Threshold: Hopes and Promises
Title: Hopes and Promises
Fandom: Threshold
Characters: Lucas and Rachel
Rating: General
Recipient: missyvortexdv
Summary: Lucas comes to Rachel with the alien's human baby.
Hopes and Promises
Lucas looked at Rachel, his eyes wide and pleading like a young dog who desperately wants you to like him even though he’s been bad recently. His curly dark hair was even messier than usual after work, the bags under his eyes fully noticeable even in the low light of the vestibule. He held the bundle in his arms awkwardly, a man who has never had a reason to hold infants before. “I’m sorry that I’ve been such a bad husband to you,” he started, his voice higher in nervousness.
“I’m sorry my job is dangerous and demanding and how I don’t see much of you most of the time because of it. I’m sorry that you get scared and lonely and that I can’t tell you what I’m doing but you really do not want to know. I know this might be a bad idea right now because I don’t deserve to be forgiven for not being there for you, and that you think I don’t love you sometimes even though you never say it.”
“Lucas-” She started to say, unable to dispute any of it. She loved him too much to crush him any more than he was already suffering, but she could not reassure him without feeling a bit hollow.
“It’s okay, just listen to me for a second,” he pleaded, licking his lips. “I love you so much and it hurts so much, but I can’t stop that. But this isn’t who I want to be forever; I want to be with you. I want us to raise kids and be happy together, but I can’t do that right now.
“I can’t let this little guy grow up in a foster home either,” he continued, looking down rather than at her. “I know our marriage isn’t the most stable thing right now and I hate myself for it; but this little guy needs a home and he’s very special... I would tell you how special but then you might get in danger and I can’t be the cause of that. But Molly says that the only other option is foster care and I couldn’t let him go through that if I can help in any way.” He was crying now, but he didn’t care. “I don’t think anyone can take care of him like you can, and I want to be here with you. I want to help you raise him. And maybe we can have kids of our own after this, wouldn’t that be nice?” A hopeful smile. “We’ll probably get the occasional visit from Nigel, but other than that he would be ours. What do you say?”
Rachel looked at her husband, thinking. “His parents?” She asked, taking hold of the child.
“His father’s dead, his mother can’t take care of him.” He gave her a watery smile. “We’ve been taking care of him ever since. Ramsey’s good with kids so he’s done a lot of the baby-sitting, and Nigel’s been mixing formula for him. The rest of us help out when we can...” He bit his lip at her silence, his hopes fading with every second. “What do you want to do, Rachel? Do you want to raise him?”
“I have one condition.” Her tone was quite firm.
“What is it?”
“I just want you to promise me that you will do your best to stay alive,” she said quietly, settling the baby against her chest. He cooed softly in its sleep and she held it tight. “Stay alive so you won’t leave this child without a father.”
“I promise.” His smile became radiant.
Fandom: Threshold
Characters: Lucas and Rachel
Rating: General
Recipient: missyvortexdv
Summary: Lucas comes to Rachel with the alien's human baby.
Hopes and Promises
Lucas looked at Rachel, his eyes wide and pleading like a young dog who desperately wants you to like him even though he’s been bad recently. His curly dark hair was even messier than usual after work, the bags under his eyes fully noticeable even in the low light of the vestibule. He held the bundle in his arms awkwardly, a man who has never had a reason to hold infants before. “I’m sorry that I’ve been such a bad husband to you,” he started, his voice higher in nervousness.
“I’m sorry my job is dangerous and demanding and how I don’t see much of you most of the time because of it. I’m sorry that you get scared and lonely and that I can’t tell you what I’m doing but you really do not want to know. I know this might be a bad idea right now because I don’t deserve to be forgiven for not being there for you, and that you think I don’t love you sometimes even though you never say it.”
“Lucas-” She started to say, unable to dispute any of it. She loved him too much to crush him any more than he was already suffering, but she could not reassure him without feeling a bit hollow.
“It’s okay, just listen to me for a second,” he pleaded, licking his lips. “I love you so much and it hurts so much, but I can’t stop that. But this isn’t who I want to be forever; I want to be with you. I want us to raise kids and be happy together, but I can’t do that right now.
“I can’t let this little guy grow up in a foster home either,” he continued, looking down rather than at her. “I know our marriage isn’t the most stable thing right now and I hate myself for it; but this little guy needs a home and he’s very special... I would tell you how special but then you might get in danger and I can’t be the cause of that. But Molly says that the only other option is foster care and I couldn’t let him go through that if I can help in any way.” He was crying now, but he didn’t care. “I don’t think anyone can take care of him like you can, and I want to be here with you. I want to help you raise him. And maybe we can have kids of our own after this, wouldn’t that be nice?” A hopeful smile. “We’ll probably get the occasional visit from Nigel, but other than that he would be ours. What do you say?”
Rachel looked at her husband, thinking. “His parents?” She asked, taking hold of the child.
“His father’s dead, his mother can’t take care of him.” He gave her a watery smile. “We’ve been taking care of him ever since. Ramsey’s good with kids so he’s done a lot of the baby-sitting, and Nigel’s been mixing formula for him. The rest of us help out when we can...” He bit his lip at her silence, his hopes fading with every second. “What do you want to do, Rachel? Do you want to raise him?”
“I have one condition.” Her tone was quite firm.
“What is it?”
“I just want you to promise me that you will do your best to stay alive,” she said quietly, settling the baby against her chest. He cooed softly in its sleep and she held it tight. “Stay alive so you won’t leave this child without a father.”
“I promise.” His smile became radiant.