2313-46

"Mom!" Lou protested for the tenth time in five minutes, "I will call you, I promise! But if you don't get to that ASA right now it'll take of and we're in the middle of nowhere here, there won't be another for days and you'll be stuck here and miss Evelyn's new years party."

Kid grinned at her from behind her mother's back. Lou answered his smirk with a pout.

Mary Elisabeth McCloud's head shot up from her frenetic trial to close the bag. "Mrs. McCloud? You never learn do you Kid? M.E for goodness sake, can't you try and call me that?"

"That man is dense," Lou's mother sighed and glared at Lou, "makes me feel a hundred years old, even tried to help me down the stairs yesterday."

"Well Mom, you did slip and land nose first a couple of days ago, you're lucky you didn't brake any ribs!"

"Nobody told me the ground would turn to ice around here, still don't make me incapable to get down the stairs! That time I was very fast taking them, the landing wasn't that perfect thou' , but I'll learn. Now if I only could get this suitcase closed...."

"Will I ever get that case opened again?" M.E. McCloud asked, and shook her head. "You have some serious schooling to do if you wanna make a respectable young lady out of that one," she continued to Kid, zipping her coat.

Kid smiled sweetly and shook his head, "Naw, I'll take her just the way she is."

M.E. McCloud returned the smile and took two steps to enclose her daughter into her arms. "I know he will," she chuckled, "I don't know if he'll survive it thou'."

"Mom!" Lou protested again, but returned the hug, "you gotta run now, and give Evelyn my love. And don't do nothing I wouldn't do!"

"Very funny Louise," her mother smirked, giving her a last hug, "I'll walk to that darned ASA myself thank you. And you call, you hear!"

With a last pat on Kid's shoulder and a wheezed 'remember what I told you' she was out of the door, letting in a puff of freezing air before walking briskly to the vessel outside.

"So what she tell you?" Lou asked as Kid walked up and draped his arms around her, their eyes following Mrs. McCloud's itinerary.

Looking up at his face she studied him closely, the smile tugging at the corner of his mouth while he looked out the window, following the woman's stride over the yard.

"Of course, I wouldn't want to risk what she promised me if I don't, I kinda got the idea from where you might have gotten your language and vivid descriptions of possible bodily harm."

"Went out with, don't get literal with me now. You know what I mean, she's just like me, barks louder than she bites."

"You bite pretty good," Kid laughed, lifting her slightly off ground, "they're off."

Her feet dangling in the air, like she was a child she squirmed. "Let go, I'm not..."

"Ahem," Buck appeared in the doorway, a teasing expression on his face as Kid let Lou down and turned to the speaker.

"Course," Kid admitted, casting a guilty glance over at Lou. "Ike still going with Lou?"

"At your demand," Buck leered and pushed the involuntary vet onwards, "just go get your gear."

"What?" Lou asked, trudging behind them into the office, what'ya mean 'at your request'?"

"Did you really think Kid would let you go all alone to the Benson's in this kind of weather?" Buck chuckled. "Emily's tagging along too so they'll be safe."

"Kid," Lou groaned, "not again! I still have to do my work around here you know."

"Yeah, but not alone you ain't," Kid mumbled, "and Ike's goin' in the direction anyways so I, ouch!"

"Just put this on before you go." A thermoblanket was draped over her head and she didn't manage to emerge until the two were gone and Emily stood before her, looking quizzically at her new attire. "You ready?"

Lou nodded and sighed, Kid would eventually have to pay for it, with considerable interest. His whole life if she had any saying in the matter. She smiled smugly as she followed Emily to put on her winter gear and get to work, there was a lot of work to be done in the mere three days before new years eve and the official reports to HuRec headquarters.

Lou groaned at the thought of the pile of work she had stacked up on her desk, the whole Christmas thing had gotten far out of hand and no work whatsoever had been done. Pulling on her boots she tried to forget about the memoslots that should have been sent to HuRec three days ago. Kid had the right idea, never carry the EA, saved you a lot of explaining.

"Oh brother," Emily exclaimed when she opened the door. "Is it even possible to breathe in this cold?"

Lou stuck her head out and sniffed the air, it was beyond freezing, closer to something like permafrost. "You sure you wanna move out here?"

With a decisive gesture Emily pulled the woolen hat over her ears and walked out. "Nothing is stopping Emily Metcalfe from becoming a pioneer. Nothing. Period."

Lou chuckled and ran behind her, the snow crunching under her feet; "So when's the wedding? I'd love to know."

"As soon as my mother gets the place, my dress and the appropriate setting decided." Lou smirked. "Kid wanted to get to town and get married New Year's Eve but Mom almost flew through the roof when she heard it. Told him I was her only daughter and if there was anything she demanded was the right to have a proper wedding, with guests and a cake and everything."

"Mother's!" Emily groaned, "they're all the same! Mine is demanding it be this summer, she's read about outdoor weddings and now she's dying to have one. I told her she could always remarry Pa but I don't think she got the hint. So this summer it'll be, and I'm sure it will rain all day long."

"I'm afraid aunt Evelyn will be drunk and make a spectacle out of herself, she's rather known for that. And I have to invite her, she's and Mom are all the family I have left."

"Except for these one," Emily smiled, ad Ike and Jimmy emerged in the barn door, hopping to keep their warmth up. The horse behind them rugged so only the ears were visible. "But it's a great family really, althou' a bit crazy at times."

"Have you ever heard Teaspoon's sermons about the discourses and the cultural impact on human behavior?" Lou asked innocently.

"No, is it bad?" Emily asked with a wrinkled brow, "and what does that mean exactly?"

"I think my toes are frozen to the soles," Jimmy groaned as they reached hearing distance, "I need some cafs at once, where's Emma? Why do I always get stuck with the weirdest tasks?"

"Coz' Cody is nowhere to be seen, sound familiar?" Ike muttered. "You better check on them hogs too Jimmy, I won't have the time, I'm already late."

"And then they have all kinds of weird demands," Lou said, "and the cooking talent is utterly lacking from every male in this congregation."

"Says the one that was banned from the kitchen area last week after burning two entire plates of cookies to crisps," Jimmy leered.

"Quit trying to scare her away," Ike mumbled from somewhere inside the oversized coat.

"Come on Polar-bear," Emily said and hooked her arm around Ike's, "we'll be done in a jiffy, I promise."

"How cute!" Jimmy groaned and rolled his eyes, "I'm getting sick of all this lovey-dovey thing around here."

"Get the hogs Jimmy! Lou ordered and followed the pair to the sleigh. Laughing. And she understood how immensely happy she was right now. How content with life. She never wanted this to end. She wasn't lacking anything, she was finally home, in all senses. The horse reaady to go they all silently seated themselves amongst the rugs. She laid back in the sleigh, the horse walking steadily, the vehicle sliding easly over the snow, the sky nearly white. Was life really this easy?

It was still dark when she opened her eyes to the last day of the year. The arms holding her instantly reminding her that this year had changed her life, on so many levels. She had become different, so different from the woman she was that day she stepped out of the ASA and took the beauty in. Right now she couldn't phantom being locked inside a Cupola, each day the same, work and home, the same route every day, the same life everyday. A false security in not allowing herself to get attached to anyone or anything. Back in her old life she had almost nothing she was truly afraid of losing, no Kid, no Lightning, no real friends, nothing she cared for more than herself. Not really. The security she thought she had back then had been so fragile, built upon controlled emotions, no bliss or despair. An even life, a dull life.

"No," he replied, "I think I'm still dreaming." Pulling her closer into his embrace, close to the steady beat of his heart.

"Mmmm," Lou breathed, laying her head on his chest, closing her eyes."Who's making breakfast this morning?"

Smiling at his happy chuckle she ground herself to him, needing to hold on forever. Closing her eyes as his hands nestled into her hair. Stroking it, caressing her, loving her. "Kid!"

"Promise we'll always wake up like this, together. I mean if someone isn't called away somewhere. Like a certain traitor I know." Pouting against the moving muscles on his chest.

"I promise love, we'll always wake up together, just like this. Me holding you and you pouting..."

His hands came to cup her face. Looking into her eyes steadily and finally nodding. "I promise, you know that already. I love you, want me to write it on the wall? And I'm so sorry I have to go, but we'll always have the next New Year's, and the next, and the next.." His lips close to hers, whispering the promise, the whispers fading as he came closer.

She closed her eyes and savored his love through his kiss, for a moment scared of the intensity, then letting herself go. Letting herself be rolled to her back and secured by strong arms. Hot breath on her cheek, mingling with her own. Tears forming in her eyes as their mutual need surfaced. Tears running freely as they sealed the love.

She hated the fact that he had to go on New Years Eve! What were they thinking? He should be with them and not on his way to some damned lecture overseas, picking up some gadget that could just as easily be sent. It just wasn't fair! Their first new year together and he wouldn't be there! "So in fact it's not our first new year together," she muttered. "I wonder if we ever will get one? Damned them!"

Standing by the window she saw snowflakes starting to fall, the rest of the boys in the kitchen rowdy and happy. Emily's voice trying to placate their mirth and get the work done.

Lou felt mad that she'd be standing alone when the clock struck twelve, she'd be standing there wishing Kid a happy new year. And Kid would be hours away from her.

Hearing him scurrying down the stairs she walked to meet him, rearranging his muffler that was flapping. Taking her sweet time in winding it around his neck, meticulously and slowly, to keep him warm.

Smiling down at her he kissed her lips; "I'm so sorry Lou, but I'll be back in two days."

"Just don't do anything I wouldn't do," she muttered, "and remember to come back to me."

He laughed and folded his free arm around her, walking her to the front door. Stopping to look at the boys in the kitchen, and shaking his head. "I wonder if the house is gonna stand when I come back?"

"Hey guys, I'm off, take care of Lou for me will ya?" A brief glance in her direction followed by an "omph" as she pinched him.

Hands waving and shouts of 'Happy New Year' and 'Take care's' sailed through the room. Jimmy rose to make some odd signs.

"You and your secrets," she didn't want to let go but they were right at the front door and it was cold outside. "Happy New Year Kid!"

He ruffled her hair and kissed her cheek, "I love you Lou. I wish you the best of years, with me."

Then he was out of the door and running to the ASA. She remain at the window, looking as he embarked and the light went from green to red. It rose and she pressed her nose to the window, making it fog. Somebody in the kitchen switched an EA onto public mode. Snapping herself a coat she stepped out to watch him fly away.

The cold outside made the ASA move slower, it took it's sweet time to rise and find the air-layer.

The vehicle high above them, only a small dot in the sky now, moving to the southeast. Slightly unstable in its course.

The sky flared up in green and orange, a thousand stars emerging in the gray sky like a firecracker going off too soon. A sound, like a wail of pain before window shattering thunder. Her fixing point dissolving, it still shone brightly, seeming to sparkle all by itself before it diluted into a pattern standing out sharply against the gray. Then turning pitch black, dispersing further before sinking like in slow-motion. The colors of the winter sky dimming the final flares and the lights going out.

The sound of a door opening behind her. People rushing out. Sharp intakes of breath. A sob from somewhere, a whimpered 'no' a cursed 'what the hell?'.

The snowflakes fell more thickly now, covering his tracks in the snow. The EA played "Auld Lang Syne". It was 2 hours to 2314.

|Prologue||Chapter 1||Chapter 2||Chapter 3||Chapter 4||Chapter 5||Chapter 6||Chapter 7||Chapter 8||Chapter 9||Chapter 10|
|Chapter11||Chapter 12||Chapter 13||Chapter 14*||Chapter 15||Chapter 16||Chapter 17||Chapter 18||Chapter 19||Chapter 20*|
|Chapter 21||Chapter 22||Chapter 23||Chapter 24||Chapter 25||Chapter 26||Chapter 27||Chapter 28||Chapter 29||Chapter 30|
|Chapter 31*||Chapter 32||Chapter 33||Chapter 34||Chapter 35||Chapter 36||Chapter 37||Chapter 38||Chapter 39||Chapter 40| |Chapter 41||Chapter 42||Chapter 43||Chapter 44*||Chapter 45||Chapter 46||Epilogue|