Chapter 5: We´re coming home

Summary: Here I present the final chapter of my particular Christmas story. I hope you like it. All errors, bugs, etc ... of course are mine. Happy New Year!

Chapter Text

Upon waking ...

"Richard, where ...?" It was Camille, she was disoriented because she knew nothing of what she saw around her, but she remembered in tenths of a second, or maybe a little more.

Richard refused to wake up, he had a hard time getting to sleep. Then he dreamed something that disturbed him greatly. In her dream she saw Camille with fear, fear that something would happen to her children in the world, or worlds in which they were involved, even if it was very from time to time. Fear that forced her, with tears and with all the pain in her heart, to abandon him. Richard begged her not to do it, that they weren't going to go back on those kinds of missions, but it was all in vain.

Camille watched him for a minute or two until she asked:

"Are you okay, Richard? You seem to have had a fight with someone." She was worried.

Richard woke up, looked at her, and breathed a sigh of relief, commenting, "I just had a ghastly nightmare."

"By definition all nightmares are horrible and frightening," Camille clarified. "Were they facing a dinosaur or something?

"No, something infinitely much worse. You would abandon me and go with the children."

"And why would I do such a fool?" she asked half annoyed. "And how is it possible that your common sense did not warn you even in dreams of such stupidity?"

"Don't be mad, please, I feel exhausted. Before I fell asleep last night, I thought about how lucky I was to be married to you. My previous "girlfriends", to call them in some way, left me for much more silly things : hobbies, my character ... And you even have children with me after finding out about the complicated world we find ourselves in, anomalies, huge beasts, trips to the past ... "

"Not counting your manias and your character" Camille interrupted with a smile.

She bent down and hugged him tightly, as if she never wanted him to slip away.

"With the time I invested in you, with what I had to organize to get you ... No, I'm sorry, I think I've already told you more than once, you're going to have to carry me." He looked at her with one of his few silly smiles and he kissed her, a kiss full of love, trust, security in her and in him. She interrupted him: "But that's not going to get rid of my anger, my bad days and many other things. If I know how complicated your family can be, especially your extraordinary cousin, I hope I don't come back! to call me "your lovely Detective Sergeant"! and I'm still with you, it's fair that you put up with me. That's my blackmail ... "

Richard looked at her suddenly very serious, he had a predatory look and said:

"And you're just going to settle for that? I wouldn't. Remember what position you are in now ..." Indeed she is trapped in his arms and observed that no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't move.

"Richard, they're waiting for us ..." She tried to move again and he held her even more tightly, starting to kiss her on the neck, on the forehead, on the lips …

"Well, since they are going to have to wait, they wait seated! !" she exclaimed.

Richard and Camille are fast asleep when they hear repeated knocks on their "apartment" door.

Camille gets up hurriedly, puts something on top and answers worriedly, opening the door:

"Has something serious happened? Are the children okay?"

Abby, who is the one who has called in such a hurry, looks at them realizing their rush.

"No, no, nothing like that! It's just that Lester has called a meeting of the entire team in charge of the girl's matter. I'm used to that every time Lester calls a meeting he wants us all to go to the word of now! . Forgive me. You have to prepare quickly. He doesn't like to wait. " And she leaves to prepare the documentation that presumably they may need.

Camille closes the door, looks at Richard and says:

"It´s clear that here they live with another rhythm. I don't know how it doesn't give them an attack"

Richard laughs, gets up, and starts dressing. They will shower later. He knows Lester and, indeed, he is not a person who likes to wait. Camille watches him and also begins to quickly dress. A few minutes later they make their way to Lester's office. Richard has been mulling over a great little matter and wants to bring it up at the meeting. And on that little big issue he can be as firm as James Lester.

"Well, I'm glad to see that I don't have to wait for anyone else. I don't think we're taking too long" promises James Lester, as he looks at the faces pending for his words of Abby, Connor, Matt, Jess, Emily, Richard and Camille and , of course, Béquer.

In addition, next to James Lester, there is a woman more or less the same age as Lester. Tall, redhead and with confidence (and a lot of curiosity) in her eyes.

"Ah, let me introduce you to Karen, my wife! I made the terrible mistake of consulting her on a little matter and she considered herself invited to the meeting." Karen smiles (she never takes her husband's comments personally, she knows him too well) and say hello to everyone.

It's a surprise to everyone except Richard and Camille. They greet her with confidence, they already know each other.

"Okay. We have an important matter to discuss: Jemima. Due to her young age, she has adapted alarmingly quickly to the advances of a time that is not her own. Furthermore, we find that she has no known close relatives and "Acquaintances" she has just want to exploit her. " He breaks off.

They all know very well what they have witnessed in their foray into 19th century Wales.

"And my wife, here, thinks that it would be a horrible cruelty to return her to a place where she will not receive anything suitable for her age: food, a home, education, everything that children of her age are supposed to need. . I think everyone knows where I'm going. It has to be adopted by someone from the 21st century. There is no other remedy ... "

He´s interrupted by Richard, as Lester continues speaking of that way, he won´t be able to expose that so important idea.

"Lester, before you continue, can I suggest another matter? I won't be long. Personally, I think Jemima's is an excellent idea. She's a lovely girl." Lester stares at him. "But there were more children there. You can't do everything we want for them. But wouldn't there be some way to improve their living conditions by giving them an education, a home, food, everything you have named for Jemima before? "

Camille looks at him approving his idea, like the rest of the assembled, with Emily's special approval.

"I understand. Karen is of the same idea." He says looking at her and continues: "The anomaly present in that place and in that particular time is quite stable. So we thought we could get an anonymous benefactor from that time off our sleeve, but with a very firm character, which would be in charge of providing structures, means and money to that home so that the people who come to it, not just children, can have a future and a home. " back to Karen asking her, "That's right, Karen?"

She answers:

"Perfect"

And he continues: "From my harvest is that if Mr. Masters breaks a single of the rules imposed on him, and we will send anonymous agents regularly to monitor him, he will have a free one way trip to a time when his only neighbors they will be beasts that will find him more than succulent "

Everyone is paralyzed for a second. Obviously that has been James Lester's contribution to the plan.

"I think I can say that we all like that plan," Richard replies.

"Then, back to the subject of Jemima. We have to find a home for her. Karen wanted to keep her, but we have four kids and my job is potentially dangerous. And I'm afraid that can be said of everyone in this meeting except for you two: Richard and ... Camille. "

They freeze, and not just for a second. If they refuse, will he send them with a one-way ticket to that dreadful time?

They all look at them smiling. They rejoice, but they can't help but think they've gotten rid of something big. Everyone maybe except Emily. She understands the decision though. Her case is complicated enough. Two people, Jemima and her, from another era living together in the 21st century? Not counting the risk that her job entails. Besides, she´s already expecting a child for not too long. She hopes that she can see the girl from time to time. She certainly wants the best for her. And she knows that on the island his life in 19th century Wales will turn into a dream or a long-gone nightmare, depending on what she remembers. Matt walks over and puts his arm around her shoulders, he knows her well.

"James, hasn't it occurred to you that perhaps you should have consulted us in private? How are we going to justify her presence when it takes months, even years, to adopt a child? And for the record, we think she is a lovely girl" Real British, he thinks to himself.

James Lester looks at them thoughtfully, looks at Karen and answers:

"Very well, talk about it in private now, take a walk, take the opportunity to call to see how things are going for Saint Marie. And, please, give me an answer as soon as possible."

Camille is amazed, since when does Lester give up so easily? Richard is just as amazed. They will answer when Lester interrupts them:

"But if you're going out, would you mind taking Jemima with you? She really needs air and sun.

This is the James Lester they know!

"Okay, we'll take her somewhere and we'll tell you something," Camille says. And she goes to find Jemima.

They all go back to their respective occupations at the ARC, they already know what's going to happen.

Three months later...

It's Christmas, though not that that means much to Saint Marie, not to Richard. There is no snow, there is no bad weather, there is nothing that reminds you of your childhood at this time of year. But Camille and the children have put all their will (in the case of the twins only the first five minutes) to decorate the house, to put up a Christmas tree (with decorations sent by Richard's parents) and Camille is even thinking about a menu that reminds him of the time he was living at that time.

What Camille doesn't know is, Richard, when he looks at them, when he watches his children play, fight or plan some mischief, or when he sees Camille walking around the house making sure that everything is perfect for the special dinner they are having. invited his friends: Fidel, Dwayne, Catherine, Juliette, Rosie, Commissioner Selwyn Patterson and his wife, he doesn´t know if he will have to count on Dwayne's latest conquest ... so he understands what Christmas is like for him, now and always, throughout the year, throughout his life.

For a millisecond Richard thinks about the times when he was alone in his shack reading in front of the sea in silence and with great tranquility, but a little noise awakens from his reveries and finds that Jemima is staring at him with a big smile in her eyes.

"Are you okay, Richard?" she asks.

Richard sits her on his lap and admonishes her with his usual half smile, "I've told you a thousand times you can call me Daddy, honey" And kisses her on the cheek. "And yes, I'm fine. Don't you play with your brothers? What does Maman do?" he asks her.

"Maman has punished them again, she says they won't let her finish preparing everything. I was going to tell you if you could help me hang my ornaments. Maman can't help me right now" she asks.

Richard takes it, gets up and says: "Let's go there. Tell me what you want me to help you with, and then I'll see what Camille needs, okay? And I find out what your brothers have done this time."

As Richard meets Jemima finishing putting up the decorations, Jemima asks him.

"Are Uncles Matt and Emily coming for Christmas?"

"I'm afraid they won't be able to be with us tonight, but I promise you that they will come in two or three days. Uncles James and Karen will also come with them. Will have to wait to see the rest of our friends, you know that due to their work, they can't all be here together. You understand, right?"

"Yeah, I get it" Richard isn't quite sure though. She´s very reserved. Like him. "I'm going with Camille, come with me and see if we can convince her to lift the punishment for Richard and Julian so you can play with them. Let's see what they've done this time."

When they arrive they see Camille busy with dinner. The first thing Richard does is take off his jacket, roll up his sleeves, and get down to business. If you want to convince her, you will have to earn it.

And it succeeds. Jemima, Richard, and Julian are playing on the veranda.

Camille looks at them and says, "I'm proud of the twins, Richard, they've accepted her from day one. They adore her and she adores them. And she seems to calm them down a bit. It's a miracle."

Richard looks at her smiling and asks:

"And why have you punished them before?"

She laughs and answers:

"You're right. Better this way. I love them all as they are. And also the one who is on the way. I thank God that there is only one." She says touching his abdomen.

In the end, she was pregnant when she assured him in the ARC's apartment that she wasn´t . And she was convinced of it.

Notes: I still have to think about what my two little "devils" have been up to. Although for sure that would be nothing compared to what they could mess up in the future ...