And It All Started Off So Well...
Feb. 27th, 2011 06:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ericadawn16Title: But Time Marches On
Author: Ericadawn16
Characters: Alice, Martha, Mariah, Mica, Jack, Iefan
Rated: PG-13 ANGST COE Spoilers MPREG AU
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Summary: Mariah spends the weekend in the Harkness household.
Author's Note: The Sequel to But Time Didn't Stop
Masterlist: http://ericadawn16.livejournal.com/113396.html
What die?
And It All Started Off So Well...
Alice sat on the couch as Lucia sat beside her with a book. Jack was on the floor with Iefan and Lula. Faba had been entrusted in her care for the moment as the three played with chubby plastic vehicles. Lula kept knocking them over. It was adorable. She couldn't help thinking how she would have missed all this if she had let her pain and anger get the best of her: if she had never given her dad a chance in Italy. She tried to remember what had prompted him to come to Italy in the first place but her mind was hazy. Pregnancy brain, some called it.
The doorbell rang and Jack jumped up. Between seeing the shrink, Rhi being better and Martha returning, her dad was in much better spirits these days. She was, too. Alice and Thomas had had a few telephone conversations. It was getting easier.
Alice stood up and carried Faba with her so Lula wouldn't get ideas. However, Lula was too interested in the new people at the door. Jack was hugging a young woman while a little girl stared at everything.
"Melissa," Jack spoke, turning to her, "This is Martha and Mariah. Martha, this is Melissa and Lucia. I've told you about them."
"Yes, you have, this is nice to finally meet," Martha spoke and offered her hand. Alice took it.
"I remember this," Mariah declared with finality. She couldn't help but smile.
"Jack! Guess what?" Mariah asked with a large grin. Martha was stifling laughter. No doubt she knew what her daughter was going to say.
"I'm a big girl! I go in the potty!" she said and pulled up her dress so they could see the training pants. Martha's expression was shocked. Perhaps Mariah went farther than she had assumed.
"Mariah, you can't go around showing everyone your underwear. It's...rude," she said as the little girl pouted. Martha picked her up and kissed her on the cheek. "Mummy loves you. I'll be back in two days. Go play with Iefan and Lucia."
As soon as the three were out of earshot, Martha handed Jack the bag she was carrying.
"Extra clothes, extra pants and...," Martha paused and looked once more in the direction the kids had gone, "and nappies, just in case, but she seems to be doing well. Oh, it's good to see you."
She hugged Jack.
"It's good to be home. It's funny. I'm always excited to get away but you reach a certain point and...I can't wait to get back here," Martha spoke with a little laugh. "Mickey's been eating Pom Bears."
"Pom Bears?" Jack asked and they both laughed with Alice joining in.
"Oh, I forgot her cat for bed. Alice, come with me," she spoke before heading for the door. Alice saw the look on her dad's face. He knew what Martha was doing. Still, she assumed Martha knew about the suspension so it was to be expected.
They stepped onto the pavement and Martha asked in a low voice, "How is he? He finally saw Selene, yeah?"
"Yes," Alice confirmed, "he's a lot better."
"Oh, I'm glad. It's the best thing for him," she said in a sad way. Despite herself, she felt her old anger over Steven returning. Martha reached into her vehicle for a well-worn cloth cat. She shut the door and turned to Alice.
"I know...I can't imagine what it's like for you, but your dad...he's been through a lot. I've been there for some of it. After Ianto and Steven died, he was an absolute mess," Martha spoke, "And it wasn't just losing them or the pregnancy hormones but he thought he'd lost you forever. I didn't really...I couldn't comprehend that but after Mariah, that's just..."
She shook her head. It had been a form of punishment, hadn't it? He had taken away her child so she had refused to let him see her.
"But the two of you...you're speaking at least..."Martha said although it sounded partly like a question.
"Yes, he's..."
It was still sort of complicated.
"I'm glad he came to see me in Italy," Alice spoke with a nod.
"Thank Rhi for that. He'd given up but she thought you should know about Iefan," Martha explained, handing over the plush. This did sound a bit familiar and she was struck by the implications: if Rhi hadn't insisted, she would have never known her brother and had a second chance with her father.
"Rhi's good for him, like Ianto was," Martha spoke in that soft voice people tended to use when talking about him. Sometimes, it seemed like everyone had known him except Alice.
"I never met him," Alice admitted.
"You would have liked him, everyone did. Oh, it's late. We're supposed to meet Amy and Rory for dinner. Tell Jack bye for me and Mickey and I will be back to pick her up on Sunday. Be patient with her. She's been living on a different planet for three months."
Even though she knew aliens were real and that her dad came from another world, it still took her aback the way he and his friends treated it all as normal.
"Breath, Melissa," she said with a laugh and opened the driver's door.
****************************************************************
"The next day he had almost forgotten about Gandalf. He did not remember things very well, unless he put them down on his Engagement Tablet: like this: Gandalf Tea Wednesday. Yesterday he had been too flustered to do anything of the kind," Mica read aloud. All three of the kids were asleep on Iefan's bed. Lucy was taking up most of the room while Mariah clutched Iefan like a teddy bear. Then, Jack came into the room.
"What's this you were reading them?" he asked and reached for her mobile.
"The Hobbit," she said, handing it over, "Since you finished reading him all the Harry Potter books, just thought it'd be next. I thought Uncle Ianto would have had a copy but I couldn't find one."
"It's in storage," Jack spoke, handing it back. There was something about the way he said that which sounded odd. She wanted to change the subject.
"Look, all settled for a nap and I did it all by myself, just like a mature and responsible person," Mica pointed out with a smile.
"Uh huh, and what do you need?" Jack asked.
"What makes you think I need anything?" Mica retorted in what she hoped was an innocent voice.
"Fine, what do you want?" Jack asked, folding his arms.
"Nothing," Mica insisted.
"You're insisting on helping out with the kids on a Saturday afternoon. I find that really hard to believe," Jack said.
Shit! Had they already talked? But wouldn't there have been clues?
"Just being mature and responsible," she said with a grin.Jack nodded before saying, "Then, I think Lula probably wants a walk."
Shit...literally.
***************************************************************
"Jugee!" Iefan cried from the top of the play structure.
"Juice!" Mariah seconded. Martha and Mickey would be here in less than an hour.
"You'll wee your pants again," Lucia called from her position: sitting on the opposite side on a swing.
"Lucy! That's not nice!" Jack chastised. The little girl just shrugged and twisted in her swing. Iefan was glaring at her and Mariah looked like she was on the verge of tears. Jack went over to her and hugged her.
"Don't listen to her, Mariah. I'll get your juice," he said and walked over to Lucy, "Did you want juice?"
Lucy shook her head. He knew it was hard not being the center of attention anymore, her parents being apart and now with Mariah getting special attention but this was ridiculous. Jack decided he should mention it to Alice. However, Alice was asleep on the couch. He should let her rest and was about to go back to the kitchen when she suddenly woke up with a groan. She moaned and rubbed her belly.
"What is it? Is something wrong??" he asked because of her expression.
"No, no..." she started but he wasn't very convinced, "I think...I think it's Braxton Hicks."
"Do you want to go to emergency or somewhere?" Jack asked because it seemed early but he couldn't remember the baby books that well.
"No, but maybe I have been overdoing it, like with the stairs and things..."
Her response was cut off with sound of yelling from the back yard. He cringed inside after one particular high-pitched shriek. Alice started to pull herself up.
"No, I'll check it out. You rest," Jack insisted.
"But..."
"This is exactly the kind of stress you don't need. If I need your help, I'll come back," he said and headed for the back door. Jack wasn't sure what he would find when he opened the door. He was fairly certain they couldn't have killed each other but that didn't mean they hadn't tried.
Author: Ericadawn16
Characters: Alice, Martha, Mariah, Mica, Jack, Iefan
Rated: PG-13 ANGST COE Spoilers MPREG AU
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Summary: Mariah spends the weekend in the Harkness household.
Author's Note: The Sequel to But Time Didn't Stop
Masterlist: http://ericadawn16.livejournal.com/113396.html
What die?
And It All Started Off So Well...
Alice sat on the couch as Lucia sat beside her with a book. Jack was on the floor with Iefan and Lula. Faba had been entrusted in her care for the moment as the three played with chubby plastic vehicles. Lula kept knocking them over. It was adorable. She couldn't help thinking how she would have missed all this if she had let her pain and anger get the best of her: if she had never given her dad a chance in Italy. She tried to remember what had prompted him to come to Italy in the first place but her mind was hazy. Pregnancy brain, some called it.
The doorbell rang and Jack jumped up. Between seeing the shrink, Rhi being better and Martha returning, her dad was in much better spirits these days. She was, too. Alice and Thomas had had a few telephone conversations. It was getting easier.
Alice stood up and carried Faba with her so Lula wouldn't get ideas. However, Lula was too interested in the new people at the door. Jack was hugging a young woman while a little girl stared at everything.
"Melissa," Jack spoke, turning to her, "This is Martha and Mariah. Martha, this is Melissa and Lucia. I've told you about them."
"Yes, you have, this is nice to finally meet," Martha spoke and offered her hand. Alice took it.
"I remember this," Mariah declared with finality. She couldn't help but smile.
"Jack! Guess what?" Mariah asked with a large grin. Martha was stifling laughter. No doubt she knew what her daughter was going to say.
"I'm a big girl! I go in the potty!" she said and pulled up her dress so they could see the training pants. Martha's expression was shocked. Perhaps Mariah went farther than she had assumed.
"Mariah, you can't go around showing everyone your underwear. It's...rude," she said as the little girl pouted. Martha picked her up and kissed her on the cheek. "Mummy loves you. I'll be back in two days. Go play with Iefan and Lucia."
As soon as the three were out of earshot, Martha handed Jack the bag she was carrying.
"Extra clothes, extra pants and...," Martha paused and looked once more in the direction the kids had gone, "and nappies, just in case, but she seems to be doing well. Oh, it's good to see you."
She hugged Jack.
"It's good to be home. It's funny. I'm always excited to get away but you reach a certain point and...I can't wait to get back here," Martha spoke with a little laugh. "Mickey's been eating Pom Bears."
"Pom Bears?" Jack asked and they both laughed with Alice joining in.
"Oh, I forgot her cat for bed. Alice, come with me," she spoke before heading for the door. Alice saw the look on her dad's face. He knew what Martha was doing. Still, she assumed Martha knew about the suspension so it was to be expected.
They stepped onto the pavement and Martha asked in a low voice, "How is he? He finally saw Selene, yeah?"
"Yes," Alice confirmed, "he's a lot better."
"Oh, I'm glad. It's the best thing for him," she said in a sad way. Despite herself, she felt her old anger over Steven returning. Martha reached into her vehicle for a well-worn cloth cat. She shut the door and turned to Alice.
"I know...I can't imagine what it's like for you, but your dad...he's been through a lot. I've been there for some of it. After Ianto and Steven died, he was an absolute mess," Martha spoke, "And it wasn't just losing them or the pregnancy hormones but he thought he'd lost you forever. I didn't really...I couldn't comprehend that but after Mariah, that's just..."
She shook her head. It had been a form of punishment, hadn't it? He had taken away her child so she had refused to let him see her.
"But the two of you...you're speaking at least..."Martha said although it sounded partly like a question.
"Yes, he's..."
It was still sort of complicated.
"I'm glad he came to see me in Italy," Alice spoke with a nod.
"Thank Rhi for that. He'd given up but she thought you should know about Iefan," Martha explained, handing over the plush. This did sound a bit familiar and she was struck by the implications: if Rhi hadn't insisted, she would have never known her brother and had a second chance with her father.
"Rhi's good for him, like Ianto was," Martha spoke in that soft voice people tended to use when talking about him. Sometimes, it seemed like everyone had known him except Alice.
"I never met him," Alice admitted.
"You would have liked him, everyone did. Oh, it's late. We're supposed to meet Amy and Rory for dinner. Tell Jack bye for me and Mickey and I will be back to pick her up on Sunday. Be patient with her. She's been living on a different planet for three months."
Even though she knew aliens were real and that her dad came from another world, it still took her aback the way he and his friends treated it all as normal.
"Breath, Melissa," she said with a laugh and opened the driver's door.
****************************************************************
"The next day he had almost forgotten about Gandalf. He did not remember things very well, unless he put them down on his Engagement Tablet: like this: Gandalf Tea Wednesday. Yesterday he had been too flustered to do anything of the kind," Mica read aloud. All three of the kids were asleep on Iefan's bed. Lucy was taking up most of the room while Mariah clutched Iefan like a teddy bear. Then, Jack came into the room.
"What's this you were reading them?" he asked and reached for her mobile.
"The Hobbit," she said, handing it over, "Since you finished reading him all the Harry Potter books, just thought it'd be next. I thought Uncle Ianto would have had a copy but I couldn't find one."
"It's in storage," Jack spoke, handing it back. There was something about the way he said that which sounded odd. She wanted to change the subject.
"Look, all settled for a nap and I did it all by myself, just like a mature and responsible person," Mica pointed out with a smile.
"Uh huh, and what do you need?" Jack asked.
"What makes you think I need anything?" Mica retorted in what she hoped was an innocent voice.
"Fine, what do you want?" Jack asked, folding his arms.
"Nothing," Mica insisted.
"You're insisting on helping out with the kids on a Saturday afternoon. I find that really hard to believe," Jack said.
Shit! Had they already talked? But wouldn't there have been clues?
"Just being mature and responsible," she said with a grin.Jack nodded before saying, "Then, I think Lula probably wants a walk."
Shit...literally.
***************************************************************
"Jugee!" Iefan cried from the top of the play structure.
"Juice!" Mariah seconded. Martha and Mickey would be here in less than an hour.
"You'll wee your pants again," Lucia called from her position: sitting on the opposite side on a swing.
"Lucy! That's not nice!" Jack chastised. The little girl just shrugged and twisted in her swing. Iefan was glaring at her and Mariah looked like she was on the verge of tears. Jack went over to her and hugged her.
"Don't listen to her, Mariah. I'll get your juice," he said and walked over to Lucy, "Did you want juice?"
Lucy shook her head. He knew it was hard not being the center of attention anymore, her parents being apart and now with Mariah getting special attention but this was ridiculous. Jack decided he should mention it to Alice. However, Alice was asleep on the couch. He should let her rest and was about to go back to the kitchen when she suddenly woke up with a groan. She moaned and rubbed her belly.
"What is it? Is something wrong??" he asked because of her expression.
"No, no..." she started but he wasn't very convinced, "I think...I think it's Braxton Hicks."
"Do you want to go to emergency or somewhere?" Jack asked because it seemed early but he couldn't remember the baby books that well.
"No, but maybe I have been overdoing it, like with the stairs and things..."
Her response was cut off with sound of yelling from the back yard. He cringed inside after one particular high-pitched shriek. Alice started to pull herself up.
"No, I'll check it out. You rest," Jack insisted.
"But..."
"This is exactly the kind of stress you don't need. If I need your help, I'll come back," he said and headed for the back door. Jack wasn't sure what he would find when he opened the door. He was fairly certain they couldn't have killed each other but that didn't mean they hadn't tried.
