Chapter 97: MHIYxTJ Crossover

"Hey, are you feeling okay?" RJ asked, looking at Dei with concern. They were at the airport, trying to get to the boarding area on time, and he had been noticing how Dei was touching her tummy a lot. He also noticed a couple of times how she would wince or bite her lip secretly.

"Yea, I'm fine."

"No, you're not. What's going on?" RJ stopped walking and pulled Dei's hand to stop her too.

"I'm fine, it's just my tummy. It's been cramping a lot since this morning," she answered.

"What? Why didn't you tell me? We could've cancelled our flight until you're feeling better," RJ told her reproachfully.

"I'm fine, babe. It's just mild cramping. It's normal, especially with the twins."

RJ sighed and held out his hand for her bag. "Let me hold your bag and just hold Athena's hand instead. We don't need to walk too fast, we still have enough time. Athena, hold on to mommy's hand for now."

But Athena wasn't paying attention. Her eyes were fixed on the airport K9 - a black Labrador Terrier. She was staring at the dog, fascinated by its shiny black fur and the way it was lounging lazily at one corner, with its human partner standing right beside it.

As RJ began to speak again, Dei suddenly bent over in pain, and he let go of Athena's hand to help Dei up and rub her back with his palm.

"Dammit, babe. This isn't mild cramping at all. What are you feeling?"

"There's a sharp pain on my right abdomen. The twins are moving a lot," Dei answered, heaving.

"Do you need to sit down? Or we can go to the airport clinic. There should be an airport clinic here somewhere," RJ said as he looked around the area.

"Daddy, wook!" Athena said, tugging RJ's shirt. "That dog is so cute. Can I touch hew, daddy?"

"Just one moment, princess. Mommy's in pain," RJ said distractedly.

"Okay, daddy," Athena said, misunderstanding his words. She slowly walked towards the spot where the dog was lounging in, and smiled at it as she approached.

"Hello, little girl. How can I help you?" The guard standing beside the dog asked.

"Is that yow dog?"

"Yep! Well actually, she's the airport dog," the guard answered, smiling at Athena.

"Is she nice?"

"Yea, she is, but not to bad people."

"Teena not bad. Can I touch hew?"

"Sure. Be gentle, okay?" The guard crouched beside the dog and held his harness firmly

"Kay," Athena said as the guard crouched beside the dog and held his harness firmly. She stepped nearer and started patting the dog's head, and she giggled when the dog closed its eyes and pushed its head into her hand, seemingly enjoying her touch. "Teena want dog too."

"Dogs are nice pets, and Labradors, like Lexi here, love kids too."

Athena smiled at the man and continued to pet the dog while it contentedly pushed its head to her palm, sometimes even giving it a gentle lick that made her giggle. After a few more moments, she turned, wanting to show her mom and dad how she was holding the dog. When she did, however, she couldn't see her mom and dad anymore. Instead there was a long queue of people on the area she thought she had come, and they were lining up on one of the gates, ready to be boarded.

"Ummm..." she took a deep breath and scanned the area, her hand dropping from the dog's head as she looked around, no longer sure where she had left her mom and dad.

"Hey, are you okay?" The guard asked, noticing her mild distress. "Who are you with?"

"My mommy and daddy," she answered, swallowing hard and trying not to cry.

"Where's your mommy and daddy?"

"Ummm..." She scanned the whole area again, a ball of panic starting to rise in her throat, until her eyes landed on a group of people in black, walking steadily towards one of the gates several feet away from where they stood. At the back of the group, lagging behind, were a man and a woman, and they were lost in conversation as they strode. Athena's eyes narrowed, a bit confused. "Thews my daddy," she said, pointing at the man.

The guard's eyebrows shot up. "Your daddy's a pilot?"

Athena didn't respond and ran to the man instead. "Daddy!" she called when she was just a few steps away, and both the man and the woman paused in their tracks. "D-daddy?" she said again, now a bit more unsure, and the man gave her a confused look.

The woman that the man was with stared at Athena before turning to the man with her eyebrows raised. "She called you daddy."

-oo-

"Would you care to explain?"

Richard looked back at Maine and then back to the little girl standing in front of them, looking up with hopeful yet confused eyes.

They were at the LAX, heading to the staff lounge. Their plane diverted on their way to New York when Richard felt something wrong with the plane and realized that they needed to make an emergency landing at LAX for needed repairs.

As usual, they lagged behind their team a bit as Maine told him of the places that she wanted to visit in LA if they were given a chance to leave the airport. They almost didn't see the girl who stood in front of them, looking up at Richard like she knew him.

"She must have mistaken me for someone else," he replied as he knelt down in front of the little girl. He was about to speak when the girl launched herself at him and wrapped her little arms around his neck, toppling his Captain's hat. He was so surprised that he almost toppled over.

"Is it possible that her mother is one of the ladies in Amsterdam?" She asked as she kneeled down beside him, stroking the hair of the little girl who buried her head on Richard's shoulder, her initial shock now gone to be replaced with real concern for the child.

"Impossible," he remarked as he adjusted himself to get a better hold of the little girl. He wrapped her in his arms, rubbing her little back in an up and down motion as he felt her softly crying on his shoulder. "Lady Wilmina will never allow it."

"Daddy," she said as tears started falling on her little cheeks. "I'm sowee. I pwomise nevew to weave yow side again."

"I - "

"Jase, Maine," called Martin as he walked back towards them along with the rest of their flight team. "What's keeping you guys...who's that little girl?"

When both Maine and Richard didn't respond, Martin approached his captain and kneeled beside him to talk to the little girl in Richard's arms.

"Hello there, sweet thing," he said softly as not to scare off the little girl who was sobbing in Richard's arms. "Can you tell us your name?"

"Teena Ysabew Mendoza Fowkeson," the little girl replied in between sniffles.

Maine, Richard, and Martin looked at each other in bewilderment.

"Faulkerson?!?" She asked pointedly at Richard.

"I heard her say Mendoza Faulkerson," he replied matter-of-factly.

"Is there something you guys aren't telling me?" Martin looked from Maine to Richard, then back again. He eyed them curiously when they didn't answer, then suddenly, his eyes widened at a sudden realization. He went on, "Oooh...do you think she's your kid from the future? If she is, I suggest you start making this little princess ASAP!"

"Really, Martin?" Richard retorted. "That's your explanation? Time-travel?"

"It's as good a reason as any."

The little girl they knew as "Teena" looked about the small group. She then noticed Maine and furrowed her brows in confusion.

"Tita Panda," Teena said as she reached out to touch Maine's cheek. "Why aw you heew? Whew's Tito Wichawd?"

"Did she just call you Tita Panda?" Richard inquired, looking at Maine with furrowed brows. "Panda as in the bear?"

"Do I look like a panda to you?" Maine inquired, one eyebrow raised in question.

He shook his head in reply then added, "if you do look like a panda, you'd be a very cute panda."

Maine just shrugged then returned her attention to Athena. She gave her a sweet smile that Athena couldn't help but return. She relaxed in Richard's embrace but kept her hold on him.

"Who are you looking for again, sweetie?" She asked.

"Yow husband," Teena answered matter-of-factly. "Tito Wichawd."

"Husband?" Richard's brows shot up in surprise. "Would you care to explain."

"Seriously, you two," Martin said. "Of all the times you question each other's loyalty, it's today? Your future offspring is right in front of you."

"Well," Richard remarked. "Apparently in her world, we're not even together."

The little girl looked about and there was once again confusion in her eyes. She looked back once again to the woman she thought was her aunt and then back to the man holding her. She frowned and said, "Daddy?"

"Oh, sweetie," Richard said softly. "I'm not your daddy. I think I just look a lot like him."

"If yow not my Daddy," Teena said, her brows scrunched in confusion. "Who aw you? Yow not my Tito Wichawd. Tito Wichawd has chubby cheeks."

"I didn't know you like guys with chubby cheeks," Richard teased, which earned him a slap on the shoulder by Maine.

He suddenly felt a small hand tugging at his coat sleeve to get his attention. Athena asked again, "who aw you? Aw you my tito?"

"I wish I was your Tito, sweetie," he explained. "But I don't recall ever having any relatives here in California. I would have known years ago. I'm Captain Jase. And this is Maine. And this guy here is Martin."

Athena cocked her head to the side and frowned once more. She looked at Maine and said, "yow not my Tita Panda?"

She said, "oh sweetie, no. I'm not your Tita Panda."

With the realization that she was once again amidst strangers, Athena started to worry again. Where were her parents? She looked about the crowded airport once more to look for them. Seeing her uneasy, and seeing Richard in a panic as well on what to do, Maine reached out and caressed Athena's cheeks to try to calm her. She smiled once again and then she reached out to take Athena's hand.

"You're such a brave little girl," Maine started. "I'm very proud of you, but I need you to keep being brave, okay? Can you tell us who you are with today?"

Athena looked at Maine again and took a deep breath. She was brave, and she will be able to find her mommy and daddy.

"I was with mommy and daddy," Athena explained, her voice shaking. "We stopped thew, I think. Mommy said my bwodews wew moving awot. And then I saw that doggie and then I went to pat hew head. And then I wook back and mommy and daddy disappeawed."

"So, you're with your mommy and daddy?"

"Yes."

"And you were supposed to go on an airplane with them?"

"Yes."

"Do you know where you're going?"

"Home."

"Where is home?"

"New Yowk."

"And your daddy looks like Captain Jase?"

"Yes."

"What does your mommy look like?" Martin suddenly asked.

Teena pointed at Maine and replied, "she wooks wike Tita Panda who isn't Tita Panda. But she has my bwodews in hew tummy."

"Apparently, Jase," Martin chortled. "You've been busy in that other world."

"Could we please stop with the other world theory," Richard sighed.

He took Athena in his arms again and lifted her up when he started to stand as well. Although a bit hesitant at first, the little girl ended up looping her arms around his neck again.

Richard continued, "Je, could you run to the clinic? If I understood little Teena here, her mom wasn't feeling well. Look for someone who looks like Maine, only pregnant. Her dad would look a lot like me. We'll head for information to report a lost child."

Martin added, "Patty, go check our flight if it's ready. They told us repairs would take about two hours. But better be sure than sorry."

Je and Patty did as they were told, while the rest of the crew followed their captain to the information booth.

-oo-

RJ helped Dei to the nearest chair and continued to rub her back. "Are you bleeding? Do you think you're going into labor?"

"No. It's way too early for me to be in labor, and no, I don't think I'm bleeding. Ouch!"

"That's it, I'm gonna ask around for the clinic," RJ decided, unable to take the pained look on Dei's face anymore. "Athena, stay with..." he paused when he turned and realized that Athena was no longer behind him. Instead there was a bunch of people there, waiting in line for their boarding to start. He straightened up, scanning the area they were in, but couldn't find Athena anywhere. "Where's Athena?"

"Huh?"

"Athena. She's not here."

"What?!" Dei said, sitting up at once.

"She was just standing behind me a while ago," RJ said, his heart pounding. He glanced at Dei and saw the worried look on her face, although one hand was still placed flat on her tummy. She was obviously still in pain. "Please relax, babe. I'm gonna call Matt and we'll ask for help. She should just be around."

He pulled out his phone from his pocket and started calling Matt. He wanted to start looking for Athena, but he couldn't leave Dei. "Hello, Matt?"

"Faulkerson, where are you guys? We're at the gate, they will be calling us in for boarding any minute n - "

"Matt, Athena's missing," RJ cut in, still desperately looking around, craning his head to see over the heads of people in front of him.

"What???"

"We're near gate 7, can you please come and stay with Dei while I look for Athena? She's sitting in one of the chairs here, right in front of the deli booth. Come as fast as you can, please."

"On my way!" Matt said and hung up.

"Babe, Matt's on his way. He's gonna stay with you while I search for Athena, okay?" RJ said as he knelt in front of her. "Are you still in pain? I'm gonna ask him to take you to the clinic, okay?"

"Alert the guards, babe, please. This airport is huge and there are just too many people here," Dei said, and RJ saw how she was close to tears.

"Yea, I will. Just relax, babe, please. We'll find her."

About two minutes later, they saw Matt running towards them from the east side of the airport. "Oh my gods, I don't think I've ever ran that fast my whole life. I almost tripped a couple of times," he told them, gasping. "What happened?"

"I need you to please take Dei to the airport clinic. I'm gonna start looking for Athena," RJ told him. "I'll call you when I find her." He gave Dei a quick kiss on the head and started walking briskly. He stepped towards the queue and squeezed himself in, not bothering to excuse himself anymore.

He saw a guard with a dog as soon as he made his way out of the queue, and he approached him at once.

"Hi, I need your help. My daughter's missing and I need help in finding here. She's about this tall, brown hair, big doe eyes - "

"I saw her, she was here a while ago, and you look like the man she just ran to," the guard said with a confused frown. "She said that was her dad, and he happened to look just like you."

"What?" RJ asked. He suddenly wondered if any of his cousins was in the airport too.

"I think they walked over there if you turn into that corner. The man's a pilot in one of the airlines here."

None of my cousins are pilots, RJ thought worriedly, now wondering who that man was. He suddenly thought of his other cousin, whom they had not seen for a very long time. JR...

"Thanks," he quickly told the guard before running towards the direction he had pointed.

"I'm going to alert security too, sir!" the guard called after him as he pulled out a two-way radio.

RJ just nodded and continued running. He turned the corner and saw a small group of airline personnel, huddled beside an information booth. A man, wearing what seemed like a pilot's uniform was carrying Athena in his arms while a woman held her hand.

"Athena!" RJ called and Athena looked up. As she did, the man and the woman turned in his direction too, and RJ's jaw dropped.

"What the fuck?"

-oo-

When they got to the information booth, it must have sunk in to Athena that she was really lost. She was worried that her parents would not find her. She started crying again and Richard, who was still carrying her, tightened his embrace.

"Hey Teena," Richard said softly. "Would you like some ice cream? I know this small shop just around the corner."

"I-Ice cweam?"

"Yes," he replied. "Would you like some?"

Her tear-streaked eyes brightened and she smiled a little. She gave a resounding "Yes" that made everyone around them laugh. Richard chuckled and said, "come on. I'll let you choose the flavor. Martin, I'm bringing Maine with me."

"As if I could stop you from bringing her with you," Martin smirked. "We'll finish filing the missing child report, but don't dawdle. Her parents might be looking for her."

Richard nodded an affirmative then reached out to take Maine's hand. Athena kept her arms wrapped around his neck as he continued to carry her towards the small ice cream parlor inside the airport. Maine was doing small talk, asking Athena some questions to keep the child occupied. Richard was just listening in, as he softly hummed one of his songs. Athena looked at him closely and wondered where the sound was coming from.

The finally arrived at the ice cream stall and Richard leaned forward so Athena could see the different flavors.

"What would you like, sweetie?" He asked. "There's Bubblegum, Chocolate Mint, Cookies n' Cream, Cotton Candy, Unicorn - "

"Unicown?!?" There was a horrified look on Athena's face, and she clutched onto Richard tighter. Maine came closer and rubbed Athena's back, "oh sweetie. It's just a flavor. There are no actual unicorns in the ice cream."

"Aw you show?"

"Yes," she replied with a smile. "No unicorns. I promise."

"So," Richard said with an amused smile. "Would you like to try out the Unicorn flavored ice cream with no real Unicorn in it?"

Athena was silent for a while, considering her options. Finally, she smiled and nodded. Richard told her order to the shop attendant who smiled and started to fix the order.

"What about you, Heart?" He asked. "Unicorn flavored ice cream?"

"No thanks, Home," Maine replied. "I'm looking forward to your mom's ice cream when we get back."

"She did make a new batch when we left."

"Yow mommy makes ice cweam?"

"Yes," he replied. "My mom actually makes good ice cream. But she only does regular flavors like vanilla, mangoes, strawberry, chocolate..."

"I wike chocowate," Athena smiled.

"I like chocolate too," he said.

"Here you go, Honey," the shop attendant called and extended her arm so that Athena could reach for the cup of ice cream she had ordered. She thought that Athena was holding the cup tight already so she let go, and the ice cream slipped from the child's hand and landed on Richard, staining his shirt.

"Oh, fu - "

"RJ!"

"...fudge," Richard thought quickly. "I was going to say fudge."

"Of course, you are," Maine smirked and reached out to take Athena from his arms so he could check his uniform.

"I'm sowee," Athena whispered as she circled her arms around Maine's neck.

"It's okay, sweetie," Richard reassured her as he took his blazer off and dabbed some tissue on the stained area. "It wasn't your fault."

"I'm so sorry, sir," the attendant said as she handed him more tissue. "I thought your daughter was already holding the cup."

"She's not - "

"It's okay, miss," Maine cut him off. "It was an accident. Can you just get us another cup?"

"Of course, Ma'am," she replied and hurriedly went back to get Athena another cup. "Don't worry. This one's on the house."

While the attendant was making their order again, Maine asked, "how is it?"

She had Athena in her arms who also took some tissue from her and reached out to wipe off the stain on Richard's shirt. Richard smiled as he let Athena help him with the shirt stain.

"The blazer got the most of it," he examined. "Just a couple of stains on the shirt. Nothing a bleach can't handle when we get home. I have another uniform in my bag. I'll just change when we get to the staff lounge."

They started to head back when they got the new cup of ice cream, Richard once again carrying Athena in his arms as she happily but carefully ate her ice cream. Maine was beside him, his blazer draped on her arms that were folded in front of her chest.

As they walked, Richard was once again humming one of his songs. Athena was listening attentively.

"What aw you doing, Tito Capain?" She asked.

"I was humming."

Athena furrowed her brows as she attempted to hum. She ended up "aah-ing" to the tune of the song Richard was humming, which delighted Richard immensely as he heard she was in tune.

"Can you sing?" He asked. "I'll teach you the lyrics."

Then he started singing "Running Home to You". Richard found her looking at him as if trying to decipher the song. When he was done, Athena asked him to sing again, but she tried to follow after him. He found her adorable, as she already got the tone of the song right, but since she's only 3, her lyrics still needed work. They got back to the information booth with Athena almost getting the whole song right. Maine never left her side as Athena held her hand tightly. She listened in while they were singing, her smile bright as Athena followed Richard's instructions.

"Ow I wanna do," Athena sang. "Is come wunning home to you. Come wunning home to you. An ow my wife I pwomise to, keep wunning home to you, keep wunning home to you..."

They continued with the singing lessons when someone called out.

"Athena!"

Richard stopped singing to Athena, and the small group in Richard's team who were listening in turned towards the direction of the voice.

"Oh. My. Chuck!" Martin exclaimed, his jaw dropping open at the sight.

"Daddy?"

He and Maine turned just in time to see a man who looked exactly like Richard, only he was a bit older than him. He saw the man's jaw drop and heard him stutter, "What the fuck?"

The man must have been in shock as he stood there for a few moments more, not moving from his position. Richard felt Athena's arm loosening their hold from his neck. When he checked on the little girl, there was a worried look on her face.

"You didn't tell us you have an older brother, Jase," Martin said in awe as the older version of their captain finally started towards them.

"I don't," was his only reply. He looked at the older man who continued walking at a slow pace, still not believing what he was seeing.

Richard could see relief in the man's eyes when he spotted her daughter, but there was also reservation. He'd been worried. Richard wondered what it was about as it looked like a burden was lifted from the man's shoulders. He also wondered what was going on in the man's head when he saw him. Richard himself couldn't wrap his head around the situation. After all, he grew up knowing that Alden was the only one who looked exactly like him. It was unnerving to see someone who looks like him but only a bit older.

When the man finally reached the trio he said, "can I have my daughter back?"

The man had his arms outstretched towards Richard.

"Gladly," Richard replied.

"With all due respect sir," Martin said as he approached them. "But we can't just give you the child just because you claimed to be her father."

"Are you serious?" the man said, looking at Martin with an expression of disbelief.

"Very," Martin replied, standing his ground. "The fact that the child ran up to our Captain thinking that he was her father is precaution enough."

He ignored Martin and turned to Richard instead. He asked, "can I get your name, Captain?"

"Captain Richard Jason Faulkerson, sir," he said as he adjusted his hold on Athena to shake hands with the man. "Your daughter ran up to me thinking I was you. Now I can see why."

"I'm Richard Jay Faulkerson," RJ replied taking the captain's hand, and at the same time shaking his head in disbelief. But the sadness in his eyes returned, like a look of disappointment. "I really can't thank you enough for looking after my daughter."

"Faulkerson?" Maine said, and then turned to Richard. "His name is also Richard. Only your second names are different."

"Maine?"

"How did you know my name?"

RJ noticed the slight shift in position that Richard made to put Maine behind him. He couldn't help but smirk at the gesture. It was a typical Faulkerson move. He would have to ask his dad if he had another cousin he didn't know about.

"You look so much like my cousin's wife," he explained. "Her name is also Maine. Richard and Maine, how amazing is that? They recently got married and the resemblance is uncanny. Actually, if my wife weren't pregnant right now, I would have mistaken you for her as well. You look too much alike."

"Richard?" Richard inquired. "The guy with the chubby cheeks?"

RJ barked off a laugh at the description and said, "Athena must have told you about him then. You look more like my other cousin, Alden, though."

"Alden?"

Maine reached out and placed a hand on Richard's upper arm, worried of his reaction. Richard's change in demeanor was evident even to RJ, but RJ let it pass. He just nodded and replied, "he's also married and his wife recently gave birth. Needless to say, his wife also looks like you, Maine. So, I could understand Teena's confusion."

Richard nodded and added, "she called Maine, 'Tita Panda'."

"Teena loves her Tita Panda," RJ remarked. "I think she's also taken to your Maine."

RJ smiled when he saw Athena shifting her head and reaching out to take Maine's hand again. Maine immediately held hers back and gave it a squeeze.

"She's such a sweet little girl," Richard commented, earning a smile from the older man.

"She is," RJ chimed. "And she's smart for her age. There are those moments that I forget she's only three. But she's my baby. I guess all dad's feel that way about their daughters."

Richard just nodded, a small smile crept on his lips.

"She likes you," RJ observed. "And it's not just because you look like me. She'd never clung like that with her other uncles when she first met them. Well, maybe with Richard but I can't remember with my other cousins."

"Well," Richard replied with a smile. "I like her too."

"Can't wait to have one of your own?"

Richard shot Maine a glance who blushed at what RJ said. Richard smiled and replied, "I can wait as long as it takes. We're not in a hurry."

It was at that moment when they saw Jerald running towards them. He said, "Cap! You wouldn't believe what I - OH MY GOD! There are two of you too!"

He looked from one Faulkerson to another, then when he finally made a decision, he turned towards Richard and with unsure eyes asked, "Jase?"

"Really, Je?" Richard remarked incredulously. "The uniform's a dead giveaway."

He tried to make a retort but thought better of it. Instead he said, "so I went to the clinic like you asked. When I came inside, I was shocked to see Maine sitting on the bed, and she was about 5-months pregnant! It was so freaky. But Maine. When you get pregnant, you'll be a very pretty pregnant lady. That's for sure! So you guys better start making those babies. But don't start immediately, maybe around Christmas? That's the best gift you could give each other."

"You guys are actually serious about that?" Richard said incredulously.

"Serious about what?" Maine asked.

"I'll tell you later."

"You saw my wife at the clinic?" RJ asked, not bothering to ask about what they were discussing, and an edge of panic can be heard in his voice. "How is she? Does she still look like she's in pain?"

"Oh," Jerald stammered. "She seemed better when I saw her. She was talking to the nurse when I came in. She has a companion, and he's the one looking like he's about to pass out."

RJ breathe a huge sigh of relief and reverted his attention to his daughter who was now fidgeting with the buttons on Richard's uniform. He noticed that Richard was just letting her play with the buttons, only slowly stopping her whenever she reached for the pins with the exposed pointed part.

"Hey princess," RJ said softly as he stretched out his arms once more to reach her. "It's time to go. We need to go back to mommy."

"Wews mommy," Athena asked, now looking at RJ with a worried look in her eyes.

"She's at the clinic, but this nice gentleman here said she's alright. Come here," he said, as Athena moved to wrap her arms around his neck.

Richard let Jay take hold of his daughter, and RJ immediately held her in a tight embrace.

"I was so worried about you, Athena," he said as he showered his daughter with kisses.

"I'm sowee, Daddy."

"It's okay, Princess," he replied. "I'm just glad you're okay. Were you a good girl? You didn't give the Captain and his crew a hard time, did you?"

"Teena was good gew," she replied with a smile. "Tito Capain and Tita Hawt gave me ice cweam. Then Tito Capain teach me a new song."

"I would love to hear that, princess," he said. "But let's go to mommy first. She's also very worried."

Athena just nodded and asked to be placed down. RJ let her down and watched as she quickly ran to Maine and tugged her hand.

"Tita Hawt," she said. "Let's go see Mommy."

Maine turned to Martin who nodded and added, "we'll be at the staff lounge. You guys still have time. Jase, go with...why am I even bothering to ask, you'll surely go with her whether I say so or not. Just meet us back in 30-minutes."

RJ fished out his phone from his pocket and called his wife, "I found her, babe. Where are you?"

"We're at the clinic. They don't have proper tools and facilities here to check what's wrong, but I'm feeling way better now. I wanna see her!" Dei said from the other line.

"You wouldn't believe what happened here, but I have her now. We're on our way there."

"Okay."

"And I'd like you to meet the people who took care of Athena while she was missing."

-oo-

"Is there a Faulkerson cloning facility somewhere that I don't know about?" Dei said as she sat on the bed with a very shocked Matthew right beside her.

"You're one to talk," RJ replied. "She's another living breathing clone of yours!"

When they got to the clinic, Dei could not believe what she saw when the doors opened and Athena came running towards her with Maine in tow. Matthew gave out a short scream upon seeing Maine followed by RJ, with Richard taking the rear. Nothing came out of Matt's mouth except for repeated "oh my gods!".

After RJ had introduced the couple to his wife and friend, Athena pulled Maine towards her mom, Richard was just at the corner, watching Maine and Athena with Dei. RJ noticed Richard placing a hand to his chest near his heart and sighing.

RJ approached him. "I take it the two of you are together?"

"What gave that away?" Richard asked with a smirk.

"If you stare too much she might just melt," RJ replied with a smile.

"I can see my future right before me," Richard said.

"And how does that make you feel?"

"Elated," he smiled. "Excited. A bit scared too. Have you also felt like this with your wife?"

"Everyday," RJ replied. "It's a roller coaster ride. There are some days when everything is great and then some days when it's not. You just have to remember that you made a vow to love each other through sickness and in health, for better or worse, for as long as you both shall live. That alone would keep you in the right perspective."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"I don't mean to pry," RJ said. "But when I mentioned my cousin, Alden, there was a slight change in you."

Richard gave a small smile and sighed. He replied, "Alden was also the name of my twin brother."

"Was?"

"He died in a car accident eight years ago," he explained. "Alden Richard. It still pains me whenever he's mentioned."

"I'm very sorry for your loss. It must have been really hard for you."

"I'm...coping," Richard replied. "Something good did come out of his death and that it gave Maine another lease in life. She's the recipient of his heart. She wouldn't have survived without it."

"Really?" RJ shot a look at Maine who was smiling at something Athena did. "I can't imagine the struggle that you're going through. Your girlfriend has your brother's heart? I've made some research for an article I did before, and there are still cases of organ rejection even after having the organ for years. You fear for that, don't you?"

"Everyday."

Their conversation was cut when they heard Athena say, "mommy. Tito Capain teach me a new song!"

"Really, princess?" Dei replied. "I'd love to hear it."

🎶This woaw can wage by faw too fas...hawd to see why is ow fying pass...but it cweaw now...yow standing heaw now...I am meant to be whewevew you aw next to me...

Ow why wanna do...Is come wunning home to you. Come wunning home to you. An ow why wife I pwomise to, keef wunning home to you, keef wunning home to you...

An I could see it wight fwom the staw wight fwom the staw...you would be...be my wyt in the dawk, wyt in the dawk...oh you cave me no othew choice buttow wove you...

Ow why wanna do...Is come wunning home to you. Come wunning home to you. An ow why wife I pwomise to, keef wunning home to you, keef wunning home...home to you...🎶

"I don't know that song," RJ said, his brows furrowed as he tried to guess the song. He saw his wife and Maine clapping their hands and cheering on Athena which made him smile.

"I wrote it," Richard replied, his hand once again placed on his chest. "It's a song I wrote for Maine."

"Wow," Jay said. "She's one lucky girl then. Now I'm definitely asking my dad if we're related."

They exchanged numbers and promised to keep in touch. Richard checked his watch and then called out to Maine for them to leave.

-oo-

After saying their goodbyes to the group, Richard and Maine hurried off to the staff lounge.

"That was a bazaar experience," Richard said.

"Yes it was," Maine replied. "But it made me look forward to the future. Athena is so adorable and seeing you with her is definitely something to look forward to. It's an added bonus that I've seen a glimpse of what you would look like when you're much older and I like what I saw."

"It's disturbing to know that you've been checking him out."

"You didn't see Dei in me?"

"Oh, I definitely saw Dei in you," he replied. "And Jerald's right. You'd be radiant when you're pregnant."

There was a worried look on Maine's face that Richard reached out to take her hand in his. He kissed the back of her palm and rearranged their hands so their fingers intertwined.

"I know what you're thinking," he said softly. "Don't. We'll cross that bridge when we get there. Let's focus on what we have now."

Maine smiled and nodded.

They reached the staff lounge in time to them to prepare to board their plane. Repairs were done and the crew was getting ready to leave once more. Richard quickly changed uniforms and Maine went with the rest of the FAs for their pre-boarding briefing. It was another day for the Faulkerson-Croft flight crew of MJN Airlines.

-oo-

Author's Note: Hello guys! How is everyone doing? I hope you are having a great day.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank iamRam2333 for this collab. I really had fun writing this. Thank you so much for lending me Athena. She was so fun to write. I hope I could do it again. ❤️ Maybe next time an interaction between Martin and Matthew? Or focus more on Dei and Maine? Hihi... But really. Thanks for this. A dream come true for me to have worked with someone I greatly admire. Words cannot express how thankful I am to have met you. ❤️

I really hope you guys liked this chapter. Please vote or comment. I can't wait to read them later!

See you on the next chapter! 😊