A/N: A huge thanks to metube, Terra Nova- Falling Skies fan and Jim Shannon for reviewing! I love reviews they make me smile and I have adhered to your wishes to a certain extent! Lucas will be brought in and will live.. that's all I'm spoiling..Also I apologise the chapter is a bit of mess as I was struggling between what to write and my uni essay which is done! So I promise to pick up my game for next update! Please Enjoy!
A week later, Alicia came home and found Kate lying on the lounge asleep with her little primate friend on her chest also asleep. It was incredibly adorable sight. She moved to the kitchen and started on dinner. It had been a long week for everyone in the Taylor household.
Taylor had become withdrawn and more quiet than he usual was. The last few days as Mira, Jim and Kate would come back from OTG empty handed. They knew the search for Lucas's remains would take time. Lucas had been nomadic in his years OTG.
Kate had also become withdrawn in her own way as Malcolm who was still giving her the cold treatment. Alicia couldn't understand what was holding Malcolm back. Kate was like a forlorn puppy waiting for him to take her back. At least she kept busy helping Jim and Mira and when she wasn't OTG she was working with Carter and Curran. She basically supervised the construction of her new house which Carter remarked all Kate did was lay in her bath tub and slept the whole time while the boys did all the hard work.
Alicia on the other hand was perfectly fine, everything going well bar Taylor's unusually quiet nature. She knew it weighed heavily on him to lose Lucas as Lucas was his first son and also the only part of Ayani he had left in the world. She couldn't begin to imagine the pain of losing his family was affecting him at the moment. She knew it was definitely shadowing his thoughts for the future of their children.
Alicia smiled as placed a hand on her lower abdomen. There were no bump or anything different from last week that she could feel but she couldn't help but pretend for a moment before she went back to making dinner. She couldn't help her excitement and she was happy, she just hoped everything would work out for Kate and Taylor and they could find Lucas quickly and smoothly.
Taylor came through the door about half an hour later, he walked up behind her and kissed her neck in greeting.
"That smells delicious" he told her as she was currently sautéing the vegetables in the wok.
"It will be ready in another 10 minutes" she informed him as he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close.
"Anything I can do?" he asked.
"Wake Kate up" Alicia said.
"She's been sleeping a lot more lately" Taylor commented. It was true while Kate woke up the same time as Taylor and Alicia in the morning, she was also having morning and afternoon naps and going to bed early every night.
"She works too much but at least she's taking the time to rest unlike some people" Alicia said looking pointedly at Taylor.
"I have a broken humerus. I'll be out of my sling in two days. I don't need time off. you sure she should be sleeping so much?" Taylor mumbled in a low voice. Alicia knew he was worried as Kate was under a lot of stress and she had a nice bottle of pills to indulge herself into an early coma to avoid thinking. He wouldn't blame her as it was starting to get on everyone's nerves how Kate and Malcolm were acting. Well how Malcolm was acting more than Kate as the woman just followed orders with only a few outbursts of annoyance and violence which were solely directed at Carter. But the man deserved every foot stomp and clip over the head he got.
"I'm keeping an eye on her meds and there are no signs she's dosing herself to slee. If thats what you're worried about" Alicia said in a low voice.
"And how are you?" he asked changing topic.
"Very good" She told him with a smile, even though she was still suffering nausea and massive fatigue. She couldn't wait to go to bed and lay down but hunger stopped her from doing so at present time. "Now go wake her up. I'm starving"
"Good Morning Dr Wallace, I'm here for the list. Oh holy- what is with all the spiders?" Kate asked as she walked up to the table in the research lab. She would have placed her hands on the table if it was covered in many specimen jars of spiders. It was probably the best way he could communicate that he did not want her there.
"I'm going over Dr Haynes's other projects" Malcolm said as he was looking at one of the spiders under a microscope. Kate tried not to roll her eyes at how predictable that the woman she hated most in the colony would have a spider fetish another creature Kate hated.
"Right, could I please have the list?" Kate asked trying to make their visit as brief as possible as she couldn't stand being in the room with him without feeling the pain of his rejection and the foolishness of herself for thinking he would love her no matter what. It was blatantly obvious he didn't want her there as he had her kryptonite on the table.
Malcolm got up from his chair and picked up a hand held plex and handed it to Kate. She took the small plex and scrolled down the list.
"This is a lot of materials" Kate commented.
"The terminus is in very bad disrepair" Malcolm said as he watched her. She wore a grey man's shirt with the sleeves rolled up and forest green cotton wide leg yoga style pants. Her red hair was pulled back into a high bun that his fingers ached to remove so her hair would fall loose around her face and shoulders.
"Can't say I'm sorry to hear that" Kate said not looking up from the plex.
"So how long will you and Carter take to find the materials?" Malcolm asked.
"I don't know, I'll give the list to Baz and let him sort it out as I'm working with the sheriff for the next few days" Kate said.
"Carter isn't helping you?" Malcolm asked innocently.
"What's your fascination with Carter?" Kate asked as it was the way Malcolm said Carter's name. It was easy to see Malcolm was jealous. He always had the worst poker face.
"I'm not fascinated, I just heard that you and he are working a lot together these days… well that two were doing more than just working actually" he drawled, it was true he had heard talk and while he dismissed it at first his mind couldn't help but notice the sixer hanging around Kate the last few days. The way the two smiled and how Carter was always around her. He couldn't help the direction his thoughts went.
"Seriously? You want to go there?" Kate asked him with raised eyebrows as she placed the plex on the table and gave him her full attention.
"I heard the rumours around the Colony-" he started.
"Right, I'm only going to say this once" Kate said as she placed her hands on the lab table and locked eyes with him, she barely noticed that her infant primate had crawled off her arm onto the table. "I love you. I am, and will wait for you to take me back no matter how pathetic it makes me appear to you and the colony but if this is your way of telling me it's over then at least just come out and say it" she said in a low voice. Tears burned her eyes as she hated how everything was turning out.
Before Malcolm could answer jars on the table fell over on the table they both looked down to see her primate friend had scurried across the table to the microscope and grab the spider that was under the scope. He quickly grabbed it and shoved the spider in his mouth. He then began greedily eating every available arachnid specimens on the table like a kid given a free pass in a candy store.
"Oh my god!" Malcolm exclaimed as he tried to grab the primate only for it to run around the table. Kate started laughing and wincing but soon stifled it as Malcolm shot her a dark look.
"He is supposed to be in a cage" Malcolm told Kate. Kate stifled a smile as she had a new found love for her companion as he munched up the last of the spider.
"He doesn't like his cage and I don't see the point in keeping him in one when he's not dangerous or poisonous." Kate explained.
"He's vicious he tried to bite Dr Haynes on several occasions" Malcolm said.
"Yes the woman who stole him from his home, family and kept him prisoner in a cage all in the name of scientific research. If I were him I'd bite her too" Kate said folding her arms.
"Kate, get him off the table before he eats another 6 months worth of research" Malcolm told her a warning tone.
"Hey don't get miffed at me. You left him in my care. He's healthy and happy. I can't help it if he loves to eat spiders" Kate said as she picked the mischievous primate up off the table by the tail before he tried breaking jars to get to another spider.
"He ate Dr Haynes's research" Malcolm said as he rubbed a hand over his face before watching as Kate smiled at the little primate that crawled up his tail and up onto Kate's forearm. She let go of his tail and the primate disappeared up her sleeve. Malcolm had to marvel at how comfortable she was with the primate. It seemed like it was second nature to her compared to the first time the primate crawled up her dress.
"I'm not going apologise for that either. He's just doing what comes naturally to him. He's a wild animal the only reason he clings to me is for protection and physical comfort. I don't control him" Kate said.
"I know but that's what the cage is for. What if you lose him?"
"I won't"
"Really?" Malcolm asked sceptically.
"I left him sleeping on a plant at Taylor's place two days ago and he found me in the mess hall having lunch. If there was someone to be jealous of it should be the monkey!" Kate told him.
"Primate" Malcolm corrected, They stopped for a moment and both smiled as he was always forever correcting her and making her repeat names of plants until she said them correctly. It had become a thing. That was until he realised she had no problem saying the words she just like seeing him get a little worked up. Malcolm smiled as it felt like old times, he missed her and he missed them together.
"I miss you" he told her vocalising his thoughts as he took her hand in his. "I-" he stopped when he heard her phone beep. "You should get that" he told her.
"No it can wait." She told him, she pulled out her phone and turned it off and threw it over her shoulder "Please finish what you were going to say" Kate said.
"Your phone-"
"Malcolm, forget about the phone and talk to me" Kate said she wanted to know what he was going to say. He opened his mouth to speak only to be interrupted.
"Malcolm darling" Haynes sang as she came into the lab. Kate winced at how 'darling' rolled off the woman's lips like one would call a lover. "You left this at my house last night" Haynes said as she held out a Malcolm's jacket and gave a salacious smile. She looked at Kate and the scene "My apologies, am I interrupting something?" She asked.
Kate looked at the Jacket that was left behind 'last night' and Haynes calling him 'darling' then to Malcolm drawing her own conclusions now understanding why he was jealous of Carter. It wasn't jealously at all. She looked to Malcolm waiting for him to say something but he just looked oddly confused and remained silent.
"I just accidently dropped my phone" Kate said as she moved to pick up her phone off the floor. She ignored the pain from her ribs and her slight head spin from moving too quickly. "I'll get Baz to call you when he has the supplies and materials you need" Kate told Malcolm as she picked up the handheld plex.
"Kate, could we meet for coffee later?" he asked her.
"I've got a busy schedule let me get back to you" Kate said as she left the labs as fast as she could. She turned on her phone and cursed as she had two messages one from Baz and the other from Taylor.
"I hate your phone" Taylor told Kate when she walked into the Command Centre. Kate tossed the phone on the Taylor's desk.
"Take it and give me a comm. unit" Kate said in a resigned tone as she sat down in the chair next to Jim opposite Taylor's desk. Taylor and Jim exchanged looks as Kate had fought tooth and nail to keep her phone and get it working again and here she was tossing it to him. Taylor didn't hate the phone he was just saying it to get a rise as Kate usually replied with a sarcastic remark and a smile. It was a thing they would go through and have a laugh something they both needed considering the past week.
Taylor got up from his desk and moved to a side desk opening it and pulling out a comm. unit and setting it up for her before he returned to his chair. He tossed it to Kate who caught it with ease.
"You alright?" Jim asked Kate as she was acting unusual for herself.
"Perfectly fine. What's going on?" Kate asked as she pocketed the comm. unit in her pocket.
"I spoke with Mira and she said that Lucas had a hideaway in the mountains but it's about 271 clicks from here. What?" Jim asked her as she wore an amused smile.
"I still can't believe an American using the metric system like it's old hat" Kate said casually.
"I'll have you know we've been using the metric system for a long while now" he informed her.
"So roughly about 3 hours and 5 minutes in change" Kate said getting back to being professional mode.
"How do you do that?" he asked as he passed her the plex he was holding.
"I'm good with numbers" Kate said with a shrug as she took the plex from his hands and looked at the map on the screen. "But I won't be able to scale mountains in my current condition"
"I know, but there is a pulley system like what the sixers have installed there. You ready to get out of the Colony for a while?" Jim asked her.
"Definitely, I just have to drop this list off to Baz" Kate told him as she flashed the plex Malcolm had given her.
"I'll pass it on for you as I'm meeting with the man in an hour" Taylor said holding a hand out for the plex.
"Thanks" Kate said as handed it to him grateful that she wouldn't have to walk to the far west of the colony.
"We also called you in for another matter" Taylor said.
"Oh?" Kate asked.
"I want you to become my deputy" Jim said. Kate laughed like it was the funniest thing she had heard when she realised Taylor and Jim weren't laughing. She stopped laughing and looked at them.
"Is this a joke?" Kate asked as she rubbed her chest. Pain meds only did so much.
"No joke, hear me out" Jim said as he watched her expression change. "You're perfect-"
"I'm persona non grata not perfect" Kate scoffed "I'm also pretty sure a deputy is supposed to be respected not feared or the laughing stock of the people he or she serves" Kate said as she looked away.
"Laughing stock?" Taylor questioned.
"I hear the rumours going around the colony" Kate said though she was pretty sure Dr Haynes was having a good cackle. The bitch Kate thought. She rubbed a hand across her forehead and gave a sigh.
"Don't say 'no' because of other people. Just think about yourself and what you want for your future" Taylor told her. He knew that Kate made her decisions based on the popular decision of what people thought best of her and with her on the outs with Malcolm. Taylor didn't want her to say 'no' in the hopes it would get her back in the cosmic good books.
"Either way crime is pretty low and if you want to still work construction that's fine. Baz and I can sit down with you and nut out a schedule that works for you. We can also sit down and discuss the role in further detail." Jim said.
"Can I think about?" Kate asked as she felt they were determined to make her say 'yes' and right in the moment she wanted nothing more than to say 'no' and go lie in her bath tub and take a long nap before finding a reason to clip Carter up side of his head. But then the idea of OTG trip sounded even better even if Jim was going to spend the next 6 hours telling her to take the job as Deputy.
It was preferable to be completely exhausted and zoned out when Malcolm and she have their coffee and he finally breaks up with her after he explains away why Haynes was calling him 'darling' and why he left his jacket at her place last night. Yeah, I need to be exhausted or drunk Kate thought and as being drunk wasn't an option with her meds exhaustion would have to do.
"Sure I'll give you a week" Jim said.
"So shall we hit the road?" Kate asked him.
"Commander, here's the plans for the extension. It will take a week tops including the installation of new windows" Baz told him. Taylor raised an eyebrow as this was the first he had heard about extensions for his house.
He took the plex from Baz and looked over the plans. All of Terra Nova's houses were kit homes which made construction go fast and efficient. Only the plumbing, electrical, finishing touches i.e. were the time consuming parts of the house.
"I didn't ask for an extension on my house" Taylor said.
"Kate's gifting it to you. Said something about how she plans on having 6 kids in the future and you're going to retire to babysit them all. Who the baby daddy is going to be is a mystery now. Next week good?" Baz asked with amused smile.
"Are the other repairs around the Colony finished?" Taylor asked.
"On the civilian side? Yes, I want your place repaired before I devote my workers to start new housing on the east side of the colony" Baz said.
"Fine" Taylor said as he handed the plex back to Baz.
"So Kate tells me Lt Washington is stepping down" Baz commented.
"Yes, Shannon is taking her place as my second in command for the colony. Do you have a problem with command change?" Taylor asked.
"No, I don't give two shakes who runs this joint as long as I can work my own hours and have half day Friday for drinks" Baz said apathetically. Taylor had to appreciate the man's honesty, he was not into office politics he made no bones about how his job was just that a job. He worked hard and when the clock chimed at 3 pm he called it quits with no excuses.
"Good, you coming to the meeting next week or should I expect Kate in your stead?" Taylor asked.
"Will there be booze?" Baz asked.
"No" Taylor said shaking his head at Baz, the old man had no patience for sitting down for longer than 20 minutes unless there was a beverage in one hand and a meal on the table.
"Well then I'll send my second in command" Baz said with an amused smile as he got up from his chair. "See you bright and Early next week" Baz said
"I look forward to it" Taylor said he watched as Baz left the room not before he tipped his head to Alicia who was walking in as he left the room.
"Commander, the roster for next week" Alicia said as she handed the plex she was holding to Taylor.
"Thank you Wash." He said as he took the plex and gestured for her to take a seat. "Baz tells me he's putting an extension on the house next week"
"That's quick" Alicia commented, Kate hadn't been joking when she said she'd get the extensions complete before Alicia reached her second trimester.
"Apparently it's a gift from Kate who plans to have 4 kids and make me baby sit." Taylor said, Alicia chuckled as she could just imagine that conversation.
"I guess it's a tossup on who'll be the baby's father. If rumours are right then it will be Carter. Just imagine sharing a Sunday dinner with him" Alicia said with a laugh as Taylor made a face that said he'd rather sit through a sexual harassment seminar.
"Have we heard anything from Kate or Shannon yet?" Taylor asked.
"I heard your place will be finished in two weeks time" Reilly said to Kate as she and Kate sat in the back of the Rhino while Jim and Mira were in the front. They had been driving through the jungle for the past two hours or so. Most of the ride Kate had been asleep until ten minutes ago when she had woken up.
"Yep, you want to move in with me?" Kate asked. She knew the soldiers were all cramped in the barracks and Reilly was one of Kate's closest friends.
"Shouldn't you ask Lt Washington first before offering?" Reilly asked.
"We will have three bedrooms" Kate said, she had forgotten that Taylor and Alicia still hadn't mentioned their future bliss to everyone yet. It was one of the reasons Kate asked Reilly if she wanted to move in. She didn't want to live alone and she and Reilly were good friends it seemed like a good fit. "I'll talk with Alicia but I'm sure she won't mind as long as we set up a bathroom schedule" Kate added with a smile.
"If it is approved, then hell yes! It's been a long time since I've had a room to myself and not share a shower with 40 other men and women" Reilly said with a smile.
"I don't envy you" Kate said returning the smile. she moved from her seat and stuck her head in the space between Mira and Jim. "Are we there yet? Are we there yet? How much further?" Kate peppered them like an excited 5 year old.
"Just around the corner" Jim told her. Kate smiled at how he sounded like a dad tired of his annoying child when he replied.
"It never ceases to amaze me how juvenile you can be" Mira told Kate.
"I'm young at heart" Kate told her.
"You and Carter are two sides of the same coin" Mira told her.
"Don't you start about him with me as well" Kate said as she remembered Malcolm's slightly veiled accusation. She looked at the map on the dashboard and the red spot which indicated their progress.
"As well?" Mira prompted. Kate groaned dropping her head for a moment.
"Malcolm had the nerve to infer I'm cheating on him with Carter when he's stepping out on me with Haynes" Kate said she said Haynes's name like it was poison.
"Haynes?" Reilly asked as she thought she hadn't heard Kate correctly.
"Yeah, she strolled in all 'Malcolm Darling' and holding his jacket talking about how he left it at her place last night. I just wanted to melt into the floor as he's probably trying to find the polite way to say 'I miss you but I'm now with Haynes. Please don't murder me in my sleep' but couldn't" Kate said rather dramatically as she sat back in her seat.
"Haynes plays dirty. Trust me she has been after Malcolm for years. So don't listen to a thing she says, she's just trying to sink her claws in as she thinks Malcolm is fair game" Reilly told her.
"What are you going to do?" Jim asked Kate.
"I don't know, I'm having coffee with him this afternoon but I doubt it will end well. I had to see him this morning for business with the terminus and the man covered the whole table in spiders so that I wouldn't stick around and then threw a man-tanty at me because the monkey ate a few of the spiders which was apparently 6 months worth of research" Kate said rolling her eyes.
"Seriously?" Jim asked as he and the others laughed at the absurdity of the whole situation. It was common knowledge Kate had a strong phobia of spiders. That and they wished they could see Malcolm getting upset over a tiny monkey thwarting his research of arachnid species.
"Man-tanty?" Mira asked in a wary tone.
"When a grown man throws a tantrum. Man-tanty. Carter throws them all the time" Kate told her waving a dismissive hand.
"No I just make this up to amuse you guys" Kate told him dryly.
"Ok we're here" Jim said changing topic as he slowed the rhino to a complete stop.
They all got out of the rhino and moved carefully and quietly through the dense brush of the jungle below the mountain side. They could see the opening of the cave about 100 metres up and the pulley system. They followed Mira who knew her way around the traps and trip wires set for intruders. It took them a slow half an hour by foot to reach the pulley system and one by one they went to the top.
Once outside the mouth of the Cave, Jim looked at Mira.
"Ladies first" he gestured to Mira, the woman rolled her eyes as she strolled into the cave. "Reilly, stay out here and just keep an eye out for dinos" Jim ordered.
"Yes sir" Reilly said as she took up her post. Jim turned to Kate.
"Age before beauty" He told her. Kate frowned for a moment until she realised he was referring her actual birthday that made her over a century older than him in his timeline.
"Oh you're hysterical" She told him sarcastically before following Mira inside.
"Well it smells like something has died in here" Kate commented as the stench of wet earth and rotting flesh hit them. Jim coughed slightly as the stench was strong, Kate on the other hand was glad she was on pain meds as it dulled her senses otherwise she'd be gagging herself. They walked through a small passage that opened up into a large room. She flashed her torch around taking in the mixture of papers covered mathematical equations similar to what Jim and Kate had found in Escher's place.
"Probably Lucas" Mira commented as she flashed her torch on the cot in the room, lying on it was Lucas Taylor, he was filthy as he laid prone on the cot not moving. His right arm with a missing hand hanging over the edge with a dirty bandaged nub. All of him was filthy. He was gaunt and barely moving.
"So who's wants to make the call?" Kate asked looking to Jim and Mira. Mira gave the look that she was not going anywhere the cot if she could help it, so Kate looked to Jim. She held out her fist and they played scissor, paper, rocked as to who would check for Lucas's pulse. Jim winced as he lost and moved over to the cot where Lucas was lying. He crouched down and reached over to feel Lucas's pulse.
"He's alive." Jim told them.
"What?" Kate said.
"He has a pulse. It's weak but it's there" Jim said surprised.
4 hours later,
Kate, Jim, Reilly and Mira returned to the Colony with the near-dead Lucas in tow. After depositing him into Elisabeth care they all went their separate ways to shower and eat etc. then Kate and Jim returned to the Infirmary where they stood with Taylor and Alicia. Elisabeth was talking in great detail about Lucas's current condition that was not looking good.
"He's not in good form. He's suffering from a bacterial infection, dehydration and malnutrition" Elisabeth said. The medical staff had scrubbed Lucas clean and he looked better for it in Kate's opinion as she looked at Lucas's prone form and placed him on a bio-bed with vital monitors, and IV drip. She felt slightly panicked as looking at him reminded her of their time together during the occupation. She stepped away from the group as she remembered she needed to get her pain meds refilled.
"We have him a broad spectrum antibiotic, and IV fluids. I'm afraid there isn't anything more than that we can do for him except make him as comfortable as possible and see what happens." Elisabeth told them.
"Thank you Doc" Taylor said he turned to Jim first.
"Thank you for bringing my boy home" Taylor told him as he offered a hand to Jim. Jim shook his hand but said nothing.
"Wash I need you to take over the colony for the time being" he told her as he gripped Alicia's upper arm for strength and comfort. His son was back in Terra Nova and barely alive.
"Of course, make good training for Shannon. I'll bring you some dinner and check in with you later ok" Alicia said she knew Taylor would stay at Lucas's side to his son back to health or support him through his final passing. She wanted to stay with him and support him but he gave her orders and she had to follow them.
"Thank you Wash" Taylor said as they locked eyes for a moment. She nodded as she read all the emotions he was feeling clearly in his eyes. He released her arm and Alicia looked to Jim motioning that they should leave.
Taylor moved to Kate who was currently getting her pain meds refilled. "Kate" he said, Kate turned to him and gave a closed smile.
"Yes" she said.
"Thank you"
"I didn't do much" she told him, he looked at her and shook his head as he saw the dark circles under her eyes and the pain she was trying to hide. She saw the question in his eyes but before he could say a word she spoke first. "You should go be with your son" Kate said to him with a soft smile.
"You going to be alright?" he asked her.
"Survived this far" Kate joked before she thanked the nurse for her refill of pain meds. She pocketed the container and looked to Taylor. "You want me to sit with you?" Kate asked. He shook his head to which she looked relieved for, he couldn't blame her. She had a bad history with Lucas, one she never spoke about with anyone. But he had heard enough stories and he had seen the scars his son left on her.
"No, I'll be fine. You should go home and rest" he told her. Kate nodded and left the infirmary as Taylor pulled up a chair by Lucas's bedside and sat making himself comfortable as he knew he would be there for the long haul.
TBC~See you all in a week :-)