Christmastime is Here (seaQuest)
Title: Christmastime is Here
Author: lcviolin07
Fandom: seaQuest
Prompt: Red
Rating: G
Summary: The Wolenczak's first Christmas is marked with a surprise.
A/N: Takes place during seaQuest 2032. This is part of a multi-chapter work which is currently unfinished.
Addie paced the floor, tapping the cylindrical tube against her hand. She didn’t know what to do. They hadn’t talked about kids, hadn’t talked much about the future period. What was he going to say?
“Mom?” Kristen called, racing down the stairs. Addie heard the thumping and jumped nearly a foot in the air, hiding the tube in her back pocket. She adjusted her tee shirt, covering the tube as best as she could.
“What, Kris?”
“Isn’t Uncle Lucas coming for Christmas?” She dragged her favorite teddy bear behind her, his filthy paw resting on the ground.
She knelt down with a smile. “He’s coming tonight, just in time for Christmas. Why don’t you go change into your PJs so we can get ready for bed. When you wake up in the morning, Lucas should be here.”
“Really?” She quickly hugged Addie tightly and raced back up the stairs.
Addie couldn’t help but smile, watching her daughter drag the bear behind her. She thought of the test in her back pocket, wondering what Lucas’ reaction would be once she told him. How would she tell him?
*~*~*
“Mama, would you tell me a story?” Kristen asked, one arm around the bear, the other buried under the blankets.
“What story do you want tonight?” Addie pulled up the covers and tucked them in around her daughter.
Kristen glanced toward the window and then back up at her mother. “Can you tell me about when you and Uncle Lucas met?”
“Kris, you’ve heard that about a thousand times now.”
“I know, but I want to hear it again.”
Addie smiled and began to once again tell of how she met Lucas. She grinned, remembering how young he looked, how innocent they all were. When she finally finished, Kristen was sound asleep, snoring. “I love you,” she whispered, kissing the sleeping child lightly on the forehead.
After tucking the covers once more, Addie closed the door and stepped into the hallway. She glanced at her watch, silently wondering what time Lucas would be arriving.
She pulled the pregnancy test from her back pocket and stared at the two pink lines. Her heart pounded, praying Lucas would be okay with this. They’d only been married a month, not nearly long enough to start having kids. And he’d barely been home in that past month.
A loud knock on the front door pulled her from her thoughts and she hastily shoved the test into her back pocket. She walked quickly down the steps and peeked through the peephole. Lucas stood in his uniform, a small smile on his face.
Her heart skipped a beat and she quickly turned the lock and pulled the door open. “Lucas,” she breathed, closing the small gap between them and wrapping her arms around his neck.
He dropped his duffle and slid his arms around her waist. “Hey,” he whispered, burying his face in her hair.
They stayed there, wrapped in each other’s arms, until Addie finally pulled back and looked up into his face. His blue eyes were sparkling. “ I've missed you so much.”
“It’s only been a few weeks, Addie,” he said, but she knew he felt the same. “Mind if I come in?”
“It is your house, too,” she replied. She took his hand, and he picked up his bag, and together, they walked into the house.
Addie shut the door behind them and turned the lock. “Kristen tried to stay awake, but I sent her to bed a little while ago. She’ll be happy to see you in the morning.”
Lucas carried his bag up the stairs and Addie turned off the remaining lights in the living room before following him. As she climbed, her mind stayed on the small tube in her back pocket. Did she tell him now?
“What’s wrong?” Lucas asked, and Addie realized he had been watching her since she reached the top of the steps.
Should she tell him now? Or wait? When was the right time? How did you tell your husband of only a few weeks that you were pregnant?
“Addie, tell me.” Lucas took her hands and pulled her gently into the bedroom. Together, they sat on the bed and he held tightly.
“Nothing,” she said with a forced smile. “I’m just so happy to see you. You have no idea how much I missed you this past month.”
“Oh, I don’t know. I missed you quite a bit, too.”
And then, he slid a hand up to caress her cheek and leaned in, gently kissing her. She closed her eyes and let herself be lost. His lips were just as soft as she remembered; his hands just as calloused and rough.
When they pulled apart, both were breathing heavily. “Damnit,” she whispered, closing her eyes and shaking her head slowly. “I can’t do this.”
Lucas cocked an eyebrow and slid back. “Can’t do what?” He asked, his voice low.
Slowly, Addie shifted sideways and pulled the cylindrical tube from her back pocket. She tapped it against her leg twice before handing it over. Biting her lip, she held her breath, waiting for him to realize what it was and what it meant.
“Addie, what is this?” He turned it over in his hands, taking note of the label, EPT. “Addie?” His voice wasn’t as sure now.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I… I don’t know…”
“Addie, does this mean what I think it means?” He looked up, his eyes filled with tears.
“It’s so soon,” she whispered. “We’ve only been married a month…”
Lucas slid closer to her, sliding his arm around her waist. “It’s okay. Addie, we’ve known each other for years… it’s okay.” He grinned, the tears still shining in his eyes. “We’re really gonna have a baby, huh?”
“It looks that way, yeah.”
“When did you find out? I mean, when did you take this?”
She laughed nervously, “about two hours ago? I was late… but nearly a week… so I bought the test. I figured it’d be negative, but…” she shrugged.
“God, I love you.” He kissed her again and Addie breathed a sigh of relief.
“So you’re okay with this?”
“Well, we really don’t have much of a choice, but yeah, I’m okay with this. Think Kristen is going to be okay?”
“Yeah, she’s asked about brothers and sisters before.”
They fell silent, still staring at the tube. “Merry Christmas, Daddy,” Addie whispered, giggling to herself.
“Merry Christmas, Mama.” Lucas kissed her again the wide smile still on his face.
It was going to be okay. All her worries, all the stress, all the nervousness, it was all gone.