Revenge can be Sweet - (Mark&Zoe & Maddy/Mark) 1/1

[shippergal]

Title: Revenge can be Sweet

Pairings/Characters: Alicia, Jim, Maddy, Mark, Malcolm, Zoe - Maddy/Mark

Word Count: 2,708

Rating: Teen

Spoilers: Post ‘Now You See Me’

Summary: Malcolm Wallace is having a breakdown, Alicia Washington is irritated beyond belief, and Jim Shannon is smirking…what does Zoe Shannon have to do with that?

A/N: This was inspired by something I wrote in ‘Other Big Brother’. It is not a sequel! Merely a…spin-off…

Warning: Fluff with humour (hopefully)

Revenge can be Sweet

Lieutenant Alicia Washington liked to think herself as unflappable. She had been though many things and had seen many things to be surprise or annoyed. But today, she found herself gritting her teeth whenever she got a phone call from Dr Malcolm Wallace.

She pressed the button on the ear-piece, accepting the call.

"What?" she barked out, startling her soldiers as they milled about. They looked toward her before inching away from her, not wanting to do anything that might shift her wrath on them. She huffed out an irritated breath. "No, I can assure you that the Shannon family is alive and intact and yes, Mark Reynolds is in one piece and is not OTG." Her left eye twitched. "I'd think I know if one of my soldiers was OTG," she grounded out.

"Is someone seriously arguing with her?" she heard Dunham asked and she turned her dark glare on him. He swallowed before giving her a weak smile as he grabbed Reilly's arm and both of them bolted it away from her.

"I don't know why Zoe Shannon is sad. Why don't you ask her instead of asking me these stupid questions?" she demanded before she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Fine," she hissed out before tapping the ear-piece, ending the call, resisting the urge to pull it out, slam it on the ground and crush it with her boots.

She straightened her back, her hands tightened into fists and she strode toward the barracks where she knew a certain Corporal would be. He was going to help her out even if she had to threaten him with blackmail to do so.

Mark Reynolds had been sitting on a bench, lacing up his boots when he felt an icy shiver climb up his spine. He brought his head up only to pale when he saw an irate Lt. Alicia Washington walking toward him.

"Reynolds!" she barked and Mark stood to attention, torn between wanting to stare straight ahead or look at her in concern. He had never seen his superior this stressed out, even when Commander Taylor was OTG. "Get over to the lab and meet Malcolm Wallace and pick up Zoe Shannon."

"…Ma'am?" Mark frowned, not sure of his orders. She just turned furious eyes on him.

"Did I not make myself clear?" she asked, her voice dangerously calm and he nodded.

"Crystal clear, ma'am," Mark swallowed before he bolted it, not wanting her to sock him. Alicia sighed before gritting her teeth once more as the ear-piece made another ringing tune.

"What?" she shouted, startling everyone into looking at her before she sighed. "Sorry Commander Taylor; that was not aimed at you."

~_RCBS_~

*5 Hours Earlier*

Malcolm Wallace made his way into his lab, whistling a merry tune as he flipped through his Data-pad to look at the reports that he had gotten. His blue eyes glanced to the side briefly to see Zoe Shannon before he turned back to his Data-pad, heading into his office.

Stopping, he frowned and peered round the barrier to see Zoe Shannon was indeed sitting at the table with her chin on her hands, which was pressed flat down on the table. There was a sad aura around her and he frowned, looking around for Maddy, the oldest sister, who usually accompanied the youngest member.

"Zoe," he greeted once he couldn't see Maddy. Zoe just sighed sadly and he felt the flare of panic run through him. Had something happen to the family and he hadn't heard? He hurried back into his office, picking up the ear-piece.

He quickly put it into his ear, using his data-pad to call the person who would know the answer. "Lt. Washington, its Dr Wallace. I just wanted to ask if everything is alright with the Shannon Family," he told her before frowning. "Are you sure?" he winced and nodded. "Of course I'm not implying that you don't know your job. I was just merely double checking." He nodded once more. "Of course, yes. Thank you, bye." He pressed the ear-piece again before looking round the corner to see Zoe was still in the exact same spot with the same expression.

He quickly snuck past her, grabbing a nurse as she walked by. "Why is Zoe Shannon in my lab?" he asked. The nurse gave him a confused look before she peered into the window then looked back at Malcolm, shaking her head.

"Sorry, I didn't know she was there," she told him. He nodded.

"Do you happen to know where Maddy Shannon is? Or even her mother?" the nurse shook her head again.

"I think Dr Shannon is OTG and I know Maddy has the day off," she told him before she went back to work. Malcolm ran a hand through his hair, peering into his lab once more and winced when he saw tears had now been added to those sad eyes.

"Zoe?" he crept closer to her, giving her a smile. "Is everything okay?" to his horror, a tear slip free as she stifled a sob, "Oh, don't cry!"

Zoe wiped her tear away, still staring off in space as Malcolm sighed, looking around to see what he could do to cheer her up.

~_RCBS_~

Malcolm found himself reaching the end of his rope as he grabbed the ear-piece once more, dialling for Lt. Washington once more.

"Are you sure the family is okay and that Mark is alive?" he practically begged. "Are you sure Mark didn't sneak OTG?" He whimpered. "Then why is Zoe Shannon sad?" he demanded. "There can't be many reasons for to look that sad!" He shook his head. "I tried, she won't talk! All she does is sighs and stifled her sobs! Can't you send someone to pick her up?"

Malcolm pulled his ear-piece out before dropping his head into his hands. He couldn't believe that he was becoming undone because of a 5 year old, especially one that belonged to Jim Shannon!

*Now*

Mark couldn't believe he was running toward the medical lab. Usually he was running away from it because he hated being poked and prodded with needles and such but today, he's been ordered to go there to pick up Zoe Shannon. He wondered why Maddy didn't have Zoe because he vaguely remembered Maddy saying she had Zoe for the day last night.

"Hey Reynolds!" a voice shouted. Mark stopped briefly, looking to see Jim waving like crazy from the bottom of the stairs that led up to the commander's office. "Get over here!"

"Mr Shannon, I have orders to pick up your daughter," Mark told him as he hurried over to Jim, who started smirking.

"Zoe, right?" he asked and Mark nodded, curious to what was going on, especially when Jim's smirk turned triumphant as he rubbed his hands together in glee before he cleared his throat, turning his expression neutral. "Here," he pulled out a candy bag from his pocket and shoved it in Mark's hand. "Give that to her. Have fun." He hurried up the stairs just as Commander Taylor came out, looking for the other man.

Mark looked down at the candy in his hand before shaking his head, shoving it into his pocket and picked up his speed once more. He learned that it was better not to ask questions when it came to Jim Shannon.

Mark slowed his speed when he spotted the medical lab and walked through the door, looking around for anyone who could tell him with Malcolm was. He frowned when he spotted that a majority of the workers were huddled around the windows that looked into one of the lab.

He was about to move forward when he was stopped.

"Finally!" a voice cried.

Mark stumbled back, startled as Malcolm Wallace appeared in front of him with a wild look in his eyes. His usually tamed hair was a mess, sticking up at all angles indicating he had rang his hands through it numerous of time.

Mark was about to say something when Malcolm grabbed him by the upper arm, dragging him into the office, the same one everyone looking into, before they abruptly came to a stop as Zoe Shannon came into view.

Mark frowned in concern when he spotted Zoe sitting at the counter, her hands flat, palm down, on the table and her chin resting on them. Her brown eyes were sad and her lips were curled down. Everything about her just screamed that she was sad.

Mark opened his mouth again but he was cut off as Malcolm dragged him over to Zoe, kneeling down next to the girl with a bright grin on his face. Zoe cut sad eyes over to the older man.

"Look! It's Mark! He's okay!" Malcolm cheered. Mark frowned at the older man, wondering what he was going on about. Zoe just sighed sadly, her eyes returning to staring at nothing and Mark was surprised to see tears filling the doctor's eyes. "Please cheer up!" he begged before shaking Mark's arm. "Mark is here to see you!"

"Let go of my arm," Mark hissed to the man, yanking his arm free. Malcolm rose, defeat clear in his body posture.

"Nothing I do seem to cheer her up!" Malcolm practically wailed, throwing his hands up in surrender then he left them, pushing past the nurses and interns that had crowded around the door to see what was going on.

Mark frowned, wondering when the man had gone mad before he looked at Zoe, who was still staring off into space with a sad look. He sighed, kneeling down next to her and she looked at him. He just gave her a smile.

"Wanna come shopping with me? I'm looking for a present for Maddy," he told her and she smiled, nodding eagerly as she raised her head. Mark nodded back as he straightened up and lifted her into his arms. "Oh, here," he pulled out a candy from his pocket and handed it to her. "Your father said to give it to you."

"Thanks Mark," she kissed his cheek before opening the candy bag. "What kind of present are you looking for?" Both of them made their way out of the lab.

"How does that work?" Malcolm demanded as he watched them leave, his mouth open. "How does he get her to smile with a few minutes when I've been trying for hours?"

~_RCBS_~

"How about a necklace for Maddy?" he asked as he pointed to the colourful decorated jewellery. "Or should I go for a bracelet?"

"How about a ring?" she asked, licking the chocolate off her fingers. Mark almost dropped her out of shock before he turned wary eyes on her.

"Why a ring?" he asked and Zoe shrugged.

"Daddy keeps asking Maddy weird question and he keeps grabbing her hands, inspecting her fingers. Maybe he's think Maddy should get a ring?" Mark stared at her.

"Mark?" Mark spun around to see his girlfriend standing behind him with an arched eyebrow, her hands on her hips as she eyes looked between him and her little sister.

"Maddy!" Zoe chirped happily. "Missed you!" she waved a sticky hand. Maddy smiled as she walked over to them.

"Missed you too," she told Zoe, eyeing her sister curiously, wondering where the chocolate came from.

"Hey…Maddy," Mark greeted, getting a kiss from the girl before she looked at her sister and frowned. "Er…Zoe tells me your father has been asking strange questions and looking at your fingers." Maddy turned to look at him and nodded.

"Yeah, it's quite weird. He's been asking if I have a white dress or do I have a favourite flower," she told him with an amused/confused expression. "And he keeps grabbing my hands at different times. I asked him what he was doing and he said he was just checking to make sure my hands were clean." She shrugged and Mark gave her a weak smile.

Maddy turned to look at her sister once more. "Zoe…who gave you candy?"

"Mark," she informed her older sister with a bright grin. Maddy turned her glare on her boyfriend, who shook his head.

"Your father gave it to me, he told me to give it to Zoe," he explained and Maddy frowned.

"Dad knows Zoe is not allowed candy until after dinner, why would he give you candy to give to her?" she asked.

"Because it was a bribe," Zoe piped up and they both looked at her.

"A bribe?" her older sister asked.

"For what?" her 'adopted' brother added.

"For breaking Dr Wallace," she informed them with a shrug. "Daddy said Dr Wallace hadn't been a good boy and needed punishment." Maddy opened her mouth before she closed it, not sure what to say.

"Did you father say why Dr Wallace had been a bad boy?" Mark asked, not sure if he wanted the answer. Zoe just shrugged, shaking her head.

"How did you get roped into this?" Maddy turned to look at her boyfriend, getting her voice back.

"Alicia ordered me to pick up Zoe. From the rumours, it sounds like Wallace had been phoning her to the point she got annoyed. I felt a chill before I saw her," Mark told her before frowning. "Wallace grabbed my arm and told Zoe that I was okay..." he turned to look at Zoe. "Did you say anything?" Zoe shook her head, giggling.

"He thought you, Mommy, Daddy, Josh or Maddy had gotten hurt," she explained. "He kept phoning Ms Washington and asking if she was sure that all of you were alright." Mark winced.

"Well, that explains her mood," Mark muttered before he turned to Zoe. "So I asked Zoe if she wanted to come shopping with me."

"And Mark wanted to get a surprise for you," Zoe spoke up. Mark looked at Zoe wide eyes.

"That was supposed to be a secret," he told her, his voice hushed.

"…Oops," she whispered back. Maddy just looked amused. Mark sighed as he turned to his girlfriend, his secret now out.

"I wanted to buy you something and I asked Zoe if she wanted to help me out," he admitted, blushing when her smile turned fond.

"Mark, you don't have to," she told him but he shook his head.

"I wanted to." She sighed and nodded before she looked to see what they were looking at.

"Jewellery?" she asked and Mark nodded.

"Mark thinks maybe a necklace or a bracelet," Zoe spoke up and an idea dawned on Mark.

"How about a ring?" he asked, turning to his girlfriend, who looked curious.

"Mark, you know I don't like to wear rings because I have to take them off when I'm working with soil and paints. I'm always afraid of losing them." Mark nodded.

"Yeah…so you can put it on a necklace," he told her. Her eyes lit up with happiness and understanding.

"You're pretty smart for a soldier," she teased him and he rolled his eyes.

"Well, I wanted to be a lunar accountant first," he reminded and she laughed, reaching up to kiss him before she turned back to the rings. Mark set Zoe down and both girls looked between the rings, trying to decide which one would be perfect.

They soon settled on a silver ring that had three crystals. The middle one was a light blue colour, which she said reminded her of his eyes, and the other two were a simple clear coloured crystals.

Mark grinned, that was the perfect ring for her before he picked out a simple silver necklace, paying for them. He took the ring from his girlfriend, slipping it through the necklace and held it up. She turned around, lifting her hair up as he clasped it together.

She dropped her hair, admiring it in the mirror that the seller had set up so potential customers could see what the jewellery looked like.

"Payback Mr Shannon," Mark muttered under his breath, smiling at his girlfriend when she turned to show off the ring on the necklace. Now all he had to do is sit back and watch the fireworks, and hope to god that Mr Shannon wasn't going to come after him with his gun.

The End

Poor Mark & Malcolm…*snickers*

Now…should I do a sequel to this or just let your guys' imagination take over? :D