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Fic: Finding Home, Part II
Title: Finding Home, Part II
Author: Erin (erinm_4600)
Characters, Pairing: Kenna, Wyatt, and Jeb (mention of Adora, Zero, Longcoats, and Resistance fighters)
Rating: PG
Summary: Wyatt helps Kenna through a nightmare...
Warning: post-series, follows Finding Home, Part I, 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
05 I'm finally on the outside; Looking in - Nick Lachey (Outside Looking In)
It had taken some convincing, but Jeb finally agreed to try and get some sleep. Wyatt assured him that, thanks to the suit, he just couldn't quite get comfortable inside, even it was just a tent. Jeb told him that he'd only be down for an hour or so, but Wyatt wasn't expecting to see Jeb until the first sun rose.
With a fresh cup of coffee, Wyatt made himself a perch, just outside the tent, and he alternated between sips and watching the darkness of the forest. He watched a family of critters cut through the campsite with a smile, especially when the adults realized the kids were distracted by everything they came across.
A sound from inside the tent caught Wyatt's attention and he turned, eyebrow raised. Looking in through the open flaps, he saw nothing. Just as he was turning back, though, a small arm reached into the air and he heard a whimper.
Wyatt set his cup down and moved into the tent. Jeb had mentioned that Kenna's nightmares were a nightly event, but knowing how exhausted the young man was, Wyatt wasn't going to wake him up. He'd dealt with Jeb's nightmares, long ago, when his son was the same age.
How hard could it be with his daughter?
06 So hush little baby, don't you cry; Daddy loves you and so do I - various (Hush Little Baby)
Kenna's face was screwed up; even in the dark, he could see the discomfort. Frowning, Wyatt carefully sat on the edge of her bed and reached for her forehead. "It's okay," he whispered. Shifting slightly when she started to pull away, Wyatt felt his foot hit something, and he looked down to see the bear had fallen. He quickly reached down and grabbed the bear, then pulled it back up. It took a moment to place the bear, and he smiled remembering this was the same bear they'd given to newborn Jeb, so many annuals ago.
Kenna squirmed again, and before Wyatt could reach for her, she sat up with a scream. "It's okay!" he assured, reaching for her small elbow and the little girl tried to breathe through her tears. "It's okay," Wyatt said again, pulling her against him. His hand was nearly the same size as her head as he held her close, rubbing slow circles on her back as he cursed Zero and every other Longcoat to the Lower Gale.
Kenna cried into her father's shirt until she was exhausted. Wyatt kept leaning back to check on her, pushing her hair out of her face and running his thumb across her cheek. "It's just a bad dream," he whispered in a calm tone. Jeb had also told him that Kenna very rarely remembered her nightmares, which actually made Wyatt jealous.
There were plenty he'd love to forget.
07 While the moon drifts in the skies; Stay awake, don't close your eyes - Julie Andrews (Stay Awake)
Wyatt glanced up and smiled. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?" he asked his wife. Both kids, crying in his arms, in less than three hours. Though, thinking about how many times Adora had been in this position made the smile disappear. Turning his head, Wyatt watched Jeb for a few moments, before the slow breathing of the little body against him told Wyatt that Kenna had fallen asleep.
It took a little work for him to figure out the best way to help her lie down, since her hands were holding tight to his shirtsleeves. He ended up standing slightly, so that he could get her up and set her back down, as opposed to pushing her back.
"I am not tired, Mommy," she mumbled, though her words were muffled against his shoulder.
Wyatt smiled. "Then you stay awake, kiddo," he whispered as he let her back down to the mattress. He took care to get her blankets back in place, then reached up and pushed the hair off her damp forehead. With a sad smile, he glanced once again to his son and took a deep breath.
His children shouldn't be sleeping in a tent in the woods. They should be inside a proper house, in real beds. They should be home, with their mother.
08 So close your eyes on Hushabye Mountain; Wave good-bye to cares of the day - Dick Van Dyke (Hushabye Mountain)
Wyatt had nodded off, sitting there in the dark tent. As his head started to bob, his eyes opened and he jerked up, sucking in a breath. He didn't know how long he'd been there, but a glance toward the tent flaps told him in was in the latest hours, as it was pitch black.
Jeb had told him that there were a few men who would take shifts, patrolling the camp at night, so if he heard something or saw a fireglow in the distance, it was most likely one of them.
Unless it was a bear, then Jeb had said he was on his own.
The last time he'd tried to get some sleep, all he could see was the loop of Adora's death. That was also why he had been so adamant that he not sleep, once they'd returned to the camp. But, as the days passed, his body was starting to fall apart.
He didn't have the constant supply of chemicals from the suit. He had to remember to eat, to sit and bend his legs. The medics at the tower hadn't given much concern to the after-effects of the suit while dealing with the bullet in his shoulder. Though, he had serious doubts any of them even knew how the suits worked, let alone had ever witnessed someone coming out alive, after so long.
He was on borrowed time, as it was, so would trying to get a little sleep really hurt?
09 You're still here; I can see you in my baby's eyes - Faith Hill (You're Still Here)
Giving Kenna a little nudge, Wyatt turned himself and laid down on the edge of the mattress. He smiled a moment later, when her little body shifted and snuggled against him. "Sorry I stink, kiddo," he whispered.
One of the other men they'd been traveling with had lent him a change of clothes before dinner, and he'd managed a half-assed bath thanks to a bucket of water and a bar of soap, while one of the women insisted she could get the blood out of his shirt.
Wyatt wondered how much pain he would be in, come morning, with all the extra stress he'd been putting on his shoulder. Whatever the medics had given him numbed the pain, but Wyatt knew that it wouldn't last forever. And, being this far from a proper doctor, the after-effects could end up being worse than the initial injury.
Stop thinking about it he heard, but he wasn't sure if it was his voice or Adora's. Taking a deep breath, Wyatt closed his eyes and turned his head slightly. His eyes opened immediately, and his head turned toward the pillow a bit more. Taking care to not disturb the seven-annual-old, Wyatt reached across both their bodies and he grabbed the pillow. Lifting it closer, Wyatt took a whiff and felt his heart sink.
It smelled like Adora.
Author: Erin (erinm_4600)
Characters, Pairing: Kenna, Wyatt, and Jeb (mention of Adora, Zero, Longcoats, and Resistance fighters)
Rating: PG
Summary: Wyatt helps Kenna through a nightmare...
Warning: post-series, follows Finding Home, Part I, 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
05 I'm finally on the outside; Looking in - Nick Lachey (Outside Looking In)
It had taken some convincing, but Jeb finally agreed to try and get some sleep. Wyatt assured him that, thanks to the suit, he just couldn't quite get comfortable inside, even it was just a tent. Jeb told him that he'd only be down for an hour or so, but Wyatt wasn't expecting to see Jeb until the first sun rose.
With a fresh cup of coffee, Wyatt made himself a perch, just outside the tent, and he alternated between sips and watching the darkness of the forest. He watched a family of critters cut through the campsite with a smile, especially when the adults realized the kids were distracted by everything they came across.
A sound from inside the tent caught Wyatt's attention and he turned, eyebrow raised. Looking in through the open flaps, he saw nothing. Just as he was turning back, though, a small arm reached into the air and he heard a whimper.
Wyatt set his cup down and moved into the tent. Jeb had mentioned that Kenna's nightmares were a nightly event, but knowing how exhausted the young man was, Wyatt wasn't going to wake him up. He'd dealt with Jeb's nightmares, long ago, when his son was the same age.
How hard could it be with his daughter?
06 So hush little baby, don't you cry; Daddy loves you and so do I - various (Hush Little Baby)
Kenna's face was screwed up; even in the dark, he could see the discomfort. Frowning, Wyatt carefully sat on the edge of her bed and reached for her forehead. "It's okay," he whispered. Shifting slightly when she started to pull away, Wyatt felt his foot hit something, and he looked down to see the bear had fallen. He quickly reached down and grabbed the bear, then pulled it back up. It took a moment to place the bear, and he smiled remembering this was the same bear they'd given to newborn Jeb, so many annuals ago.
Kenna squirmed again, and before Wyatt could reach for her, she sat up with a scream. "It's okay!" he assured, reaching for her small elbow and the little girl tried to breathe through her tears. "It's okay," Wyatt said again, pulling her against him. His hand was nearly the same size as her head as he held her close, rubbing slow circles on her back as he cursed Zero and every other Longcoat to the Lower Gale.
Kenna cried into her father's shirt until she was exhausted. Wyatt kept leaning back to check on her, pushing her hair out of her face and running his thumb across her cheek. "It's just a bad dream," he whispered in a calm tone. Jeb had also told him that Kenna very rarely remembered her nightmares, which actually made Wyatt jealous.
There were plenty he'd love to forget.
07 While the moon drifts in the skies; Stay awake, don't close your eyes - Julie Andrews (Stay Awake)
Wyatt glanced up and smiled. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?" he asked his wife. Both kids, crying in his arms, in less than three hours. Though, thinking about how many times Adora had been in this position made the smile disappear. Turning his head, Wyatt watched Jeb for a few moments, before the slow breathing of the little body against him told Wyatt that Kenna had fallen asleep.
It took a little work for him to figure out the best way to help her lie down, since her hands were holding tight to his shirtsleeves. He ended up standing slightly, so that he could get her up and set her back down, as opposed to pushing her back.
"I am not tired, Mommy," she mumbled, though her words were muffled against his shoulder.
Wyatt smiled. "Then you stay awake, kiddo," he whispered as he let her back down to the mattress. He took care to get her blankets back in place, then reached up and pushed the hair off her damp forehead. With a sad smile, he glanced once again to his son and took a deep breath.
His children shouldn't be sleeping in a tent in the woods. They should be inside a proper house, in real beds. They should be home, with their mother.
08 So close your eyes on Hushabye Mountain; Wave good-bye to cares of the day - Dick Van Dyke (Hushabye Mountain)
Wyatt had nodded off, sitting there in the dark tent. As his head started to bob, his eyes opened and he jerked up, sucking in a breath. He didn't know how long he'd been there, but a glance toward the tent flaps told him in was in the latest hours, as it was pitch black.
Jeb had told him that there were a few men who would take shifts, patrolling the camp at night, so if he heard something or saw a fireglow in the distance, it was most likely one of them.
Unless it was a bear, then Jeb had said he was on his own.
The last time he'd tried to get some sleep, all he could see was the loop of Adora's death. That was also why he had been so adamant that he not sleep, once they'd returned to the camp. But, as the days passed, his body was starting to fall apart.
He didn't have the constant supply of chemicals from the suit. He had to remember to eat, to sit and bend his legs. The medics at the tower hadn't given much concern to the after-effects of the suit while dealing with the bullet in his shoulder. Though, he had serious doubts any of them even knew how the suits worked, let alone had ever witnessed someone coming out alive, after so long.
He was on borrowed time, as it was, so would trying to get a little sleep really hurt?
09 You're still here; I can see you in my baby's eyes - Faith Hill (You're Still Here)
Giving Kenna a little nudge, Wyatt turned himself and laid down on the edge of the mattress. He smiled a moment later, when her little body shifted and snuggled against him. "Sorry I stink, kiddo," he whispered.
One of the other men they'd been traveling with had lent him a change of clothes before dinner, and he'd managed a half-assed bath thanks to a bucket of water and a bar of soap, while one of the women insisted she could get the blood out of his shirt.
Wyatt wondered how much pain he would be in, come morning, with all the extra stress he'd been putting on his shoulder. Whatever the medics had given him numbed the pain, but Wyatt knew that it wouldn't last forever. And, being this far from a proper doctor, the after-effects could end up being worse than the initial injury.
Stop thinking about it he heard, but he wasn't sure if it was his voice or Adora's. Taking a deep breath, Wyatt closed his eyes and turned his head slightly. His eyes opened immediately, and his head turned toward the pillow a bit more. Taking care to not disturb the seven-annual-old, Wyatt reached across both their bodies and he grabbed the pillow. Lifting it closer, Wyatt took a whiff and felt his heart sink.
It smelled like Adora.