Lieutenant Washington is waiting for us outside our house leaning against a Rover and electric multi terrain vehicle, "It's good to see you on your feet Josh, as these homes are only set up for four…Lucy and I took the liberty to assign you another house here right next to the other one, your family has already been to and moved into, that one…" Lieutenant Washington says to me as I walk over to her, and before she can react I'm scooping her up in a bear hug, Alicia Washington makes a squawk of indignation.
"I tried saying it earlier but I'm really happy to see that you're okay Ali." I say softly and the woman sighs and returns the hug.
"It's good to see that you've been taking care of yourself and keeping up on exercising…" Alicia Washington…Lieutenant Washington mutters in something approaching embarrassment and arousal as her hands run along my shoulders.
"Had to make sure I could kick your and Lucy's asses into shape once I got here." I joke and Ali laughs before leaning in and pressing her lips to my left cheek, "Put me down I'm going to lose all the respect the men under me have for me if they spot me being manhandled by a seventeen year old." Alicia says and interlocks her arms behind my neck and squeezes me back returning the hug.
"Heh, you'll just beat their asses into the ground and I can break them the rest of the way for you." I joke and Alicia laughs before I set her down.
"Taylor…probably didn't say anything but he really needs your help with a sensitive issue…so I'll give you the orientation 101 later, also Lucy is really happy you're here she's been pretty closed off from everyone but me since we came over."
"Mmm, I'll get her out of her shell…I take it this sensitive matter pertains to a certain wayward son?"
"Can't say…"
"I get it." I mutter and turn around to face the fam, Zoey is giggling while looking between Alicia and I and whispering to Jim, Maddy and Sienna are glaring at Alicia in jealous hate…for some reason and Elizabeth just watched the interaction with a knowing/reassured smile on her face.
"Guys, gotta go do my job…I'll be back later, figure out who's living with who." I say to them and climb into the passenger seat of the Rover.
"Okay, see you later honey." Elizabeth calls out to me with a slightly teasing smile on her face while Sienna and Maddy seem to struggle with deciding to pout at me for leaving or glare hatefully at Alicia…for being the one I'm leaving with.
Zoey and Dad are the only ones who genuinely seem sad that I have to go to work, "Bye Daddy!" Zoey shouts and waves goodbye to me, Jim makes a face and waves too, Alicia makes a sound and I know there are going to be questions.
As Lieutenant Washington begins driving away from the casas Shannon, I wave goodbye to them too.
"So…you had a baby with your mother? The ages don't really line up…" Alicia asks and points out.
"Population Control found Zoey…and I did what I had to, to insulate my family from further repercussions."
"I thought so…you're a good guy Josh…but don't try to solve everyone's problems…okay."
"Uhh yeah sure…whatever you say." I say awkwardly because I'm not sure where this is coming from.
'If there's one thing I'm doing it's stopping Lucas from blowing your brains out sweetie and there's not a damned thing you can do to stop me.' I think and give Alicia a side eye, 'Damn she looks sexy in her uniform/armor…back then I rarely saw her in anything but a generic looking top, and a pair of camo pants.'
"What are you staring at?" Alicia asks me, "A beautiful woman who makes that armor/uniform look good." Alicia looks at me with a disbelief filled look but also slightly flattered by the compliment.
"When did you become such a flirt?"
"Mmm, about the same time puberty hit." I hum and joke back to Alicia, Alicia of course rolls her eyes at me and laughs lightly, as we pull up in front of Taylor's house/command post.
"Josh…if the Commander tries to talk you into…talking to Lucas…be careful he's not who you remember." Alicia warns me while reaching over and grabbing my wrist to make me look her in her eyes to make sure her point gets across to me.
'Alright gotta pretend not to know about Lucas going a little coco, and leaving the colony.'
"I was wondering why he hadn't come to see me yet…though I also thought that maybe he feels like I betrayed him for not coming sooner."
"I won't pretend to understand how he thinks…just…if you do run into him he's not the same boy you knew before coming here."
"I got it Alicia, don't trust Lucas…what about Lucy I know you said she's closed herself off from other people…but when the chips are down and it's time to fold them would you put your life in her hands?" I ask the woman.
"I…I would and have trusted Lucy with my life over the years…just be careful with Lucy as well…she might have certain expectations where you're concerned, you did give her a promise ring and ask her to marry you, when you made it to the past, before she went through the portal." Alicia says reluctantly before turning teasing, and I feel myself blushing fiercely as I had hoped to forget that I did something so fucking embarrassing...just to pass on a message.
~~ — — — — — — — — — — ~~
Walking into Taylor's office, seeing the piece of glass on top of a large carnivore's head, and Taylor leaning backwards in his chair looking introspective.
"Hey gramps!" I call out to Taylor, making him reach for his sidearm that rests on his table.
"I'm not a grandfather yet, you shithead…though I do seem to recall a cute kid asking permission to marry my daughter in the past…" Taylor says with a smile on his face, 'Oh my fucking God, am I ever going to live that one down?!'
Taylor laughs at seeing me blush at that comment before waving me over, "Take a seat Josh, since you decided to blow off settling in."
~~ — — — — — — — — — — ~~
Lucy pov
~~ — — — — — — — — — — ~~
"I can't believe how you turned out Josh…" Lucy murmurs while looking at the holographic moving image of a cute little boy asking a mid teens girl to marry him in the future…past when he finally gets there, a soft smile comes to her face as a rosy tint bleeds into her cheeks.
As she takes out the diamond ring with a platinum band, 'You must have spent a fortune on a real diamond and precious metal band…' Lucy thinks as her finger brushes over the touch sensor.
"Lucy…what I'm about to tell you is going to sound outlandish…I'm a dimensional traveler, trapped inside an alternate version of myself who died from hypoxia, what I'm about to tell you now will be even more unbelievable. The portal can be made to go both ways between the timelines, Lucas will make it possible…when he does the Phoenix company will come through and destroy Terra Nova, turn its colonists into slaves and leave this new world a wasteland just like the one we're trying to leave behind.
A woman named Mira will come on the sixth pilgrimage, she'll be a leader of some dissidents that split off from Terra Nova and take on the moniker of the Sixers. They will offer support to Lucas in his mission to make the portals go both ways, what I need..what I want you to do is gain Mira's trust and friendship so when the time comes we can more easily move against the threats to a better future and eliminate them in a well coordinated strike.
Also I think you're really cute and if you're single by the time I make it to Terra Nova maybe we could give things a go…be safe Lucy…you're my most trusted friend." Lucy sighs as she watches this recording for probably the thousandth time, at first she'd thought it was such a sweet and cute gesture from a little brother she actually loves, but then the more she watched it and the more she thought about their time together…she realized that maybe her feelings were a little more that sisterly love…and now it has blown up into a full blown love affair that she's kept going in her mind for all these years now.
Lucy smiles and closes up her shrine to Josh…and her mother, the two people she loves more than life itself, and decides to go confront him at his home but pauses when she looks at her armor…and clothing…
"I need help picking out something to wear…"