erinm_4600
in
12to32
Fic: Family Reunion 2/8
Title: Family Reunion 2/8
Author: Erin (erinm_4600)
Characters, Pairing: Cain (mention of Jareth, Mama Cain, Papa Cain, DG, Glitch, Raw, Adora, Jeb, the Mystic Man, the Queen, Ahamo and the Robo-rents) *Did I forget anyone?*
Rating: G
Summary: Cain reflects on how he got where he is. Which is... somewhere.
Warning: This was supposed to be light and fun; a good chuckle. For whatever reason, this part got a little angsty. :\ And the big thanks to trystan830 for helping me with the math!
Disclaimer: The original characters belong to L. Frank Baum and their respective actors. The current characters belong to Sci-Fi, the movie folks and their respective actors. Jareth belongs to David Bowie, Jim Henson, George Lucas and Terry Gilliam. The OCs are mine. The idea came from buffybot76.
Family Reunion: Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five | Part Six | Part Seven | Part Eight | When Is a Door Not a Door? | Two Cains are Crankier Than One
Kans-Az: First Meeting | Azkadellia's First Barbeque | Laundry | Bar Queen
Wyatt Cain had a good life. Well, up until about ten years ago, anyway.
He had a beautiful wife, whom he loved with all his heart; a son, who had his eyes and her spirit; a home and a job he loved - even if it was becoming more and more dangerous with each passing day.
Generally, Cain was content with his decision. Unfortunately, all that time in the suit had given him time to think. ‘What if?’ became a constant echo in his ears.
What if he hadn’t left home at sixteen? What if he hadn’t stopped in Central City? What if he had taken up farming? When he’d arrived in the city, no one knew Wyatt Cain. He was just another young man, looking to make something of himself. A stranger.
He liked construction. He hadn’t liked sanitation. He’d never been very interested in science or medicine, He was trained for diplomacy and procedure, so the segue into the military force wasn’t that surprising.
He’d always preferred to follow orders, rather than give them. Oddly, it was his dedication to the Tin Men that made him rise through the ranks much quicker than even he’d expected. Soon, he was the one giving orders.
He met Adora about a year after he’d arrived in Central City. His squad had been sent east for training, spending a good month learning how to scout and track in the woods. She had been in the village, struggling with her packages. Cain, ever the gentlemen, offered to help her carry the foodstuffs, and was ribbed by the other soldiers for days.
When their training was complete, Cain returned to Central City. Three years later, at graduation, Cain was surprised to see Adora, standing there, after the ceremony. She had joined her friends on a small trip - under the guise of her dear friend’s upcoming wedding - and the timing of the trip had just ‘worked out.’ With some help from the bride and her sister, of course.
Six months later, word came about Cain’s father. Adora had offered her shoulder if he wanted to talk about it, but Cain didn’t. It wasn’t that he didn’t love his parents, but they just didn’t understand how he couldn’t want the life laid out before him.
And they hadn’t parted on the best of terms. Adora convinced him that, if he didn’t go now - whether amends were made or not - he would never forgive himself. So Cain requested a leave of absence, due to a family emergency, and said goodbye to Adora. He knew what lay in front of him if he went back; what was expected. Cain traveled south and, soon, was back home. He realized that, while it was nice to see the familiar landscape, he hadn’t missed the place. But he was missing Adora.
Cain arrived home to find his mother sitting at his father’s bedside. He wasn’t sure what to say, so he simply cleared his throat. She looked up at him and her eyes began to tear. Rising, she moved to him quickly and pulled her elder son into a hug, telling him how happy she was to see him. And a little part of his heart broke.
She gave him words of encouragement and left Cain alone with his father. Not sure what to say - they’d pretty much said it all before he left - Cain took the seat his mother had been occupying and looked at the fragile man lying in front of him. Adora’s words echoed in his head.
“She knew you would come,” Cain heard his father say at one point. Looking at his father, Cain could only smile. “But you won’t stay...” he continued with a frown. Cain looked at the bed and frowned as well.
Looking back up to his father, Cain shook his head. “This isn’t me, Father. It never was. I’d rather just be-”
“You are my son.”
“And I am proud to be your son,” Cain replied. “But I don’t want to rule, Father.” Both men closed their eyes, trying to check their tempers. Now was not the time for them to start fighting again. “I don’t know why you’re still on this, anyway. I’ll be eighty before we have to worry about-” Cain’s father took his hand, squeezed it and said nothing. Another piece of Cain’s heart broke.
Cain was with his father when the time came. He’d been telling his father about learning to track people through the woods and the men he roomed with and the sounds of Central City. And Adora.
“You’d like her, Father. She’s stubborn and daring and...” Cain laughed.
“Do you intend to marry her?” his father asked. Cain blinked and considered the answer. He flashed on Adora, the day they met; he saw her laughing with her friends; the smile on her face as he saw her at graduation. He could feel the squeeze of her hand when he’d received the letter from his brother.
“Yes.” Cain looked at his lap for a moment. “If she’ll have me.” Cain felt his father take his hand and squeeze.
“She’d be insane not to.” Cain smiled and tried to fight back the tears.
“Father-” he started, shifting closer. But Cain’s father stopped him.
“I am very proud of you.” Yet another piece of Cain’s heart fell away.
An hour later, Cain was in the hallway, slumped on the floor after being dragged from the room by his brother. Cain had screamed for his mother the moment his father’s breath hitched. Tin Man training kicked in and he began compressions, trying to keep his father with them. His mother and brother hurried in with the royal physicians and had to pull him off the bed.
It really wasn’t one of Wyatt Cain’s finer moments.
Cain remained at home until the subjects had accepted, not only their loss, but his younger brother as King. The transition had been fairly simple - Jareth had been acting ruler for the last few months, when the King’s illness had taken its toll. And, with Cain not there, there was no one else to hold the position.
Cain never had the aspirations to be King. He didn’t want the responsibility. But Jareth... Jareth was born to lead. The subjects loved him and he loved the attention. Cain knew, however, that as first-born, the title would fall to him.
And that was why the fighting began. And why Cain finally left. If he wasn’t there, he couldn’t be forced into the job. Jareth and their mother begged him not to go - they’d find a way to make it work. But Cain was sixteen, stubborn and - much as the King would argue it - he was his father’s son.
After a few months, Cain knew the kingdom was in good hands and wanted to take his leave, His mother was disappointed, but knew that her son was leaving to return to the girl he loved. Knowing he was happy made her happy - even if she knew she wouldn’t be seeing him again.
He asked her to come along, but she couldn’t leave Jareth to rule alone. Cain promised to let her know what Adora’s answer was - which she said would obviously be ‘Yes’ - and would try to return soon.
When he returned, Adora did, in fact, say ‘Yes’ - just as both his parents had assumed. Cain kept his promise and sent a message back to his mother. She and Jareth weren’t able to attend the small wedding, due to problems in the kingdom, but they sent gifts and their love, as well as orders for Cain to not come back. They could handle it.
A year later, Cain sent a message back that Jeb Cain, named after his grandfather, had entered the world and looked like his uncle, but with less hair.
Jareth sent a note the year after, stating that their mother had taken ill suddenly and was gone. Cain’s heart broke twice: once for the loss and once for not being able to say goodbye.
The following year, the O.Z. fell apart. The youngest daughter of the Queen was dead. The Queen’s husband had disappeared and Cain was transferred to the Mystic Man’s detail. And, in the next five years, Azkadellia - the elder princess - had taken over the O.Z.; the Tin Men were forcibly disbanded and her personal army of Longcoats were placed in charge.
Many former-Tin Men changed sides, but most simply retired and disappeared - Cain heard the Mystic Man say something about ‘muskets’ and ‘ears’ at one point. And then Zero and his men showed up at the house. Adora fought; Jeb tried to defend his parents and Cain refused to break.
So they brought the suit.
Wyatt Cain was unconscious when he went in. And, after eight years of ‘What if,’ Cain had a second chance. He had a mission, but he had a chance. There was this kid - who reminded him of his mother and his wife, so much it was almost scary - and her headcase friend, confirming that Zero was the soldier looking for her.
And she talked her way into traveling with him. They found the Viewer. And her non-parents. Mystic Man, Queen, Northern Palace - Cain had too much information in his brain to process it all. So much that, when he came over the hill outside Finaqua - hot on DG’s trail - and saw the hedge maze, it didn’t even phase him.
It wasn’t until they reached the center - the post - that he realized where he was. He stopped short, causing Glitch and Raw to bump into him, and remembered the current mission. When they left Finaqua, heading for the Unwanted Realm, he paused. Looking back to the edge of the maze, he turned back to his companions and continued on.
When they were ambushed in the woods, Cain’s first thought was that his brother was standing in front of him. Dead-ringer, mirror-image - but he heard: “Father.”
In the end, they’d saved the day... night. Working together. The Queen ordered all of them to Finaqua to recover. Cain knew Jeb wanted to tend to him men; Azkadellia needed time to heal; Glitch had a brain to remember; DG had a lot to learn.
And Cain needed to go home.
Author: Erin (erinm_4600)
Characters, Pairing: Cain (mention of Jareth, Mama Cain, Papa Cain, DG, Glitch, Raw, Adora, Jeb, the Mystic Man, the Queen, Ahamo and the Robo-rents) *Did I forget anyone?*
Rating: G
Summary: Cain reflects on how he got where he is. Which is... somewhere.
Warning: This was supposed to be light and fun; a good chuckle. For whatever reason, this part got a little angsty. :\ And the big thanks to trystan830 for helping me with the math!
Disclaimer: The original characters belong to L. Frank Baum and their respective actors. The current characters belong to Sci-Fi, the movie folks and their respective actors. Jareth belongs to David Bowie, Jim Henson, George Lucas and Terry Gilliam. The OCs are mine. The idea came from buffybot76.
Family Reunion: Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five | Part Six | Part Seven | Part Eight | When Is a Door Not a Door? | Two Cains are Crankier Than One
Kans-Az: First Meeting | Azkadellia's First Barbeque | Laundry | Bar Queen
Wyatt Cain had a good life. Well, up until about ten years ago, anyway.
He had a beautiful wife, whom he loved with all his heart; a son, who had his eyes and her spirit; a home and a job he loved - even if it was becoming more and more dangerous with each passing day.
Generally, Cain was content with his decision. Unfortunately, all that time in the suit had given him time to think. ‘What if?’ became a constant echo in his ears.
What if he hadn’t left home at sixteen? What if he hadn’t stopped in Central City? What if he had taken up farming? When he’d arrived in the city, no one knew Wyatt Cain. He was just another young man, looking to make something of himself. A stranger.
He liked construction. He hadn’t liked sanitation. He’d never been very interested in science or medicine, He was trained for diplomacy and procedure, so the segue into the military force wasn’t that surprising.
He’d always preferred to follow orders, rather than give them. Oddly, it was his dedication to the Tin Men that made him rise through the ranks much quicker than even he’d expected. Soon, he was the one giving orders.
He met Adora about a year after he’d arrived in Central City. His squad had been sent east for training, spending a good month learning how to scout and track in the woods. She had been in the village, struggling with her packages. Cain, ever the gentlemen, offered to help her carry the foodstuffs, and was ribbed by the other soldiers for days.
When their training was complete, Cain returned to Central City. Three years later, at graduation, Cain was surprised to see Adora, standing there, after the ceremony. She had joined her friends on a small trip - under the guise of her dear friend’s upcoming wedding - and the timing of the trip had just ‘worked out.’ With some help from the bride and her sister, of course.
Six months later, word came about Cain’s father. Adora had offered her shoulder if he wanted to talk about it, but Cain didn’t. It wasn’t that he didn’t love his parents, but they just didn’t understand how he couldn’t want the life laid out before him.
And they hadn’t parted on the best of terms. Adora convinced him that, if he didn’t go now - whether amends were made or not - he would never forgive himself. So Cain requested a leave of absence, due to a family emergency, and said goodbye to Adora. He knew what lay in front of him if he went back; what was expected. Cain traveled south and, soon, was back home. He realized that, while it was nice to see the familiar landscape, he hadn’t missed the place. But he was missing Adora.
Cain arrived home to find his mother sitting at his father’s bedside. He wasn’t sure what to say, so he simply cleared his throat. She looked up at him and her eyes began to tear. Rising, she moved to him quickly and pulled her elder son into a hug, telling him how happy she was to see him. And a little part of his heart broke.
She gave him words of encouragement and left Cain alone with his father. Not sure what to say - they’d pretty much said it all before he left - Cain took the seat his mother had been occupying and looked at the fragile man lying in front of him. Adora’s words echoed in his head.
“She knew you would come,” Cain heard his father say at one point. Looking at his father, Cain could only smile. “But you won’t stay...” he continued with a frown. Cain looked at the bed and frowned as well.
Looking back up to his father, Cain shook his head. “This isn’t me, Father. It never was. I’d rather just be-”
“You are my son.”
“And I am proud to be your son,” Cain replied. “But I don’t want to rule, Father.” Both men closed their eyes, trying to check their tempers. Now was not the time for them to start fighting again. “I don’t know why you’re still on this, anyway. I’ll be eighty before we have to worry about-” Cain’s father took his hand, squeezed it and said nothing. Another piece of Cain’s heart broke.
Cain was with his father when the time came. He’d been telling his father about learning to track people through the woods and the men he roomed with and the sounds of Central City. And Adora.
“You’d like her, Father. She’s stubborn and daring and...” Cain laughed.
“Do you intend to marry her?” his father asked. Cain blinked and considered the answer. He flashed on Adora, the day they met; he saw her laughing with her friends; the smile on her face as he saw her at graduation. He could feel the squeeze of her hand when he’d received the letter from his brother.
“Yes.” Cain looked at his lap for a moment. “If she’ll have me.” Cain felt his father take his hand and squeeze.
“She’d be insane not to.” Cain smiled and tried to fight back the tears.
“Father-” he started, shifting closer. But Cain’s father stopped him.
“I am very proud of you.” Yet another piece of Cain’s heart fell away.
An hour later, Cain was in the hallway, slumped on the floor after being dragged from the room by his brother. Cain had screamed for his mother the moment his father’s breath hitched. Tin Man training kicked in and he began compressions, trying to keep his father with them. His mother and brother hurried in with the royal physicians and had to pull him off the bed.
It really wasn’t one of Wyatt Cain’s finer moments.
Cain remained at home until the subjects had accepted, not only their loss, but his younger brother as King. The transition had been fairly simple - Jareth had been acting ruler for the last few months, when the King’s illness had taken its toll. And, with Cain not there, there was no one else to hold the position.
Cain never had the aspirations to be King. He didn’t want the responsibility. But Jareth... Jareth was born to lead. The subjects loved him and he loved the attention. Cain knew, however, that as first-born, the title would fall to him.
And that was why the fighting began. And why Cain finally left. If he wasn’t there, he couldn’t be forced into the job. Jareth and their mother begged him not to go - they’d find a way to make it work. But Cain was sixteen, stubborn and - much as the King would argue it - he was his father’s son.
After a few months, Cain knew the kingdom was in good hands and wanted to take his leave, His mother was disappointed, but knew that her son was leaving to return to the girl he loved. Knowing he was happy made her happy - even if she knew she wouldn’t be seeing him again.
He asked her to come along, but she couldn’t leave Jareth to rule alone. Cain promised to let her know what Adora’s answer was - which she said would obviously be ‘Yes’ - and would try to return soon.
When he returned, Adora did, in fact, say ‘Yes’ - just as both his parents had assumed. Cain kept his promise and sent a message back to his mother. She and Jareth weren’t able to attend the small wedding, due to problems in the kingdom, but they sent gifts and their love, as well as orders for Cain to not come back. They could handle it.
A year later, Cain sent a message back that Jeb Cain, named after his grandfather, had entered the world and looked like his uncle, but with less hair.
Jareth sent a note the year after, stating that their mother had taken ill suddenly and was gone. Cain’s heart broke twice: once for the loss and once for not being able to say goodbye.
The following year, the O.Z. fell apart. The youngest daughter of the Queen was dead. The Queen’s husband had disappeared and Cain was transferred to the Mystic Man’s detail. And, in the next five years, Azkadellia - the elder princess - had taken over the O.Z.; the Tin Men were forcibly disbanded and her personal army of Longcoats were placed in charge.
Many former-Tin Men changed sides, but most simply retired and disappeared - Cain heard the Mystic Man say something about ‘muskets’ and ‘ears’ at one point. And then Zero and his men showed up at the house. Adora fought; Jeb tried to defend his parents and Cain refused to break.
So they brought the suit.
Wyatt Cain was unconscious when he went in. And, after eight years of ‘What if,’ Cain had a second chance. He had a mission, but he had a chance. There was this kid - who reminded him of his mother and his wife, so much it was almost scary - and her headcase friend, confirming that Zero was the soldier looking for her.
And she talked her way into traveling with him. They found the Viewer. And her non-parents. Mystic Man, Queen, Northern Palace - Cain had too much information in his brain to process it all. So much that, when he came over the hill outside Finaqua - hot on DG’s trail - and saw the hedge maze, it didn’t even phase him.
It wasn’t until they reached the center - the post - that he realized where he was. He stopped short, causing Glitch and Raw to bump into him, and remembered the current mission. When they left Finaqua, heading for the Unwanted Realm, he paused. Looking back to the edge of the maze, he turned back to his companions and continued on.
When they were ambushed in the woods, Cain’s first thought was that his brother was standing in front of him. Dead-ringer, mirror-image - but he heard: “Father.”
In the end, they’d saved the day... night. Working together. The Queen ordered all of them to Finaqua to recover. Cain knew Jeb wanted to tend to him men; Azkadellia needed time to heal; Glitch had a brain to remember; DG had a lot to learn.
And Cain needed to go home.