The Way We Were

[Marcus Kane]

Callie was sick. When someone got sick on the Ark they were put in medical, and visitors were forbidden because any spread of infection could cause an outbreak. It was a mild sickness, and she would be out soon, but until then Marcus knew someone had to keep an eye on cassandra, Callie's daughter. He had tired to find someone appropriate, but in the end couldn't and so it would be him and her for a few days. How hard could it be to take care of a teenage girl for a few days?

Marcus entered in the code and walked into Callie's place. Space was tight on the Ark, but as Callie was one of the privileged, she had a bit more space then most. He spotted Cass on the couch, and walked over too her. "You'r mother's has come down with strep throat. She will be in medical for a few days." He told her, trying to make sure his voice was softer so the news wouldn't worry her. "Doctor Griffin thinks that she will be find in a few days, but until then you will be staying at my place." Because she wasn't trusted on her own. He didn't think she would do anything to break the law, but there were boys who she might invite over, or who knew what trouble she might get into.

[cassandra]

Pops entered the room like he owned the place. He didn’t technically but he might as well have for how often he popped by. (No pun intended. Puns were cute and Cas didn’t do cute. In fact...She really hated being called cute.) She stared up at him knowingly the second he strutted inside. Alright..He wasn’t quite strutting this time because he was worried. You could tell a lot from the way a person held themselves and the way they made an entrance. Pops was a confident man not unlike Cas. His gait was tall and proud. Typically. It was still self-assured because Pops was second in command. But something was missing. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it. She was sure if she hauled out the measuring tape his posture would prove to be just as straight and narrow as ever. But...Maybe it was his eyes. Normally there was a fire burning inside. Now..They seemed not quite glazed but duller, tainted with a little sorrow. But he didn’t seem traumatized at least. Whatever he’d come to tell her, it wasn’t the worst news ever.

Cas hadn’t quite been up to anything nefarious. This was her home too. There was absolutely nothing wrong with poking and prodding. But then..She’d been putting her noses places Mom expressly told her to keep out of. So when she’d heard someone messing with the code, she scrambled to cover her tracks. Fortunately, she was quick as all getup. Everything was back in place, no file left lingering. And she’d managed to plop herself on the couch before Pops had marched inside.

Pops didn’t seem suspicious. He went right for the punch. His voice was gentle, soothing. "Strep throat isn’t the end of the world.” She was more perturbed than she let on. She cared about her mom. She hated the fact she was sick. But strep-throat was hardly the most terrible news in the cosmos.

“I’m not a kid,” she said gruffly. “I’m almost 17. I don’t need a babysitter, Pops.”

Marcus Kane

[Marcus Kane]

Marcus looked down at Cass while she complained he could stay by herself. Part of him wishes she could, because he didn't know what to do with a 17 year old girl. Right now he had enough to worry about, and he didn't need her underfoot. Though know how teenage boys could be, he wasn't going to leave her alone to invite one over. While he didn't want her underfoot--he was still protective of her. He wasn't going to let anything happen to her while her mother as ill.

"Maybe, but speaking as a former teenage boy, I know how much trouble you can get into when alone." And he wasn't going to give her the chance. "It will be harder for them to sneak over when it's my door they they are knocking on." He was mostly teasing her this time, even if his voice was serious. There was a hint of a joke there, deep down. "Pack you a bag, Cass. Bring your homework. We are leaving." And that was the end of it. He didn't wast time arguing. He would make her supper and let her dig into the archives for one of the movies from the Earth that she liked. Didn't girls like them movies?