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| Scene Title | Extending the Family |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Matt and Kay retrieve their children from the airport and share their news with them. |
| Date | February 1, 2009 |
Despite the increased airline security, courtesy first of the bomb and now of potential local terrorists and the Evolved in general, JFK International still sees a great deal of traffic. A massive number of planes move in and out of its airspace, and even more passengers arrive and depart by them. The buildings are immense structures of steel and glass, although more horizontally stretched than most in New York, which tend to the vertical mode. It is full of shops, restaurants, and people — always the people, from security guards to travelers, thronging the halls in search of food, souvenirs, and whichever place it is they're supposed to be.
"Wheeeeeee!" Cole squeals as she runs up the jetway, glad to be out of that prison of a seat. Even with good tickets, hopping from plane to plane on their way back from Hawaii is tiring, and there's a certain magic in the pilot's voice when he announces that they've reached New York City. Home.
If only all of Cole's party were as excited to be back, or, at least, awake enough to be so excited.
"Colene Marcella Rozlynn Damaris, get back here!" booms her grandfather as he trudges up the jetway after the little girl, pulling not only his own wheeled carry-on, but his wife's as well. Cole only stops when she reaches the doorway at the end of the ramp.
The smile she shoots back at her family is both innocent and disarming. "But we're home, Grampa! Aren't you happy to be home?" Mrs. Delacroix only laughs as she walks beside the girl - nay, the young lady - who might as well be their second, if only occasionally, granddaughter.
"Spunky thing, isn't she?" The matron says with a smirk. "Just like my baby."
It's a little known fact that the TSA is a branch of Homeland Security. So although the security in the JFK International Airport has increased quite a bit since Wednesday, Matt Parkman's badge gets both him and Kaydence through security in lieu of a boarding pass. Arriving just in time to catch the gang as they walk off the plane, the agent grips his new fiance's hand as they wait across the terminal, peering over the heads of the throng that unloads from the ramp in an effort to see their people.
Their family.
"Yep.. just a delight." Molly says quietly and bobs her head slightly to the music coming from her iPod. Mol doesn't seem to be in a very good mood, something on her mind? The young lady is wearing a long sleeved blue shirt and jeans, a plain black backpack is on her back and it must carry all her other essentials needs of living.. the tabloids.. her digital camera and don't forget her lipgloss! Molly isn't really looking all of anywhere seeing as she knows where Matt and Kay are.
Kay leans over and plants a gentle kiss on Matt's cheek, anxiously watching for their girls and her parents. "My mom is going to freak. Pop might, too." She stands up on her tiptoes, trying to see over heads.
The mass of people getting off the plane soon dissipate, be it to check the monitors for a connecting flight or to retrieve their baggage, leaving Cole a veritable island in the terminal. It exposes Matt and Kaydence as well.
"MOMMY!" The little girl nearly explodes with excitement as she rushes toward her mother, arms held out to her sides like wings in the anticipation of a hug.
Hank Delacriox chuckles as he makes his way behind Cole, at a slower (but longer striding) pace. At the notion of parents freaking out and the rush of Cole toward her mother, Matt surreptitiously slips the plain gold band on his left hand from his ring to his pinky finger. Don't want to freak them out too much, after all. "Sir," he finds himself addressing Kay's father, while every other time they've met, he's simply been Hank. The change isn't lost on the older man, but he merely squints in puzzlement for a moment before he nods his own greeting. He's got a daughter to hug, as soon as Cole gets done.
But, of course, Matt's got the same priority. His smile cracks wider as Molly comes into view, but rather than run to her, he simply holds his palms out to his sides in a gesture that might be described as comedicaly apologetic. Molly's a smart girl, after all, and he can hear the worries bouncing around in her head.
It's alright, honey. We're safe.
Yeah but.. the bridge? Molly thinks so Matt can pick up from it. Molly smiles at Matt and shakes her head. "Craziness in the city?" she asks her father and then grins at Kay. "Heya Kay." Molly says to the woman and then looks back to Matt. She hasn't noticed the rings.. /yet//.
"Ohhhhh, come here, baby girl." Kay crouches down to intercept Colene Marcella, tipping over backward when the girl flings her arms around her mother enthusiastically. The woman grunts, but both start giggling as they roll to one side and Kay pulls them both to their feet. "I missed you, too." She nudges her daughter, "Go give Matt a hug." She then puts her arms around first her father, then her mother, dropping kisses on both their cheeks. "Hey, Pops. Hey, Mama." She disengages from the two and then turns to Molly. "Hey, Mol'. Got a hug for me, too? Or are you too old for that now?"
A bittersweet taste fills Matt's mouth when it is Cole who wraps her arms around as much of him as she can and not Molly. Still, Matt bends to pick the six year old up with a grunt, letting her sit on his hip, and returns her embrace while depositing a kiss on her cheek. Later, Molly. Why can't he just enjoy the moment?
As much as he'd love to reach out for his own daughter, Matt keeps his arms around Cole partly out of fear. After exchanging hugs, kisses, and "Thank god you're alright"s, Hank excuses himself to go and catch their bags while Brittany runs to the ladies' room, leaving the smaller family unit to their own devices.
Whatever.
"It depends on my mood." Molly says to Kaydence with a wide smile and she does indeed hug the woman tightly before stepping back. It's then that Molly notices the ring.. "Announcement?" she says quietly to Kay and looks pointedly at the ring. "Wow.." the young teen says and shakes her head in amazement. A bright grin crosses her face and her eyes twinkle in the fluorescent light.
Kay puts a finger to her lips after she pulls back from Molly's hug. "Not here. My parents don't know about my happy news. But I'll tell everyone about it soon, okay?" She's careful to label the announcement as hers, rather than her and Matt's. It isn't her place to give him away to his daughter just yet.
The return of Kaydence's mother cuts off any announcing at the present time, anyway, and soon the group makes their way to baggage claim to meet up with Kaydence's father and collect their things. The trip to the car and the whole way to the Delacroix's, and then on to the Damaris residence is filled with Cole's animated tales of Hawaii. Snorkling, sea life, fun in the sand, shopping with Molly and Granma…it's as if all hell didn't break lose back home in New York while they were off in the sun.
But once they all file back into Kaydence's house, the trip itself starts to take its toll on little Cole. She has to be carried in in Matt's arms, too tired to walk but still awake enough to blather about volcanoes and whatnot. And then there's Towser to play with. Once his arms are free, Matt moves to rest a hand on Molly's shoulder, still unsure about sweeping her in for a hug.
I haven't been there. And I'm sorry. But I promise that's all going to change. Please…trust me.
I have always trusted you Matt.
Molly leans in to give Matt a hug, wrapping her arms around the man before she goes to sit on the couch and yawn. She is tried. "The trip was fun." Is all she says in regards to her 'vacation'. Kay and Matt are given a look and then Molly closes her eyes gently. "Not falling asleep.." Molly says quietly but it is clear that the teen is dozing off.
Kaydence Lee smiles gently at Molly and takes a seat in an armchair across from the couch, fiddling absently with the ring on her finger. Cole sits on the floor, cuddled up with the giant Irish Wolfhound who allows the little girl to rest her head on his body. The dog was clearly chosen for his patience. An anxious glance is cast to Matt. Should we tell them?
Matt gulps, and the nod he gives Kaydence is sure to remain unseen by the jet-lagged girls. "Good," he speaks up, crossing to sit on the arm of the chair Kaydence has planted herself in. "Because we've got something to tell you." We weren't on the bridge, he adds as an afterthought, specifically for Molly. Nowhere near it. But rather than spill the news himself, Matt simply looks to Kaydence again.
Molly's eyebrows furrow and she looks from Matt to Kay. She doesn't say anything waiting for the news. Her gaze drifts to Cole and she smiles warmly at the little girl. I kind of figured that, I'm glad they kept you away. She plays with a strand of her hair as she waits.
Kay reaches out her arms to her daughter and the little girl doesn't miss the cue, climbing up and into her mom's lap. "Now, sweetie, we both love Daddy very much, and we know he'll always love us. Nothing's ever going to change that, right?" Cole nods her head quickly. That much is obvious to the child. No force in the universe can erase Spencer Damaris' love for his girls. "I… Daddy's been gone a while now. And Daddy wouldn't want us to hold ourselves back, right? Isn't that what the doctor says?" Again, the girl nods. Kay looks up at Matt, a sort of helplessness in her eyes. I didn't realise it would be this hard when I got down to it.
Matt moves from the arm of the chair as Cole climbs into her mother's lap, and slowly crosses the small space to sit on the couch, but there is a considerable distance between the spot he chooses and where Molly has flopped. He glances between his own daughter and Cole once Kaydence passes the ball, but he looks equally hesitant.
Leaning forward, Matt rests his elbows on his knees and rubs his hands together. "Things haven't really been the greatest lately," he picks up. "For any of us. In a lot of ways. But…Kay and I think it will be easier if we can do it…as a family."
The oldest of the two children in the room looks to Kay as she speaks to Cole and then when she looks to Matt and her father begins to speak, Molly's face is.. surprised. "Getting married?" she's stunned. It's always just been she and Matt.. and the nanny but they don't really count now do they? "How long have you been engaged?" Molly blinks and smiles softly at the two. "Congratulations."
"Not long," Kay assures the girl with an almost apologetic smile. "Matt asked me to marry him, and I said yes." It may not be how it really went, but that hardly matters, does it? Her smile turns more gentle as she glances down to the child in her lap once more. "Matt and I are going to get married, sweetie. He's not going to take Daddy's place. He's just going to be here for us. Like he always has. Okay?"
Colene Marcella blinks sleepily, glancing between her mother and Matt. Then, she looks to Molly. "Does that mean we can be sisters?" she asks of the older girl.
"Thanks, hon," Matt says to Molly with a tired and relieved sort of smile. He watches Cole for her reaction, at which he sighs and leans back into the couch, letting his arms move to the back of it. As for the sisterly proposal, Matt merely smirks and looks to Molly.
"That depends on a few things. Right now, Cole stays with my parents. But considering your and Matt's special situation… I don't know, Molly. We're just going to have to play this by ear. We aren't really sure how this is going to work." Kay smiles genuinely, clearly sympathetic to what Molly's asking. "I'm going to work as hard as I can to give us a normal family life. I want us to have a home. Together." The smile fades to something more concerned. "Are you okay with this, Molly?" The girl is old enough to know that things are more complicated than they seem. Six-year-old Colene doesn't realise that the world's quite so topsy-turvy and that being a family isn't as easy as sharing a house.
"Matt deserves happiness. Of course I'm ok with it." Molly says to Kay with a smile, "It's going to be.. different but I'm sure we will make it."
Matt is silent for the exchange between the women, but then he stretches his fingers in an attempt to brush the back of Molly's head as she lounges the couch. "Hey," he says with a small smile. "I picked out a school for you. And as soon as we can swing it, we'll all move into a house…or maybe you can help me make my apartment nice enough for you gals." It is in a nice part of the city, and close to Molly's new school.
"Come on, Princess. Let's get you to bed, okay?" Kay scoops Cole up effortlessly as she stands, heading toward the girl's bedroom with the enormous dog at her heels.
"Mommy? Can Molly spend the night with me?"
Kay glances back to the couch. "That's up to Matt and Molly, sweetie. Let's let them talk and I'll read you a story, okay?"
"Okay." Cole yawns widely and snuggles up into her mother. She's asleep before she's ever settled into bed.
"A school! OhmygodMattthankthankthankyou." Molly flies onto Matt and hugs the big man tight. "You don't know what you have done! Thank you!" It would be understandable that she is more excited for the idea of school then the marriage. "I can't believe it. Live with you too? Am I dreaming or something?" Molly shakes her head.
Molly knocks a good bit of air out of Matt when she hugs him, but he's not complaining. It comes out as a chuckle before he wraps his arms around her tightly, glancing over his shoulder for a moment at Kay. "Not just me, hon. Kay and Cole, too." Relishing in the hug for a moment, he closes his eyes and adds, "I'm glad you're happy."
"We're both happy, so we both win right?" Molly says and allows herself to be that kid again, the one that worshiped the ground that Matt walked on. "Family." She says and closes her eyes, burying her head into his chest.
"That's right," Matt assures her, rubbing her back with his left hand. He glances down at the golden band that hugs his pinky finger, and his smile widens.
Family.
 February 1st: My Mary Jane Varlane |
 February 1st: Work Cut Out For Us |