by Cindy Combs
"Let's just say all the mothers lock up their daughters when you show up."
"No way!"
Jeff chuckled, enjoying the familiar exchange between his sons. Then he remembered something. "Blair, I have something for you in the drawer there."
Puzzled, Blair pulled open the drawer his father was pointing at. Jim heard his guide's heart skip a beat. Sam and Lisa traded confused glances.
Blair slowly picked up the star medallion, the gold chain flowing over his fingers. He raised shocked eyes to meet his father's gaze. "How..." Blair gave his head a shake, suddenly hit with the implications. "Oh God, Dad."
Waves of shock, guilt, and fear rolled from Blair's mind to Jeff's. "It's okay now. The main thing is that you're alive."
"Oh God..."
"Blair!" Jeff snapped. He wrapped his hand around his son's neck, forcing him to meet his eyes. "You're alive and I didn't tell them anything. As long as you are safe, as long as Sam and Lisa are safe, I can deal with anything the Roaches want to throw at me."
"Oh, God, Dad." Blair wrapped his arms around his father, hugging him tightly.
Jeff hugged him back, soaking in his son's warmth, sending his reassurance through the bond. This horrible period was over. Not only were his boys here and safe, but his small family had doubled with the shy girl next to him and the strong, quiet man in the corner. There was so much life ahead of them all.
Yet in the back of his mind, Jeff knew the protection was only temporary. The Roachian threat still hung over them like a dark cloud. He had to jump into the fight again, had to find some way to safeguard the future of the four in this room and for all the other young people of the human colony. The war was not over yet.
The End
Author's note 6/29/99: WHEW! Thought I'd never get this one done! And on that note, I'm leaving the Roachia Universe alone for a while so I can work on both the next one in the TS/MacGyver series, and a story for The Cascade Virtual Tales. Perhaps by this winter I'll have time to fit in the next Roachia story.