Changes, Part 1--
Julia's body realized that it had been awake and buzzing on adrenaline for two days, so when she relaxed into her seat on the jet, she fell fast asleep.
Morbus took this time to contact David and the other leaders to report that the mission was completed, Julia was found safe and that they were on their way home.
"How did the mission go, Morbus?" David asked him.
"It went well, though I did not actually complete the mission," Morbus said. "Julia beat me to it, and did an excellent job. I just sort of...supervised."
"Don't think you've failed or anything," David said. "It's just that we may have two assassins on our hands."
"I'd like yours and Jordan's permission to train Julia properly," Morbus said. "Perhaps when she turns fifteen next June."
"You know I'll have to have a serious talk with Jordan about that," David said. "She won't like it, but by next June, she'll be busy with other things."
"You're so certain of that, David," Morbus said.
"I am," David said. "Jordan and I are becoming the parents of twins via surrogacy in April. Biologically ours, you understand."
"Congratulations to you both," Morbus said. "Perhaps marriage is next?"
"Yeah," David said, "fat chance of that. Neither one of us wants to get married. We already feel married."
I know what you mean David, Morbus thought. Sixteen years ago, it was Jacob and Jordan thinking about marriage, but not really doing anything about it.
"We should be touching down in an hour, David," Morbus said; "Will you be meeting the jet?"
"No, it's late. Just bring Julia to us in the morning."
"Yes, David."
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"Jordan...?" David whispered to her as he climbed back into bed. He snuggled in against her back, wrapping his arm around her waist.
"Hmmm? Is it morning?" Jordan asked sleepily. She turned over to face him.
"No, not yet, baby," David said as he kissed her. "I wanted to tell you that Julia is safe and on her way home with Morbus."
"I'm so glad to hear that, David," Jordan said. "I just want to hug her and tell her I love her, and to not scare me like that again!"
"Maybe talking about what she did, and why it wasn't the right thing to do, will suffice in place of punishment," David said. "I mean, how would you discipline a girl who handles guns better than most adults?"
"We can't exactly ground her, can we?" Jordan said in agreement. "Maybe just talking to her will do. We'll have to see."
"I wonder how she's going to take the news that she has half siblings coming?" David asked as he caressed Jordan's hips.
"Shhh, David," Jordan said as she kissed him, "that's our little secret."
"I don't think I can keep it much longer...I'm too excited by the prospect of having babies with you," David said. "Just like right now, I'm excited by the certainty that you and I are going to make love..."
"Oh, mmmm!" Jordan said as she stroked her lover's manhood. "Come explore my southern regions...they're open for business."
"I was hoping they would be, my love," David said as he entered her.
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When Julia arrived home the next morning, Jordan and David were waiting for her. Julia ran to her mother and gave her a hug, and neither of them let go for a long while. Then Julia apologized for making Jordan and David worry and running off the way she did.
"I know what I did was wrong and it was foolish, and I deserve any punishment you give me," Julia said, full of remorse.
"What if we didn't punish you, Julia?" Jordan asked. "What if we just talk about why what you did was wrong, and that you promise not to scare the bejeesus out of me again?"
Julia was surprised. She expected the third degree, especially from David. But she could have a calm rational conversation with her mother and David. That would be better than them grounding me or taking away something, she thought.
"Why have you decided NOT to punish me?" Julia asked.
"Because, you're growing up, taking on adult responsibilities, and admitting your mistakes," David said. "And I think I can speak for your mother in saying that we are proud of you. Not only for admitting you were wrong, but for taking responsibilty for it."
"And, we have something else to tell you," Jordan said. She looked at David, then told Julia about the babies that were due in April.
"Wow!" Julia said. "Babies...plural? As in more than one?"
"That's the chance you take when you do in vitro fertilization and implanting the fertilized embryo into a woman's womb," Jordan said. "I'm glad it's just two. There could have been more, or there could have been one."
"I'm really happy for you guys!" Julia said. "Who's the surrogate? Is it anyone we know?"
"Because of my position as the Disturbed Ones leader," David said; "we didn't want to put the surrogate in danger, so we don't know who she is, and she doesn't know who we are. We thought it would be best this way."
"I guess," Julia said. "So, do you have names picked out? Do you know what gender they are?"
"Whoa, Julia, one question at a time!" David said. "Jordan, do you want to take this one?"
"Sure," Jordan said. "We know at least one of the babies is female, and we're thinking about Gioia Maria; and if the other one is a boy, David wants to name him after his late grandfather."
"What if the other one is a girl, too?"
"We haven't gotten that far yet!" David said.
"We still have to have that talk about your exploits over the last couple of days," Jordan said. "We should do that soon."
"Okay," Julia said. "Hey, is Nik back from his camp thing yet?"
"He is," David said as he, Jordan and Julia sat down to breakfast. "He's been hanging out here for a couple of days, then he goes back for another session."
"Well, where is he?"
"Right now, he's probably with KateLynn," Jordan said. "She's Nik's girlfriend. They met at the camp. She's a nice girl, and Nik adores her."
"She adores Nik, too, don't forget," David said to Jordan. "They're cute together, aren't they, Jordan?" Jordan nodded.
Julia rolled her eyes, but in reality, she was jealous. She wanted someone to adore her.
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After Julia left to go see Nik, David asked Jordan, "How does she do that?
"Do what?"
"Be this steely eyed, cold blooded killer one minute then getting excited about baby names the next?"
"If I remember my sessions with Dr. Corwin correctly," Jordan said, "it's called compartmentalization. She can close off one compartment, say the cold blooded killer one, and keep others open, like dealing with her life with us, rolling her eyes at the idea her brother has a girlfriend, and talking about baby names. When the occasion calls for it, she can let the assassin in her come out and play, and close off the other compartments until they're needed again."
"Could that be a problem for her?" David asked. "Could one day the assassin compartment stays open all the time?"
"It could," Jordan said; "at that point she'd need help. Maybe letting Morbus train her could counteract that possibility."
"You're actually considering letting him do that?" David said, surprised.
"I figure she's going to do it anyway, no matter what anyone says, so I may as well allow her to be trained properly," she said. "But not until after her birthday in June."
David just shook his head. Sometimes, Jordan absolutely amazed him. And he loved her dearly for it.