Once she had drained the poison from his veins Quinn leaned weakly on the wall. Her eyes drooped, head hanging weakly to the side. "He's lost a lot of blood," she panted straining to stay awake. The drain of partially healing Charlie on top of maintaining the force field, the beacon along with a hundred other things she had exhausted her energy reserve. Never had she expended so much power in such a short period of time. Even she, a being of almost unlimited power needed to rest.
Zayne carefully picked up the limp unconscious body of the boy who had been willing to give up his life to save Harmony. The dog followed closely at his heels while he carried Charlie into the bedroom. Laying him carefully on the bed he turned to find Millie and the girls crowding in behind him.
"What can we do for him?" Millie asked looking down at the boy.
"Make him comfortable and hope she was successful in getting all the poison" Zayne squeezed her shoulder "if he wakes up and attacks you or otherwise appears threatening knock him out."
"But...."
"Just do it," Zayne barked at her "we can't afford for him to scratch you or something. We don't know where we are or what's happening. It's better to be safe than sorry."
Nodding Millie agreed even if her facial expression showed how much she disliked the idea. "Brie isn't here" she said as Zayne was about to leave the room.
"I know" he kept it at that. He knew Millie was aware if the girl was outside the creatures most assuredly had gotten to her, tearing her to shreds. It was better to let her hope Brie didn't make the transition from their dimension to this one.
He walked over to where Quinn was lying on the floor, slumped against the wall. He moved to help her up. She shoved his hands away muttering "I'm fine."
"Come on" he coaxed "you need to rest. You'll be more comfortable on the couch."
She looked up at him nodding "ok" she mumbled her lips barely forming the simple word.
Zayne stationed himself at the window worried that whatever power source the force field used might overload or vanish altogether. He wanted to be prepared the next time a bunch of mindless mutants attacked them. So far the mutants hadn't gotten through. The force field sizzled when one of them pumped into it but it held. As the day turned to night the red eyes glowed in the dark. He was glad the girls were with their mother. This was enough to give him nightmares.
***
Caleb came home to a dark empty house. Chase and his family had left for Oasis Landing to begin the girls training in time keeping. Drew and Emmaline were in Isla Paradiso having fun he hoped. He hoped his little girl would come back a changed person or at least a happier person. He hoped with each passing day the boys would to home when he arrived. Tonight was no different as he entered the silent house.
Closing the door he turned to find a white haired man standing, arms crossed in front of him "they're not coming back."
"Who are you?" he demanded backing towards the door.
"She lied to you," the man continued "she had no intention of bringing them home."
"She will" Caleb clung to Quinn's promise like a life preserver.
The man's laughter filled the room "you poor deluded fool. She only wanted your word. Your agreement to terms to take your children and grandchildren from you."
Shaking Caleb pressed his back against the door. He could feel the door knob pressing into the small of his back. He could hear the malice in the man's voice. "Renege on your promise and I'll bring your son home," the man said "she can't do it or they'd be here by now."
Shaking his Caleb shouted "I won't. I gave my word. Quinn brought my daughter home. She'll bring my son back too."
"You're an idiot" the man hissed "she has what she wants. You'll never see those boys again."
"I don't believe you" Caleb shouted "she'll bring them home. I don't know how or when but she will."
"How can you have so much faith?" the man growled taking a menacing step forward "what has done for you besides trick you into believing she brought your daughter home?"
"I could ask the same of you?" Caleb shot back "you come here with threats and accusations but no proof. I'll keep my word and hope I wasn't wrong than trust in you."
"You'll regret this" the man snarled before disappearing leaving Caleb more confused then before. Who should he believe? Quinn or this loud mouthed angry white haired male who didn't even say his name? He had to stick with his gut. His instinct was telling him to trust Quinn. There was something about her that said he could trust her despite his reluctance to commit to her terms.
It wasn't so much the terms that bothered him. If it were him having to travel through time no problem. He had to commit one of his grandchildren into doing it. How was he supposed to know they would want to do that? This nameless man screamed hostility not only towards himself but towards Quinn. There was something about him that he didn't like. Didn't trust.
***
Emmaline smiled up at her mom "thanks for not giving up on me." She looked out at the rolling ocean "I was so lost."
"I know sweetie" Drew squeezed her hand before leaving to check the navigation gauge "are you reading to go home?" she asked sitting down again beside her daughter.
Nodding she had a worried look in her green eyes "mom when do you think the boys will come home?"
"I don't know," she said biting her bottom lip.
"Do you think they could be home already?" she asked.
"Your dad would have called to let us know" Drew said wishing she didn't have to burst her sudden excitement.
"Let's go scuba diving" Drew said attempting to distract Emmaline's thoughts from the boys.
"Ok" Emmaline mumbled following her mom. As they put on their gear she turned to her mom with a grin "maybe this time we'll find some sunken treasure or maybe even a mermaid."
***
"Indira is that you?" a familiar voice said from behind her. Groaning slightly Indira turned to face the bubbly girl she hadn't seen since freshmen year.
"Sheree it's been a while" she plastered on a fake toothy grin on her face enduring the hug the girll insisted on giving her "how are you?" they asked at once.
"Good" they answered together "how's Andrew?" Sheree asked looking around as if hoping to see him hanging around.
"Why do you want to know?" Indira bristled "you dumped him remember?"
"I did than he never came back to school," Sheree glanced towards a handsome dark haired young man standing nearby "I wanted to make sure he's ok."
"You should have thought of that before you dumped him" Indira scowled "it's none of you business how my brother is doing."
"I thought we were friends. At least we used to be" Sheree murmured moving towards the male.
Eyeing them Indira asked "is this why you dumped my brother? You wanted him instead?"
Sheree's eyes widened in shock "no of course not. We hadn't even met yet. You know why I broke things off as well as I do."
"You broke his heart" Indira accused wanting to hurt this girl for having what she wanted. A good looking guy on her arm. She ignored the little voice in her head telling her she could have had Randy if she had done things differently.
"I sincerely doubt that" Sheree shook her head dismissing the idea "his heart was already broken before we started dating. Did he ever reconnect with Charlie?"
Indira's stomach twisted as if Sheree had twisted a knife inside her "of course he did. They were best friends after all."
"More than friends if I recall," Sheree said with a gentle smile.
"Are you implying me brother is gay?" Indira demanded.
Nodding sadly Sheree turned to her boyfriend "we should be going" they turned to walk away "I'll see you around."
"you didn't answer my question" Indira persisted "is that what everyone believes? That my brother is gay?"
Stopping Sheree nodded "you're the only one in denial. Your the only one who has a problem with it."
Silently Indira stared after Sheree as she walked away. Indira wanted to demand what that guy had that her brother didn't. She didn't quite understand why she was the only who could see the problem with her brother being gay. She assumed others had problems with it too. Her brother was weak. He couldn't handle rejection or being bullied. Being gay meant having to be strong to stand out as different. One cross word had Andrew crumpling on the ground crying. Why couldn't people see she just wanted to protect him from getting hurt?
***
The behemoth came to his cell regularly after that. Sometimes he would grope Andrew with his huge paw like hands. Other times he would simply stare and grunt at him eyes glazed over. Each day that passed Andrew grew more and more despondent. He was the source of ridicule and hate from the over crowded cage of humans kept like cattle for the slaughter. The women in the nearby cells looked at him with pity in their eyes.
Each night he prayed would be his last. Had Quinn forgotten about him? Her promise? Had she abandoned him? Was the beacon working? Did he damage it somehow? The one bright spot in his life was the little girl he shared the cell with. She had a beautiful voice. She sang to her rag doll all day. She clung to him whenever a mutant walked past or a human screamed profanities at them. He wished he knew her name. Where she had come from. Who or where her parents were.
The nights were long and lonely. He'd dream he was home with Charlie. Sometimes the dreams were so real he could feel Charlie's arms around him. A comforting weight. A loving embrace.
He had been inside the cage so long the stench of the blanket no longer bothered him over the stench of his own unwashed body. He tried his best to stay clean but with no running water there was little he could do. He knew he smelled as bad or worse than an outhouse on a sweltering summer's day.
***
He woke up to an insistent hand patting his shoulder. Opening his eyes he was met by the sad solemn eyes of the little girl inside his cell. The next thing he became aware of was the hard wood floor beneath him. Where was he? He jerked up from his prone position to find himself in the tiny house he shared with Charlie. How did he get there? His nose sniffed the air but was rebuffed by his own stench he had become nose blind to. He staggered to his feet a hand pressed to his side as a sharp pain shot through his mid section taking his breath away.
"Who are you?" a man's deep voice demanded.
Looking up Andrew blinked in disbelief "Zayne?"
"Andrew?" the man asked letting the iron bar fall to his side "you must be Andrew. Charlie said he was expecting you to come back."
"Charlie? Is he here?" Andrew asked ignoring the pain best he could.
"Yeah. He's still recovering" at the look on Andrew's face Zayne was quick to add "he's fine. Nothing to worry about."
"Recovering from what?" Andrew demanded moving towards the bedroom door
"A mutant mauled him" Zayne explained putting a restraining hand on the boys shoulder "he's resting. You can see him later."
"Argh" Andrew cried clutching his swollen mid section. Breathing rapidly he leaned on the wall. This couldn't be happening he thought. It wasn't time.
Zayne looked down to find what was tugging at his pants "Brie?"he cried. He had given up hope of ever seeing the little girl again.
"Help" she pointed towards Andrew "help please."
Turning his attention to where the little girl was pointing he took in the young man's appearance. The disheveled hair, the swollen mid section, the grunting cries of pain, panting rapid breaths. "Are you in labor?" he asked in shock.
"I think ...uh" his voice caught in his throat as another contraction hit. "I'm in labor" he finished speaking as a gush of wetness pushed it's way out and down his legs. Distantly his mind watched what was happening while another part of his mind screamed in pain in fear at the imminent arrival of his baby. The realization that he was still here where mutants wanted to eat you and humans were nothing more than animals left him feeling hopeless.
***
Helping the boy to the couch Zayne went to the room where his wife was watching over the injured boy. Whispering in her ear he asked her to come with him.
"What do you mean he's pregnant?" she demanded.
"See for yourself" he pointed towards Andrew "he's definitely in labor."
"This can't be happening" she shook her head "men don't get pregnant."
"What about your father?" he asked earning himself a scowl.
"That's different. It was magic" she said.
"How do you know this isn't magic?" he asked.
"I...don't" she sighed compassion for the young man struggling on the couch took over "he needs a doctor."
"I don't think that's an option," Zayne said "can't you deliver the baby?"
"How am I supposed to do that?" she demanded hands on hips "I don't even know the spell my Grandfather Lucas performed on my dad to get him pregnant much less how remember how I was born." Pointing at Andrew "where exactly would the baby come out?"
"It would..." he paused shaking his head "I don't know." Running a trembling hand through his hair he muttered "there has be a way."
"Obviously" Millie rolled her eyes at her husband. She loved him dearly but sometimes his simplistic way of thinking was more irritating then helpful. She watched as Brie went over to the couch patting the young man's sweaty face.
"Help please" she said looking up her eyes pleading for them to help her friend.
"Where did she come from?" Millie asked happy Brie was there. That she still had that small tie to her sister Charlotte.
"Evidently she was with him all this time" Zayne said "she showed up at the same time he did."
"Is this Andrew?" Millie asked. She smiled when Zayne nodded. Charlie in his delirium had kept asking for him. Declaring his undying love and devotion to him. The mention of her father and magic had been niggling at her brain. Maybe she could use her magical know how to deliver the baby. She snapped her fingers as a half remembered spell came to mind "I can magic the baby out" she announced to the room in triumph as the spell solidified in her mind.
"Can you do that?" Zayne asked in surprise.
"I think so" she shrugged "we have to do something or both of them are going to die."
Several minutes later Millie was still working on perfecting the spell when Andrew cried out, arching in pain before falling back on the couch, eyes rolling to the back of his head. Zayne pressed against his neck checking for a pulse "he's alive....barely. You better hurry."
Nodding Millie mustered all she had to cast the spell she needed to deliver the baby. Zayne stood ready to catch the baby once it appeared. It's tiny cry filled the room as it filled its lungs with air. To Millie it was music to her ears.
Andrew stirred opening his eyes. Zayne smiled laying a small hastily wrapped baby on his chest. "It's a boy" he announced.
Andrew gazed into his son's eyes "hey little one I'm your daddy" he held a finger out watching in amazement as the baby's tiny fingers wrapped around his finger.
Everyone looked up as Charlie shuffled from the bedroom awakened by the baby's cries. "Andy" he choked not believing his eyes "how? When?" His eyes were drawn to the tiny bundle in Andrew's arms "is that?"
Millie put an arm around him before he could fall. Helping him to the couch she watched as the dropped to his knees beside the couch. His eyes were transfixed on his son "he's beautiful."
No one noticed at Harmony approached the couple intent on seeing the baby "what's his name?" she asked.
Charlie glanced at Andrew who nodded "his name is Gabriel Bennett Gray."
"Gabriel?" the girl asked sounding surprised "that's daddy's middle name."
Charlie looked up "is it?" he asked.
Zayne nodded in confirmation wrapping an arm around his wife who had suddenly become quiet. He could guess what she was thinking. Gray. It would explain why they were in the situation they were in. Grays seemed to always be in one sticky situation after another.
