This Chapter is for Jemmalynette.
Alexandra has made the translation of the entire chapter. I am so grateful, there are no words.
Dear readers, thank you for your reviews. Give me the incentive to keep writing
( A few months after the Occupation )
Lucas knows that he made a lot of mistakes in his life.
But in that moment, while he is pointing the knife to his father's throat, he is sure that he is finally doing the right thing.
" This time, I'm not going to miss, father! "- he is growling - " You should have killed me. Not that you didn't try. But you are a coward, you could never do a clean job, right? First the jungle, then your fucking public execution.
You tried everything that could have killed me,without your direct responsibility.
What kind of father tries to kill his son? " he says, mockingly. Because while he is growling all this, with his voice high enough for the presents to hear him, he is holding the great Commander by the hair, pointing a blade to his throat.
Inside of the bar, no one moves. No one tries.
Lucas entered so silently, than no one even realized that he was there. Not till he held the hair of his father in one hand, overthrew his had and pointed the knife to his throat.
The Commander was surprised. More than one settler is asking to himself, if he is too old to guide Terra Nova.
The more sentimental ones, are asking to themselves if those two are finally going to kill each other and how can a relation between father and son be so messed up.
The smartest settlers, are asking to themselves how much they have to pay for the actions of that fool, and how much the rules that control the Colony will be aggravated.
And when the problems of the Taylor family will stop to involve everyone.
Nathaniel Taylor knows that his biggest mistake was to banish his own son.
He hunted a scared kid in the jungle, without any regrets.
He banished him, without swords and without food.
He thought that he would returned the next day. But it never happened.
A mistake that was followed by a long chain of mistakes, one bigger from the other.
But now the knife ( why did it always have to be a knife the sword of the snakes, the cowards, the favorite sword of his son? ) It is pointed to his throat and it would take a moment for him to slash his jugular vein.
He can't think about anything but that the last thing that he will see, will be the filthy floor of Boyland.
Skye knows that she made a mistake when she shot to Lucas, the first time that he tried to stab his father.
She knows that she didn't have a choice, but she isn't a murder.
The memory of Lucas's body that falls, nauseated her.
She had nightmares for days.
When they found him alive, it had been like something heavy had been lifted from her shoulders.
She thinks shat the relief of not being a murder, the pity that she feels for him, the shame of being the cause of the scars that cover his chest, has really influenced what happened between them.
But now she doesn't have time for the memories, or for ruminations.
Once again she held the balance of power and she was in the middle of a fight between the two Taylors, disarmed.
But she doesn't need a gun, not this time.
This time she only needs five words.
" Let him go. For me. For us " she screams, then she rests a hand on her still perfectly flat tummy. There's no need to say or do anything else.
Lucas understands immediately.
In the end, he is supposed to be a genius.
He opens his eyes wide, they are huge, Skye could see his brain working.
Then, he lets go his father, he lets go of his knife and then he throws his hands in the air very slowly.
The punch of Nathaniel gets him on the cheekbone, from the sound that comes out he probably broke it.
He doesn't feel pain, only hot on the side of his face.
He falls to the ground while the soldiers enter in the bar, probably Boylan called them.
Or maybe not, he is still behind the counter. While the soldiers kneel Lucas and handcuff him, it looks like he is looking at him with pity.
He lets them maneuver him like a puppet and while they lift him from the floor he searches Skye's eyes.
She is pale, and Lucas realizes that he doesn't even know how old is she, or when is her birthday.
God, maybe she didn't even turn eighteen. Too young to have a baby. It was stupid.
He didn't even think about it. They don't know anything about each other. They didn't think to have precautions.
Bad situation, for someone who should be on top of everyone.
" Do you know what it has been my worst mistake? - he says to her - while the soldiers drag him away - bump you against that Rover. And then leaving you there. Everything could've happened to you. I thought that the Rover could've protected you long enough for someone to find you, but i did a huge mistake.
I was too angry. Damn, a beast could've come..."
The soldiers push him out of the door, but she can still hear him " I won't leave you again, I'll do everything you want".
The people sitting at the tables start to drink again, there are laughs, sighs of relief.
Nathaniel Taylor is still in the middle of the room, he is massaging his knuckles because they still hurt from the punch that he gave to his son.
He got caught like an idiot, in the only meeting place in Terra Nova.
The gossip is already going around. He has to resize the control. Someone is going to pay for all this. First the man that should've been in front of Lucas's cell and should've controlled him.
And where did he get that damned knife?
Lucas has to serve another year in prison. He knew that the military court have been too clement with him.
His son was dangerous, and he will probably always be.
But now he has to talk to Skye. She is so pale that her eyes seem almost dark.
He gets close to her, he rests a hand on her shoulder because he wants to comfort her.
" So...the gossip about you and Lucas was true..." He says, in a abrupt way.
" It's none of your business, Commander. Or this is a crime too now?
" only If you helped Lucas escaping, that is a crime. Did you do that? "
" Maybe I did! Do you really want to punish a pregnant girl? ".
Skye smiles, while she lifts the hand that he rested on her shoulder. Then she leaves, turning away, without saying a single word.
He is not going to talk to her again in the next months.
He will se her a month later at the market with her mom, bigger and heavier.
He knows that he have already made his decision. He doesn't even know the sex of his future.
One night, after a lot of months. The commander is in front of a chessboard, in a night where the full moon fully lights Terra Nova.
Alone. He doesn't have no one to play with and the night seems longer to him.
Someone knocks at the door. He knows, that it is for Skye.
And he knows that he has to his son, who is still rotting in his cell.
He knows that he has to take a decision.
And this time he doesn't have to make mistakes.