Fandom Into the fire (1x1 MzHyde/Gallifrog)

[_gallifrog_]

The rest went up in their own ways, most using parkour, but Chas simply used the ladder that had been conveniently bolted to the side of the building, allowing for easy roof access. The roof sloped gently, making it ideal to lie on, and to place things on, knowing they wouldn't roll away. Rinaa was by the chimney and had removed the false panneling from the side, revealing a large cavity that stretching into the roof jambs. She reached inside, pulling out some blankets, an old hammock and two hoodies before reaching the more important stuff underneath- the biscuits, crisps and booze.

Rinaa pulled out the cheese and onion crisps, balled up the hoodie behind her head, and lay down on the roof. Jay followed suit, and after a few minutes, John and Chas sat down with their feet dangling over the edge. The daytime view was nothing special, but they were able to see the comings and goings of people in the base. Cliff vanished into the forge when she saw Cal arrive back.

 

[MzHyde]

When Chas used the ladder, Kay mentally kicked herself for not noticing it and using that as it's be much safer. She decided when it came to coming back down, she'd use the ladder going down. She noticed how Rinaa knew exactly where to go to grab the blankets and snacks. Before she sat down next to John so he was in the middle between her and Chas. The only difference was that Kay sat with one leg folded up and one.leg dangling off the side of the edge to look out.

The view may not have been much, but she w still enjoyed it. She spent so much of her time people watching that this didn't much different. It was a few minutes later when she noticed Cliff down below walk back inside, which she took as Cal coming back. She felt like if she had a book right now she could stay up there and read for hours on end. A bit like what she did back at John's that one time, when AJ's gang all were sat around and she didn't noticed who they were. It was then, she took her jacket from John finally, and draped it over her shoulders. She wasn't cold enough to out it on properly, but she just wanted the security it always gave her.

 

[_gallifrog_]

Jay and Rinaa started talking, despite both being fluent in English, they both found another language easier- Jay's native language. The conversation was hesitatant at first, with long exhalations of air and pauses for thought from both parties. But it quickly began to flow, and was soon punctuated by snigger as they started listing stupid things they had done in their lives. John and Chas didn't understand a word being said, but it was evident from their reactions what was the subject matter of the conversation.

John and Chas talked about mundane stuff, before turning their attention to the passers by in the distance, picking one at random and creating a ridiculous life story for them. They also helped themselves to the stash, which really was just junk food. Cliff wouldn't emreg for another ten minutes or so, allowing them both time to relax and stretch out on the roof, which was warmed by the furnaces and the fires inside the forge. The heat also served as a handy method to keep the roof free of ice in the winter.

 

[MzHyde]

Eating the conversation going on behind her from Jay and Rinaa and the one next to her happening between John and Chas, Kay was the only one not involved in any kind of chit chat with people. She was on the outside, or so she felt. She didn't begrudge the men their concerns time though, she just stared out at the world, making herself just space out. The quickly becoming habit of her hand on her torso happening again, and out of nowhere she just quietly hummed to herself a song she had never heard before, so where the turn came from she didn't know.

But the song was there and she knew, the moment she got back to earth, she'd need to work on it more. It felt like her daughter was channeling it to her in a weird way, or was it just her motherly mindset channeling it? She didn't know. She had to be the only one not helping herself to the stash of junk food, and she certainly wasn't going to go for the alcohol at hand. If her rational brain kicked in, she probably should eat something but she just didn't think about it.

 

[_gallifrog_]

The relative quietness was broken by Cal sticking her head out of the door and calling at the roof crew for the next lot to come down. She didn't know who was next, and Cliff hadn't had the opportunity to inform her, so she went for the most direct way that wouldn't give anything away. Upon hearing that John gave Kay a nudge to make sure she knew what was going on. "That's us then." He simply said. "I know you don't need it, but good luck anyway." Chas directed his remark at the two of them. John nodded, appreciating the gesture before sliding down the ladder to the ground.

He waited for Kay at the bottom, while Cal and Cliff made their way back up. John was nervous for the next part. He wasn't sure how Elliott would react to everything they were about to lump on him, and that worried him. The last thing he wanted to was to create some kind of void or awkwardness between them. This conversation ha the potential to reshape the whole dynamic between the two of them, and quite honestly John didn't want that to change. What the two of them had was special. For the second time that day he began to chew at the loose skin on the side of his thumbs.

 

[MzHyde]

Kay snapped out of her thoughts when John gave her a nudge. Had it really come to this moment already? Kay wondered where the time went, even if it was just s fee minutes. Nodding in response to his comment, and to Chas', she stood up, pulled her arms through her jacket so she was wearing it properly and then proceeded to climb down the ladder after John. She noticed how nervous he was, and the thumb chewing. She would say she wasn't nervous, but that'd be an utter lie and she had noticed lately how well John could tell if she was lying or not. She just took his hand reassuringly. "It'll be okay" she said, but it was also reassurance for herself as well as him.

She walked back into the forge with John to see Elliott once more. She really hoped that the dynamic wouldn't change the two of them as well, as it was a perfect duo. If anything changed she would feel incredibly guilty and blame herself 100%, even if neither of them did, she would have. If that happens, she wouldn't know how she'd react or what she'd go and do so she had to keep thinking Elliott would take it well. "Hey Ell..." She greeted him, wondering who out of the two of them, John wanted to say the news.

 

[_gallifrog_]

John nodded, not believing her words even though he knew they were true. "Hey kiddo, how are you taking everything?" he asked, walking into the forge. He wasn't doing this to stall he genuinely cared how Elliott was taking everything thrown at him. The two hugged, they were identical, which made John realise that Rinaa's hair meant she was taller than both of them. But take away the hair, she still wouldn't be that much shorter than Elliott. "It's easier to wrap my head around than I'd first thought. Just had to let the shock factor wear off first." "Fair enough" this was boding well, not just for his news, but for everything. "So what do you think of it all?.... It was weird enough for us to find out, let alone you."


"Weird is an understatement. Cliff seems awesome, if slightly terrifying, and the two of them really do love each other. You know, she's one of the few people I actually remember from Attil?" "Hells, really?" John was surprised, he'd forgotten that Elliott had remembered Cliff the day before. "Yeah, she came here when she was fourteen or fifteen, so my last year or so. I don't remember her life story, I didn't really know her. The only reason I do remember her is because she was this blond cryokinetic from off-world who not only deaf, but didn't take anyone's shit, and used to piss Cal off by throwing ice and snow at her." "Don't think she's changed much in anything, except the hair." John smirked.

Elliott nodded in agreement. "And the other bombshell?" John asked. Elliott ran a hand through his hair, before answering, "I think I'm dealing pretty well the other bombshell. Not saying it isn't incredibly weird though. To have not only a daughter, but one whose dying, and as stupidly stubborn as both myself and Jay, along with being self-destructive, it's a lot to take in. Doesn't quite feel real, so the real test is when I actually meet her." "I'm not gonna bullshit you, but your kid isn't really coping with life as a whole, but thats kind of to be expected when you're dying. But despite basically only seeing her flaws, I think she's a better person deep down than she perceives herself to be. She has depths, that are slowly coming to life." The description sounded kind of like one of John and Elliott picked up on that.

(Happy 2020)

 

[MzHyde]

Kay let John take the lead when it came to this whole thing. He needed to just be the concerned dad to Elliott first before dropping the whole 'you're gonna be a brother' news on him, and she totally understood that. She listened to the two of them talk, and just nodding in acknowledgement of as a response to what Elliott had to say about Cliff and Rinaa. When John described Rinaa, she looked at him and could t help but smile slightly, because Elliott wasn't the only one who picked up on how it felt more of a description of John.

"Rinaa is a good kid" Kay couldn't believe she was actually saying those words, but she never said anything she didn't mean. Sure, they didn't say eye to eye, and came to blows a lot, but when they had their chat she was seeing another side to Rinaa that made her think differently about her. She then wondered how they were gonna tie this subject into their own news. "On the same subject of family...how much more do you think you can handle?" She asked, tactfully.

(Happy new year )

 

[_gallifrog_]

Elliott knew that until he actually met Rinaa, the news wouldn't have fully sunk in yet. He could still kid himself that it was some kind of joke, even though he knew it wasn't. He raised an eyebrow at Kay's remark. He'd suspected something was up when both of them arrived together, Jay had warned him the day before that he'd missed a lot. (though that had been her opening statement before launching into an explanation about Rinaa). "depends on what exactly you want to tell me, though judging by John's hands, it's something he's nervous about, which is very unusual for him."

John looked down, and saw the blood and loose skin crusting around the side of his thumb, both from chewing at it a few minutes ago, and back in the medlab. "You noticed that?" "Course I did, and besides, in every photo of you as a kid and as a teenager you either have badly bitten nails or badly bitten fingers. Though that stops when you get into the later photos. Therefore it has to be a nervous trait of some kind." And re-emerged in some of the photos after Ravenscar, but then vanished again. "Huh" John remarked, mainly to himself on that. When Elliott said it, he realised Elliott was right. "So what did I miss?"

 

[MzHyde]

Kay noted his reaction to her vague question. She was still computing how to go about everything and was still building her sentences in her mind. She took on board his reply and glanced at John before back at Elliott. She had noticed it was a nervous trait of John's as well, and she o up saw him do it twice, but even she could notice a nervous habit from a mile away. Rinaa did the same thing earlier. Then Elliott pressed for what he had missed when it came to her and John.

"I really don't know how to tell you Ell, but we both decided it was better coming from both of us. But... You pretty gathered a while ago there's something between myself and John before all of...this" she gestured for the whole situation and coming back to Attil before continuing. "well...you're not just a dad..you're gonna be a big brother..." She tried to form the words as best she could, but she didn't know how to say it without it coming out abruptly. She figured this was the best way, and the only she could figure out.

 

[_gallifrog_]

When it came to what exactly to say to Elliott, John would have probabaly said the exact same thing as Kay, just got the words out as quickly as possible, there was no point in trying to sugar coat it. Elliott's face went through about seventeen different emotional states in the space of two or three seconds. The first part wasn't that surprising at all, he'd known something was up, John had even said so that one night, he didn't know the depths, and the fact that there was a prophecy involved. But Elliott had known that whatever it was between John and Kay, it was different to any other relationship. In the end, the only thing he could say to this new information was a shocked "Blooooody Hells, really?"

John nodded "Yeah, a sister to be exact, we only found out for certain this morning." "Yet I sense there is more to this story?" There always was when it came to John, so Elliott was technically bluffing on that. He didn't know if there was more to the story, but this was one of the few circumstances where such a bluff wouldn't be called. "Yeah, there is more, and like everything else about our collective lives, it's pretty weird." "How weird?" "Try telepathic communication from the future weird"

 

[MzHyde]

Kay watched Elliott's face show all the many different emotions and expressions in just those few seconds. She wondered if she had said it the right way and was now worried about his reaction. She didn't want to balls it up for John, and was paranoid she was going to ruin everything. Then Elliott eventually said something and she internally sighed with relief that he finally spoke, and said a similar thing to how they reacted.

She let John take over for the next bit and just like Elliott bluffed, there was alot more to the story. She let them talk as John explained how weird it is. "I guess we should start from the beginning in explaining..." She began, even though it was a bit pointless starting from then now. "On our way here, I started hearing someone talking to me telepathically and it wasn't Fee. That much was certain because the tone was completely different and I kept hearing the voice calling me mum. Like... The kind of call where you're trying to snap out someone out of their thoughts kind of deal? Anyway...I never said anything because I thought it was nothing, it was mixed with some kind of tune. But it wouldn't stop and one night I ended up sleep walking...yeah, that's a whole different story." She added, then she continued, "I'm sleep walking through the ship, end up in engulfed in fire and John is dead to the world, until our daughter is screaming at him telepathically to go find me" she explained, figuring by this point, the rest is better coming from John.

 

[_gallifrog_]

Elliott listened carefully as Kay told her side of the story. He hadn't been expecting any of this, but nothing about his family and friends was ever normal. The first point he went to raise when she finished her story was about how somebody had gotten inside of John's head. It wasn't an easy, his mind was so filthy that tekepaths and empaths stayed miles away from it. So for somebody to gte through they'd either need a high tolerance to John's mind, or experience getting in. He suspected it was the latter of the two. "I know what you are thinking, but all the usual walls and crap were up while I was sleeping, and we both know how damn hard it is to get into my head."

"At first I dismissed the voice, because it is pretty normal to have random voices bitching at or insulting me while I sleep. Then it called me 'Dad', and yes, I did wonder if it was you for a fraction of a second." "But since I don't call you that, and never have, you knew it was somebody else." "Bingo. So I woke up, fond Jay doing the human torch impression....which is terrifying your kid..... Did Jay tell you she has a fear of fire?" "Yes, she did." "So she's half shifted out of fight or flight, but we didn't know until the next morning what she actually was. And I haven't heard anything from her telepathically since." John hadn't brought this up, but high level telepaths really annoyed him, although that could just be because of Boston Brand and his attempts to get inside John's head.

 

[MzHyde]

Kay let John explain his side of things, as for obvious reasons she wasn't even aware of half the crap he witnessed until he told her when she came to...thanks to him throwing shit at her head. Something that she'd leave out. She could see Elliott processing everything they were telling him. She was still scared what he truly thought, in fact she was ready to leave if things didn't go the way she hoped they would. "Like John, I've not heard anything from her either since. So I have no idea why she insisted on communicating then and not since." She explained.

"Then today I wake up bombing it to your sister's bathroom being sick. Scaring the crap out of everyone including myself, and after much stern talking to by Cliff, they leave me alone and fast forward a trip to the med lab with John, we found out I'm pregnant with said daughter" she rounded up the story of how they found out she was pregnant, but of course there was the whole part of the information of she would be in their lives in just a mere 6 months and the moment she gets back to earth every demon and downworlder kind would be after herself and the kid.

"And I hate to add more but there is more importantly information Elliott..." She trailed off.

 

[_gallifrog_]

Elliott once again listened as Kay spoke, seeing no need to interrupt or ask for clarification on anything. He felt with her it would be easier to have the whole story told, then ask for clarification. Cliff did tell him she was a doctor, and pulled shifts both on the wards, the operating theatre and the labs, so it didn't come as a surprise that she'd taken charge of the situation. The story of how they found out was actually normal by any standards, but when Kay delivered her last line, he internally groaned at more thing sbeing thrown at him. He didn't show it outwardly of course, the two of them were still dealing with it, and it really wasn't their fault.

"And that is?" His tone was gentle

 

[MzHyde]

She was thankful that Elliott was being so damn patient with the two of them and letting her talk before saying anything. She hoped John would have added the information but it looked like it was down to her, so she gathered all the courage she could to say what had to be said. This was the bit she was most worried about when it came to Elliott's reaction. She didn't want to put the pressure of him being a protective big brother so soon, and she hoped he wouldn't feel obligated to, but if she didn't say it, it would only eat her up inside. Not to mention, she was certain that if anything happened, Elliott would give them a bollocking for not warning him beforehand.

"Phoenix pregnancies...it's not the same as human ones. Instead of 9 months, it only takes 6months and Fee warned us about something important..." She took a deep breath, she hated having to say this but out loud. "Because she's half phoenix and half mage? Her soul is more lucrative than mine. Which means the moment we're back on earth? We're both in danger...she's the first phoenix child born since I was.. a newborn phoenix is incredibly easy to manipulate. If demons get her? They'll kill her for her soul and just kill me. And that's if they wait til she's born...it's possible they.. they...won't wait.." she said, but her tone was shaky by this point explaining it. Even knowing Rinaa knows their kid didn't take away the fear of the 'what if' scenario.

 

[_gallifrog_]

As soon as Kay started talking about the heavy stuff, John regretted not having thought to have said it himself. But it was worrying and disturbing for him too. Elliott listened his face serious to all of the information given. He was both disturbed and disgusted by what the Downworlders would do to an innocent kid. It struck a chord with him because of his own experiences. It also reminder to him that while he was on Attil there was every possibility that he would face the death penalty. His face showed to John that he was thinking of his own past, and there was no way he was going to let that happen to anybody else. That was why he was here after all.

John took Kay's hand and squeezed it gently. "That's bloody awful, its beyond awful actually........Is there anywhere safe?" "The only two safe places for certain are to either stay out here in space, and even then, that has its own risks. Or to stay locked up in The House for the foreseeable future, which isn't great either, for any of us, but at least we know its completly safe. The only good part is that it's only six months and not nine." "Whatever help you need to make sure they don't get any of you, I'll give it my all. I don't want anything to happen...to any of you"

 

[MzHyde]

Kay as she spoke, watched Elliott's expression the entire time to try and read him. When she was finished she could only imagine how it might strike a chord with him, yet she still felt like she'd feel utterly guilty if he felt compelled to do something. Maybe it was because of what was going on with him here on Attil, or maybe it was something else entirely, Kay couldn't put her finger on it, but she just wanted Elliott to catch some kind of break with something. And here she was saying "hey, by the way Hell will want your baby sister and they'll kill me to get to her". It truly sucked.

When John took her hand and gave a squeeze, she noted how he openly showed her affection in front of Elliott, something he wouldn't have done not that long ago. She listened to what Elliott had to say on the matter and John's response. She nodded at Elliott's words, "Thank you Elliott...I just...I feel...guilty having to put you both through crap because of this" she said before she could even stop herself from admitting it. "If I wasn't who I am..." She rambled but managed to let her words trail off and stop.

 

[_gallifrog_]

"You feel guilty? You didn't do this deliberately. You have no cause to be guilty. If anyone should be feeling guilty, it's me. I did do this deliberately and with full knowledge of what the consequences could be. I did after all drag ye across the freaking universe to my home planet, where I'm not accepted for who I am and what I can do. It's because of my decision that Jay had to fly properly for the first time since Jack died. And on top of that, you're all going to get dragged into my family drama sooner or later, and that's where the shit well and truly hits the fan."

"Wait...are you saying that the arsehole hasn't dragged himself out of whatever hole he's been hiding in the past decade or so?" John asked, very pissed at this piece of information. "That's exactly what I'm saying. And also, he basically disowned Cal and cut her off instead of having to lose face at having the humiliation of both his daughter and wife leaving him. Cal's only seen him a few times since I left, and that was when she was on duty at the Royal Court, and even then, it was unavoidable." "Asshole!"

 

[MzHyde]

Kay listened to what Elliott had to say and deep down she knew there was alot of validity in what he had to say, but it didn't stop the guilt. She still felt that if she was more careful this wouldn't be happening so soon, but clearly the universe wanted her to give birth to a new phoenix sooner rather than later, and there was no fighting that. She also knew when they were home, which she did really want, more shit would hit the fan and now Elliott felt it was his duty as a son to John and big brother to little Fia to protect their asses from who knows what. Her thoughts got a little faded when John asked about what Elliott devulged to them about his own family.

John wasn't the only one who thought Elliott's birth father was an utter asshole, but her initial thought was actually "what is it with fucking fathers?!" . She would said something along the lines of if the world could not have dad's in it, I swear it'd be better but then she remembered John was a dad to two kids now and he was completely different, so she retracted that thought instantly. She couldn't even bring herself to say the usual 'it'll be okay' bollocks she usually spouts because quite frankly she didn't know of it would be.

 

[_gallifrog_]

"I'm not denying that at all, and it's inevitable you're going to do something stupid like start a multiplanetary war by knocking his block off or something... Don't even try to deny you haven't been considering doing that." Elliott added, knowing full well that the thought had crossed John's mind many, many times. "Guilty as charged, but I'm surely not the only one by a long mile." "Oh you're not, and while we're on the subject of the parents none of us want to become, I haven't seen my mother either, and the last time Cal saw her was seven years ago, and it didn't go great. She's remarried off world"

"Honestly, I don't think any of us have a normal family." "Cliff does, and Jay kind of does. But yeah, point still stands"

 

[MzHyde]

He couldn't help but actually smirk slightly at Elliott calling John out on his thoughts to punching Elliott's birth father. Of course John had been thinking that and she was pretty sure he had expressed as such verbally on the ship once or twice. She listened to the rest of the conversation had by both of them and it was slightly amusing to her that Elliott would come back with a smart ass reply to John's family comment. She just didn't let it show on the outside.

"Normal is subjective anyway...if you think like that it becomes hella easier to deal with" she replied. She was most definitely speaking from experience, as when she was dealing with not knowing who or what she was on her own, she used to wish she had a normal life like what she'd see on the street, but then came to realise that was her new normal and it became a lot easier to handle being homeless and on the run. Now she had to make herself get into that mindset for the next chapter of her life.

 

[_gallifrog_]

"True that" Elliott and John replied in the same instant, before smirking and rolling their eyes at each other. At that instant in time they really were on the same wavelength. The mood had lightened between the two of them. John's earlier fears had been completly irrational, Elliott had taken it all in his stride, and as predicted, dealt with it far better than the two of them had. It was a relied to know that no matter what happened next, Elliott, Chas, A.J's gang and the newly christened 'famtourage' (still accepting better name offers) would be right there alongside them.

"So basically at the end of the day normal really doesn't exist?" "Which means that in the end there really isn't anything to do except get on with it." "Sounds kind of like how my life's gone so far."

 

[MzHyde]

The moment they spoke in reply to her remark in unison, she couldnt help but chuckle. Just that simple unplanned moment really helped to lift her spirits and she was so glad that Elliott was taking the whole thing better than they had when they got given the news. Both John and Kay had the help and protection of the newly formed famtourage and that helped to put Kay at ease just that little bit more. Though she would still be on edge until she gave birth.

"Likewise. Get on with it or crumble and let the world consume you....I know I prefer the former out of those options. Especially as it's not just myself I have to think about now" she replied. Sure, it was a dark way of looking at life, especially for Kay as she was always the more optimistic one out of their group, but it was how she felt. She had to work and fight to keep not only her safe, but her little girl, and she'd do anything to keep her safe.

 

[_gallifrog_]

"So do I. And no matter what happens, bitching about it always makes thing seem better somehow." John added, knowing that complaining didn't achieve anything truly important, but it did help to refocus the mind. "Ditto, there's only so long you can wallow in self pity, before dragging yourself up and out to show the world what exactly you are made of." Elliott was agreeing with both John and Kay on that, and in his opinion a bit of self pity was vital. There needed to be a period where you felt sorry for yourself and blamed the universe for everything. It was going to happen so you might as well get it over with in one go, then focus on pushing through the problems.

"Any more bombshells I should know about? Chas giving up taxi driving? You've acquiring a hyper intelligent robotic battle dog from the year 4275?" Elliott asked feeling that if there was any more he might want to prepare. "Not that I can think off......dont worry, Chas is still a cabbie and expanding into piloting so if you ever feel like stealing the Bat plane or something when we get back, you know who to call."