A/N: forgive me for the late update this week.. It's been a very hectic week of Wedding, engagement, Kitchen tea and Baby shower gift purchasing and wrapping and all that drama *Rolls eyes* too many friends getting hitched or having babies.. anyways! Thank yous to all the lovely reviews! Please enjoy Promise to have more next time :-) Please enjoy the update :-)

Evan watched as Taylor closed the door, not moving from his chair. Taylor turned to face him and moved back to his chair at the head of the table. Evan pursed his lips to hide his smirk at the fact that Taylor always had to be in charge, always sitting at the top of the pile.

"I know you like being in charge but can I speak first?" Evan asked, Taylor was surprised by Evan's assertiveness and gestured that he could.

"I know what I did in the past was wrong and I did as you asked I walked away but I changed my life over 10 years ago. I needed my sister 5 years ago, I needed the security in knowing she would be the guardian of my children I sent her messages upon messages that she never received. I want to know if you purposely blocked those messages and read them or just deleted them off hand." Evan asked.

"It's not like that" Taylor said, he couldn't begin to describe his mind set at the time or how he kept going through Alicia's messages from 2150. He knew it was a violation of her privacy but he saw it as protecting her.

"I want an answer" Evan said.

"They were diverted to a subdirectory folder in the core here. I didn't read any of your correspondence" Taylor informed him.

"Right and you didn't think that I deserved to have my sister back at least a second chance in the last ten years? Does she know that you have deliberately withholding her messages to me and vice versa?" Evan said with accusing tone. He knew this was the only time he could use such a tone with Taylor and get away with it.

"We had an agreement. You walk away and no jail time. Your sister gets the career and life she wanted without having to pick up after you. Don't try that bullshit about second chances when we both know better." Taylor said defensively.

"Oh yeah some career, she's still your lieutenant except now she's your wife and having your kids. Is that promotion?" Evan asked scathingly.

"Don't make me break your nose again" Taylor warned him.

"You are such a hypocrite, you pretend to be a man so strict about the rules and regulations yet you know how to blur the lines so everything works in your favour" Evan said.

"You want to sling mud at me?" Taylor asked.

"No I want to throttle you! fine we had an agreement but it was a lousy one. I changed for the better and 5 years ago I needed my sister! And you denied me the chance to have her back in my life. Didn't you think it was odd after 5 years I suddenly started messaging desperate for my sister's help or advice?"

"No, we are all creatures of habit"

"Maybe if you had read the messages you would have known I'd been on the straight and narrow. My sister would have known I was getting married, that my father wanted me to pass on a message to her as his last words from his sickbed. That I had kids who I wanted her to know about and be the legal guardian of if something happened to me?" Evan asked him letting all the hurt and anger pour out at him. Taylor looked unrepentant but at least he looked uncomfortable.

"I was just a stupid teenager too smart for his own good who granted was a dick but I grew up. I changed and you took my sister away from me. You denied my kids from knowing their aunt the only living relative they have because I was a one prick of a teenager over ten years ago" Evan told him bitterly.

"That's right, I was protecting her from you I'm not sorry for it either"

"I'm not expecting you to apologise I'm sure you don't know how to and I'm not asking to be your friend either"

"What are you asking?"

"I not asking anymore I'm telling you. I am going to mend the fences with my sister and we are going to be in each other's lives whether we want it or not. I will play happy brother in law around her and you because I want to put the past behind us. I'm asking for a little respect and civility when we are in the same room and for my kids. They didn't do anything wrong and now you're their uncle by marriage. The past is just that in the past and I refuse to let it taint my future here. We are connected and I'm not going to make my sister choose between you or me" Evan said plainly.

There was no victory in this course except that he would get his sister back in his life and that was enough for him even though he had to put up with Taylor.

"Because I'll win?" Taylor asked a little too smugly for Evan's taste.

"No, because I'm not a selfish asshole. I want my sister in my life and if she knew what happened that night or what you've been doing the last 10 years we both lose her. It's not worth it and I don't want it hanging over my head for the rest of my life. I paid my dues. Are we done?" Evan asked impatiently.

"No" Taylor said.

"What is there left to say?" Evan asked him because he had said his piece. He was actually shocked the old man would let him say anything at all let alone have a good rant.

"It'll take five weeks for housing to become available. It'll be constructed next to Kate's house as that side of the street has yet to be started. So you and the kids are close by. I'll organise some lab space for you" Taylor said. It was his way of accepting Evan back and agreeing to the terms of letting the past lay to rest.

"Fine anything else?" Evan asked as he wanted to get back to his kids.

"Alicia's pregnancy is high risk, I appreciate you not wanting to cause her any undue stress" Taylor said.

"I assumed as much, she seems happy I guess I should thank you for taking care of her" Evan said though he was reluctant to say so. He had to start somewhere with being civil. Taylor gave a nod of acknowledgement but said nothing. "I'm not the same man I was" Evan reiterated.

"I'll keep that in mind. Also don't mention my son in Kate's presence again. The two have bad history, worse than ours" Taylor advised him. Evan nodded and rose from his seat finished with the discussion as he wanted to leave before Taylor felt he could lay down the law to him.

"Pick that one" Alicia told Olivia as they were out in backyard. There were many plants flowering and right now Olivia was having a blast picking flowers and walking toddling around the place pointing at things and babbling while Alicia correcting her while Sean ran around investigating and asking what he could eat. Alicia smiled as she enjoyed the fact they were behaving for her so far and warming up to her. They had been shy at first but once Alicia took them outside to play in the sunshine they warmed up to her.

Olivia pulled a flower from the plant she was standing at and held it out to Alicia with a happy little smile on her face. Very proud of herself as she toddled over closer to Alicia with the flower in her outstretched hand.

"Thank you" Alicia said to her as she took the flower and bundled it with the others Olivia had plucked from the garden.

"What's going on out here?" Evan asked from the back veranda. Alicia turned and smiled as she watched the kids race to him, he looked so at ease with being father.

"I ate the garden" Sean said proudly, Evan looked to Alicia with raised eyebrows.

"Obviously not the whole garden. Don't worry they are all edible and meant to be eaten" She assured him.

"Ok and you have been picking flowers?" Evan asked with amusement at Alicia and the small bouquet she had in her hands.

"Of course, Olivia has been helping me" Alicia told him.

"I hope they weren't too much trouble?" Evan asked as he picked Olivia up into his arms. She was the neediest of the two but he figured it was her age as Sean was the same when he was two.

"Not at all" Alicia said with a smile, Evan was sure his sister could light up a whole county with her smile and general glowing disposition.

"So you won't mind babysitting from time to time?" Evan asked with a hopeful expression.

"Of course, I want to spend time with my family. Speaking of I should really go check on Kate" Alicia said as she noted it had to be nearly lunch time as she was starting to get a bit peckish.

"Oh yeah, I think she went to the Infirmary" Evan said.

"I have no doubt that is where she is" Alicia said as she walked up the back steps.

"Is she going to be ok?" Evan asked, Alicia quirked an eyebrow at her brother's obvious concern about Kate.

"I'm not sure but I hope so. She needs some good news" Alicia told him earnestly. Evan wanted to ask Alicia to elaborate but felt it was a discussion best saved for when the kids were asleep.

"Oh hey Taylor said he's going to get a house built next door to here for me and the kids. Looks like we are gonna be living in the same neighbourhood" Evan said changing the topic of the conversation.

"That's great!" Alicia said with a wide smile. "It also means you can return the favour of babysitting when my kids get here"

"Definitely, hopefully they'll have more of the Washington genes than Taylor genes as I really think two girls with beards would be very unattractive" Evan quipped even giving a disgusted shiver at the thought, Alicia punched him in the arm as she laughed.

"Hilarious little bro. I'm outta here I'll be round later sometime. Try not to have too much fun without me" Alicia told him, she said goodbye to the kids enjoying their tiny little waves and cute pudgy smiles. Oh yeah she couldn't wait to have her kids.

She left the house and headed to the infirmary at a leisurely pace as she knew if she walked any faster it would look more like a mad waddle than a walking stride. The sad part about walking at a leisurely pace was that it gave people an opportunity to fall into step with her and annoy her with a million questions about her pregnancy.

"L.T. that's a pretty dress you have on" Guzman said with a smile from a distance, Alicia turned to him seeing his cheeky smile.

"Oh you think? You can borrow it after me. I'm sure the colour will be quite flattering on you" Alicia quipped sarcastically as he laughed as he fell into step with her.

"I prefer halter neck as it accentuates my broad shoulders" he told her.

"Is there something I can do for you Sergeant?" Alicia asked not that she wasn't thoroughly amused by Guzman's fashion knowledge but she wanted to see Kate.

"I was hoping you could give me a proper handover of what needs to be done while you're on Maternity leave" Guzman said.

"Ok, tomorrow 0800 the Command Centre ok?" Alicia asked.

"See you then Ma'am" Guzman said leaving her to enter the infirmary alone. It didn't take her long to spot Kate sitting at a biobed the farthest from the door. She saw grey looking Malcolm was lying on the said bed tubes and machines working to keep him stable.

She walked over to behind Kate and placed a hand on the woman's shoulder in a comforting gesture before a nurse pulled a chair over for Alicia to sit. Alicia thanked the nurse before taking her seat next to Kate.

"How is he?" Alicia asked Kate who looked completely shell shocked as she held Malcolm's hand in hers just waiting for him to wake up.

"Alive, the rest is questionable" Kate said not looking at Alicia. They sat in silence for a few minutes with just the sound of the machines churning and making noises before Kate spoke up.

"Do you know he spends a good half an hour to get his hair to stand up straight like he always has it?" Kate asked Alicia as looked at Malcolm. "He's going to be so pissed when he wakes up bald, if he wakes up" Kate said rubbing a hand over her face.

"Speaking of hair, this brunette business has gotta go" Alicia told Kate.

"Agreed, it's semi permanent so I'm stuck with it for another 28 washes at least" Kate said resigned.

"Vitamin C paste will wash most of it out" Alicia told her as she touched the ends of Kate's hair. She was trying to distract Kate as she knew that if it were Taylor in that bed she would need the distraction so as not to think over all the what if and worst case scenarios.

"That's good to know" Kate said.

"We'll do it after dinner tonight if you want?" Alicia offered.

"I can't-"

"Kate you can't sit here all night and all day" Alicia told her.

"It's only been part of the morning" Kate told her, which was true. It was nearly lunch time.

"I know you'll sit here like a statue for days" Alicia said.

"He stayed with me when I was injured, I'm not leaving him please just let me stay" Kate said in a low voice as she didn't have any energy to fight. She just wanted to sit by Malcolm's bed side and not move until he woke up. She knew it was an unrealistic task as she had work and other duties to perform not to mention keeping herself in shape. Alicia nodded and decided to change the conversation.

"I want to thank you for helping my brother and letting him stay at your place" Alicia said.

"I have the space and it's not like Malcolm is in any condition to complain" Kate said. Hating how the words sliced through her with such truth. She pressed her lips into a fine line trying vainly not to cry but failing miserably.

"He's out of the surgical bay" Alicia said noting a positive though it wasn't because he still had yet to wake up and then they would the true extent of the damage. "It's a good sign Kate" Alicia assured her.

Hours later, the kids were safely tucked into bed fast asleep. Alicia had gone home a couple hours ago returning to her home and husband. Evan went to the kitchen made himself a glass of water and looked over at the lounge where Kate was sitting staring at nowhere in particular. She had been quite subdued when she came home with Alicia for dinner. Alicia of course was the only one eating real food while the others drank their sludge though Evan saw his sister sneaking Olivia some raspberries before dinner.

"Kate do you want anything to drink?" Evan asked, Kate shook her head as she continued to look completely dazed. She had been in a daze since coming home just going through the motions.

"Can I ask you something?" Evan asked as he joined Kate on the lounge. He still found her hair colour slightly startling as she and Alicia had spent a couple of hours in the bathroom after dinner, where they rinsed majority of the brown dye from Kate's hair. Her red locks were nearly back to their original shade but were still dark in some strands where the brown refused to wash out. It made her hair look a darker auburn than its usual shade.

"What do you want to know?" Kate asked him.

"What did you do in the past? I mean your past in 2016?" Evan asked, he knew he hit a nerve as Kate sat back into the lounge and gave a sigh. She rubbed her face and gave a look of consideration before turning to him.

"I was a soldier" Kate said tentatively.

"You don't act or fight like any soldier I've ever known or seen" he said. Kate looked away and pursed her lips before taking a deep breath stalling for time as she hated talking about her past but knew she wouldn't get away with being quiet.

"My family wasn't well off, I enlisted into the Army. They gave me the funds to do my degree and I gave them three years of service. When I finished my contract I was up to my eyeballs in debt and the economy crashed. Grey Group offered a bucket load of money to any soldier willing to join their ranks and intensive training. They approached me and gave me an offer I couldn't refuse"

"So you became a mercenary?" Evan asked. Kate hated that distinction as she liked to believe she was a cut above a mercenary.

"No, I was civilian version of Special Forces. I worked in joint with the Military and my work was approved by the Government. Mercenaries have no allegiance to their country; it's just about the money to them. They change allegiances based who pays them the most and would betray their boss if their enemy paid them more. They maim torture and kill for sheer pleasure. I'm not like that." Kate told him.

"But you killed people for money"

"Yes, and frankly you don't want to know the things I have done but it wasn't all about the money. Yes, I took the job because the money was good. I paid off my debt in a year I could have easily quit and found another job but I continued because I was fighting for my country and doing what I felt was my duty. Anyway it's all over and done with now" Kate said the tone she used made it clear she didn't want to talk about it any further.

"Now you're a deputy and carrying a gun" Evan said, she knew her tone was obviously not stern enough as Evan was prying further.

"So what's the deal with you and Taylor?" Kate asked changing the focus of the conversation off her.

"It doesn't involve you" Evan said.

"You live under my roof. Taylor and Alicia are my family which means you are my family by extension. I'm involved already but I'd like to know exactly what I've stepped into" Kate told him.

~Flashback~

Evan sat in the grey interrogation room with his hands cuffed to the metal table in the centre of the room. There were two cameras in the room and a wall that had a two way mirror. Opposite him sat Taylor in his BDU's looking at him intensely as if scrutinising Evan like a cockroach he wanted to flick off his boot. On the table was the ID Evan had 'borrowed' from his sister and two plexs. all the evidence compiled from evan's late night visit to the Data Servers on the Military base where his sister and her unit were stationed. He of course was just visiting.

"You hate your sister so much that you'd have her killed for treason" Taylor asked innocently though there was nothing innocent about Taylor or what he was implying.

"I love my sister" Evan told him. Taylor sat forward in his seat.

"You love her so much you betray her trust, you steal her access card and tried to download a chunk of classified information. You know what happens when classified intel is leaked on the public core?" Taylor asked him.

"It shows the people what their tax payer dollars are doing for them. That the Military is starting wars to fund their budget so they can enlist more soldiers and provide training programs while weaponry companies and the government get massive kickbacks and goodies for invading foreign countries for their resources" Evan said.

"It gets men and women killed. Good soldiers who want to protect their country, their families" Taylor said Evan scoffed at Taylor and rolled his eyes in contempt.

"I can see whatever I tell you will fall on deaf ears so how about this as the Secessionists have sunk their claws deep in you. So I'll tell it to you straight. You commited Treason" Taylor told him. He looked at Evan "Treason is a capital offence which means the death penalty. But sadly there is enough evidence pointing to your sister to show she colluded with you which means she'll be given the same penalties as she was an accessory to your crime" Taylor told him.

"Luckily you were caught before the real damage was done. Also Lucky that I was on the base as the General decided I should handle this. Right now you are skating on thin ice" Taylor told Evan. Evan held his chin high as he wasn't going to be intimidated by his sister's commanding officer. He was willing to die for the Separatist's cause.

"I'm already in cuffs so why don't you just let me hang for the crimes I was supposedly going to commit or send me to some dark hole at the end of the world instead of patronizing me old man" Evan drawled in a dark tone.

"Oh so you wanted to be caught" Taylor said in a patronising tone making it sound like he was talking to a small child and not the teenager infront of him.

"Preferably no but here I am" Evan drawled sarcastically.

"You know why you were caught? It's because of timing. Your sister is over 200,000 miles in another country. She even reported her ID card missing and then tonight her ID gets pinged in the system for one of the data servers on the base. Here you are. What were you trying to access?"

"I'm not going incriminate myself. I want a lawyer" Evan told him.

"Right now I'm the only person standing between you and your freedom. You won't get a public hearing, no one will know you died. So if you think you'll become a martyr to the cause you are wrong"

"I don't care I want my lawyer. Just because my sister puts you on a pedestal doesn't mean I'm like her"

"That's a shame because she is the perfect example of a model citizen and soldier who has a stupid and reckless brother. She told me you were a talker so now is the time to talk. I want to know who put you up to this"

"I don't want to talk to you"

"The Separatists will fall and many will end up in Rendition camps. You don't want to go there. All I want to know is what they wanted you to steal. No names just intel and this will all be forgotten like yesterday's news" Taylor told him.

"Yeah right"

"There will be other conditions to your release besides immunity from this... let's call it a minor 'infraction' and that is you're going to leave your sister's life" Taylor told him.

"Oh am I distracting my perfect sister from following your every whim?" Evan drawled in a leery tone as if suggesting something of a sexual nature existed between Taylor and his Lieutenant. Taylor leaned across the table and slammed Evan's head onto the table. When Evan lifted his head blood was gushing from his nose. "What the fuck?!" Evan exclaimed.

"Don't you dare imply anything of your sister's character unlike you she will have an illustrious military career. She will make a difference in the world unlike you who I would say in 5 years will either be dead or prison" Taylor growled at him angry that two people could be born from the same family yet be complete opposites of one another.

"You broke my nose"

"I'll break more if you don't watch your tongue" Taylor told him.

~End of flashback~

"We talked some more and he chipped my front tooth and broke two of my fingers. I deserved it for what I said. So he let me off when I gave up the intel as long as I didn't involve myself in my sister's life again or break the law I'd not be brought up on charges. I made up a stupid argument and walked out the door. I was a punk arse idiot who didn't think of the consequences until it was too late. I thought it would be easy without Alicia in my life as she was always away on some mission but I was wrong." Evan finished he looked at Kate who took in everything he said.

"Alicia doesn't know this and I don't want her to either" he added.

"Not my secret to tell" Kate assured him.

"But now yours to keep" he said, he kind of expected her to tell him to pack up and get out of her house. But then it would have been hypocritical considering she admitted she had done worse.

"It doesn't faze me I used to keeping secrets and anyway some things are best left in the past so we can move forward" Kate said running a hand through her hair.

"I guess it's hard for you when all your secrets are no longer covered by the confidentiality laws. I could just search you up in the database and know all your dark and scary secrets" he said with a wry smile.

"Well Taylor was kind enough to lock them away from public access" Kate said.

"Can I ask you another rather personal question?" Evan asked.

"You can ask whether I answer is another thing" Kate said.

"When I asked about Dr Taylor, Lucas everyone looked incredibly uncomfortable and they all looked at you. What's the deal did you and Lucas have a bad break up?" Evan asked assuming the most innocent of assumptions. Kate laughed and covered her mouth to calm herself, she didn't know why but she found it hilarious. She put it down to sleep deprivation.

"No, you'll find out that Lucas brought in a private army and took over the colony. He was one of the bad guys" Kate said feeling sick to her stomach talking about it. "I was kept in the brig for most of the duration, Lucas was my 'interrogator' I use the term loosely" Kate told him.

"Oh, sorry" he said as he realised what a bad question it was to ask.

"It's ok, I won't go into detail-"

"Totally. I don't need to know and I won't bring up again." Evan told her wishing he hadn't asked but now he knew for the future not to mention it. He was learning there were many faces to the woman in front of him.

"It's been a while. I won't pretend I'm not still affected by him or what happened but I prefer to remove myself from him and his world" Kate said.

"Understandable" Evan said and she gave a small smile that said he didn't understand but she would humour him but letting him have the assumption. "Are you going to be ok with me and the kids staying here?" he asked.

"Yeah, I said you and the kids could stay here and I was joking at the time but I mean it now. Stay I won't be around that much and anyway where would you go?" Kate asked him with a smart ass tone. Evan smiled.

"Good point" Evan said as he had no desire to crowd his sister's place and live with Taylor. Here he and the kids could have their own room. Sean didn't need coaxing into his own room but Olivia did as she wasn't used to the house. She was currently sleeping in his bed, but he knew in a few nights she would be sleeping in the third room. He made a mental note to see if there was a place he could buy some toys or something so the room looked a little more inviting than barren.

"Look, I cannot guarantee I'm going to be the best housemate. I won't be around but when I am I won't take my situation out on you or the kids"

"I'm not worried about that, you've got the patience of a saint" he said with a laugh.

"No just the patience of a good soldier" Kate corrected him.