Chapter Eleven

Wheeler was the last to arrive for dinner which was unusual, especially as he'd been working with the other two guys. Nat was sitting at the table but her eyes had kept straying to the door rather than the dishes Linka and Gi were putting on the table.

He smiled and took his place next to her, "Did you have a good afternoon, Nat?"

She nodded and, apparently now content, turned her attention to her dinner.

Wheeler loved meal times, and not just because he liked food. Because they took turns cooking for everyone, they nearly always eat together when they were home and there was a sense of family that had previously been missing in his life. Their conversation followed the usual topics, mostly about their recent and upcoming missions and no one was in a rush to end it.

At last however Ma-Ti started clearing the plates and Wheeler turned to the young girl at his side, "Got your game play all worked out?"

"It is your turn to wash up Yankee," Linka looked pained as she said it, determined to be correct but aware that their last conversation had gone much the same way, and worrying that she was doing more damage.

Kwame spoke up, "It is ok Linka, I agreed to swap with Wheeler so that he would have tonight free."

"Oh…" her cheeks reddened slightly, "Well if you have already arranged it…"

Wheeler shot Kwame a grateful look, "Come on Nat."

She grinned but surprised him and her relative by taking Linka's hand and tugging her along, intending to involve her in their evening. Instead of taking them to the games room she pulled out their Monopoly board and set it up on the coffee table, which she'd practically taken over since it was just the right height for her when she was sitting on the floor.

Neither adult objected and when Gi asked if she could play too, she received an enthusiastic affirmative.

It didn't take long for any lingering awkwardness to dissipate and as Nat had cleverly chosen a game that could last for hours, it was some time after her usual bedtime that Linka finally called a halt. "You can hardly keep your eyes open." She chided Nat affectionately, getting to her feet and encouraging the girl to do the same.

"I'll put this away and then stop by to say goodnight," Wheeler said, assuming that Natalya would be too tired to listen to a bedtime story but not wanting to just skip it.

Linka smiled, "Ok."

Gi helped him tidy up and then went to join the guys shooting zombies on the computer console, which they'd preferred to the board game.

Judging what he considered to be a reasonable time, Wheeler knocked on Linka's cabin door and she opened it, still with that same warm smile that had his heart beating faster and his head confused. "You are just in time."

Nat was struggling to stay awake but he kissed her head and pulled the blankets up, "Goodnight Angel. Sweet dreams."

Linka and Wheeler stood side by side for a few moments, just watching the young girl fall into a heavy sleep, achieving a rare complete understanding and companionship.

When he did move to the door, Wheeler signalled Linka to follow him outside and though she felt a little trepidation that he might be about to start an argument over what happened earlier in the day, she did accompany him and her fear was short lived.

"Do me favour Beautiful?" he asked, "Wake me up when you get up tomorrow, will you?"

Her eyebrows shot up in surprise, "Is everything ok?"

"Haha," He grinned at her, "I have something I need to work on and I need a few extra hours before things get moving, and you're the best alarm clock around."

"Haha." She replied sardonically, but her expression was one of amusement. "What is it you need to work on?"

He gave her a smug look, "Wait and see." And before she could object, leant down and kissed her cheek. "Goodnight Babe."

Her response was a whispered, "Goodnight," as she watched him walk back to the common room. The empty feeling she always had when they were in disagreement was gone and she felt better than she had since he first said he was going away.

"How long are you going to be able to keep this up?" Linka asked with amusement as she prepared breakfast.

It was the sixth day in a row that Wheeler had got up to share the meal with her and her child, but he didn't look any more awake than he had the first day.

Wheeler chuckled softly, "Well, I plan to finish my project today, but I kinda like this."

Nat grinned at him, and Linka was smiling too as she brought their plates over to the table, "Does this mean we finally get to see this mystery project of yours?"

"Thanks Babe," he accepted the plate, "Yeah, I need to check that that eco-friendly varnish is dry, it seems to take longer than the regular stuff."

The Wind Planeteer looked at him curiously, "Are you building a boat? I thought you were heading into the forest?"

He grinned, "have you been spying on me?"

Her cheeks flushed, "I did not follow you, I just noticed you heading that way after breakfast one morning."

"Good," he teased, "because it's supposed to be a surprise."

Nat was smiling at their banter. She'd quickly got used to the new pattern Wheeler had set over the last week: a family breakfast, time alone with Linka when he went off to do whatever his project was, and then back together for lunch. The afternoon depended on whether they had any work to do, but it seemed the others were covering the off island missions and there hadn't been any emergencies.

On the days when he was free in the afternoon, rather than returning to his secret or going off to enjoy the waves, Wheeler had planned an activity for the three of them. Whether it was taking their yacht out, playing games on the island, or shopping and a movie on the mainland, he'd been careful to present it as something he wanted to do with them, and so far, that seemed to be working as he'd met only the slightest of hesitation from Linka.

"So I was thinking, maybe this afternoon we could take a picnic out to the lagoon?" Wheeler asked, tucking in to his breakfast.

"...oh." Linka looked surprised and then regretful, "We cannot... I am sorry Jason. We have an appointment at the hospital today, to see if Nat's cast can come off."

He frowned, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I did!" She replied rolling her eyes, "and the date is on the team calendar, it is not my fault that you never check it."

He gave Nat a sheepish grin, including her in the conversation, "guess I lost track, but that's great, we'll go get your cast off and then do something fun to celebrate."

The young girl nodded enthusiastically and though Linka felt an accustomed twinge of guilt at letting him be so involved in their lives, her desire for his company easily triumphed when it was so clearly what they wanted too.

He excused himself shortly afterwards to go and check on his project, promising he wouldn't be long. Linka had assured him they had a few hours before they needed to leave but it was only half an hour or so before he was back with them, inviting them to follow him.

"Gaia helped me pick the site and I've used some of the lumber we collected after the storm so, it's basically recycling." Wheeler chatted as they made their way through the trees, clearly excited about what he was going to show them.

They hadn't gone far when they entered a small clearing, and Linka gasped at what she saw there. A swing had been secured to a sturdy lower branch of one of the trees, and the centre of the glade was dominated by a slide. The slide had been made from the trunk of an old tree and was big enough to take any of the Planeteers. It started with a rope ladder climb to a small roofed platform and ended in a sand pit to cushion the end of the short trip.

Excited, Nat immediately ran for the slide and Wheeler moved to stand behind her in case her cast made her unsteady on the climb, it didn't seem to hold her back however and she was soon at the bottom and making for the swing to try that out too.

It was then Wheeler turned back to Linka and saw that there were tears in her eyes. He moved quickly to her side, "It's safe, you don't have to worry. Did I do something wrong?"

Her eyes widened in surprise, "Nyet, why would you think that?" before he could answer she put her arms around his neck and held him close. "Thank you for doing this for her, I… I do not know what to say."

Wheeler relaxed and held her close, "You don't need to thank me, I'm invested in her thinking of this as home remember? Besides, I like making her happy."

"I think you succeeded." Linka had turned her head to watch the child enjoying her new play things, but she stayed in Wheeler's arms.

"I was thinking, I could probably build her a tree house as well." Wheeler told her thoughtfully, "She's still young enough to enjoy this stuff right now, but that would last her a bit longer. What do you think?"

Linka privately thought she would worry about it like crazy but she didn't tell him that, "I think she would love that, and I think she is very lucky to have you care so much for her. You do not need to do any of it though, you know that?"

She'd pulled away a little, but not enough that he would have to release her and he met her eyes with a serious look of his own. "It's okay with you if I want to though, right?"

"Da," She replied quietly and the look of happiness he gave her almost matched Nat's on the swing. She laughed, "Nat, do not forget to thank Jason for all of this."

"She doesn't need to…" He began but Nat had already jumped from the swing in a way that made Linka wince, and she came running over with her arms extended to be picked up. Wheeler obliged letting her hug him tightly before indicating that she wanted to be put down again, so that she could head back for the slide.

The two Planeteers laughed at her antics, and Linka said, "Maybe a climbing frame would not be a bad idea too, anything that expends some excess energy."

Wheeler nodded in agreement at the suggestion, wondering if she knew she'd made a request of him, but not spoiling it by asking. Instead he said, "Wanna try the slide? It'll hold us, I tested it."

She was about to dissemble feeling that she should continue to be 'the adult' but Nat overheard and - pausing at the top of the slide - nodded vigorously in agreement. It was easier then to give in and have fun, the way they always seemed to when it was the three of them, and though Wheeler too joined in, she was aware that he was just as watchful of her daughter as she was.

As soon as they entered the hospital Natalya shrank against Linka, clinging tightly as the sights and smells brought back memories.

"It is ok Honey," Linka held her against her side and smoothed her hair. "We will not be here long, and there is nothing to be afraid of."

Wheeler walked silently beside them, waiting for a cue from Linka as to what she wanted him to do, if anything. She'd arranged the transfer of Nat's case from Russia to their closest hospital, and she seemed to have everything in hand as she gave their details to the receptionist while managing the young girl. But then, she hadn't objected to his accompanying them either so he decided to just believe that she wanted him with them.

They followed the directions they were given and were met by a nurse, "One of you can come in with her, the other will need to remain in the waiting area."

"That'll be me," Wheeler said more cheerfully than he felt, not wanting Nat to get upset. "See you in a few Angel, then we'll go get some ice-cream, ok?"

She nodded, still holding on to Linka like she thought she might disappear, as the pair of them entered an examination room.

Wheeler wandered back to the uncomfortable looking chairs and sat so he could watch for them. After a while he picked up a magazine from one of the small tables, flicked through it, and then discarded it again. He'd just begun to wonder if there was something wrong when the door opened again and Nat came running out, all smiles as she showed him her newly freed arm.

The American laughed and let her climb up into his lap as he joked about the pale skin that had been prevented from taking on the slight tan the rest of her had. He noted that Linka, having assured herself that Nat had found him, had returned to the reception desk and was apparently filling out more paper work. The young girl had the majority of his attention though so he didn't see the receptionist watching them.

"She's a Daddy's girl huh?" The woman behind the desk remarked, making Linka look up from what she was writing in some confusion. She smiled and added, "It's easy to see they're close."

Linka turned her head to follow the woman's gaze and she bit her lip uncomfortably before answering in a low voice. "He is not her father."

The woman blinked, "Oh, well… that doesn't matter these days. It certainly doesn't matter to them."

Still watching the one-sided conversation that was making her daughter smile, Linka nodded.

"Are you done filling this out?" the receptionist said, changing her focus again.

"I think so, I was just checking it." The Wind Planeteer told her, not liking to be rushed.

The friendly woman smiled, "I'll do that for you dear. It seems ok… hmm, you're her next of kin? But the alternative emergency contact you've listed is in Russia? Is that her father?"

Linka frowned slightly at the woman's unintentional nosiness. "My brother."

"Oh… well that's not really an issue but it's better if we have a more local contact, preferably a citizen…?" she pushed.

"This is our local hospital, but we live… offshore. If you cannot get in touch with me then my brother is her next closest relative." Her eyes strayed to her makeshift family again, "He is a US citizen but he has no connection to her other than being a good friend, it would not be right to ask…"

Smiling knowingly the receptionist said, "Well I wasn't suggesting anyone in particular, but if he's a friend I'd guess he'd have a better idea of what to do if we can't get hold of you or your brother…"

"Is there a problem?" Wheeler had lifted Natalya and wandered over to see what was happening and it put Linka on the spot as the other woman immediately explained.

"There is no scenario where she is here without me to start with," Linka said impatiently, "and if…" realising Nat was listening she adjusted what she was going to say, "If for some reason I was not, then my brother is the proper person to make any decisions."

Wheeler kept his voice carefully controlled so he didn't betray his own feelings at her reluctance to have him involved, "I think they just want to make sure they could contact someone, and honestly it'd be better if they contacted Hope Island than get your Gram on the phone."

"I see what you mean but, I really do not think it would be necessary." Linka was still reluctant, but she also recognised his carefully blank look and gave in anyway. "But if you think it is a good idea…"

"I do… and if you don't want to put me, there's always Gi or Gaia maybe?" a little of his mask slipped as he said that and she got that he was hurt by her attitude to it.

Linka shook her head, "I would not ask the others at all… if you really do not mind, then I will add your name." He agreed and she finished filling out the paperwork.

They were both aware that the young girl had been listening to the exchange but she let herself be diverted, first with ice-cream and then by Wheeler buying a frisbie at a toy stand in the park.

Linka continued to worry about it at first, but Wheeler shook it off quickly and drew her into their games, and by the time they were headed home for dinner it had been forgotten, at least for the time being.

"It is Gi's turn to cook." The Russian replied to his enquiry.

"Oh, well then, I guess you get a couple of hours peace and quiet." Wheeler told her, "Unless you want to come and watch us compete in the Grand Prix?"

Rolling her eyes at the mention of their computer games, "I have a book to finish reading," and to Nat, "He is all yours."

To be continued…