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Moira's working out the stress when Nathan cheats and brings Rachel along to see how Mum is. Who isn't doing so great. Lots of family clinging and talks about personal ethics.



It had been a long time since Moira had made the time for running. She wasn't one of the ones who took to the trails, like Paige did, but instead, she'd take the tread mill any day. There was something about running that allowed her to release her tension and stress, though tonight it wasn't doing much good.

Nathan paused in the doorway, his arms full of baby. Rachel cooed inquisitively at the sight of her mother going full-tilt on the treadmill, and part of Nathan felt very slightly sneaky. Using the baby...

"That's cheatin'," Moira called, starting to slow down as she caught sight of her husband carrying a cooing daughter.

"She was fussy. Wanted you." Nathan kissed the top of Rachel's head, and the baby made an odd whimpering noise.

Without really realizing it, she stopped the tread mill and had Rachel in her arms faster than she thought she could move. Trying not to squish her, Moira held on tight, and took a couple of deep breaths. "Oh God."

Nathan swallowed, then stepped in closer, wrapping her arms around both of them. Rachel snuffled, her tiny fists gripping her mother's shirt. "Are you all right?" he asked, his voice very slightly unsteady.

"I will be," she muttered, snaking one arm around his waist to cling tightly to the both of them. "I dinnae realize until after we 'ad him all stitched up an' done what Amanda had done exactly. An' then I realized Rachel was supposed ta 'ave been _down_ there for a wee while. Babies dinnae 'ave much life force..."

"I ran," Nathan said as steadily as he could. "When I saw Maddie's post. I ran into the nursery so fast that my laptop hit the wall. You and she are linked, Moira... it's just a slender link, but I was so afraid..."

"Wha' she did--dinnae reach down th' link. Ta fast for me ta slam any kind o' shieldin' over it."

"I've got to go talk to her. I offered." He smiled very faintly. "I'm probably the worst possible person."

Moira shook her head before nuzzling Rachel softly. "Probably th' best. None o' th' MedLab staff are up ta it." She looked up at him, a hard glint in her eyes. "I cannae say I dinnae blame her, Nathan. In 'er place, I would 'ave done th' same. Wha' bothers me is th' consequences afterwards. Amanda dinnae stop an' think, she jus' acted. Recklessness cannae mix wit' powers. An' she's been liein' ta me about her powers, tha's obvious now."

"I do blame her." Nathan's voice was very quiet, not flat but empty. "You know, had she stopped, asked for volunteers... I would have offered." Terminal disease or no terminal disease. "I think a number of us would have."

"I do, ta. I'm jus' sayin' I dinnae know--" Rachel squirmed, whimpering, and Moira murmured to her and watched her calm down. "I cannae say if I would 'ave done it or nay. I jus' know tha' talkin' ta her is a verra good thin'."

"Would you? Would you really have taken that risk with the people around you, without their consent?" Nathan blinked suddenly, rapidly. "If it had been me on that table, and you in the position to do that... I would have wanted you to let me go. Power's seductive, Moira."

The look she gave him was stone. "Tha's why I said I dinnae know. I dinnae 'ave these powers an' th one time I did, ye better believe it was bloody 'ard ta give up." Moira and Maddie didn't really talk about that much, instead, they focused whatever wishes they may have had to the Foundation. "I play ethically, ye know tha', even when th' other side isnae." Mistra. "'Tis like me askin' ye if ye'd 'ave changed the formula on a verra high risk experiment."

A tremor crossed Nathan's features, and he leaned forward, kissing her on the forehead. "I don't know what I'm going to say to her," he whispered into her hair as he drew back. "I really don't. I'm furious at her. I'm terrified for her. And I can't let either take over, not if I'm going to find out what's going on in her head."

"I dinnae know wha' ta tell ye," she replied honestly. "I'm tired an' I'm mad an' I jus' dinnae know which way is up right now."

"Will you do something for me?" Nathan waited until she gave a fractional nod. "Will you take the baby and go upstairs? I don't want to leave her alone, or with a sitter. She's... unsettled."

"So I noticed." And she had. Rachel hadn't been out right bawling, but the whimpers were still coming through every once in a while. "Yeah, some time alone wit' her will do us bot' a world o' good. Mum's been way ta busy lately, Sunshine."

Nathan stepped closer, holding both of them for another long moment. "I love you. Both of you." His voice was thick. "You're the whole world to me, and you always will be."

Moira couldn't say anything, too emotionally exhausted and about to drop. Instead, she reached out to both of them, sending as much love as she can.

Nathan kissed her again, then kissed the top of Rachel's head. "I'll be back upstairs in a little while," he said softly. And let go.

Just for now.