Jacques sighed softly, "So, this is how it feels like, close to breastfeeding in a way...I feel strangely accomplished...", with a glance at Sia as she recovered her bikini, smiling gently, "That is actually accurate...You're helping him, Jacques...".

Vinny replied, "You look like how Pops helped out with my little sister...Should we keep walking on?", and Jacques nodded softly, "Yeah...Yeah, you're right, but I'm not rushing right now...Just stroll...", as he began to leisurely walk, never taking off his eyes on his newborn son, with Sia walking by his side, with Vinny smiling at Nola, "Thanks, Nola.", before joining them.

Korbyn suckled his bottle slowly, occasionally yawning and cooing, yet kept stubbornly awake, his little hands grasping a finger of Jacques's hand as he held it to the last drop, and chuckled, "You really are my son, taking after me...", as he pulled the bottle back, giving it to Vinny.

"He truly is his father's son, alright...", Sia smiled warmly as Korbyn was adjusted to burp once again with a gentle pat of his papa's hand, and then he yawned again, blinking sleepily, yet he held on, grasping Jacques' cheek as he cooed.

Jacques chuckled softly, "You are hanging on, eh? Well, I don't blame you, but you must be so sleepy...Here, let's see if this helps...", as he adjusted his son to rest against his heart, "Hear that? That's my heartbeat...It beats for you, your mother, and your big brother...".

Korbyn cooed sleepily, yawning before tucking his fists into his papa's shirt, and before he can stop it, he fell asleep, and Jacques rocked him slightly as he kissed his son's head ever so softly, "My little munchkin...".

Sia exhaled, "He's so innocent...He won't ever see war, if we can help it...", and Jacques glanced at her with a little smile, "Looks like we agree then...", with a quiet sigh, glancing back at his newborn son, his heart torn in two ways, yet he knew he had to leave, to make sure that the war on the surface won't ever breach Atlantis directly, to protect his family.

"Do you think I am being too selfish?", Jacques asked. "I mean, I don't have to go, I know how my heart feels but... I don't want to put you through hell waiting for me, especially if I might not come back.".

Sia sighed deeply, with tears prickling at the edges of her eyes, "Jacques...We were selfish last night...and even if my heart feels painful at the thought of you leaving us, you have been a hero to your people up there, and they still need you, even if there are other people allied with France, like the Americans...".

Jacques gave a little nod, "I suppose you're right...", and they were silent for several minutes before Vinny called out, "I see them!", and sure enough, there, in the clearing, with the many waterfalls in the background is a great stone narwhal flyer, with a few Atlantean people helping load in lots of gold, with the crew talking with the other two couples; Milo and Kida, and Abraham and Thaddeus.

Korbyn woke up to the faint sounds of the waterfalls, and looked before he whimpered, looking at Jacques, "I know...I know, I'm going to miss you too...", and Korbyn whined disgruntledly.

Jacques wrinkled his nose, "Oh...Sia, he needs a fresh diaper...", and Sia gave a soft chuckle, "Your turn, not mine.", as she took him to a nearby fresh pond, and Jacques blinked, "Oh, right, waterproof...", as Korbyn gurgled at him.

He gently laid Korbyn back on Sia's given sarong, taking off the diaper, wrinkling his nose, "Oh, boy!", putting it into the pond to scrub it several times as Korbyn babbled, giggling at his papa's face as he then took it out, shaking it off, wringing it out, laying it out as he then looked at Korbyn with a raised eyebrow, "Are you giving me trouble?", as he took him up, hovering above the shallow end of the pond.

Korbyn smiled mischievously, splashing the water with his feet, wiggling in his grip, squirting out at the edge of the pond. "Oh! You rascal!", Jacques laughed, careful to be out of his aim, dipping him into the pond as his crystal glowed, giving little sparkling soap around him, and Jacques dipped him again before taking him out.

The newborn boy cooed as he then laid back on the sarong blanket, wiggling his legs as Jacques tried to wrestle the diaper on him, "I swear you're pulling out all the stops to make your time with me longer...", with a smirk.

Korbyn blinked innocently, gurgling at him as he reached out to him, and Jacques chuckled, picking him up as he held him, "Okay, okay, I'll give you this one, but you better behave for your mother and brother.", and Korbyn gave a coo, nuzzling into his chest, and Jacques sighed deeply, breathing into his squeaky-clean baby scent.

Sia giggled, "I think he's saying that we gotta be upbeat for this...", with a deep breath as they then walked over to the crew and all. There were many quips and hugs and smiles between the crew and the couples, and after the last time of using the secret camera that Packard somehow isn't telling the story of how she got it, it was finally the send-off...

Korbyn whimpered, crying softly as Jacques replied, "I know, munchkin, but I can't take you up there, and you need your mother to be strong and healthy...I love you so much, Kory...", resting his forehead gently on his newborn son's forehead, tears falling as Korbyn tried to hug his cheeks, hiccupping and crying, landing a sloppy, gummy kiss on his nose.

Jacques smiled sadly as he kissed his son on the forehead, and then gently passed him over into Vinny who gave him a hug, and Jacques ruffled his hair, kissing him on the temple, "Look after your mother and brother, Vinny, okay?".

"Of course.", Vinny smiled. "Give the Nazis hell for us...", he chuckled as Jacques nodded. "Of course.", he responded back as he took a deep breath. "I promise, Sia, I won't take any unnecessary risks. I'll make it back home.".

Sia gave a sob, "I love you so much, Jacques.", before wrapping her arms around him, kissing him desperately and passionately and pouring all of her love into it, tears falling down her cheeks, and Jacques wrapped his arms around her, kissing her back with the same emotions in return, and after a long minute, Jacques pulled back, "I love you with all my heart, Sia. Look after our boys, okay?", gently caressing her cheeks, wiping her tears away.

"I will...I will wait for you, and I have my family and friends to help me get through it all...", Sia sniffled, giving a small smile as she caressed his cheek tenderly, memorizing everything including his handsome scruff.

Jacques nodded, "That's my princess...", with a small smile, touching foreheads gently, breath intermixing before a quiet voice replied, revealing it to be Audrey, "Jacques, we're loaded up...We can't wait any longer now...".

His eyes looked over Sia, memorizing her, whispering, "You will always be my stunning mate, my warrior princess...I will never forget you.", and Sia gave a watery smile, blushing softly, "And you will always be my handsome mate, my explosive protector. I won't ever forget you...", as their hands squeezed so tightly, and then with that, Jacques departed, turning around and heading to the narwhal flyer, hearing Korbyn's cries, and he tried not to turn around, as tears fell once again, his heart breaking as he stepped into the ramp and exhaled sharply as he barely glimpsed Sia holding a crying Korbyn in her arm as she tried to shush him, tears in her eyes, with Vinny holding into Sia's hand before the ramp closed up.

"You alright?", Sweet asked Jacques as he took a deep breath, "I'll be alright, just... it'll be a bit easier the further we get away. Run me through our exit plan again? How we get back to the surface? Sorry, I was a bit out of the loop of that plan with... family matters, obviously.".

Sweet replied, "We got a Atlantean to take the narwhal back to the city as we cannot afford to expose the technology behind it, and since we know the way backwards to the air pocket, we can offload the gold and such into the sub-evac, and I am sure Packard can hack the radio on the sub somehow to reach Mr. Whitmore, and wait for the signal that everything is clear on the surface, and then we go back through the tunnel to safe waters within America. Beyond that, we will have to catch up on the news obviously for those two weeks we have been basically gone and figure the story out.".

"Alright...", Jacques sighed before it suddenly hit him. "Wait, the evac sub? Yeah, sure, the load will be much lighter and all since we've lost most of our equipment and all but that means we're going back the same direction as the Leviathan?".

Steve replied, "Kida reassured us that since we're wearing our gifted crystals as we're honored visitors and temporary guests of Atlantis and all, the Leviathan would know that we're good people.".

Jacques blinked before exhaling, "That makes sense...Who's driving this narwhal?", and Steve smiled, "Audrey and our Atlantean assistant is at the wheel and controls for now, and if needed, I will take over from Audrey. In the evac sub, Peggy will take the wheel once Packard works the radio...Hopefully, the range of those things can reach Mr. Whitmore or at least Colonel Phillips's office at training camp if he hasn't gone overseas already to the front lines.".

"Really makes me think about how much we've missed...", Peggy wondered as it hadn't been too long; but even a few weeks she knew firsthand could make all the difference with how fast Germany's blitzkriegs had gone against Poland, Denmark and Norway, Yugoslavia and Greece, and especially France and the Low Countries.

Cookie replied, "Don't forget the Depression either, ain't I right?", and Steve nodded in agreement as he hoped that America is doing a bit better with Roosevelt's help.

"I think with all the work the war is bringing in, I think that might finally be a thing of the past.", Steve smiled. "Not to mention what we're bringing along will buy a whole lot of war bonds. I still feel that Kida and Milo are letting us take back a bit too much treasure...".

Packard replied, "It ain't like they have other kingdoms now to buy stuff and all, and besides, they had built up a system of trading and with the stuff of fishing and hunting, it pays for their living for all those centuries, and now with Milo and Thaddeus to help clean Atlantis up, maybe their living situation would be somewhat better then.".

Jacques smiled, "That's right, Packard, and besides, the treasure has been sitting there for centuries and such...Sure, they're keeping some of it, just in case but from the size of it in the back of this narwhal, it definitely is going to help us out...".

Mole grinned, "And liberate France!", as Jacques chuckled, "If only that would be easy like magic, Mole, but yes, war bonds and such will help France and the other Allies besides America.".

"Still, won't be easy, I can clearly see that. The Japanese are practically advancing everywhere in the Pacific unchecked and the Germans and Italians are well fortified on the continent.", Steve said. "But something's bound to break in our favor; we've already scored at least one victory against the Germans by keeping Atlantis out of their reach.".

"That's certainly something...", Peggy sighed before she kissed him on the cheek. Steve smiled softly as he wrapped an arm around her back before Audrey's voice called out, "Hey, check this out! We figured out the windows in the face of the narwhal, and we're in the volcano!".

Jacques widened his eyes as he hadn't realized that the narwhal was that quiet as he hadn't heard rumbling, humming sounds like from the Ketaks or Martags.

The crew went to join Audrey and the Atlantean assistant, and they saw that there are several lava tubes, with a couple of hardened magma spots here and there, creating many new caves, and Mole replied with a smile, "Yes, this is a big lava lake, and with the fact that the volcano is now squished down and solidified as really hard stone and tough earth in the deep sea, with probably an island on the surface that is now ringed and such, nobody would even dare to cross this without Atlantean technology, making it safe for Atlantis!".

Jacques gave a huge, relieved sigh, "Thank god...I knew I had reports from Sia on lend from the patrol explorers on the flyers, but wow...", and then Audrey yelped out in surprise as a purple animal leaped and swam through the lava lake, "What was that?!".

The Atlantean assistant replied, "Lava whale. Loves to eat rocks, volcano frogs and tube worms. Being a lake now, there will be more lava whales to migrate to here from the lava waterfalls and lava tubes. The hunters take only the injured and old ones, and occasionally, a mean bull male, as the lava whales are mostly playful, but very protective of their young, dangerous then.".

Sweet smirked, "Good thing that we never came upon them, otherwise, the Hydra guys would have been in huge trouble if they came down there while this was a lava lake earlier.".

"All the better protection; even if they had a proper guide.", Peggy chuckled. "How much longer before we reach the sub?", Steve had to ask. He was practically itchy with excitement as he very much wanted to know what was going on back home, especially any news regarding Bucky.

Audrey hummed, "There's the half bridge, and the clearing there, couldn't be more than a few hours at most, maybe several hours at least if that, as this is bigger and heavier, though I can't say about the speed, if it's different in that than a Ketak or a Martag.", as she and the Atlantean assistant exited the far borders of the lava lake and the flattened volcano, and then flew down to the cave, adjusting the fins back down from the walls of the cave as they zoomed through steady and carefully.

"At least we'll be out of here fast...", Packard dryly said. "This cave humidity is not good for my skin.", she said as she took another drag of her cigarette.

Jacques snorted, smiling wryly, glad that Packard is smart enough to cheer anyone up, even if her humor is dry. He is relieved that Atlantis is double safe thanks to the lava lake and that there wouldn't be evidence at the air pocket as they're taking the evac sub, and he blinks as something else came to him.

"Wait, what about the mini evac sub? We can't leave it there as that would hint somebody to acknowledge that something is down here and all...", Jacques commented. Mole replied, "We can take it into the big evac-sub, if the gold is leaving room for it, though it would be expensive to fix the minor problem of the crack in the glass.".

Peggy blinked softly, "That might work, or we can gift it to Atlantis, considering that the Ketaks and Martags can't go underwater, and even after seeing that the narwhal can be underwater, there's not exactly enough of those narwhals, so some extra help could be appreciated, especially with uncovering the ruins in the city's lake.".

Steve nodded, "Yeah, and I'm sure Milo or Thaddeus would have an idea how to fix the crack before putting it to work.", before whispering to Jacques, "I think the bacon grease would work well enough.", not wanting Cookie to overhear.

Jacques chuckled, snickering, and Sweet widened his eyes, "Oh, crud, if we're erasing evidence, that means we have to straightforward erase the marks of the campfires and the trucks...I don't know about you, and sure, time would erase them off, like the snow in that one valley, but we can't afford that, and then...then we have to search for any remaining guns if that...that bug monster hadn't eaten the guns.", grimacing as he remembered the terrible incident in the left tunnel of that face marker. Thank God that Milo is keeping the Journal with him in the city.

"Do you think maybe we're overthinking it a bit?", Peggy asked. "I mean, the whole way to get here is almost next to impossible, we barely made it ourselves. To go to the lengths to quickly try and find every little trace of us on the way...".

Jacques narrowed his eyes, "We all have loved ones back in Atlantis, Peggy. Thaddeus was one of our oldest friends, and we had gotten to know him on the Iceland expedition, and then there was Abraham that endeared himself to Steve, you, and the rest of us on this expedition, and Milo never exactly belonged in America, and my son, Vinny, he'd rather wants to be just a kid without worries than surviving on the streets and surrounded by the Depression. And Sia deserves to be safe along with Kory, and if that takes every minute to protect them by erasing the evidence of our journey, I'll take it, and we cannot know the future as we don't know how much the world would develop with technology and such, and if that future happens to have bad people like the Nazis and Hydra right now, we can't lose all those people and our loved ones, damn it.".