Legal disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction and in no way is intended to infringe the copyright and rights of William Schmidt, ABC, Warners or the cast and crew of Prey in any way. This is not a commercial enterprise and I am not making any money from this.

Loyalties – Part Two

By Mia Parker

Tom's thoughts swam slowly up from the depths of his healing sleep. It had been almost six months since he had been able to sleep like that - without the need to monitor his surroundings, to guard himself from attack. Once Ed had gotten him safe in the van he had shut down immediately.

Ed.

Tom stretched his senses out and found the very concerned human's presence hovering near him. Tom knew it was time to wake up.

He opened his eyes and at the same time heard Ed muttering, "Could be sub-dural hematoma, maybe got concussed jumping out of the truck. Damn. Wish I could risk a hospital-"

"I'm fine, Ed." Tom spoke as he sat up in the back seat of the van.

Ed jumped and the van swerved. "Christ!" he glanced at Tom in the mirror. "Don't make like Lazarus when I 'm driving, OK?"

Tom smiled slightly. "Sorry. Next time should I stay dead?"

Ed grinned and ran a hand through his hair. "Nah - It's a lot easier to get a person across the border when they are living and can give their own answers." He looked at his friend in the mirror again, his relief and surprise obvious even without dominant senses. "You sure look a lot better than when I picked you up. Better than you did at the camp for that matter."

"I needed the sleep."

Ed raised an eyebrow at that, but didn't comment.

"We're almost to the border. You better get dressed. There's a bag with some of your clothes under the seat. Then come up front and look in the glove compartment -" he paused as Tom slid into the front passenger's seat still pulling his gray sweater into place. "Got a passport and wallet with cash, credit cards, and a driver's license in there for Tim Elliot.... Ray sends his regards." Ed grinned again.

Tom checked through the papers.

"These are very good. We should have no problems. Thank Ray for me when you see him." He said as he put everything into various pockets.

"Sure." Ed grinned. "You hungry?"

"No." Tom shook his head. "I can wait 'til we are across the border."

"OK"

They rode in silence for a while. Tom looked out the window and marveled at how different the air tasted outside camp walls. It wasn't just freedom, though. It was friendship.

He realized then how much he had changed from his days as Lewis' top chameleon. He wasn't using Ed or putting up with him - he was actually relying on him and ... happy?... to have a friend along. No, Lewis certainly would not have approved of this change.

Lewis.

Tom was sure Lewis had done as he'd asked. Sloan would be well taken care of at least until the baby was born. Lewis would do anything to lay claim to the child. But what about Sloan?

"Ed?" Tom started, but stopped, unable to frame the question.

Ed glanced in his direction as he drove, eyebrows raised expectantly. "What? You feeling OK?"

"Yes, I'm fine." Tom trailed off again, frowning as he tried to put into words the question only a human could answer for him.

"You're fine, *but*..." Ed encouraged him with a lopsided grin. "C'mon, man. Finish a sentence, or at least give me a hint."

"Sloan loves me." Tom said it as if it were the first given in a mathematical proof. His brows were knit as he stared with unseeing eyes at the road ahead.

"That would be a 'yes', Tom. Although something of an understatement." Ed glance again at his friend with growing concern.

"Do you think she will come back to me even though I wasn't able to take care of her? Do you think she might have fallen in love with Lewis after seeing how well he is able to protect and provide for her and the baby?" The questions came out in a rush, like a cork had been pulled.

"Obviously your near death experience has left you delusional." Ed said, trying for humor, but then going on more seriously after seeing Tom's unchanged, intense stare. "We are talking about Sloan, here. She's not gonna leave you for anybody, why would you even think it? She *loves* you, Tom. Love doesn't change just because it might seem the pragmatic thing to do. But if you were afraid of that, why did you send her to Lewis in the first place?"

Looking at Ed, Tom felt like the barrier between them now was more palpable than the glass wall that had stood between them at the camp. Love. One word used by two people with overlapping but not completely synonymous definitions. But he refused to let the barrier stand.

"I feel something for Sloan and I call it love, but it isn't *human* love, Ed." Tom explained. "Her survival is more important to me than my own. Hers, and our child's. A female of my people would have understood. She would have put our child's survival above everything else. I sent her to the male best able to care for her and the baby. One of my kind would have set about making sure that that male had as many reasons as possible to protect that baby."

"Tom - " Ed started, but Tom cut him off with on ragged voice sentence.

"I gave her to him, Ed."

Then he smirked and barked out something that might have been laughter if there had been any humor to it. "Or maybe I gave him to her. Sloan is a brilliant and strong female and bearing a healthy dominant baby. Lewis will find her irresistible."

"Wait a second. You mean males of your species get turned on by pregnant women?" Ed asked incredulously. "That's..." He fumbled for a word that wasn't insulting.

"Sex is only a small part of the attraction." Tom continued. "There is the pull to protect the young of the species, to bond. A relationship with the mother is also a relationship with the child. And a female who has proven herself with strong offspring is very compelling. Lewis will tell himself he only wants the child, but I was betting that he would not be able to resist Sloan. That he would want her for a mate."

Ed abruptly pulled off the road. His anger and confusion flaring through Tom's shields. "You what?!?! God! I never should have let her go!" Ed hit the steering wheel hard. Then gripped it tightly and shut his eyes. "If you've already given up, then get out. I'll go get her myself. I am not leaving her to that sadistic son of a bitch!"

"I haven't given up, Ed! I just..." Tom paused again, he wished Sloan were here. She always understood what he was trying to say. "Ed, listen." He waited until Ed opened his eyes and turned to face him. "I don't understand human love, Ed. Not on a gut level, like you do. I need to know, do *you* think Sloan would want to stay with Lewis? Do you think she might have fallen in love with him?"

Ed held Tom's gaze and answered in careful measured tones. "Not in a million years."

Tom closed his eyes and felt the tension drain out of him. It was the answer he had come up with himself, but he wanted it so badly he hadn't trusted his conclusions. But Ed - he had the instincts. He wasn't thinking through the answer, he felt it.

"OK then." He said and opened his eyes. "Let's go get her."

"You sure you think you're up to taking Lewis on?" Ed asked sarcastically, still a little angry at what felt like Tom's lack of faith in Sloan.

Tom's face went very still.

"I'm not a POW anymore, and I won't allow that to happen again." He said. "Sloan doesn't need anyone's protection but mine. And Lewis is about to find that out."

"All right." Ed shifted the van into gear and pulled back on to the road.

Suddenly, Tom felt everything shift off kilter for a moment. "We better hurry, Ed."

"Huh? What's up?"

"I don't think we have much time." Tom informed him as he stretched out his senses as far as they could go and sent *safe* *soon* to his mate and through her to his soon to be born child…

***

        Sloan rested her head against the back of the birthing chair. She had had no idea that this room had existed in the house. Lewis had literally turned the housekeeper’s bedroom into a birthing room. Four bassinet’s stood at the ready. A large changing table stood against one wall. Beside it were two goose-neck heating lamps. She shifted her gaze to the man sitting calmly on the stool a few feet away.

        “How many times have you done this?” She asked him bluntly. “This can’t all be from reading a manual.”

        “More than once, and as I have a doctorate in psychology, I have worked in a hospital. I did my stint in the E/R like any other intern.” He flashed her one of his arched eyebrow expressions. There was something in his eyes though that caught her attention. Perhaps they had spent too much time together; she was becoming attuned to him.

        “What else?” She asked more softly this time. His gaze returned to the clipboard on which he was making notations.

        “I watched my sister die in childbirth when she was twelve. After that, I learned all I could.” He shrugged as if it was of no consequence.

        “And?” Sloan pushed him. This man who could be so cold, so manipulative… he was incredibly complex. He professed that emotions were merely vestiges of their Human ancestry, that they were useless for his people. That didn’t mean he didn’t *feel* things. He just kept it all compacted and controlled.

        “I assisted with the birth of my first offspring.” He set the clipboard aside, glancing down at his watch. He could feel the next contraction coming on. “And that is all I’ll say on the subject.”

        “Yes, sir.” Sloan smiled as she closed her eyes, the pain surging up again.

        After the next two contractions, she laid quietly for a second. “Lewis.”

        “Yes, Sloan?” He was setting out the medi-packs for the infants. Syringes, swabs, ointments…

        “If I don’t make it, I want you to promise me something.” Her eyes were closed so she missed the expression on his face.

        “You are going to make it.” He stared hard at her.

        “My birth mother died in childbirth. I had a twin. A brother that died a few days after we were born. I never told Tom, I didn’t want him to worry.” Her eyes opened, meeting Lewis’ gaze. “If I don’t make it, I want you to tell Tom…”

        “That is unacceptable, Sloan. Your heart is strong. This pregnancy has been exemplary…”

        “Except for the fact that I’m having quads, and they are half Homo-Dominant.” She gritted her teeth against the next contraction. “Promise me…”

        “The only promise I’m going to make you is that you are going to survive.” He sat down on the stool, snapping on a fresh pair of gloves. “You will see Tom again.”

        “Interesting.” She managed to gasp.

        “Breathe, Sloan! Concentrate!” He growled, angry at her and at himself. With her because she had made him think of his twin, and that was one memory he always tried to suppress; with himself for having allowed Sloan under his guard. She was more to him now than just a target, a rival for Tom’s attention. He had never intended to lower his guard with her. Some how she had snuck in, firmly attaching herself to his affections. He had not allowed such a thing to happen in years. He couldn’t afford any tender emotions for anyone. Not for Tom, and not for her. And yet…

        “I can see the head.” Within a few pushes and some swearing on Sloan’s part -he didn’t think she knew any interesting words but evidently she did -the first baby was born. Male. Excellent!

        Lewis cleaned out the baby’s mouth, and laid him on Sloan’s stomach. As he reached for a clamp, he sensed something… Just on the perimeters of his consciousness… But then it was gone swiftly as the baby let out his first wail. *pain, fear, cold*

        He took Sloan’s left hand and laid it on the baby’s back. *mother* He told the boy.

        “He has red hair.” Sloan choked, tears running down her face, mingling with the sweat. Lewis cocked an eyebrow at her. “I want the boys to look like Tom!” She cried first with joy and then with pain as another contraction started up.

        After that, it all became something of a blur for Lewis. He had assisted many times before, but he had never done this alone. He didn’t remember feeling Jenny’s labor pains as acutely as he was Sloan’s. He didn’t remember there being this much blood. He clenched his jaw, and put his training to the test. He wasn’t about to lose one of the babies much less their mother.

        Next born was yet another male. With fuzzy red hair and an excellent set of lungs. This one was crying before he was completely free of his mother. *pain* The baby screamed through Lewis’ mind. *safe* Lewis told him, settling him on Sloan’s stomach and grabbing another towel. Clamping the umbilical cord in two places, cutting it, wrapping the baby, placing it in the bassinet with his sibling, turning on the heat lamps, and another contraction was upon them. Sloan was pale, breathing hard. Dark circles were heavy under her eyes. He didn’t have time to set up an IV for her.

        Something there again on the edge of his senses… and Sloan screamed with the contraction.

        “I’m going to make him paaayyyy…..!” She yelled at the top of her lungs, drowning out the sound of the babies crying. “Leaving me like thisssss….!!”

        “I can see the head.” Lewis frowned at her, but trying to center his attention on the baby emerging from the birth canal. This one, he was certain, was female. She did not, however, have red hair. She had barely any hair on her head- just as Tom had at birth. He smiled at the memory, and then cut it off, shaking his head. “Push, Sloan!”

        “What the hell do you think I’ve been doing! Watching the f*****g television!” She growled at him fiercely. He blinked at that one, totally surprised. If she could have gotten a hold of him, he was very sure that she would have strangled him.

        “Well, keep doing it.” He pulled the baby free as Sloan gave one more push. “A daughter.”

        “Carolyn, for my mother.” Sloan whispered, falling back against the chair. She was so tired, and so lost. Tom should be here for this, she needed him to be here. She needed him. “Carolyn Mia.”

        Lewis laid the baby on Sloan, got the clamps and the towel…

        *There! Someone in the house!* But before Lewis could do anything, another wave of pain washed over Sloan… and him. He didn’t have time to confront the intruder -Tom?!- he had to clamp off the umbilical cord.

        "Sloan!" Lewis heard Tom call as he entered the house. He felt his protégé coming towards them.

"Tom wait!" Ed followed close behind....

He grabbed the clamps as Sloan's head jerked up.

"Tom?" She called out, incredulous. Was she dreaming? Was this a delusion brought on by labor? Lewis growled, annoyed at being interrupted. He wasn't ready for Tom to be here. He wasn't ready to let go of Sloan. She was so pale; she had lost a great deal of blood. There still wasn’t time to set up an I.V. for her.

Tom burst into the room and stopped. He took in everything - the birthing chair, the blood - and the *three* babies.

His babies? Or Lewis'?

"Tom?" Sloan repeated. She was trying to hold up her head, trying to capture his eyes, but she was so weak. It was like a miracle, to see him here, now… The babies were crying, another contraction was upon her but she had little energy left. Then, standing behind Tom, she saw Ed. Oh, god! Ed!

"Tom..." She cried between gritted teeth.

"Push, Sloan! Concentrate!" Lewis yelled. "Are you going to stand there, Tom? Or are you going to help?"

Tom shot his mentor a venomous look, but moved quickly to Sloan's head. He didn't know what to do.

"Tom, get her to focus." Ed encouraged him. “Breathe with her. Jesus - how long has she been bleeding like this?" Ed asked Lewis as he grabbed surgical gloves and moved to Lewis's side to assess Sloan's condition.

"Since the first was born..." Lewis replied grimly.

Ed looked at Lewis and was shocked to see Tom's own harrowed look mirrored there.

Tom only saw that Lewis had put Sloan in danger. "Why didn't you take her to the hospital? Couldn't you admit that you might need help?" Tom raged at Lewis, even as he held Sloan's hand tightly. "She is not one of us, Lewis, she is not made for this! If she pays for your arrogance with her life, you won’t see another day."

“You will not hurt him.” Sloan gripped Tom’s hand. A little shudder passed through her as she felt his strength, his warmth. She looked up at him, her heart pounding so hard in her chest. It was hard to get a breath, to think straight. “He did what you asked of him…”

“Save your breath.” Tom brushed the hair back out of her face with his free hand. “Focus on the baby.” On impulse, he leaned down and kissed her forehead. His eyes fluttering closed for a brief second.

“She’s not pushing hard enough. The baby isn’t coming down the canal.” Lewis frowned, wiping the sweat out of his eyes with the back of his arm. The smell of blood was so strong. She was losing too much blood. The babies crying for reassurance. How in the hell had he ever thought he could do this by himself?

Tom felt Lewis' concern rising and pushed away his own anger - it would not help Sloan or the babies.... He focused on her, reached for her, for his last born daughter.

*pain*

*safe* He sent. *soon*

And then reaching into Sloan he found what she had always given him, the thing that had kept him going even in the camp. He found this and sent it to his daughter.

*Love*

He sent it back to Sloan as well - and it seemed to grow. Mentally, he reached for his other babies, crying in the anxious atmosphere of the birthing room alone and frightened. *Love*

"Push, Sloan!" Ed's voice came through from far away. "One more time!"

Tom helped Sloan into more of a sitting position while Ed pressed on her abdomen. Lewis felt the head emerging. His eyes flickered up to Sloan.

“Do it, Parker! Push!” He used his most commanding tone of voice. Sloan’s breath hissed from her as she pushed for all she was worth. The baby’s head worked free of Sloan, and Lewis helped to ease the shoulders free. As soon as the face was clear, he was wiping at the mouth with a clean towel. She wasn’t responding as the first three had. “Tate, get around here.”

*breathe* Tom sent the message to his daughter. His daughter. He glanced at Lewis as Ed maneuvered between Sloan’s legs. Lewis glanced back at him. The babies were his, Tom knew. He and Sloan had conceived them in love. He had given Sloan and the babies to the one person who could protect them, knowing that imprinting the babies would be too great a temptation for Lewis to pass up, but now Tom was here to take them back.

“Lewis.” Ed snapped, easing the limp baby away from Sloan. Lewis brought the last bassinet up to Ed. He laid the baby down as Lewis, having ripped the bloody glove off his right hand, stuck his index finger into the baby’s mouth to clear the passage way. Ed massaged her chest.

“Tom!” Sloan cried hoarsely, grabbing at him. “Oh, god! No, Tom! She can’t die…”

Tom gently loosened her grip and then took her face in both hands and looked into her eyes. "She won't die, Sloan. We won't let her. She's got too much of her Mother in her to give up this easily. They all do. I can feel it."

He rested his forehead against Sloan’s and reached again for his daughter. *Love*

*Belonging*

*Family*

He felt the infant getting stronger. He felt the other babies instinctively supporting their sibling as she fought her way back.

*Family* They echoed back, and built into a strong spiral of emotion that Tom himself did not fully understand.

But he was alive in it, and so were they, and Sloan was at the center, even though she did not perceive it herself - she held them all.

"She's breathing!" Ed shouted in triumph and relief.

Tom opened his eyes to see Ed cradling the baby and smiling. Lewis was standing next to him, face impassive and eyes shadowed. He was drenched with sweat and stained with blood. Sloan’s blood. He was not unmoved by this experience. Tom could see that. He frowned, staring at the man who had shaped his life. There was something different about Lewis, though he could not put a finger to it. There wasn’t time.

Ed settled the baby back into the bassinet and reached for the clamps to tie off this last umbilical cord. Lewis was already wiping her off. Not only was this one breathing now, but she was leading the cries. Tom eased Sloan down, one hand pressing for the pulse in her throat. Her lips were pale, and her coloring was near gray.

“Ed, hurry up.” Tom snarled. Her eyes fluttered open, her lips curving into a wan smile as she gazed up at him.

“You… really… are here?” She whispered, a trembling hand reaching up to caress his cheek.

“Yes.” He replied fiercely. “Sloan, I love you.”

A fresh batch of tears streamed down her face when she didn’t think had it left in her. “I was so afraid I’d never see you again… Lewis told me… you’d come. But I…”

“Hush, it’s okay now. I am here. The babies are going to be fine.” He gently kissed her lips. “After you’ve recovered, we’ll discuss this business of having quads. One would have been sufficient.”

“Ha!” She managed weakly. “Discimination.”

“Uh, guys…” Ed was loathe to interrupt but there was still work to be done. “Tom, do you know how to set up an I.V.?”

“I do.” Lewis said, moving around to Sloan’s other side. “Quiet the babies, Thomas.”

“There are more clean towels in the basket.” Lewis nodded towards the large wicker basket against the wall. “Turn on the heating lamps while you’re at it.”

“Yes, sir.” Tom arched an eyebrow as he followed instructions. Sloan didn’t want to let go of him, but she and Ed had to finish with the afterbirth, and she couldn’t ignore the babies crying.

He touched each one in turn, whispering to them, soothing them. The first born male cried at his touch, seeking Lewis’ mind. *safe* Tom told him, *family* He switched on both heating lamps, angling them at the quads. Two boys, two girls. The boys both had fuzzy hair that was unmistakably red. He whispered to them, *love*

Sloan cried out as the contraction for the afterbirth abused her already worn out body. Tom was quickly at her side, holding her, encouraging her. He had a clean cloth for her face, wiping away the tears and the sweat. The I.V. was neatly in her right arm, and she had never felt Lewis insert it. Gasping, leaning back in Tom’s arms, she looked around for Lewis but he wasn’t there.

“Lewis?” She breathed. “Where’s… Lewis?”

“Tom, I’ve got to call for an ambulance. She’s lost too much blood. There’s been major tearing.” Ed looked up at his friend, his brown eyes full of worry. They weren’t out of the woods yet.

“I’ll find the phone.” Tom eased Sloan back against the chair.

“Don’t leave me…” She grabbed desperately at him.

“I’ll be right back. Ed’s here. The babies are here.” Tom promised her, kissing her forehead. He hurried out into the kitchen.

*Lewis* Tom called out to his mentor.

“Here.” Lewis said in the front hallway. He had changed shirts and had quickly rinsed off. The smell of blood was still strong on him. He waited for Tom to reach the hall, and then tossed the cell phone to him. “St. Mary’s Hospital. There’s a doctor there, Dr. Tomlinson, that knows about Sloan. It has all been prepaid.”

“How convenient.” Tom cocked an eyebrow at him. “Anything else?”

“The rent on this house is paid up for a full year. Not that I suggest staying that long.” Lewis jerked on the leather jacket. “If you need anything…”

“You’ve done enough.” Tom cut him off. “Sloan is my woman, my mate. The children are mine.”

“There was never any doubt.” Lewis gave him a look that belied his words. “I see why she captured your interest. It’s too bad she isn’t one of us, with her mind…”

“That’s what I like about her most.” He wanted to bash his fist into Lewis’ face. “Did you intend for Sloan to keep any of the babies?”

“They have an excellent bloodline, even with the Human taint.” He bent down and picked up the already packed traveling bag. “They would make incredible Chameleons…”

“Not as long as I’m alive.” Tom growled, ready for a fight. He’d been passive long enough. Lewis chuckled humorlessly, giving Tom a glance from head to toe.

“I see the internment camp has done you some good. Too bad we don’t have time for a sparring match. I have plane to catch, you have a mate to take care of.” He turned and opened the front door. Shifting the bag in his hand. He wanted to see Sloan one last time, but he cut that urge off. “You can have them for now. In a few years, I may not be so generous.”

“Try anything.” Tom ground out, standing in the doorway, glaring at Lewis. “And I will kill you.”

“You already had your chance.” Lewis smiled, turning to walk down the sidewalk. “See you later, Tom.”

Tom slammed the door shut, punching the number for the ambulance as he stalked back to the birthing room. The babies had quieted down. Sloan was asleep, the chair reclined back as far as Ed could get it. He talked to the dispatch operator between clenched teeth, and when he was done, he slammed the phone against the far wall. The startled babies stirred, but he was beside them in an instant. *safe* He reassured them, *love*

“Everything okay, Tom?” Ed asked, glancing at the now useless cell phone.

“Yes.” Tom looked up at him, his blue eyes glittering with repressed fury. “It will be.”