Shades
Summary: Linka has a secret from her past and when a family tragedy brings it to light, it might just mean the end of her time with the Planeteers and a certain red head that she has come to depend on. AU story.
Disclaimer: I don't own this show and I'm not making any money from these stories, they're just for fun.
Rating: This story is marked as M for mild adult themes.
A/N: This is a 'what if' for the characters and doesn't fit in with the overall canon.
Chapter One
"Surprise!" Many voices yelled in unison as Linka crossed the threshold of her childhood home.
She jumped, stopping in the doorway and making Wheeler bump into her as he tried to enter behind her. He laughed, "Happy Birthday Babe."
He was supposed to just be dropping her off for a quiet celebration with her family, but since all her friends and several of her relations were gathered in the living room she realised there had been a conspiracy going on. "I do not know what to say!"
Natalya, a pretty six year old with short blond hair and the family features, broke free of her parents and ran to embrace their cousin, saying something in Russian that had all the older members of the family telling her off while trying not to laugh.
"What gives?" Wheeler asked, grinning at the enthusiastic way Linka hugged her young relative.
Mishka came over to stand at his side, offering the Fire Planeteer a newly opened bottle of beer. "She said that this year on her birthday, Linka will be three times her age, which makes her old."
The two young men laughed together and fell into easy conversation, having got to know each other well over the last few weeks in consequence of being the chief conspirators of the get together.
Linka let Natalya lead her further into the room where she was greeted warmly by the rest of her family and friends, but the little girl kept demanding her attention, which the lovely Russian seemed only too happy to give to her.
"She worships her superhero cousin, huh?" Wheeler joked, amused at the bond between the two and attracted by the natural warmth his friend showed the little girl.
For a second, the oddest expression came over Mishka's face and then he nodded, "They have always been fond of each other."
Wheeler regarded him curiously, "I'm surprised she doesn't talk about her more then, I mean she's mentioned her but I didn't know she saw much of her."
"Not as much as she would like," Linka's brother said sadly, and then abruptly shook off the mood and urged Wheeler forward. "Come, my grandmother has been looking forward to seeing you again."
Gi and the other Planeteers remained in the background, giving Linka a chance to spend time with her family and were soon joined by the attractive, dark haired young woman whom they had noted their friend had greeted with extra surprise.
"I am Tanya… is it ok if I sit with you?" She asked with a friendly smile.
"Of course," Gi answered for all of them and introduced herself and her companions, pointing out Wheeler as well. "You went to school with Linka?"
Tanya nodded, "Da, that is right. We were best friends until she joined the Planeteers."
Gi looked suddenly uncomfortable and made the other girl laugh by saying, "Sorry."
"Nyet, I did not mean it like that," She shook her head. "We write to each other and, I hope, are still good friends but, our lives are so different now. I have been at university and have only just returned home."
"Linka didn't know you were back?" The Asian said with dawning understanding. "She seemed happy to see you though."
Tanya was clearly pleased by Gi's observation and leant in conspiratorially. "I hope so… now tell me what she has been up to all these years. The things she will not tell me herself?"
The Planeteers laughed but Kwame said, "If the two of you want to have what Gi calls a 'girls talk' we can leave? Although if you want gossip about Linka you might find it rather disappointing, she is one of the most straightforward people I know."
Her old friend sighed, "I thought you would say that. She has always been the same, so logical, so… correct. There was only one time that I thought she was coming out of her shell, just after her father died."
"What happened?" Gi asked, interestedly.
"Not very much." Tanya shrugged, "We went to a few parties and started making plans for the future. I do not think she was as… outgoing or happy as she was pretending to be. I know losing her father was a terrible blow, but I thought it was good for her to get out more and start taking control of her life. But then Nina got pregnant with Natalya and because she had had a miscarriage before that, Linka went to stay with her to help out."
The Russian girl sighed and shook her head, "When she came back, she was back to her old self, only more so. As if she had grown up in those few months and all she was interested in was her studies. Actually, her leaving to join the Planeteers might have been what saved our friendship." She added wryly.
"But you said that you had just returned from university yourself?" Kwame said.
Tanya nodded and her eyes danced with mischief, "Da, but I did not just work and study for the last four years, I had fun too."
The new friends laughed together and it was Ma-Ti who spoke first, "Linka might surprise you Tanya, she takes her responsibilities very seriously, but she does know how to have fun."
"Oh? With anyone in particular?" She was trying to tease Ma-Ti but he laughed unselfconsciously, having never had those sorts of feelings for his Russian team-mate.
"I mean in general." He clarified, "Our missions can be… intense. We all need to relax afterwards and living on a tropical island gives us plenty of opportunities to participate in a variety of beach and water sports."
Gi rolled her eyes, "That's not the sort of fun she meant Ma-Ti… and no, Linka doesn't have a boyfriend." Her eyes flicked towards Wheeler, drawing Tanya's interested gaze. "But not for want of someone trying."
"Does she like him?" Tanya asked, her interest renewed. Having retrieved his camera the American was busy taking photos of the guests and the easy way he laughed and joked with everyone appealed to her.
Kwame and Gi both shrugged while Ma-Ti didn't react, apparently letting them answer. Gi continued, "We think so, they're… close. And she definitely gets jealous if he flirts with other girls, but don't even bother trying to get her to admit anything, especially if you want her to keep talking to you."
The African nodded, "Yes, we have found it is best to leave them alone to sort it out themselves."
Tanya grinned, "Sounds like she has not changed much at all."
"Make a wish!" Natalya urged as Linka blew out the candles on her cake, and then cheered with the others as they all went out first time. The young girl had switched to using English when reminded that none of the Planeteers could speak her language, but not before asking why they couldn't.
As the Russian straightened up, her red headed friend whispered in her ear, "Cheat. I saw your ring glow."
"Shhh, Yankee." Linka's eyes sparkled with affection as she turned to look at him, "Do not tell on me."
"I wouldn't dream of it." He grinned back, "So twenty one huh? That makes you an adult."
The Russian laughed, "I have been an adult for years… and more mature than you, forever."
He didn't dispute with her but moved closer, once again lowering his voice so only she could hear. "So maybe it's time you thought about doing some adult type stuff… you know, to make it official?"
Linka stiffened and he knew he'd said the wrong thing but they were both spared her reply by Natalya, who reminded Wheeler that he'd promised to play her computer game with her, her parents having brought it with them for the sake of peace.
"No grown up can beat me at the racing game." The little girl exclaimed proudly.
"Then you had better watch out." Linka told her teasingly, "Wheeler is not a grown up, he is a big child."
Glad that he was apparently off the hook, even if he'd still hoped she would respond differently to his challenge, the American laughed and said, "Hey, I'm all grown up Babe, I'm just not old. Come on Angel," he added, offering Natalya a hand, "Show me this game you intend to soundly beat me at."
The Wind Planeteer laughed at his sally and watched as her friend allowed himself to be dragged away, beginning a light hearted competitive banter with his young opponent, but the look in her eyes turned inscrutably sad and she mumbled something about helping with the cake before fleeing to the kitchen.
Nina was cutting the cake into slices and didn't cast more than a brief glance in Linka's direction. "The plates are on the side if you want to take them out."
"In a minute." Linka replied, trying to calm herself. Seeing how good Wheeler was with Natalya was doing strange things to her insides and she didn't like it. Telling herself that they had the same mental age didn't help either because his attitude when he addressed the young girl directly had been decidedly fatherly.
Nyet, she corrected herself. Brotherly. It would be foolish beyond permission to think of Wheeler as…
"Are you ok?" Nina was looking at her now, her concern showing.
Linka nodded, "I am fine. I cannot believe how much Natalya has grown, it has only been a few months since I last saw her."
The older woman smiled, "She is a blessing… hard to keep up with at times, but a blessing."
Some of the others interrupted to collect their slice of cake but once the two women were left alone again Nina said, "So, you are with Wheeler now?"
"Nyet!" Linka shook her head quickly, "You know I would not!"
Her cousin looked surprised, "Why not? He seems very nice and he clearly likes you..."
Blushing, the Wind Planeteer looked away, "You know why not."
"But you cannot spend your whole life alone just because..."
"Watch me!" Linka interrupted coldly, but then relented slightly, her heart aching as she confessed one of her greatest fears, "He deserves so much better Nina, he thinks I am better. I could not bear to see the look in his eyes if he ever found out that it is all lies."
Three Months Later...
"Where is Linka?" The Russian Planeteer's grandmother's tear stained face wrenched at Wheeler's heart.
"She, Gi and Ma-Ti went out on a fact finding mission." He responded, "What's wrong, is it Mishka?"
The elderly woman shook her head and struggled to find the words, "It is Nina and Gregori, they… there was a car accident. They are gone… just gone."
Wheeler's eyes opened wide in horror, "Oh my god… and Natalya?"
"She is alive. She is ok I think, but she was with them… I do not know. Mishka has gone to the hospital but it is so far away and I do not know. I should have gone with him." Grandmuska obviously felt guilty that her health had stood between her and her family but her grandson had insisted that it wasn't practical and she'd had to agree. Still, she was somewhat distraught and not thinking through her words as she spoke. "Linka must come home, we need her home. Her daughter will need her now."
The American had started to reassure her but that last brought him up short, "What did you just say? You mean… you mean Nina's daughter needs Linka, right?"
"Natalya… Linka must come home for her, there is no one else… no one left." Fresh tears started in the woman's eyes as she thought of all the family members she had lost. "My poor little bird, it will tear her apart."
"She's not alone." Wheeler said quietly, still bothered by her grandmother's comment. "What about Gregori's family? Will they want her too?"
Shaking her head, Grandmuska said, "Nyet, he has no family to speak of and Linka would never allow it. It broke her heart to give her up once, she will never let her go again."
The blood drained from the Fire Planeteer's face and when he spoke it was a statement not a question. "Linka… Natalya is Linka's daughter."
"Da, Wheeler you will bring her to us won't you?" She asked anxiously, "And you will tell her about Nina? She… it will be better coming from you, I cannot…"
Wheeler swallowed hard, "I'll tell her."
"They were so close once," The older woman continued, her grief returning with full force, "Ten years between them but they were always there for each other and now Linka has lost another cousin… Gregori too, always so kind. It is so unfair…"
"I'll take care of Linka." He promised sincerely, "She'll probably want to go to the hospital first but then I'll bring them both to you ok? Is there someone who can sit with you Gram? A neighbour maybe?"
Linka's grandmother gave him a sad smile, "Tanya is here, Mishka insisted on calling her."
Wheeler frowned in concentration, "Linka's friend Tanya? I've met her, right?"
"Da, she and Mishka…" she waved the thought away, "Do not worry about us, just find Linka."
"I will, I promise."
The picture faded but for a few moments Wheeler remained silent and unmoving. Finally he said, "Gaia, did you hear all that?"
The Spirit of the Earth manifested beside him, concern colouring her voice, "I did. Are you alright?"
"Did you know?" He looked her in the eye, "Did you know Linka had a daughter?"
Gaia held her hands up in a half shrug, "I did not, because it had never occurred to me, but I am mother nature… now I am aware of the connection they have, I can feel it."
Wheeler looked away but didn't comment further, "Can you call the 'sub back? Without telling them why?"
"I will tell them we have an alert." She responded softly, her face taking on an unfocused look, "It is done, they will be about half an hour."
"I'll prep the Geo-cruiser." The American began to walk towards the exit but stopped and turned around, "Can you… do you know if Natalya is ok? Linka is gonna wanna know and I'd rather not go through that whole thing with her brother too."
He sounded a little harsher than normal and Gaia worried a little about how he would speak to his team mate, but she answered his question, assuring him that the young girl was indeed alive and was not suffering from anything life threatening. "You don't have to do this Wheeler, I can break the news to Linka if you want?"
That seemed to shake him out of his mood, "What? No! Gaia that… Linka won't handle that well, you know what she's like, she'll shut herself off and pretend she doesn't need anyone. Gram's right, I need to be the one to tell her."
The motherly spirit smiled, "Very well."
"There's something else you can help with though…" Wheeler said slowly, "If you're willing?"
To be continued…