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Fic: Finding Home, Part I
Title: Finding Home, Part I
Author: Erin (erinm_4600)
Characters, Pairing: Kenna, Wyatt, and Jeb (mention of Adora, Zero, Longcoats, and Resistance fighters)
Rating: PG
Summary: The family will have to decide where they go from here...
Warning: post-series, follows Back for Good, by a few hours *Written for the June Mini Table of Doom! at writerverse. Prompt: use song lyrics to inspire scenes (bolded before each part)
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. The OCs are mine.
The Girl at Camp | Loss | Back for Good | Bedtime Kiss I | Bedtime Kiss, Part II | Finding Home, Part I | Finding Home, Part II | His Little Girl | Moving Day | The Girl Who Left Camp | Panic Attack | First Snow | Her Wishing Star | Gingerbread
01 No one knows what tomorrow brings; But I'll be here through everything - Nick Lachey (Sleepy Eyes)
"All right, Munchkin," Jeb said in a low tone as he pulled the blanket up to his sister's chin. "Bed time." His eyes went wide and he smiled as she made a face back. At least the weather was warm, because the tents they were in did nothing to keep out the Outer Zone winters, regardless of how far south they were.
"Jeb," Kenna started, pulling her worn and ragged teddy bear up to her cheek.
"Yes?" he replied, making sure she was tucked in.
"Are you gonna be here in the morning?" she asked in a tiny voice, pairing her question with a wide-eyed pout that usually guilted him into anything. Kenna pulled her bear up to cover her face, so that only her eyes could be seen.
With a heavy sigh, Jeb drooped his shoulders and raised an eyebrow. "What was the very first thing I said to you today, when I got back to camp?" He pulled the bear away from her and titled his head slightly, waiting for her reply.
"You said you were never gonna leave again," she replied simply.
Jeb nodded and ran a hand across her forehead. "And I'm not. You are stuck with me forever, Munchkin," he whispered, before leaning over and kissing her forehead. As he pulled back, Kenna held up the bear and Jeb nodded before giving a kiss to the stuffed animal, as well.
02 I don't like to sleep alone; Stay with me, don't go - Paul Anka (I Don't Like To Sleep Alone)
"Is Daddy gonna be here in the morning?" she asked a moment later, even quieter than the previous question. Jeb knew it was coming, of course, but he wasn't sure what to tell her.
Their mother always knew what to tell her, when it came to the difficult questions. But, she wasn't there anymore. Now, he was the parent.
"I hope so," Jeb finally replied. "But," he nodded to her, "that's something he will have to decide, okay?" He gave her a look, silently warning that she wasn't to try and trick Wyatt Cain into anything.
"Okay," the seven-annual-old sighed.
Jeb smiled and nodded to her, pressing another kiss to her forehead as he stood up. "Sleep," he ordered in a gruff tone then gave her a wink. Kenna watched Jeb for a moment before nodding, then pulled her bear close and rolled onto her side.
When Jeb reached the entry of the tent, he saw their father shifting uncomfortably, trying to look like he hadn't just been standing there, listening to the conversation. With a nod back to where they had been sitting before Jeb had to get his sister into bed, both men moved away from the tent and reclaimed their seats.
03 I've been pacing and retracing; every step of every move - Emerson Drive (I Should Be Sleeping)
"You should get some sleep, son," Wyatt said after a while. They'd been talking about everything - and nothing - for the last few hours, and were only a handful of people still awake.
"I can't remember the last time I slept," Jeb breathed, pouring what was left of his cold coffee into the bush behind him. "Besides, there's plenty to do before sunrise." At least half the camp was heading out in the morning, moving on to another camp or to rejoin family spread throughout the Zone.
"What are you going to do?" Wyatt asked, staring at his own cup. They had only glazed over Jeb's intentions, previously. But, as the day had progressed, Wyatt knew that this camp was no place for either of his kids to be living. "Where are you going to go?"
Jeb shook his head. "I don't know. Where to go, what to do?" he sighed. "I have plenty of skills," he shrugged, "but I can't just walk in to a town and ask for a job. Settle down like I'm a regular guy." Jeb looked at his father and shook his head. "No one really trusts the newcomers, these days. Especially not the men."
The townsfolk didn't know who to trust, aside from those they knew before the fighting started. Anyone could be a Longcoat just as easily as anyone could be a bandit. The Resistance fighters were both hailed and despised. Sure, they were cheered for overpowering a Longcoat platoon, but they were equally blamed when the Longcoats arrived in a previously-ignored town.
04 But I get no sleep and I'm tired to the bone; I know I'm not alone - Richard Marx (I Get No Sleep)
Jeb had managed to shut his emotions out, for the most part, the last few months. Emotions got in the way of thinking clearly, and to fight this war, it was critical his head was clear. But, sitting here, Jeb's emotions were starting to get the best of him.
"It doesn't matter what I want to do," he said after a short silence. Jeb glanced toward the tent and shook his head. "For Ken, I will do what I have to. She only knows living in a camp," he explained. "I can't take her home," he added, somehow knowing what his father was about to ask.
"I can't take her back there. I won't." Jeb dropped his chin to his chest and shook his head. "But, I don't want to leave Mom there, either." After a short pause, he took a deep breath and added: "It's not home, anymore." Then again, that cabin never really was home, either.
Everything Jeb had done, up to that point, was for his mother and his sister. He wasn't stupid enough to believe that the war was over. It would never be over. The only thing that mattered, now, was Kenna.
Wyatt didn't need to see his son's eyes to know a storm was building inside the young man. Silently, he moved from his seat and sat down next to Jeb. He placed a hand on Jeb's back and glanced out into the darkness, before nodding.
When he felt Jeb shake, Wyatt pulled his son into a half hug and said nothing as his son finally let the emotions out. As Jeb cried against his chest, Wyatt tightened his hold and fought his own tears. "I am not leaving you," he told Jeb. "Ever again."
Author: Erin (erinm_4600)
Characters, Pairing: Kenna, Wyatt, and Jeb (mention of Adora, Zero, Longcoats, and Resistance fighters)
Rating: PG
Summary: The family will have to decide where they go from here...
Warning: post-series, follows Back for Good, by a few hours *Written for the June Mini Table of Doom! at writerverse. Prompt: use song lyrics to inspire scenes (bolded before each part)
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. The OCs are mine.
The Girl at Camp | Loss | Back for Good | Bedtime Kiss I | Bedtime Kiss, Part II | Finding Home, Part I | Finding Home, Part II | His Little Girl | Moving Day | The Girl Who Left Camp | Panic Attack | First Snow | Her Wishing Star | Gingerbread
01 No one knows what tomorrow brings; But I'll be here through everything - Nick Lachey (Sleepy Eyes)
"All right, Munchkin," Jeb said in a low tone as he pulled the blanket up to his sister's chin. "Bed time." His eyes went wide and he smiled as she made a face back. At least the weather was warm, because the tents they were in did nothing to keep out the Outer Zone winters, regardless of how far south they were.
"Jeb," Kenna started, pulling her worn and ragged teddy bear up to her cheek.
"Yes?" he replied, making sure she was tucked in.
"Are you gonna be here in the morning?" she asked in a tiny voice, pairing her question with a wide-eyed pout that usually guilted him into anything. Kenna pulled her bear up to cover her face, so that only her eyes could be seen.
With a heavy sigh, Jeb drooped his shoulders and raised an eyebrow. "What was the very first thing I said to you today, when I got back to camp?" He pulled the bear away from her and titled his head slightly, waiting for her reply.
"You said you were never gonna leave again," she replied simply.
Jeb nodded and ran a hand across her forehead. "And I'm not. You are stuck with me forever, Munchkin," he whispered, before leaning over and kissing her forehead. As he pulled back, Kenna held up the bear and Jeb nodded before giving a kiss to the stuffed animal, as well.
02 I don't like to sleep alone; Stay with me, don't go - Paul Anka (I Don't Like To Sleep Alone)
"Is Daddy gonna be here in the morning?" she asked a moment later, even quieter than the previous question. Jeb knew it was coming, of course, but he wasn't sure what to tell her.
Their mother always knew what to tell her, when it came to the difficult questions. But, she wasn't there anymore. Now, he was the parent.
"I hope so," Jeb finally replied. "But," he nodded to her, "that's something he will have to decide, okay?" He gave her a look, silently warning that she wasn't to try and trick Wyatt Cain into anything.
"Okay," the seven-annual-old sighed.
Jeb smiled and nodded to her, pressing another kiss to her forehead as he stood up. "Sleep," he ordered in a gruff tone then gave her a wink. Kenna watched Jeb for a moment before nodding, then pulled her bear close and rolled onto her side.
When Jeb reached the entry of the tent, he saw their father shifting uncomfortably, trying to look like he hadn't just been standing there, listening to the conversation. With a nod back to where they had been sitting before Jeb had to get his sister into bed, both men moved away from the tent and reclaimed their seats.
03 I've been pacing and retracing; every step of every move - Emerson Drive (I Should Be Sleeping)
"You should get some sleep, son," Wyatt said after a while. They'd been talking about everything - and nothing - for the last few hours, and were only a handful of people still awake.
"I can't remember the last time I slept," Jeb breathed, pouring what was left of his cold coffee into the bush behind him. "Besides, there's plenty to do before sunrise." At least half the camp was heading out in the morning, moving on to another camp or to rejoin family spread throughout the Zone.
"What are you going to do?" Wyatt asked, staring at his own cup. They had only glazed over Jeb's intentions, previously. But, as the day had progressed, Wyatt knew that this camp was no place for either of his kids to be living. "Where are you going to go?"
Jeb shook his head. "I don't know. Where to go, what to do?" he sighed. "I have plenty of skills," he shrugged, "but I can't just walk in to a town and ask for a job. Settle down like I'm a regular guy." Jeb looked at his father and shook his head. "No one really trusts the newcomers, these days. Especially not the men."
The townsfolk didn't know who to trust, aside from those they knew before the fighting started. Anyone could be a Longcoat just as easily as anyone could be a bandit. The Resistance fighters were both hailed and despised. Sure, they were cheered for overpowering a Longcoat platoon, but they were equally blamed when the Longcoats arrived in a previously-ignored town.
04 But I get no sleep and I'm tired to the bone; I know I'm not alone - Richard Marx (I Get No Sleep)
Jeb had managed to shut his emotions out, for the most part, the last few months. Emotions got in the way of thinking clearly, and to fight this war, it was critical his head was clear. But, sitting here, Jeb's emotions were starting to get the best of him.
"It doesn't matter what I want to do," he said after a short silence. Jeb glanced toward the tent and shook his head. "For Ken, I will do what I have to. She only knows living in a camp," he explained. "I can't take her home," he added, somehow knowing what his father was about to ask.
"I can't take her back there. I won't." Jeb dropped his chin to his chest and shook his head. "But, I don't want to leave Mom there, either." After a short pause, he took a deep breath and added: "It's not home, anymore." Then again, that cabin never really was home, either.
Everything Jeb had done, up to that point, was for his mother and his sister. He wasn't stupid enough to believe that the war was over. It would never be over. The only thing that mattered, now, was Kenna.
Wyatt didn't need to see his son's eyes to know a storm was building inside the young man. Silently, he moved from his seat and sat down next to Jeb. He placed a hand on Jeb's back and glanced out into the darkness, before nodding.
When he felt Jeb shake, Wyatt pulled his son into a half hug and said nothing as his son finally let the emotions out. As Jeb cried against his chest, Wyatt tightened his hold and fought his own tears. "I am not leaving you," he told Jeb. "Ever again."