"Do you always do that?"

She looked at him, puzzled, her free hand still entangled in her hair. "Do what?"

"Hang your head upside down." She gave him a quick smile.

"Not all of the time, no. I like to have it the right way up when I'm driving at least."

Now it was his turn for the 'Lucas exasperated' look. She wondered where he'd picked it up from. She didn't think that he and Lucas had spent that much time together on the Saratoga.

"I meant when you're drying your hair. Shane doesn't." He was beginning to realise that there was a lot he didn't know about her. He was also beginning to realise that comparing her with Shane was not the smartest idea he'd ever had. She was fixing him with a look that he was beginning to realise meant he was in trouble. He decided to try to head it off. "Phousse doesn't either. Least ways, I never seen them do it like that."

"Well," she said, wondering what had brought this on, "I guess that everyone has their own way. Me, it doesn't matter what way I dry my hair, it's never going to be straight. And drying it upside down means that the underneath dries quicker. How did we get from Nathan's phone call to the way I dry my hair? Is that what you guys talk about? Forget the war, forget comparing how many Chigs you guys have shot each, let's talk about how our girlfriends dry their hair. So am I allowed to ask how Kylen does it?"

Her smile took any sting out of the words. He watched her, brooding. He kind of liked the way that she compared their relationship with that of Nathan and Kylen. It made it seem more permanent. Which made his next question even more important.

"Madi, what's a best man?"

She gazed at him in surprise. "Well, I could say that you're my best man but that isn't what you meant, is it?" He shook his head. "Why the question? Help me put it in context, honey."

"Nathan asked Kylen to marry him. They're getting married before we go back to the 'Toga. He wants me to be the best man. What does that mean?"

"When people get married, it's traditional for them to get someone to be there with them, help them get through the day. The best man usually helps organise things, holds onto the ring and gives a speech. It's a very important thing to be. People usually ask someone they're close to."

"Not a brother?"

"Well, it can be a brother. And in a lot of cases it usually is. But most of the time, a guy asks his best friend."

His best friend. That thought made Cooper feel warm inside. Nathan wanted him to be the 'best man' and not his one remaining brother. He wasn't sure about this speech thing though. Although since he'd follow Nathan into any knife fight, he supposed he could do this. And he was sure that Madi would help him. If the worst came to the worst, he'd even talk to Lucas. That was one advantage, he supposed. He could talk to Lucas whenever he liked. Even during if it came down to it. The thought of Lucas' amusement at the situation didn't reassure him, though. Perhaps he could talk to the other voice. The one Madi called Thursday. There was something.... strange about that voice, but it was calmer, more sympathetic than Lucas. Lucas was a good guy, but sometimes, well sometimes he reminded Cooper of Nathan and Paul when they teased him.

Paul. He sighed at that thought. It had been four months now since Paul had died, and Cooper still missed him desperately.

"What's wrong, honey?" He sighed again, walking over to her, wrapping his arms around her and burying his face in her still damp hair. She smelled of strawberries. He supposed it was the shampoo she used, but some small part of him wondered if that was why they called her a 'strawberry' blond. Silly idea, he knew, but....

"I was thinking about Paul."

"Paul?" She didn't know, he realised. He wondered how to tell her. She'd liked Paul and he'd liked her.

"He didn't make it back from rescuing the colonists," he said, his voice muffled by her hair. Just saying it brought the pain back, fresh and raw. "I miss him." Such a simple statement, but it encapsulated his pain.

She gasped, her heart pounding painfully. She'd liked Paul a lot. She remembered his face, bright and happy as they talked in the library about his favourite books. She remembered his questions about Cooper, trying to be discrete, but signalling to her clearly his concern for his friend, his trying to pump her surreptitiously for information, trying to find out her intentions. And she remembered the look in his eyes when he mentioned Vanessa.

It was that thought that made her say, "Poor Phousse."

"She took it bad," said Cooper. "Course, she and Shane were real sick after they were rescued. They were both hurt when the ISSCV cockpit went down. Shane got better quicker, but she's tough." She could hear the pride in his voice. She realised how important Shane was to him, and she decided then and there not to say anything to him about their relationship. Shane had handled the situation with grace and concern for Cooper. How could she do less?

They were stood there, wrapped in each other's arms, and wrapped in their memories of Paul, when the doorbell went. It was Blaine, looking wryly apologetic as she ushered all three children in.

"I cleared it with Richards," she said. "They wanted to come home because they hadn't seen you all day. And the girls certainly missed Cooper. I don't know what this man of yours has done to them, Madi, but they seem very taken with him. It's all I or any of the other teachers have heard all day. Cooper this and Cooper that."

She didn't need to say that she'd heard nothing from Reece. One look at his face told Madi that. Whatever had brought Reece back, it certainly wasn't missing Cooper. Madi had a feeling that it had more to do with jealousy. Or perhaps that overprotective streak of his. He didn't want Madi alone in the house with any man unless she was heavily supervised.

Bang went her plans for a romantic evening. But looking into the happy faces of the twins as they rushed in search of their favourite marine, she wondered if what she had instead was more satisfying. Cooper hadn't said much to the girls while he was sick, but perhaps just letting them be near him, watching them bemusedly and listening to them talk had been enough to capture their hearts at least. She wondered what it would take to capture Reece's.

She turned to say goodnight to Blaine, and found her hovering expectantly in the doorway. Well, Blaine already knew that Cooper was here, as did half of the school now, apparently, and she had been a good friend over the last few weeks, so perhaps it was time that she and Cooper met. Although she had a feeling that Cooper might be overwhelmed a little by all of the attention.

Dinner didn't go as badly as she'd feared. Cooper was a little overwhelmed, and he hardly spoke to Blaine at all, not because he was being impolite or because he didn't like her, but because he felt more than a little shy. She was beginning to realise that what she'd first taken as being bad manners when they'd met on the 'Toga had been a combination of shyness and wariness. He'd had little reason to believe that people he met meant him no harm. Even the company and love of the Wildcards had not been enough to rid him of the demons of his early years, when behind every new face lay a potential racist, lay potential violence.

So now he sat watching Blaine with wary eyes, not unfriendly but tongue tied. He opened up to the girls a little more than he had been doing, listening to their whispered comments when they snuggled up to him, sometimes even whispering back to them when he thought that no one was watching. It made her heart glad. And she could tell that it amused Blaine, although she didn't believe that Cooper had noticed. She was glad about that too. She didn't want Cooper to feel any more self conscious than he did already.

Still she was quite relieved to see the back of Blaine when dinner was over. Cooper's continued ill health was a good excuse to call it an early night, and he had had an active day. The tiredness was plain on his face, for all to see. She did hope, however, that he wasn't feeling too tired.

The kids were tired too. Avery and Kelsey were almost asleep in their chairs, determined to stay up as late as possible, but their small bodies letting them down. She reached down, and picked Avery up, nestling her face for an instant in that dark hair smelling of sunshine. She thought that her heart would burst with happiness when Cooper mimicked her actions, swinging Kelsey up into his arms and following her to the girls' bedroom. Reece followed them on feet tripping with exhaustion, determined not to be humiliated by being carried to his own bed.

She stood in the door way to her bedroom, watching him stretch himself out on top of the covers. He caught her glance, his own puzzled when she made no attempt to join him. He started to get worried. Maybe she didn't want him there. Maybe he was supposed to sleep back in the bed where he'd been while he was sick. She looked tired. She probably didn't want him there if she was tired.

She smiled that wonderful smile at him, the one that seemed to light up his day, and make everything all right. "Tired?" she asked.

"A little. You?" She gave him a wicked grin.

"Not that much. Wanna fool around some? Kids are asleep." Sometimes he just didn't understand her. Sometimes she just talked plain weird.

"Fool around?" She gave him another wicked grin. He was beginning to realise what fool around might mean, and he wholeheartedly approved. She joined him on the bed, stretching herself along his length and wrapping her arms around him, burying her head into his shoulder. She fit perfectly. He wrapped the arm nearest her around her, and placed his other hand over hers where it lay on his chest. He wondered if there was a law against being this happy. There might be if you were a tank.

He loved the way she made him feel when they were curled up like this. Not horny, not quite, just warm and cosy and .... loved he guessed. It was almost better than sex. Almost.

Her thoughts were obviously running along the same lines as his, because her fingers, which had been tracing lazy circles over his chest, began to move towards the buttons of his shirt, sliding into the gap between the buttons and tracing lightly over his skin. Fooling around sounded like a very good idea.

He let her take the lead, content just to watch her for now. She had a mischievous look on her face, and whatever she had planned was going to be good. So he let her undo the buttons of his shirt, closing his eyes briefly when she began to place feather light kisses over his chest. He watched her with hooded eyes as she undid the flies of his jeans. She was very methodical about it, removing his shoes and socks before trying to remove his jeans He raised his hips to help her, watching her with those warm eyes of his. His boxers joined his jeans on the floor.

She continued to run her hands and lips over his body, her face strangely intense as she tried to sear every inch of him into her memory. She was conscious that their time together was now numbered in hours rather than days. He was almost fully fit, and once the doctors were satisfied that he could fly, he'd be gone from her home and her life, and god only knows when she'd see him, or even if she'd see him again.

She kissed him hungrily, wanting to memorise the taste of him as well as the feel of him. He sank his fingers into her hair, deepening the kiss, before running one hand down the length of her back, bringing it to rest on her bottom.

He smiled up at her, the laughter in his eyes reflected in hers. And then it was her turn, as he undressed her with the same concentration as she had shown. He ran his fingertips over her skin as it was revealed to him, bringing her out in goose bumps. He was in no particular hurry, enjoying the sensation of just looking at her, feeling her satin skin sliding under his touch.

They took their time, no longer hurried by the thought of any missions which could interrupt them or of being discovered in one of his hidey holes. They said nothing, letting their eyes say it all, as skin gently brushed against skin, and lips brushed against lips, their ardour slowly building.

Eventually she pushed him gently onto his back, rising above him and whispering into his ear, "Let me do the work, baby. After this morning you don't need the exertion." It wasn't the laughter in her voice that made him tense, but the words. The words that were strangely familiar. He caught hold of her arms, holding her back so that he could look into her eyes.

"The other night, it wasn't a dream was it?" She hesitated and then shook her head. "Why didn't you tell me? Why did you let me think that it was?"

"You didn't remember," she explained. "I thought it was because you didn't want to remember. That you blocked it out because you were weak, and I took advantage of that. I love you, and you told me that you loved me too, but I didn't want to throw it back in your face because you didn't remember."

He said nothing, just pulled her down into his arms again. He held her tightly for a moment. "Want to refresh my memory?" She collapsed in relief. She had thought that he might be mad. "Now," he continued, "What was that about doing all of the work?"

She sank gently down onto him, watching his face again, this time secure in the knowledge that he'd remember it all, and that he wanted to remember it. She watched thrilled as the sensations she was causing made him catch his lip between his teeth. She watched as his eyes darkened with desire as they held hers. She watched the look of satisfaction that crossed his face when she arched her back and came. And she watched the expression that crossed his face when he arched against her and came. And then she lay in his arms, her breathing easing, listening to the sound of his heart beat, the most comforting sound in the world, as he drifted off to sleep.

~*~

Blaine and Madi were snickering like school girls over one of Blaine's jokes when Madi pushed open the front door. Blaine had come to the house early that morning and kidnapped her for a day of shopping and lunch; firmly informing Cooper that he was well enough to baby-sit. They'd had a marvelous day. Madi was fun and she had a terrific sense of humor. Blaine had entertained her all afternoon with one joke or story after another, finding Madi an appreciative audience. Looking at her now, with her eyes sparkling and that silly grin on her face, Blaine hardly recognized her as the same person she'd known before. She was glad to see her friend had found herself again -- or maybe she should say Madi had found the missing part of herself when she got Cooper back.

Once inside the house, Madi put her package on the table and came to a sudden standstill. Blaine looked around but couldn't see anything wrong, then she heard the silence. With three kids and a cat and now Cooper, Madi's house usually sounded like a train station. Madi turned to Blaine with her finger to her lips in the universal signal for quiet and it was a good thing she did, otherwise when she pulled the knife from beneath her skirt Blaine would have screamed. Madi motioned for Blaine to stay by the door and she started toward the sitting area. She had just stepped onto the area rug when she heard childish giggles coming from the loft. Madi relaxed and the knife disappeared back into the sheath strapped to her thigh. She turned back to a white-faced Blaine with a relieved smile.

"Hide-and-seek. Whew, they scared me there for a minute." Madi put her hand to her heart with a sigh of relief.

"Madi, where in hell did you get a knife like that?"

"Took it off a student back home, see why I wanted to get Reece out of that environment?" Madi asked blandly, acting as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened though her face was a little red. She changed the subject quickly. "Put your stuff down and let's play. It's fun."

Blaine still couldn't move her feet. "Why are you carrying a knife?"

"Prowlers. Let's go. If we don't hurry they'll find him first. Come on!" Madi tossed Blaine's parcel onto the table and grabbed her hand to pull her down the hall, the knife incident forgotten, at least by her. Cooper was such as sucker -- he always hid in the pantry. Madi was grinning as she crept up to the door and threw it open. Nothing but shelves of food occupied the small space. Madi winked at Blaine conspiratorially and closed it, stepping back a few feet. The minute it was shut they heard a soft thump inside, then the door flew open and Cooper let out a whoop of triumph as he grabbed Madi around the waist. Blaine was so startled she nearly wet her pants. Madi just laughed and reaching up to take his face between her hands gave him a big smacking kiss. "I knew you were there!"

Cooper pulled her closer to him and returned the sloppy kiss. "But you didn't see me, Madi, and now you can't run back to home base -- you're 'it'," he teased, then because he'd missed her he gave her a longer, welcoming kiss. Blaine let that go on a moment before she coughed delicately. Cooper reluctantly ended the kiss but kept his arms around her before tearing his gaze away and nodding shyly at her friend.

"Hey Blaine."

"Hey Cooper." Blaine mimicked, smiling at his bashfulness, to date that was the longest sentence he'd spoken to her even though she was there practically every day. She thought he and Madi were just the cutest couple; it made her miss Tom even more.

"Who's version of hide-and-seek is this anyway?" Blaine asked curiously.

"Reece showed us how to play it. Why?"

Well, that explained it. "Um, no reason. I've just never seen it played with the fright factor before. Doesn't it scare the girls when you scream like that?"

"Nah, they love it; and that's a marine yell, Blaine, not a scream," Cooper clarified, a bit miffed at being accused of screaming. "Here come the little cretins now." The twins ran down the hall and flung themselves at Madi and Cooper's legs, hugging them and chattering like Magpies. Blaine noted with great amusement their tiny, smeared faces, decorated with what appeared for all the world to be camo paint.

"Hi Madi, hi Blaine," they chorused. "Cooper, come and hide again and let us find you this time. Reece is asleep," Avery begged with a big grin and pulled at his hand, Kelsey shyly took his other hand and pulled his arm from around Madi. They didn't like to share Cooper with her; they considered him theirs.

Madi inspected Cooper's face closely and saw he was looking a little worn.

"How long have you guys been playing?"

"About an hour, before that we played marines until Reece got mad cause I wouldn't let him use his bow and arrows or firecrackers. He went to his room to pout, guess he was tired."

"Wise move. You'd better sit down and rest a while, too. I don't want you wearing yourself out." Madi whispered something in his ear that made Cooper blush and he made a beeline for the sofa carrying a shrieking, giggling twin under each arm like matching sacks of grain. The three settled down to watch the latest Disney laser disk and peace reigned for a moment.

Madi waved her into the kitchen for coffee and went to check on Reece. Blaine was amazed anyone could sleep in this house. She wondered humorously if she would ever see a less conventional family unit or if they even realized they had coalesced into a family in the few weeks that Cooper had been there. Madi and Cooper's lack of traditional upbringings had left them with few accustomed blueprints for child rearing. They made up their own code and went mostly on instinct, occasionally referring to child psychology manuals, and bouncing ideas off each other; it made for a very interesting domestic arrangement.

She thought Madi was a wonderful mother and she was beginning to see some promise of parenting skills in Cooper as well now that he'd lost his shyness around the children. Reece had even shown minute signs of loosening up a little, especially when Cooper played with them. It was too bad he had to go back to the Saratoga so soon, if he'd had a little more time with Reece he might have been able to reach him.

Madi came down and gratefully accepted the coffee Blaine had poured for her. "I had a great time today, Blaine, we'll have to do this again."

"You were going to tell me about the knife, Madi," Blaine reminded her quietly.

"Oh, it's a habit I picked up from back home. It's very different here than it is in the inner city, you'd just have to experience it for yourself to understand."

"Then why do you need it here?"

Madi wished she could tell Blaine about Cooper and the threats to his life but she didn't want to scare her.

"Well, even if it is safe, you never know when you might run into a prowler."

"Madi, why not just run for help if you hear prowlers?"

Madi look at her as if she had two heads and spoke clearly as if to a child. "Because then they'd get away, Blaine."

"Oh, I see... well, sort of." Blaine suspected there was a definite culture clash here and she decided to change the subject. Seeing that Cooper and the girls were occupied she quietly asked, "So how are things?"

Madi's radiant smile spoke volumes. "They're wonderful. A lot of stress with Reece and knowing Cooper has to go back - but wonderful nonetheless. I never told you this, Blaine, but I worried sometimes that seeing him again --away from the situation on the Saratoga? -- that I might feel differently about him, as if maybe I'd dreamed up what we had there. You know, one of those off-timing things, shipboard romance and all that?" Madi glanced into the sitting area to make sure Cooper was still involved with the movie and smiled at the rapt expression on all three faces. "But it's even better than before." She grinned meaningfully at Blaine. "I could get used to this."

Blaine lowered her voice even more, "So what do you think Cooper might have in mind? I know you've wondered about it."

Madi looked thoughtful and a little troubled. "He's never said, Blaine. He's gone on and on about his friend, Nathan, getting married but he hasn't mentioned anything like that for himself. It's such uncharted territory with us -- it isn't like you and Tom where there's sort of a prescribed formula for doing things. You both know what you want, marriage and then probably a home, kids, a dog, etc… With us, I don't even know if we're at the going steady stage, but that's the story of my life, Blaine. I couldn't do the traditional thing if I tried -- and I did try, in my plans at least. All I know is I love him and he loves me."

"And you're happy with things like this, this uncertainty?" Madi smiled at the confusion in her friend's voice. She knew Blaine was a creature of order and habit, she wanted every i dotted and every t crossed. The wedding plans she'd unveiled to Madi during the day would have rivaled any military assault McQueen could have envisioned.

"With the war, the best laid plans could go astray. I'm taking every day minute by minute, that's all I can do. It's probably the way I was raised, Blaine, I've never lived a conventional day in my life."

"Would you marry Cooper if he asked?" Blaine whispered the question.

Madi glanced into the sitting room once more, thinking how "right" he looked there with the girls. "In a heartbeat, but…. I'm not sure if I should. I've thought about it. He's so young. Is it fair for me to tie him down? And the kids? I knew what I was getting into with the adoption and I've come to love the girls as much as I do Reece, but I've never talked to Cooper about it. I know he'd like to find his family, blood family, but I'm not sure how he'd feel about taking on my kids. You know yourself, Blaine, Reece curls most people's hair. I love him and I'm used to him but I know how others react to him. The barber was afraid to trim his hair because the little rat told him he'd pull his heart out if he cut it crooked. He's not an endearing child by any stretch of the imagination."

Blaine laughed at that understatement. She and Reece had gone through their own acceptance rituals at school before they'd come to a working compromise and there were still days when his quirks drove her crazy.

"Madi, from what I've seen, I think he could get used to this, too. He's great with the kids, even Reece."

"We'll just have to see what happens with the war and, of course, I'll have to keep a close eye on Tyrus McQueen as well." Madi added the last in a menacing tone.

"That's the CO that wants Cooper in officer training school?" Madi nodded grimly.

"I know that Cooper was designed to be a soldier but he has so much more to offer, Blaine. He's just more than just a weapon for the military to point. He has such a tender side…" Madi broke off with an embarrassed laugh. "Sorry, it doesn't take much to get me started on my best guy." They shared an understanding smile. They'd talked about Tom a great deal as well during the day. "Anyway, if he passes the entrance exams then he'll have a reserved spot in several universities as well as West Point. So again, we'll see. I don't want him to look back in a few years and wish he'd waited or have him feel I pushed him, Blaine. I couldn't bear that."

Blaine took her hand and waited until Madi looked up. "Now you listen to your Auntie Blaine, Madi Gibson. You know how Cooper is at communicating. If he asks you, you forget this self-sacrificing crap and you marry that boy. You're the best thing that ever happened to him and he deserves you and those kids."

"And McQueen?"

"Let McQueen help him, take advantage of those strings he can pull. There's no reason in 2065 that he can't blend a wife and kids and a career, military or otherwise and you know Madi, McQueen may have a point. The military life has some bad facets and it's hard on the families but it is a powerful equalizer. Merit is based on performance rather than social status. Tom's family was dirt poor here, almost considered trash, but with that uniform on he's being judged by what he does and is, not his family. He's living up to his true potential -- he was just promoted to Captain a few months ago. I know he'll stay in the military and it might be best for Cooper, too.

"And Madi, is it really wise to deprive ourselves of the thrill we get when we see those great bodies poured into those crisp uniforms?" Blaine waggled her eyebrows and fanned herself with a napkin and they broke into gales of laughter.

Blaine's humorous observation dissolved the intensity of the conversation and they chatted casually a few minutes more until Blaine left with a whispered warning to monitor Cooper's blood pressure carefully when he saw what Madi had bought that day. Madi walked her out past a suddenly suspicious Cooper, laughing and whispering all the way to the door.

~*~

Later that night, after an early dinner, Madi put the kids to bed. They were worn to a frazzle after their busy day with Cooper and all three went out like lights, even Reece, despite his nap earlier. She hurried through the shower, thinking of her surprise for Cooper. She couldn't wait to see his face. Madi added a touch of make-up and a tiny splash of perfume, already aroused by the ritual of preparing herself for him. She locked the door and turned all the lights out but a small lamp and stood patiently by the bed until Cooper absently glanced up from the book he was reading. Madi was pleased with his reaction - his eyes nearly popped out of his head and his mouth wouldn't seem to close.

Cooper looked at Madi and simply stared. He saw spots in front of his eyes and that reminded him to breathe again. His eyes traveled down her tousled curls, down her creamy white neck and shoulders to some kind of lacy black concoction that barely covered her. Tiny satin spaghetti straps held it up before the front plunged so low it just covered her nipples but exposed the darker aureoles surrounding them. The lace lovingly hugged her figure before ending at the top of her thighs. He was off the bed in a snap.

"Where did you get that?"

"Shopping today with Blaine. It was on sale - I couldn't resist it. You like?"

Cooper grinned wolfishly and ran his index finger down a satin strap and across the front, tracing the lace and the outline of her breasts. Madi's knees grew weak and her eyes drifted closed at his touch; she was aroused and ready for him but she knew the wait would only make it better.

"I like." He leaned in a placed a string of kisses from her ear down her neck and across the top of her shoulder before moving back to her ear and whispering to her -- he hoped she wouldn't laugh. "Madi?"

"Hmmm?" She bit her lip as a finger traced the curve of her breast and drew circles around her aching nipple.

"I saw something today that I want to do with you, but it might be bad, you might not like it." Madi came to a little at that. The space net was almost totally censored but there were a few naughty sites with a little skin and she suspected Cooper had been surfing.

"What baby? Tell me and we'll see." Cooper's face turned beet red and Madi really started wondering then.

"Let me show you, it's hard to explain."

Madi nodded. "But if I don't like it you have to stop, alright?" Cooper grinned and nodded as he headed toward the bathroom and came back with the black satin sash off her good robe. Madi smiled, she knew where this might be headed and she didn't think it bad at all. Cooper gathered her to him and kissed her gently--slow, erotic kisses that curled her toes--while he smoothed his hands, one with the satin tie still in it, over her and under the skirt of her gown. When he stroked it across her bare bottom Madi's knees did give out and he pulled her tightly to him.

"Cooper, I'm not sure if I can wait to play games tonight, baby, I want you so much right now." Was that her voice that sounded so desperate?

"Shhh", Cooper soothed her, then carried her over to the bed and gently arranged her on her back. He straddled her, dressed only in his boxers, and raised her wrist to his mouth for a kiss before slipping one end of the tie around it. He repeated the same ritual on the other, slowly and gently raising her bound arms above her head and securing the tie to the headboard. His movements faltered for a moment and he glanced at Madi, pressing delicious kisses to her open mouth. "Okay, Madi?"

She could only nod and moan from the ache in her belly. "Baby, I need you now though." Cooper smiled, he loved it when she told him things like that.

"You can have me, Mad, just let me kiss you a little, I want it to be really good for you. I want you to remember tonight, when I go back." Madi nodded solemnly seeing the intense need in his eyes, the need to claim her, to mark her somehow as his. It was something almost primitive that she couldn't explain, only feel, and what had started as a game became achingly intense.

He proceeded to kiss every inch of her sweet-smelling skin. His hair tickled her chin as he pressed teasing kisses to the top of the lace before pulling it down with his teeth and laving her nipples to hard, aching points. When he finally drew one into his mouth with a rhythmic, sucking pressure, Madi arched her hips completely off the bed, "Oh, God, honey, Cooper, baby, please, please, now." She thought he'd decided to put her out of her misery when he levered himself off her and moved down her body, then she felt his warm, raspy tongue on her sensitive ankle and Madi cried out in frustration.

Cooper continued up each leg with warm lips and tongue, nipping and kissing his way with loving care to the inside of her thighs and that warm delta he loved. Madi was so awash in sensation she was simply moaning, not noticing her teeth had cut into her bottom lip. She felt his finger trace her moist cleft and then chill bumps raised on her legs and arms when his tongue followed. She came explosively, weeping and sobbing in relief, trying to loosen her hand so she could clasp his head to her. He continued to gently torment her, feeling her convulsions on his tongue, until she calmed. He slid his underwear off and moved up her body, kissing her lip and murmuring with concern over the drop of blood there. He licked it away and soothed the cut with his tongue cuddling her close. "Okay, Madi?"

She was still trying to catch her breath and she struggled to focus on his face. He brushed the damp hair off her face and kissed her temples with light kisses, whispering to her how much he loved her, how he loved watching her climax, how sexy she was, and thanking her for letting him act out his fantasy. "Cooper, you made me see purple, sparkly things, I should be thanking you." Madi managed to gasp. He grinned, seeming quite pleased with himself. "Really? Purple, sparkly things?" She nodded weakly.

"Undo my hands, hon, I want some more."

He untied her, kissing them and trailing the sash down her body, watching the chill bumps follow its path. Then he forgot about them as Madi took it from him and tied it to his wrist. "Madi, what are you doing?" This hadn't been part of his fantasy and he wasn't sure about this.

"Turn about's fair play, sweetheart, you remember that." She kissed him hard on his sexy lips and tied his other hand in the same manner. Madi licked and kissed her way down his gorgeous chest, gently sucking and licking his dusky nipples. She ran one hand behind his neck, gently teasing his navel, smiling as she felt him buck up, trying to find relief. Sliding down his body, she used her tongue and lips, alternating between juicy nibbles to his hard, flat stomach, to long, sweeping licks up his sides that made him moan and lift off the bed. Just to pay him back, Madi licked his ankles and calves and inadvertently discovered a whole new erogenous zone when she got to his knees.

She laughed deep in her throat as he groaned out loud each time she licked and kissed her way around his knee caps before she finally had mercy on him and sank her hot mouth down on him. By this time Madi was excited again and she took him wildly. He usually stopped her before she pushed him too close to the edge, but with his hands tied all he could do was gasp and plead. She loved the feeling of freedom she felt at having him at her mercy and she decided to have a look at that site herself later. She eased up as she felt him tense, trading her deep pulling motions for long, soothing strokes of her tongue to the underside of his penis and light kisses on his testicles.

"Madi, please, if you don't stop, I'm gonna…" The rest of his sentence was lost in his groan as she took him deep in her mouth, and with her tongue, finished him off, catching his hot flow in her mouth. She eased him down with gentle kisses and then lazily raised herself up and kissed him slowly, enjoying the way he followed her mouth as she drew away. She rewarded him with some deep kisses, running her finger over his swollen lips and moaning as he sucked it into his mouth. She released his hands and threw the sash to one side, kissing each wrist in turn and pressing kisses across his fingers before collapsing on his chest.

Cooper caught his breath then turned over rapidly, startling Madi. She gasped his name in surprise as he smoothly parted her thighs and slid deep inside her, still rock hard and she whimpered as he began to move with strong, deep strokes. Never stopping, he pulled the straps down her arms, exposing her breasts to his view, and lowering his chest until her nipples rubbed against his chest. Madi caught his shoulders, her nails digging into his skin as he gained momentum, thrusting fiercely into her. She was near the edge again when he suddenly pulled out and moved down her body and Madi put her fist in her mouth to keep from screaming as he brought her to her second orgasm with his tongue. As Cooper felt her first contraction he moved back up, entering her swiftly and sealing her mouth with his, swallowing her scream in his mouth as he steadily stroked her to completion, holding himself deep inside her until she relaxed in a boneless mass. He sucked her tongue into his mouth and thrust himself even deepr into her before he came with one final, deep stroke. Madi clasped him to her, kissing him and holding him as he convulsed and emptied himself into her body, crooning love words to him as she wiped his sweat-drenched hair off his forehead and soothing her hand down his muscled back.

He pulled out of her slowly, but she wrapped her legs around his waist, keeping him from moving away, pulling his head down to her shoulder and wrapping her arms tightly around him. He muttered that he was too heavy and she shushed him, assuring him she loved holding him like that, assuring him that she loved him, still stroking his back until he finally scooted down enough to lay his head on her stomach and went to sleep. Madi followed, a smile on her face and her fingers tangled in his hair.

Sometime later, she was awakened by Cooper. He was licking and kissing her ankles again and she was about to drowsily ask him if he had some kind of ankle fetish when he suddenly appeared in front of her sleepy eyes, grinning evilly and full of energy. " Hey Mad, do we have any ice cream?" Madi smiled and got both eyes open enough to nod and point in the general direction of the kitchen. She hoped ice cream would wash out of black lace.

~*~

"Beneath his shirt he wore the mark
He bore the mark with pride
A two inch deep incision
Carved into his side."

"War Child" - The Cranberries, 1995

Madi was happy enough to leave Cooper on his own the next day as well. He was doing much better now. He tired a little easily, but that was the extent of his injury now. On the one hand, Madi was very happy to see him up and about, but at the same time his recovery meant that their time together was getting shorter by the minute. And while she hated to be apart from him, the truth was that they were desperately in need of groceries, something she'd neglected to get the day before when Blaine had finally persuaded her to go shopping for an hour or two. The nearest large town with a supermarket was twenty miles away, and she knew that there she could get many supplies that their small corner shop didn't hold.

Today, however, she knew that at least the kids weren't going to wear him out. They'd gone back to school. Which also meant that she didn't have to drag the three of them around the supermarket with her refusing to buy cereal that would turn their milk purple. After that, she wanted to pop into school, and have a quick chat with the girls' teacher, to see how their spelling was progressing, after some problems they'd had earlier that year.

Madi showed him where she kept the gun and the ammunition as well as her knives, told him to be careful, and she was gone. Cooper felt odd being in the house by himself. He tried to remember if he'd ever actually stayed in a house before. He'd crashed with some other InVitros in old abandoned apartments during the cold Philadelphia winters but in the summer he's preferred being outdoors. In the open. Looking around at the cottage he decided if he ever actually got around to owning a house, lived long enough to own a house, he'd get one with big windows. That way he wouldn't feel so closed in, he could even get used to having all this space to himself.

Well, him and Madi, of course; now that he had her back he wasn't going to let her go again until she got tired of him. He wanted to mention something like that to her, try to get a fix on what she expected from him, but just the thought of having to put his fears and hopes into words made him tongue tied and antsy. He wished Madi could just read his mind like Lucas. It would be so much easier for her to see what he dreamed about than having to say it out loud, than trying to get all those words to flow smoothly.

He roamed around poking in drawers and cabinets and was amazed at what people who had a place to put things accumulated. Cooper tended to stick things he found in his pockets and of course he had his metal box and his locker but if something wouldn't fit in those things it didn't get kept. He opened closet doors and peeked in while practicing to himself some of the questions he wanted to ask Madi about their future. When he saw the children's spare coats hanging in the closet he mentally added a couple of bedrooms to the house for the kids. He guessed Madi and her kids were what you'd call a package deal. He liked that idea. If Madi could put up with him and they could work out some kind of arrangement then they'd be sort of like a family.

He smiled at that thought for a moment then other thoughts intruded. Realistic thoughts. InVitro thoughts. Thoughts like would it be selfish to expect a permanent relationship with Madi and her children? Thoughts of McQueen's warnings about hoping for things you could never have. Thoughts of Kelly and Vansen softly talking when they thought everyone else was asleep and things he'd heard. ….'Couldn't handle the pressure,… the gossip, ….didn't like being left on Earth alone,….didn't want children with McQueen.' He'd remembered mentioning Nate's wedding and that Madi hadn't said anything, not a word about them maybe doing the same thing. Cooper broodingly picked up the remote for the tv set and flopped down into a chair, deciding he'd talk to Nathan about it before he said anything to Madi. Nate would tell him straight out if he was just dreaming, in a nice way, but he'd tell him nonetheless. Maybe that would prevent something bad from happening-- like Madi laughing in his face if he mentioned them living together in a house of their own somewhere when the war was over. Yeah, he'd definitely talk to Nate first.

He was idly wondering what a house would cost and thinking of putting some money back when he discovered MTV. Cooper was mesmerized and added a tv to the house inventory list. He turned the volume up loud enough to rattle the china and watched for two straight hours. He probably would have still been there when Madi walked in that afternoon if he hadn't seen the shadow at the kitchen door out of the corner of his eye. He left the music on and getting near the wall, out of sight, made his way to the door. The knob was turning slowly, stealthily.

Cooper automatically reached for a knife from the knife rack on the counter, then stared at it in confusion for a moment. Sometimes he had the weirdest feelings that he'd done things before. He eased in behind the door and was ready when the intruder made his way in. He slumped in relief as he saw it was only Reece, the delinquent, dodging school again no doubt. His amusement was short lived as Reece swayed and caught himself with the door handle. Cooper got a good look at the kid's face; somebody had beat the hell out him.

"You okay, sport?" Cooper asked the question quietly enough but Reece nearly jumped out of his skin and he turned all his fury and pain onto what he considered the cause of this whole mess.

"What the fuck are you doing here? I figured you'd be with Madi today." Reece hoped the words he was thinking were the same ones coming out his mouth. His ears were ringing so loud he couldn't hear himself think and then he became conscious of the pounding music and that just made it worse. The percussion of the drums matched the rhythm of the pain that was rolling through his stomach and head. "Turn that damn music down, you stupid tank."

Cooper put the knife up, turned the music down and went back for Reece, unfazed. He knew. He'd been there. Cooper scooped Reece up and really got worried when the kid let him. He was stiff as a board but he wasn't threatening to cut his heart out -- not a good sign, he even laid his head on his shoulder. Cooper sat him on the cabinet by the kitchen sink thinking He's so little. Reece's personality was so loud and assertive and his manner so adult-like that he'd never really noticed how little the kid was. He barely came to Cooper's waist and though he wiry and strong, he didn't weigh much at all.

Reece let his head rest against Cooper's shoulder for just a minute longer than he normally would have. He didn't like the sensation, he told himself, it was just that he thought he was going to puke again and it settled him a little to hold his head still. He ignored the feelings that he'd had when Cooper had scooped him up, ignored that impression of safety and security in those strong arms. Because he'd never been held by a man before he was surprised to find it was a lot different than when Madi hugged him to her softness. Lucas only shook his hand and Dr. Gibson barely noticed he was around. That guy was always "away" even when he was in the same room with them. He tore his thoughts away from the comfort and concentrated instead on the words that had been hurled at him today about Madi because of this dumb tank marine that wouldn't go back to space. The one that was rubbing the dried blood out of his nose with a warm, damp, wash cloth.

"What happened?" Cooper enquired gently. He had a feeling he knew what the kid was going to say, what he was going through. He'd felt that way once too often on the streets. Someone, someone bigger or someone faster or maybe just someone meaner, had decided that the only way they were going to make themselves feel a little better about their own miserable situation, was to make someone else feel worse. The law of the jungle. One Cooper had never ascribed to, not necessarily because he was any better than the others on the street, but because the one thing that had terrified him most of all was the fact that if he did something, anything to attract attention to himself, the IVA would find him. He still had nightmares about that. He didn't know what the penalty was for killing a monitor, even in self defense, but he could guess.

The boy didn't answer straight away. "Reece," Cooper prompted. Reece still didn't look at Cooper. Cooper sighed. He knew that people could be difficult to understand, but it seemed that kids were even more difficult than adults. But when he thought about it, maybe Reece wasn't that much different from himself. He remembered all of the times he found it difficult to explain himself, even with the Wildcards. Sometimes what you needed was just someone with the patience to listen, but the sense not to push. Shane usually did that for him.

So he continued to clean Reece up, and waited, saying nothing. It was one of the most difficult things he'd ever done. What he really wanted to do was push Reece until he got an answer, but he figured that maybe Reece was as stubborn as he was. After a while, his patience was rewarded. "Try to leave little skin." Reece snarled weakly.

"You want me to call Madi?" Cooper kept patiently patting at the blood, the way Shane always did; it didn't hurt so much if you let it soak a little. Experienced eyes took in the swollen eye that was already turning a rainbow of colors and the puffy, busted lip. Probably got a few kicks to the stomach and head, too, but mostly it looked and felt worse than it was.

"No! I want you to let me down from here and leave me alone, tank. This is all your fault. If you hadn't come down here to stay with us, Billy Dunmoore's mom wouldn't have been talking about Mom and I wouldn't have had to beat the crap out of him and his friends."

Cooper ignored the insults from long practice. If the kid thought he'd break that easily he was way off the mark and Cooper even sympathized. He wasn't surprised to hear the gossip, just surprised it had taken this long to get going. He'd almost forgotten what being on the receiving end of bigotry was like. Almost. Other than Hill, he'd had very little aggravation during his time with the 58th, not since Nathan had decided that Cooper wasn't responsible for his and Kylen's separation. And if anyone had been foolish enough to start anything, then he'd had the Wildcards, and McQueen to back him up. It was a foolish man who started a fight with the 'Cards. Their reputation proceeded them. As did scuttlebutt about the way they felt about their 'token tanks', Cooper and McQueen. A very foolish man indeed who tried anything.

Well, he probably wouldn't need to have that talk with Nate after all now, by the time Madi got home she would probably be ready to kick him back to the Saratoga. He concentrated on other things to keep his mind off that scenario.

"Billy Dunmoore has a mom? I thought he was an orphan since he went to school with you."

"Nah, his mom's a teacher there, she was talking about Mom with some of the other teachers and Billy heard them. They were saying bad things about my mom, bad things about my mom and you!" No wonder the kid hadn't wanted to talk to him about it. And although Reece wouldn't elaborate, Cooper had a pretty good idea what they'd said. After a minute, he continued, "He has a dad, too, but they're divorced." Reece gave in and let Cooper clean his nose, blowing blood when the guy indicated it. Damn, he felt like a two year old and since he liked the attention he jerked his head away and glared at Cooper. "She's dating now, Billy will probably get shipped off to his old man pretty soon."

"Yeah, why's that?" Cooper was listening with half an ear as he winced with commiseration at the kid's hands and wiped the blood off Reece's torn knuckles. He knew Reece wouldn't be able to bend his fingers the next day.

"Cause, stupid…" Cooper stopped wiping and stared at Reece, unconsciously using McQueen's disciplining look, until the kid's eyes dropped. Enough of that was enough. "Cause,… Coop, she might marry this new guy and he won't want Billy around. He'll want his kids or maybe even no kids." It was Reece's turn to wince as Cooper put salve and decorated band aids over each knuckle.

"This guy doesn't like kids or what?" He pushed on Reece's ribs and pressed around on his stomach. "Still feeling like you're gonna throw up?" Reece shook his head. He did feel a little better now, except for his head.

"It doesn't matter whether he likes kids or not, it's just that new dads -- they don't want the old kids around. How did you get this old without knowing this stuff, Cooper?"

"You'd be surprised what I don't know, Reece. Madi said your parents were InVitros, Didn't you know that they leave us in the gestation tanks til we're eighteen? You've been walkin' around longer than me, sport. But I still don't get it about getting rid of the old kids just because the guy's new. Why can't they just ….blend?" Cooper meticulously placed a small butterfly bandage over the cut in the corner of his mouth and decided that was probably all he could do. He'd have Madi check to see if the kid was pissing blood later and if so then they could get worried. He went to the refrigerator and opened a can of grape soda. The kids were supposed to only have them as rewards but what Madi didn't know wouldn't hurt her.

"Did you get hit in the mouth?"

Reece was looking at Cooper as if he'd never seen him before; he was thinking about his surprising remark about blending. He nodded and reached for the cold drink then had to wait to drink until Cooper wiggled his front teeth with his index finger to make sure they were secure.

Cooper gave Reece a final once-over inspection, surprised at the emotions he was experiencing over this rude, obnoxious, little pain in the ass. He picked up his small, bandaged hand. "Looks like you got a few licks in." Reece brightened visibly. The worst was over, well it would be after Madi blew, now he could begin reliving the epic.

"Yeah, I would have killed Billy if he hadn't had those bigger boys. I'm never going to speak to him as long as I live and if he says anything about Mom again I'm going to tear his heart out -- still beating-- right out of his fucking chest. I think I broke his nose today. There was blood everywhere."

"Who was supposed to be watching you guys? You just fight like this anytime you want?" Cooper thought of all the horrible things that could happen to a little boy like Reece with older, stronger boys around. Gangs of boys. He satisfied himself that nothing like that had happened today since his clothes were still in place, if a little worse for wear, and he knew Reece wouldn't be pulling out of that so fast.

"Mr. Richards was there. He knew what was going on. But he didn't say anything." Reece looked Cooper in the eye for his next revelation. "He's been after Madi since we've been here and now he's really pissed about you and all the talk. For all I know, he could have to sent them to get me. He's a prick."

Sounded like, Cooper thought. He checked his watch. Madi would be arriving soon for the meeting with the girls' teacher she'd scheduled for after school. He caught Reece under the arms and stood him on the floor, brushing his hair into place a little. Reece dodged his hand and messed his hair back up again, almost completely back to normal. He was wondering what was going on with Cooper, the guy looked like he was going to explode.

"Get your coat, we're going to the school. Madi needs to know what's going on over there."

"You're not supposed to be out, Mom'll kill you." Reece was somewhat awed that someone would deliberately set out to break one of Madi's orders.

Cooper ignored him, just grabbed his coat and practically shoved him into it. His showing up might upset Madi, just like this gossip was bound to, but he knew she'd rather be upset now than after she got a call from the hospital telling her her kid had been gang raped in some dark hallway. And he had a personal message to deliver to Richards -- one he wouldn't be likely to forget while Cooper was on the Saratoga.

Since Cooper couldn't drive, and Madi had the car anyway, they had to walk the three miles back to school. Reece had already walked it once that morning and complained bitterly the whole way back. Cooper wished he'd just shut up. He remembered Madi telling him on the 'Toga that the kid didn't talk much and wondered what had happened to that blessed phase. Although three klicks would normally be nothing to him, he walked much further than that on patrol, he tired easily, even now, and his side was starting to hurt. He was also worried. He had no idea of what he was going to say when he got there. He hoped that his temper didn't get the better of him. McQueen was always warning him about that. He didn't want to let McQueen, or Madi down. He didn't want to let Reece down either.

It took them about three quarters of an hour to reach the school, and Cooper almost collapsed with relief when he saw it. If he had to listen to Reece bitch much longer, he wasn't going to be responsible for his actions. The kid even bitched more than Hill and Cooper hadn't thought that was possible.

He was tired, irritable and not in the mood to deal with any crap. For a second he seriously considered just turning back and leaving Reece to his fate. He was sure that the penalty for a kid going awol from school was nowhere as serious as for a marine, and the kid probably deserved it. But he guessed he'd come this far, so he'd better go through with it. He wasn't in the habit of backing out of fights, which Nathan had learnt to his cost.

He almost had to drag Reece up the steps. Reece only gave in when Cooper, at the end of his tether, informed him that he was going to go into that school, either on his own two feet or Cooper was going to throw him over his shoulder and carry him in. The thought of that ignominy was enough to quell Reece for the moment. But Cooper just knew that the kid was going to make him pay for it. That didn't do much to improve his temper.

Staff Room. Now that looked like the right place. Cooper wasn't sure about the social niceties of this, but he knocked on the door and waited. He figured that they wouldn't like him barging in. When he heard nothing but the soft murmur of voices inside, he knocked again.

"Come in," an irritated voice yelled. As Cooper pushed open the door, his sharp ears caught the words whispered afterwards. "It better not be one of those bloody tank kids." Cooper's blood froze. What the hell were the teachers in this place doing referring to the kids in their charge like that in front of them. Bad enough that they had to hear it second hand.

He stood in the doorway for a moment, unsure as to what to say. He looked around to try and find the source of the voice. The owner solved that for him.

"Yes?" the same voice asked impatiently. Cooper zeroed in on the speaker, a middle-aged man, running to fat slightly.

"You a teacher here?" he asked. The man puffed himself up, pompously.

"I'm Mister Richards, the Deputy Head here." Cooper didn't know what a deputy head was, but it sounded important, like second in charge or something. He noted the fact that this guy had an accent that sounded something like Blaine's, only on him it wasn't so cute. So this was the prick. He could see why Reece called him that.

"You lost something?" he asked softly, retrieving Reece from behind him. Richards eyes narrowed in on him, his disdain and dislike evident.

While Cooper struggled to control his temper, trying desperately not to just ram the guy's words straight back down his throat, Richards eyed Reece. "Oh," he said without any enthusiasm. "Our lost delinquent. Still, I suppose that's only to be expected with the mother that little bastard has. Adoptive mother, I should say. His real one didn't stick around long enough to even give the brat a proper name. I mean, Reece! What sort of a name do you call that?"

Cooper couldn't believe this guy. Reece was standing right in front of him and he was saying these things. Cooper felt his rage building even further. The guy didn't seem to notice that. He also didn't seem to notice Reece's sudden move towards him, or the fact that it was only stopped by Cooper's hand on his shoulder. Instead, Richards just continued with his diatribe.

"I mean, can you imagine it. His mother, and I use the term advisedly, has taken up with a tank! Can you imagine it. Forget about role models. What chance do these kids have when their 'parental units' such as they have are too busy fucking tanks to pay any attention to them. And they need discipline you know. More than normal kids. To make up for their bad genes." Richards finally paused for breath. He seemed to take Cooper's agreement with his views as read. "So, you must be this little shit's new social worker?"

"No," said Cooper. The even tone in his voice would have had any marine who knew him running for cover. "I'm the tank that Madi's fuckin'."

For a second Richards and the other teacher in the staff room just stared at him in horror. Then Richards started to edge away from him. He knew how unpredictable and violent InVitros could be. Or rather, he believed the prejudiced propaganda that said that all tanks were violent.

Cooper let him take one or two steps before following. He had no intention of hurting this guy physically, he figured the asshole wasn't worth this aggro, but he wanted to make damn sure that he said nothing like that about Madi again or stood by while Reece was hurt again. He leant in closer, and dropped his voice a notch.

"You know," he said conversationally, "They taught me 637 ways to kill a man. All of them surgically neat and precise. However, if I ever hear you say anything like that about Madi again, or say anything like that in front of Reece again, I don't think I'll bother with any of them. I'll just tear off your head and spit down your neck. Messier, but much more satisfying." He stared into Richards' eyes, making sure that he was understood. "And if anything else like today happens to my kid, and you just stand round and watch, I'll do it slowly."

Reece just watched him open mouthed. My kid. It made him feel kind of warm. Cooper turned to the boy. "Reece, come on. I think you can skip school today." He stalked out of the room, Reece close on his heels, hurrying to keep up. They passed Blaine, who was standing in the doorway, as open mouthed as Reece. She had to hide her smile of satisfaction. Who would have thought that tongue tied Cooper would have such a way with words? Madi would have been proud of him.

"Cooper?" asked Reece, a little out of breath. "Do you really know 637 ways to kill a man?" Cooper stopped for a moment, almost as out of breath as Reece. Damn, when was he going to be back to full fitness?

"Yes," he replied, his eyes narrowing.

"Will you show me some?" Cooper gave him a long steady look.

"I'm not that stupid," he said before moving off again. They heard footsteps behind them, and Cooper spun on the balls of his feet, before relaxing. It was Blaine, and she was grinning ear from ear.

"You guys need a lift?" she asked. It was obvious to her that Reece had been in a fight, and she'd also noticed that Cooper was hurting. She overruled any protests they may have had. "Listen, Cooper, it's obvious you can't walk the three miles back. By rights, you should still be in bed. And I don't have a class this period, so it's no big deal. And Madi would be pretty mad if I let you walk all the way back. And you wouldn't want Madi mad at me, would you?" she wheedled. Cooper was beginning to really like Blaine. Maybe Madi had as good taste in friends as he had. Or rather, maybe she was just as lucky.

"Or if you like," she continued. "You could wait for Madi. She should be here to talk with the girls' teacher pretty soon." That was something that Cooper was not looking forward to. He was tired, his side was hurting and he was beginning to think that threatening Richards wasn't the smartest thing he'd ever done.

Blaine must have seen the exhaustion in his face, reflected in Reece's, because she suddenly snapped out, "Wait here, while I get my car keys. We'll be home soon." And then she turned on her heels and went back into the staff room.

Richards was still standing in the middle of the staff room, venting his spleen. "Can you believe that that..... creature just threatened me?" he demanded of Blaine as she came in. "You're a witness, Marshall. I'll have the law on him."

"For what?" asked Blaine coolly. "For being annoyed that you insulted his fiancee?" Not really a lie, she told herself. Not official, but she'd seen the way that Cooper and Madi had looked at each other, so not really a lie. "For being annoyed that you stood around and watched while a gang of bullies beat the crap out of his kid?" Not a lie either, she justified. She'd also seen the protective hand Cooper had kept on Reece's shoulder throughout.

"He threatened to...."

"Tear off your head and spit down your neck?" suggested Blaine brightly. "I really wouldn't do anything foolish if I were you, Mister Richards. Lieutenant Hawkes is more than capable of carrying out that threat when he's well. And you wouldn't want any bad publicity."

"Lieutenant Hawkes? And I'd hardly call having him assault me bad publicity! And if he's a lieutenant, how the hell come he isn't at the front?" he snarled. Blaine observed him with distaste for a moment.

"Lieutenant Hawkes," she said coolly, "was shot in the line of duty and is here recovering from his serious wounds. Which you can be grateful for. Be thankful that he was in no condition to do more than promise a course of action."

Richards interrupted her. "Shot in the line of duty, indeed. He probably shot himself to get out of fighting. Everybody knows that tanks are cowards."

"Hardly," Blaine ground out. "And as for bad publicity, I was referring to the publicity this school, and you, would get if you made unfounded accusations against an injured hero."

"Hero!"

"Lieutenant Hawkes was shot when he took a bullet to save the life of Secretary General Hayden." Blaine paused to enjoy the look of stunned chagrin on Richards' face before continuing. "Yes, Mister Richards, that Lieutenant Hawkes. I know we can all sleep easily in our beds knowing that such brave men and women are out there protecting this planet. Especially as this is not the first time that Lieutenant Hawkes has risked his life to save others, nor the first time he is to be decorated for his bravery. I hear that they're thinking of giving him the congressional medal. If it hadn't been for the fact that Lieutenant Hawkes is an InVitro, he probably would have been awarded it by now."

She knew she was laying it on a bit thick, but Blaine wanted Richards in no doubt as to how his actions would be viewed by the world at large. The world needed heroes, and right now Cooper was one of them, both individually for his actions aboard the Saratoga, by virtue of being the 'tank' who had saved the life of the Secretary General as opposed to the 'tank' that had taken the life of the last one, and as a member of the infamous Wildcards. The press was having a field day with that. The papers had taken a distinct liberal turn for the most part since Hayden's appointment and the documentary from several months ago had helped. She wondered if Cooper knew about that. She guessed not. She guessed that he'd be terribly embarrassed.

So, with one last hard look at Richards, she collected her bag, and hurried back to this 'hero' and her favourite delinquent.

~*~

Madi hurried home after her meeting. Blaine had informed her of the days events, reassuring her that both Reece and Cooper were fine, just a little sore, and she'd left them both at home in good health with strict instructions for them to take it easy. Despite that she was still worried, cursing Richards the entire drive home. It was starting to snow, and despite the fact that the west coast of Scotland was mild enough to grow palm trees in the summer due to the Gulf Stream, it was going to be a cold night.

It took her almost twenty minutes to get home with the girls, as opposed to the normal five or ten. The house was dark, but she was reassured to hear the television as she opened the front door. The sound was coming from the bedroom. MTV. Although she didn't know it, it was much quieter than it had been earlier.

She stuck her head round the door, relaxing when she saw the scene in front of her. The fire was blazing brightly and Reece's portable was perched on top of the chest of drawers opposite the foot of the bed. The two men in her life were fast asleep on top of her bed, Reece's smaller body curled up with his head pillowed on Cooper's chest and one small hand lying limp across the width of Cooper's body. One of Cooper's arms was curled around him comfortingly.

She thought that it would be long time before she would be this happy again, and took it as a good sign of the things to come. She settled the girls in front of the tv in the front room, admonishing them to be quiet, and persuading them not to join the couple in the bedroom because they needed their sleep. And then she fetched her camera. She had no pictures of Cooper and few enough of Reece, who hated having his photo taken.

She watched as the flash disturbed Cooper slightly, making him shift position so that he now shielded Reece's body with his, still asleep. An unconscious gesture that touched her heart and brought tears to her eyes. And then she went to prepare dinner for them all, telling the girls that it was the onions she was peeling that were making her eyes glisten.

~*~

"War Child
Victim of political pride
Plant the seed
Territorial greed
Mind the War Child
You should mind the War Child."

"War Child" - The Cranberries, 1995

"Hello?"

"Hello, is that Mike Hanson, of the Daily Sentinel?"

"Speaking. Who is this?"

"Are you still looking for that ta.. InVitro. The one who took the bullet for Secretary General Hayden?"

"Who is this?"

"Are you?"

"Yes. Do you know where I could find Lieutenant Hawkes?"

"I think I might have something to interest you..."

After the conversation, Richards put the phone down, smiling viciously to himself. Lets see how that bitch coped with having newspaper reporters interrupting their idyll.

Warchild - Page 12
Warchild
WARCHILD: PART 12

"Madam Secretary, Michael Hanson from the Daily Sentinel is on the line for you. He says he has something of interest to tell you. Would you like to speak to him?"

"Yes, please Rachael. Put him through." Diane Hayden eased herself back in her chair, plastering a fake smile on her face.

"Mike, always a pleasure to speak to you. What can I do for you?"

"Actually its more along the lines of what I can do for you." Would the man never get to the point. She had little time for him, but it never did to alienate the press. The power of the pen and all that. Although personally she'd always found the sword to be pretty effective.

"I take it you're still interested in locating the young man who saved your life?" Diane leaned forward in her chair. At last.

"Who wouldn't be? I'd like the opportunity to thank him personally now that I understand that he's out of danger. I understand though that he isn't in hospital, and I haven't liked to pester the War Ministry. They have much more important things to worry about than the location of one injured soldier."

"Well, you'll be pleased to know that he's well on the road to recovery by all accounts and staying with his girlfriend in Scotland." Hanson told her the exact location.

"Well," said Diane smoothly. "If he's with his loved ones, perhaps I won't bother him. A letter should do for now. I'd hate to intrude." If he only knew just what an intrusion she was planning.

~*~

Diane Hayden stood at the window as if looking out over the snow-covered city. She could feel cool air on her face seeping in despite the thermopane, bullet-proof windows. June had loved snow; she should be here to enjoy this one instead of dead and buried in the old cemetery across town. Diane turned with a heavy sigh and made her way back to her desk to answer the buzz on her intercom. "Yes Rachael?"

"Mr. Samuel is here for his appointment."

"Show him in please." Diane sat down at her desk and wiped all expression off her face. Damn June. Damn her to hell for getting herself killed. Selfish bitch. How the hell was she supposed to function without June to run interference with characters like Samuel?

Diane dreaded this meeting. It was unbelievably risky but she had no one else whom she could trust. She took a deep breath and, as with so many other things she'd overcome in her life, she concentrated on just getting through this one thing. 'Get through this then it will be better.' She was tremendously strong willed. Diane Hayden would not have been pleased to learn that she had passed that strong will, along with several other traits, on to her son.

Her secretary opened the door and guided the man wearing dark glasses and wielding a white cane into Diane's office. Rachael was overcome with pity for these people who'd been born too late to benefit from the genetic manipulations that had eradicated blindness. She discreetly placed his hand on the back of the chair and left, closing the door behind her.

As soon as the door closed Samuel pulled the glasses down his nose and grinned rakishly at the Secretary General. "Peek-a-boo, darling." The cross hairs on his optical components would have given his identity away to a sighted person but Diane didn't need to see them to know what he was. She damned June once again for good measure before she began to deal.

"Samuel. I would lie and say it's good to have you here but I think we can dispense with the social niceties and get right down to business."

"Of course, Diane. I must say though, I feel rather honored to be here; June would never let me in these esteemed halls. Now, as you say, let's get down to business."

Diane pushed the file across to the AI, who took it and examined it minutely. "My, my and hasn't our Lt. Hawkes been a busy little bee? Quite an impressive record for an InVitro. What exactly is my role to be in his young life, Diane?"

"You're to end it, Samuel, and please do it without a lot of fuss or artistry. I've been trying to deal with this situation for several months and I've had one person after another fail. I wish I could see; I'd do it myself."

"Well, you know your wish is my command, petal, but my talents lie more in, shall we say, extracting than in exterminating? Why did you choose me, if I may be so bold as to ask?"

"Because killing him is the second part of the job, the first part is extracting. Extracting information to be exact. I want to know the name of the person who killed June Maddox. That person was aboard the Saratoga when I was there for the reception. A woman. I heard her screaming for help for …" She couldn't bring herself to say his name, "the tank. I want you to find out who she is and then we'll discuss my plans for her later."

Diane vividly recalled her anger that day when she'd inquired after the young marine only to be told he was alive. Severely wounded but alive. She'd been seething when the woman had spoken to her, chills ran down her spine just thinking of that voice. "Remember Samuel, don't kill him until I know the name of June's killer."

Diane withdrew a manila packet from her desk drawer and held it out to him. "Here's everything you'll need to get to him and back. I just found out last night they're hiding him in Scotland."

"Oh, Di, really. Scotland?! It's so damp in Scotland this time of year. Do you have any idea what that does to my circuitry, love?" Samuel glanced at each item in the envelope and counted the money before he looked back at her.

"Take a jacket and drink some oil, Samuel," Diane retorted, completely unmoved by the machine's plight. "Report back to me directly. I want to know the minute he tells you the name."

"Understood. Anything else?"

"Yes, one more detail. June tried to accomplish this task with the help of an Aerotech scientist. He failed. We need to let him know that failure does not go unrewarded." Diane picked up a grainy black and white satellite photo from her desk and handed it to him. "At first we only thought he had the daughter and originally I planned to eliminate her. But a recent check of the files brought up the grandson; a bad link to the site must have kept him out of the picture for years, he's nearly nine. I know how men are about male offspring so I think this might be the best way to go. After you deal with the tank I want the child dead, too; and make sure it's done in a way that no one will mistake it for an accident."

"Am I to assume that your sources are securely in place and that I will have complete instructions on how to find each of these individuals?"

"My sources are even better than usual, Samuel. They're together most of the time; find the kid and we'll have the tank. Keep the boy alive until you get the information, my sources tell me his mother is involved with our target. The child may be of use to us in the extraction process."

"I so admire the twisted way you think, dear, you're quite the little inspiration, Diane.

I do so hate to pollute our chat with financial matters but I know you're a woman who understands commerce. For the boy I'll want my usual fee, plus reimbursement for expenses; and for the darling of the show…let's say ten crates of M-590s with…oh…2000 rounds per unit?"

Diane looked shocked. "That's outrageous. Five crates of M-590s and you can provide your own ammunition."

"Seven crates and you only provide the ammunition if I get the name you want."

"Done. Once I have proof they're both dead and I have the name, I'll arrange for delivery."

"Diane, my love, it was a pleasure." He bowed mockingly, a gesture that she could make out somewhat with her sensor. Making a great point of using the cane, he made his way out of the office remarking to Rachael what a lucky girl she was to have such a kind-hearted employer.

~*~

Madi was busy with her usual morning routine, getting the girls and Reece ready for school and thanking her stars it was Friday, when McQueen called again. She was just backing out from under the Kelsey's bed triumphantly gripping a lost shoe when the phone rang. "Cooper, hon, get the phone?" she asked over her shoulder. He'd been leaning in the doorway watching the chaos with a grin of amazement. Mornings around here were a zoo, especially now that Richards, due to Blaine's persuasion, had agreed to let Madi keep the twins at night while she taking personal leave. He thought Madi could use a dose of military discipline to get these kids organized but knew better than to mention that when she looked so frazzled.

He ran downstairs and caught McQueen just as he'd been about to disconnect.

"Colonel!"

"Cooper. How are you?" McQueen smiled slightly, happy to see his youngest charge up and appearing so fit. He couldn't remember the last time he's seen Cooper grinning and looking so cheerful.

"Doin' good, Colonel. Reece took my stitches out last night and everything seems to be fine. Still a little sore but I'm tryin' to exercise it out. How are things there?"

"Pretty good, Hawkes. Quiet. We don't know what the Chigs are doing but they're not bothering us right now. I hear congratulations are in order for West, that he'll be a married man when he gets back to the Toga."

Cooper grinned even more thinking of Nate's happy face the times they'd talked. Nathan had changed and matured as they all had but his love for Kylen had only deepened. "Yeah, Nate's asked me to be his best man."

"That's why I called, Cooper, one reason anyway. One of the pilots sent to bring back the new Hammerheads has filed a request to fly back on a transport this week. I was wondering if you're up to flying a plane home? You'll be getting one anyway, might as well get some practice time on the way back to the 'Toga. Smoother than a transport and you can stay Earthside until the wedding - the planes are running a week off schedule."

Cooper was delirious with joy. Flying a new plane and another week with Madi. His expression answered McQueen's question. In a way, though Cooper would never know it, this was a gift to him from McQueen. He'd pulled every string he had to get the other pilot on a transport home so Cooper could fly back. Ty thought it might help to cheer him up, help him get back to his old self again and it wouldn't hurt as a lure to get him back to the Saratoga either. McQueen was pleased to see him looking so much better though he suspected he knew the cause and it wasn't a plane.

They talked about things aboard the ship and he updated Cooper on Vanessa and Shane and told him that if Ross could swing it they'd have a three day pass on Earth to see the wedding.

McQueen was in the middle of describing the flight path when Cooper looked away and caught a flying projectile in his arms that turned out to be a little girl. McQueen watched, absolutely speechless, as Cooper caught another one and was hugged by the two small, chattering children who each hugged him enthusiastically and mashed sloppy kisses to his cheeks before they disappeared with promises to be back in time to play marines. Cooper turned back to the screen with a goofy grin, only to turn blood red at the look on McQueen's face. "Uh, sorry, Colonel, it's time for the girls go to school," he finished sheepishly.

"Cooper, why are all those children there with Gibson?"

"They're Madi's, well Reece is, and she's working on getting the twins but she's tied up with legal complications right now. You'd like 'em, Colonel, they're cute as buttons."

"I'm sure they are." It was all McQueen could think to say. He was surprised by what he'd seen, taking in children didn't fit the mold he'd cast Madi into but he'd consider that later. That and a lot of other things, like how to get Cooper started in college as soon as possible and get his mind focused on a military career. He turned the conversation to the entrance exams and watched Cooper closely as he accepted the good news. As usual it was hard to tell what the young InVitro was thinking but McQueen knew he was considering his options. He started to cut the connection but something, morbid curiosity maybe, had him asking about Madi.

"How's Gibson?"

Cooper's smile and expression told him everything--the kid was fucking glowing. McQueen tried to hide his concern; this was exactly what he'd feared would happen when they sent him back to her. He could still hear her warnings from their time on the 'Toga.

"Madi's great. I'm gonna ask her to go to Nathan's wedding, maybe we'll see you there." McQueen nodded.

"Cooper…."

Cooper interrupted him, knowing what was coming. "Colonel, you know I'm not much with words so don't be mad if I say the wrong thing here but… Madi is not your ex-wife, she's just… Madi. I know you don't believe her but she does love me and I love her. And I want… I would like… you and her to get along… cause you're both the most important people I have. I don't want you fightin' with each other over me."

McQueen looked away from the screen, overwhelmed with emotions from Hawke's simple statement. The kid had it in a nutshell. He did dislike Madi because seeing her and Hawkes together reminded him of himself with Amanda. Ross had pointed it out to him first when he'd accidentally called her Mandy by mistake. Though he'd hated to hear it and had been furious at Glen he'd had to admit the truth to himself. He hoped he was wrong about Madi but he could never forget the hurt Amanda had caused him and he wouldn't wish that kind of pain on anyone.

"Cooper… be careful… that's all I ask. You're choosing the long row to hoe, son."

For once Cooper caught the gist of the slang. "I know it's not gonna be easy, Colonel, but we don't have any choice. It'll be hard for us to be together - but I don't think either of us can make it apart. That's all I know to tell you."

McQueen sighed and nodded. "That's enough, Cooper. Enjoy your week. I'll see you on the Saratoga in seven days." Cooper nodded and they ended the conversation.

Cooper was grinning like a cat that had eaten two canaries when he went back upstairs to give Madi the good news. He looked in the twins room first. She'd thrown the covers up in what passed for bed making to Madi. Cooper thought of Bougus seeing these beds and grinned - the man would stroke out. He took a minute to enjoy the girl's room. It was colorful and scattered with toys and books, child-size furniture, and a huge doll house full of Barbie dolls. A bright red version of the latest sports car caught his eye and he stooped to pick it up and admire it. Toys fascinated Cooper, especially miniatures like this one. He was spinning the tires with his finger when he felt the hairs on his neck stand up. He spun around to see Reece standing in the doorway and he relaxed. A little.

"Why aren't you in school?"

"I'm sick. Mom said I could stay home. How come you're playing with girl toys?"

Cooper looked at the car and blushed then hurriedly set it down on the nearest bookshelf. Reece almost smiled - sometimes this guy could be pretty funny.

"I was lookin' for Madi, you know where she is?"

"She's in the shower." Reece looked consideringly at Cooper for a moment. "You wanna see my room?"

Cooper couldn't have been more surprised. "Sure."

Reece led the way across the hall and watched Cooper with secret pride as he walked around in open mouthed amazement, looking at the myriad models of space ships that sat on shelves and hung from the ceiling by filament string. Cooper stopped outright in front of an exact scale model of a Hammerhead like the one he was flying now. He started to pick it up - - then glanced at Reece. "You can see my stuff," Reece offered. At least Cooper asked in a way - Billy Dunmoore picked up everything without asking and he always managed to break something before he left.

"These are great, Reece. Did you put all these together yourself?"

"Mostly. Mom helps some with the harder ones." Reece felt weird inside, good but weird, about showing his stuff to Cooper. Even if the marine was a pain it was nice to have another guy around. Lucas was rarely here and Madi and the girls just didn't appreciate things like models. "So, you ever see Hammerheads up close… Cooper?"

Cooper looked up in surprise and grinned. "Only about every day, Reece. I fly one," he held up the model, "just like this - only we're gettin' new models next week. I'll be flyin' mine back to the 'Toga."

Reece was stunned. Madi hadn't told him what Cooper did in the marines. Of course he hadn't asked, but gosh, an Air Cavalry pilot and she hadn't even mentioned it? Moms were really dense sometimes. Cooper continued to look at everything and Reece took the time to study him as Cooper glanced at his posters, his toys, and his photos. He watched as Cooper picked up a framed photo of Madi he kept by his bed and studied it, smiling slightly. Reece went over and took that away from Cooper and put it back with a look that said, "mine" but he wasn't ready for him to leave just yet. "So, you want to see my trains?"

"Okay." Cooper wondered if Madi would believe this. He also wondered if Reece was setting him up - just to be on the safe side he kept his back to the wall and his eyes on the kid at all times.

Madi, fresh from the shower, had finally traced them down and she stood at the door smiling at the scene in front of her. Cooper and Reece, on opposite ends of the track, of course, were playing with the train Thursday had bought Reece. She and her sisters spoiled the kids silly with expensive toys but Madi couldn't ask them to stop since she knew how much they enjoyed it. Reece was explaining each function as seriously as a college professor and Cooper was obviously mesmerised by the miniature train and the tiny buildings.

She suddenly realized he'd never played with toys and she felt the sting of tears in her eyes; at Reece's age he'd been floating in a tank of amniotic fluid. Madi thought again of Aerotech's horrendous crime against InVitros; not only to use the humans they created as slave labor and treat them as second-class citizens, but to deny them a childhood and family, the basic elements of humanity. She forced away the thought, Cooper wouldn't thank her for her pity, and silently went downstairs.

Reece was busy thinking and plotting. If Cooper was a pilot he could probably do math as well - Reece's real reason for being home. He'd just told Madi he felt bad because he wanted to keep an eye on Cooper but he was also behind in math. Madi couldn't help him - she was hopeless with numbers. Reece hated to ask anyone for help, even his teacher, Blaine. Cooper might be his salvation. He picked up his book bag and casually dropped down next to the busy marine, trying to figure out the best way to approach him.

"Uh, Cooper?" Cooper drug his eyes away from the trains to look at Reece. "Can you do this math problem?" Reece produced the computer notepad like a magician. Cooper looked at Reece, then the equation on the screen, then back at the trains.

"I can show you how to do it. If I do that can we hook those side tracks up and run both trains?"

Reece considered and nodded. "But you also have to tell me about flying Hammerheads - anything I ask, not just kiddie stuff. And I want to see that knife you have in your duffel bag. Deal?" Cooper wondered how he knew about that knife but he agreed and took the notepad without comment.

When Madi checked back in thirty minutes later her chin nearly hit the floor. Cooper was working furiously - rattling off math instructions to Reece who was punching them into the notepad as fast as his little fingers would go. Reece still looked plenty wary but at least this might be a start. She wasn't surprised at Cooper's math skills, he was right brained, same as Reece - at least her girls were literature bugs like her. Since they were apparently finishing up Madi stepped into the room.

"Reece if you're feeling better why don't you come down and eat breakfast?"

Cooper jumped up at the sight of Madi, remembering his good news and forgetting Reece's hostility. He grabbed her around the waist, pressing a soft kiss to her mouth. "Madi, I talked to McQueen - I'm here 'til Nate's wedding - seven more days before I have to report back." Cooper kept the news of the entrance exam to himself. He had some thinking to do about that and what it would mean to him and Madi.

"Oh Cooper, that's wonderful! Bless McQueen's tiny little heart." She kissed him back, thrilled at the prospect of more time together. They both became aware of Reece watching them with a dark scowl at the same time. Madi reached her hand out to him.

"Honey, we need to talk." She saw the fear in his eyes before he covered it with scorn and anger.

"I don't have anything to talk about, Madi - you said he was leaving."

Cooper stepped in to head off the confrontation. "Reece, in seven days. That's it and it'll be all yours again. Okay?"

Reece looked from on the other and suddenly bolted from the room and Madi heard the front door slam.

"Madi did I say the wrong thing?"

She looked after Reece with regret then she put her arms around Cooper's waist and laid her head on his chest, enjoying the way he pulled her close to him. "No, baby, nothing we say will be the right thing, but we have to tell him, even though he knows. He has to hear it from us, me, I guess. I wish I could fix things for him but Reece has always had to work out things by himself. He knows I love him but it'll hard for him to share. Be patient okay?" She waved at the train. "This was a good sign, Cooper, you broke through a little bit today. Keep it up and you two will be bestest buddies." She smiled up at him then, determined to enjoy the good news. "Now tell me about this new plan and our seven days."