a lot lately," I confuses.
"And," There's no wanting in his voice but a questioning.
"I'm still not ready." I say feeling bad.
"That's fine," He said kissing my forehead.
"Fine? Your perfectly okay waiting?"
He look shocked "What if I'm not ready did you ever think if that."
I laugh "No."
"Whose sexist now," He moves quickly.
"Stop your going to flip us," I say laughing.
He rocks us some more "Stop it." I say holding onto the hammock as he rocks us. Giving one final push we fall off onto each other "I told you so."
"Maybe this all part of the plan." He said kissing me.
"Oh that would be a bad plan." Dad said from the door.
I jump up to my feet "Hi Daddy."
He still has his gun that's bad "Having fun."
"Yes Sir," Alex said standing.
"Don't you have somewhere to be?"
"Yes I do," He said kissing me on the cheek.
Once he's out of earshot I let Dad have it "You goanna make him wet his pant one day."
"You should've seen him before your first date." Dad said trying and failing to hide a smile.
"The fact that you followed us all night didn't help." I say redoing my ponytail.
"You knew," He's surprised.
"I am my father daughter."
"A hungry father," He said removing his gun. "That's go out tonight Mom will be back late."
"And don't want to cook and you should never cook." I say knowing were we'll end-up.
"Commander and Gracie," Josh said say we enter the resturatant.
"Hi Josh." I say we enter the grill part of the Boylan's.
"Your Mom's OTG for the night." Its not a question but a confirmation.
"She be back late," Dad said.
"Cool," He said looking at. "Your off for the week?"
I hear the question but its polite to ask "What did have in mind."
"Well," He looks to the bar. "There was a bad fight and I need a clean-up crew free meals and a few Tarro's."
"I would love to help," I say knowing that Alex was probably on this crew to.
"Then this meal is on the house."
)()(
"I thought you were sleeping in this week." Dad said as we walk home, I carrying Mom's dinner.
"Getting up nine compared to getting up for is sleeping in," I say in inhaling the sweet scent of apples. "I love it when apple buds blooms."
"You always did," He said as we move for a passing Rover.
It stops at us "I hope that something for me."
"Your back," I say overjoyed. When I was little anytime Mom or Dad went OTG I worry till there back home. Even now I worried about them and they worried about me it was just us my family wasn't normal that for sure but then again that's why I liked them.
"Miss me bug?" Mom asked as I get in the Rover.
"Of course I did."