Fic: "Always" by YamNyletak17
Title: Always (3/? --- WIP)
Character/Pairing: Nathaniel Taylor/Alicia Washington, Mira, Jim Shannon, Elisabeth Shannon (some of Carter, Skye, and the Shannon Kids)
Genre: Romance, Family, Angst... Less notably, humor
Rating: T (language)
Spoilers: Season 1, finale
Summary: Nathaniel Taylor's wife is dead... Again. Gone forever, along with his unborn son. He's sure of this. He saw them get murdered with his own two eyes, even as he hid their daughter's from the sight. So, Mira has to be lying to him when she says she's alive, right? It's not possible. He can't trust her, can he?
Click here for PART ONE:
http://terranovafanfic.livejournal.com/156094.html
Click here for PART TWO:
http://terranovafanfic.livejournal.com/157835.html#cutid1
Part Three...
"You tried to kill my wife and my son... Your baby brother, Lucas." He should know by now, there's no reasoning with the deranged mind that now belongs to his eldest son. The man - child - is no longer lucid... No longer human. But, it's still his child, his flesh and his blood. Even if his head knows there's no way to save him, his heart has to try.
"You should be happy it didn't work then, shouldn't you?" Lucas's eyes are clear, hold his intentions for everyone to see. The blue there doesn't hold the childlike wonder and happiness it held before Somalia... It harbors evil. Evil that has darkened the color to a hue so dim, it's nearly black.
They're in a secluded parts of the Badlands, the sounds of gunfire telling Taylor just how far he had chased his son away from the fighting. He worries, being so far away, but forces himself to put his trust in Reilly, Jim, Reynolds, and - God help him - Mira and Carter. He believes they'll get his wife out... At all costs, he knows.
"Tell me father dearest..." Lucas paces a small area, the gun in his hand casually tapping the palm of the other. He is truly, undeniably... Relaxed. "What are my siblings' names?"
"Makai James and Kensi..." He pauses. Should he lie? Will Lucas lose it too soon if he tells him? "Kensi Ayani."
Fire bursts into his eyes, anger nearly overpowers the flash of pain that makes its way over Lucas' face. He's angry, yes, but he hasn't made to shoot anyone - himself or his father - yet.
"Your idea, or the Lieutenant's." He says her title with disdain, but Taylor stays calm on the outside, even as his heart races inside.
"Alicia's." He replies shortly... A little more gas on the fire that obviously doesn't need any help burning.
"She mocks me, Daddy. Mocks me." Lucas' eyes search Taylor's, seeing if the title will produce a reaction. Taylor doesn't let him see the piece of his heart finally cracking away from its rightful place.
"Your mother would be so ashamed of what you've become, Lucas." Lucas’ eyes tear up and he almost looks like he’s twelve again.
"She would never be ashamed of me. I'm her son." His breaking point is near… So very, very near.
"You are, Lucas, you will always be her - our - son...But, you're not the same person we raised. Maybe that's my fault. Maybe I made the wrong choice, maybe I let you get so far gone no one could bring you back, or maybe I didn't tell you I loved you and that I was sorry enough. I'll take the blame for it if it makes you feel any better at all... It's my fault anyways. But, I can't condone you coming after my wife and my child. Walk away Lucas. Please, walk away and never come back. Please... I don't want to hurt you."
They stand there for what seems like an eternity and Taylor really begins to think they are really going to walk away from each other without any physical harm. But, when Lucas' hand raises, finger on the trigger of his gun, Taylor shoots a single bullet. One single bullet that hits him square in the middle of his heart, only leaving him a single breath to breathe before he's gone.
Nathaniel Taylor doesn't cry when he drops to his knees beside his son's body, just brushes the grime away from his face slowly. His hand drifts over Lucas' blank eyes as he closes them and he can justify himself just a bit when he recognizes the clear, ice blue color, no longer black with misguided malice. He knows that the poignant agony that had plagued his son is gone for the first time in years.
The gunfire has quieted and he knows in his heart that they've won, that it's over, as he slips his arms under his son's limp body to carry him back to the rovers. He will be buried, honored, because no matter what he's done... Lucas Nathaniel Taylor is his son, just as he will always be.
----
He's been sitting at her bedside for hours, holding their son and their daughter in his arms, watching them sleep, when her breathing changes. He tears his eyes away from the peace on their faces to look at her. She’s watching him, eyes still bleary, with a small smile on her face.
"How's he doing?" He smiles back at her, takes a glance at her vitals on the BioBed's control panel, and decides Elisabeth wouldn't be too terribly mad if he didn't call her into the room immediately.
"Besides the fact that he looks a little too much like me, he's perfect." He replies and tears shine in her eyes. A soft "thank God" comes out as a breath and he lays both children in her arms for her to hold.
"I guess I should ask how I am." He chuckles and she can't help but laugh with him.
"You've been out for nearly two days... It was touch and go for the first few hours. They lost you during the C-section because of extreme blood loss but Elisabeth did every possible thing in her power to bring you back… According to the Doc, you should be fine and ready to get back to work in a few weeks."
"Remind me to thank her." He laughs.
"Trust me. I've done enough thanking for the both of us." She smiles at him, but her eyes take on a sad, crestfallen look.
"Lucas?" Nathaniel's smile falls and he shakes his head, takes to staring at Kensi and Makai's faces instead of hers.
"He's gone." He looks guilty, broken, when he returns his blue eyes to her chocolate ones.
His head falls gently to her chest and his tears soak the hospital gown she's wearing. He's nearly shaking with sobs when the door opens and Elisabeth walks in.
Out of undying respect, she never takes a second glance at Nathaniel. He's not even there as she puts Makai into the hospital cradle and lifts Kensi into her arms. She's not aware of his emotional or physical presence when she catches a glimpse of Alicia holding him, her own face buried in his hair, when she leaves the hospital room with both children. And she doesn't hear Wash when she whispers I'm sorry to him over and over again as Elisabeth shuts the door and tells the nurse they aren't to be disturbed.