Previously in Love Conquers All:

Maddy looked to her husband, "Minions?" "Don't even ask." he laughed, 'And Lizzie when did MJ become monkey?" "Oh you should have seen it. That boy was climbing everything in my house last night, and very well I might add." she told them at the memory, "well all you have to do is sign these and get dressed and you are free to go." Maddy took the papers from her mother and signed them quickly, "Alright babe, let's get out of here." It took Mark a good 20 minutes to walk them home, wheelchairs and gravel don't mix well. When they walked through the door Alicia was walking out of the twins room. "Well I just got them down for a nap. Now what is this important thing we need to talk about?" she asked sitting down on the couch. Maddy just sighed and sat down beside her, "It's about Zoe..."

After Jim left the command center he headed home looking for Zoe. On his walk there he tried to plan how he was going to tell Zoe about Maddy. His fatherly instinct was telling him it wasn't going to go well, but she had to know before she found out on her on and it was worse. He turned the normally 5 minute walk from command to his home, into a 20 minute walk dreading having to tell his youngest daughter that her sister was pregnant again.

Walking into his house he yelled, "Zoe, are you here?" "Yes Daddy. Just a minute and I will be ready. I took a shower once I got home to get the smell of the infirmary off of me." To this Jim laughed and hoped that it was a good sign that his instinct was a little off. "Ok sweetie. How about you put on your good shoes and we will take a walk to the orchard and get some apples and we can talk?" He said thinking this was the best way to start the conversation. Zoe replied with a very enthusiastic, "Yay! I've been wanting to go pick some apples and have Mom make a pie. Maybe we can give it Mads and she will feel better." As she finished her sentence she walked out of her room ready to go.

"So Daddy, why did we have to come all the way to the orchards just so we could talk? You could have just told me whatever you want to tell me at home," Zoe asked her father. Jim let out an exasperated huff of air and looked at his always curious and smart daughter. "How did you know I needed to tell you some-" he started before being interrupted. "Because you have the look you give me when you're worried about something." Zoe replied with a smirk. "Well Z, what I have to talk to you about has to do with your sister and what she found out a few days ago while she was in the infirmary." When he told her that Zoe began to freak out, "Maddy? What's wrong with Maddy? I thought she was getting out today, that's the only reason I came home." "Zoe, sweetheart, Maddy is fine," he said and then continued quietly, "and so is the baby."

"Baby!? Maddy is having another baby? She just had MJ and Maice! And Skye just had Lynlea. We don't need any more babies. Tell her she has to give it back Daddy. She can't have another baby. If she has another one no one is going to love me anymore and everyone is just going to forget about me!" By now Zoe was completely in tears and hysterics, and she got up and ran back toward the colony before Jim could say anything back to her.

"It's about Zoe," Maddy started, "we have to come up with fun way to tell her and maybe she will take it really well." Mark and Alicia looked at each other and simultaneously said, "A present!" "What do you mean a present?" Maddy asked utterly confused. "Mad she loves getting people presents and we know she loves getting them. We could get her maybe a necklace with a baby dinosaur on it and have it inscribed with something telling her what a great aunt she is." Mark said suddenly very excited. Alicia had already gotten up and found paper and was drawing it out when they heard a very urgent knock on the front door.

"Are you guys expecting anybody?" Alicia asked, while heading toward the door. "No." Mark and Maddy said in unison as Wash opened the door. "Oh hey Zo-" they all began when the youngest Shannon rushed through the door and stopped right in front of her siblings. "How could you?! I can't believe you would have another baby! I thought you guys loved me and liked having me around but I guess you and Josh are the same. Neither one of you care about me anymore so I'm just going to leave and not talk to you guys at all. And you can tell Josh the same thing." Zoe said through her tears to her sister and stormed right back out the door as Wash abruptly got her senses back and tried to stop her.

Maddy was crying by the time the front door closed and Mark still hadn't moved. Wash was by Maddy's side instantly trying to calm her down, while at the same time trying to get Mark to say or do something, anything. "Mads it's ok. She didn't mean it. She is just upset. She will get over it and be happy for you in no time." Alicia was saying over and over again while rubbing Maddy's back. When Maddy winced and let out a soft cry a few minutes later was when Mark finally regained control and wrapped Maddy in a tight embrace with her head on his chest and him kissing her temple.

"No it's not going to be ok! She has never said anything like that to me before. She has never been that mad at anyone in her entire life." Maddy sobbed into her husband's chest. "Shh baby. Everything will be okay we will talk to her and she will calm down. But you just got out of the infirmary and you can't be this stressed out right now. Remember the doctor told you to take it easy." Mark cooed trying to alleviate some of his wife's tears and raspy breaths. "I hope you're right," was the only response Maddy could muster before she cried herself to sleep.

When Jim finally regained control, he immediately got out his com and called the commander. "Nathaniel come in? Nathaniel please answer." Not even a second later he was answered by an obviously concerned Taylor, "Shannon? Jim, what's wrong?" "It's Zoe. I told her about Maddy and she ran off before I could stop her. Can you look around the colony and see if you can find her? I'm on my way there now." Jim told his friend all in one breath. "I'm on it. I'm leaving my office right now. I'll let you know if I find her." Commander Taylor said getting straight up from his desk and swinging his office door open, running.

Nathaniel Taylor had only been looking for about 3 minutes before he saw a little girl hysterically crying hidden by the far wall of the colony. He silently walked over to the child and bent down putting a hand on her shoulder, "Zo?" She instantly looked up and upon recognizing him threw herself in his arms, causing him to fall with a very audible thud. "Nate I can't believe Maddy and Mark and Josh and Skye would do this to me. They know that after Lynlea was born I had a rough time 'cause nobody loved me anymore." The older man repositioned himself against the fence and rubbed the little girl's back soothingly. "Zoe, the twins, Lynlea, and Maddy being pregnant again has nothing to do with your brother and sister not loving you. Just because they have children to worry about now doesn't mean they care about you any less. They need you now more than they ever have. Have you noticed how much they like it when you come over just to play with the kids, or how much you help them when they are just so tired and need a quick nap so you watch the babies so they can sleep for just a little while?" he asks as soon as Zoe's sobs slow down.

"No. Not really." She replies looking up at him wiping her eyes. "Z your brother and sister, and Mark and Skye love you so much and they would never do anything to intentionally hurt you." "I know. But they are always around the babies and never just come to see me like they used to." Zoe tells him. "Yes that's true, but only because the babies are so small right now when they get older they are going to need you to help them with their schoolwork or help make dinner, all kinds of stuff." Taylor tries to reason with her. "I already get to help feed them and give them baths. And get to dress them and play with them," Suddenly Zoe realizes something, "Oh no Nate! I told Maddy and Mark that I never want to talk to them again! And I said to tell Josh the same thing! They are never going to forgive me." Nathaniel gently grabbed her face to make her look at him and replied, "Sweetheart if there is one thing I know for sure is that they will always forgive you. Because that's how much they love you and that's what families do." "Really? Thank you Nate. I have to go talk to brother and sister now." She said hugging the commander and getting up. "Slow down there kiddo. I have a way to get you there faster. Come with me." He told Zoe while getting up and waking toward the command center once more.

Hey everyone. Sorry it's been years since I posted but I have been so busy and honestly just haven't had the time. But here is the next chapter and i hope you all enjoy it! Let me know what you think in a review!