***
Two days later, Erin was finally allowed to leave her room for a brief visit to the hospital's grounds.
The remaining rain from the storm earlier that morning had mostly evaporated under the warmth of the midday sun, but the grass beneath Erin's feet was still damp and the smell of wet earth lingered on the cool breeze rustling through the nearby oak trees.
Ever since her childhood Erin had found sitting outside after a rainstorm to be strangely comforting. Everything was just so quiet, and seemed fresher, cleaner somehow. She recalled with a smile how she had loved to watch the frogs from a neighbor's pond as they hopped along the expansive backyard of her father's house in Virginia. Many times she had run after them, trying to catch the cold, moist amphibians so that she could return them to their owner before her dog decided to eat them.
I wonder if Mr. Hanson still has his collection, Erin mused, seating herself on a green-painted iron bench. The droplets of rainwater coating the shinny surface absorbed into her thick woolen robe, which also prevented her from feeling the cool metal upon which she sat. She hated wearing something so heavy and the synthetic cloth made her itch, but Doctor Curzon had insisted.
Glancing around at the expanse of damp, deep-green grass and matching benches, she saw that she was alone. Except for her Volunteer escort, disguised as a nurse, and a familiar blonde figure walking toward them.
"Sophie," Erin beamed, her smile widening as her friend drew closer.
Dee Dee returned the warm smile and gingerly sat down beside the younger woman. "Isn't it a little wet out here for sitting?" she asked casually, feeling the water on the bench soaking into her already drenched coat.
"As long as it's not raining, it's fine," Erin replied. "I don't want to be stuck inside all the time."
"Well, you don't want to get sick on your last day."
"I know, and I won't."
Smiling, Dee Dee placed a gift bag up on the bench between them. "I brought you something. Well, it's for the baby, actually." She handed the gift over and watched as Erin reached inside to pull out the stuffed Winnie the Pooh toy.
"Oh, it's adorable," Erin gushed. "I haven't seen one of these in years. Thanks."
"You're welcome. I saw it and thought of how much I loved my Winnie the Pooh doll when I was a kid. Maybe your baby will like it too."
"I'm sure he'll love it." Erin smiled faintly as she cluthced the yellow bear to her side and leaned back.
"So have you decided on a name yet?" Dee Dee asked curiously.
"I have, but I haven't discussed it with Ron yet," Erin sighed, trying not to think about the Agent. He'd repeatedly tried to contact her in the past forty-eight hours, but Erin continued to refuse to speak to him. She wasn't certain if she ever wanted to speak to him again.
"Ron?" Dee Dee echoed with a frown.
"The baby's father," Erin elaborated.
Dee Dee's expression instantly fell. It couldn't be the same Ron, could it? She HAD seen "her" Ron in the very same hospital, in the corridor just outside Erin's room... The coincidence was too great to ignore the possibility. She tried to recall what little Erin had revealed about her baby's father over the past few months. Allegedly, he was a former government agent who worked in a high-ranking position within the Taelon's inner circle. Granted, that could be any one of the Taelons' Protectors, but the fact that this man shared the same name as Ronald Sandoval and had been responsible for Erin's decision to start a new life seemed all too familiar.
"Sophie? You all right?" Erin asked, noting the older woman's strange reaction.
"Yes. I was just wondering if you were referring to Ronald Sandoval, Zo'or's Protector," Dee Dee quickly covered, hoping that her question didn't sound too obvious.
"Um, yes," Erin confirmed hesitantly.
"Oh." I don't believe this! Ron has really sunk to a new low this time. Getting a 22-year-old pregnant?! Dee Dee silently raged. Well, I can see why he'd want to sleep with her, but I never would have thought that he'd be careless enough to get her pregnant...
"So, uh, how did your date with Mark go?" Erin probed, eager to change the subject.
Dee Dee smiled at the memory of the previous evening, her shock and anger momentarily forgotten. "It went wonderfully. And we're doing it again tonight. He says there's someone he wants to introduce me to, someone important."
"A mama's boy, ya think?" Erin chuckled.
"I don't know. I'm just hoping he doesn't mean a certain part of his anatomy."
Erin's chuckle turned into a light, genuine laugh...
***
Later that afternoon, Erin stood alone in her room, gazing out of the window at the children's play area below. The fine, dry weather had lasted all day and some of the younger patients were allowed outside to enjoy the sunshine while it lasted. It broke Erin's heart to see some of the sicker children sitting sullenly in their wheelchairs, watching wistfully as their friends played without them.
Erin ignored the tears clouding her vision and raised a hand to her abdomen, sending a silent prayer that her child would be born healthy and would never contract an illness that not even the Taelons were able to cure. She knew that the children outside would be healed soon enough, with some new Taelon medicine or treatment that would bring a miraculous recovery, but at the moment they were suffering and miserable, waiting for those treatments to work their magic...
A light, almost hesitant knock at the door interrupted Erin's thoughts then. She turned to see an unfamiliar nurse standing in the doorway, holding a small scanner in one hand and a bouquet of yellow and orange roses in the other.
The older woman smiled warmly and entered the room. "Somebody's persistent," she noted. "Two bouquets in two days..."
Erin sighed quietly and moved over to the bed as the nurse placed the flowers alongside the others. "Stubborn is more like it."
"Well, he must be someone special to keep trying as hard as he does. Allison tells me he's been trying to get in to see you for the past two days."
"Well he can keep trying all he wants, I don't want to see him. Not now, not ever." Wincing, Erin swung her legs up onto the bed and leaned back against the pillows. "Speaking of Doctor Curzon, wasn't she supposed to be giving me this scan?" she wondered as the nurse activated the handheld fetal scanner and positioned it over the swell of Erin's stomach.
"She's with another patient," the nurse explained, beginning the scan. "Just lay still and relax and then you can go for a little stroll around the ward if you want. There are some new arrivals in the nursery, it might do you some good to talk to other new mothers."
Erin simply sighed again and remained still. She didn't really feel up to talking about parenthood at the moment. All she really wanted to do was to go home and have her baby in peace, as soon as possible, and never see Ronald P. Sandoval ever again.
Once the nurse had completed her task and given Erin a copy of the scan results, Erin decided to leave her room for a while and talk a walk like the nurse had suggested. Liam was due in an a hour or so, so she'd have to make sure that she didn't get lost.
She wandered aimlessly for a few minutes, until she found herself at the nursery. With a smile she realized that the young man standing in front of the observation glass was not a new father taking a peek at his newborn son or daughter, but was in fact a morose Liam Kincaid.
"Liam?" Erin's soft voice startled the Protector, drawing his attention away from the four tiny wriggling infants beyond the glass. "I wasn't expecting you till later. Is everything all right?"
Liam shrugged indifferently. "Da'an let me go early, and I didn't have anywhere else to be," Liam explained dully as Erin joined him. "This beats sticking around the Mothership getting in Sandoval's way." He turned back to the window, his sad eyes and sullen expression reflecting in the clear glass.
"Has he been giving you a hard time?" Erin asked softly. She suspected that she knew the reason for her lover's bad mood. In spite of his control over his emotions, Ron always seemed to take his anger and annoyance out on his subordinates, and more often than not, that meant Liam.
Liam sighed unhappily. "No more than usual."
"Well, whatever he said or did, I think it might be my fault," Erin informed regretfully.
Liam turned to face his friend with a slight frown. "Why would you think that?"
"The other night, he accused me of lying to him about who the baby's father is. I know it sounds childish, but he upset me and I haven't spoken to him since... I'm not sure I ever want him near me again."
Liam didn't know what to say. Erin's refusal to see Sandoval certainly explained the Agent's recent hostility towards himself and the Volunteers. But Liam had also noticed quite a few behavioral changes in his Human father these past few months. Initially, it seemed that Erin's influence had changed Sandoval for the better, he had even treated Liam with a kindness that the younger Protector thought him incapable of, even before he'd saved Erin's life.
But more recently, Sandoval had also been clearly avoiding Liam, conversing with him very little and somewhat harshly. Liam had no idea why his father would suddenly start avoiding him. Perhaps to stem the unwanted feelings of friendship he was beginning to feel, Liam hoped, but doubted.
There was another possible reason, but that was just as unlikely. If Sandoval had somehow discovered the truth about Liam, he wouldn't waste time distancing himself, he'd get right to the point and confront Liam. Or would he? Liam wondered. If he had chosen not to accept the truth, or wasn't willing to accept Liam as his son, then perhaps he would simply keep the fact that he knew the truth to himself. If Liam didn't know that he was aware, then it would make things a lot simpler for them both, and a lot less painful for Liam.
Liam mentally shook himself, discarding that possibility. There was no one Sandoval could've gotten the information from so suddenly; not even Doctor Curzon knew who his Human parents were, and even if she did, Liam doubted that she would reveal her findings to Sandoval before speaking with him about it first.
But she has been helping him search for me, Liam recalled. What if she analyzed that blood sample they took last week? She might've just blurted out the truth in excitement for him, not thinking about what it would mean to me. Dammit! I have to find out what they did with that blood.
Smiling at the adorable new-borns, Erin thought it time to end the silence. There was obviously something bothering Liam and she wanted to take his mind off it, even just for a little while. "So, um, I'm going home tomorrow," she told him. "I'd like it if you'd still come to visit once in a while. After the baby's born, I'll probably go back to Connecticut, or maybe Vancouver, I've always wanted to go there."
"You're not staying in D.C.?" Liam questioned, surprised, and a little disappointed. Even though the attraction he felt for Erin was sometimes difficult to ignore, he enjoyed spending time with her and didn't want to miss out on seeing his little brother.
"No. It's too close... to certain people. I want to, though, so, who knows, I might change my mind and come back in a few years. If we're all still here then."
Those last few words left Liam with an uneasy feeling of dread and a fleeting glimpse of some kind of creature with a ridged brow and long, retractable talons for fingernails...
Feeling suddenly dizzy, Liam began to sway unsteadily and braced himself against the observation glass with a clammy hand. Closing his eyes for a moment, he leaned forward and allowed his forehead to press lightly against the glass. He felt a gentle hand touch his shoulder, but kept still for fear of fainting.
"Are you all right?" he heard Erin ask softly, her voice filled with concern.
"Yeah, just a bit woozy," Liam mumbled.
Erin sighed and lowered her hand to Liam's forearm in case he needed more support. The Protector looked as though he was precariously close to fainting. "Liam, I'm really worried about you. There's something wrong, isn't there? Are you sick?"
Liam reluctantly opened his eyes and slowly raised his head, wincing as his moist skin stuck to the glass briefly as he pulled away from it. Erin was right, there was something wrong with him. A visit to Doctor Park's office that morning had proven Liam's suspicion - his body was simply adjusting, with difficulty, to the changes that Ha'gel had brought on with the complete loss of his shakarava energy, which had previously been very much a part of his genetic makeup. Melissa had assured him that he would be fine in a few more weeks, so long as he didn't overexert himself.
Liam suppressed a smile at the memory of the list of "activities" that Melissa had forbidden him to partake in. Turning back to Erin, he assured her, "It's nothing. My doctor says I'll be fine. It's just a virus."
"You're sure?"
Liam's lips curved in a warm half-smile. "Yes. And don't worry, you can't catch it."
Erin smiled in relief. "I wasn't worried about me, or Alex."
Liam frowned. "Alex?"
"Mmm-hmm. As in Alexander. It's the name I've been considering for the baby. But I'm not too sure if I'll stick to it."
"It's nice. The meaning's similar to mine, actually."
"Protector to mankind?" Erin chuckled. "With Ron for a father, I don't see that in his future."
"We're not all mirror images of our fathers," Liam stated softly. "I like to think of myself as my own person, with my own destiny. I don't let my father's misdeeds and wrongful acts influence my own actions." Though I suppose I do take after Ha'gel a little more than Sandoval.
"You father doesn't sound like a very nice person."
"That's because he's not. Most of the time."
"I'm sorry. I've never really been close to my father. I always thought it was because he resented me for making my mother leave. But he insists that he loves me, in spite of how devastated he was when my mother abandoned us. But you'd think if that were true, he'd have spent more time with me as a child, instead of leaving with the nanny." She sighed unhappily and forced those bitter feelings of neglect from her mind, looking back up at Liam with a renewed smile. "Let's change the subject," she suggested.
Liam nodded in agreement, suppressing his own unpleasant feelings. "How about we go to your room so I can sit down before I embarrass myself by fainting again?" he smiled.
Erin laughed briefly, then slipped her hand into Liam's, and together they headed back to her private room...
Once inside, Liam lowered himself into the chair near the window and leaned his head back with a heavy sigh. In spite of a restful night's sleep, he was exhausted after a busy, stressful day.
Erin watched with a sympathetic smile as Liam closed his eyes and tried to get comfortable in the very uncomfortable excuse for a chair. After a minute or two of watching the Protector wriggling his lithe frame in an effort to find a suitable position in which to rest, Erin helpfully invited, "Liam, come here."
Liam looked over at his young friend to see her patting the mattress at her side. "Huh?"
"Come here," Erin repeated, more firmly this time. "There's plenty of room for the both of us. As long as you don't fidget in your sleep, I won't fall on the floor."
Liam frowned uncertainly. "Um..."
"I won't bite," Erin promised with an amused smile. But I can't promise that my hands won't wander a little, she added silently.
"Are you sure you wouldn't mind?"
"Mind having a gorgeous Companion Protector snuggled at my side? I don't think so."
Liam felt the all-too-easily-triggered blush spread across his cheeks as he stood up and approached the bed. "All right. But keep your hands to yourself," he warned playfully.
"Me? Do I seem like the type of girl that would grope you in your sleep?" Erin feigned innocently, her uncontrollable mischievous grin making Liam smile.
"Yes, most definitely yes," Liam answered, sitting down beside Erin and swinging his legs up onto the bed.
Erin moved over a little further as Liam laid down and turned over onto his side. "Oh well, I guess you'll just have to risk it, then."
Liam simply smiled and shifted his body a little until he was comfortable, laying on his right side with his long legs slightly bent and his right arm resting under his head. He was acutely aware of how close his body was to Erin's at that moment, and hoped he didn't kick in his sleep, otherwise he'd knee Erin in the stomach.
Speaking of which, I think I just saw the baby kick. "Ah, Erin?"
"Hmm?"
"Was it my imagination, or did something just move in your stomach?" Liam queried, grimacing a little. He'd known that unborn babies moved inside the womb, but he hadn't thought that those movements were sometimes visible from the outside.
"Oh, that was just the baby kicking," Erin confirmed. "Wanna feel?"
"Uh... I don't think Sandoval would like that very much."
"Who cares what he thinks. It's my body, you can touch it if you want. Ah, that didn't come out right, didn't it? Um, I meant you can feel the baby," she quickly added with a chuckle.
Liam smiled and hesitantly reached over with his left hand. Tentatively, he gently laid his palm on the side of Erin's abdomen. And was instantly rewarded with a forceful kick from his unborn sibling. His smile widened at the sensation.
"Incredible, isn't it?" Erin murmured, smiling fondly at the awe on Liam's face.
"Amazing," Liam agreed. Almost reluctantly, he withdrew his hand and let it rest on his left hip. "Thank you. I've never felt a baby kicking before."
"My pleasure. Now, go to sleep before I make them give you something that'll keep you unconscious while I have some fun," Erin grinned wickedly.
Liam could only laugh, closing his eyes and allowing himself to relax until sleep overtook him...
***
Thirty minutes later, Sandoval arrived on the maternity floor to find an unfamiliar nurse at the reception desk and two of his Volunteers still in place along the corridor. His past few attempts to get in to see Erin had been thwarted by the nurses on duty. But this time, the young woman sitting at the desk appeared to be new to the job, as she merely glanced up at the Agent and allowed him to continue on his way down the corridor.
Giving his men a brief nod of acknowledgement, Ron quietly opened the door to Erin's room. And almost dropped the gift he was carrying at the sight that greeted him.
Laying on the bed, with a mere inch or two between himself and his own father's lover, was Liam Kincaid, sound asleep with a look of quiet serenity on his relaxed features.
As Ron stepped closer to the bed and moved around to the other side, he realized that the seemingly compromising position was in fact completely innocent. Liam wasn't even touching Erin, with one hand safely tucked under his face and the other resting across his own waist.
Feeling his initial anger decrease to almost nothing, Sandoval quietly placed his gift on the chair and was about to leave when Liam mumbled something in his sleep and shifted a little. Sandoval watched as the younger Protector's hand slipped out from beneath his cheek and unconsciously rubbed at his still-closed eye. The childlike movement and expression made Sandoval smile unexpectedly, and he took another, almost hesitant step closer.
As he looked down upon the young Major, for some inexplicable reason he felt compelled to brush back the errant, curled strands of light brown hair that were sticking to Liam's clammy forehead. Almost reluctantly, he swept his fingers across Liam's brow and smoothed the hairs back into the rest...
What am I doing?! This man is not my son... Then why am I starting to believe it? he asked himself unhappily. The evidence proving Liam Kincaid to be his biological son was not false, as he'd been hoping, and he was beginning to realize that denying the truth was not going to do him any good. He needed to accept the truth, if not Liam, and get on with his life.
As far as he knew, Liam was not yet aware of the fact that his secret had been unintentionally revealed to the Agent, and as long as that remained to be true, Ron wouldn't have to worry. As much as he often despised the Major, he did not wish to harm his son by refusing to accept him as just that. He needed to sort his own feelings out first, before he had to worry about someone else's.
One thing at a time.
Sighing quietly, Ronald took the blanket from the bottom of the bed and covered both Liam and Erin with it. Then, before he could fully resister exactly why he was doing it, he leaned down and placed a tender kiss on Liam's temple. With a faint smile directed at the man who he could no longer deny to be his true son, Ronald Sandoval turned and headed for the door, and instantly froze as he heard a puzzled voice speak his name...
"Sandoval?"
***
***
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