Promise You'll Love Me, Part 1
by Lizzy
The cafeteria at the New Pacifica General Hospital was filled with the voices of the 26 surviving members of the Advance Team. Everyone had already been served their breakfast, and those on KP duty had begun to clean out the kitchen and the cafeteria counter.
Most were seated at the large meeting table in the center of the large room, while a few were scattered about at the smaller tables. Devon Adair, her son Ulysses, John Danziger, and his daughter True were all seated at one of the small circular tables, eating their breakfast and having a pleasant conversation.
True was talking about the day before, which she'd spent with Charlotte O'hara down at the horse stable at the Farm. She explained how every horse had to be cared for differently, especially Charlotte's horse Sasquatch, who was carrying a foal.
Uly tried not to fidget as she went on and on about the animals, pausing only every once and a while to take a bite of fruit or egg. When she was finally done, his mother turned to him and asked, "So Uly, what are you going to do today? True's going back to the stables and John and I were going to take a look around for a place to build the house." She and Danziger, while not formally engaged, were having some serious thoughts. They were searching out an area to build their cabin on.
They'd been at New Pacifica for two weeks, though Charlotte's gang had been there a year, and had spent all of that working on the construction of the second floor of the hospital. Charlie had said that she made it a point to give them a day off every two weeks, to blow off some steam and keep them from getting frustrated. Uly wished his mother had thought of that while they were hiking 5,000 miles across the continent.
"Can I come with you?" he asked. He hadn't found his niche at the colony yet. True fit perfectly with Charlotte and Basil Sherwood, who were animal fanatics also. His mother blended with them as well, since the two were very prominent in their small band of ten. Danziger was always hanging out with Ross Parker and the others from Operations. He felt bored and left out.
Devon looked to Danziger, as if unsure of what she ought to tell her son. He shrugged, "Oh, let him come." Uly smiled his thanks to him, and then got up to take his plate over to the trash can. All the biodegradable trash was left in a compost heap, which the Terrians had granted them permission to have.
He scraped it off into the bin and then returned to his seat, asking his mother, "Can we build it down by the shore?"
True looked up from her food, which she had been chasing around her plate with a fork. "Oh, could we? That'd be neat. We could go swimming every single day. And I wanted to try building sandcastles again."
"Well actually, your father and I were talking about that," Devon said, "And we decided that it would be a good idea," The children grinned, but she continued, "Except that if you two ever had younger siblings, they might wander off into the water." The children just stared, but John dropped his fork and nearly choked on the piece of fruit he'd been chewing.
Coughing a bit, he wiped his mouth off on his napkin and looked at her. "Excuse me? I don't recall us talking about children, Dev."
She frowned, puzzled, "Well, I just assumed that, you know--" "You assumed?"
Uly decided, quite rightly, that this was a good time to make a quick retreat to his bedroom and get ready to go on the scout.
Julia ate her breakfast with Alonzo in awkward silence. They hadn't talked much over the past two weeks, because it had suddenly become hard to come up with a topic of conversation. No matter how many other ideas were in her head, she kept coming back to one: what was she going to tell him?
Two weeks ago, the day they arrived at New Pacifica, Alonzo had asked her to marry him. She'd been completely taken off guard, and had been unable to say anything in reply except asking for some time to think it over. Now a few months ago she would have known her answer for sure, but now that he had actually *asked* her, things seemed far more complicated than a simple 'yes' or 'no'.
There were many things to take into consideration, after all. First and foremost, of course, was her occupation. As a doctor, even after Dr. Vasquez arrived, she would always be busy, always be on call. She didn't know if Alonzo realized this, since there were only twenty six in their group she'd never had a whole lot of work to do. But with one thousand new colonists things could get terribly complicated. She could have trouble finding time for him, and didn't want him to feel neglected.
Then there was the problem with *Alonzo's* occupation. He was a pilot, he liked to fly. Even though he'd said that he wanted to stay behind after the Colony Ship left, who knew how he'd feel a few months down the line. And what about years down the line? She'd heard stories about career pilots who went insane when they were confined to the Stations because of medical reasons or otherwise. Most of them were obsessive compulsives that wanted to keep doing the same thing over and over again, and there wasn't much opportunity for flying on G889.
Alonzo seemed just as unnerved as she. He was probably wondering if perhaps she'd say no. Who knew what was going through his mind? Maybe he thought that she didn't love him anymore, which was completely untrue. She wished with all her heart that she could reassure him, but it wasn't possible because she couldn't even reassure herself!
*Oh dear,* Julia thought wearily, *What's a girl to do?*
"Bess, I was thinking we should start looking for a place to build our house," Morgan suggested that morning over breakfast, taking a sip of his coffee and sighing contentedly. Morgan enjoyed the fact that they were no longer on the road perhaps more than anyone else in the group, and actually went about his chores at the hospital happily, which couldn't have surprised his wife any more.
"Oh, really?" Bess said, "I wasn't aware we were in the market for real estate yet. I mean, there is a lot to do with the hospital. I don't think we should be worrying about building a house *yet*, dear."
"Well why not?" Morgan contended, "Didn't you hear that Adair and Danziger were hunting out a bit of land today? And you know Adair. She'll take the best spot, if we don't get there first."
Bess considered his argument, finishing her glass of milk. "I don't know about that Morgan. Devon isn't one to be selfish. And besides, there's plenty of shoreline here. And *all* of it is beautiful."
"So? I still think it'd be worth our while to look around, don't you?"
She sighed, stabbing one of her scrambled duck eggs, giving in. "Oh all right Morgan. I suppose we might as well get a head start. But you haven't even drawn up the plans yet."
Morgan held up a finger to silence her. "Ah, that's what you think. You know that computer pad I always take to bed?"
Bess nodded. He was tapping away at it every night. He produced it out of his pocket and handed it to her. "The plans. I was working on them *months* ago. I think you'll find them . . . interesting."
Bess took the pad and turned it on, figuring she might as well take a look.
"So, I guess I'd better go claim one of the Dunerails," he said, excusing himself from the table and running off to clear his plate.
"Uly, did you pack the water? We need the water," Devon asked her son as he exited the hospital, moving towards the Dunerail that Devon and John had reserved for their outing. She saw Uly sigh and turn back to go fetch the thermos of water.
She put their bag of extra food and blankets into the luggage holder atop the 'Rail and then dropped into the passenger side seat beside John.
"Ready to go?" he grinned, putting a hand on her leg. Devon smiled right back and explained, "Just as soon as Uly gets back with the water." He nodded. Then she said, "Uh, John, about this morning, you seemed to have an adverse reaction to my thoughts of us having children."
He sighed, rolling his eyes. Apparently he'd thought he'd gotten away with it, but he should have known that nothing gets by Devon. "Oh, it wasn't an adverse reaction, I . . . I just hadn't given it much thought, you know. I mean, we've only been together for two months. I hadn't thought that far ahead."
She stared at him, puzzled. "But . . . but don't you ever think of our future? I mean, we have talked about marriage a couple of times, and I always thought that that sort of implied that we were going to have more children."
"I, uh, listen Dev, I really think that--" at that second Uly once again exited the hospital, ceasing their conversation. Once he'd approached the 'rail he tossed the thermos into the luggage holder and got into one of the back seats. He caught the look passing between his mother and Danziger and said:
"Something going on, Mom?"
Devon shook her head, breaking her gaze at John and looking straight forward. "No, Uly, nothing at all. Danziger and I were just having a discussion, that's all."
"Whatever," Uly said, "So where are we going first?" "Well," John said, glad for the change in subject, "We were thinking of heading north aways. Just a mile or so. We don't want to be too far away from the hospital, after all." He started the Dunerail's engine and they pulled away from the small fleet of vehicles that was parked in front of the hospital.
"And we're going to get a spot in front of the beach, right?" Danziger nodded, steering out to the small hill that led down to the beach. "Yep, so you and True can go swimming every day."
Devon nudged him with her elbow. "John, what about the thing with young children and water, remember?"
He rolled his eyes again. "Dev, we'll talk about it later.
Alonzo tried as hard as he could to keep his mind off the subject. It had been easy over the past two weeks, since there was much to be done at the colony. But now that they had been given a day off he wasn't quite sure what to do. He started off by helping Charlotte wash the dishes after breakfast.
However, she was busy talking to Walman about idea to convert the cafeteria into a restaurant called "The Grendler Bar & Grille", and that left him much too much time to think. And the more he thought, the more he though about Julia, and the more nervous he got.
He'd thought her response would be a sure thing. The two hadn't had a fight in ages, and he liked to think they had a healthy relationship. So what was keeping her from giving him an answer? The two hadn't had a conversation in weeks. Well, not a real conversation.
They trooped back to their room late at night, after work had been dropped and dinner had been eaten, and just fell asleep. No more were those nights up late with her, those nights that always stuck in his memory.
Alonzo feared he was slipping into some kind of depression, and it was probably for no reason. Julia was probably just thinking things over, like she said. Perhaps she was just toying with him, even. It was no cause for alarm. Surely she'd say yes. Right?
No one seemed to notice how silent the pair had been over the past few days. Either that or no one thought to ask them, figuring it was a domestic dispute that was none of their business. For once he longed for Bess to pry into his business, to give him someone to talk to.
He had even toyed with the notion of going to Danz for advice, but had tossed that idea out that morning when he noted that he and Devon seemed to be slightly at odds themselves.
Once he had finished the dishes, he decided he wanted to go for a quick walk out on the beach. As he passed what they had nicknamed "The Parking Lot", he noted that all the vehicles, save the mighty Transrover, were missing. Everyone else was off running around, having fun or looking for land. Everyone except for him, and Julia.
*This isn't right,* he thought, *Julia and I should be the *first* ones to go searching for a home. Even Dev and Danziger are looking for a place to build their house, and he hasn't even asked her yet!*
Shoving his hands deep into his pockets, he headed down to the shore. It was the middle of winter, and the air was biting his cheeks. His fingers in his gloves, which were almost worn through, grew chilled quickly. He stopped a few feet away from where the water finally began to recede back into the Ocean Pacifica, and stood there for a while, just watching the waves.
"As the children are so fond of saying," he heard Yale's voice from behind him, "What's eating you?"
He whirled around to face the old cyborg, who was staring out across the waters just as he was. "Yale. I . . . didn't hear you come down."
"I have a habit of sneaking up on people, I'm afraid. Just too quiet," he chuckled, "I don't shout like the children, and I don't argue like Devon."
Alonzo nodded, turning back to the ocean. "So, what has got you so down lately?" Yale asked him. Alonzo was surprised that Yale, of all the people, brought the subject up first. "Ah, nothing. Just a problem between Julia and me. Nothing important."
"Oh, in a relationship such as yours, Alonzo, nothing isn't important."
"That may be true." Alonzo sighed.
Yale took a few steps towards the surf. "I don't suppose you'd like to talk to an old Teacher about it. An old Teacher whose good friend left him for a man with curly blond hair and a cute daughter?" It was obvious Yale was taking Devon and Danziger's relationship in stride. Which was good, Alonzo supposed, since he was quite attached to the woman.
"Ah, I wouldn't want to trouble you with it." He said, turning back towards the hospital and beginning to walk in its direction.
"I haven't got anything better to do," Yale pointed out, following Alonzo.
Alonzo was tempted to take him up on his offer. He really needed someone to talk to, and Danziger just wasn't the right person. Though Yale had never been married, so far as they knew, his information on psychology may prove some worthy insight to Julia's reaction, and seeming unwillingness to speak with him. "Actually," he said as they approached the building, "I may just take you up on that offer."
Morgan was sitting on the bed in the room he shared with Bess, pulling on his boots to get ready to leave, when his wife stormed in through the door and slammed his info pad down on the night stand.
"What do you call this?" she demanded, pointing at the offending piece of office equipment.
He frowned, wondering what her problem was and picking up the pad. "It's the plans for our house, like I said."
She shook her head, sitting down beside him in a huff. "Yes Morgan, I know that!" Taking a deep breath, she tried to continued calmly. "I . . . I just mean to say that I think that it's great--"
"Well if you think it's great then what's the matter?" Morgan asked, getting up off the bed to get his coat off the hook on the wall. Bess followed.
"You didn't let me finish." she said angrily, "I think it's great except that you didn't include a nursery." This provoked an enormous sigh from Morgan as he snatched his jacket off the wall and handed Bess hers.
He said, "Why would I do that, Bess? We don't *have* any children." She took the coat from him but did not start to put it on. "That's my point, Morgan. But if and *when* we do, we'll need a nursery."
Morgan zipped up his coat and pulled his gloves out of his pocket. He really hated it when she went off on these 'children' trips. They happened every once and a while and he'd learned how to deal with them, how to calm her down. "Well dear, *if* we ever do, then I'll build you one." He pulled his gloves on and then headed towards the open hallway door.
Bess intercepted him, shutting the door and leaning against it, her arms crossed across her chest. "Oh no you don't Morgan. You're not escaping. We are going to sit down and talk about this like adults. No. Like husband and wife. Is that clear?"
He decided it was best just to give in. Or rather, make her think he'd given in. Sitting back down on their bed he raised his hands in defeat. "Fine Bess, just fine. You want to talk about it? We'll talk about it."
This seemed to satisfy her, and she sat down beside him. "Morgan, you know how I feel. I want a child. And I'm not talking some time in the distant future when you've staked a claim on this planet, established yourself, and we're living in some mansion in a far-off section of G889. I want a child sometime *soon*. So I think the least you can do is to add a nursery to your plans."
Sighing, he took her hand in his. "Now Bess, sweetie," he said in his most soothing voice, "You know how I feel about this baby stuff." She looked away, anticipating what he was going to say next. He reached out a hand to touch her chin and turn her head back to face him. She did not look happy. "I don't think that I'm ready for it. I don't think that *we're* ready for it."
Yanking her hands away from him, she got up off the bed and began to angrily pace back and forth across the length of the small room. "*I'm* ready for it, Morgan. And I can help you be ready too, if you'd just consider the idea for about half a second! But you *won't*!" She said, almost in tears of frustration, "Whenever I bring the subject up, you just change it. You don't even give me a chance!"
Morgan got up to try and comfort her, saying, "Bess, you don't understand, dear. I . . . I'll think about it, really I will. I just need a little time. Oh, you know how I am around kids. Take True and Uly for example. Can't stand them. And, and you remember the Devereaus, right? Those people who lived next door back on the Stations? You'd have them over all the time, since Debrah had that baby, uh, whatever his name was. They make me nervous, sweetie. I really think that you should give me more time."
Bess was still a little set off, but she was visibly calming as he spoke. She wiped a few tears from her eyes and sniffled for a moment, but then she accepted a hug from her husband, and she said into his shoulder, "Oh, I'm sorry I blew up, darling. It's just . . . you *know* how important this is to me. If you say you'll think it over, then I believe you."
Morgan nodded, rocking her back and forth. "I know, I know. Maybe, Bess, maybe in a few years. But just . . . just not now, okay?"
She looked up at him and smiled. "Okay, sweetheart. Maybe in a few years. Just so long as you promise to love me."
To that Morgan couldn't complain.
Uly had run off to explore the beach on the section of land that they were examining, promising to come back within fifteen minutes. This left Devon and Danziger alone back at the Dunerail to await there return.
"This is a nice place, don't you think?" Danziger commented. It was, too. It was only a small sized clearing amid the forest that surrounded the hospital. It was about a mile away, a short drive in the 'rail. There was a reasonably large beach that stretched out in front of it, five feet down off a small drop. *Yeah, a nice drop for a two-year old to unknowingly bumble off of,* Devon thought grimly, trying to avoid the mental picture that went with it.
Danziger turned to look at her, wondering why she hadn't responded. "Um, yeah, real nice." she said.
He sighed, leaning against the back of the seat in the 'rail. "Listen, Dev, if this is really bothering you, then we *should* talk about it."
Devon shook her head vigorously. "No, no, that's okay. It's not that important. Like you said, we've only been together two months." She let out a small laugh. "We aren't even engaged yet, so what's the point in talking about things so far off in the future? For all we know we're going to have some huge fight and break up a few weeks down the line--" she swung her head around to look at him and ended up being caught up in a kiss.
Blinking, she pushed away, leaving Danz looking even more puzzled than before. She sighed, serious this time. "No, John, it isn't that important."
"Yes it is," he broke in, "You're right. It *is* important. We should clear things like this up. We need to know how each of us views the future. That way we can work together to make it something that will please both of us."
Devon was silent for a moment, then she said, "I . . . I thought it would be great to have this nice little house by the sea, yes. And . . . and True and Uly would each have their own rooms, so they didn't fight. And there'd be a little kitchen downstairs, with a den right next door." She smiled fondly at the image. "And right next to our bedroom there'd be this quaint little nursery, where our baby would be sleeping, the sun shining in through the window on her little face . . . "
Danziger was taken a little off-guard by the vividness of her description. He had always been a simple man, thinking only of the present, not of the future. But on those few occasions in the past months, when he'd been lying awake, unable to rest (usually because Devon had stolen the covers) he had thought about it a few times, but certainly not to the degree she had. "I, uh," he began, "I think that's nice, but . . . but I always thought we'd have a boy. That way I could teach him how to fix things, be a mechanic."
Devon tilted her head to look at him and raise an eyebrow. "But I thought you'd never considered having children. I thought you never looked ahead to the future."
He sighed in defeat, knowing he'd caught her, and explained, "Well, perhaps I've thought about it a few times. But not that often. It's just the kind of thing you . . . subconsciously want."
She nodded, the smirk still on her lips. "Right, right. *Subconsciously* want." Her hand struck out at his stomach, tickling him in what she knew was his most sensitive area. Helpless, he laughed uproariously. "You little . . . making me worry we'd end up having disputes like Bess and Morgan."
Finally she relented, dropping her hands. "So you do want children." He shrugged, "Oh, I suppose I could go through the rigors of raising a child a few more times. Just as long as you're there to help."
"Oh, of course I will. What do you take me for?" Devon smiled, leaning forward to give him a tender kiss. Once she was finished, she ran her fingers through his golden curls and said, "So, love, how many?"
He groaned, leaning his head against the seat. "Oh, I don't know. Five, six?"
"Three more's my limit, John Danziger," she said teasingly. He peered at her, one eye closed. "Can I test you on that?"
Story Notes:
This story takes place two weeks after The Journey's End. All standard disclaimers apply. It's a story that focuses on three couples: Devon and Danziger, Julia and Alonzo, and Bess and Morgan. It's a bit sappy, so please don't kill me. Thanx again for the mail, esp. that lovely comment . . . what was that quote . . . "This is some of the best E2 fic I've read for a long time"?? I think that was it. Yeah. Enjoy =P! (while you can, the next story, tentatively called "Tremors" is taking a while, and is a little choppy, at least in my opinion. Oh well.)
P.S.: "Tremors" was renamed to "Something good". - Andy
P.S.: "Tremors" was renamed to "Something good". - Andy