Chapter 16: Reconnecting Part 1 – Realizations
While reuniting at last is a joyful cause for celebration, emotional wounds do not heal so simply. After three years apart, Pidge and Hunk must not only acclimate their children to being a sudden family of four, but acknowledge and learn to deal with the new complexities in their relationship that come from their experiences.
June 13th, 2335
Waking up in the morning, and finding Katie fast asleep in bed beside him, felt like a dream. Except that he knew it to be absolutely real. She was snuggled tight against his side, breathing deeply, completely relaxed, and as beautiful as he remembered.
He was so incredibly proud and relieved. All of his worst nightmares had been proven untrue. Not only was she alive, but untraumatized. The stories she had told at dinner, and in little snippets as they went through the photos of her time on the planet, made that clear. A hard life, but not worse than anything they had endured as Paladins. She had made friends, and survived by her wits, as always. Katie had taken on the challenge, and conquered it… while pregnant, and then raising an infant.
A healthy, brave little boy, who even now was fast asleep by his sister. Seeing her pictures last night—including a few Coran had apparently snuck of her during her pregnancy—of newborn Kale, and him growing, and playing with a pile of very adorable non-human friends, Hunk felt both deprived of the chance to see his son's first years, but also pride in Katie's ability to raise him, and in Kale for being resilient and happy. Oh, he knew there were some rough days coming, as the newness of everything wore off, and they learned to reintegrate into a family of four, instead of two. But it was a challenge he was looking forward to.
Maybe someday, he would forgive himself as easily as Katie had forgiven him, for giving up on them.
Beside him, Katie stirred, and yawned, and stretched. She opened her eyes, looking startled for a moment, then smiled. "Morning, handsome."
"Morning, beautiful." He kissed her gently. "I missed this."
"Me too." She wiggled a little closer, not that there was much space to do so. "I haven't been this comfortable and warm since I left. Sleeping alone stinks."
"I agree," Hunk nodded. "It's not bad on the nights the kiddo demands to snuggle up with you either. I mean, I love that, but it's not the same."
"No, it isn't." Katie rolled over and sat up. "What time is it? Do you have a breakfast shift?"
"It's almost eight, and no. I'm not running the kitchens on this rescue mission. I've been assigned back at the Garrison since you disappeared. I didn't want to make things harder for Caitlin."
"Right. Of course." Katie nodded. "So does that mean Romelle is in charge of the Atlas now?"
Hunk shook his head, sitting up in bed himself. "Usually it's Shay, but she was off-planet when we almost hijacked Navor to come get you."
Katie paused. "Shay is the head chef of the Atlas?"
Hunk wished he could read the expression on Katie's face, because her tone really didn't give him a lot to work with. Was she shocked? Upset?... Jealous? "Yeah. I put her in for the promotion myself. I needed someone I could trust in the job, who was also going to be fine with all the long deep space missions."
"Oh. That makes sense." Katie turned and slid her feet off the edge of the bed. Then she paused, and took a deep breath. He couldn't see her face when she asked. "I'm just going to ask this because I'd rather know. You thought I was dead. Did you… were you ever… with anyone else?"
For a moment, it felt like his heart had stopped. "What? No!" he exclaimed. Was that her fear? That with her gone, he had gotten involved with Shay? "Why would you even ask me that?" Then he had an awful thought. "Why… were you?"
Katie shook her head, and turned to look at him. "No, I wasn't. All I did for three years was try and get back to you. I knew that you and Caitlin were almost certainly home, and fine, and living your lives. But I also know that you didn't know if I was alive or not. I wouldn't have blamed you for finding someone else. Not that I'd be happy about it now," she conceded. "But if I'd never made it back, I wouldn't have wanted you to spend your whole life alone." She smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry if that was weird. I should have known better. How about we get these little ones up and go get some breakfast?"
"Sounds good," he replied, accepting the apology for what it was. It was, in fact, a very fair question.
Breakfast in the mess was a whole different adventure with Kale, who stared at all the foods as Katie held him up to see the options. "What eat, mama?" he asked. "So much food!"
"Yes, there is a lot to choose from, but it's for everyone here," Katie explained patiently. "There are lots of people on this ship. So, what do we do?"
"Take our share." Kale nodded. "Good foods."
"That's right. What do you think we should have?"
Hunk watched Katie interacting with their son. His heart ached at the idea that his toddler already knew food rationing, even if it was impressive that he understood that kind of social responsibility. He was curious to see what Kale would pick, especially since he probably didn't recognize most of what was on the menu.
He should have known Katie had taught him about foods. Kale quickly identified what were fruits, and unsurprisingly really liked fruit, so he suggested a little of all of them. He was also able to identify eggs, since most eggs looked the same once you fried or scrambled them. What hurt more was watching the boy and Katie put food on their plates. Not that what they chose was minimal, but it was exact proportions, and no more. No wonder she was so thin. Not that she had lost any muscle, living hard and fighting, but subsistence living did that.
At the end, Katie put a cinnamon roll on each of their plates. "They're a treat," she told Kale, with a conspiratorial grin, which the boy immediately returned.
Caitlin, Hunk noticed, had filled her plate almost identically to her mom, though she took more fruit. She always took more fruit.
He looked down at his own plate piled high with argenberry syrup coated flapjacks, eggs, sausages, cinnamon rolls, and fried potatoes. Then he sighed, and shrugged. With Katie home, maybe he didn't have to be the perfect example all the time.
Hunk joined his family at the table, aware that while no one was bothering them, there were a lot of curious eyes. Kale didn't seem to be bothered by the crowd either, and was much more interested in his food, and listening to Caitlin go on about the specifics of each dish and what different things were.
It was a breakfast filled with interruptions. Their MFE pilot friends mobbed Katie almost as soon as they walked in, and there was a round of hugs, and compliments about her plan, and their carrying out of her plan, on the planet yesterday.
The only person that really got Kale's attention, was Coran, who got an enthusiastic hug. Hunk stuffed down another twinge of irrational jealousy.
"You want seconds?" Hunk offered when Katie had finished her plate.
Katie shook her head. "No thanks. I'm really not that hungry."
"Are you sure?" he asked, incredulously.
She smiled. "After everything we had last night? Honestly, I'm full."
"You only ate one plate last night."
"One well-filled plate. Relax, Hunk."
Beside her, Kale was very carefully nibbling at his cinnamon roll as if it were a special treasure, savoring every bite.
"Is that good?" Hunk asked him unnecessarily, but more to open dialogue.
Kale grinned. "It's delicious!"
Caitlin smiled proudly. "I taught him that word."
"That's great," Katie beamed at them both.
Hunk gathered up her plate, and his. "I'll just take these back to the kitchen then," he offered, stepping away, and wondering why he felt so weird about eating a meal together. He returned the plates at the dish return, and refilled and drank a second glass of juice. By the time he got back, Kale had finished his roll, and both kids were ready for some exploring.
"So, what do you want to do?" Hunk asked.
"Actually, I'd like to make a quick stop and check in with Navor about how negotiations are going on the planet," Katie replied. "We're only in orbit for another day or two, and I want to make sure it's going all right."
That had not been at all what he was expecting. "Oh… yeah, that's fine. Why don't I take the kids and…we'll go get the dogs and take them on a walk! How does that sound?"
That got an enthusiastic response from both kids, and he felt better.
"Thank you." Katie smiled, and stood up. She kissed his cheek. "Hopefully it won't take too long."
Katie looked in the mirror in front of her and turned her head back and forth, watching the short waves bounce. It was a little bit longer than she had been wearing it three years ago, but only just. Compared to three years of growth, it was a dramatic difference. "That is so much better. Thank you, Romelle."
Standing behind her with scissors, the Altean smiled and shrugged. "Glad to help, though I still think you could have done a lot with it long."
"Maybe in the future. When it's not all dry and split." For now, this was a major improvement… and so light! "This feels amazing."
"It's a bit different from your old style," Romelle admitted. "I mean, it's basically the same, but I've improved it."
"What did you do?" Katie asked curiously. She was right, of course but she would probably have to look at old photos of herself to tell the difference. Or maybe she wouldn't have noticed at all, because that was not really something she focused on.
"A little more layering. More subtle transitions." Romelle shrugged, smiling. "Think of it as your old style, with a more sophisticated Altean twist."
"Whatever you want to call it, I'll take it." Katie stood up. "I won't keep you any longer. I know you've got to get going on lunch."
"Great food takes time, and all that," Romelle chuckled. "You'll have to let me know how Hunk likes it."
"I'll definitely let you know," Katie promised. Though she was halfway out the door when it occurred to her that she hadn't even mentioned to him that she was getting her hair cut. It had been a spur of the moment event, after spending two hours explaining to Navor the complexities of the situation in the sector. At least they had successfully agreed to cease-fires on both sides. No new slaves would be taken. Current slaves would be released, though they could be hired for the same work at a Yoan-equivalent wage. With access to the Galactic Coalition via communications, if anything came up after they left, they could always send a team back if additional intervention was needed.
Afterwards it had been a chance run in with Romelle, and looking at her usual silky smooth, flowing hair, that had reminded Katie just how split and dry and quite the opposite her hair had become. Romelle had been more than happy to help remedy the situation.
Surely by now, Hunk had finished taking the dogs—and the kids—for a nice long walk around the Atlas. Katie could only presume the ship had the same synthetic grass area set up for doggie bathroom needs that they had used when Bae Bae had been on board.
She found Hunk and the kids in their quarters, once again sans dogs. She paused just inside the door. Caitlin and Kale were once again playing together. This time Caitlin was attempting to teach her brother the ever-popular ancient children's game, Go Fish.
Hunk was sitting at the table with his computer out, watching them with a look of absolute love on his face. Whatever he had planned to work on was clearly not getting done. Then he looked at her, and she watched him jump slightly, as if startled. "Pidge. You cut your hair."
"I did. What do you think?"
"Not that you don't look great, because you do, but why?" he asked, as he stood up and crossed the distance between them.
"Because it was a mess," Katie replied with a shrug. So much for a positive reaction. "Dry, broken ends. It's been three years since I had access to conditioner."
Hunk nodded. "You look more like you this way, anyway."
Katie arched one eyebrow. "Are you saying I don't look much like me?"
She had meant it in a teasing way, but Hunk didn't seem to notice. "No, that's not what I mean. Or… maybe a little. You're still you, obviously. Even if it's more like half of you…and it's not like there was much of you to begin with."
"I'm sure you'll fix that right up," she teased, adding a more obvious playful grin. "You know, when I was pregnant with Kale, I used to have entire dreams about eating your cooking."
That, at least, got a small crack of a smile. "Nice to know I'm memorable for something."
They weren't getting anywhere with this. Something was bugging him, she could tell, but it was something he didn't want to say because either he didn't know how she'd take it, or he thought she would react badly. Was he ever this hesitant with me before? She didn't think so. "Hunk, if something's bothering you, please just tell me. I don't want things to be weird with us."
"I'm not entirely sure myself," Hunk admitted, and then the words started gushing out. "I've spent all this time feeling guilty that I couldn't save you, fearing that you were dead, more guilt that I wasn't doing more to rescue you and leaving it up to others. Worry that I wasn't giving Caitlin everything she needed, because I just couldn't be both of us. Wondering if you were alive, if Kale was alive. Not knowing if I'd ever see you again, and accepting that I wouldn't. And then out of nowhere… boom…we get your message. I've never been so happy to be wrong in my life, but it's stirred up all of those feelings all over again. And… I'll admit, watching my son very carefully pick through a buffet overflowing with food to only take the absolute minimum breaks my heart."
Katie closed the distance between them, and wrapped her arms as far around him as they would go. "I don't know how long it will take you to believe me, because I know it's not that simple, but it's not your fault. You've done everything I could ever have asked of you as a dad for Caitlin. You did what was best for our family. We both did what we could. Kale is a perfectly healthy little boy, and despite the fact that our lives have been… a little dramatic, he's not traumatized, or starved. I never let him near any of the fighting. We kept safe, and hidden. He had other children to play with, and people who helped take care of him. We always had enough food to go around. It was pretty bland most of the time, and it was shared communally, but there was enough. He's only two. He'll have a very easy time adjusting to life in the rest of the galaxy." She looked up at him. "Honestly, I'm more worried about you."
"Me?" Hunk scoffed. "I'm fine." But for just a moment, he averted his eyes.
"You just admitted you're not fine." She sighed, stepping back to make it easier to make him meet her gaze. "I can't change the past, but I'm here now. We're all together now. You don't have to pretend for Caitlin's sake, or anyone else's. I don't expect everything to be suddenly okay and normal and perfect because we're all together, and neither should you. But while you're great at taking care of Caitlin, you're terrible at taking care of yourself." There were a dozen questions she could have asked him then, but she kept them all tight in her head. She didn't have to ask. She was looking at a man who had mourned her as missing and dead for three years. She could see the results of that stress and sorrow. If she were being completely honest with herself, it was more than a little alarming.
For a moment, Hunk's face tightened, and she had no idea what he was going to say next. Deny it? Argue? Spill his guts? But Hunk did none of those things. Finally, he nodded and put on a smile she didn't believe for an instant. "Then it's a good thing you're back, isn't it?"
That was it. Well, she couldn't expect him to open up all at once. She let it go, for now. Instead, she stretched up and kissed him. "A very good thing I'm here."
June 18th, 2335
Hunk was relieved when the Atlas finally broke orbit and left Taklis behind two days later. It made him feel weird that Katie had emotional attachments to the planet she had been trapped on for so long. For all of their time aboard, she had been concerned about her friends down below, and the state in which they would be leaving the system. Academically, he understood. They had saved thousands of worlds over the years, and Katie made friends easily. These people had taken them in, taken care of her… she had become a part of their team and, to some extent, their extended family as well. All of Kale's childhood playmates were down there.
He wanted to hate the place; to say goodbye and have none of them ever look back… but he knew it couldn't happen that way. Bonds had been made here that he wasn't a part of, and never would be. He told himself to just be grateful she hadn't let anyone else into her heart in his place, and move forward. That was proving harder than he had anticipated.
The first day the Atlas made two small jumps, leaving communication buoys floating in space at appropriate intervals.
Not that Hunk and Katie had anything to do with it. They were passengers on this trip, and not needed. They spent the day together, and with Katie's family, just bonding and getting to know each other again.
Meals—which since Sam was the Admiral, were in the captain's dining room whenever they wanted to eat as a family, which so far had been lunch and dinner—continued to be story time. Katie and Coran would tell a story, and then someone else from Earth had to tell them one to catch everyone up.
Hunk found himself listening to dozens of stories about their time on the planet. Coran's capture. Katie's brilliant idea that had saved her friend's twenty-seven babies. How they had destroyed the mines. Months and months of travel on foot from place to place. Not all of them were big epic stories, some were little things, like Kale's early misadventures, which every toddler had.
Katie and Coran wanted to hear about everything from the state of the Coalition, to Matt and Veronica's plans when her new ship was ready. Veronica was being promoted and taking command of one of the newest of the smaller fleet of Coalition ships. They were, in essence, smaller versions of the Atlas, though no one was expecting them to magically transform, as they had normal Balmera crystals for power, and not the old Castle.
Of course, their favorite stories were the ones Caitlin told. Like everyone else in the family, Katie and Coran were not immune to her charm and charisma. She also, Hunk had to admit, probably told the best version of every story. She had dozens to share, about everything from events at school, to learning to surf with Lance, to cooking at home, and adventures with Juni. She wanted to tell her mother everything, and Katie listened with a patience and enthusiasm only a mother could possibly have. She wanted every detail, and asked her daughter question after question, even as Caitlin asked a million questions about the people on Taklis, and their species.
Five days after they left Taklis, they arrived back in the Vidor system, and said goodbye to the Vidoran passengers. Katie insisted on seeing them all off, and making sure they had all the information they, and she, had gathered about the mysterious race that had built the gate. They still had almost no answers, but the shield she had worked on had almost certainly also been their handiwork. Now that the gate no longer worked, it should be safe to study everything else they had left behind.
That took so long he ended up entertaining the kids by himself most of the afternoon and then, when Colleen snagged them for some grandma time, he took Romelle up on her offer to assist on some kitchen prep for a small celebratory meeting between Navor and the Vidoran government and science department leaders. He wasn't officially on duty, but that didn't mean he was forbidden from helping out.
When there was nothing useful left for him to do there, he headed back to his quarters. The door slid open and he stepped in to find—
-an utter lack of chaos. In fact, he wasn't sure he'd ever seen it this clean unless it was empty. The lights were turned down, but not off. There was a bottle of wine on the table, and two glasses.
That was when he noticed Katie, in nothing but her sexiest nightgown. Which, if anyone else had ever seen it, might have been thought a joke. It was a fairly standard silky knee-length gown, with spaghetti straps, in a pale green. It was also one of the only sleeping outfits his wife had that didn't have pants.
The look in her eyes told him what was going on. His stomach flipped, and he grinned at the unexpected surprise. "I take it we don't have parenting to do this evening."
Katie closed the distance between them, and chuckled softly. "This is definitely not the outfit I would choose for child wrangling. So…you are correct. Mom's got the kids still. Overnight…if they fall asleep. I thought it might be nice to have a little us time while we can. I have a feeling we won't be getting much of it once we get home."
The look in her eyes was almost predatory, and up close she smelled…amazing. Though Hunk couldn't place the scent specifically. Katie had never been one for perfume, so it might just be a really good soap. "You're sure?"
"That we won't have child-free time when we get home, or that I want to have sex for the first time in over three years?"
Okay, when she said it with that tone, it did sound like a stupid question. "Give me a minute to undress, and I'm all yours," he promised.
Katie reached up and tugged him towards her. "Oh, don't worry. I'll help you take it off."
Waiting until she'd been back long enough to confirm her shot that she had gotten her first day back was working—and she was not going to find herself immediately pregnant again—had been the only thing keeping Katie from dragging Hunk to bed sooner. She knew he wanted it as badly as she did, and the moment she started undressing him, she knew he was all in. Neither one of them had been with anyone else, and they were equally starved not just for the physical, but for the emotional reconnection on an intimate level.
Three years absence. Three years where the only way she could spend time with Hunk in any form had been in her dreams. And yes, some of those dreams had been incredibly intense, even though others had been silly, innocent things. Conversations. Baking together. That was not what she wanted tonight.
If there was a way to break down the remaining distance between them, she could not think of a better one. Not that Hunk would be willing to try, anyway. This… he was definitely up for.
Once, Katie would have rolled her eyes and dismissed anyone who suggested she would ever be in the mood to seduce anyone…even her own husband. Now, Katie dragged him into bed without shame or subtlety. While they were both satisfied, by the end he was panting heavily and clearly worn out.
"Sure you're not up for another round?" Katie asked with a grin.
Hunk chuckled, still panting. "Are you trying to kill me?"
"Of course not."
"Then you're going to have to give me a little more time to recuperate," he admitted.
"I suppose I can give you five minutes."
"Pidge."
"Kidding!" She leaned back, sliding down beside him. "I think that's enough for one night. Now, shower first, or snack?"
"Maybe a nap," Hunk suggested, though he was obviously thinking the question over more seriously. "Shower actually… I'd rather enjoy the rest of my evening not-sweaty."
That was what she had been anticipating. "I'll get the water going." She kissed Hunk's cheek, then headed for the bathroom. It wasn't a long shower, but it was nice to have someone to scrub her back again. Once they were dry and back in clean pajamas, she opened the wine bottle, and pulled out the cheese and crackers she had pilfered from the kitchens to go with it. Something small—neither of them needed a large snack—but tasty.
By the time they had finished nibbling, and had finished most of the wine, Katie was contentedly drowsy, but glad to see that Hunk finally seemed his relaxed self… the one she hadn't really seen since she had stumbled through that wall. "We should do this more often," she commented as she draped across his lap on the couch, using his thigh as a pillow. "We just need a sound-proof bedroom and locking doors."
"Or a lot of free babysitting." Hunk chuckled, one hand playing loosely with her hair. "We have a lot of catching up to do."
"You know if we keep dumping the kids on my parents, or yours, they're just going to start assuming this is what we're up to."
"And I don't care," Hunk replied. "The kids will have a great time, and so will we. Besides, that's better than them constantly asking me how I'm doing and bugging me about if I'm okay."
"Did they do that a lot?" Katie had been under the assumption that they had mostly left Hunk alone to his personal business outside of helping with Caitlin, but maybe they weren't as subtle as they thought they were.
"Not in words, mostly," Hunk admitted. "The only one who was really pushy was Lance."
"Oh really?"
"He has a habit of dropping by unannounced. Not that I mind the company, most of the time."
"It's good to have friends." Katie played it casual. It had been enough of a risk choosing a bottle of wine for tonight at all, but she'd hoped that helping set the mood, and loosening him up a little, would help get them around to a conversation. "I don't know what I would have done without someone around the last couple of years. There were times, brief ones, where it was just so overwhelming, I thought…maybe it was time to give up."
"You did?" Hunk sounded startled.
Because those were not the stories they were telling over dinner. Katie nodded. "We kept losing people. They were willing to risk themselves on missions entirely devoted to my sending a message to our part of space. Not just out of kindness, but because I promised them if I could get it sent, there would be backup from a fleet far more powerful than anything their system had ever seen. It was always a very slim chance, but they took it out of desperation. I got so tired of watching people get captured and killed on my account. I was just so tired of trying, and failing. You know how much I hate failing."
Hunk gave her a squeeze. "I know how rarely you fail."
"Yeah, well, my plans failed a lot for a while there. It was worst when I couldn't go on the missions at all… when Kale was tiny." She rolled over a little more so she could see Hunk's face. "But I couldn't give up. I knew you and Caitlin were here…and that you probably thought I was dead, especially by then, the longer it went on. But I couldn't imagine just …staying there for the rest of our lives. Knowing it was hurting you. Or worse…that you'd move on, and marry someone else, and I'd be forgotten."
"Never!" The immediacy of Hunk's response warmed her heart, as did his offended tone. His hand gripped her shoulder. "When I thought you were dead… it broke me. I could never find someone who could fill my heart the way you do… or my bed. I told you that."
"You did," Katie nodded. "And I believe you. That's just how I felt at the time. I'm glad you didn't fall for someone else."
"Well, I'm glad you didn't either." Hunk kissed her cheek. "I'm not sure I could have survived that if we found you… and you'd moved on."
Given what she'd seen this evening, Katie didn't doubt it. "Fortunately for both of us, we're both alive, and disinclined to fall in love easily. I fought like hell to get back here, so I expect to live a long rest of my life with you, and you had better do everything you can to live a damned long time. Understood?"
Hunk gave her a bemused look even as he nodded with exaggerated seriousness. "Yes, ma'am."
June 19, 2335
For several moments after she opened her eyes in the dark, Katie wondered what had woken her. The glowing clock on the console across the room said it was barely oh-two-hundred hours. She thought she had heard a noise… maybe? Of course, there were always noises on the Atlas, and while she found their familiarity reassuring, she was still getting used to them again.
It was the cooling of her back that caused her to turn enough to realize that Hunk was not in bed. He could not have gotten up long before, because the sheets still retained some residual warmth.
There was no light on in the tiny bathroom. Sitting up she looked around, but didn't see him anywhere. Curiosity, and a creeping suspicion, got the better of her. Katie slipped out of bed, sticking slippers on her feet and wrapping herself in her fuzzy robe against the chill of the Atlas' corridors.
The door slid open with its usual near-silent swish, and she poked her head out, looking down the hall.
Down near the end, she saw Hunk vanish around a corner.
If this is what I think it is…
Katie followed, moving quickly but with the soft stealth she had learned to perfect. With almost perfect silence, she managed to keep him in visual sight most of the time. Not that she needed to. Within a few turns, she was almost certain she knew where he was going.
She paused at a corner, and considered her next move. Now that Katie was almost certain, there was no real reason to follow him. Going back to bed definitely had an appeal, and Hunk didn't need to know she had tracked him. But what was the purpose of that? Pretending otherwise wouldn't do any good.
Finally, she decided it was the best—and most honest—move, to simply continue the rest of the way.
When she arrived in the mess, her suspicions were confirmed. Through the window into the kitchen, the glow of the light from one of the open refrigerators was clearly visible.
Katie approached the kitchen entrance. From there it was easy to see Hunk's back, as he stood silhouetted in the door. He was eating something out of a bowl. From the smell, she had a pretty good guess as to what it was.
It was probably best to play it cool. She leaned against the open doorway. "Were you going to invite me on this little snack raid?"
Hunk froze, looking over at her with his mouth still full. It might have been comical if Katie hadn't been sure of what was really going on. He swallowed. "Pidge... I thought you were asleep."
"Obviously."
"I didn't want to wake you."
She chuckled. "You just didn't want to share."
His face reddened. "That's ridiculous."
"Then why are you stuffing your face with potato salad straight from the bowl in the middle of the night?"
Red went to near purple. "I wasn't aware being hungry was a crime."
"I didn't say it was." So much for light-hearted banter. Katie straightened up. "Now calm down before you bust a button."
"Before I… what?" It was a good thing Hunk wasn't a puffer-fish based species, or Katie was pretty certain the buttons down the front of his pajamas would already have been toast. As strained as they were, she was a little surprised they weren't already.
It wasn't worth a fight. She shrugged. "Look, I woke up, you were gone. I was worried so I came to find you. Clearly, you're fine. So, I'm going back to bed. If you'd like to join me, you know where to find me. Good night." Then she turned, and left. Let him decide what to do with himself. If nothing else, he knew she knew about it. Though not really.
Was it just tonight, or was this something he had been doing regularly without her knowing? She had been sleeping more deeply than she had in years, without the threat of attack hanging over their lives. At meals, everything seemed totally normal. She had actually been very impressed with Caitlin's careful and appropriate food choices, and her understanding of basic nutrition. That, coupled with how active and energetic she was, spoke volumes to how careful Hunk had been in raising her.
While he was falling apart. Well, maybe that was being overdramatic. She didn't have enough information to make that kind of judgement call yet.
When she got back to quarters, she lay down and took a moment to breathe deeply and push the ideas into their own little corner of her mind until morning. Everything would make more sense with a full night's sleep.
Or so she had hoped. When she awoke in the morning, Hunk was back in bed, sacked out as if nothing had happened. Not even a whiff of potato salad on his breath to give him away. He said nothing about it when he woke up either, just kissed her good morning, and disappeared into the shower.
Katie was dressed and ready for the day by the time he came out. Today, she was planning to take the children down to her old workshop. She suspected it had been cleared out of all her old projects, she still wanted to visit and show her children precisely what Mommy did. And presumably, would do again, though it might not be on the Atlas.
"Have fun today," Hunk smiled as he came out, fully dressed. "I promised Romelle I'd help with the breakfast rush this morning. Is that still okay?"
"Of course, it is. Go, be helpful. It'll give me a chance to see if I can survive being a mother of two for more than five minutes." Katie smiled. "We'll have a good time."
"Great." He kissed her quickly, then headed out.
Katie went to fetch the kids and take them to breakfast. After several days on the Atlas, Kale had sampled all of the items that regularly cycled through the breakfast menu on board, and eagerly went straight for his favorites. He still took only what he would actually eat -a fact Katie appreciated- though since he was in the middle of a growth spurt, that was a markedly larger portion than he had eaten when they first arrived. On planet, Katie had usually supplemented his share with bites of hers. This was definitely preferable.
They sat with friends, and ate, and Caitlin babbled at anyone who would listen about whatever came to her mind. A lot of that included all of the cool things she was teaching her brother.
After that, they were off to the labs. It turned out to be a great morning. Not that the kids understood half of it, but everyone was happy to fill Katie in on their projects, and give the kids very oversimplified information about what they were doing. Having an enthusiastic audience definitely made their day as well.
They hit the mess again for lunch, and then Katie took them down to the Atlas' exercise pool for some swim time. It helped get energy out, and killed time. Given their situation, she had taught Kale to float nearly from infancy, and she was thrilled to see that Caitlin really was a little fish. Hunk had told her that he and Lance had taught her, but it was nice to see her in action. They stayed in the shallow end of the lanes, and she kept a sharp eye on both kids as the three of them splashed around, but after a couple of hours they were exhausted, and so was she, and it was back to their quarters for a rinse off and a nap.
Or at least, Kale napped. He passed out hard on a cushion almost as soon as he hit it. Caitlin, who was not particularly tired, asked to sit and read a story. Katie agreed, and then was pleased when Caitlin wanted to read her favorite aloud to her. It was at least three grade levels above the children's stories with pictures she had been reading to Kale. As much as Colleen had been bragging to her about Caitlin's academic aptitude, it wasn't a surprise. Katie had a feeling she might actually enjoy her first parent-teacher conference.
Hunk rejoined them in time for dinner. He still seemed subdued, though he acted happy and cheerful around the kids, and asked them all about their day. After that, Katie made a point of asking him about his day in the kitchen, and what they were making, and got him going. It was easy once they started, because Caitlin and Kale peppered him with questions about all the amazing things in the kitchen and Caitlin asked if they could do a baking day and make something soon. Since this was something that she had clearly done with Hunk, Katie made a note of making sure it happened in the near future. Kale would love to see how the kitchen worked, even if he wasn't old enough to do much more than maybe stir, and dump in pre-measured ingredients, but he loved helping.
At the end of the day, the kids went down with a minimum of fuss, leaving her and Hunk with most of the evening to themselves.
"So, what do you want to do?" she asked.
"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" Hunk turned it around. "Is there anything you've wanted to do or catch up on that you haven't been able to?"
"That doesn't require my full lab?" Katie shrugged. "Spending time with family is what I honestly missed most. Well that, and modern amenities. I'm looking forward to getting back to work, and the Garrison, but that's not really the kind of thing one does to spend down time in the evening."
"What did you do on Taklis?" Hunk asked, though he looked slightly pained as he asked.
"There wasn't a lot of alone with the resistance," Katie admitted. "If we weren't patrolling, or tracking, or making repairs, I was usually with Assta and the other mothers while the kids were playing. We told a lot of stories, or played card games. Watched the stars on clear nights. It's a very different pace of life." One she had never imagined herself adjusting to. "I kept a journal… if you ever want to read it. Every entry was addressed to you and Caitlin. It's on the family database now."
"Oh. I'll…take a look at that, sometime."
It still didn't answer the question of tonight. "We could try a repeat of last night, just quieter?" she suggested hopefully, running one finger lightly between his pectorals.
She's surprised him again. Hunk glanced at the kids, then back at her. "Really?"
"One night after three years of celibacy is not going to cut it. But, if you're not in the mood…"
"I didn't say that!" Hunk shook his head. "I guess I'm just not used to the idea of not having to convince you to put down a project first. Not a complaint, just an observation."
"Right now, you're the only project I'm interested in."
"Then who am I to stand in your way?"
June 22nd, 2335
Katie had not expected to feel so emotional when they reached Altea. After spending almost every day in proximity for three years, she was really going to miss Coran. She was even going to miss re-hearing the many wild adventures of Coran in his youth. Mostly though, she would miss her friend, and she knew Kale was going to miss him.
In honor of Coran's return, Altea was throwing a welcome back banquet in his honor, and he insisted they stay. Navor was also invited, and it was agreed that they could stay in orbit long enough to make that happen.
It was a beautiful late-afternoon when they landed on the surface of Altea. It was the flowering season, and the weather was gentle and pleasant, with a fresh breeze heavily laden with juniberry blossoms.
Caitlin was fascinated. "It smells like Uncle Lance's farm! Did all of these flowers come from him?"
Coran chuckled, and answered her question. "Not all of them, but quite a few. You'll find several varieties here you've probably never seen before. There's a lovely garden where they're holding the banquet. If I remember correctly, they also put in a children's play area. Would you like to see those?"
The question got a rousing response from both Caitlin and Kale, so they headed that direction first.
The first clue Katie had that anyone they knew was there was when Caitlin yelled out "Heith?" and broke into a run. The three dogs streaked off behind her.
Hunk looked up. "That is Heith."
Katie squinted into the sunlight—and wondered briefly if she needed to have the Garrison check and fix her eyes—but then saw clearly a little boy about Caitlin's height with incredibly dark purple hair. Other than that, he looked mostly human. "Are Keith and Acxa here then?" she looked around as they came out of the bushes.
"No, we just thought we'd let our son run around an alien planet by himself." Keith's familiar voice laughed as he came into view. The next thing Katie knew she'd been scooped up in a strong, friendly hug. "It's good to see you, Pidge."
Katie squeezed him back. "You too, Keith. Thank you."
"For what?" he asked, looking puzzled.
"For trying to find us. Even if it didn't turn out." She smiled as they released each other.
"If there's one thing I've learned, you can never be too sure of anything."
"We're just glad you're okay," Acxa added. "Is that your son?"
Katie followed her gaze to where Heith, Caitlin, and Kale were now playing with a couple of Altean children. "Yep, that's Kale. I would say I barely recognize Heith, but honestly, he looks just like you. I think I'd recognize him anywhere," she grinned at Keith.
"Yeah. I get that a lot."
"So, what brings you to Altea?"
"We're here for the party," Keith replied as they all walked towards the benches near the play area. "As soon as they found you—there was a huge Coalition wide announcement by the way last varga—Altea started planning. I heard about it, and we finagled a little time off. It seemed like a great opportunity to catch up. Plus, Heith really wanted a chance to play with Caitlin in person, instead of just playing digital games from different planets."
That explained Caitlin's excitement. "I'm glad they get to spend time together. Has Heith started school yet? What's the primary school education system like on Daibazaal?" She didn't ask if they had one, she presumed they did. Though she couldn't assume that Acxa and Keith wanted their son to grow up with a primarily Galra education. No matter where he learned his lessons, she presumed he would have a wide and varied education.
"It's more diverse than you'd expect," Acxa admitted. "Since the Blades opened up to include members of any race who wanted to assist in rebuilding, there are thousands of families that aren't Galra, and most of them attend school together. Lessons are offered in multiple languages."
"Heith started their version of pre-school last year," Keith took up the explanation. "It's pretty good. Of course, we've been teaching him a lot ourselves. We've been… contemplating relocating to Earth for a while."
"Oh really?" That got Hunk's attention.
"While he's half Galra, Heith really looks mostly human," Acxa continued. This fact clearly didn't bother her in the slightest. "He gets along fine with the children at his school now, but there's still a very heavy Galra influence on the program. We'd both be more comfortable if he were in a school environment that was a little more… balanced. Now that there are so many races living on Earth, especially near the Garrison bases, we thought it might be worth trying. Really, Keith and I can do the work we're doing now from anywhere, and much of it has become administrative more than on-the-lines. The current Coalition representative for the Blades is looking to retire so… now might be a good time."
"That would be great," Katie replied enthusiastically, immediately warming to the idea. "It would be nice to see you more often." That would put all the living Paladins back on Earth, and much easier to spend time with. If only they could convince Coran to relocate…the whole family would be together again. "Of course, anything is more often than I've seen you lately."
Keith laughed. "That's for sure."
It was a nice afternoon and evening spent on Altea. Hunk was glad to see Katie and the kids having fun. Caitlin was thrilled by everything she saw, and he felt a little guilty that he had never taken her off-planet after Katie's disappearance. There had been no real logic to his fear that something might happen to her. It wasn't as if he would have taken her anywhere more dangerous than Earth.
As afraid as he might be—of a lot of things—Caitlin was still somehow absolutely fearless. She and Heith climbed to the very top of the playground, went down all the big kid slides, and even tried climbing what was the equivalent of a climbing wall, though it was translucent so you could see past it as you climbed.
Kale was also clearly enjoying exploring, though he often looked around to make sure Katie was in view. Once he looked at Hunk, smiled, and went back to what he was doing.
Katie talked animatedly with Keith and Acxa all afternoon. Coran too, until he was called away to get ready. She was vibrant, and happy, and beautiful. He didn't know where she had gotten the outfit she was wearing today, but the knee-length tunic style top in two different shades of blue, belted at the waist, was very flattering. It went nicely over white pants and flats. It was a little weird to see Katie dressed fashionably… ever. Maybe Nadia or Romelle had loaned it to her.
The banquet was the highlight of Hunk's evening. He always appreciated Altean cooking, and Coran was definitely being welcomed home in style. The tables groaned with over a dozen different dishes, not including three dessert choices after, and the wine flowed…well, like wine.
No one said a word about the three children sitting at the Paladin end of Coran's head table. If the Paladins of Voltron wished to have their children in attendance, no one on Altea was going to voice a word of complaint. Besides, they were being very well behaved, for children. The three of them kept each other entertained and out of trouble while they ate.
As people finished eating, the large open circle within the tables filled with dancers to the instrumental music, which kicked up the tempo from the soothing background conversational music to something much peppier. Almost all of it was Altean, though even their culture had influence from other planets.
"Can we dance too, Daddy?" Caitlin asked.
Hunk was about to object, when he realized Caitlin meant the kids. "Sure, Caity-cat. You can go dance."
"Come on, Heith." She grabbed her friend by the arm. To Hunk's amusement, the boy went without objection. But then, he pretty much never argued with Caitlin.
It didn't matter that they didn't know the steps, Caitlin was going to have fun anyway.
"I see Heith is more agreeable these days," Hunk commented to Keith.
Keith chuckled. "Only when it's Caitlin doing the suggesting. He still doesn't listen to me when he doesn't agree with me."
"Which is often," Acxa quipped.
The song ended, and as the next one started up, Hunk was surprised to see Katie's eyes light up. "Oh, I know this one!"
"You know an Altean dance?" Since when did Katie know any formal dances… at all?
"Coran taught me. You want to try it?"
She wanted him to… "I ah… I think I'd rather watch," Hunk managed. "Besides, someone's got to keep an eye on Kale."
For a moment, Katie looked disappointed. "Oh. Okay. Well, then I'll go see if Coran wants to dance with me, if you don't mind."
"Why would I mind? Go. Have fun."
Why did I do that? He asked himself as Katie went to the other end of the table. A minute later she and Coran were on the dance floor. It was immediately clear that she was actually pretty good. Of course, they would have had plenty of time to practice. She had said there wasn't much to do for entertainment.
He looked around to find that aside from Kale, who was still finishing his vegetables, he was alone. Keith and Acxa were on the other side of the circle, engaged in lively conversation with some big shot in the Altean government.
A server appeared at his shoulder, holding a bottle. She smiled. "Did you want another glass of wine, Mr. Garrett?"
Hunk looked at his glass, which was empty. It was a very nice wine, made from a combination of the closest thing Altea had to grapes, and juniberry nectar, as well as a couple of other flowers. It had a delicate, fruity taste. "Thank you. I'd love one."
Katie danced three songs with Coran before she was a little breathless and ready to stop. It was nice of the musicians to play the classics that Coran knew—of course it only made sense. After that she took one spin around the floor with Kale in her arms, because he begged. Then she joined Keith and Acxa in their conversation with the provisional government head of Altea, Tirielle. She had stepped up as head of the governing body when Coran went missing. Though she had been his de-facto second and primary assistant up until that point. Coran had no intention of removing her from the position.
Caitlin and Heith had no grace, and only half-way mimicked the steps, but they were having too much fun for anyone to care. It was really adorable.
Finally, the hour grew late enough the children were showing signs of being tired and ready for bed. It was definitely best to avoid missing bedtime.
Katie gave Coran one last hug. "I'll miss seeing you around every day. Call me anytime you feel like it. Just…check the time difference."
"Of course." Coran returned the hug, before letting her go. "The same for you…and Kale."
Katie gathered her children and went looking for Hunk, who turned out to be easy to find, as he was sitting where she had left him earlier. She didn't know if he had moved from the spot or not. "Ready to go?" she asked. "It's time to get these guys to bed."
"Sure." Hunk placed his hands on the table and stood up, pushing the chair back. "Do you want a ride, Caitlin?"
Caitlin shook her head. "No. I can walk myself."
Katie looked down at Kale, who was dozing off on her shoulder. "I think this one's a carrier. Let's go." She was glad they had come down in a pod on their own. They didn't have to wait for Navor, who was still socializing. Or, more realistically, politicking. Her parents also looked like they were enjoying themselves.
They returned to the landing field, and strapped the kids safely into seats. "You want to fly?" Katie asked as she slipped into the cockpit.
"That's all right. You can do it."
"Are you okay?" she asked, turning to look at him.
"I'm fine," he assured her with a shrug, as he came in and slid over into the co-pilot's seat. "The wine at dinner was a little stronger than I expected. That's all."
"Never drink and fly." Katie had to agree. She'd only had a bit of the wine at the very beginning during the toasts, and mostly water after. She took the pilot's seat and in short order, they had clearance to depart, and then they were heading back up to the Atlas.
By the time they docked, Caitlin had also fallen asleep, so Hunk picked her up and carried her back to their quarters. Between the two of them, they had both kids tucked in to bed in fairly short order. They barely woke up to get into pajamas.
"I'm glad they had a good day," Katie smiled as she looked down at them, sleeping soundly less than a foot apart. Each one cuddled a stuffed animal. "That was fun."
Hunk put his arm around her shoulders, and kissed her cheek. "I'm glad you had a good time."
"Didn't you?" She looked up at him, feeling a bit puzzled. "You're not still jealous of Coran, are you?"
"No," Hunk shook his head. "If I was, I would have asked you not to dance with him."
She had to wonder if that was the case, but she decided to take him at his word. In the soft light of the room though, she noticed he looked a little flush. "You've been a little… off, all day. Are you sure you're feeling okay?"
Hunk looked vaguely amused now. "I told you. I'm fine."
Katie sniffed the waft of his breath. "Are you intoxicated?"
The amusement vanished. Though he scoffed. "They didn't have enough wine in that whole place to get me intoxicated."
"What?"
"I mean…" Hunk hesitated just a moment. "I told you, just the wine at dinner. So, no."
"Okay. You could have just said no, you know." There was something up there. Or maybe he was just shocked that she'd ask such a thing, but Katie didn't think so. Now that she wasn't distracted by getting the kids home and down for the night, he definitely looked like he'd had enough to be at least tipsy. But why would he lie about it? He'd never felt the need to do so before.
"Sorry. I guess I'm tired, too. I should probably get some sleep."
"We both should," Katie agreed. She was probably making too much of the situation, she tried telling herself. She just wished it sounded more convincing in her head. Hunk didn't drink much, and generally always responsibly. Or at least… he hadn't and had. "Just think, a couple more days, and we'll be home."
June 24th, 2335
Their homecoming was met with another small crowd. Though given their landing at the Garrison, and her family was on board, it was mostly colleagues. The exceptions were Hunk's mother and father, and Lance.
If Katie had ever doubted how much her in-laws cared about her—which she never had—those doubts would have been laid to rest by the crushing hug she got from Hunk's mother. "It's so wonderful to see you," she beamed through tears. "It just hasn't been the same. We've missed you."
Her reaction to finding out she had a new grandson involved much more gushing and hugs. Katie watched with a smile as Kale was smothered in attention from his second set of Grandparents. She was glad she had shown him pictures and told stories so he knew who they were. But his general comfort with people coming and going in his life was a resilience she could not have expected. Kale was happy to bask in the attention. Not that they ignored Caitlin. Both of them got lots of hugs from both.
Lance's hug was the tightest of them all. "You had us really worried, you know," he said softly.
"It's not my fault they had the technological advancement of a rock," Katie retorted, though she hugged him back just as tightly. "But I'm back now, from the longest Paladin mission ever. I spent three years listening to the entire unabridged heroics of Coran. It doesn't get longer than that."
Lance laughed as he let her go. "You really are something. It's good to have you back, Pidge. Both of you. I see Caitlin's a fan of having a brother."
"The novelty hasn't worn off," Katie chuckled. "She's been amazing with him, actually. I really didn't expect them to bond as quickly as they have, though I'm relieved. Thank you."
"What are you thanking me for?"
"Caitlin won't shut up about you," she told him. "Almost every other story is something she did with Uncle Lance: swimming lessons, surfing lessons, rock climbing, riding ponies, milking cows, gardening… the list just seems to go on."
Lance grinned. "Well rock climbing might be a bit of an exaggeration, though it's correct in a literal sense. It wasn't a very big hill."
"It's a mountain the way Caitlin tells it. I wonder who's been teaching her storytelling too."
"Guilty as charged." Lance held up his hands. "Once you get settled, you should all come out to the farm for a few days. We'd love to have you."
"That sounds lovely." It wasn't as if the last three years away had been a vacation, and the past weeks on the Atlas had shown her that—as much as she loved being back in space, surrounded by technology—she had come to appreciate and enjoy a little more outdoors in her life. A family vacation in Cuba sounded lovely.
"I had forgotten how small this place is," Katie commented as she stood in the living space of their little apartment. "Or maybe it just seems smaller with five of us."
"It might be that," Hunk agreed as they listened to Caitlin showing Kale around her room, and the occasional sniffs and yips of excitement from Juni, who was clearly glad to be back on Earth with all her familiar smells. "It definitely seemed bigger when there were only three of us."
"Maybe we should consider getting an actual house," she mused aloud. "Then we could have a yard for the kids and the dog. And maybe they could each have their own room. The kids, I mean. Not the dog."
"We could consider it," Hunk agreed, sounding slightly hesitant.
"Though we don't have to think about that right now." Katie smiled at him. "We can give it a little time and see how we settle in."
Hunk looked relieved. Maybe she was suggesting too much change too fast. The thought had really only just occurred to her though. While their caves, and tree rooms, and various living spaces individually on Taklis had been small, the communal areas had always been large, with plenty of fresh air and outdoors for the children to run around in.
"Given how much the downstairs neighbors hate noise… it might be easier on all of us," Hunk admitted. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to see what's available, while we still have some time off."
Katie grinned. "Something with a gourmet kitchen and room for a home workshop?"
"Something in our price range," Hunk suggested.
"Well, yes. That would be pretty important. I wonder if I can get three years of back-pay since I spent all that time trying to help another system join the Coalition."
Hunk looked amused. "Your father is still the Admiral. You'll probably get paid overtime."
June 26th, 2335
While Katie was relieved to find that the apartment had not fallen apart in her absence, that didn't mean it didn't need a good dusting after as much time as Hunk and Caitlin had been gone coming to get her.
That didn't mean she remembered where they kept everything. She was searching the upper cabinets in the kitchen area looking for dish soap, when she opened one cabinet and discovered… snacks? Bags and bags of chips and caramel popcorn and a variety of alien foods as well. Are these… pork rinds? "Hey, Hunk?" she called. "Do you have a minute?"
"Sure. Just a tic." A few seconds later he came out of the bedroom, where he had been changing the linens. "What's up?"
Katie pulled out one of the huge bags of chips and waved them from the top of the stool. "What is all this junk?"
Hunk blinked, caught off guard. "It's… snacks."
"I know that. I mean why is the cabinet crammed full of them? There's enough here to feed a dozen starving cadets for a week."
"It's not all meant to be eaten at once," Hunk replied, looking mildly offended.
"Well, I should hope not. But who's it all for?" He had already made it very clear—as had Caitlin's choices—that she wasn't the one eating up a pile of junk food. "I mean, I guess I could see this being useful if we had a bunch of guests. But—"
"It's mine, alright?" Hunk snapped in irritation. "What, you're a processed food snob now?"
Katie kept her jaw from dropping open, but only just. "No. I just… well I guess I didn't really think about it." Nothing she had craved with Kale had been anything that couldn't have been made from scratch, if she'd just been on a planet with the right ingredients. Some of those things had been desserts, but not many. "We didn't exactly have the luxury. I didn't even miss them." She put the bag back for now. "Are you saving them for something?"
"No. They had a sale, so I stocked up for the we—month."
Katie's mouth twitched. Was he about to say week? It sounded like a very fast correction, but she decided now was not the time to make an issue out of it. "I can't imagine we'll go through all of it," she said instead, turning back towards the cabinets and stepping down off the two-step stool she needed to reach it. "The kids don't need it, and… honestly none of it looks appetizing. Keep what you want, but we could use the space. Maybe we can donate the extra somewhere." She shrugged as she turned around. "Anyway, I was actually looking for more dish soap. Where do we keep it?"
Hunk was unprepared for the sudden topic change. "Oh. I moved it over here." He went to the cabinet on the other side and opened the top. "I guess I should move that lower." He pulled down the bottle and handed it to her.
Katie took it, and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thank you. I'll get the dishes done. Do you want to see how Caitlin and Kale are getting on with their room?" Caitlin had insisted she could clean her own room, but Katie wondered how well that was really going with both kids in there. Not that Kale was not a helpful boy, but there were a lot of distractions in that room for both kids.
For a moment, Hunk didn't move.
"Something wrong?"
"No. No. Everything's fine." He turned and went into the kids' room. "Hey, how's it going?" she heard him as the door closed.
Katie turned back to the dishes. While most of them were in the dishwasher, there were a few good pieces of cut glass her mother had given them that she didn't want to risk. They were just dusty, but she wanted them cleaned up too. Now that she was home, it would be nice to do some entertaining and see old friends.
And they would not be feeding them cheap junk food.
There were nights Katie found it hard having everyone around her actually asleep all at the same time. No one was patrolling, or planning, or sitting up late strategizing. While she knew, academically, that they were all safe, her body had grown used to that rhythm. Even on the Atlas there was always someone awake and on-shift to do the essential jobs that did not stop for sleeping.
Tonight, Hunk had simply kissed her good night, told her to come to bed whenever she was ready to sleep, and had gone to bed. The children were already fast asleep, and Juni had been out already. The dog, as usual, was curled up at the foot of Caitlin's bed.
So, Katie decided to do what she had done on other nights she woke up at an odd hour, or just wasn't tired, and continue her journey through Caitlin's early years, courtesy of Hunk's collection of thousands of photos, and hours and hours of video recordings, all conveniently cataloged and available on the family system.
There were tons to go through, all carefully labelled by date and event, subdivided into folders to keep it from becoming an overwhelming mess. Katie was about half-way through Caitlin's third year when she came to the end of the folder and backed out to move to the next one.
She was about to click on it when something wet nosed her bare leg, and she jumped. Looking down, Juni was sitting there, wagging her tail.
"Do you actually need something, or are you just here to bug me?" Katie asked, though she reached down and ruffled the dog's fluffy ears anyway. She couldn't be mad at that adorable face. Juni was a very well-behaved dog.
Juni nosed her again, then leaned against her leg for more pets.
"I can do that." Katie continued to scratch her for another couple of minutes, until the dog yawned, and trotted back to Caitlin and Kale's room.
Smiling, Katie turned back to the console. Her jump had made her click on the wrong folder, she realized after a moment. One of the files had automatically come up on the screen These are… Hunk's records. What she was looking at, she realized after a moment, was the results of his last mandatory PT test and physical.
Katie cringed. These numbers are… awful. Even for Hunk. She was certain they had been much better before. It only took a few minutes to pull them all up into a cross-correlated spreadsheet with all the data available, which went all the way back to their cadet days—minus the four years of time missing during the war with the Galra Empire and saving the universe.
It was just as she'd suspected. From the time they had gotten back to Earth through her disappearance, the numbers improved consistently for several years, and then mostly maintained at a certain level. The physical tests the scores all demonstrated his strength and stamina. Despite his soft exterior, Hunk had always been a powerhouse, and after their Paladin training, he'd had the stamina to back it up. And he had maintained that for years, all the way up until her disappearance.
But she knew all that, because she'd watched him do it, and she'd been proud of him. He'd managed to get a hold on his stress-snacking habits, because he'd been in a much better place. But he'd maintained that level right up through getting married, having Caitlin, and family life, for the most part. Hunk was never going to be lean, but under his warm cuddliness, there had been the frame and muscle of a warrior.
Comparatively, the last three years of data charted a disaster.
Run times… abysmal.
Sit ups… halved.
Push-ups… were thankfully passable, even if the numbers were down a bit.
But all of it noted a stark decline. She was almost afraid to look at the rest. Not that it stopped her now.
The medical data only made her feel worse.
Again, most of it was not a surprise. For years Hunk's numbers in everything from blood sugar to blood pressure and on had been for the most part consistent, and given how rigorously he had maintained them as an adult, healthy, despite his size and genetic predispositions.
The past three years… well, she might not call the numbers disastrous, but they weren't good either. More importantly, if he didn't do something about them, in another year or two they were going to be a major concern.
Katie almost didn't look at the last lines of data. She didn't have to look at them to know what she could see with her own eyes, and feel with her own hands. This last point was the one Hunk had argued with Garrison physicians since his cadet days… he was never going to make weight or tape based on their model data for humans, which was based on the general population. He never had, not even at his absolute best. Shiro had understood that, and as long as he had been Hunk's direct commanding officer, it had never been a fight. It was one of the few outdated elements of the Garrison system that Katie had never liked.
But an unhappy, heartbroken, stressed Hunk, trying to keep up with work, and raising Caitlin on his own… thinking he'd lost both her and their son. She couldn't be mad at him… but her chest ached.
With a sinking feeling, Katie pulled up her old officer log-in to the Garrison systems. To her surprise, her password still worked. With much trepidation, she pulled up Hunk's personnel file.
ON REPORT, the letters glowed red and prominent on his promotion/transfer status. Clicking on the words brought up the reason for an officer being on report, since there were multiple reasons. This one, she didn't have to bet on. What stung was the date of the entry, which was over a year and a half—three physicals—ago. With a note that he would once again be eligible for promotion or transfer again if he got back down to the high end of his own previously maintained weight range.
That, at least, was a reasonable request and a reachable goal. As opposed to their previous expectations. But it was still over fifty pounds. When they made the statement, it had only been twenty-five.
Which meant he had not only ignored their orders—which was not unusual considering—but he wasn't even doing things the way he knew worked for him either. He had worked so hard to get to that point.
I should never have been down there. I put you through so much, just because I was curious. This is my fault.
Her eyes were wet. Wiping them with her arm, Katie closed out the documents and logged out of the Garrison system.
Of course, he didn't want to talk about it. But that didn't leave her with a clear idea of what she should do about it. Or if she should do anything.
If there was anyone who might have insight, there was only one person she could think of. Katie pulled up her personal communications channel. As she had thought, her other favorite fellow night owl was also still awake, if his active status green light was any indication. She sent him a quick written message.
Hey, Lance. If you're up, do you have a minute?
Sure, he typed back a few seconds later. Just a second and I'll call.
Not long after, the signal came through and Lance appeared on the screen. "Looks like some things never change," he grinned.
"I'm still readjusting to Earth local time," Katie replied, managing to smile back. "What are you doing up?"
"Actually, I'm out in the barn. One of the cats is having kittens, and I drew midwife duty. Mom doesn't let any of the ladies on the farm go unattended."
"Somehow I never thought of you as the midwife type," Katie chuckled.
"Kittens, puppies, foals, calves, piglets…. If we have it on the farm I've helped out. Well, except people," he added. "I have to draw the line somewhere."
"That's probably wise." It would have been so nice if they could have just chatted, instead of her asking what she had actually called to discuss. "Hey, Lance. Can I ask you something?"
"Sure. You can always ask me anything," he replied, looking curious.
"How bad did it get?"
"How bad did what get?"
"Hunk… I just found out he's been On Report for almost a year-and-a-half. And the other night he was…cagey… about how much he drank at the party on Altea. He said he'd just had a bit, but he was definitely intoxicated. So is this… normal now?"
Lance's expression sobered. "I've known worse," he replied. "Hell, I've been worse. A broken heart changes you. But… that doesn't sound right to me either," he admitted.
"What do you mean?"
Lance grimaced. "It takes a lot to get him drunk these days. Much more than it used to. Have you talked to him about this?"
"I've tried. The best I can get out of him is a casual brush off of the topic… either topic, I guess." They were two different things with the same root, really. "Even when I try and be direct. He doesn't want to, and I don't want to push too hard. Maybe I'm over-reacting, but… I just don't think so. Am I?" It would be so very nice to hear that it was in her imagination. That the pieces didn't fit together the way she thought they did.
"You said he's On Report?" Lance asked after a minute.
"Yeah. It looks like they finally made good on the threat. But that was three physicals ago. Since then…"
"Yeah, I know." Lance sighed. "I tried to talk to him, Pidge. I mean, at least he'd talk to me about what he was feeling. I don't think he did that with anyone else. But… I couldn't talk him out of anything. I promise, I really tried. You're my best friends, and I love you guys. Watching him suffer… it's been hard."
"I believe you." Katie replied. "And I'm grateful someone tried. I just wish he'd open up more about himself. He hasn't told me much about himself the past three years, other than how hard it was. But he hasn't mentioned a recipe, a hobby, a project; not even a book or a repaired circuit. But he'll talk all day about what Caitlin did. And I get that she's been his top priority. He's a fantastic dad, and I'm grateful that she's thriving. But… I'm not sure what to do. Or if I should do anything. I mean, I'm here now, so in theory everything should be getting better." But if so, it was off to a very slow start. Not that she should or would expect changes overnight.
"Well before we try hogtying him and dragging him in for psychological counseling against his will, maybe we should give him a chance to sort himself out," Lance suggested. "You and Kale home is a huge change, and it's a good one. Maybe all he needs is a little more motivation."
"Like?"
Lance rolled his eyes. "Like you. He doesn't want to disappoint you, or your kids. Caitlin's opinion of him means everything. In three years, I've never seen him be anything but a model of good behavior when she's around, and even when it's just her and me having a day together you can tell she adores him."
Which explained why all the junk snacks were ferreted away where Caitlin would never find them. She had to admit, she had been a little relieved after the weirdness on Altea not to find any alcohol in the place. "They're wonderful together," she agreed, having seen for herself how close they were. She was grateful Caitlin had welcomed her mother back into her life so easily. "Thanks, Lance. You're as awesome as ever…and I feel better."
"Good. Give yourself time too," he added, with a gentle grin. "I'm pretty impressed you survived roughing it in a wasteland practically devoid of microchips for three years."
"And good showers, and modern sanitation… the list goes on for days." Katie chuckled. She did feel relieved. "I'll tell you all about it when we visit."
"I look forward to it. Well, I gotta go, it looks like we're about to have our first kitten here, and Miss Maisy Meow needs moral support."
"Miss Maisy Meow?"
"One of the younger cousins named her."
"Well, go help bring beautiful meowing life into the world. I just hope I can keep Caitlin and Kale from wanting a kitten, too."
"Good luck with that. Good night, Pidge."
"Night, Lance."
The screen went dark, and the room quiet again, save for the subtle hum of appliances, and the soft blowing of the air conditioning. Time… for bed. Katie stood up, and headed for the bedroom, pausing at the kids' door long enough to glance in and make sure everything was fine.
Which it was. Caitlin and Kale were both fast asleep in Caitlin's bed. While she was gone, her daughter had graduated to a twin bed, though she was still small enough they could both sleep in it. Kale, who wasn't used to sleeping alone, had been happiest sharing hers for now.
Juni was curled back up at the end of the bed, on her own pillow.
Katie closed the door and went into her own room.
Hunk was out cold, sleeping on his back, and lightly snoring.
Careful not to wake him, she slipped under the covers on her own side. Lance was right. Now that they were all back together, everything would work itself out. What mattered, was that they do it together.