Date: May 9th 2013
Location: Shadow + Finn's apartment, London
It was a full 30 seconds of heart thumping tension, the Celica unable to focus as Finn pulled her in a little further, their lips just about to touch, when the shrill sound of the phone rang. The high pitched noise made them both flinch, Finn's eyes on hers for several moments as the decision he faced seemed to weigh on his mind… Shadow begged him inside to ignore the irritating sound, to refocus on his current task. Her heart was in her mouth, her entire body rigid and tense as she was so near to him… so close… Though a sigh escaped the Faultless, his tire dropping from her chin as he moved back a little, making his way slowly around her to pick up the ringing device. Shadow's entire body slumped on the spot, the moment passing and the tension easing… though it only made her feel more empty if anything. She stayed in the kitchen, her mind emptying slightly as the disappointment sunk in, hearing the older car pick up the phone and answer. It was only a few moments later, his hood popped round the door frame, a more than confused look on his face.
"It's for you…. Something about… for when your babies arrive? Is there something perhaps CHROME should know?" He asked carefully, eyeing her cautiously, though she couldn't help but notice that he sneaked a peek at her sides, to which she reversed a little, before grabbing the phone.
"No, there isn't. Thanks" She answered simply, a clear dismissal for him. He took a few moments to move, reluctant as he seemed, and left Shadow to her own devices. With a small sigh, she realized the phone was still on hold, to which she then pressed on it a little to answer the call once more.
"Hello?"
"Shadow! How are you this evening? Now, after our chat earlier, I'd just like to also offer a three month subscription to 'Baby Monthly-'
Date: May 10th 2013
Location: Wren's Hangar
The deep booming laughter of the Corsair bounced around the room, causing Shadow to stare at the male plane with both vengeance and disdain.
"It's NOT funny!"
"Oh it really is… Tell me again about the part where the phone rings!"
"Wren if you don't control your husband, I'll be filing a 'Missing' report for him tomorrow morning"
"Skipper, that's enough. But why didn't you go after him? Say something afterward?"
"I tried to but once I'd finally come off the phone… he had shut himself in his room and… That was it. I haven't seen him since… I stayed in my room until he had left for work and I've not been to my office all day… His overlooks mine so I see him all the time… I just can't right now"
"Oh Shadow… I'm so sorry that this happened" Wren spoke sympathetically, shooting a warning glance to her husband as he sniggered once more in the corner.
"It's fine… I guess I'll just keep a low profile for now" The Celica sighed, though the SuperCorsair gave her a gentle smile.
"Well… stay here as long as you need" The plane offered, the car giving a small nod in response. There was a subdued silence as Wren slid a can of oil over to the Celica, the car once more nodding her thanks before Skipper seemed to recover enough to start speaking normally.
"I don't think you have much to worry about"
"Oh?"
"No… It'll blow over before you know it"
"I only hope you're right" She sighed, looking out the window to the already fading light. She wasn't sure she wanted to face the Faultless right now… it was much too awkward for her, and only confused her mind further. Does this mean he did like her? Or that he was caught up in the moment, for it to lead into possible regret and embarrassment later? Who knew. The next few days, Shadow spent helping Wren in the medical bay, refusing to go to her apartment. She could see from the mirrored windows that Finn would often glide past her normal office, peeking in and waiting for a small while like he usually did after work, only to realize that yet again she wasn't appearing, before giving up and going home. She felt bad… but she wasn't sure what else to do right now short of actually mentioning the incident… which Shadow didn't seem keen on doing.
It was in the afternoon of her third day, Shadow was in town once more to get supplies for Wren, speeding past the baby shop with some sharp revs, determined not to be caught by the salescar again, when Finn's figure seemed to appear from nowhere, the two almost colliding due to Shadow's speed. She managed to stop a few inches in front, Finn seeming unfazed by the action, a gentle yet suave smile on his face. A moment passed where they looked to one another in silence, Shadow opening her mouth to speak hesitantly, though the Faultless cut her off.
"We're running out of the nice car soap at home. You know, the one you like" His tone was light and friendly, and didn't seem to hint at any embarrassment or awkwardness on his end.
"We are?" She asked in a half mumble, glancing around her in order to distract herself.
"How have you been feeding yourself?" He asked suddenly, concern finally flitting onto his face. "I haven't seen you in 3 days, but your tracker said you were around so-"
"I've been at Wren's, I'm ok" She answered, giving him a small smile in return. He seemed concerned, at least.
"Good…. Good." He murmured, nodding his hood slightly as he too looked away now. It only took a moment for him to regain his confident exterior, seemingly happier with her explanation.
"I was just about to go to that small cafe near CHROME… the one we used to go to all the time, remember? Would you care to join me?" The car now spoke, his smile almost infectious to the Celica.
"Sure… yeah I'd… like that" She returned his gaze for a moment, before turning around to face the direction he was headed in.
"I think I must have skipped lunch today" Shadow admitted now, falling in her usual place next to him, the feeling of normality returning. She was grateful that he seemed to be acting normal, as she wouldn't have been able to stand the idea of at least not being his friend… Though the image of him being romantic and having attachments to other women… it made her feel a little queasy. She had to keep reminding herself that Finn was in no way attached to her.. She had no right to act as a jealous lover would, despite her own feelings and emotions. She made a mental note in her mind that soon, things would be forgotten about, and hopefully, she could move on from this mess.
Date: July 1st 2013
Location: Wrens' Hangar
The dawn was breaking over yet another day in London, the streets stirring to life as the early risers began their daily commute to workplaces all over the city. Once such riser was Wren, the kicks of her babies having kept her up half the night, she figured why not get up a couple of hours early. Skipper was usually up at this time, as his old naval routine was still within his body clock, waking him up to all sorts of noises and times in the night. He was standing outside, watching the day roll in, though hearing Wren move about caused him to turn and greet her, rolling back in the house to nuzzle her nose gently. Their mornings were never usually chatty, though they didn't have to be. A few more minutes passed and Wren was ready to leave, beginning to say her goodbyes to the male plane when she paused for a moment, something not feeling quite right. She couldn't place what it was immediately, something just feeling off in the way she was, but her confusion was answered when a cramping pain seized her body, taking her breath away immediately. Her gaze flew to Skipper, who was at her side in an instant, seeing the pain etched on his wife's' face. Another cramp caused her to cry out in pain, the worried Corsair beginning to panic at the sudden urgency of the situation. Several thoughts flew through his mind… It couldn't be happening now. She still had two months to go…
11am. It was never like Wren to be this late. The young agent kept flicking her gaze through her office window, toward the Medical area where she knew the plane was supposed to be, almost as if she would catch Wren wandering in. The Celica sat for a few moments pondering, tapping her tire on the floor as she tried to think in her mind of what could have possibly made her this late… with no call, no anything. Shadow was growing impatient with worry, finally relenting with the paperwork she had been doing for the past 3 hours, and slowly driving to the Medical Bay, poking her hood in as the familiar disinfectant smell greeted her. Wren's clocking in sheet remained untouched, causing Shadow to once more feel disappointed, and even more worried, even though she knew the likelihood was that Wren still wasn't here. A figure passing near caused her to reverse a little and look round, seeing Phil before her, an almost sad expression on his face.
"She won't be in today" He simply stated with a gentle voice, gazing at the checking in board. The celica watched the green Mini for a moment, frowning slightly.
"You know what's going on?"
"Yeah… She's in labour"
"What?!"
"Well she's pregnant with four.. It was bound to happen early"
"Will she be okay? Is she at the hospital? Did she-"
"Shadow, she's the head medic here…. I'm sure she knows what she's doing. She has to, she's having his kids after all" He replied, but something about his tone made her silent.
"Is… everything okay-"
"Listen Shadow, don't ever sit and watch those you love just slip away, okay? If you have something to say to someone, you say it" Phil continued, ignoring the Celica's question. At his words, her mind instantly flew to Finn, and how she still had things under wraps… unsure of where they were right now. But… how did Phil know about them? Perhaps an educated guess?
"I… Well I've tried to-"
"No matter what, you SAY something before it's too late. One day they will be out of our grasp and into someone else's"
"Well, maybe not always someone else-"
"That's what happens… You're slow…. And you miss out on the most beautiful thing that you've ever looked at…"
It was here that Shadow's eyes widened just a little bit. He wasn't meaning her and Finn….
"You…. Wren?" She seemed put together the pieces in her mind. Him and Wren. He loved Wren. The Mini seemed to see her match up the details in her mind, a desperate look on his face.
"Shadow you can't tell her!"
"Tell her what, Iknownothingokay?"
"Please! She cannot know!"
"She won't! I havenoideawhatyou'retalkingaboutanyway"
Phil seemed to relax here, sighing out a little as he slumped on his tires a little more.
"It's just…. Everything she does… It's graceful to look at…"
"Um…. okay"
"The way she files her papers in that neat order…"
"Ahem.. yeah that's…. That's hot alright"
"The way she gazes over the charts…"
"..."
"Even the way she demands things… it's so attractive…"
"...This is a nice carpet"
"She always demands her tea a certain way…"
"This carpet is nicer than the one in my office"
"I sometimes deliberately get it wrong so she can give me some of her attention…. Even if it's shouting"
"I bet Wren prefers tiled flooring though"
"I'm always around to watch her work… when she's assessing me… Chrysler I love those days…."
"I bet tiled floors are easier to clean"
"Just her and me… her watching every move I make…."
"Chrysler Phil, get it together"
"My name is not Phil"
"...What?"
"My name isn't Phil"
"...Um…. So what is it then? Please don't say something like 2013xox or something-"
"No! It's Sebastian"
"Sebastian"
"Yes"
"... So WHY are you going round with Phil as your name?"
"Because Wren prefers it"
"...Oh of course, silly me" The Celica responded sarcastically, earning a wary glance from the doctor.
"I'm being serious…. It happened when I first started… Wren decided that the name Sebastian couldn't be shouted efficiently in anger, so she renamed me to Phil"
The Celica could only stare at Phil/Sebastian for a moment, unsure of how to progress the conversation from where they were currently at.
"...Wow…. okay….You know what…. Uh…. I think… I think Finn's calling me…" She started to back out the medical area now, giving Not-Phil a smile.
"Again… please don't tell Wren!"
"Ohhhh don't worry… I have a feeling it won't get mentioned…." Shadow assured him, before turning and bolting toward her office. Wren was a married plane! There was no way she was going to bring THAT up. As she drove back with a rather rapid speed, she finally spotted Finn, driving toward her with his usual suave smile. Within moments, she had dragged him off to one side, much to his surprise.
"Carlisle what's going-"
"Wren's in labour!" She blurted, scanning his face for any shock or surprise. Instead, his expression remained calm, his smile growing a little more.
"Oh she is? That's good news!"
"No! No it's not! She's two months early! I've heard nothing it's been hours! ….. She's in trouble I can feel it"
"Shadow… these things take time… She's a medic, I'm sure she knows what she's doing"
"Finn, she could be-"
"I'm 100% certain she's fine… Some labours can take 24 hours! Some even longer-"
"Oh Chrysler my friend is dead"
"No… Shadow that's not what I-"
"I need to make sure she's okay!" She announced again, reversing quickly and going to turn, before Finn dived into her path, a stern look on his face.
"I'm afraid I have to put my tire down. You cannot get involved here. Leave her be, and she'll call you when she's ready"
"But-"
"No 'Buts'... Come along, Shadow… I need you to help me with some mission details" He said with another stern tone, one he rarely used with Shadow, though let her know when he was being serious.
"...Alright.." Came the reply, before Shadow was unwillingly carted off, watching the Medical bay with worry etched on her face.
The day passed slower than it ever could have done, Wren's sudden absence being felt throughout CHROME. For most, it felt like they could come and go from the medical bay freely now, with no stares or feeling intimidated by the giant plane, though for Shadow, it was more like the day from hell. She wanted to know Wren was okay… why hadn't Skipper called? Finn noticed each time that Shadow wistfully looked to the door, deliberately keeping her distracted enough to stop her from leaving. When it came round to finishing time, Finn was quick to say that he had dinner planned early, leaving with Shadow in tow before she had a chance to argue. Throughout the evening, the Celica was quiet, and it was fair to say that the Faultless was beginning to get a little worried about her. She was usually at least happy looking, not letting much phase her, and he always found her happiness infectious. Though now, she was lazily pushing her dinner around her plate, not having said anything for a few hours. He watched her for a moment, a slight sigh leaving him as he went to speak, when the shrill call of the dreaded phone once more went off, causing both cars to jump. Shadow's reaction was immediate, making a dive for the phone, though was abruptly cut off by Finn, whom had been closer anyway.
"Keep it together Carlisle" He said quickly to her, nudging her away before he answered. Finn's reactions to the caller were minimum, the older agent giving nothing away as Shadow circled nervously… was it Wren? She tried to creep in closer, though each time, Finn would move away again, her engine causing too much noise to be able to hear properly. Not too long after, he put the phone down, turning to her and smiling gently.
"Who was it?" She asked, trying to remain cool for the moment, Finn's body language giving nothing away.
"Skipper" He said with a soft smile, beginning to move away from her. Shadow's eyes widened immediately, launching into a set series of questions.
"Is it Wren? Is she ok? Has she had the babies? Are they all alright? What's going on?" She blurted, though Finn once more said nothing, watching him move toward the front door. He glanced over to Shadow for a moment, another smile.
"You coming then?"
The Celica didn't need asking twice, rushing forward and following her mission partner out the door, and outside within minutes. Finn traveled at a leisurely pace, with Shadow pulling forward, then stopping and waiting… then pulling forward again and stopping and waiting…. Being repeated over and over until they hit the driveway that led up to Wren's hangar, the Celica bolting forward and pausing, thinking that hammering the door down might not be the best idea. Her tire hovered over the door, before softly rapping on it, much to Finn's surprise. Moments later, Skipper answered, looking tired and worn out… but happy. A smile was etched on his face despite the clear lack of sleep, the car looking to him with questions clear on her face.
"She's in the bedroom… stay quiet though… mother and babies are sleeping" He said in a hushed gentle tone, leading the two cars into the hangar now. Shadow followed the Corsair closely, finally spotting Wren in the bedroom as he moved away to let Shadow through. Nestled around the SuperCorsiar were four small babies, all sleeping also, occasional flicks of their rudders occurring in their dream state. Shadow smiled, seeing the peaceful scene before her…. It instantly made her feel broody. She slipped forward, keeping quiet in order not to wake any, Finn paused in the doorway with Skipper.
"Two girls and two boys…" Skipper started, as Finn glanced up with a casual smile.
"You must be ever so proud" The agent spoke in a low tone, to which Skipper nodded.
"Oh I am… Very much"
Shadow approached the sleeping planes carefully, hearing the soft chirps of the babies as they wriggled a little, one apparently trying to get comfortable and disturbing its siblings. One of the lighter coloured babies opened her eyes after a few moments, spying the Celica in front of them from her position on the giant pillow that they were all laying on. Within moments, she was chirping a little louder, kicking her small tires out in surprise, slipping forward as she did so. Within seconds Shadow was there, using her hood to catch the falling baby and push her gently back under Wrens wing. In delight, the baby made a small gurgle, before sucking on Shadow's hood slightly, much to her amusement. Meanwhile, Finn and Skipper watched from the door, the older agent watching the Celica with a fond expression, having inched forward slightly. He wanted to join Shadow… though something held him back. Skipper, having seen the hesitation, nudged the car, motioning with his nose to join his companion to have a closer look. The Faultless approached slowly, slipping next to Shadow as she rolled back, trying to get the baby to stay in place.
"Finn they're adorable…. " She whispered, her eyes unable to tear away from all the small planes, Finn's smile only increasing when he saw the look on her face.
"They are… you're right" He replied just as quietly, though he seemed more focused on watching her reactions as she cooed over them. Wren stirred now, opening her eyes slightly before seeing the cars stood before her, stretching out her elevators to ease the cramping. Shadow saw the movement, and looked up to Wren, her smile growing.
"Hey! How you feeling?" She asked carefully, her eyes dropping constantly to watch the babies.
"Like I've been hit with a LOT of cricket bats…." Wren groaned, though there was a smile playing at her lips.
"You had an escapee… Though the amazing Auntie Shadow saved the day" Shadow smiled, causing Wren to chuckle tiredly.
"Hmm… getting into trouble already… wonder where they get that from…" She replied, shooting Skipper a glance, who only smiled in response. A moment passed, before two of the corsairs started making noises, one beginning to wail a little as Wren shifted slightly.
"Feeding time again… Do you want to help with this one Shadow?" Wren offered, Shadow's face lighting up as she drew in close to nuzzle at the dark baby making the most noise. Finn backed off, understanding the sentence, and proceeded to move toward Skipper, leaving them both in privacy. Skipper moved also, the pair moving through the house and outside now, giving both of them enough room to move freely.
"I must congratulate you on becoming a father old boy… it's something that most of us would love to be" Finn said, giving Skipper a firm nod with his hood.
"It was about time…. Time is fleeting you know. If you have your eye on someone… you should make a move and enjoy life" The Corsair responded, looking up to the evening sky. The Faultless stayed silent for a moment, a series of emotions running through him.
"I don't want to spoil Shadow's chances at a good career" He sighed, looking away down the driveway path again.
"Heh… I never mentioned Shadow" The plane replied, causing Finn to widen his eyes just a little, before resuming his normal posture…. He'd completely given the game away.
"You know… I loved Wren…. And we made it work without compromising her goals. Now… she's given me more than I ever imagined" Skipper spoke on, his tone more gentle than usual. The agent cast his gaze over to his companion, eyeing him carefully to find out what the plane could be hinting at, despite the fact he believed he already knew.
"Work is work… Some things are more important. Have you ever stopped to think about what Shadow wants, rather than what you think is right? After all…a very smart Celica taught me that" Skipper carried on with a smirk, watching Finn's reaction as he dropped his gaze, unsure of how to argue his point. After several moments of silence, the two males headed back inside, to see that the feeding had finished, and Shadow was making her way out the room. Skipper went to Wren immediately, nuzzling her nose and soothing her gently, Shadow watching them rather wistfully. They made a nice little family, and a longing feeling filled the Celica as she watched… little to her knowledge, but Finn was also watching. Though he wasn't watching the quiet family scene like she was. The whole visit had set his mind thinking, as he studied the longing gaze on Shadow's face.
Maybe Skipper was onto something….