Author's note : Due to some unfortunate incident with my old laptop, my files and my writing were completely locked and lost, along with my laptop for almost a decade. Thanks to my own Mainframe, I was able to transfer my work to a brand new system.
It is now my pleasure to share the completion of this story! Henceforth, all chapters posted from here on are written only by ScarlettSlipper. And I humbly give credit to my co-author Alison Hart-Burnett, as without her ideas and character personalities from her end, the storyline would had taken a different route. Without further ado, please enjoy the remaining of this story!
A month had passed since the new bundle of joy landed on the base. The Holidays were spent mostly quiet, most team members went on leave, visiting their families, while others remained on base, on alert for any snake activity. Until several pranksters decided to release a colony of penguins, which resulted into a new meaning of the words Tar and Feather! The leader of the Joe team barked orders while watched his soldiers chase and round up all of the feathered friends! However, one penguin refused to be captured by any Joe and the first in command allowed the bird to remain on base, for now.
Flint, still recovering from his injury from the Pentagon Cobra attack spent his days in physical therapy for his knee after his son examined it and recommended PT first before any procedure. He also kept checking on his wife for any signs of serious abdominal pain, and if anything arose, the Infirmary became a chorus of Gaelic and Greek curse performance! But also, he grew concerned for his little girl. Eryn had become a shadow, rarely wanting to leave his side. And forbid he mentioned he had to go off base for anything, the little girl would have an inconsolable tantrum. Eryn's emotional state concerned the Faireborns and if the situation did not ease, a child psychologist would be brought on base. Plus, he also visited the new member of the Joe family, making sure that both the child and new mother were doing well.
Lady Jaye found herself in her office, under many reports while continuing the investigation of unauthorized communications base. Whoever the perpetrator was, clearly used an untraceable program. Even Mainframe, the top of the team's computer expert could not trace the source and the location. This made the covert operative expert even more frustrated and concerned. As whoever it was, could be not only cunning but dangerous and dangerous for the G. base. So it became vital for her to uncover the location and uncover the individual. That was not the only reason she hid in her office, the other was to remain hidden and unnoticed for her stomach pain. For a few weeks, she felt the pain had subdued, but then it began again, causing her more unease. She worried for herself and her family, especially for her daughter, who was having a difficult time absorbing everything that had occurred lately.
Duke and Scarlett had become very busy dealing with the Joe delinquents, finding themselves barking punishments left and right, training and keeping the base in one piece! In addition, their time was consumed with running from their daughter's suite to their daughter-in-law's suite, taking care of the children, helping out and making sure Rowan had amble time for both of them. If Duke was at Colleen's suite, then Scarlett was at Sky Dancer's and vise versa, while Rowan tagged along with several books to keep her occupied. Another dilemma that had arose was Rowan's and Eryn's relationship. A week after the holidays, the feud became reignited between the girls which resulted into another battle war between dogs and , Rowan avoided Eryn as much as possible, her time mostly spent doing homework, being instructed with Snake Eyes or spending hours with Sky Dancer, whom she had developed a closer bond. Scarlett, at times, had to pull her daughter from the pilot's suite! And both parents had become concerned for their daughter, as she seemed unhappy and would not discuss the reason with them!
Dr. Caveman worked endlessly in the Infirmary, patching up the prankster Joes, especially when over twenty Greenshirts entered the Infirmary halls, covered with cactus needles from a PT prank that sent Beach Head on a rampage! His work doubled since Doc went on medical leave and none knew if he would ever fully recover and return to the place he loved the most. Duke had requested a new doctor for the team, but nobody had volunteered for the position from the history of the medical practice on base. At the moment, even Lifeline was ready to retire from the countless irresponsible injuries. Cayden also had to deal with one other thing at the Infirmary. Judi. His assistant always close by, too close. No matter how many assignments he would assign, the woman was quick as a wick and completed them in insane timing. He also worried for his wife Colleen, especially when she had a chance to visit him, finding him with his assistant.
Kastor had become extremely busy. Not only with training and the missions, but also taking care of his wife and the new bundle of joy. He would be seen racing from one end of the base to the other, taking care of the Sky Striker squad, taking care of the pack of dogs, taking care of his wife's and baby's needs and so on. The betting pool was full trying to determine when the young Hauser would take a dive and collapse from exhaustion! Another thing in the young Joe's mind was his wife, who sneakily added sleeping pills in his drinks! That resulted into a few battles, which the entire floor of the barracks had to evacuate! He also had grown concerned for his wife. Something was amiss, finding her in deep thought numerous times, her facade a mystery and when he tried to ask, she would not respond. Something bothered her once again and once again, she would not share her thoughts.
Sky Dancer had mostly remained in the couple's quarters, the baby always near by, making sure he was being taken cared. Scarlett, Lady Jaye and even Colleen helped the new mother with "baby" lessons. But after a few weeks, Sky Dancer though still nervous and novice on child care, had become a natural! Conrad John had become a favorite on the base. Why? He was the quietest baby of them all, which the team was grateful! However, if anyone interrupted his dreams, wails would shake the walls! They also uncovered that the baby rejected milk, resulting to abdominal pain, rashes and, well, dirty diapers! Cayden ordered the finest non-dairy formula for newborns. However, a few Joes, brave or stupid, dared to try to kidnap the new bundle of joy as a prank, which resulted to two women chasing them all over base with a Wolverine, which sent the warrant officer into a rage for the women had broken the #1 rule!
In Sky Dancer's suite, Conrad John, or C.J, as how the Joes had dubbed him, slept peacefully in his blue and white bassinet, near his mother, who had stationed herself on the couch with a book. She gazed at the sleeping baby, and a smile curved on her face, watching the little miracle that she almost had lost. And thanks to , he had not only saved her baby but her as well and for that alone, she would always be grateful. Her gaze shifted to a manila envelope on the dinning room table and a sigh escaped, before she returned her attention to the book.
Suddenly, the suite's door slammed closed with a force that rocked the walls and caused one sleeping prince to wail like a banshee!
"Colleen!" Sky Dancer chided toward the strawberry-blonde that had stormed into the suite, her eyes filled with red flare. She stood up from the comfy cushions, and slowly picked up her upset son, holding his small body close to her while gently rocking him.
Colleen turned toward the pilot. "I'm so sorry, Reena!", she apologized guilty, "I forgot for a second!"
Sky Dancer watched her best friend walk to the center of the room and began to pace. From her posture it showed that something had upset her sister-in-law. Something indeed must had happened for to have Colleen in this state! "What happened?"
"Judi.", came the grunted answer.
"What did she do now?" Sky Dancer wondered. Heaven knew what that assistant had currently done to have Colleen Faireborn in such an uproar.
Colleen continued to pace in the pilot's living room, biting her lip and her hands in fists. Her face crimson, matching the color of her sweater.
"Oh boy, " Sky Dancer thought, something was amiss for certain! She walked over to her best friend and placed a hand on her shoulder, stopping the march that had taken over her suite. "Tell me."
Colleen gave out a slow aggravated sigh, crossed her arms in front of her and took a breath before she explained, "I caught them together!" her tone stale.
"You what!?"
"Not the way you think, Reena!" Colleen continued to explain. She sent her best friend a sorrowful glance and walked over to the sofa, sitting down and covered her face with her hands.
C.J. continued to wail, his little body shaking, while his mother gently rocked him.
"There, there," Sky Dancer soothed her newborn, starting the pace instead, patting his back softly.
Colleen looked up. "I'm sorry I woke him! I didn't mean too!" She took another breath and a hiccup was released. "I was just so upset and distraught, I didn't think!"
Sky Dancer halted for a second. "Don't worry! It's almost his feeding time anyway!," she said with a small smile. "Now, tell me what happened!", she requested.
Her friend glanced toward the little bassinet which was blue and white, like the colors of a Greek flag. She let out another long breath. "Maybe I am overreacting," she mused.
"Will you tell me!" Sky Dancer insisted. "It may help you!"
Colleen glanced toward the pilot and nodded. "Okay," she said, her tone sorrowful. "I went to bring Cayden some lunch. You know with his busy new schedule, he hardly has time for even that! Between the patients, his mother's illness, his research, and all of us, he forgets little things like food."
"Go on," Sky Dancer gently probed, counting to rock her son while his crying was slowly diminishing.
"Well," Colleen continued her story, "I entered the Infirmary, and when I did not see him in any of the exam rooms, I went straight for his office." She stopped for a second, exhaled once again and continued, "That is when I saw them together," she slowly released.
"You saw them together?!" Sky Dancer gasped in shock, her mouth agape. She walked over to the sofa, slowly sat down and placed a hand on her best friend's arm, while holding the newborn with her other.
Colleen turned and slowly nodded. "But not the way you think!"
"How then?," Sky Dancer asked.
At this, Colleen's gaze went to the floor, and a tear slowly danced in her eye,"As I neared his office, his door was half opened and I took a glimpse of them." She then turned to Sky Dancer before finishing, "Cayden was sitting at his desk, working on his computer and she was hovering over him, like some vulture wanting to feast and had her hand placed on his shoulder!" She lowered her gaze again to the floor. "So I turned, tossed the lunch in the nearest bin and left."
Sky Dancer's mouth dropped from shock. She blinked, allowing the information her friend gave her sink in. "Oh, Colly," she murmured, giving the other woman a gentle squeeze of comfort. Her expression then turned hard. She twisted around and handed over the newborn, before she abruptly stood up and aimed for the suite's door! "That's it! I am going to dive bomb her! Even if she still in the Infirmary!," she decreed!
"Reena! No!" Colleen plead. She stood up from the sofa and rushed after the pilot, placing her free hand on the door, stopping the impending attack. "Please don't! Cayden will kill me if you went flying!"
Sky Dancer turned toward her upset friend. "Okay," she exasperated defeated. "But I promise you this! I will take a dive at Judi when I am allowed back in the air!"
"Nah, I will run her over with the Wolverine before you even have a chance to try!" Colleen snickered.
Both friends giggled at the thought. But something had to be done!
Sky Dancer took Colleen's hand and guided her back to the sofa, both sat down and her eyes wandered on the newborn, who had calmed down. "You are better at this than me!", she claimed.
Colleen sent her a smile. "Practice!" Her eyes turned softer and handed the newborn back to his mother.
Sky Dancer smiled. "It's almost time for his feeding!" She glanced down at the sleeping bundle of joy, then bent down and kissed his small head. She then gently laid him in the bassinet and covered him with the crochet blanket that Aunt Brody had knitted for him during his visit.
At the mentioning of food, Colleen's stomach gave off a grouchy sound.
"Looks like Baby Faireborn is also hungry!" Sky Dancer claimed. "Want some Gummy Bears? Or want me to order McDonalds?"
The color of the other woman's face turned green. "No MacD's please!" She held her stomach, which was very slightly bulgy. "Since I returned from Scotland, my stomach can't tolerate, as Aunt Brody says, That Cobra dung!"
"What does Baby Faireborn demand then?" Sky Dancer glanced down at Colleen's stomach.
"Orders are marshmallows!" Colleen giggled. "The miniature version!"
At this, Sky Dancer laughed. "Marshmallows it is!" She stood up, walked to the kitchenette, opened the top door of the pantry closet and took out an unopened bag of marshmallows which always kept for her husband's hot chocolate craze! She then grabbed some fruit juice from the fridge, poured it in two glasses and returned to Colleen, who was at the moment trying to decipher the book that had been placed on the sofa.
Sky Dancer giggled, watching her sister-in-law's confused reaction. "It's in Greek."
Colleen glanced up and stuck her tongue out. "I figured that out, Sherlock!" She took the book and placed it aside. Then happily took the offered marshmallows and opened the bag.
"Here, I also grabbed us some juice!" Sky Dancer placed a glass filled with fruit juice on the side table, directly next to the sofa.
Colleen, munching at least ten marshmallows in one mouthful with a mumbled, "Tanthks."
Sky Dancer placed her own glass of juice on the second side table. She then sat down and turned to Colleen. "So, what now?" she queried, trying to find a solution for the situation.
"Nothing." Colleen remarked. "Reena, I trust Cayden. That's not the problem."
Sky Dancer nodded in agreement. Cayden would never stray away from Colleen, their hearts and souls were one!
"It's her I don't trust!", Colleen admitted with venom in her tone. She trusted her husband with all her heart and knew he was most likely concentrated on his work to realize Judi's hand on his shoulder!
"Can't anything be done about her?", Sky Dancer mused. "Maybe Duke can transfer her to Tokyo or something!"
"A Cobra base will work perfectly!" Colleen stated, causing another giggle from both.
"But seriously, I don't want to go to my father and complain. And Cayden said he can handle her!" She shot another pleading look toward her friend. "Don't say anything! Please!"
"You have my word!," Sky Dancer promised. "I pinkie swear and spit on Shipwreck's hair!"
"And don't do anything!" Colleen continued to request. "Jeffrey and Cayden will skin my hide if I persuaded you to fly your Striker!"
Sky Dancer glanced down to her newborn son, to his peaceful features, knowing he was once again in dreamland.
"But something needs to be done about this!", she insisted, diverting her gaze toward her best friend.
"No flying!" Colleen reminded her.
Sky Dancer bit her lip. "Damn rules!"
"What about damn rules?", came a masculine voice from the suite's doorway.
Both women gasped and looked up, finding a warrant officer, halfway inside the suite. And both women shared the same expression. Had Flint overheard anything from their conversation? They hoped not or heads would roll and then the Infirmary may not even have any doctors left!
"Okay to enter the Baby Powder residence?" Flint asked from the door, eyeing them carefully. He glanced from one woman to the other.
"Of course!" Sky Dancer greeted him with a bright smile. "You don't need to ask for permission!"
At this, Flint fully entered the suite and closed the door behind him. He glanced down at the sleeping newborn and a proud grin developed on his features. "How is the Prince today?" he asked, eyeing them both carefully.
"He is doing wonderful!" Sky Dancer answered. "I am about to wake him for his feeding, if you like to stick around!"
"That's my cue to skidoo!" Colleen claimed, standing up from the sofa, the bag of marshmallows still in her grasp. "I have to retrieve two toddlers from their grandmother!" She headed for the suite's door. "Have a good night!"
The door closed quietly behind the young woman.
Flint turned toward Sky Dancer. "And how is the new mommy doing?" he asked, his eyes gentle.
"Tired but doing good. I am getting the hang of it, I think…" Sky Dancer hoped.
The warrant officer placed a hand on the pilot's shoulder. "You are doing fantastic! There have been no complaints on Baby Hauser, so that is a good sign!"
Sky Dancer laughed. "Well, you didn't hear him before when Colleen visited."
Flint gasped. "Colly woke the prince?" he feigned in shock. "Should I give her KP Duty for a week?"
Sky Dancer laughed even more at this. "No, no!"
He sent her a wink. "So what are you two up to?" He got to the point.
"Up to? Us? Nothing! Nothing at all!"
Flint sent her an even look. "Right." He chuckled. "I'lll find out!"
At this, Sky Dancer's eyes widened and he silently laughed inside. Yes, something indeed was up with the pilot and the martial arts trainer.
"Would you like a drink?" Sky Dancer changed the subject before he continued the interrogation, still hoping in her heart he had no inkling of the Judi drama.
He glanced toward the glasses of juice. "I'll have what you and Colly were having. Whatever that is."
"Wine," came the serious response.
"WINE!" Flint cried out.
Watching his reaction, Sky Dancer let out a giggle. "It's only fruit juice!"
Flint shook his head, slowly limping to the chair near the other side of the bassinet and siting down, placing his cane on the chair's arm. He watched Sky Dancer swallow another giggle while she headed toward the kitchenette to get his drink. He shook his head.
He looked down at the newborn with a grin and was beyond thankful for being able to be there to watch him grow.
"Where is Jeffrey?", he inquired, turning his head toward the kitchenette, spotting the pilot returning with his drink.
Sky Dancer glanced over her shoulder, to the closed door that led to her's and Jeffrey's bedroom. "Sleeping…" she answered with a blush.
"REENA!"
"That's my name!", she giggled and handed the second in command his drink.
He growled and took a sip before saying, "You know, one of these days, he is going to take a dive at you! And don't come crying to Dashie!" He shook his head in disapproval, knowing that Sky Dancer had once again drugged her husband.
Sky Dancer sat down on the sofa, with a quick glance to her sleeping child. "I had too! He is wearing himself out!"
Suddenly, her gaze landed at the manila envelope and inhaled. He could not find out what was in that envelope! She suddenly stood up and checked on the sleeping baby. "Oh! He is drooling in his sleep again, let me get his bib!" She used the excuse, then slowly pivoted away as Flint became distracted looking down at the bundle of joy. She quickly grabbed the manila envelope and hid it on top of the one dinning room chair's cushion, out of the warrant officer's sight.
"I don't see any drool," Flint commented, glancing up and watching her closely.
"Oh." Sky Dancer bent over again. "Never mind then!" She sent him a half smile. "How is the knee?", she asked, changing the subject.
"A little better," Flint replied. "The physical therapy is helping, so I hope it won't require any surgical procedures."
Sky Dancer nodded."I hope so too!" She then asked, "How is Eryn? I have not seen the little munchkin at all."
Flint bit his lip. They all knew that Eryn became his little shadow, never wanting to leave his side, but when it came to Baby Hauser, it was different. His little girl was jealous! And he hoped more than anything Eryn would slowly adjust to the newcomer. "She is still sleeping with Allie and me. Not to mention those damn dogs."
Sky Dancer nodded. "She still has her fears. Huh? Poor little thing." She touched her locket. "Let me know if there is anything I can do to help."
"Thank you," he gratefully said.
"How is Allie doing? She hasn't come to see the baby for a few days, which is not like her!" Sky Dancer sorrowfully murmured.
Flint leaned over and took the young woman's hand in his, comforting her. "She has been busy lately at the office with an assignment. I'm sorry Reena, I will see that she doesn't forget." He patted her hand. "And there is no change in her condition. Nothing Cayden prescribes works for her! This time it's far worse than the last."
A tear fell down the pilot's face. "I wish something can be done. I don't like seeing her in pain. None of us do!" A small sob escaped. "I wish she would return back to herself and cause havoc on the base!"
The warrant officer smiled. "Me too, Reena. Me too!" He stood up, glanced back toward the closed door that led to a sleeping husband and turned to the pilot. "I wish I could stay longer but I promised Eryn to take her to Bubba and get her the BIGGEST ice cream sundae in the world!"
"Going for Daddy of the year?", she joked.
"Oh, yeah!" Flint chuckled. "No other Joe man can beat me now!" He walked toward the suite's door. "And you, young momma need to feed a baby!"
Sky Dancer saluted. "Sir! Yes, sir!"
The warrant officer laughed while leaving the suite with some mumbling about Joe women.
"Let's get you some dinner, Moro mou," Sky Dancer cooed, lifting her son from the bassinet for his feeding. She turned around to head toward the kitchen, when a small beeping sound echoed within the room.
"Beep!"
She halted short, in mid-step and she held her breath. The beeping sound became apparent a second time. She turned, placed down the baby back in the bassinet, and slowly walked over to the bookcase. Her fingers trailed down the spines of the tomes until it landed on a thick brown leather book. She slowly took out the book from the bookshelf and quickly glanced to the closed bedroom door before she opened it and revealed a hidden compartment. Her hand took hold of the box inside the book, and opened it. She glanced down at the item, which once again beeped and her heart nearly stopped.
Taking out the small device, she clicked two buttons, then entered a code. Ever so slowly she placed it near her ear, "Ego emai!" she answered in Greek in a whispered tone, "it's me!"
A deep voice with an accent came to her ear. " I was expecting a call a month ago from you!" And then the caller's next words made her shiver. "That better not happen again, Reena!"