Re-ans

Re-ans Chapter 26

Chapter 26: A new beginning

"I figure we're just outside the city now. Day and a half tops." Luke said and Gavin nodded. They'd found a map, it wasn't a good one, but it would have to do.

"I figure we're about..." He cut off and turned as Jess and Alissa walked by. Alissa looked sick again. It had been happening a lot lately. Luke figured it was just stress from everything happening, losing her brother the way she had, at least he hoped that was all it was.

"I'm okay, I just need air." She said as she walked by patting Gavin on the shoulder. He sighed and sank to the carpet.

"Don't worry Gavin, the Spartan base will be standing, and they'll have doctors, she'll be fine. It's probably just stress anyway." Luke said, patting him on the shoulder, Gavin shook his head.

"Spartan has to be safe Luke, I have to get her somewhere safe, soon." He said, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

"I know, I don't like any of you out here like this. We need a place like Spartan." Gavin was shaking his head.

"No Luke, that's not what I mean." He sighed and rubbed the palms of hands against his eyes. He took a slow deep breath. "Alissa's not sick Luke, she's pregnant." Luke's eyes went wide.

"She's, are you, I mean..." He took a deep breath. "Are you sure?" Gavin nodded.

"I mean we can't be sure with days and all that but yea she's pretty late." Luke almost said late for what when everything he learned in biology class came rushing in. He smiled and reached over to pull Gavin into him.

"This is good news Gavin, congratulations." He said with a smile.

"Is it?" His cousin turned frightened eyes on him. "If Spartan's what we want it to be, then, yea, this is wonderful news. Not that I'm ready to be a father but..." He laughed a little before it turned to tears. "But if Spartan's just a pipedream, my child will be born in a shack somewhere in the middle of some woods if at all, and likely starve to death, having had no life at all and..." Luke shook his head and grabbed ahold of Gavin's shoulders.

"Spartan will be there, it will be safe. It has to be." That night Alissa stared at them all in frustration as all of a sudden everyone seemed to get too full to finish their meals and began handing them to her to finish. Luke smiled as he snuggled into Jess that night.

"A baby huh?" She asked, and he nodded, his smile widened.

"Yep, my cousin Gavin, a father." He shook his head with a laugh. His cousin had grown a lot. But still the thought was hard to wrap his head around.

"Do you, I mean if Spartan is what we're hoping for, someday do you want to have any, uh you know?" Jess asked, not quite making eye contact. He laughed for a second before turning serious.

"If it's what we hope, then yea, someday. I've never really given it much thought, but then again, you are the first girl I've ever, well..." He shrugged, shaking his head. "But if Spartan is safe, I would be honored to start a family with you someday." He said, placing a kiss on her cheek." He pulled her tightly to him. He'd never been a praying man, his family wasn't very religious, they believed in facts and science. But since this all went down he found himself praying often, and right now he sent one up. Praying as hard as he could that he was right, that Spartan was the miracle they all needed. He had to keep them safe, and this baby had to have a place to grow up, free from the worry of being torn to shreds.

...

"What did you see?" Luke asked quietly from his spot. They were ducked down in some woods. Tavish had just climbed a tree to get a better look, they'd arrived, or at least they were on the outskirts.