Title: Morgan
Rating: T, Likely to mention some things, but not enough to toss it in the M category.
Series: Zoo
Characters: Includes most, but mostly Mitch POV in third person.
Warnings: Totally AU, I wanted to put the characters in a certain situation and explore a bit.
Timeline: Season 3, sometime between 3X4 and 3X5, loosely, because certain things had to have occurred for it to work. Kind of disregards cannon after that, it would have changed too much of the storyline.
Spoilers: If you've seen it, it doesn't count as a spoiler.
Language: International English.
A/N: After having a muse on hiatus for four years, trust me, I'm willing to indulge her fancy, if only to get her back onboard making connections. I was late to the party for Zoo, the unrealistic science was a bit much to swallow – someone please inform the writers that creative licence does not include impossible alterations to DNA and unworkable uses of a jumbo jet. Both which probably contributed to the reason as to why they were losing viewers hand over fist towards the end.
Written: May 2023
Word Count: 3,304.

~*~*~* ZOO *~*~*~

On their approach to New York, Jamie's phone buzzed. She hesitantly but affectionately answered, "Morgan?" causing Mitch to turn and look at her in confusion. A sense of trepidation crept up along his back, which quickly morphed into unease and then disquiet as she turned from them and continued her conversation, "I missed you too."

The words placed Mitch on alert. Jamie never spoke to anyone like that or with such a gentle tone, well other than with him and then only during their more intimate moments, of which there were not even a handful, but never out in the open where anyone could hear. A sick sensation settled in his gut... he had never considered that Jamie could have – no, he did not even want to go there, especially not since what they had shared earlier.

She listened for some time to the person on the other end and then replied, "We're landing soon and will need to re-fuel the plane, so have Brian bring you, he knows which hanger. Tell him I'll call and confirm once we've landed. Yes, I love you too."

Jamie, on ending the call, took up the navigation tablet and said to no one in particular, "You had better strap in we land in little more than five. We'll need to refuel when we land. Morgan will also be joining us. I'll find Clem and tell her." and walked off.

Mitch suddenly felt sick to his stomach, they may have managed to touch base and even connect, but as Jackson had said, they needed to keep an eye on her. The changes in her had become glaringly obvious and alerted him that something was seriously amiss.

Everyone looked about in confusion, "Who's this Morgan character?" Jackson voiced, appearing both confused and deeply concerned. Mitch was thankful that someone else had voiced the question, for the answer he knew would cut deep. For some reason everyone zoomed in on Logan, as if expecting an answer from him.

Logan looked about in hesitation at first and then asked, "You guys don't know about Morgan?"

"Well, genius, we wouldn't be asking you if we did," Mitch snarked, uncertain as to what he should feel, especially in lieu of recent events.

Logan looked at him for a moment before answering, with a note of derision in his voice, "Morgan is the only male Jamie makes time for."

Mitch bit back the retort he wanted to blurt out, something along the lines of Logan's inevitable replacement in her life, however said in a very sarcastic tone, "Great, so when do we expect him?" Knowing he had no right to judge her for her choice. If Max had separated Clementine and Jamie, there would have been no reason for her not to go on with her life.

Logan must have thought it relevant to answer the question and said, "Once Brian drops him."

"And Brain is?" Jackson asked.

"Jamie's driver," He quickly replied, but then turned to Mitch and demanded, "How come you don't know about this?"

"I'm only a few days post tank, still catching up." Mitch replied. There were suddenly too many men in Jamie's life which left him questioning his place in it. A fist tightened around his heart and another around his stomach pushing bile back up his oesophagus. A kick to the groin would have been easier to process, because the preceding moments went against any and everything he knew of Jamie. The last time he had felt such an aversion against another had been when it appeared that Logan was close to her, and he could not wait to be rid of the man, still could not. In his mind Jamie was his and his alone. She would not do that, she would not allow another that close… it didn't make sense, it had taken them so long to even get to that point. But then it had also been ten years, and what they had shared for what seemed a mere moment in time, which had never been given time to develop.

The sound of the plane's landing gear deploying sent everyone scuffling to their seats. He looked about for Jamie and swallowed against the heavy sensation that settled over his chest – all they ever got were fleeting moments.

The plane landed and taxied to the hanger, where everyone gathered up their gear and left Jamie on board to arrange the refuelling and deal with the services and legalities. Supplies were needed for the mission, while Jackson traced Abigail's progress and location.

Mitch's feet felt heavy as he disembarked the plane, for he knew on their return the furtive Morgan would be onboard. He already disliked the man but knew he had no right to object. Technically the plane was Jamie's so she had full say on who she could invite onboard, and if he didn't like it he could always leave… But he had no idea how he would cope having to watch another man be near her. The words she had so lovingly spoken swirled round in his head, the tone when she said she had missed him as well. When they had discovered him, Jamie had been the only one he had wanted to see, she was the constant he had clung to, and she had been the most welcome sight during all the uncertainty and unfamiliarity he had experienced. But he was left just as confused as he had been when they had pulled him from the tank. He had no idea of how he could fit into her life, or even if she would truly allow him to take up any significant position. He finally understood how she could have felt after Caraquet, when her position on the team seemed compromised.

Three hours later he found himself again standing at the base of the vehicle bay ramp. Jackson had notified them of Abigail's location and that it was time to move.

Jamie's corvette was still there along with the damaged vehicle Clementine was fixing. He hesitated for a moment only to clench his hands. It had essentially been on his insistence that Jamie was included on this crazy escapade, a condition he had put forward because be wanted to remain close to her. He remembered every moment he had spent with her on this plane, how he had waited patiently for her to adjust to things after they had found her in Caraquet. Just as he had held onto the belief that she would somehow find him, and she had. Only this time round, he had been unwilling to wait for things to level out, he wanted, no, needed, to be close to her again, while everything had pointed to the fact that she was unattached. But as with every other time they got close, they were ripped apart. Only this time he had hoped that they would have had more than mere fleeting moments together before things went south…

He forced himself to walk up the ramp, she had once said to him that they had started this thing together and they were going to finish it together. She had been true to her word, so he would be as well.

He made it to the lab, but found he could not force himself to move farther up towards the lounge. He looked about the lab and then gripped the end of one of the tables. He couldn't get earlier events out of his mind, the way her body had pressed up against his, the gasp that had escaped her lips on their joining, and the way she had held, almost clung, onto him throughout… it had been real, he couldn't for a moment think of giving it up again. Frustration had him grasp a nearby Erlenmeyer flask and fling it against the interior of the fuselage. He reached for another, his feelings required some form of release or he would go insane.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," A young and unknown voice said from the gantry above, causing Mitch to turn around and look up, still holding the beaker. Mitch's brow furrowed as took in the boy's appearance wondering for a moment if he was hallucinating. He had seen this, or at least a similar, child before – when he was in the tank. Aged somewhere between nine and twelve, the boy was tall and lanky with dark auburn hair, brown eyes, and a look that seemed far too familiar for someone who should be a stranger. Someone who should not be telling him what he could and could not do in his lab.

"And why not?" Mitch challenged feeling irritated by the boy's presence.

"Unless you want to see the angry side of my mother, you should put that back." The boy said as he started to descend the stairs into the lab.

"I'm not scared of your mother." Mitch countered, trying to figure out whose child he could be, and why he was even on the plane to start with.

"You're either brave or stupid." The boy said on reaching the landing, he turned to descend the remaining stairs and added, "…I know my mom said we have guests, but no one is allowed to move anything or even work in the lab – well other than her."

Confused, Mitch demanded,"And exactly who is your mother?"

"Jamie Campbell," the boy confidently answered as if knowing that Mitch would concede to the initial, calmly worded, request.

Had Jamie adopted a kid or something? Mitch thought, especially since humanity was sterile and he could not remember her ever being pregnant or having a son. He considered it very probable, that she could have adopted a child, she had mentioned something about not having much to look forward to, however turned to the boy for the answer he needed. "Which would make you?"

"Morgan Campbell." The boy confidently answered.

Mitch frowned at that and thought, probably family, but hadn't all post Pangia kids been taken by Reiden Global? However sense cautioned him that anyone with an ounce of judiciousness would stay away from Jamie's ward.

Uncertain as to how the boy fit into the run of things, Mitch finally mumbled, "That explains the whole, she will make time for you part."

"I have no idea what you are talking about…" the boy started but was cut short by Clem's excited call, "Morgan!"

Morgan swung round in the direction of the door connecting the lab and the vehicle bay, and exclaimed, "Clem!" His eyes lit up and his face radiated joy as he rushed towards Clementine. He nearly slammed into her but stopped just in time to hug her tightly, rapidly bumbling, "I should have know it was important when the staff said mom would be gone a few days, but I didn't think she would be with you."

"We went to go get Dad, and then the others." Clementine replied and then held Morgan some distance from her, "You've gotten so big!"

Clementine's nonchalant comment for a moment confused Mitch, but he then realized that for her it was true. But, for more than a mere moment, he wanted it to be true for the boy as well. He had been so set on the idea of having babies with Jamie, they had just never even gotten to discussing it, but he could, no, had seen them having kids together – If only some idiots and OZ had not gone and dropped the gas that sterilized the world, there might have been a chance.

Mitch took heart from Morgan's appearance, and thanked whatever twist of fate had favoured him this time. The boy was not a threat to Jamie and his relationship, or whatever it was that they still had, although they had to discuss that, but he would not have to re-endure the torture that had been Jamie and Logan's friendship. The boy was not Logan. Logan who wouldn't leave Jamie alone, no matter how much Mitch wished he would. And for the second time since they pulled him from the tank, there was a slither of light in his life again.

Morgan however looked at Clementine with obvious confusion, causing Clementine to look at Mitch and state, "No one has introduced you?"

Mitch shook his head. "I haven't seen Jamie since we landed the plane."

Clementine hesitantly looked between Mitch and Morgan and then inelegantly said "Well I'd best leave Jamie to that then."

"What do you mean?" Morgan demanded turning to look at Mitch, for the first time appearing hesitant as he again demanded, "What do you mean?"

"Morgan!" Jamie's call came from the gantry.

The boy moved from Clementine, looked up at the gantry and demanded, "Mom, what's going on? Clem said you went to go get dad, but you told me my father is dead."

"And here I was hoping to explain things to you before you met." Jamie started as she made her way to the steps.

Her words sent Mitch's heart racing, he glanced from her to the boy, uncertain whether to believe events, thinking it had to be some dream or another nasty twist of fate. The glass beaker slipped from his grip as flashes of a younger Jamie and young boy flashed in his mind. Moments before everything went black. Last thing he heard was Jamie's distressed call out to him.

An unknown voice circulated in his head, "That is Jamie Campbell, don't let her see you and keep clear of her, she's dangerous." It repeated insistently as he slowly came to. He looked about the room, his room on the plane. It had to have been a dream, Mitch thought as he watched Jamie at the end of the bed, she was working on some sort of screen, her presence comforting but also confusing. If she was as dangerous as his mind was telling him she could have locked him up like Mansdale, or at the very least bound him in some way. He needed to get to grips with the situation so he made to sit up, his movement, however, instantly triggered a response from her.

She held out a hand towards him as she said, "Mitch, no, lie down. You need your rest."

"What happened?" He asked confused while looking about the room.

Jamie lowered the screen to the bed as she said, "You passed out in the lab, I think it may be that thing in your head."

"Morgan?" He hesitantly asked, needing to clarify whether the boy's appearance was a hallucination.

"He's with Clem, she's explaining things to him."

Mitch closed his eyes and pushed his head against the pillow as he thankfully said, "So he's not some hallucination?" He was not losing his mind.

"No. He's very much alive."

Mitch's eyes flew open and he pinned her in his gaze as he asked, "How? How's he our son? I don't understand."

Jamie appeared visibly uncomfortable, hesitant and uncertain. It set every nerve of his on alert, he did not want his hopes dashed… please not Logan's, they had picked him up as well.

She swallowed before calmly stating in her factual manner, "We made more than just memories that night."

He needed no explanation or expansion on that, for he had clung to those memories for years, they had made things tolerable. In his usual forthright manner he said, "I figured that, but the gas."

"We were on Pangia when it dropped. The plane was pressurised with uncontaminated air, so that by the time I came into contact with the gas, Morgan was already safely embedded. I only later learned that I was pregnant." hesitantly she added, "Look, I know you have every reason to be upset, even angry at me for it, we never…"

"Why would I be angry?" Mitch cut Jamie short. The connection they shared had never lent itself to norms or standards, thus why would it require change.

"It wasn't something we ever spoke about."

"That morning, I was planning to make babies with you, lots and lots of little babies, I just needed to find a way to tell you. "

Jamie scoffed at that and Mitch was about to take offence when she said, "I don't think it was so much the babies you wanted as the practice."

Mitch playfully lowered his voice as he said, "Oh I'm always up for practice with you. In fact you gave me a rain check to cash later, so what do you say?"

Jamie shook her head, "So much for resting. Besides we still don't know what that thing in your head does and I don't want to take any chances." Mitch felt every nerve in his body object to that. He would take any chance if it meant he got to be close to her, however was prevented from saying anything as she continued, "… besides I'm certain Morgan would also like to properly meet you."

His heart thudded as apprehension crawled its way along his spine, he had no idea what to say to their son, or even how he should address him.

Her touch on his hand focused and centred him, as she had always done. "Relax, he's probably just as apprehensive. He understands why you weren't around, so he's not going to accuse you of abandoning us."

Mitch just tilted his head and then shifted to get up. "Then let's do this."

Together they entered the lounge area where Morgan, on noticing them, rose from his seat and hesitantly said, "Mom?"

Jamie stepped away from Mitch and held her arm out towards Morgan. The boy instantly moved to her side and hugged her. Jamie looked questioningly towards Clementine who answered the silent query, "I explained it as best I could."

Jamie moved to look at Morgan and enquired, "Are you okay?"

The boy kept his gaze lowered but nodded.

"Morgan Campbell I would like you to meet your father, Mitch Morgan."

Morgan hesitantly looked at Mitch but then looked at Jamie, "Is he okay now? Clem said we shouldn't stress him."

Mitch moved forward and calmly said, "I'm perfectly alright." To which Jamie raised a brow.

Morgan looked at him for a moment and asked with a serious tone, "Are you really my father?"

Mitch was taken aback by the directness of the question and hesitated for a moment, "Off course, yes, I am."

Morgan stood taller as he said, "Well if that is true, why am I the one bunking with mom? If you were my dad you should be bunking with mom?"

Mitch turned from Morgan to Jamie as he replied. "That's an excellent question Morgan, why are you bunking with mom?" But on noticing, 'Jamie's raised brows in warning, he quickly adjusted his answer. "Well you know how your mom does not like having her sleep disturbed, and I at times work late in the lab, so it would be better…"

"Okay, you're my dad, because only my dad would know to be careful when mom gives that look." he then turned to Jamie, "He can bunk with me on the late nights. That way you can have the room to yourself."

Mitch wanted to high five the boy, who had within moments he had enabled something Mitch had been trying to find a solution for since he had lain eyes on Jamie again. However, as with everything that involved him and Jamie, he could sense her reluctance, but was willing to fight for what he wanted, "That will give us time to get to know each other."

Jamie looked from one to the other and shook her head as she said to no one in particular, "I don't know which is worse, you or your father."

"I just want mom and dad to be together."