Chapter 3: Family

Maddy stared at the door apprehensively before she looked at Alicia, who was standing next to her. The older woman looked at her before she steeled herself.

"It's best to get it over and done with," she told Maddy, who nodded. "Remember, they love you." Maddy gave her a small smile. Alicia placed a hand on her shoulders, squeezing it gently.

Maddy opened the door, stepping into the house with Alicia following her. Alicia closed the door gently behind her, not wanting to startle anyone.

Maddy took in her surroundings; Jim and Elisabeth were in an embrace in the kitchen, Jim talking in a low voice to his wife, who clung to him. Josh was pacing the hallway while Taylor was sitting on the couch next to the kitchen. On the other couch across from him were Mark and Zoe.

Zoe was curled up in Mark's arms, dozing while he gently stroked her hair, his eyes looking off into space.

Feeling eyes on him, Mark turned his head and his blue eyes locked with her brown ones. Relief filled them, making them bluer and he smiled.

"Maddy," he said softly, startling everyone as they turned to see Maddy standing in the hallway looking lost.

"Hi," she greeted softly. There was silence for a moment before Elisabeth let out a choked sob, breaking free from her husband's embrace and wrapping her daughter up in her arms. Jim came up behind Elisabeth, his arms sliding around his wife and daughter. Josh came up behind Maddy, wrapping his arms around her waist. "I'm sorry," Maddy whispered.

"It's okay, sweetie." Elisabeth pulled back, her hands going to her daughter's cheek. "Just…talk to us? Please sweetie? I don't want to come back to find you gone like this again. You scared us." Maddy nodded before Elisabeth enveloped her in another hug.

"I'm sorry," Josh whispered into his sister's ears. She turned her head to look at him. "I promise I'll help you out with Zoe from now on. She's my sister as well and I shouldn't have gotten too caught up." She just gave him a smile as he kissed the side of her head, burying his face into her hair.

"I'm sorry too," Jim spoke up, his voice hoarse and Maddy looked up at him. "I should have never assumed that you were okay with me going to jail then coming back into your life like that."

"Daddy," Maddy shook her head as Elisabeth and Josh pulled away from them.

"You never showed any resentment that I just thought…"

"Dad," she cupped his cheeks, stopping him and he looked at her. "I could never blame you for going to jail. You were trying to protect Zoe. I would have done the same." Jim chuckled as a brief smile crossed his daughter's face. "Daddy, I missed you," Maddy admitted as tears slipped down her cheeks. "I really thought I wasn't going to get to see you again."

"Sh," Jim wrapped his daughter up in his arms. She clung to the back of his shirt.

"That's why I worry about you and mom being in danger. I just got you back and I don't think I could bear it if I lost you again."

"Maddy," Jim pulled away so he could look his daughter in the eye. "I'm never going to leave you or your brother or Zoe or your mother again. I will do everything in my power to come back to you. I promise you." She nodded. "Next time, tell us," Jim cupped his daughter's cheeks. "Don't hide it from us. It hurts us more to know you have a fake smile on than a real one. All we ever wanted was you to be happy, all three of you." Jim looked at Josh as well before his eyes slipped over to where Zoe was still slumbering in Mark's arms before he looked down at his eldest daughter. "And I promise that we'll start helping out more with Zoe. You're right; she does need all of us."

"I love you, dad," Maddy told him with a bright smile. Jim smiled back, pleased to see the happiness in his daughter's eyes.

"I love you too," he pulled her back into his embrace before looking at Elisabeth, who was beaming as she and Josh held each other in a sideway hug. Alicia and Taylor were standing near the door. Taylor had a small smile on his face while Alicia's eyes looked suspiciously wet.

"You know, we're kinda missing someone," Josh spoke up and they looked toward him before following his line of sight as he looked toward Mark, who was still cradling the sleeping Zoe.

Mark just gave them a smile of amusement, looking down at the sleeping girl.

"Hey, Zoe," Mark gently shook Zoe awake. She came to, mumbling his name before she looked up at him.

"Yeah?" she yawned and Mark grinned, looking over to where Maddy was. Zoe's eyes followed his before she saw Maddy and a bright smile lit up Zoe's face.

"Maddy!" Zoe cried, slipping out of Mark's arms and running across the room. Maddy smiled as she knelt down, opening her arms for her sibling to enter them. Zoe entered them with enough force to almost topple Maddy but she just laughed as she regained her balance. "I missed you."

"Sorry for scaring you," Maddy told her sister, hugging her tightly. Zoe shook her head as she pulled back, one hand reaching over to the table where she grabbed the paper.

"I drew you a picture," Zoe told her, handing her the paper. Maddy took it to see it was a picture of her playing with Zoe and Mark. Jim and Elisabeth were holding hands while Josh was sitting on the ground playing his guitar.

"I love it," Maddy told Zoe with a bright smile. Zoe gave her a smile back before her features turned solemn.

"Do you feel better?" she asked. Maddy's smile slipped a little. "Mark said you were tired and that you needed to cry." Maddy glanced at her Mark over Zoe's head before she looked at Zoe with a smile and she nodded.

"I feel much better, thank you," Maddy assured her, kissing Zoe on the forehead. Zoe nodded before she let out a big yawn and Maddy chuckled, "Looks like someone is still tired." She stood up.

"Bedtime for you, angel," Jim stepped closer, eyeing his youngest daughter before looking at his watch and his eyes went wide. "You're never up this late!" Zoe giggled at her father dramatics.

"On that note, we should leave," Taylor spoke up, looking at Alicia, who nodded in agreement.

"Yes, come along Mark," she looked over to where Mark got up from the couch and he walked over to them. Maddy opened her mouth to say something but someone else had gotten there first.

"Can Mark tuck me in?" Zoe piped up and everyone looked down at the youngest member as she looked up at them with a hopeful expression. Alicia looked away with a smirk playing on her lips when she saw Mark crumble under the pleading gaze of Zoe's.

"Fine," Jim groaned and Zoe beamed as she turned to Mark, her arms lifted up in a silent plea to be lifted. Mark lifted her up before heading over to the bedroom.

"I'll go with him, I need to talk to him," Maddy told them and they nodded as Maddy followed Mark, closing the door behind her and shutting out the rest of the group to anything private.

She turned around to see Mark helping Zoe into her bed. Zoe gave him a sleepy smile as he tucked the covers around her.

Mark turned around only to falter when he saw Maddy standing there with a small smile.

"You are really good with her," she moved closer to him, looking down at her sleeping sister before she looked up at him.

"I'm sorry," he told her. Her smile faded, her expression turning confused. "I shouldn't have told them." Maddy shook her head. She moved in closer, sliding her arms around his neck and pulling him in for a hug.

Mark was still for a moment before he wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her close to him. He buried his face into the side of her neck, the damp hair brushing against his cheek.

"Thank you," Maddy whispered as she pulled away to look into Mark's eyes, "For trusting me." Mark frowned. "I know it was hard to let me walk away. I wanted to ask you to come with me but it was something I needed to do by myself." He let out a soft laugh.

"I was tempted to drag you back to your house," he admitted and she giggled, nodding before it gave way to seriousness.

"And I'm not angry you told my parents," she told him. He stared at her and she bit her bottom lip. "I think it actually got through to them better than I would have. Because you were the one to tell them, not me which indicates how strongly I feel about it."

"Really?" he asked, wanting to make sure and she nodded. "At least you're not mad at me about it. I'm not so sure about your father." Maddy smiled as she dropped her arms, letting her hands rest on his arms.

"Alicia told me that you refused to tell them where I was. I think he was mostly angry that you were the one who knew, not him. When I was younger and I wanted to hide away, I had this secret place in our house. Dad was the only one who could find me and he just knew what I was upset about. For you to know and not him, I think he must have felt that you were replacing him."

Mark nodded; it made sense to him, especially when he remembered the flash of heartbreak and despair in the father's eyes when he had refused to let him know where Maddy was.

"Your parents were worried about you, it was strange," Mark admitted. "Mostly it's you I see that is worried about someone so seeing your parents that worried…they really do love you." Maddy just smiled before she remembered something.

"Oh," she lifted her hands up, grabbing the cord that held his tags. "Here," she removed the tags and dropped them into Mark's hand. He immediately pulled it over his head, slipping them under the collar of his shirt. "Alicia told me that you're going to get into trouble for giving them to me." His eyes widen. He bit his bottom lip before licking it.

"Maddy…" she shook her head, giving him a small smile.

"I understand why you gave them to me," she assured him before the smile faded and she gazed at him sternly. "But if you ever do that again when you're working, I'll kick your ass." Mark stared at her for a long moment before he grinned.

"Alright, I promise," he assured her and she smiled, giving him a nod. "Are you sure you're alright?" She nodded and Mark could see the difference in her, she looked lighter than she did before.

"Yeah, it was nice to talk to someone who understood what I was feeling," she admitted with a disbelieving smile before she shrugged. "And I feel I understand your job a bit better."

"Yeah?" he asked with a smile and she nodded.

"I'm always going to worry about you, my mom and my dad but knowing that you will do everything it takes to get home in one piece, that gives me a piece of mind. Alicia says you need to have faith so I think I can do that," she told him with a smile.

"And maybe the next time you won't go out in the rain?" he asked, tugging gently on her damp hair. "You are gonna get ill." She giggled, rolling her eyes.

"Just don't get in danger in the rain and I won't need to go and cry in the rain," she told him. Mark nodded.

"I think I can try and do that," he said and she smiled. "So…how about a date?" he asked. "Just the two of us so you can relax." She smiled.

"That'd be nice, let just go somewhere where problems can't follow us," she told him before peering at him hopefully. "How about OTG, since I'm not allowed to go there without you…" Mark narrowed his eyes playfully at the young woman before him.

"I'll think about it," he promised her and she nodded before there was a knock at the door. They turned to see the door sliding open and Alicia standing there with a knowing look on her face.

"We really should be leaving. Most of us have to get in whatever sleep we have left as we have an early morning," she told them. They nodded as they separated and made their way into the living room where Taylor was talking to Jim in low tones. Taylor was smiling, amused while Jim just seemed pleased before both men shook hands.

They turned when they heard footsteps and Taylor nodded to Mark.

"Are you ready to leave?" he asked and Mark nodded before turning to Maddy.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" he asked and she nodded, giving him a bright smile before she pushed herself onto her tip-toes, kissing him on the cheek.

"See you tomorrow," she assured him, both of them blushing lightly. Alicia snickered before she grabbed the back of Mark's collar.

"Come on lover-boy. You can be back on the love-train tomorrow," she gently pushed him out of the door, giving Maddy a wink before waving to Jim, Elisabeth and Josh. Taylor just chuckled as he came to a stop in front of Maddy.

"I'm glad you're safe, Miss Shannon," he told her.

"Thank you for bringing my parents back, Commander Taylor," she told him with a smile. He just tipped his head before giving the family a short wave and followed his second-in-command and her subordinate.

Maddy closed the door behind them before she turned to face her family only to be enveloped in her mother's arms once more. "I love you, mom," she whispered, hugging the older woman. Elisabeth just smiled as she pulled away so she could look into her daughter's face, one hand coming up to stroke Maddy's cheek.

"I love you too, sweetie, and I am really sorry for scaring you tonight. I promise things will change from now on," she assured her daughter, who just nodded. Elisabeth's hand went to her daughter's hair and frowned in concern. "But first thing first, you need a hot shower before you catch a cold." Maddy giggled, hugging her mother again.

~_F_~

"So, what punishment should we give him?" Taylor asked as looked at his Second-in-Command, who shrugged. Mark Reynolds was currently in the middle between them with his head hung low.

"I guess we could always make him go on the expeditions with the scientists, to babysit them," Alicia suggested and got a wince from the young man.

"Hm, that means going OTG. He could consider that as a reward," Taylor pointed out, stroking his chin but Alicia shook her head.

"Not if it keeps him away from Miss Shannon, which I know he won't want to do for the next few days," Alicia pointed out and Mark looked at his boss with a look of horror.

"Ah, I can see the attraction in that suggestion," Taylor agreed and Mark looked at him with the same horror. "I'm sure Jim Shannon would like that." Mark winced even harder.

"Or maybe we should assign him to an outpost for the next few weeks?" Alicia offered up and got a groan from Mark. She chuckled as Taylor reached out, patting Mark's shoulder in comfort, watching as the young man turned to their commander.

"We're not going to punish you," he told him. Mark's pained look turned to one of shock as they reached his house. All three of them came to a stop as Taylor turned to face Mark with a hard look. "But if you ever give anyone your tags again when you're working, I will guarantee that you will be put in the brig then assigned to the furthest outpost there is." Mark nodded, getting the message and Taylor smiled.

He looked at Alicia, giving her a nod too. "I'll be heading back to the command base. I shall see in all in a few hours." He left them alone knowing that Alicia needed to talk to Mark.

"Is he serious?" Mark asked as he led the way up to his house. "I mean about me not getting punished?" Alicia nodded.

"He understands why you did it," Alicia assured him before she narrowed her eyes at the young man before him as they entered his house, standing his hallway. "But don't think that will get you off the hook with me. For giving your tags away…I'm making you take over the training class in my place."

Mark groaned, his head falling back as a wry smile crossed his lips before he looked at Alicia and nodded.

"Okay, I'll take them," he told her and she nodded before crossing her arms.

"I don't know if I should smack you over the head for being an idiot or to hug you for being a good boyfriend to Maddy," she informed him. Mark just stared at her. "So, I'm going to do both." She slapped Mark up the back of his head, getting an 'Ow!' from him as he rubbed the back of his head only to be envelope in a hard hug. "You are an idiot," she told him as she back away before smirking. "But then again, you're an idiot in love." Mark stammered and Alicia arched an eyebrow in amusement. "Mark, you gave her your tags. If that doesn't speak of strong feelings, I don't know what does."

"It scares me," he blurted out and Alicia looked at him. "How much I really care for her. I want to protect her and seeing her upset just tears out my heart." She gave him a fond smile.

"She feels the same," Alicia told him as she backed out the door.

"How do you know?" Mark asked and Alicia smirked as she turned around.

"Look at your tags," she ordered him, giving him a backhand wave as she walked away. Mark watched her go with a confused frown. He closed his door, turning around and resting his back against the metal.

He picked up his tags and switched it on, frowning when he saw the familiar picture of Maddy and Zoe. He flicked his fingers and it switched to Maddy. One more flick and his jaw dropped, his eyes widening in shock before a bright smile crossed his face.

On the screen was Maddy and Alicia in a sideway hug, smiling brightly into the camera. There were tear tracks on Maddy's cheeks and Alicia's eyes were slight wet which told him that they had taken the photo sometimes tonight.

His finger went to Maddy's cheek as he remembered her words about faith and he promised that he would never do anything to destroy that faith in her. After all, they were his two reasons to make it back home every night.

The End

I ended the angst with a semi-fluffy chapter, hoped this appealed to everyone…

Back to my one-shots! Got a whole list of them that I feel like Fanfiction Santa Claus!