RP: The Rescue Who: Travis, Marty, TJ, Savannah, Sheldon, Matt, Maura, John Where: Off of the I 5 When: Thursday/Friday, April 11/12, 2013 Summary: Travis and Marty go find their SO
They were in LA, almost done with their mission when the quake hit. It was a good thing, too, because he didn't know which one of them was more eager to get home. He and Deeks knew that phones wouldn't work, but they tried anyway, all the way home. It was a slow process, stopping for the aftershocks. When he finally thought that things would be fine, they found out that both Savannah and TJ were missing, together with Sheldon and Nick.
They had to wait for Brian to come back. Vance had sent him out to fly over the area until he found them. If it weren't for a burning car, it might have taken longer, but it still felt like it went on forever, before the man returned with news.
The news was bittersweet. Travis might not have had much of a chance to talk to Nick, but no one that young should die. Still, TJ and Savannah were alive and well. Now, they had to go and get them.
They grabbed one of the military trucks. It wasn't as comfortable, but they could bring tools with them as well as bringing Maura, John and Matt. Travis drove as fast as he'd dared under the circumstances, but he smiled as they almost reached their destination.
"They delivered the baby together. I'm not sure how they survived that," he said, chuckling as he stopped the truck and looked at Deeks. "Congratulation, man. Now, let's get them out, before they kill each other.
"Thanks." Marty smiled where he might have grinned normally. Having his wife give birth to their son halfway down a mountain that could still give way at any point with the next big aftershock wasn't the most comforting thought in the world. All the way back to the trailer park he'd fiddled with the radio until he could get a clear signal for any news broadcast that would give them information. When he finally heard Lucy Jones make a statement with an epicenter just south of Bakersfield, not far from the safe house, his first thought had been to thank God training was over. That relief lasted only until they got there and he learned Savannah and the others had stayed behind.
For the first time in history Vance was probably glad it was Marty and not G, who would have been halfway back to the safe house on his own before Brian ever got back with their location.
Getting out of the car, he almost wished he'd taken G's way. Just ahead of them was a deep cavern where the interstate had been, boulders littering the area all around. "We're going to have to pick our way through to the edge. Everyone be careful and don't rush." It was advice to the rest of the people with him, but also to himself. Marty wanted to get to Savannah now. "John, it's going to take us a little while to get over to where we can see anything. See if you can get down to them. Let them know we're coming and get a status report?"
"On my way."
The thing that people didn't tell you about a newborn was that he spent the first twenty-four hours sleeping. The first time she'd been surprised, but this time she was prepared and after making sure that the baby was all right, she covered him as best as she could and then she started getting cleaned up. Baby wipes took care of the blood, while changing a few times almost stopped the bleeding completely.
Then she started getting dress. One thing she knew that any pregnant woman should have was a corset which she carried in her backpack. Closing up those abs was paramount. Looking good didn't hurt either. She also moisturized, because sitting half naked in the cold was not fun. Then she was back into her pre-pregnancy black fatigues and her own shirt as opposed to Marty's. She put her hair up in a simple high ponytail, even if she was truly tempted to go half up, half down and see if she could hit up her fingers enough to do curls. It was something to do while waiting for people to show up.
When John arrived, she was all done, with simple make-up to go with the simple ponytail. "Hey, sweetie. How are you?" she said, hugging him. "Is everyone all right? Brian said they were, but are they? Who came? Can you bring the baby up? If they throw down ropes, we can take care of the backpacks, but we're going to need help with Sheldon. He's still unconscious. Thomas has a bad right shoulder... at least. I can go up if i have a rope, or we can always try the way we did it on the island. After we take care of everyone else." She took a deep breath. "Did I tell you how good it was to see you?"
John laughed as he hugged her back, glad she'd at least waited until he landed before hugging him. "It's good to see you, too. You sure don't look like a stranded woman," he teased, tugging her ponytail. "Everyone's fine. Sean said to tell you the twins are fine. They keep turning to water with every tremor, so not a scratch on them. You've got a lot of worried people at home. Both of you.
"We've got rope and I've got my rig from Parker. We'll get everyone up as soon as the others get here. The road's pretty much gone up there. Nothing but a crater surrounded by boulders. CalTech's called the quake at a 7.2 and the epicenter's not far from here. We're lucky you guys made it out as well as you did. Marty and Travis are both here. Their unit got back a little while before Brian did. Matt and Maura are here, too. It'll take them a few minutes to get close enough to the edge above you. Had to park the truck quite a way back."
While he filled them in, John went over to Sheldon, checking his vitals and trying to see if there were any neck or spinal injuries they'd need to worry about while moving him. "I need to get back and let Marty know the status on things here. I may need to fly Maura down here to make sure, but I think it's okay to move him without putting together a makeshift backboard." Standing, he looked at Thomas. "How bad is that shoulder?"
"I can make it up a rope," TJ said with a half shrug. While Savannah had primped, he'd smoked another cigarette...or three. The cold had helped keep the pain at bay, but he'd had to put a new shirt on once all the bloody bits were over. "Nothing's broken. Just bruised and swollen, I think. I'll have Maura look at it later, after she's seen to Cooper and Savannah and the baby."
And he would do anything he needed to in order to get up off this ledge and see for himself that everything was indeed fine with Travis and his family. There was a palpable relief in hearing that Travis was alright and not far away. TJ wanted to be able to know the same for Doug and their parents and Nana. Tommy, too. He might not have many friends, as Savannah had pointed out earlier. But, that was still a lot of people for him to be caring about and this feeling of worry was a new one he didn't like.
"Right then. Anything else Marty needs to know?"
Savannah picked up the baby and handed it to John. "Tell him no name yet, and I'll explain later. Tell Maura that the Apgar score was a nine, because of transient cyanosis. Nothing to worry about, it was gone at the five minute mark. One more thing, tell Marty that Sam was right. New York is totally better," Savannah said with a smile. "Now, go get that rig. We get to rappel," she added, clapping.
Savannah watched John go up with the baby, before turning to Thomas when the flying duo got out of sight. "You're not going up unless she says you can go up on your own and trust me, I will have back up on this. No one gets hurts more than we already are."
TJ watched as John flew off and then stared at Savannah for the five millionth time that night. "'We get to rappel' and you clap? You truly are certifiable, aren't you?"
But there wasn't any heat in his words the way there had been a few hours ago. TJ was cold, tired, and hurt. He just wanted to curl up in bed with Travis. "I'm not one of the insane lunatics around here that wants to push until they drop. You won't get a fight from me about seeing a doctor. But, I'm also not unconscious and haven't just given birth. She can check me out after she checks you two out."
John made his way back up to where the others were picking their way over the boulders and hovered so he wouldn't upset anything.
"When you guys get over this last pile, there's a space of about twelve or fifteen feet and then the edge where the road used to be. They're straight down from there," he told the rest of the rescue team. "And, this little guy would like to make his dad's acquaintance." Floating closer to Marty, John held the baby out to Marty with a grin.
A grin which Marty could not help but echo as he took his son from the younger man. As he had with the twins, he reached out mentally as well, checking that things were okay, 'making acquaintances' as it were. If there was any part of his power Marty actually liked, it was that it let him do this, let him greet his children in ways they would understand without needing words they wouldn't learn for some time. "So, is it your mother's impatience or your your dad's need to help that had you coming out so early, hm?"
"Savannah says no name, yet. But, she'll explain later."
John's voice filtered through to Marty, but it was vague. He was too focused on the tiny little boy he really hoped signaled a break in the cycle Marty's father had started. Even more than the girls, Marty was afraid of not being the father and role model this little one needed. "Wait. What?"
"No name yet. She'll explain later." John smiled, trying not to wonder if Kyle Reese would have looked like that had he the chance to meet his son, and turned to speak to Dr. Isles. "She also said to tell you the Apgar score was a nine, transient cyanosis, gone at the five minute mark and nothing to worry about. I'll assume you know what she means by that?"
"I do, yes. What about their own conditions?"
"They've each decided on their own triage order. So, good luck with that one, Doc."
"What's your assessment?" Marty asked, coming back into the conversation. He trusted his wife, but she did have a tendency to push and of all of them he thought John and possibly Casey were their most experienced climbers. And he was only really counting Casey because he knew the sort of rescue training firefighters in L.A. received. He hoped it was similar in Chicago.
"Savannah and Thomas both seem mobile. Despite the delivery, she's bouncy and perky and eager to go rock climbing. Thomas' shoulder is injured. He says bruised and swollen. She says he 'has a bad right shoulder...at least'. From the way he's standing, I'd guess his knee or hip is banged up, too. Still, Sheldon's the deeper worry. No broken neck or back injury that I could tell from a quick examination. But, he's unconscious and Savannah used the word 'still', so I'm guessing he hasn't woken up since the crash. I'll leave the diagnosis to the doctor, but any way you look at it, several hours without consciousness isn't good.
"It's your call, but I'd say we need to get them up here as soon as possible. Get them the medical attention they need once we've got them back in the truck. They're safe and the depression ledge they're in seems solid, but there's boulders down there that could shift and there's no telling how much more of all this," John waved at the mess of road around them, "could go down on top of them in future aftershocks."
Marty nodded at the assessment. "Alright, then we can't waste time. Maura, take the baby and go back to the truck. John, can you fly Sheldon up on your own?"
"If we tie him into his sleeping bag to stabilize him, yeah, I can manage."
"Good. Then get back down there and get him. Take him straight to the truck so Maura can check him out. Then come back. By that time we should be in position to start pulling the others up. I want you and Matt going down. We'll use your rig for Savannah."
"Thomas," John interrupted. "I know the worry with Savannah having just given birth. But, she knows what she's doing and there's less stress on the abs than there is on the shoulder when you're going up. Thomas has almost no experience climbing and if he's got a bad shoulder and leg, he's already weaker and more likely to slip. And they've got all the gear, too. Four backpacks, even if they each take their own backpack and Matt and I bring the rest, that's a lot of stress on an inexperienced joint."
Marty didn't like it. But, he could see John's point and Savannah would throttle him if he coddled her and Thomas was injured further as a result. "Okay, Thomas in the rig. Savannah on the ropes. We'll lower you two down. You get them on the way up. Then we'll bring you up with the rest of the gear. Everyone clear?"
While they were talking Casey had been examining the ground, trying to determine the stability. He was used to unstable structures from back home, though he had to say he preferred it when they weren’t caused by the ground shaking. That had been an entirely unpleasant feeling. Hearing Deeks' last comment though he spoke up.
“Why would you want to lower the both of us down when he can just fly down?” he asked. “The ground is still unstable, the less we disturb it the better. We wouldn’t want to cause another slide.”
Travis looked at Deeks, trying not to laugh. "Because Mr. Dad here is thinking about his baby while giving orders, making them as clear as... mud." He looked at John. "Deal with Sheldon, we'll have things ready for when you're back."
They were lucky to have someone who could fly, because as Matt had pointed out, they didn't need to disturb the ground more than necessary and with no backboard or any collar for Sheldon, flying would be the safest option all around.
They moved slow, getting to the edge, securing the ropes and rig. By the time they were done, John had already brought Sheldon to the Doctor.
Savannah was making sure the backpacks were tightly closed. "Are you sure you can deal with one of the backpacks?" she asked Thomas. "We can always tie it to a rope and have them pull up. It'd put less stress on you."
"Have I struck you as sure about anything since this blasted mountain turned us into it's personal chew toys?" TJ snorted. He wasn't a fixer. He didn't figure out solutions. That was his twin. TJ just did whatever and paid the consequences later...if he couldn't get around them. And he'd about exhausted his small reserves of team spirit and selflessness over the last few hours.
"Look, it'll be fine. It can't be any worse than pushing the car over the edge and the faster we get this done, the faster I can get into a nice, warm bed and shoot the first person to suggest I get up for a run or a swim at the crack of dawn."
Savannah didn't get upset this time. She did get people even if she failed miserably with Thomas until now, but this little discussion had given her plenty of insight. Sarcasm, self-deprecation, they were all tools to hide weaknesses and not really a need to hurt. She could work with that.
She didn't say anything, but instead grabbed two backpacks and tied them up to one of the ropes. She pulled on the rope once and turned into fire to give them a better idea of what was happening. "Y'all, pull these up and throw it back down." She didn't bother changing. "We'll go faster if we don't have to worry about them." John could get one, she could get the other and Matt could help Thomas up. "And by the way, you seemed pretty sure about plenty of things this evening."
"Appearances can be deceiving," TJ replied, shaking his head as she took charge of the backpacks despite what he'd said. "In fact, they usually are."
But, he also wasn't going to complain about doing this way, either. While he might have resolved, the day he decided to leave the group and strike out on his own, not to make people have to always be taking care of him, TJ wasn't going to argue if they insisted. He preferred to keep his masochistic tendencies restricted to the bedroom.
Even if they were forced upon him with a little late night -- early morning? -- rock climbing. "Tell me again why this gets clapping?" he asked, watching the backpacks get pulled up the side of the mountain. Going up it himself was not a pleasant thought, no matter how necessary to get him off this ledge. "Don't you like anything normal, like sex or sunbathing?"
"Sometimes we underestimate what we can do. It's much easier to see other people's strengths and weaknesses clearly, but not our own," Savannah answered. "I don't know much about your life, I didn't even get to read all of those article written about you, but I do know that you do just fine in an emergency. I know I can trust my husband with you. So yes, I think you're a lot better at this than you think."
She looked up and saw Matt making his way down. She had a smile on her face as she thought about the question. "I like sex and sunbathing, but this is fun. Sam taught us with none of the equipment. A rope, a hook and a wall. I know most people find the training tiring, irritating, or whatever, but I enjoy it. I know I'm good at it, and there's no interpretation, no confusion, no questions about it. You either can do it or can't. It's ... calming. This, going up, this is just fun. Maybe not when you're in pain, but otherwise, it's a lot of fun, and I might be sleepy, and likely to sleep the day away tomorrow, but I'm not in pain. Also, I have my waist back," she added with a pirouette.
"Going down is a lot more fun," John called down from where he was hovering and shadowing Casey on the way down.
"Or you're just as insane as she is," TJ retorted, rolling his eyes as the young man just grinned. They were all insane. This was not fun. Even if his whole body didn't hurt, this would not be fun. He couldn't even tell if the ground was shaking anymore or if it was all in his head there'd been so many tiny tremors.
"And the problem with your can do it or can't do it, the reason why people dislike it, is because here there's no can't. The ones who can't are just in the way." Like his family. All the pep talks in the world weren't going to convince him the majority of people didn't look upon his family as an inconvenience they'd rather not deal with. These people were all about survival and his family was more of a burden than a help in that regard.
"It's totes more fun going down," she said, winking at John, "but alas, we're stuck going up and you have a backpack to take with you. I'll take the other. Matt can help Thomas with his arm."
She stopped in front of Thomas, before going for the backpack. "We take care of our own," she said, calmly. "Sheldon? He hasn't been able to run, shoot, jump, climb, or do pretty much anything, but he's never been in the way, and not because of what he can do for us, but because he's one of us." She sighed as she put a hand on his chest. "It's what I've been trying to say, even if badly. You're never in the way if you're one of us and you are. We're going to help you up there, not because I don't think you can do it, but because you're hurt and if things were reversed, you'd do the same for us, and before you say something hurtful, dismissive or disparaging proving that you'd never, you already have, not just by helping me with the delivery, but with the many times you've tried to protect me tonight, even from my stubbornness, with your insistence that I don't exert myself, that I see the doctor first. I'm really sorry to disappoint you there's very little you can say that would convince me that it's all to impress my husband. So I can't speak for everyone, although you know I totally do, but you're already part of the group. Also, you can do a lot more than you think. You can even resist being adopted into the family. John totally failed at that," she added with a grin. "I told him he was going to be my younger brother during our first conversation."
TJ stared at her for a long moment. It was tempting to push her away, say something cutting, and end this madness. He didn't want to start caring about these people. He could barely deal with caring about Travis and his family and Tommy. It wasn't like he had all that much practice at caring about anyone but himself. Not really. Doug was entirely justified in every selfish thing he'd ever accused TJ of being. TJ wasn't even sure why he'd done all the things she pointed out except it had seemed like the right thing to do at the time.
"I'll just blame Travis' too wholesome influence and you can benefit from it, I guess," he said finally, shrugging away uncomfortably. "I can deal with being the aloof, private part of the group."
It was probably a strange way of establishing a truce. But, it seemed like that's what they were doing. And he had promised Travis to try. This was trying...in a fucked up, TJ way of doing things.
Savannah nodded, because she knew when to push, but on occasion, she knew when to step back, too. Not often, but on occasion, and besides, she intended to push in other ways, like the fact that instead of flying up with John, she'd make her way up side by side with Thomas and Matt.
"We can blame me as soon as we get up there," she said instead. "Let's get you hooked up and we can get this party going."
Savannah was the last one to get up there. She refused to get up there until everyone else had. They were her responsibility, at least until they got up there. When they did, she jumped once before running toward Marty. Her hug was accompanied by the usual jump. "I'm so glad you're okay," she whispered. "Nick... there was nothing we could do." She got down. "Where's Sheldon? Is he okay? The baby? Thomas should get checked out, and look." She did a 360. "I'm back in my pants. Yay me! Oh hi, Travis, get your boy to Maura. He'll listen to you."
"Hi, Savannah," he answered with a grin. "Yes, Savannah. Bye, Savannah." He winked at Deeks, before he left, because he was more interested in TJ anyway.
Marty was torn between laughing at her enthusiasm and shaking her for scaring him like that. In the end, mostly because it wasn't her fault there was an earthquake, he simply pulled her back into another hug and held on tightly. John and Matt had a handle on getting their gear back together so they could get out of there and Marty just really needed to hold her and make sure she really was okay.
"Yay you," he said with a chuckle when he finally let her go. "And you're going to see the good doctor yourself. No arguments. A rock slide, a car crash, a delivery, and rock climbing? You're getting checked out or you'll have me hovering for a month and ignoring my job. And you wouldn't want that, would you?" he teased.
He smoothed a hand over her hair. "I'm sorry about Nick. The baby is fine, if strangely nameless. He and Sheldon are both back in the truck with Maura. She's looking after them. And now I'm looking after you."
Savannah sighed. "He was so young, and I'm totally going to steal Travis and Brian while I 'recuperate'. They are so teaching me a few more things about cars, but that can wait until tomorrow, not in a few hours, but tomorrow for real." She was sad, she planned, life changed too fast and stayed the same at the same time.
"I'm fine," she said, low enough for her husband. "I'm really fine. As in, I can't even feel the incision Thomas made to deliver the baby. That kind of fine. How do I explain that kind of fine? Everyone has something, I went through all of that and I'm fine. Although the rock climbing was fun.'
She looked at him, because really they could argue about doctors for a while. It'd give Maura time to check Thomas over. That and there was still the matter of the name. "I was thinking... we've tried to give names that mean something, patron saints, initials, and I like Micah. I really do, but we have Kayla for Michael, and I know you want to use Ray, but that'd never be used if we name him Micah Ray like we said. So I was thinking Jamie Ray. There is James, but it doesn't fit with the girls' names and Jamie Ray sounds very Southern, a little bit of my roots, and if you really want a nickname, I'd be okay with JR."
"You don't explain it," Marty said simply, keeping his voice just as low. "You let her do a few basic checks and you just smile and say you feel fine. She's already seen that the baby's fine. As long as you don't act as if it's anything out of the ordinary, it's less likely she gets suspicious at the lack of evidence. And this is why G made you wait to go back into active duty after the twins. Fewer explanations needed."
He raised an eyebrow at the name change. They'd discussed names a while ago and decided to name their son after people at home that were the only family Marty had outside the OSP team. "I don't mind not using Micah as long as we keep the Ray." Some day he was going to get home and he was going to introduce his best friend to his namesake and show Ray he'd really done it. He'd proven better than his dad. "But, Jamie or James? I'm assuming this isn't a latent fondness for the Ewings and Dallas where this is coming from?"
"I know why G did it, but four people weren't missing then," she answered. "I'm not really planning on starting training tomorrow, by the way. I was using one of your exaggerations, but it would be easier if people start seeing me doing more things, slowly, until they really don't think about it, and we can always go the modified route. After all, I did train a lot longer than the first time. We'll figure it out. Together. I'm not going to put you on the spot with this."
Savannah nodded. "We're keeping the Ray and we might just get to use it this way." She snorted. "Yes, I grew up aspiring to be a Ewing. That's my big secret. I don't know how I've kept it a secret until now." She rolled her eyes at her husband, but she was smiling. "Well, a name that means something, so what's better than the man who helped deliver him. Thomas James, TJ, and we have already two Thomas, well one Thomas and one Tommy, and Thomas is too stuffy, but Jamie fits the baby and us, and I like how it sounds with Ray. It feels right."
"I do not exaggerate. I merely...stretch the truth a little bit." Marty grinned before nodding. "We can talk about it later when we're not both exhausted. And here I was going to go all Tai-pan for your first big quake if it happened while we were here. But, I missed it." The sigh he gave was very definitely exaggerated.
"I always knew I was just a stand-in for some rich Texas oil magnate once you found him." He kissed the tip of her nose. "I think Jamie works perfectly. Just make sure I'm there to see his face when you tell Thomas where it comes from," he added with a laugh. He didn't know the younger man as well as Marks did, but Marty could imagine how uncomfortable Thomas was going to be over that kind of recognition. He really wasn't much like what Marty would expect from that family. It made sense that he'd always been at odds with that life.
"And he didn't turn to water?" That...worried Marty. The twins had shown signs of their power before they were born. If Jamie Ray hadn't, what did that mean his son's power was going to be? Maybe not all the kids would get powers?
"John did tell you that New York is so much better, right?" she teased, although she still liked quakes over shooting people. "If I wanted rich, I would have gone after Robert. I'm pretty sure that his eyes were glued to my legs that first day," she added with a snort.
Savannah's smile turned wicked. "We're so going to get our son and tell everyone his name. I think he should get to hear it once before I tell his parents, maybe Bud will stop looking at my breasts for a little while."
She took his hand and squeezed. "Remember when I said better mine than yours? It's not mine," she said with a sigh.
Travis left Savannah and Deeks and went to where John was helping TJ take off the rig. He just stood there, watching until they were done. "C'mere." It wasn't the first time that he'd pulled TJ by the shirt, but this time was because he didn't know where he was hurt other than the arm. He didn't care that they were in the middle of nowhere, with people around. He put an arm around his lover and kissed him.
"You scared the shit out of me," he whispered. "Let's get you checked out and then we can go home."
TJ wrapped his left arm tightly around Travis' waist, his right hand fisting in Travis' shirt in a mirror image of Travis' hold on his own that also helped to keep TJ from having to move his shoulder much. That was starting to really hurt like a bitch. Groaning softly, he returned the kiss fervently, drawing it out as though kissing Travis had the power to drive away the cold and pain.
"I'm sorry. I...shit..." Tightening his arm around Travis, TJ buried his face against Travis' neck and just breathed. About halfway up the mountain it had finally hit him how close he'd almost come to dying...again. And he really didn't want to anymore. He really didn't want to die anymore. "Don't let go yet."
Travis wasn't expecting an apology. No one had done anything wrong. This was California and quakes happened. Knowing that it was normal hadn't prevented the fear, but to hear TJ apologize and act so openly with people around said more about his lover's state of mind at this point.
He held him with an arm around TJ's waist. He wanted to touch more, but he limited himself to rubbing circles on the side of TJ's neck and softly running his fingers through TJ's hair. He wouldn't do more until he knew that TJ was okay "It's okay, babe. I'm here and I'm not letting you go. Maura is going to have to find a way to work around me. I'm not letting you go until Monday morning, how does that sound?" he said, just a hint of teasing in his voice.
He thought he could keep joking to make things better, but he made the mistake of kissing TJ's cheek. Nothing strange or unusual, but the stubble was new, different, wrong. TJ was always impeccable, unless... Travis was not thinking about the possibilities. "Come on, babe. Let's see what Maura says, okay? Do it for me. I need to make sure that you're okay and we can find some non-addictive meds for the pain."
"I'd rather have my weed back," TJ grumbled, immediately not liking the idea of meds that weren't going to get him high enough to forget several large chunks of the past several hours.
He could have stood like that for even more hours, letting Travis run fingers through his hair. But, the shifting caused a sliver of glass he'd missed to poke into his head and TJ hissed before pulling away so he could use his own hand to shake his hair out again. "Damn. Thought I got all the glass out already."
When he finished, TJ reached for Travis again, using a hand around the back of Travis' neck to pull him into another, softer, kiss. "I'll see Maura in a second. Just...you're okay? You didn't do anything noble and reckless trying to help someone? Dougie? He's okay, too? And the family?" Once again, as he had several times in his life, TJ wished the myth of twin telepathy and psychic connections was more than a faerietale, that it was something he could have used to let Doug know he was okay. "When Brian said you guys weren't back yet, I thought..."
Shaking his head, he pushed those thoughts aside and kissed Travis once more, not even waiting for the answers to the questions he'd just asked. "Never mind. Where's Maura?"
"She's in the truck," he answered, letting go so they could walk, but true to his promise he kept an arm around TJ. "Everyone is fine at home. Doug, your parents, Margaret. Damage is minimal, just a few fallen things. It's more the scare than anything else."
Travis kissed TJ's jaw as they walked to the truck. "I'm a great driver, but even I can't race Mother Nature. It just took us longer than normal to get back." He barely touched TJ's hair, afraid that he still had glass stuck in there. "We had reasons to get back in a rush. No heroics for us, you on the other hand... in case I haven't said it yet, I'm very proud of you, babe. You stayed clean, you helped. Now let's try this without putting your life at risk."
TJ snorted. "Don't you go starting to believe my press. There were no heroics. I spent most of the time arguing against the heroics." But, Travis' pride warmed him in a way Savannah's acceptance never could. "I'm just hoping Maura gives me an excuse to stay in bed all weekend."
And if she did, he was making Travis stay there with him.
Savannah grabbed her backpack, because she wasn't going to leave all the work to the others, but she was okay with everyone doing their share, because it got them to the truck and her son much faster.
Making sure that Maura wasn't poking anyone, she jumped up. "Where's my sweet baby?" she asked with a smile. "How's Sheldon? Thomas? Everyone okay?"
The truck wasn't big enough that she needed an answer and she picked up her son from the folded sleeping bag used for him. "Hey, sweetie. Did you give anyone any trouble?" Not that he was giving any signs of waking up. She looked at the people in the truck with a sweet smile. "Has everyone met Jamie Ray?"
"She must be talking to the rest of you because I know we've met," TJ said, snorting softly as he finished buttoning up his shirt. Third one of the night and no sex or public appearances involved. That had to be a record for him. But, the oxford shirt was easier to get on than the long-sleeved tee had been the first time around and, by this point, raising his arm wasn't an option. Doctor's orders.
And he was being very nice and not saying that the name sounded like something you'd hear in a bar in Nashville somewhere. Now he knew why she hadn't said it on the ledge. Not that he'd bothered asking. But, she had to know he'd say something sarcastic. This way, Deeks was around and TJ was too tired to care enough to quip.
If Thomas wanted to play dumb, that was fine with her. It's not like she didn't do it plenty of times. "Of course I don't mean you, silly. I told you that you're stuck with Jamie for life now." She turned to Travis with a grin. "What about you, uncle Travis, and you can blame Thomas for the title, would you like to hold him?"
Travis had to let go to allow TJ to put his shirt on, but his plans to hug him again were delayed as Savannah spoke up because he wasn't going to say no. "Jamie?" He looked between Savannah and Deeks, not sure if he should even ask.
Savannah didn't need a question. It was opening enough for her. "Jamie. We like names that reminds us of important people in our lives or the baby. Who could be more important than the man who delivered him, right?"
"Wait. What?" TJ's head came up so fast it dislodged another sliver of glass from his hair all on it's own. "You did not-"
What the fuck was wrong with these people? You didn't just name your kid after some guy you barely spoke to for months just because he happened to be the Norm Sherry to your Sandy Koufax when the kid was born. Hell, TJ wasn't even sure which president had lent the name to his own Thomas James. Madison, Monroe, Polk, Buchanan, Garfield, whichever one Dad wanted to emulate at the time?
Talk about cursing your kid at birth.
"You are sincerely certifiable," he grumbled.
"I think it's sweet," was Maura's reply, earning his sister-in-law a low-watt glare.
Travis was trying so very hard not to laugh that he was starting to think he might choke. The laugh turned into chuckles before he passed out or something. "I think it's a beautiful idea." One that he was going to milk for ages.
"I find going up a mountain fun. I thought you already knew I was crazy," she said, sweetly, before making a face, like she wasn't sure what was happening, "but since people agree with me, maybe I'm not that crazy."
"Or maybe they're all just as crazy as you are," TJ retorted, then shook his head. "Seriously? You name your kid after the guy you could barely stand twelve hours ago, who doesn't like kids, and decided the delivery has cured him of ever wanting sex with a woman again? You know I'm not going to start liking kids just because you name one after me, right?"
"The delivery cured him of wanting sex with women," Marty asked from where he stood outside the truck. "Is there something you two aren't telling us about what happened down there?"
Savannah snorted and that could apply to either of them. "Yes, Marty, we totally fell in love and decided to have sex... Oh wait, no. I was pushing a baby out. Thomas has a slight problem with that."
She turned to Thomas. "I'm not asking you to like kids. It's not like I'm handing over custody, but I don't think there is anything crazy with naming him after you, and teaching him how important it is to help others even when we don't particularly like the situation or the person. It's really easy to help friends, but you didn't do it because we are friends, because it was your job or your duty, you did it because it was the right thing to do. It's something that I definitely want my son to know."
"You're worse than Travis, seeing good deeds in practical selfish acts. I did it because it kept you from deciding on doing all that rock climbing earlier without the nice ropes and men to help." TJ was starting to get very uncomfortable with all this praise and good-will.
"I don't want to know." Marty raised his hands. "Keep the details of that to yourselves and I won't have to have nightmares about my pregnant wife climbing the side of a mountain in the dark while there's an earthquake. Officially taking the Lead hat off for that one and putting the Husband hat on."
As if to underscore his words, the ground took that opportunity to shake in a way TJ was glad hadn't happened while he was dangling from a rope God knew how many hundreds of feet in the air. Instinctively, he reached for Travis until it stopped.
"That gets tiresome very quickly." TJ sighed. "Look, I didn't do anything that requires a fuss, okay? There wasn't a whole lot of choice and I'm the last person anyone should point out to their kid as someone to emulate. So, can we please just get home so I can see my brother and get some sleep?"
Savannah once again snorted. "You two are so funny," she said. "You know perfectly well that I could have made it up the mountain with no rope." Her fingers turned into metal blade. She didn't bother with her feet. "I would have made it up the mountain, but-" She sighed. "I just couldn't bring them up all together, and I didn't want to leave anyone." She grinned at Marty. "Come on. Sam made me carry my gear and you, after saving you from a pool. We've done this before. Just because I'm ... I was pregnant, it doesn't mean I stop being able to do things."
"Was that for fun too?" Travis asked.
"Sure," Savannah answered. 'I'm sure Sam had plenty of fun watching us. Not as much as he did when he watched us beat the crap out of each other, you know in case we ever had to pretend to hate each other. Sam really has fun with training," she said, chuckling.
Travis looked at her for a moment, and then at Deeks, hoping that it was a joke. "You're serious." He was suddenly very happy that Sam wasn't around, because cop or not, he didn't think he'd ever be able to 'beat the crap out of' TJ just to train.
"It's not that bad," Savannah said, before turning to Thomas. "You know, I think you're a good person who helped me because he didn't want me hurt. You can claim that you did it because you thought my husband was going to hurt you if you let me, although anyone who knows me, Marty included, would tell you that I don't let anyone tell me what to do unless you outrank me. However, this is moot because, as long as you keep acting the way you have, I don't have a problem if my son emulates you, but yes, we can go home."
TJ stared at her, wondering if anything he'd said before about showing off and proving how good she was had sunk in at all, or if she'd just gone along with it to get him talking. "Earthquake? Aftershocks? The mountain you wanted to climb was crumbling away while we argued about it, Princess."
There was none of the earlier derision in the nickname. TJ didn't have it in him and he didn't know if he really felt it anymore after everything. But, he didn't have any problems using it to remind her that not everything was about what she could or couldn't do. "No matter what you turn into, if the chunk of mountain you're clinging to falls, so do you and anyone else with you."
Savannah looked at him, smiling. "Exactly! Something I didn't know. Memphis isn't exactly known for earthquakes, and I do learn from people who know more about it, oh and Travis, I need to know about cars, but not in the next few days. As I was saying, I learn from people who seem to know plenty about earthquakes, you know? You, in this case, who wasn't actually worried about the people I wasn't carrying, because at the time I was talking about going up with backpacks, so I didn't go up, but you're right. You're such a horrible and self-centered man, not wanting me to die or to help you push the car, or to do anything that could exert me. I'm sure that your only motivation was Marty's reaction, for all of it. Yep, horrible, we all know now, and yes, I know I'm not anywhere near as good as you with that sarcasm thing, but I'm still calling my son after you. Feel free me to call me crazy or accept that you can go a good person, and when my son gets older, you can explain to him exactly how helping me was self-interest. Now should we go home?"
TJ groaned and let his forehead rest against Travis' shoulder. "Do you understand the ordeal I've been through tonight? She never shuts up. Make a single statement and she just keeps going." He raised his head. "You're the driver. Drive us home. I can ride shotgun and maybe her husband who's too chicken to wear the Lead hat with her can find something else to occupy her mouth with than talking."
"Hey now!' Marty protested, then he grinned. "That sounds like an excellent idea, actually. Maura can give me the updates on everyone's condition while we drive."