"Oh no! I forgot about Evan and the kids. Someone has to tell Evan about Alicia and the twins" Kate said as she had paused halfway through her second serving of pancakes. She was about to jump up from her seat when Jim motioned for her to stop.
"Relax, I'll go and tell Evan the good news. Stay and eat then meet me at the infirmary in an hour. Remember Taylor wants to see us" Jim told Kate as he got up from his chair, he gave his wife a quick kiss goodbye and left the house. Maddy and Zoe had left for school while Elisabeth and Jim had breakfast with Kate. Elisabeth had even remembered to bring home a serving of all the vitamins Kate was on so Kate wouldn't miss out.
"So why couldn't I see Malcolm last night? is something wrong?" Kate asked Elisabeth who was took a sip of her coffee apparently only Jim and Kate had enough room for two servings of pancakes. Or Jim was just supporting the 'put weight on Kate for the baby' campaign so Kate wouldn't feel like such a guts for wanting more than two pancakes.
"There is no easy way of saying this so here goes. Malcolm has lost over 5 years of his memory" Elisabeth said it like she ripping off a bandaid. She watched Kate carefully waiting for any response but Kate looked at her as if waiting for more and prompted her.
"And?" Kate asked prompting Elisabeth as she felt there was more and wanting it all out on the table in one go instead of stages. The pancakes that had sated her hunger were now rolling in her stomach making Kate feel like it was a bad idea to have seconds.
"There is no 'and' Kate. The reason why I told you this was that I need you to understand he believes he just stepped through the portal. All his memories from that day until now have been completely wiped" Elisabeth said.
"Will he recover his memories?" Kate asked putting her fork down and taking a sip of her orange juice hoping to swallow the lump in her throat.
"The brain is still a mystery but in majority of amnesia cases that are due to brain trauma the person in question never recovers their memory"
"So I couldn't just hit him upside the head with a crowbar and hope for he remembers" Kate said making a joke as she didn't really know what to say. Elisabeth gave a closed smile.
"No, I wouldn't recommend it. I know it's bad but on the good side it appears to be the only thing he has lost. His…" Elisabeth continued to inform Kate about how Malcolm had no problems with his motor skills or cognitive abilities were not impaired all he was missing was his memories. Which translated to everything Malcolm knew about her was wiped clean even his emotions.
"So he's a functioning human being and he can continue on as he always has but he just doesn't remember me or anything about our plans, our life" Kate said.
"I told him about you but he showed no recognition of your name" she said, Kate felt like someone had kicked her in the stomach as she dropped her head in her hands and took slow and measured breaths. The realisation of what it meant not being remembered and how it would affect her life and their future child's life. She remembered Malcolm talking about his past how he never wanted children until a couple of years in Terra Nova watching the children play and grow in a healthy environment. How would he feel now knowing he was engaged to a pregnant woman in his mind he didn't even know? What would he think of her?
"What can I do?" Kate asked not liking where her thoughts were going. She needed to focus on the good side which was that he was awake and not a vegetable which meant she just had to get him to fall in love with her again.
"I have told him a little bit about you, that you two are engaged and that you work with my husband but that's it. I thought I'd let you two get reacquainted with one another personally. I just wanted you to know what you were walking into instead of being surprised" Elisabeth said.
"Ok, I'll make a bag of his stuff to bring with me today so he can be comfortable. How long will he be in the infirmary for?" Kate asked.
"I'd like to keep him for a couple of weeks under observation so we can gage exactly what he is missing memory wise and rehab that way it isn't on you to help him get around and also for you two to get to know one another." Elisabeth said.
"Ok" Kate said in slight relief as she wasn't sure she could handle living with a man she loved deeply and have him looking at her like she were a complete stranger in her current situation. She felt conflicted between being sick and crying as she was a stranger to him as much as he will be one to her.
"Kate, you have to be prepared he's not the same person he used to be. It's not going to be easy but Jim and I are here for you. If it gets too much and you just want to come over and sleep on couch or hide whatever our door is always open" Elisabeth said. Kate nodded as tears welled in her eyes.
Baby Wash held onto Alicia's index finger with a tight grip and looking at Alicia with wide eyes through the glass that made Alicia smile the brightest smile and chuckle.
"Hi, I'm your mommy" Alicia said in a soft voice. She couldn't understand why she was so happy and yet crying at the same time. Hastings wouldn't let her hold the babies as they weren't stable yet but he said she could touch them and she was glad she could do that much even though she was desperate to hold them.
Taylor who sat on the edge of bed watching her and the twins remained silent, he hadn't left the room and while his presence angered her because of what happened and the argument how he had altered her life so dramatically to where they ended up where they were now. She couldn't deny him time with his children and thus decided for now she was going to enjoy her newborns and her and Taylor's problems would wait on the sidelines. She wasn't going to let their issues mar this moment of her looking at her girls and bonding for the first time. "You two are so perfect" she said as she was sure her face was going to hurt from smiling.
"So is their mother" Taylor said in a low voice speaking for the first time since saying he'd get a doctor.
"We have problems Nathaniel but right now I just want to focus on these two and remember this time as being beautiful and perfect than think about what you did ok?" Alicia told him.
"Just tell me we are going to be alright" Taylor said in a pleading voice. Tears slid down her face as he sounded so broken and desperate for her reassurance. She set her lips in a firm line before answering.
"I hope so" she said not looking at him. She didn't want to fight in front of her twins she didn't want any negative energy around them. She wanted them to feel that they were loved. So she decided on a safer topic of conversation. "You know we should decide on their names" Alicia said focussing on the twins as she wiggling her index finger slowly enjoying the tug of her daughter's hand.
"We have a list, we just have to cull it down or we can have Shannon and Kate do it for us. I asked them to come in so we can ask them to be the God parents I figured today would be a good day as any" Taylor said.
They had spent the last few weeks deciding on who would be the God Parents and Guardians of the twins if anything happened to them. It had been the hardest decision they had ever come to as a couple to date. They knew too many people in the Colony who they felt they could trust their children to in their demise but it was about who would be the best at the job.
Alicia had stated Kate and Guzman straight away. Taylor wanted the Shannons as God Parents. They had three reasonable well behaved children if one overlooked the eldest's proclivity for getting into trouble and toeing the line of the law. The Shannons' had experience in spades and Elisabeth was a doctor, they were able to relate to their children yet still maintain their parental power.
Alicia wanted Kate because she watched Kate with her nephew and niece. She knew Kate would raise her kids the way she would as they were similar in disposition and thoughts on the upbringing of children. She also felt Guzman would be a good fit as he would temper Kate's enthusiastic mothering and be able to work with her as a team with them both being a power team as they were both military trained. She also known him for over a decade and trusted him with her life and that of her children. He was a strong male role model.
They eventually compromised with Kate and Jim as Alicia assured him that she planned on living until she was 133 yrs of age and the twins would need a cool god parent they could go to when they needed someone to talk to but were too embarrassed or scared to come to them then they'd have Kate to go for advice.
Jim was chosen as Godfather as Taylor knew it didn't matter in the long run as Jim and Elisabeth were pretty much one unit but there was also the fact that Jim had an uncanny knack of getting people to open up to him. That and he saved Taylor's life, while Taylor would agree Guzman would make a good choice for god parent he also didn't want his children brought up with the same rigidity that he had used with Lucas. Guzman was too much like himself without the extra years of military service. He wanted his children brought up differently as he didn't want another Lucas. Not that he voiced such concerns with Alicia.
"You want Shannon to name our kids after the stellar job he did the first time round?" Alicia asked with a chuckle so he knew she was joking and not angry.
"We have a list how wrong can he get it and we'll have final say?" Taylor asked her. He was glad she wasn't locking him out completely but he knew better than to push his luck. When she was ready she would reopen the arguement and they would finish what they started he was definitely not off the hook.
Kate heard the sounds of Olivia giggling and squealing loudly followed by the movement of heavy footfalls around inside her house as she opened the door. Her eyes went wide at the disaster zone that was normally the living area as there were clothing and pillows strewn everywhere and a couple of chairs overturned. It was a mess.
She then caught sight of a half naked two year old streaking across the living room and into her bedroom where she heard Jim say 'Got you!'. Evan came out of one of the other bedrooms and smiled apologetically at her.
"Two men terrorized by a half naked two year old" Kate said as she closed the front door behind her. Jim appeared holding Olivia under his arm like a sack of potatoes. She was wrapped up in one of Kate's navy blue caftan shirts. The little girl wriggled and squirmed.
"She isn't naked anymore" Jim said as he and Evan high fived this fact.
"Uhuh" Kate said with a laugh at Jim and Evan as the two made it seem like they had conquered Mt Everest.
"Kate! Kate!" Olivia said holding her arms out for her. Her little hands were covered by the shirt sleeves.
"Oh no don't give her up. She'll just pull you into this vicious game" Evan said.
"Or maybe she just wants to wear grown up clothing" Kate said as she took Olivia out from under Jim's arm. "I do have a funky wardrobe" Kate said as she put Olivia on her hip as the little girl hung onto her neck.
"By 'funky' you mean you dress like a man?" Jim asked in good humour.
"I'm going to go get changed and brush my teeth. Olivia is coming with me while you two clean up this mess" Kate told them before she poked out her tongue at Jim. She went to her room and closed the door before placing Olivia on the ground within mere seconds the girl was completely naked and doing victory laps around the room and climbing the bed.
Kate laughed and turned to her closet and pulled out a small duffel bag and packed it with some clothing for Malcolm along with his personal plex. She then changed into a pair of olive green cargo pants with a white tank top and grey high low cardigan sweater. She opted not strapping on her gun as she wasn't sure what her plan for the day was and figured Evan might not appreciate her doing so in front of Olivia. She brushed her hair back into low ponytail by the time she was finished Olivia had gotten bored with being naked and pulled the kaftan top back on and was now having fun with the fact the sleeves were too long.
"You like that top huh?" Kate asked her as she knelt down and rolled the sleeves up for Olivia and got the little girl dressed back into nappy and tights before she picked up the little girl and opened the door to find the living area had been put back into order with Evan and Jim talking in the kitchen talking.
"How do you do it?" Evan asked.
"I let her get bored of being naked instead of chasing her around and making it appear to be a game" Kate said simply as Olivia made noises that translated to 'put me down'. Kate placed the little girl on her feet and Olivia ran and half stumbled because she tripped on the hem of Kate's shirt to coffee table and sat down picking up pens and colour sheet onto her next fancy.
"Olivia isn't allowed at Day care until she gets over her naked phase" Evan said as he watched Olivia, he felt lucky that Olivia wasn't one of the kind of girl who fell over and cried everytime.
"Seriously? I didn't know kids could be kicked out of Daycare" Kate said with chuckle. Evan laughed too as he found it utterly ridiculous.
"Yeah one of the Terra mommies had a go at me for it. Said if I couldn't let allow my daughter to run around naked as it showed a lack of discipline. This of course coming from the mother of a kid that eats dirt" Evan said rolling his eyes. Jim and Kate laughed. "But apparently when there is a consensus of mothers about something it happens and they don't like Olivia" Evan said.
"Well she has plenty of people who love her to balance it out until the phase passes. Then you have to cope with the underwear on the head stage" Jim said.
"Luckily Sean skipped that stage so I'm hoping Olivia does too" Evan said.
"I'll teach her to only put clean underwear on her head" Kate said with an evil grin.
"Please don't" Evan said with a groan.
"Speaking of disruptions did Jim tell you about Alicia?" Kate asked Evan.
"Yeah I saw the photo and I was hoping you'd baby sit this afternoon for an hour or so while I go see Alicia. Olivia and Sean are little Petri dishes of germs and premie babies need a clean environment for the first few weeks at least" Evan said.
"Not a drama for me and if they are I'll just call for reinforcements" Kate said looking to Jim.
"And I'll send Maddy, Josh is hopeless with kids. Speaking of we should get going" Jim told Kate.
"Yes, after I brush my teeth" Kate said as she raced to the bathroom. She brushed her teeth quickly and double checked her appearance as she felt nervous about seeing Malcolm. Once she gave up on her looks knowing no matter how much she tried she was sure she would pale in comparison to the beautiful Dr Elisabeth Shannon as Malcolm was back to having unresolved feelings for the doctor.
She left the bathroom and picked up the duffel bag for Malcolm before looking to Jim.
"Good to go?" Jim asked.
"Yep, let's do this" Kate said, they said good bye to Evan and Olivia and left the house. They barely made it down the first two steps when Jim started talking.
"You and Olivia are pretty cute together, it's kind of like a glimpse into what the future looks like if you had a girl" Jim said as he and Kate walked in the direction of the Infirmary.
"You think?" Kate asked as Jim took the duffel bag from her. She wasn't going to get all huffy about him carrying the bag when she was perfectly capable of doing it herself as she was lazy and tired.
"You're going to have girl" Jim said firmly. She was glad the area was clear of people as most of the soldiers were either on shift or in their houses having breakfast or whatever they did in their time between duty shifts. Either way their was no one to overhear them.
"You decided just like that" Kate said with a hint of humour.
"Yes, Taylor ordered Wash to have a girl and she had two. So I order you to have a girl but you don't have to have three or two. It's not a competition" Jim assured her.
"Thank goodness for that as I don't think I could handle having triplets or twins especially as I might be doing it on my own" Kate said with a sigh.
"Malcolm will come round if he isn't exactly warm to the idea. Don't be put off if he's an utter asshole today, remember he's woken up and found out he lost 5 years of his memory it's not all rainbows and unicorns for him" Jim advised her though he truly didn't understand why he was defending Malcolm when he was now going to have to keep an eye on the man so he didn't try and make any moves on his wife.
"Yeah. I just don't want to get my hopes up as Malcolm told me he didn't want kids until a couple of years ago which is in the 5 year memory gap." Kate said as she didn't want to hope for something that may never happen.
"He might change his mind when he knows it's a reality" Jim said.
"Or he will think I'm trying to trap him into marriage and that I'm some lowlife like Haynes who likes to surround herself with 'powerful' people." Kate said in a low voice as they had reached the main square and she didn't need anyone passing by to hear her and start rumours.
"You're not trapping him" Jim assured her.
"That's right because I don't have a ring and I'll make it clear that he has a choice to be in the child's life even if he doesn't want me" Kate said her eyes burning with tears as she truly didn't want to lose him or go through her pregnancy alone knowing that Malcolm she knew would have been happy with news when the new one didn't.
"Why not keep the baby news to yourself for the next 6 weeks like you said and give you and Malcolm sometime to get to know one another without pressure of having to make it work." Jim said between saying hello to people in the square with Kate.
"But I have that pressure on me now" Kate hissed. "he doesn't know what kind of person I am and what if he doesn't like me this time around. Let's not forget that he was thoroughly smitten with Elisabeth for years so now I have to compete with his fantasies of your wife" Kate said.
"Don't remind me. Look at the bright side at least Elisabeth and I are happily married so he'll go through whatever motions he has to and then you two will happen again. You're very lovable" Jim offered.
"How sickening was he?" Kate asked as she noticed people were looking at her. She was now getting paranoid as to what they were thinking about in regards to her.
"Pretty bad but he got over quickly" Jim offered.
"Is it me or are people looking at us in the market?" Kate asked as they reached the infirmary.
"It's you, now you have secrets again you're worried they know but they don't" Jim said with a smile as he pushed the door open for Kate they went straight for the private room which was luckily as far away from Malcolm's bed as one could get. It didn't stop Kate from his looking his direction to see he sitting up and eating breakfast. she quickly turned and continued to follow Jim until they reached the door to the private room. Jim gave a soft knock. Taylor slid the door open and quietly waved them in.
"Hey" Kate said softly coming into the room. Alicia was dressed in hospital scrubs looking incredibly tired and pale as she was lying on one side of the double bed closest to the incubator.
"Hey" Alicia said as she adjusted herself in the bed smiling in relief that Kate and Jim were there to give her and Taylor a buffer as the twins were resting.
"How are you?" Kate asked as she crawled onto the empty side of the bed and pressing a button lifting up the back so she was upright like Alicia in the bed.
"I'm ok, a little out of it" Alicia said as Kate gently hugged her hello before making herself comfortable.
"I heard it was a rough night. Having babies and what not" Kate said with mock humour.
"Something like that" Alicia said dryly as she was glad Kate was making light of it so she could pretend everything was fine. She wanted desperately to talk with Kate alone but couldn't as Taylor was playing her keeper. So she settled for just having her best friend there and leaned her head on Kate's shoulder. "I'm sorry about outing your pregnancy to room full of medical personnel and Taylor" Alicia added.
"Don't worry about it. It's not like I was going to keep it a secret forever and you were high" Kate said with a smile.
"Geez Kate, you going to jump into my grave as quick?" Taylor asked referring to her being on his side of the bed. Kate laughed.
"Yep someone has to keep it warm for you" Kate replied tongue in cheek.
"Well I can accept that" Taylor said as he and Jim drew up chairs to the end of the bed. Jim had left the duffel bag by the door in plain view so Kate knew where it was for later.
"So Taylor and I need to go over the plexwork for you and your condition" Jim said as he pulled out his hand held plex. Kate made a face as she really didn't like the plexwork the paperwork of the 22nd century. It was incredibly intrusive and very personal.
"Well that isn't entirely the reason why you both are here" Taylor said.
"Ok" Jim said confused as he and Kate weren't sure what other reason they would be there for if it wasn't for going through Kate's plexwork about her 'condition' and Taylor doing the handover for the colony.
"Alicia and I last week were discussing who would the twins' god parents and we were planning a dinner next week but as that isn't an option. We'd like to ask if you two would do the honour of being the twins' godparents" Taylor said. Jim and Kate both looked surprised at the offer it took a moment before it really sunk in with them and then Kate spoke.
"Wow, of course" Kate said with a smile.
"Yeah, I'm honoured but are you two sure about this? Me and Kate?" Jim asked pointing at himself and Kate.
"Hey! I'm offended that you doubt their choice. What's wrong with me?" Kate asked Jim.
"Nothing it's just that it's an odd matchup" he said.
"Well we just picked your two names randomly out of a hat." Alicia said dryly.
"You didn't do that" Jim said
"Of course we didn't and yes we are sure" Alicia told him.
"Just checking, choosing the god parents is a big deal" Jim said.
"You ever hear the idiom about never punching a gift horse in the mouth?" Kate asked
"I want them to be sure" Jim said half defensively and in humour. Alicia and Taylor were both smiling and shaking their heads at Kate and Jim.
"We are sure. So sure we have you first job as god parents which is making this list smaller" Taylor said handing over the plex with the list of names He and Alicia made months ago of names they liked but couldn't narrow down to just two names.
"Hold on, being a god parent is just being a life mentor and spiritual guide for the child" Kate said as she really didn't want to have it hanging over her head that she named the Golden twins of Terra Nova the wrong names.
"Please" Alicia said to Kate pleading as it was a long list and she didn't want to spend the hours with Taylor sorting through the list. She could barely be in the same room with him as right now she just wanted to scream and punch him.
"Ok, but I need a moment with my God husband" Kate said with a sigh.
"God husband?" Jim asked.
"Well parents are usually married" Kate explained like it was as simple as that and it was an actual legitimate title.
"It makes me a little uncomfortable you referring to me as your 'God husband'" Jim said making a face.
"Work Husband?" Kate offered which was Elisabeth's running joke that the two worked closely together and Jim was always buying Kate cupcakes and drinks like he did for her on special occasions.
"I'm comfortable with that as a compromise. Let's confer over the incubator" Jim said as Kate slid off the bed. She and Jim moved to stand over the incubator. They bowed their heads over the screen and looked between it and the twins like it would help their decision process. Taylor and Alicia watched as the two spoke in hushed voices and culled the list down.
"I like that name" Jim argued in a low and mockingly annoyed voice as Kate deleted it from the list. He was having fun even if he felt he was currently having no say in the name of the twins who were resting in the incubator.
"It's Dr Haynes First name" Kate told him rolling her eyes in disgust. She refused to allow either of the twins to have the same name as that woman.
"Ok it goes" Jim said as Kate tapped the screen making several more names delete. She was cut throat in her decisions.
"What about that name?" Jim said.
"Slutty" Kate sang.
"Are you seriously saying that name is slutty? It's my mother's name" Jim said in disbelief. Kate smiled sympathetically at him.
"I'm not slandering your mother who I'm sure was a lovely and chaste woman but I went to an all girl's school thus I'm crossing off every major slut and bitch's names from the list." Kate told him he nodded in comprehension.
"Oh if that's the case then you should definitely take that name off" Jim said as he pointed to a name and then to another "And that one" he added. He continued to point out a few other names.
"Seriously?" Kate asked when she crossed off another 10 names thanks to Jim and his knowledge of promiscuous girls in high school.
"I went to mixed sex school" Jim told her with a shrug.
"Why do I get the feeling you were a man slut in school?" Kate asked innocently
"I think you're mixing me up with Carter" Jim told Kate who's eyes went wide as something came to her mind.
"Oh so true which reminds me these three names have to go" Kate said.
"Why?" he asked. Kate made a derisive noise.
"you don't want to know" She told him in a rich tone.
"Ok" Jim said as he knew when Kate said the phrase 'you don't want to know' he was definitely better off not knowing.
"Now these five have to go" Kate said.
"Why? I like those names" Jim asked Kate locked eyes with him.
"Think really carefully about what kind of nicknames they would have growing up in school"
"Not getting it" he said.
"I really need Boylan here. He would understand"
"Why?"
"Because he's Australian and is practiced in the art of taking the piss out of someone and making insults and names for amusement sake" Kate told him, she leaned in close and whispered in his ear quiet enough that Alicia and Taylor couldn't hear what she was saying when she was finished she pulled back and Jim looked at her half amused and half scandalised.
"That is, no I can't believe girls would say that to one another especially to their faces" he said.
"Oh they would. Girls can be just as vicious as boys." Kate said as she looked down at the list and smiled at the four names.
"Ok, then there was four. Good work Deputy" Jim said as he smiled.
"Well it helped that you know alot of promiscuos women. I wonder how Elisabeth would feel about that" Kate teased as she went back to lying on the bed next to Alicia. Jim handed the plex to Taylor.
"That isn't fair it took us hours to compile that list" Alicia said.
"I'm cut throat about these things" Kate said
"Kate did you go to a Private Catholic school?" Jim asked innocently though his smile was anything but.
"Public, non-denominational. I used to go to non scripture during the mandatory religious period. Religion doesn't dictate how promiscuous a girl is." Kate said poking out her tongue at him.
"What are the names?" Alicia asked smiling at the criterion Kate used to choose the babies names. She wondered if Taylor's or her mother's name made the cut.
"Anna, Rei, Ava and Ella" Taylor said. Alicia tried not to laugh at the fact that Taylor's mother's name wasn't in the final running while her Mother's name did make the cut.
"Yes Jim and I did the hard yards now you guys have the easy part to just choose between those four names" Kate said with a exaggerated sigh. Taylor had snorted at how Kate made it sound like it took her and Jim days to decide on the four names when it was only about 10 minutes.
TBC~ Yay! the Babies are born what will their names be? How will Taylor get Alicia to forgive him? What will Happen when Malcolm meets Kate for the second time? Well you'll just have to wait for the next update in a few days :-)