"Zeph's coming."

The words, she wasn't sure if they were supposed to be reassuring or not. All she could think was that because she could hear D'avin, that he was the one that was talking to her, it meant that she was likely back on Lucy with her boys and that things were okay (or as okay as they could be given their situations).

"So, you just have to hold on."

She remembered being in the green space with Aneela and them finding Khlyen. Dutch remembered them running and hiding from the Lady. It was still weird to her, a threat unseen… There was already so much to fight against, it was exhausting to add another to that list. Worrisome that this would be forever her life...and the Jaqobis brothers' as well.

"Khlyen wants to know where our child is, but I know that keeping the secret is keeping them safe," D'avin said. "Delle Seyah and Caspara are back on Aneela's ship." He was quiet for a long time. "I know that you and I are okay with fighting this war...with giving our lives to keep the Quad safe from the Hullen, but I won't lie...the entire time we were waiting for you when I actually got to hold Caspara...all I could think about was a life that you and I could have with our child...and Johnny was there too doing stupid uncle things."

Their child.

She didn't know if it was important to still keep secrets. She'd been in the green space. Dutch had no idea how much Aneela and Khlyen (or anyone else) had been able to see into her memories while she'd been in there. She didn't want D'avin to hear any of the details from someone else.

"So, please...please don't leave me. Don't leave us. Johnny and I are crap without you. We had you back for hardly any time and then we about killed each other after leaving you behind," D'av told her. "Khlyen and Aneela seem to think that this coma is nothing...maybe it is...maybe you'll open your eyes in the morning, all I know is that I want to see your eyes looking up at me again.

Dutch hated that he and Johnny were having such a hard time. They'd become so close...even if D'av had been still newer to their team...their family they'd made. Any of them being separated was hard on them all, even if it was for the best of the pair or group or whatever. She wanted to reach out and take his hand and whisper that it was going to be okay. Instead, all she could do was remain silent and listen...listen to his breathing and the sound that came from him moving at her bedside.

"When the nights were long and the days were deep," she heard him begin. "There lived two brothers who wanted to be anything except trapped and useless. They separated and lived apart for many years. Both making mistakes and both trying to make it in the world. One day, the younger brother met a warrior who had no idea that she needed the companionship of the brother. She taught him many things over the year, making him into a warrior...though never changing the brightness of his own heart. He taught her in turn how to be a better person, how to live in the world as more than a warrior...and even how to love others...to trust them. One day, the two warriors came upon the older brother who was lost, worn, and close to being mad from all he'd been through. They took him in, they taught him their warrior ways and the way of being in a family that loved you for all of your flaws. Soon, they became three warriors...united in a common goal and with a common heart, pledged to one another as much as they were pledged to protecting the Quad."

Her own laughter filled her own ears as she continued to spin with her child in her arms. She sang a song that she remembered from her childhood and just nestled into bed with her little one in her arms. "My Little Star," Dutch gushed as she brushed the tip of her nose against her child's. She was absolutely overjoyed and was in love with that moment. "You are getting so big! Stop growing," she whispered, only half serious. She squeezed her child and laughed as she received kisses and her face was squeezed by little hands. "I can't wait until I'm finally able to show you off to your father, I know he's missed so much...but he's taking care of the rest of our family and they're making sure that the world out there is safe for you to grow up in. He would absolutely be here if he could." She sighed but kept her smile in place. "And your Uncle Johnny…" Holding her child close, she hummed the song and let tears fall. "I miss them," she whispered.

"No! Don't hurt them! Please! Stop!" she screamed. "Johnny! No!"

"Dutch! Dutch, wake up!"

She knew in that moment that she wasn't trapped in the green space, but it was a dream but that didn't make it any easier to break free from the nightmare of it all. The Lady was there, hooded and unseen to Dutch...but still terrifying. Unnatural spiders had taken Johnny from her moments before, killing him...and even though she knew it wasn't real...it felt real in every way to her… Now they were after D'avin and she felt like she couldn't breathe as she was unable to do anything to help or stop what was happening.

"Dutch!"

No matter how much she just wanted to attach to his voice and come out of it, she couldn't. Sobbing, she tried to catch her breath as her chest twisted. "No...D'av…" she pushed out with so much more effort than really needed to be necessary.

"Yalena, wake up!"

When her eyes finally opened, he was holding her and she couldn't breathe. Her chest felt like it was being crushed, her head was spinning, and tears were running down her cheeks. All she could do was to stare at him and remind herself that he was alive. What had happened, it hadn't had been real, no matter how badly she'd felt the pain of their loss.

"Breathe...okay? You're safe. Johnny's in bed right now, I can get him if you want," D'av told her and he sounded like he was having a hard time keeping it together.

She reached out and gripped his shirt and shook her head before closing her eyes again and trying to focus on something else...on the happy dream...the memory...that had come before the nightmare as she tried to concentrate on steadying her breathing. He just held her and was quiet, allowing her to have the time to calm down. When she opened her eyes again, she was calmer, she could breathe, and she found him waiting as he watched her. "You've never called me Yalena before," she breathed.

D'avin blinked for a moment. "You weren't waking up and-"

Placing a finger on his lips to stop him, she just smiled. "It's fine, D'av."

"I can keep to Dutch." He was quiet for a moment. "You okay?"

Dutch nodded and sat up so that D'avin wasn't holding her anymore, but she leaned against him and rested her head on his shoulder. She still liked having him there. "Good dreams...and then bad ones…"

"It sounded like there was some kind of great harm coming to me and Johnny."

"Great harm is definitely what was happening," Dutch told him. "And I couldn't do anything to stop it."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"What if everything that I've kept from you about our child isn't helping keep them safe?" Dutch asked, switching the subject. "I was in that green space with Aneela and Khlyen...and the Lady. What if just being in there was enough for them to know everything?"

He stared at her for a moment. "Khlyen would have known everything if that were the case...and he didn't let any of that slip."

"Maybe he wouldn't."

"Aneela's ship is still right outside," D'avin told her. "If they knew who our child was...and how to find them...or at least how to start looking, then they'd be gone. They're not...and Khlyen likes to boost about crap like that."

"You're right," she said with a nod.

"So, keep the secret."

She stared at him, still hating doing so. "I wish I could share every memory with you...if we weren't so worried about what went into the green and those memories...I'd ask Khlyen-"

"It's something we can talk about later," he said gently. "Once we know that the danger's passed."

"If it passes."

"I should have Zeph come-"

"Let her sleep."

"You're awake, Dutch...and we went and got Zeph just so we knew that Aneela and Khlyen were telling us the truth about your condition."

"Need the biologicals nerd?"

"I mean, we probably shouldn't split our nerds up in the first place...though I think Turin was happy to hand her back over." He was quiet for a moment and then his tone turned semi-serious. "Also, Johnny and I decided that we'd adopted her so now she's Zephyr Jaqobis."

Dutch laughed at that. "Have you told her?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"I mean, there hasn't been the time...and also, you might as well see her face when we actually get around to it."

She sat up straight and turned to him. "What if I wanted to be a Jaqobis too?"

"Isn't Jaqobis a bit below being a Yardeen?" D'avin asked. "I mean, if everything's going to hell...they might need you on Qresh."

Rolling her eyes, she shook her head. "Could you really see me as one of the Nine?"

"Or whatever number they end up at," D'avin mumbled. "And no...unless you were punching one of them out." He shrugged. "But you know, Johnny would be quick to claim you as a Jaqobis."

"Not you?" she asked, trying not feign hurt feelings.

"Not in that way, no," D'avin said as he smiled at her. "Johnny's made it quite clear that he thinks of you as a sister." He paused for a moment. "I, however, do not."

She leaned in and kissed him, making it clear that the two of them were on the same page.

"I believe that Johnny and Zeph require your assistance," Lucy interrupted.

"Wait, aren't they sleeping?" D'avin asked as they both got to their feet.

"No, they are in the cargo bay."

Dutch didn't care that she was just dressed in underwear and an oversized shirt, she and D'av hurried out of her room and headed for the cargo bay just the same. Once they were out in the hall, that was when they could actually hear the shouting and screams that were staggering from both Zeph and Johnny...and when they finally came upon them, it was not a scene that Dutch expected to see. "What the hells?!"

TBC…