30th October 2013 Wednesday

Day 303

I understand that some people down here had their first of their final exams. If that's any of you; good luck! You'll be fine. (Least I've set you up for next year).

Time for Zap's fear. Last chapter of the month; and then I'll be 5/6th of the way through this resolution. 100 days until the Sochi Olympics too, that's pretty cool.

Disclaimer: I'm going to be so glad not doing this on January 1st 2014.

Zap carried the heavy toolbox in his grip, though it was only held at knee height due to its weight. He smiled to his left, where Jenny was walking beside him.

"Maybe after this, we could all go up to the roof? It'd be cool to see if Max can fly or something," he suggested with a groan. Though he didn't see it, Jenny rolled her eyes as she pulled Max closer to her. The child in question kept his glare on his father, returning to his emotionless state.

Zap turned his head to their direction, raising his eyebrow. "Is everything ok?"

"Yes, everything's fine," she said quickly, rocking her child in her arms. He shrugged in response, shaking it off as nothing.

The couple advance towards the door, and just as Jenny is about to open it, a knocking is heard on the other side. Jenny shared a quizzical look with the pilot, before pressing the button to the door.

Zap dropped the toolbox with a loud bang.

"Buzz, what are you doing here?" Jenny asked with a gasp, trying to silently flick her gaze to Zap. The bug boy kept his mouth ajar at the panting stranger in front of him. Buzz stared down to the child in Jenny's arms; Max staring up in curiosity.

"Is this him?" he pointed to the child, stepping forward. Zap distinctively moved between the two, holding his arm up protectively.

"Buzz, this isn't exactly a good time," the engineer tried to whisper, shifting the squirming child in her grip. Zap looked over his shoulder at Jenny.

"Not a good time for what?" he asked, but Buzz was quick to interrupt him.

"You didn't tell him?" the bug buster murmured loudly, holding out his arms to Max. Zap slapped them away quickly, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"Didn't tell me what?" he shouted in anger. The boy turned to the clone. "Jenny, what's going on?"

"You seriously can't be that clueless, can you?" she snapped to him, allowing Max to jump in to the stranger's grip. "Surely, you've been noticing that Max's hair has become darker as he's getting older?"

The pilot had been forced in to silence, looking at how well Max and Buzz were getting along; they even looked the same now that Zap had seen them together.

"I didn't want to believe it," he whispered, more to himself than the others. Buzz stepped into the habitat, taking a spot behind Jenny. The small group really looked like a family.

"How could you think he was your son?" Buzz queried rudely, poking Zap in the chest. The pilot tried to catch the gaze of his son, or what he thought was his son. "Jenny needs a real man, who's taller than her, stronger, and better looking, to help take care of her son. We are seriously compatible; we can talk about tools and engineering for ages, and she needs the real father of her baby to be here."

He didn't want to look vulnerable in front of them, not now. His breath was increasing as Max buried his head in his real father's chest. Jenny had her gaze cast to the floor, avoiding the pilot's gaze.

"Jenny?" he questioned softly, taking a step forward. Buzz, with his hand on the clone's shoulder, pulled her back in defence. "But I thought-"

"I couldn't have the baby by myself; Dex would've killed me," she confessed, keeping her head down. "I only married you so I could have some help raising Max until I could tell Buzz about his existence."

Her eyes shot up to his, staring coldly at his blue eyes. "You were just convenient."

The pilot woke with a startle, accidentally awakening the woman sleeping beside. Jenny groaned as she woke up; eyes squinting at her sweating husband.

"What's happening?" she asked in a groggy voice. Zap looked over at her, feeling something knock against his hand. He snapped his head down, smiling as Max stirred in his sleep.

"It's pretty great that you two are here," he murmured in his wide-awake state. Jenny pushed the longer strands of brown hair out of the child's face, smiling as he turned in his sleep.

"Where else would we be?" the moment those words left her mouth, Zap reached over and placed a kiss on her lips, surprising the sleepy mother.

"Thank you," whispered the bug boy, snuggling back down in to the sheets with his son. Max curled closer to his father's chest, a smile spreading on his lips. Jenny smiled down at this, moving closer so that their son was tucked warmly between the parents.

"My wonderful family."

R&R!