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Chapter Text

The Robinson family had faced many dangers in space, and been in many uncomfortable situations, and there were many times when they had wished they had stayed home. Penny Robinson had never wanted to go into space to begin with, but now that she was back on Earth, space didn’t seem so bad. At least this part of Earth wasn’t very inviting, as she and her sister Judy walked through the mostly vacant shopping mall. She had many fond memories of coming here, but after the Christmas Star, everything had changed. 

They had only been away for about 2 years, and Earth looked even more depressing than ever. After living on Alpha Centauri for a few months, and being lost in space for a long time before that, being back on Earth took some getting used to. The entire Robinson family had been invited as special guests of honor on the maiden voyage of the Solidarity , which was picking up the 25th colonist group to take them to the colony. They had all been a little superstitious about going into space again after what happened on the Resolute, but the trip back to Earth had been uneventful and smooth. Still, after all they had been through in space, being back on Earth felt really weird. 

“Wow, it’s too bad Will couldn’t be here” said Penny, as she and Judy walked through the mall. 

“He’s still away on the Human-Robot exploratory group” Judy reminded her. “But hey, it’s fun getting some sister time right? It feels just like the old days!” 

“Come on Judy, we never used to hang out this much in the old days, you were always busy” Penny teased. 

“No, I mean the really old days when you were little” Judy added. “But hey I wasn’t busy all of the time! The Robinson sisters will always stick together.”

“Yeah, I did kinda miss this” said Penny. “Just you and me, together like this. And on Earth! I never thought we would come back here again. It’s just like 5 years ago-” 

“Hey, what are big sisters for?” Judy reminded her. “Okay but do you really need SO many packs of oreos?” 

“Hey, these are Earth oreos, they’re really rare!” 

“Suuure, okay” 

Judy and Penny kept walking through all the different stores. Most of them were very empty, but a few of them were more crowded. 

“Hey Judy, how does this look?” Penny asked. She was trying on a large fluffy green sunhat, completing the look with sunglasses. Judy couldn’t help but laugh. 

“Is it really that bad?” Penny asked. 

“Uh, it’s just, not really your style?” Judy asked. 

“Exactly, noone would ever know it’s me!” said Penny. “Don’t you think we need disguises so noone knows who we are? We’re famous now Judy. We’re like space celebrities! I’m actually pretty shy, I’m a writer not a-” 

“There’s literally noone here” Judy pointed out, pacing through the empty clothes aisle. 

“So wanna try it on Judy?” 

“No way, I don’t want you to take a picture of me wearing that… thing” Judy laughed. 

“Hey, I wasn’t going to take a picture-” 

“Then why do you have your phone out?” 

“Okay fine. I guess I’ll just take a selfie then” said Penny sarcastically. Then she noticed something in another aisle and ran over to it, quickly putting the hat and glasses back. “Oh wow!” 

“What is it?” Judy asked. 

“Look at these notebooks, Judy!” 

“Notebooks? That’s what you’re so excited about?” 

“Really fancy notebooks, look at that trim-” 

“Also really expensive notebooks” said Judy. “Seriously, why?” 

“But I love writing by hand, and come on look how many pages they have!” said Penny. “They don’t have anything like this at the colony.” Penny picked out an ornate purple notebook and placed it in the cart gently. “Aren’t you going to get anything else, Judy?” 

“I guess I do need some new running shoes” said Judy, walking back over to that section of the store. 

The two Robinson sisters kept shopping for a little longer. “Oh no, did the bookstore close?” Penny said sadly. “I was hoping to get some new ones-” 

“Can’t you just download them on your phone?” 

“It’s not the same, Judy…” 

Suddenly, a young teenage girl with long brown hair with dyed crimson highlights blocked their path. 

“Oh my God, are you-?” 

Penny and Judy were both sort of awkward, since they weren’t used to being the center of attention like this. Word had traveled fast back to Earth about the adventures of the 24th colonist group while they were lost, and especially about the Robinson family. 

“Dr. Judy Robinson and Penny Robinson???” 

“Yeah, it’s us!” said Judy. 

 “You’re on Earth!!! Can I have your autograph?” 

“Oh, uh, sure, what’s your name” 

“Umm, Macie” 

Judy and Penny both signed a piece of paper that Macie held out. 

“But where’s your brother Will?” she asked. “Is it true that he was like teleported back to Earth to a small rural town one time? Is that how you’re here too?” 

“Uh no I don’t think so?” said Penny. “Will’s on a mission right now” Judy added. 

“ awww I really wanted to meet him” she sighed. “Don't tell anyone but I kinda have a cru-” 

“But hey you got to meet us!” said Judy. “We’re pretty cool too” 

“Yeah I’m a big fan” said Macie.

“It was uh, great to meet you!” said Penny. 

Macie stayed and talked with them for a few minutes, before heading back when her mom called her. Penny and Judy walked back through the large mall. 

. “This is really weird that we’re famous now.” Penny said “I thought I would only be famous when I get my book published, but this is just-” 

“Yeah, it’s going to take some getting used to” Judy agreed. 

“Maybe I should get that hat disguise thing after all?” Penny asked. 

“I think if we just act natural and try not to stand out, then-”

“Judy, Penny?!” a voice called. 

“Oh, over here, Mom!” said Judy. 

Maureen Robinson rushed over to meet them. “There you are! I hope you girls had a nice shopping trip?” 

“Yeah, it was nice to come here again!” said Penny. 

“I’m sorry to cut it short, but we really should be going. The Solidarity leaves in about an hour for Alpha Centauri.” 

“Aww, okay” said Penny. “It’s too bad we can’t visit our old house or see some of our old friends or anything-” 

“I know, but the Solidarity will be going to Earth again, we can always come back for a visit” said Maureen. “But the colony is our home now.”

The Chariot in the parking lot seemed sort of out of place, but Maureen insisted on driving it there. Penny unloaded everything they had gotten into the back seat, while Judy sat up front, and Maureen drove the Chariot down the road, before reaching the nearby spaceport, where their Jupiter waited. Will was still on a mission in the Jupiter 2, Maureen had borrowed the new and updated Jupiter 5 for the little family trip back to Earth. She drove the Chariot up into the ramp of the ship, which was sleeker and more saucer shaped than the average Jupiter, Maureen’s newest prototype design. 

“Why does it feel like this is like a VIP Jupiter?” Don West asked, looking around the fancy upper level, where he had been preparing the ship for liftoff. 

“You like my new design?” Maureen asked. 

“I guess we are sort of like guests of honor on the Solidarity” said Judy. 

“I hear they’re even planning a banquet for us” said Maureen. “

“Um, a what now?” Penny asked. 

“You’re only telling us this at the last minute?” Judy asked. 

“Well, it was meant as a surprise until now”

“Was that just to make sure that we would go?”

“Hmm, maybe. But since Will isn’t here, I expect both of you to come!” 

“So am I invited to this fancy banquet too, or am I just like your chauffeur?” Don asked. 

“Of course you are Don, it’s for everyone in the 24th colonist group” said Maureen. 

“And what about Debbie? Wait, wait, what foods are they serving at this banquet? Oh no…” 

“Don’t worry, nothing like that!” Maureen reassured him. “And of course she can too” 

“So is this like a low key family dinner style banquet, or like the really fancy overwhelming awkward kind?” Penny asked. 

“Probably a little bit of both?” Maureen asked. “Hey, good thing you two both got some new clothes, right?” 

“Not the fancy kind though…” Judy said. “We don’t usually do this kind of thing” 

“I don’t think it’s too formal” said Maureen. 

“I hope not, formal gatherings are the worst!” said Don. “Everyone just standing around all serious, celebrating how important they are or something. Let’s hope they at least allow some good drinks on the Solidarity? My old stash went down with the Resolute …ahhh, I hope there’s at least dancing there”

“Need a dance partner?” Judy asked. 

“I’d love that!” Don said happily. 

“Alright, then let’s go” said Maureen, sitting down in the pilot’s seat in the open Upper Deck of the Jupiter 5, and Don strapped in next to her. Judy and Penny sat behind them in extra chairs, looking out the window as the ship lifted off and burst through the clouds, finally reaching orbit as the Earth curved below them. 

“Bye again, Earth” Penny whispered. 

“Um, why am I getting deja vu…” Judy said, as the Solidarity appeared in the distance, small at first and then becoming larger and larger until it was the entire view. The new colony ship looked very much like a longer version of the Resolute, where everything had began. 

“I really hope we don’t get lost again-” said Penny. 

“Hey, don’t jinx it!” said Don. “The ride back to Alpha Centauri will be really smooth, what could go wrong?” 

“Um, a lot. Remember last time?” Judy asked. 

“Not gonna lie, being lost in space was probably the best time of my life” said Don. “I mean the most exciting time anyway” 

“Yeah, it did bring us all together…” said Maureen. “But I still hope that we never have to go through something like that again”. 

“I don’t know, I still need to write some more chapters!” said Penny. 

As the Jupiter 5 docked with the Solidarity, John Robinson was there to greet everyone. “Dad!” said Judy and Penny at once, hugging him, before Maureen walked over and kissed him. “I’m glad you’re here” she said to her husband. 

“Oh hey Dad, I felt bad that you couldn’t come down to Earth with us, so I got you something” said Penny. “I wanted to give you this a few years ago but we had to return it and I just got it back to give it to you now” 

She handed him a fancy wristwatch in a small case. “Wow!” said John. “Seriously, this is amazing. You’re amazing! Thank you so much” he put it on instantly. “I’m just sorry I wasn’t there, a few years ago I mean- but wow I love you, and from now on I always want to be there”. John knew Penny must have wanted to give him this for a holiday, one of those years that he was away from his family. He never wanted to do that again, he never wanted to leave his family… 

Both Robinson daughters hugged their parents, and they all walked down the corridor together. Out a window, between the outer rings of the Solidarity, the Earth slowly looked smaller and smaller. 

“So, what’s this about a banquet?” John asked. 

Meanwhile, on another world half a galaxy away from Earth, Will sat on the roof of the landed Jupiter 2 with his best friend Robot, watching the beautiful sunset, only this world had 5 suns and not all of them were setting. 

“Hey Robot, it’s kind of like we’re at a 5 star resort on vacation, only with literally 5 stars!” Will said enthusiastically. “Oh sorry I know you probably don’t know what that is but yeah. It’s just really beautiful” he said. “I just wish the rest of my family was here. I mean hanging out with you is the best, and everyone else in the group too, but I’m really starting to miss them” 

“Find, family, Will Robinson” said the Robot, placing his arm on Will’s shoulder as the two of them hugged in the light of the suns. 

“I guess we could go back to Alpha Centauri for a little while!” said Will. 

Fortunately, the other members of the Human-Robot Exploratory group agreed, and soon the Jupiter 2 and the Solidarity were both on course for Alpha Centauri, and a new reunion for the Robinson family. 

But things rarely turned out the way the Robinsons planned, and someone else, someone unexpected, would soon be joining their family. But at least they didn’t get lost again! 

Chapter Text

The banquet aboard the Solidarity was as overly fancy and formal as it sounded, with intricate early grand rapids style furniture for some reason, and large colorful banners hand painted by some of the children, honoring the 24th colonist group. Some people dressed in fancy formal clothes, others in their typical outfits. The surprisingly large dining hall was filled with humans and robots, and one chicken, Debbie. Don held her close to try not to lose her in the overwhelming environment.

Victor Dhar stood at a podium and gave a long speech thanking everyone, but most of the crowd was much more focused on the Robinsons. “Ugh, it’s just as bad as it sounded. Can we at least get some music in here?” Don asked. Vijay Dhar was lightly playing his guitar over in the corner, but Don was already distracted-“Let’s make this a real party! Oooh, domestic champagne…”

Penny finally found Vijay in the crowd and gave him her gift, a new guitar pick. “I’m sorry it’s not much” she said. “But I thought you might like it”.

“Are you kidding? I love anything from you!” said Vijay with that sweet, earnest look of his. “Especially this- oh, and actually, I got something for you too-”

“Ooh, whatever could it be? Hmmm, lemme guess, oreos?”

“What else?” said Vijay, handing her another pack of oreos. “My favorite!” said Penny, already opening it.

“Sorry they are just kind of a temporary present though-” said Vijay.

“It’s okay, that just means you have to get me more! But… the oreos may not last, but the memories will.”

“Wow, that was poetic”

“Hey you’re the poet, I’m the novelist!” said Penny, taking a bite. “But I’ll always remember this feeling”

“Of us being together?”

“No, of tasting oreos! Mmm, much better than all the formal food here”.

“Yeah, formal food is the worst!” said Vijay. “I don’t even know what that is, but-”

“Hey Vijay? Do you want to get out of here?”

“Uh, in the middle of my dad’s speech?”

“Wow, really, he’s still giving his speech?”

Sure enough, Victor was still going on and on. “And to all the members of the 25th colonist group, while I am not your colonial representative, as the representative from the 24th colonist group, I hope that you have a far smoother journey than we did. Before we begin festivities, we have to first remember the true meaning of solidarity, not just the name of this ship, but also- ”

“I just get really overwhelmed in these kinds of places” said Penny. “You know, big crowds.”

“Oh sure, I totally understand. But I always thought I was the shy one and you were the social one”

“Hey it’s okay to be shy and social…” said Penny, as she and Vijay left the room. Penny was usually great at describing things, putting feelings into words, but she wasn’t sure how to describe what she had with Vijay. But whatever it was, it felt right.

What felt like an hour later, when Victor was finally done with his speech, random 80s music most people hadn’t heard of before began to play. “Don, what did you do?” Judy asked. “Hey, we said we were gonna dance, right?” he said. “But to… this music?” Judy asked. “Since when are you the DJ?” “No, I’m D and you’re J” said Don. “So together, we’re-”. “Okay, okay-” said Judy, with an amused sigh. “But what about Debbie, can she dance?”

“Of course! Haven’t you ever heard of dancing chickens?”

“You mean that ‘alien’ that looked like someone in a giant chicken costume?”

“That totally wasn’t me, I swear-”

“Don, I think you’ve had too much of that champagne…” Suddenly Judy noticed someone else in the room. Her biological father, Grant Kelly. Despite being a guest of honor, seen as a hero who miraculously returned from the depths of space by everyone aboard, Grant was still adjusting to his new reality. Not just being 20 years in the future on a ship so much larger, faster and more advanced than the Fortuna, but having a daughter too.

“Hey, Don, do you mind if I go over there for a minute…” said Judy.

“Oh totally, no problem” said Don. He still hoped to find his own biological parents one day, but he was happy that Judy had found her bio-father after all of this time.

“Well Debbie, guess it’s just you and me!” said Don, picking her up and cradling her in his arms in a slow-mo dance. “It’s too bad we don’t have that chicken dance music…” Don thought aloud.

The dance party portion of the celebration turned out to be more popular with the younger members of the mission, but some of the adults joined in too, and even some of the robots. And the Robinson parents shared a long awaited dance together.

“Hey, nice moves!” Don called out to them.

“You too! Hey, you can join us if you’d like!” said John.

“Nah, this is your moment. Me and Debbie need our duet! It’s just nice to see you guys finally found out how to unwind and have fun! Took a little while, but you did it!”

“Finally!” Maureen laughed. “But we’ve always been fun! Right?”

“Well, we’re cool, so that’s something…” John mused.

It really had taken them a long time to get to this point, but now that they were here, look buried memories of the past began to resurface. “You know what this reminds me of?” Maureen asked.

“Our first trip aboard the Resolute?”

“No…I mean, I hope not. I mean, all those military social functions we went to. When we first got lost, I did say it been awhile since we had been dancing. Well, now we finally get to.”

“I’m just sorry we couldn’t do it again sooner” John’s voice was almost a whisper. “I remember when you said that, it’s just- that was when we were talking about the letter, about me going away. I’m so sorry Maureen. I should have been there for you, and the kids”

“John, you’re here now. That’s what matters, and just think what a difference a few years has made.”

John’s attention was caught by a group of kids teaching one of the robots in the corner. This robot was in their original form, so they were a much better dancer than any of the humans, and having four arms probably helped. John smiled, glad that he could finally trust the robots. But seeing those kids play with a robot reminded him of his own son, off with his own Robot friend on a new adventure. “I wish Will was here, though-”

“So do I… I know he’s at that age, but I wish we could all be together. All of us. But all of that just shows that when you think someone you love is lost, they might be closer than you think”.

Maureen looked over at Judy, who was dancing with Grant. John noticed and said “Don’t worry, I’m not jealous or anything. We’re all a family, all of us” he said. “And we always will be” Maureen finished, and she and John shared a kiss. It had been a long road with a lot of twists and turns, but it had brought them all together. And now, there was nothing that could tear them apart…

“Navigating a spacecraft I can do, but dancing, that’s way harder” said Grant Kelly, smiling.

“You know, I was really into musical theater once” said Judy… “But then I decided being a doctor was more, you know, my thing”

“Well, you can be whatever you want” said Grant. “I wish I could have been there to see all that. Sometimes it takes a long time to know what we want. I thought I’d be an astronaut all my life, I never expected I could have a family”

“You were there, in spirit at least, when I was growing up, I always thought about you. But I spent so long trying to be someone else, now I feel like I’m finally being me. But hey, what about you? Have you decided what you want to do after all of this?”

“I don’t know. Space travel will always be my passion, but everything’s so different now. It was nice to get some time on Earth, and see everyone again. But mainly I just want to make up for lost time with you, on Alpha Centauri. And I need to get out of the public for awhile, people have really given me a warm welcome, but it’s hard to get some time to process everything. Even on a ship this big”.

“Yeah, you know on the Resolute, in the Hall of Heroes, they had a plaque with your name on it. Now I heard they’re going to put up a statue or something like that”

“What did I ever do to deserve all of this love?” Grant asked. “Being the first one on Mars, the first one to leave the solar system, that’s no big deal, right? But you know, I don’t care about any awards or anything like that. And hey, for 2 decades, all I did was sleep! All I care about now is being with you Judy, and catching up for all that lost time. You know I’d have given it all up to be with you. But things worked out the way they did, now we just have to move forward.”

“Come on, you’re a hero” said Judy- “you helped all of us. And even if you weren’t there in person, you were my hero growing up-”

“No, you’re the hero-”

“But without you I wouldn’t even be here… so of course I love you.” said Judy. “I always have, even before I knew you. But now, I’m just happy I finally get to know you, to spend time with you.”

“I’ll always be here for you Judy. I promise” said Grant, and before he knew it, Judy hugged him.

—

“So, uh, how long are we going to keep dancing? My legs are getting tired!” said John.

“You know, some things are better in moderation” said Maureen. She looked around the crowd and someone else caught her attention, a woman sitting at a fancy table, not dancing at all. Where had Maureen seen her before? “Excuse me a minute, John” said Maureen. “No problem, you know I’m not going anywhere” said John,

“Hey John, you need a dance partner now?” Don asked.

“I think I’m too tired” John laughed.

“Now there’s the John Robinson I know!” said Don. “But you know what, me too, I’ll go get a drink- hey, Debbie, be careful!” Apparently, Debbie was always energetic and active, and never got tired. Neither did the robots, who seemed to really enjoy it more than most of the humans in the room.

Maureen walked over to the table nonchalantly and stared at the woman at the table. “Hello?” she said. “May I join you? I’m-”

“Maureen Robinson. I know. Pretty sure everyone knows who you are. Please, sit down. Oh, I’m Jessica by the way. Jessica Harris”

Chapter Text

Maureen stared at Jessica Harris. She could see the resemblance. “Believe it or not, I actually know who you are too. I’m not sure how exactly to say this to you, but I… I lived with your sister for awhile, and”

“You mean my sister who knocked me out, tied me up, stole my identity and place on the Resolute, and may or may not have been involved in the death of the guy I was seeing at the time? That sister? I tried to help her, but I’ve disowned her now. I never want to see her again, she crossed too many lines.”

“I’m not trying to defend Smith” said Maureen. “She’s done some… inexcusable things. But she’s serving her time and trying to get better, and I just wanted to let you know that she actually is doing better”

“Excuse me???! Who is Smith?!”

“Oh right… June?” said Maureen, surprised at how unfamiliar Dr. Smith’s “real name” sounded. It just didn’t seem right for her anymore. She was still trying to sort out her own feelings about Smith, but she felt she owed it to her to try and talk to her sister. Not to change her mind, just to let her know.

For some reason Maureen thought back to her own childhood. She had never had a lot of friends, and when she was very young, people always bullied her, but she used to pretend they were her frenemies. She guessed Dr. Smith was just like that now, her frenemy, but for all her faults, Maureen saw something of herself in June- no, Smith. She had actually taken care of the Robinson kids while Maureen couldn’t, and all the other children of the 24th colonist group. Her methods weren’t great, and she would probably never be a totally picture perfect good person, but deep down, Maureen had actually grown to like her. Jessica, not so much…

“Let me guess, she stole someone else’s identity again. Or else she just picked the most generic fake name imaginable. Well, I couldn’t care less about her anymore. Maureen, I’m a physicist, I really respect your work. You and I, we’re both productive members of society, we deserve a place at the colony. But my sister’s not like that.”

“Not everyone can be a ‘productive member of society’, Jessica” said Maureen. “And not everyone should be forced to. They said the same thing about my son, Will, they said he didn’t deserve to be on the mission, and he saved everyone. And my daughter Penny, everyone underestimated her, but she saved us too. And Judy, too- but I pushed her too hard to be perfect, trying to make her live up to my dreams. I won’t make that mistake again-” said Maureen. “Not with my kids, or anyone else. I think everyone is different, and that can be a good thing sometimes, Jessica. And you know, people have a habit of surprising us.”

“That’s a good speech” said Jessica. “But you don’t know June like I do. She could change, but she doesn’t want to- when I was younger, I had plenty of problems too, that’s what happens when you grow up in a family like mine. But I’m better, and yet somehow I was the one punished for it!”

“I’m not saying you have to forgive her, Jessica” said Maureen. “As much as I believe in forgiveness, if she were my sister, if I had one, and she did those things to me, I probably wouldn’t either. But I just wanted to let you know, she managed to do something good. And she was the one who turned herself in, to try and be better- but first, she… she made sure you would be approved for this mission”.

“She what!? How, why would she do that?”

“Like I said, people can surprise you sometimes” said Maureen. “I’m not trying to convince you to visit her when you get to Alpha Centauri. It’s understandable if you never want to see her again. But I just thought I would let you know” said Maureen.

“Thanks” Jessica said quietly. “I don’t know if I understand or believe this, but thanks for letting me know anyway”.

“Of course. And if you ever want to talk-”

“No, I think I’m good”

It was an awkward conversation, but Maureen was still glad that she could have met the sister of the woman she had come to know so well, even under these circumstances. She was about to say more when a small voice caught her attention. “Maureen?” A familiar young girl ran towards her, followed by her mother. “Umm, I meean…. Mrs. Robinson?”

“Or Professor Robinson?” her mother asked.

“Maureen is fine with me. It’s so nice to see you again, Samantha, and you too, Holly. I didn’t know you were aboard!”. Maureen noticed that Jessica froze up the moment she heard those names. Somehow, the awkwardness had gotten more intense.

“Well it’s a big ship” said Holly “I guess you should know, you designed some of it…”

“Only some, I had a lot of help” said Maureen, looking over at Don and the robots. Maureen had even been offered command of the Solidarity, so the whole ship was almost hers. But after everything that had happened on the Resolute, she didn’t want that. She was happy being with her family, and having the Jupiter 2… if Will would only bring it back. “It was a team effort!” Maureen finished.

“Team. Effort!” said a very shiny robot who was still dancing to themself in a corner.

“Yes, thank you.” Maureen smiled. “And you know, whatever Victor says, that’s the real reason we named this ship Solidarity”.

“Umm, why? What does it mean?” Samantha said quietly. She was still shy around the robots, even after befriending one of her own on Alpha Centauri. But then she turned to Maureen.

“Did you design the part with the Hall of Heroes? Thank you for putting my dad’s name there”

“Well, I was involved…” Maureen started, then she said “And of course, your father was a hero, and I do believe that he’s still with you.”

“But Judy got her dad back… I wish I could too…”

Maureen comforted Samantha with a hug, but Holly seemed upset, Maureen assumed it was because of her husband’s passing, but there was something else too. And that was when Samantha noticed Jessica.

“Hi” she said. “Are you maybe… my dad’s friend? I remember seeing you before”

“Yes, hello Samantha, I-”

Suddenly, Samantha’s mom stepped in between them.

“Samantha, why don’t you go visit Judy? I’m sure she would love to see you again” Holly said quickly. “I need a moment alone with Jessica Harris here-”

“Okay-” said Samantha, running over to find Judy.

Once Samantha was gone, Jessica said “I’m so sorry for your loss, I-”
“I was going through some of Charlie’s things when we stopped over at Earth, for the funeral.” she said quickly. “I was so devastated to lose him, the love of my life… we had a daughter together, she adored him, I loved him… but not only did I have to find out he died, not only did I have to lose him, but also that… he loved another woman. I lost him twice. So why don’t you just admit it, he cheated on me with you, had an affair with you, and now he’s gone!”

“Holly, I-”

“I’m so sorry Holly” said Maureen, this was not what she had expected at all, and she didn’t know what to say.

“Please, Maureen” Holly said, “Just give us a moment alone”.

Maureen accepted Holly’s wishes and walked away, but inside she was devastated for her. She and John had gone through some hard times, trust issues, and they had even come close to divorce. But John had always been faithful to her, and she was grateful for that, she couldn’t imagine what Holly was going through. She looked over and saw John and Grant were talking together with Judy and Samantha.

“Hey Maureen” said John, and she embraced him briefly. “Hey” she said simply, still a little awkward. She couldn’t hear the conversation in the corner in the crowd. Thankfully, Samantha hadn’t noticed.

“Wanna see the Hall of Heroes, Judy? My dad’s name is there” said Samantha, looking up at Judy. “I’d love to, Samantha”. The two of them left the room, Samantha running ahead, leading the way. Maureen was grateful that she wouldn’t witness the argument between her mom and Jessica, she had already been through enough.

But now, she was with her husband and her ex-/former ‘late’ boyfriend in the same place… but with no drama at all! Maureen was grateful for that, but she felt awful for Holly, and for Samantha, who wouldn’t understand any of this.

But there was a little bit more awkwardness for Judy and Samantha, running through the curving corridors of the Solidarity, from the sterile white hexagon shaped minimalist halls to the more gray, dark industrial ones that always reminded Judy of her old high school. And it looked a lot like where she had met Samantha back on the Resolute, and she was almost as quiet again. Judy still couldn’t help but feel like everything was really awkward between them now that she had found Grant Kelly after a lifetime of thinking he was gone forever, but Samantha’s dad really was gone. But maybe she was overthinking it, Samantha had always been a quiet girl. But she and Judy both loved to run, so they ran side by side down the corridors in silence, until they came to the Hall of Heroes. It was much larger than the one on the Resolute, honoring the names of all those people who were gone, and many new names from the 24th colonist group were there too. Samantha pointed out her father’s name plate and touched it gently. But Judy noticed that Grant’s name was no longer there, now that he had turned out to be very much alive.

And in the middle of the wall were 3 names which Judy recognized. Kevin Burns, Zack Estrin, and Mark Goddard. She paused to honor them. Without them and all those who had come before, none of them would be here now. They may have been lost in space, but their memories would always live on, and never be forgotten.

Back in the dining hall, one of the Solidarity’s flight crew approached Maureen. “Professor Robinson, they’re asking for you in the control room. Apparently we’re going through some kind of anomaly?”

“Oh no” said Maureen. “Not this again!” she said goodbye to John and quickly headed up to the control room. Soon, everyone became aware that something was wrong, as the music stopped.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me” said John, rushing around the room.

“Are we seriously about to get lost again?” Don asked.

The first time they had been lost, Will and the Robot had been there. But if they got lost again without them it would be bad. Really bad.

At that moment, Will and the Robot had returned to Alpha Centauri, earlier than expected. If anything, Will has expected that he and the Robot would be the ones to get lost, so he was very surprised to see that his family were the ones who were missing.

“Hey, you guys, I actually made it back before Christmas!” he called out. The Robot walked next to him curiously. “Oh yeah, you weren’t here for our last Christmas, so this time you’ll get to celebrate the holidays with us! But your lights are better than any Christmas lights, Robot!”

The Robot didn’t really know what Will was talking about, but he saw how happy his friend was, and that was all that mattered to him.

“Don’t worry Robot, I’ll teach you everything!” said Will. “But where is everyone? Ummm, Mom? Dad?”

Will turned on the light as he stepped into his family’s house on Alpha Centauri. The beautifully decorated living room was totally empty.

“Oh no, this is bad. What if they were kidnapped or- or?” Will worried. Not long ago, he had been ready to leave his family and go away with Robot to try and save them, but he was stull really anxious about anything happening to them. He had grown a lot, he wasn’t the same boy who fell down some weird snow slide thing and was lost on an alien planet and climbed into a tree where he met his robotic friend. He was incredibly brave, but his anxiety would always be there, and that was okay. It was okay to worry about his family. But this time was different, because he had Robot with him. Robot always showed him the light, the way forward.

Just at that moment, Robot pointed to something in the kitchen, on the fridge, which had a whiteboard finish that his mom loved so much. In dry erase marker, a message was written.

“Dear Will… in case you get home before us, we’ve gone out in the Solidarity, be back soon! Love, Mom and Dad

P.S if we get Lost in Space again please find us!

Penny, don’t write stuff like that! We don’t want to scare him - Judy

What???? (: here how about this- THE ROBINSONS WEREN’T HERE!

Too much…”

Will smiled, and realized how much he missed his family. But at least they were okay!

“Thanks Robot!” said Will, “but look, we’re home alone!”

“Trust… Will Robinson”

“Yeah yeah, I know, I won’t get into any trouble” said Will. “But ooh, we could watch some old Christmas movies?”

Robot tilted his head curiously and Will smiled. “I think you will really love them! I promise! Okay no wait, not that one, that one's too sad... but I'll find some for us to watch!"

Chapter Text

The Solidarity was passing through a strange anomaly, and most people had no idea what was even going on anymore.

“Everyone just remain calm!” said Victor Dhar. “Hold on, John, just the person I wanted to see”

“Huh? Why me? Is it a military emergency?”

“No, but I was hoping you could distract everyone with one of your famous speeches?”

“Famous speeches?”

“Just no singing, please”

“Come on, why does everyone hate my singing” John sighed to himself. “But if there’s actually an emergency-”

“Then you can keep everyone calm, all over the ship. Trust me, you’re good at it”

“At singing? Thank you, glad you agree”

“No, at giving those long dad speeches of yours! Just like the one you gave all of us back at the Sunshine Base”

“You were our colonial representative of the 24th colonist group, and you’re a dad too-” John pointed out.

“Yes but I just gave a very long speech that practically no one listened to, so… Wait, Vijay, I need to find him! Sorry John, its up to you.”

“I’m good at speeches when I’m with my family, not with crowds, Maureen is much better-”

“Well yes, she would have been my first pick, but she’s not here, is she?” Before he could say anything else, Victor was already gone.

“Come on, there has to be someone else who can do this-” John said.

“But John, everyone loves your speeches!” Don said. “They always bring a tear to my eye! So I believe in you, you can do it! Or else I’ll have Debbie do it instead…” he said, holding the bemused chicken up. Debbie gave an adorable little cluck. “See, she’s got charisma! You’re gonna let her outshine you?”

“Okay fine, I’ll do it”

John reluctantly took the podium and tried to improvise a speech,

“Hello everyone, my name is John Robinson. You probably know me, and of course you probably have heard of my family-” John awkwardly realized that none of his kids were in the audience at all. But the speech was broadcasted all over the radio, so he hoped everyone would hear it.

In the main control room, much larger and more open than the ones on the Resolute, Maureen and the leader of the mission, Captain Morita, a short late-middle age woman with shoulder length brown pointy hair, were trying to find out what exactly had gone wrong.

“Well, at least we’re not lost” said Maureen, checking a console. “But I’m not sure what just happened. It seems like some sort of energy burst that interacted with our hull-” she turned to one of the robots who was standing in a special ring shaped control station in the center of the room, with a circular holographic astrogator display inside it too. “Do you know what it was, Arrietty?” Maureen asked the silver robot.

“No” Arrietty said in what almost sounded like a bored tone, as she walked away.

“Hmm, well I don’t either” said Maureen. “I thought I’d seen every space phenomenon imaginable in the last few years, but I guess there’s still something new after all. Isn’t that exciting though? We could stop and explore it, this is a great opportunity to-”

“I think right now we just need to get everyone to Alpha Centauri safely, unlike last time” Captain Morita said, putting special emphasis on the last part.

“You’re probably right” Maureen sighed. “I doubt the 25th colonist group is very jealous of what happened to us last time” she said. “Safety first-”

As much as she always wanted to uncover the mysteries of space and science, she also wanted to make sure that she could keep her family protected this time. Everything else could wait. But still, she gazed out the large viewport at the stars that had fascinated her since she was a young girl, and even today, after all they had taken and all they had given. Even though her family had been lost for so long, there was so much out there that none of them had ever seen.

—
“So much for peace and quiet” Penny sighed, sitting in one of the observation rooms, sharing the oreos with Vijay, which were much better than any of the food in the dining hall. The broadcast on the radio had just finished, but she still wasn’t sure what was going on.

“But it sounded like your dad knows how to give a nice long speech too!” Vijay observed with a big grin.

“He sure does” Penny laughed, looking out at the stars.

“Wanna hear a song then?” said Vijay.

“You still have your guitar?”

“I bring it everywhere with me! Hey, you can’t judge, you’re wearing a sunhat indoors… on a spaceship!”

“I totally forgot I was wearing that…” Penny realized. “But okay sure, why not.”

“Okay here it goes. I wrote this just now!”

“Uh-oh” said Penny. She did like Vijay’s songs and his poetry, but she knew from experience that editing and revision was important, and she wasn’t sure if she could hide if she didn’t like it

“Hey, what do you mean? This is just the first version, here we go…”

“Wow, you’re really brave to play and sing in front of all these big stars!”

“What do you mean? Ohhh… that kind of star” Vijay realized, looking out the large picture window at the billions of stars in space. Both of them laughed softly.

“It’s okay, you’re a star too!” said Penny.

“Aww, you too. But see if you think that after you hear this!”

“Okay, I’m- I’m ready.”

“Solidarity, our dreams so rare and sweet. Waiting for the day, when we can someday meet. Solidarity, staring at the stars, I’m no longer lost, with my familyyy, and never lost with you, Penny…”

“Wow…” Penny gasped

“Okay but was it good or bad? That’s just like the first verse,”

“Vijay, did you just see that?”

“No, not gonna lie I’ve just been staring at you this whole time- n-not in a weird way though! It’s just nice to be with you”

“Oh, I’ve just been looking out the window” said Penny “and something just flew by really close”

“Hmm??” said Vijay. “Why do I feel like something bad is about to happen?”

“I mean, it usually does” said Penny. “But on the bright side, now I have some more stuff to write about in Chapter 2! Oh yeah, and nice song!”

Suddenly there was a loud crash. “We’re gonna check that out, right?” Vijay asked

“Yup” said Penny, already out the door of the observation room and back in the corridor, where they ran right into Victor.

“Vijay, there you are!”

“Dad, is something going on?” Vijay asked.

“You could say that. Some sort of anomaly…”

“Oh yeah, this is totally Chapter 2” Penny whispered to herself.

“Chapter what?” Victor asked.

“Long story.” said Penny “Literally, Chapter 1 is like 283 pages, I can give you a copy too-”

“Oh yes, Vijay told me you were a writer too” Victor said. “I really admire that. Please don’t make me too much of a villain though! I’ve changed-”

“You’re more of a conflicted character, dad” said Vijay.

“Oh, with lots of depth and hidden turmoil. I can appreciate that.” he smiled. “I always said history was written by the survivors, not the heroes, but you’re a hero and a survivor, I’m glad it’s you who are telling the story. And you know, I’m glad you two have gotten so close” he said. Penny and Vijay just stared, it seemed like Victor had found a way to give another speech.

“What? Did you expect me to be a disapproving father? I’m really not like that uh, anymore. But anyway, Penny, I think you should go back to your parents”.

“But what about the anomaly thing?”

“I heard from the captain, apparently we just passed through it and nothing happened”

“Yeah, but I saw something out the window! And then there was a really big crashing noise! Also it would be really anticlimactic if it’s just something random so…”

“Well, it’s space, but I don’t think there’s anything to worry about this time. Let’s not go looking for trouble, shall we?”

“Famous last words…” said Penny.

Elsewhere in the Solidarity, Judy was trying to comfort Samantha, who was very quiet and upset, when they heard the noise too.

“What’s that?” Samantha asked, in an even more quiet voice. “Is it another monster?”

“No, please don’t worry, Samantha. Something probably just fell-”

“I don’t know any hiding places here” said Samantha. “I knew all the good hiding spots on the Resolute, but now it’s gone. But maybe… we can find some together?” For the first time since getting to the Hall of Heroes, Samantha smiled hopefully. Judy grinned back and said “Sure! My mom designed some of this ship so I can probably help you find some good ones” She and Samantha set off down the corridor.

“Ooh what about in here?” Samantha asked, climbing up into an open Creber tube on the wall. “Looks like a slide…”

“Samantha wait, that’s a maintenance shaft-” said Judy.

“So? I went in lots of these on the Resolute, remember? We hid in them before-”

“I… um, I have claustrophobia” Judy admitted, not wanting to talk about the traumatic experience she had gone through when they had first been lost.

“What’s that?” Samantha asked, still looking up into the tube.

“It’s a long story, but I don’t like being stuck in small spaces”.

“But we need a hiding place-” said Samantha. “You hid with me before!”

“Yeah, but then we thought we were in danger. Hang on, how about over here?” Judy suggested, pointing to a larger access corridor.

“Okay-” said Samantha, a little disappointed. “You can go if you don’t want to” she said in a small voice.

“No, I want to spend time with you-” Judy said, a little awkwardly. She and Samantha walked down the corridor. “See, this is floor is curved too, that’s because our ship is-” Judy was trying to make conversation, but Samantha wasn’t really listening very much. Judy hoped that everything was alright between them. As the oldest sibling, she was used to being around kids, but there had always been some awkwardness, especially when she felt forced to grow up too soon by her family, not like Penny and Will had. But after being in command of that transport Jupiter and being responsible for 97 kids, she liked to think that she was much better at it now. At least a little bit, right? But maybe being responsible for so many had led to the distance between her and Samantha now, when before they had been really close. And finding her biological father again while Samantha and so many of those kids were missing their parents was a little awkward too.

Suddenly, Judy stopped, noticing a shadow moving on the wall. “Who’s there?” Judy called.

“Maybe someone else is hiding in the hiding place?” Samantha wondered. Judy walked forward, wishing she had a flashlight because the corridor was really dark for some reason. Well, she didn’t have to worry about the robots anymore since all of the robots on the Solidarity were friendly, and SAR was gone. So it probably was just another colonist or something. “Hello?”

A small girl stepped out from the shadows, she couldn’t have been more than 5 years old. She wore a small purple dress with sequins, and had wavy brown hair with a hint of red. There was something familiar about her, maybe it was her wide eyes, but something strange too.

“Don’t be scared.” said Judy. “I’m Judy Robinson, and this is Samantha.”

“Hi..” Samantha said shyly.

“Do you need any help finding your family?” Judy asked.

The girl stepped forward, and Judy noticed she was holding something in her hands. A small picture. She held it up to show Judy, and she was shocked to see an old picture of her dad, John Robinson…

“Did you uh, want to meet my dad? Get his autograph or something? I’m giving out autographs too you know” Judy smiled, before realizing that this very young child probably didn’t know what she meant. So why did she have that picture? Something very strange was going on, and Judy had no idea that her life and family was about to change forever…

Chapter Text

Will Robinson sat with his Robot friend in his family’s empty home, watching an old Christmas movie, Santa Claus Conquers the Martians. He and the Robot were squeezed together on the couch.

“Bad, Will Robinson-”

“Come on Robot, it’s the only space one I could find!” said Will. “And Don told me it was good once. Or classic. He said classic!”

“No, Will Robinson. Bad”

“Yeah, okay fine-” said Will, turning it off. “It’s like almost 90 years old though, from the 1960s! Some of that really old stuff is good, like Found in the Stars, I love that show. And the remakes too! Okay but this movie is kinda boring” He turned it off with his wrist device.

“Yes. Bored, Will Robinson.”

“Yeah” Will shrugged, “let’s try something else. Ooh, maybe I could show you some more games?”

“Yes”

Will got up and looked in one of the cabinet shelves on the walls. “Ahhh, did we leave it on the Jupiter 2. Oooh wait Robot, I need to show you this!” He pulled out something, a rectangle shaped object with a pretty picture of a snowy frozen moon on it.

“This is called an Advent calendar” Will said. He pulled something out of the suitcase he had brought inside from the Jupiter 2. “See, it looks like a picture, but it has little doors in it, and the little doors have surprises inside. Here, you can have the one for today” Will pulled open one of the tiny doors and pulled out a piece of chocolate. The Robot picked it up and stared at it.

“Oh… I guess you can’t eat” Will realized, a little embarrassed. “But hey, it’s shiny right. Like you” Robot looked into the reflection of his lights in the silver wrapper, mesmerized.

Will thought back to his memories of past holidays. “I hope the rest of the family gets back soon. You know, I used to always wonder if my Dad would come back, every Christmas. There was one year… he surprised us. But that was right before the Christmas Star was, so that part wasn’t a nice surprise. But I guess that’s the reason I could meet you. So you were like a late present. But you’re way cooler than any toy I had as a little kid, you’re my friend” said Will, hugging Robot.

“I’m just thinking of it because this year, I didn’t know if I would be back by Christmas. I thought we wouldn’t be back until like, way after Easter or something. Wouldn’t that be the worst?”

Robot nodded awkwardly.

“But then I come back and everyone else is gone. But I hope they’ll be here soon, so we can all celebrate. But there probably won’t be any surprises-”

Robot had become distracted by the silver wrapper from the advent calendar again, but he still said “Yes, Will Robinson.”

Transmitted over the radio and intercom, John’s message reverberated through the massive spacecraft Solidarity, and beyond into the cold void of space…

“Hello everyone, my name is John Robinson. You probably know me, and of course you probably have heard of my family. And you know that uh, we’ve been through some stuff, just like all the other families back on the Resolute. I was um… I was hoping this trip on the Solidarity would be well, less turbulent, but here we are. Apparently, we’re passing through an anomaly, or something, and my wife is up there in the control room helping sort this out. So I’m just here, having to give a speech… because apparently you all like my speeches.” John paused awkwardly, as people were starting to listen to him.

“I don’t know why, I’m not someone special. I’m just a dad, but well… whoever you are, whoever’s listening to this, 25th colonist group… I want you to know that you’re not alone. Being in space, well, it’s scary sometimes. Most of the time. But the great thing about this kind of mission is that everyone’s with our families, and you’re… you’re never really lost if you’re with your family. And I’m not just talking about people who are related to you. Here on this ship, we’ve got humans and robots-”

“And chickens!” Don reminded him from the crowd.

“And chickens” John said. “But we’re all together, we’re all like a big family. I know not all of us like each other, but I consider each and every one of you in this room my family in spirit, and family means a lot to me, you know. We’re all sharing in this experience, so whatever happens next, take each others hands and remember that you’ve got people in your corner, who will take care of you, no matter what. And you know, shoutout to my wife Maureen, up in the control room. I know we’re all in safe hands with her. I’m not so reliable, but uh, I was in the military for a long time about five years ago, so I know a thing or two about protecting people. And I’ve seen my fair share of space anomalies in my day, so this will just be like a walk in the park, alright? No matter what it is, we’re better prepared now, and we’re all connected-”

There was a chorus of polite applause, but also many extremely bored looking faces. And Holly and Jessica Harris were still glaring at each other. But John hoped his radio broadcast would bring at least some comfort to the crew of the Solidarity.

Don cheered. “That was one heck of a speech. You’ve still got it!”

“I’m a little out of practice,” John admitted, but he appreciated his friend’s words.

“No, it was great! It’s almost as good as the speech I was going to give back in high school, if I ever won Prom King. Which I never did, but you get what I’m saying-” Debbie clucked. “Yes, of course you’d be Prom Queen!”

“Heh, this whole place does feel like some weird high school event-” said John.

Grant walked up to him. “I agree. That was a fine speech, my friend” he said formally, hoping his awkwardness wouldn’t shine through. After hiding the true nature of his mission for a long time to many, many people, he was pretty good at hiding his feelings, but it was a little awkward that John was the one giving the speech. After all, Grant had been the absolute master of motivational speeches back in his time, and one of the most famous astronauts alive… but he supposed his story of sleeping for two decades was less inspiring than what John and his family had been through.

Maybe he was just feeling awkward because it was Maureen’s new husband? No, not new, they had been married for many years. He had to remember that.

Grant genuinely liked the guy, and could tell he was a wonderful father to Judy, but it still took some getting used to. And it was also a strange feeling to be a guest aboard the ship, to not be involved in the secrets of whatever was happening up in the control room, like Maureen was. Grant was not the jealous type, and he was not one to get upset about these things, but deep down he knew he had never had the time to process his feelings for Maureen. To her, those feelings were years in the past, but to Grant, it was not too long ago…

“Thanks Grant” John was apparently feeling awkward too, but still shook the man’s hand. “I’m sure you would have done better though-”

“Oh, I’m not so sure about that-” Grant replied.

“Now, where even are the kids?” John wondered. “Did they even hear my speech? I mean, are they safe? That first” John said, scanning the crowd.

“Wanna go look for them together?” Don asked.

“I can come too-” Grant offered.

“Uh, it’s fine-” said John. “I think I should wait for Maureen to get back, to at least know what’s going on-”

As if on cue, Maureen stepped into the room and walked up to him. “Well, it’s some sort of anomaly, but we weren’t allowed to stay and study it- I loved the speech though, John.” Maureen said.

“You heard it?” John was surprised.

“Some of it. We had to mute the intercom so we could concentrate, but there wasn’t much to concentrate on. Captain Morita says we should just focus on getting back to the colony, and not investigate anymore”

“That sounds reasonable,” said John. “We don’t want to go looking for trouble, right? We all know how this goes by now-”

“That’s ridiculous-” Grant said at the same time. “Any strange space phenomena should be investigated, this shouldn’t be a glorified cruise ship. Back in my day, we actually explored space, you know-”

“Well, once we’re back on Alpha Centauri, I can analyze the computer data-”

“The computer?!” Grant said incredulously. “You can’t leave this kind of analysis to a computer-”

“Hey, I designed the computer-” Maureen retorted.

“Oh right-”

“There is that robot, Arreitty too, but I don’t think she likes me much” Maureen sighed. “But no, really, I understand both of you and where you’re coming from. I would hope we could send another mission to investigate, but it might have already faded by now, we’ve passed it at least.”

“I’m just glad there were no real problems this time” said John, pausing a moment before saying. “Uh, you haven’t by any chance… seen our kids, have you? Er, our young adults? I’m not sure what to say these days, but anyway, you seen them?” John asked.

“No. I thought they were with you…” Maureen said.

“Well at least Will’s not here, so we don’t have to worry about danger finding him as usual-” John said.

“Hey, that just makes me even more worried! I hope he’s back in time for Christmas…” Maureen said. “Oh right, Judy went off with Holly’s daughter, Samantha. And I think I saw Penny go off with Vijay.”

“Now that’s what worries me.”

“John, come on, they aren’t really kids anymore, like you said. We can’t watch their every move, you know.”

“Yeah, you’re right. And Vijay’s a nice kid, uh, young guy” John said. “It’s just hard to miss so much of their lives… all those years when I was away with the military, and then that whole year when our kids were all on that planet. It’s hard for everyone” John said.

“Wow, missing a few years of your life? That must be so hard…” Grant said.

“Oh sorry, I didn’t mean-” John said.

“No, don’t worry about it” said Grant. “I just mean I understand what you’re going through with this. But I think being out of commission for a long time just makes us value what we have even more”

“Yeah, but it’s not the same” said John. “I can’t imagine what it would be like to wake up one day and have a whole grown biological child you didn’t know about-”

Grant smiled. “Well, let’s not try to compare and contrast who’s had it the hardest. Your feelings are valid, that’s what I mean. Take it from someone who knows from experience how hard this is. All too well.”

“Thanks Grant” John said, sharing a nod of respect with him, and some of the awkwardness finally started to dissipate, just like that strange anomaly…

But their shared daughter Judy was feeling a lot more awkward, walking down the hallway with Samantha, and the mysterious little girl who she had found.

“Judy, you said it would just be you and me-” Samantha said, a little jealous.

“I’m sorry Samantha, but we have to get this girl back to her parents” said Judy, holding her hand. Samantha reached out to take Judy’s hand too, not wanting to be forgotten about. But Judy was still focused on her, whoever she was.

“What’s your name?” she asked. The girl didn’t respond. “Umm… can you tell me who your family is?”

The girl just pointed to the old, creased picture she was holding. The picture of John.

Chapter Text

“At least we’re all together now,” said Maureen. “All of us.” she said, looking at Grant too. “Well, we will be once we’ve returned to the colony and Will gets back.”

“Yeah, but it just makes me not want to not leave any of them again. But somehow I keep doing that- maybe it’s wrong to try to be everyone’s dad, like in that speech. And just focus on the ones who are closer to me.” John mused.

“You have a big heart John, but it’s okay” Maureen assured him. “But you shouldn’t worry now, they might not even know anything was wrong.”

“But they heard my speech, right?” 

“Yeah, it was broadcast all over the ship,” Maureen said. “And those radio waves will just keep traveling through space until the signal fades, so I’m sure everyone heard it.” 

John seemed kind of embarrassed. “I really should have come up with a better speech then. Didn’t know I’d have that much of an audience. How many people are on this ship anyway? It seems a lot more crowded than the Resolute, but I guess being lost and isolated for a long time can mess with a person’s perception.”

“That’s true, but John, I’m sure you did great,” Maureen promised him. “At least you got to actually do something. I was called all the way up to the control room to take a look at something I couldn’t even study-”

There was a small crash from elsewhere in the Solidarity. “Uh, what was that?” John asked. 

“Probably just some cosmic turbulence” said Maureen. “But I guess we’ll never know now, will we…” 

“Are we sure they didn’t just fake all this to cause some drama?” Don asked. “You know, give everyone the full space travel experience? The 24th mission was such a wild ride, so all the other ones are gonna look boring unless they spice it up-” 

“I wouldn’t put it past some people” said John. 

“No, this was a very real disturbance” said Maureen. “Maybe everyone is just more alert to these types of situations, now that we know what can happen if something goes wrong-”

“Yeah, I guess” Don shrugged. “But hey, nothing went wrong this time, so that’s a win”

“Yeah, I’ll take it-” John laughed. But he could tell Maureen was still not happy about being pulled away from such an interesting space phenomena.

“You know, once Will brings us back our ship, we could take a little road trip back here and see what’s really going on?” John offered. 

Maureen smirked. “And is that your idea of a family vacation?” 

“No, this is the vacation” John smiled. “That would just be, you know, a little side trip” 

“A little side trip. Right. I like the way you think, John. I might take you up on that” Maureen smiled at her husband. Even though they had each had their own turbulent periods through their years of marriage, she was grateful that he was so supportive of her interests, even when they were on the potentially dangerous space anomaly side of things. 

“Or we could make it like another date” John suggested, radiating charm. 

“As romantic as analyzing space anomalies may be, I like the family trip idea” said Maureen. “I don’t really want our family to be apart, Will being gone for so long is hard enough. Also, you never know what could happen.” 

“Right, space anomalies are dangerous things” said Grant, speaking from experience there. 

“Yeah, true” John said. “Uhhh, maybe we should try to find the kids.”

“Right… let’s go” 

But before they could head off through the crowd, Penny stepped into the room with her boyfriend and his dad. 

“Hi Mom, Dad” Penny said, and they each hugged her. “So… anticlimactic, am I right?” 

“Totally!” Don agreed. 

“Well that’s one way to put it-” Maureen said. 

Victor shook John’s hand. “Great speech, my friend, really lovely.”

“Gee thanks.” John laughed. “And thanks for putting me on the spot!” 

“Oh come on, you’re a natural, John. Now I need to go and find Prisha, excuse me-” 

Victor disappeared into the crowd, and moments later Holly emerged. 

“Oh good, you’re here-” she said. 

“Hi Samantha’s mom!” Vijay and Penny said together, even though they didn’t know her that well. 

“I’m sorry about that scene earlier. I had some unfinished business with that- that woman, I still do actually, but it can wait” 

Penny looked around awkwardly, a little sad about missing potential drama for her new chapter, especially since the anomaly turned out to be nothing interesting. 

“We understand, Holly.” said Maureen 

“Wait, she DOES have a name???” Penny whispered to Vijay in surprise. “I need to go back and edit those three pages she’s in” 

“-and I know I don’t know what you’re going through, but our door is always open to you and your daughter” Maureen promised, comforting her. 

“Thank you Maureen. But uh, speaking of my daughter, where is she? I left her with Judy and then-”

“Oh yeah, I should probably warn you, our family has this big problem with misplacing people-” Penny helpfully informed her. 

“Oh, she went to show Judy the Hall of Heroes…” Maureen said. 

Holly froze. She didn’t know if she could handle seeing her late husbands name, not just because he was gone and the painful memories, but also knowing that he had betrayed her. 

“Uh, I can go look for them if you all want to catch up-” Grant offered. 

“Grant Kelly” said Holly. “You know, Samantha has told me a lot about you, things Judy told her mostly. But it’s an honor to meet you properly” 

“The honor is mine” said Grant. “Honestly, the idea of sending whole families into space, especially young children never sat right with me… but meeting your daughter and all the other kids on that ship, and seeing how everyone took care of each other, well it was inspiring. And I think it changed my mind about that”

“Sometimes I do regret going into space…” Holly said sadly. “But I should never have let Samantha out of my sight again. I was apart from her for 7 months after my… husband died, and I thought she was gone forever. But she was alone on the Resolute for all that time. Then after that, I was away from her again for a year… I can never let that happen again. Sorry. I shouldn’t be venting about this to you when you missed your daughter- missed Judy’s whole life. I’m sorry” 

“It’s alright” said Grant. “I didn’t know Judy was born, and she had a wonderful father right here” said Grant, pointing to John. “When you don’t know about something, or someone, it’s easier to leave them behind. But when you know, that must be much harder” Grant said comfortingly. “I know it’s not the exact same experience, but you can always come to me if you want-” 

“Thank you Mr. Kelly. Uhm, Commander Kelly?” 

“Grant is just fine. Anyway, I’ll- I’ll go look for Judy and Samantha-” 

But at that moment, the two of them stepped into the large room, but they weren’t alone. A young girl of about 5 was holding Judy’s hand. “Hello. I was wondering if anyone here is this child’s parent?” Judy asked. 

Humans and robots and chicken alike looked around, but no one had seen this girl before. Judy walked her up to her parents, and Samantha reunited with her mother too, but didn’t look too happy. 

“Hey there” said Maureen. It had been a long time since she had kids that young, so she tried to remember how to talk to them. “Where are your parents, uh, sweetie?” 

The girl ran over and hugged John’s leg, totally ignoring Maureen.

“Uh, whoa- what’s going on?” John asked, completely confused. 

“I just found her in the corridor” said Judy. “I don’t know who she is, but she shouldn’t be unsupervised.” 

Suddenly, the girl spoke for the first time. “Daddy!” she said, pointing at John. There was a collective gasp, and people were watching.

Now John was even more confused. Was this girl young enough to mistake him for her father? Or was that just one of those expressions the kids on the Solidarity freely used around here. But then she pulled out the picture, an old one of him, and handed it to him. “Wait… where did you get this?” 

Everyone stared in surprise. 

“I think… she thinks you’re her father, Dad” Judy said. Everyone was staring. 

“I’m sorry, but I’m not your dad. Your family is probably worried about you though-” John said gently. “So why don’t we try to find them, okay?” Suddenly John noticed what the girl was wearing around her neck, under her sparkly sequin covered outfit.  “Wait… where did you get those” 

The girl held out the military dog tags on the necklace, little dull silver ovals saying ROBINSON S17863.3.D 

“No way…” John said. “Where did you get those?” he turned to Maureen and the kids. “Those dog tags, they belonged to my father, he gave them to me… when I left for the military, I was going to give them to one of you guys or Will to keep for me, it’s like a Robinson family tradition, but none of you guys were into it since you were mad I was leaving, which I totally get now, I’m so sorry… and I just brought them with me… and I lost them. But how does this kid have them?” 

“Ummm…. Plot twist?” Penny said, still not wanting to process what was actually happening. She had wished for more drama for her book, but not like this. Definitely not like this.

Holly stared in horror at John. “Did you… did you betray Maureen. Like my husband betrayed me???” she asked. Samantha looked up, not understanding what her mom meant. Everyone stared at John, and even Don looked horrified.

“No…” said John. “No, Maureen, I swear.” 

“John would never do that.” Maureen said. “There has to be some other reason. Right…” 

John was terrified. Maureen wasn’t his first relationship, but as far as he knew, he didn’t have any kids from those relationships. And this girl was only about 5…

 When he married Maureen, he also adopted Judy as his daughter in every way that mattered, and went on to have Penny and Will with her too. That was it, that was all he had ever done in his life. So this couldn’t be possible… but whatever the truth was, it couldn’t be good.  Something very strange was going on. 

Chapter Text

Maureen, John, Judy sat in the minimalist office of the Solidarity’s social counselor, who was going over some files on her computer display, while the young girl played with some foam toys laid out on the floor. 

“I can’t find this kid anywhere in the system” said the counselor, a middle aged woman with short dark hair. “Security can’t find any photo ID, and there are no reports of any missing children on this ship. Has she given you anything we can go off of, like a name?” 

“No” Judy said. “She doesn’t talk much” 

Judy’s parents weren’t talking much either, but finally John broke his silence. “She thought I was her dad” John said, totally confused. “Will, he’s not here, but he’s our youngest. Maureen and I… never had any other kids after that, we-” 

“John, she has those dog tags you lost, she has that photo of you. And before you ask, I’ve already done the math, and her age lines up with when you were… away from our family helping with the rescue effort. And shortly after that, divorce was on the table for us. I don’t want to assume, but John, I can’t ignore what’s right in front of me.” 

“Maureen, I would never be unfaithful to you, I swear-” 

“You’re a lot of things, John, and I’m the first to admit our relationship hasn’t been perfect. But one thing you have never been is unfaithful. You’ve always looked out for our family. We’re in a good place, and I don’t want our relationship to backslide. Never again. And look, I know that in science, the most likely scenario isn’t always true… but the idea of you having a secret daughter you didn’t know about who somehow got aboard this ship on her own is very unlikely, isn’t it? And yet… here we are. Just when I thought the surprises were over”. She turned away from her husband to face the counselor. 

“How did she even get on the ship, she’s like 5-” Judy interjected, trying to keep her parents from fighting. “What if she was someone who didn’t pass the test, who couldn’t get on the Solidarity, and her parents… snuck her onboard anyway and told her to pretend to be related to our family, because they knew we would understand what that’s like” 

“When we were building the Solidarity, one of the first things I said was that we had to relax the rules with that elitist test” said Maureen. “Everyone deserves a life at the colony, and I know what it’s like to be willing to do anything to make that happen”. 

“It’s not unheard of.” the counselor said. “We did have reports of a stowaway actually, but no one matching this girl’s description.” 

“We should do a DNA test.” Judy suggested. “See if there’s a match. I’m a doctor, I can do it- there are some DNA paternity test kits aboard the Solidarity, right?”

“I don’t believe so” said the counselor. 

“Seriously?” Judy sighed

“It’s not really an issue we expected to come up on such a short trip” Maureen said. “I never liked how DNA tests were done on the Resolute”

“Alright, we’ll do it at the colony then” Judy conceded. “I’d rather perform it in the hospital anyway”. 

“Judy, do you actually think-” 

“No, dad. I don’t know what to think. But we should do it, whatever it says. That way at least well know if she’s related to anyone at the colony”

“I agree” Maureen said. “We need more evidence” 

“Alright” the counselor said. “But she’s obviously attached to you. Would your family be alright with taking care of her, until her own parents or guardians can be found?” 

John hesitated awkwardly, but Maureen nodded. “Yes, of course. We’ll give her anything she needs”. But her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes, which looked as though a thousand questions were swirling behind them… 

Afterwards, Judy caught up with Penny in the corridor and filled her in on what was going on. 

“How come fostering a little kid is so much scarier for our family than adopting a 7 foot alien robot?” Penny wondered aloud. 

“You guys should try adopting a pet!” Don said, peeking out from the corner, still holding his feathered friend. 

“Debbie’s already part of the family.” Judy assured him. 

“Awww. But look, I grew up in an orphanage, I might know what this kid is going through. And I can see why she wants to be part of your family, I mean you guys aren’t as annoyingly perfect as you seemed”

“Annoyingly perfect?” Penny asked in surprise.

“We were dealing with so many issues when you met us!” Judy reminded him. “Still are”

“Yeah, but as far as families go, you’re pretty alright. I know I would want a family like yours” 

“You are part of the family too, Don.”

“Only because I’m related to Debbie?”

“No, because you’re you. Don’t you ever forget it” Judy promised, petting Debbie. “Debbie just gets more attention because she’s extremely cute-”

“That’s well deserved” Don smiled. 

“But you’re a close second though. Look, Don, I understand how it feels too. Finding my biological father after all this time… my dad will always be, you know, my dad, but if she thinks he’s her dad too, I don’t want her to get hurt” . 

“It’s just hard for me to get used to having another sister- a younger sister…” Penny said awkwardly.

“Tell me about it. That’s what I said when I was 3…” 

“Hey!!”. 

“And look how well it turned out!”

 “But you’re still trying to copy my snarkiness-” 

“No I’m not, I totally had it first-”

“Did not” Penny smiled, but soon her expression turned darker. “I’m sorry, I’m trying… but a younger sister is not what I’m scared about… Dad wouldn’t do that to Mom. He just wouldn’t.” 

“I don’t think so either.” Judy said. “But hey, on the bright side… great plot twist for your chapter 2, right?” 

“Judy I get what you’re trying to do and I love you for it, but I can’t even think about that right now” Penny said quietly, turning away. “This can’t be happening. I know, compared to the things that have happened to us, it’s like, actually one of the more normal ones, but it’s still really weird… I think I just need some space”

“That’s okay. Come on Don, let’s check on this girl”

Penny hugged Judy before heading off down the corridor. 

Maureen found herself in the corridor with John, alone together with him for the first time since everything that had happened. It probably wasn’t even true, so why was she having such a hard time looking him in the eye? She wasn’t mad at him, not like when he left. But there was an emptiness inside, like everything just hurt. 

“So…” she said. 

“So” John repeated in a sad voice.

“We’re alone. John, when we got married, we promised not to keep secrets from each other. Then there was the letter… you chose to leave. And shortly after that, this girl was born. I forgave you John, but I need you to be honest with me now, okay? I won’t leave you, not after everything, but I have to know”

“Maureen, I swear. We were in a rough patch, but I never stopped thinking of you, and I was never with anyone else after you. I never cheated on you”

Maureen sighed and pulled out a small, blinking device out of her bag and pointed it at John. “What the- Maureen, I know you have every reason to be mad at me right now, but this is a little much-”

“What, you actually think this is a weapon?” Maureen laughed, for the first time in awhile.

“N-no. But uh… what is it?”

“It’s a lie detector” 

“A lie detector? Maureen, you know those things don’t work, they aren’t reliable.”

“True, but this one is more reliable than most”

“How do you know?” 

“Because I invented it, obviously, now hold still and repeat what you just said”

“I never had any children with anyone other than you, and I never was with anyone else but you since we were married”

Maureen looked down. “Well, it says you’re telling the truth. But I don’t know, you never can trust these things, right?” She tossed it aside. “You know what, I don’t need this. I believe you John. And I’m usually right, so don’t make this the one time when I’m wrong.”

“Still, you’re right- something just doesn’t add up-” John said. 

“Do you remember when you lost those dog tags she has? Your father’s?”

“No.” John said. “Wait… I have to tell you something”

“Oh no, another secret?”

“Well, there was a time… after I was injured in a medical evacuation, where I had amnesia” 

“Alright John, why am I just hearing about this now???” 

“Well, in my defense, I had amnesia. I kind of forgot. It was for a very short time, but something could have happened then? I didn’t want to scare you, this was years before I came back-”

“You know my mom used to make me watch the soaps with her back on the farm… didn’t think I’d ever be living one” Maureen said. “Seriously, first my ex was alive all along, now you had amnesia and possibly a hidden child? I never thought I’d say this, but I’m starting to miss the giant floating sky squid whales and the storms and the space phenomena and the robots trying to get us. At least science is easy to explain” she sighed. 

“Yea, I know what you mean” John said.

“I’m glad you came back to us though” Maureen said. “No matter what happens now”

Maureen exchanged a look with her husband, but at that moment Grant interrupted them. 

“Maureen, they’re asking for us in the control room. We’re arriving at the colony soon and they want us to see it” Grant said.”You too, John” he added with the tiniest touch of awkwardness in his voice.

“No, you two go. I’m gonna go check on the kid and make sure she’s alright”

Grant looked at John with piercing eyes. “I know I shouldn’t ask, but-”

“I’ll fill you in” Maureen assured him. 

Elsewhere, on one of the observation decks, Penny had gone to find Vijay and tell him what had happened too, and now the two of them were staring awkwardly out the viewport again, where a familiar trinary star system was growing closer and closer.  

“So yeah, happy you’re an only child, Vijay?”

“Ummm” Vijay said. “Wow. I mean, this is crazy. How are you doing?

“Fine” Penny said. “I don’t know, not fine? It’s just weird. Like it just came out of nowhere, I can’t even really think about it.”

“John and I have had our disagreements, but he does not strike me as the kind of man to be unfaithful” Victor said, from behind them. 

“He and Maureen had their issues, but this is totally out of character” said Prisha Dhar, apparently also there. 

“Um, Mom, Dad, could you maybe not gossip about my girlfriend’s dad right in front of us?” Vijay asked. 

“Right, sorry. We should be heading to the control room anyway to watch the arrival, you’re both invited too of course.” Victor offered. 

“I think we should stay here” Penny said. “Just too awkward, I need somewhere quiet”

“Fine with me” Vijay said, saying goodbye to his parents and going back to stay with Penny. 

“I just can’t see my Dad with anyone other than Mom. Like yea, I know Mom was with Grant before I was born, but after they were married- sorry, is this too awkward for you because I was with Liam instead of you for like almost a year?”

“No way. Totally different things, we weren’t married for one thing-”

“And we won’t be any time soon, we’re still technically teens” Penny reminded him. “All that ‘adult stuff’ is just eww”

“Eww is right” Vijay laughed. “That’s good because I’m definitely not ready for anything like that, but I’m happy to be with you.”

“Me too” said Penny, leaning in to kiss him. “Even though we’re like the awkwardest couple in the universe-”

“That’s part of the charm” Vijay laughed. “Uh, speaking of awkward, how did Liam take the news, you know, that we got back together”

“I don’t know, we haven’t really talked much” Penny told him. “ I think he understands. But Vijay, I don’t think I understand. My Dad would never do something like this. I’m sorry, but I can’t think about anything else right now”

“I understand” Vijay held her hand. “And I’m always going to be here for you, kay? So if there’s like- if there’s anything you need, and I mean anything, just lemme know. Even if it’s like… more space”

“Hmm. Guess I could use some more oreos” Penny admitted, resting on his shoulder and staring at the 3 suns in the inky darkness, ever closer. 

Why was the walk to the control room so long? Maureen wondered to herself. Having to tell all of this to Grant was very difficult. 

“You know, this girl could have been frozen like I was, from before you and John were together. That would explain why she’s so young.”

“But you did age somewhat in cryosleep” Maureen reminded him. 

“I did?” Grant asked. “I like think I still look pretty good for a man who was asleep for 20 years”

“You look great” Maureen said, before realizing maybe that’s not something to say to her ex. But right now, maybe Grant was the best person for her to talk to right now. 

“Alright, I’ve been trying to avoid this but I just can’t” Grant said. “‘’But I don’t want to make this any worse for you than it already is. Are you alright with talking about it?” 

“Yes.” Maureen replied. “I need to talk to someone, someone who can be objective about this” 

“It’s actually hard for me to be objective,” Grant admitted. “But I’ll do my best” 

“Thank you”

“Always, Maureen. We may not be together anymore, but for me, all of that wasn’t too long ago. And I still care just as much about you now as I did back then. This is all so strange to me. I guess there’s a part of me, deep down, that didn’t want to trust John. But from everything I’ve seen of him, he’s a good, decent man, and Judy told me all about him. I can see why you love him so much.” 

“I do. I really do” 

“I know we were never in a committed relationship like that, I didn’t even know we were having a daughter… but if John has another daughter you didn’t know about, would that change things” 

“No. I mean yes. I’m actually not sure, Grant. Is that horrible? I love him. But I have to have some self respect. It just doesn’t make any sense to me. How could this happen? I’m choosing to believe him, Grant.” 

“I respect you so much, Maureen. No matter what choice you make” 

They rounded a corner on their way to the control room and ran right into Holly, who was briskly walking along the corridor in the other direction. 

“Maureen, Grant-” she said. “I hate to say this again, but have you seen Samantha? I lost track of her again-” 

“No” Maureen said. “But if I have to guess, she might have gone looking for Judy, she was by the counselor's room last I checked” 

“You’re probably right. I’m sorry” Holly said. “Maureen, how are you doing. We should get together when we’re back on Alpha Centauri… I might know some of what you’re going through. My husband was already gone when I found out he cheated… I’ll never get to ask him why he betrayed me like that.” Holly wiped her eyes. “But I want to be here for you too, alright. Just give me a call” 

“Thank you, Holly. But I don’t know what’s going on yet, and I’m not going to assume. It’s nothing as horrible as what happened with you and him”

“Maybe not, but I need to be here for you. And Grant- sorry we were interrupted earlier, but I really do want to get to know you better. If that’s alright with you?” 

“Sure” Grant nodded. “I’d love that, Holly.” 

Holly nodded, then headed off down the corridor, leaving Maureen and Grant behind. 

“Well, I guess let’s go to the control room” Grant said calmly. “Yes, let’s-” Maureen nodded, and she walked next to him. 

“I think Holly might be interested in you-” Maureen said randomly.

“Huh? Really? She just met me”

“I don’t know, I’m just picking up on something. But it’s horrible what happened with her husband-” Maureen paused. “John wouldn’t do something like that, I don’t believe it.” 

“I don’t think so either. And you know, I am open to dating someone again, in case you were worried about that” Grant said. 

“Why would I be worried?”  

“I don’t know. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t still have feelings for you, but that was a different time in both of our lives. I’m ready to move on, but… I’d like to still be your friend, alright? And I really do want the best for you and John” 

“Thank you Grant. I know our relationship was short… but, our friendship will be forever.” Grant and Maureen walked down the corridor, passing by the observation deck, briefly catching a glimpse of Penny and Vijay together, but choosing not to disturb them. Maureen and Grant’s love story was over, and Penny and Vijay’s was still just beginning. But what about Maureen and John? Maureen knew that whatever happened, they could survive it. At least, she hoped… 

Chapter Text

2 younger siblings, Judy thought to herself. Samantha. 97 children of varying ages for almost a year. Why wasn’t she better at this by now? 

No matter how much she tried to put her own conflicted feelings about her father aside and take care of this girl, she was still getting absolutely nowhere. She tried to think back to how Penny and Will were when they were about 5 or so. She had been only 8 when Penny was 5, and at first they had gotten along okay, but by that age Penny’s trademark attitude was already there. When Will was 5, she had been 12, which felt so much older, so she was really able to enjoy that kind of sibling relationship, even though the distance between them felt like a lot. 5 year old Will was very shy, very quiet, not very social, unlike Penny, who had been a handful for as long as Judy could remember, but the best sister she could ever ask for. But this girl wasn’t like either of them, and Judy still didn’t even know her name. But despite her complicated feelings about the mystery of how she might have come into the world, Judy couldn’t help but relate. She had wondered about her biological father, even when she was 5 too, it was never a secret kept from her. She couldn’t see any way that this girl could actually be her adopted father’s daughter, but she still couldn’t relate. But this girl seemed much more interested in Debbie, who was there with Don in the private area of the Solidarity’s small, padded playroom area where the girl was staying. 

“Sequins are great huh.” Don said, looking at the girl’s very shiny outfit “Just don’t get them near any machinery, back on the Resolute someone spilled a bunch of those bad boys into the ventilation shafts and they were falling on everyone for like a whole week. No one ever found out who did it, we thought it was one of the kids, but you know in retrospect it was probably Smith.” 

“Hey, I remember that. I was going to guess probably you, but sure, that works too” Judy grinned. 

“Hey!” Don said indignantly. The girl looked up, eyes wide but with no sign of any understanding.

“And she has no idea what I’m talking about” Don sighed. ”Hey watch it, don’t eat her sequins, Debbie! Don’t peck her, alright?” Don said. “Good girl, it’s okay. Don’t be scared” Don said in a soothing, comforting tone. 

“Wow, you’re a natural with kids, Don” 

“I was talking to Debbie” he admitted. The little chicken looked up and stopped pecking, making a small sound.

 “But is it alright for me to hang around here? Do you wanna be alone with her?” 

“No, I actually think it feels more normal with you here” Judy whispered. “It always does, but especially now.”

“Should we go in the other room though? I wanted to show Debbie the Solidarity’s giant playground slash ball pit, that place is a marvel of engineering, let me tell you-” 

“I’m sure it’s cool, Don” Judy said with a laugh. “But I don’t want to overwhelm this girl… I wish we knew her name” 

“You could always make one up?” Don suggested. 

“It’s just, we don’t actually know who she is” Judy said. “And if she’s really-” 

At that moment, Samantha appeared at the door. “Judy, there you are-” 

“Samantha, did you wander off again?” 

“You’re with that girl again?” Samantha asked. “Mom says she’s your little sister?” 

“We don’t know that yet” Judy said, and the girl just stared. 

“What? How do you not know?” Samantha asked. 

“She’s uh, adopted” Don quickly improvised. “Hey uh, Samara?” 

“It’s Samantha” she quietly corrected. 

“Sorry, Samantha. You seen that cool playground yet?” 

“Yeah it’s cool, I like climbing through the slides… But I wanna ask Judy if she wants to watch out the window, we’re almost at Alpha Centauri again!” 

“Oh, um… sure, Samantha. I’m coming- Don, do you mind watching her?” 

“Of course” John nodded, as Judy and Samantha left again, leaving Don and Debbie with the mysterious child, who seemed to be fixated on the chicken. 

“Okay Don, don’t panic, don’t panic-” Don repeated. He had grown up in an orphanage, and he related to this girl too, but he still felt awkward around kids sometimes, especially because he had to censor some of his language around them. But he did have a softer, caring side than the “roughneck” exterior he tried to present, so he tried his best. 

“You know kid, I get why you want John Robinson as your dad,” he said. “Between you and me, so do I- or someone like him at least.” 

Silence. 

“Uh.” While Don was trying to figure out what to say, Debbie climbed up into the girl’s lap. 

“Debbie, no pecking, be gentle, remember-” 

But slowly, the girl giggled and began to pet the chicken.

“Aww” Don said, he couldn’t help himself, it was genuinely an adorable moment. Suddenly, the girl smiled and picked some of the sequins off her dress and put them on Debbie! 

“Whoa. Debbie, you look so fancy now” Don laughed, and the girl laughed too. “Stylish!” he repeated. “Hey, so you like chickens, huh?” 

The girl nodded. 

“Well, I’ve got a story to tell you. They used to tell this to me back at the orphanage, I think I can remember. It’s called Chicken Little, it’s about well, a little chicken, who thinks the Sky is Falling…”

As the beautiful blue colony planet around Alpha Centauri came into view, Maureen was standing on the bridge. Everyone seemed to be paying a lot more attention to Grant and Victor this time, but Maureen still stood by Captain Morita. “Entering the transfer orbit now” 

“Well, we made it without getting lost” Maureen smiled. “That’s something-” 

“Something” Arrietty the robot said softly, in almost a disappointed tone. But Captain Morita took Maureen aside and talked to her. “Maureen, I heard about what happened, and I just want to say I’m sorry” 

“Wow, news really does travel fast” Maureen said. “Well, we’re dealing with it. We don’t know for sure what’s going on yet.” 

“I know it will be hard for your family. But… my father left my mother and disappeared, I never got to know him until much later, and then I found out I had a half sister, and it was weird. But after that we really learned how we could get along, and now we are never apart. So, it can get better. Just so you know that your family isn’t the only one with hard times”

“Thank you” Maureen said. “And I’m sorry, I had no idea-” 

“It was many years ago” Captain Morita said. “But a lot can change in just a short time” 

“I don’t know what to expect on Alpha Centauri. But I know whatever it is, it will be better than being lost-” Maureen said, staring out the viewport at the small planet that was their new home, where her reflection stared back with uncertain eyes against the stars. 

“Welcome home, Solidarity” came the voice of June, a woman at Alpha Control. “We’re all happy you made it here and didn’t get lost!” 

In the observation bay, Penny and Vijay were watching the planet come into view from their private little corner, when Judy and Samantha came up behind them. 

“Penny, Vijay-” Samantha said in a small but excited voice. 

“Oh hey” Penny said, both happy to see them and sad that her romantic moment had been cut short. They all sat there for awhile in very awkward silence with only a bit of small talk separating them from the eternal silence of space beyond the window. 

“Samantha!!!!” Holly called. “There you are. You really have to stop running off like that-” 

“But I’m with Judy” Samantha said. 

“I can see that. But you two can spend more time together when we’re back at the colony. Let’s go back to our Jupiter and get ready for landing.” 

“Aww okay” Samantha waved goodbye to Judy. 

“We should probably head back too” Penny realized. “Yeah” said Judy. “I’ll see you back at the colony” Vijay said, sharing a final gaze with Penny. Soon it was just Penny and Judy walking down the corridor, before they ran into Maureen, heading back down from the control room. 

“You two… just know no matter what happens, you’re my daughters. And whatever the results of the test show, I won’t let anything tear our family apart ever again” Judy and Penny both hugged their mom. 

“It’s okay mom. You don’t have to hold it all in for us” Judy promised. 

“Yeah. You’ve always been here for us… but we’re always here for you too” 

Maureen smiled softly at her two daughters. “I love you. I don’t say that enough, but I do” 

“We love you too, mom” 

As they headed back to their rental Jupiter, someone was still missing. “Where even is Dad anyway?” Penny wondered. 

Don had finished telling the story to the girl, and now she was looking out the playroom’s viewport at the planet now taking up most of the view. 

“The sky is falling?” she asked. 

Don was shocked to hear her say a full sentence, even something from the story. He smiled at her. “Yea, we’re in the sky-” he said. “But I don’t think Debbie’s scared about it, so we shouldn’t be either!” he said. 

“Don, you would make a really good dad one day” John said, entering. 

“High praise coming from a guy like you” Don said. “But I really should get the rental Jupiter ready, you want a moment alone with her?” 

“Yeah. But Don… thank you. I can’t tell you how much it hurts, not knowing.” 

“I love you man” Don said. “But I also love your family a whole lot. Seriously. And if you do anything to disappoint them, we’ll have a problem. Look, I get how it is. But I was abandoned, I don’t want that for anyone else.”

“I’m not gonna let them down” John promised. “Or you.” 

“Or Debbie?” 

“Especially Debbie” John laughed. He and Don shared a short hug, before Don nodded and left the room with the viewport. John approached the girl quietly, still distracted with the view from outside and her reflection in the window. “Hey” 

“Daddy!” she said, suddenly realizing who it was. She ran over to hug John’s leg, making him feel very awkward again, but being a Dad was who he was. This couldn’t be his biological daughter… he could never have done that without realizing. But she saw herself that way, and he wasn’t about to disappoint her. 

“Sorry I didn’t get here sooner” he said. “But I’m here for you, okay- I’m here for you. But um, if I’m gonna be your daddy, I need to know your name. We kinda have a thing for fancy, old fashioned names in our family, but whatever you want to be called, okay?” 

The girl looked up, confused for a minute, then said. “Livi” 

“Livi?” John repeated, making sure he got that right. She nodded. “That’s a really nice name” She looked up at him, and John noticed how calm she was now. He hummed a small song to her, maybe at least someone would like his singing. He forgot the words, but Livi still seemed really pleased with it. But at that moment, John realized Maureen and his daughters were standing in the doorway. “Come on John. We’re here at Alpha Centauri, let’s get back to the rental Jupiter” 

“Okay, Maureen. I’m going to bring her with us.” 

“Alright” Maureen nodded. “We’ll figure this all out once we’re back home.” 

Meanwhile, on Alpha Centauri, Will and the Robot were trying to find a good tree to decorate outside of their house. 

“These are called pine trees” Will said. “Or evergreens. Actually, I don’t know what these are called, but they look exactly like them, so I’ll just call them that” Will said. “You’ve probably seen them already since there were some on the planet I met you on… and on the planet you all came from” Will said. “We’re going to decorate the tallest one outside this year!” Will said, climbing the tree. “But I might need your help to get some ornaments on top?” 

“Yes, Will Robinson” said the Robot. 

“Oh yeah, I need to show you some of the ornaments, they look just like you!” Will smiled. “And especially the Christmas lights, they’re in all kinds of colors” 

The Robot shifted his lights in his face to a variety of colors, and Will smiled. “Yeah, just like that!” 

Will decided to keep sharing his Fun Tree Facts with Robot. “You know what makes these trees special? Not just that they’re pointy and have needles instead of leaves, but they stay green all year round, even here on Alpha Centauri! I think. But I don’t know what the seasons are like here yet. Sorry, I just think they’re really cool. And hey, I met you in a tree! So they’re kinda special for us. Rocks are my favorite, but I really like trees too”

“Yes” the Robot agreed. 

“I’m happy this planet has one too. It’s just like Earth” Will smiled. “But there’s just one thing missing. Where’s the snow? Maybe with 3 suns in the sky, it won’t happen as much?” 

“Snow, Will Robinson” said the Robot, holding his hands up in the sky. Suddenly, it became colder, and snow began to rain down. 

“You’re the best friend ever!!!” Will said, rushing to play in the snow. “Hey Robot, I’ll show you how to make a real snow angel! And we can make a snowman that looks like you-” 

“Snow… man?” But suddenly, the Robot was distracted by something else, a Chariot pulling into the driveway. Will saw the whole rest of his family step out. 

“WILL??!” Everyone gasped at once. “SURPRISE!!!!” Will said, hugging everyone. 

“I’m actually really surprised you actually made it back by Christmas” Penny said. 

“Yeah, me too-” Will said. “And you guys didn’t get lost either!” 

“Yeah” John said. “But uh, we have a surprise too actually. The young girl stepped out of the Chariot and ran to play in the snow pile on the ground. 

“Who’s that?” Will asked. 

“Long story” Penny said. 

“Long story?” 

“We’ll find out soon” said Judy.

“It’s alright, there’s no rush” Maureen said. “Let’s go inside, we’ll explain everything we know there” Will and the Robot shared a glance, both totally confused. Even if the seasons on this planet were sometimes the same, something had changed within their family, and they all could tell. But whatever was going on, at least they were all together for the first time in awhile, and they hoped they wouldn't be apart again...

Chapter Text

Will had been hoping to sit around the living room on Alpha Centauri and tell his family all about the amazing things he, Robot and the rest of the exploratory group had discovered while they were away, but he had not expected to come home to this. 

His siblings quickly filled him in before his parents had a chance, and the Alpha Centauri air was already clouded with even more awkwardness than usual.

His room was exactly how he left it, not that he had even had much time to decorate it yet. He had a really nice window on one side of the wall looking out over the woods, a small desk, a shelf with toys and models, and some artwork he and Robot had made on the walls along with many glow in the dark stars that he had made glow in the daytime too, with some help from Robot. And finally, a glittery canopy bed that made literally everyone jealous. But as comfy as it was, it just didn’t feel like home the way his small bedroom on the Jupiter 2 did. 

But it was better than going downstairs, where he could hear the voices of his family. It wasn’t even an argument… just awkward.

He had waited so long to see them again, but after all they had been through, why did this have to happen now? Why? He wanted nothing more than to hug them, to laugh with them, but it was just too overwhelming for him.

Even after all the things he had seen in space, he found himself feeling most anxious about the little things. He remembered his family before he left, wondering if they would ever have moments like that again.

He remembered what his Dad had said, so long ago before they left Earth, when he had finally come home after missing those years, how it was all so different… and all the differences after he and his sisters had been away from their parents for a year on that planet, not too long ago. But all that was in the past, and he thought he would come home to his family, together at last and happy. No drama, no danger… yea right. Of course it was never that easy.  

“Family, Will Robinson?” Robot asked softly, putting a reassuring metallic hand on Will’s shoulder and trying as hard as he could not to be stuck in the canopy bed, with glittery fabric like his lights. 

“Yeah…” Will said, unsure. “But this is different than when we found you. When you found me. I don’t understand-” 

“Trust, Will Robinson-” 

“I’m trying, I’m trying. But it’s just… it doesn’t make sense. Not at all. I’m the youngest, right? Actually I don’t know how old you are-” Will tried to distract himself.

“Not old,” the Robot said quickly. 

“Yea, makes sense, you’re really shiny. But older than me?” 

“Yes, Will Robinson-” 

“I guess a lot of the other robots are kinda like your siblings?” Will wondered. 

“Yes. Family, Will Robinson” 

“But humans aren’t like that. We aren’t like- built the same way. So how can I have a little sister I didn’t know about? Wouldn’t Mom know?” Robot reached out a cold hand, and Will held it calmly.

Even though he didn’t say a lot of words, talking was too awkward anyway. Will was grateful that his friend always knew how to be there for him, and say what words couldn’t. 

Judy and Penny entered Will’s room cautiously, while the sounds of Maureen and John talking could still be heard downstairs. 

“Look, no matter what, the Robinsons stick together. We won’t let this tear us apart.” said Judy. 

Will hugged his sisters, the two who had been his only siblings for all of his life. They were always there for him.

“Penny?” Will asked. 

“Hmm?”

“What’s with the hat?” 

“Ohhh-” Penny realized she was still wearing that sunhat. “Well, you know, three suns, I forgot what it’s like here. I got you a hat too, but I’ll save it as a surprise for Christmas- but here, try this one on now-” 

“Noooo” Will laughed as Penny placed the hat on his head. “It suits you.” Judy laughed. “Makes you look like a gentleman adventurer or something”

“A what?” Will asked. 

“I don’t even know, but come on, you should put it over your spacesuit-” 

“It’s really big-” Will giggled, adjusting it. 

“Eh, you’ll grow into it” Penny shrugged.

“I don’t know, I feel like I already had my big growth spurt-” Will smiled.

“Okay, guess I’ll give it to Robot then, he’s tallest-” Penny laughed, putting the hat on Robot’s bubble head. “Here” she said, holding up her phone and taking a picture and showing it to Robot. “You like it?” 

“Yes, Penny Robinson-”

“Heyyy, he says my name now!” 

 “Where did you get that anyway?” Will wondered.

“Back on Earth-” Judy explained nonchalantly. 

“Wait, you guys went to Earth without me??” Will gasped. 

“Yeah, but you had the Jupiter, you could go anywhere in the galaxy!” said Penny. “But guess what, back on Earth, we met this girl who was like a really big fan of yours-”

“Wait, really?” 

Robot moved closer to Will protectively. “Danger, Will Robinson” 

“No, no danger” Will said. “Right? It’s nice that we have fans!” 

“I thought we only got to be famous because we were related to you-” Penny reminded him. 

“Oh come on, I said that like… years ago-”

“And it still hurts” Penny said. “But when I get published, I’ll totally show you” she smiled. 

“So… a fan?”. 

“Yeah, long story, I think she has a cr-” 

“Ummm I think we have other things to worry about right now. Now that we might all have a literal younger sibling-” Judy course corrected. 

“At least I’m still the only boy. But I’m used to being youngest, and you guys being my sisters-”

“We always will be your big sisters, and you’re always our little brother, even if you’re really tall all of the sudden-” Judy said. “Don’t you ever forget it.”

“I’m actually weirdly okay with having a little sister. Not that little brothers aren’t great,” Penny added hastily, noticing Will’s glance. “And then it wouldn’t be the middle child, it would be like split between me and Will!” 

“Me too” said Judy “I want to give her a home, since I know what it’s like to not know your biological parent.” Judy said. “But what I’m not okay with is Dad doing that to Mom. I’ll do the blood test today at the hospital, so we’ll know then, but I just don’t know if I’m ready” 

“He wouldn’t do that…” Will said quietly.

“That’s what we said”

“No, he wouldn’t-” Will said, looking down at his hands. “Dad loves Mom-”

“Listen, Will, I know you were really young back then, but Mom and Dad did have some problems back then, you know. He was gone for a really long time. I don’t know how much you know, but-” 

“I know everything, Judy” Will said. “I know Dad made some choices that were wrong, like leaving us, but he didn’t ever break up with Mom-” Will said. “They’re together-”

“Umm, I don’t think marriages have break ups, Will, it’s called-” 

“I knowww Penny. I’m a teen too now, I’m not a little kid anymore, I know this stuff” Will reminded his sisters. “But Mom and Dad aren’t like that” 

“Sorry, we forgot” Penny teased. 

“Yeah, when did that even happen?” Judy wondered. It seemed like just yesterday that her brother was that small, innocent boy who she and Penny protected at all costs from the cruel universe. Always the youngest sibling, except now maybe he wasn’t.  

“Did she say anything about who her mom is?” Will asked. “Like, we know she thinks Dad is like… her dad, but who would her mom be?”

“She hasn’t talked about that-” Judy said. “She hasn’t really said much of anything” 

“Neither does Robot” Will pointed at his quiet friend. “Ooh, maybe you could talk to her, Robot? Since you both came into this family later, and don’t talk a lot? Please?” Will stared into the little universe of his friend’s bubble head. 

“Yes, Will Robinson-” Robot promised. “Family” He turned to the door, but forgot that it was so small, and put his head down. “Yeah, we need a taller door” Will said to himself. 

“For you or Robot?” Penny teased. 

“Umm, no offense Will, but don’t you think a 5 year old would be scared of a 7 foot tall alien Robot?” Judy asked. 

“Unless this is like some secret plan to scare her away from our family?” Penny considered. . 

“Nooo…” Will said. “I was like, eleven when I met Robot, and he’s the best friend I’ll ever have. So maybe he can be like that for someone else-” 

As it turned out, Livi and Robot did get along very well, to everyone else’s surprise, but Robot was very gentle and patient, and Livi enjoyed how quiet he was. Looking up at him, she was also mesmerized by the swirling stars in his face, just staring up into them… neither said a single word, but it was almost like they had an understanding on another level. 

Will was happy to see this, but he was also surprised at the small flashes of jealousy that bubbled to the surface as he watched them. Once, he had been the smallest, the one Robot protected. Now, he was all grown up, well, almost grown up, he still had all of his teen years ahead, but after all he had been through, he felt like he had grown up really fast. 

But Livi was so little, and already friends with Robot. And even Will’s own dad was paying so much attention to her… he wasn’t proud of those feelings, but deep down they were there. But it wasn’t right to feel that way, so he brushed that aside and smiled. 

John was smiling too. He was glad to see that Livi was already fitting in, and he was grateful that she could be a part of this family and protected by the Robot, without having to worry about the dangerous robots they had faced in the past, or being lost in space, or all those other dangers.

But there was also a part of him that felt like something was very off here. This girl wasn’t actually his daughter, as much as part of him might have wanted it. 

Right now, she even seemed more interested in the Robot than in him. Maybe all she really wanted, especially at that age, was to be taken care of. But then why was she so sure that he was her father? John was dreading the blood test, but at least then there would be some answers. 

Maureen, meanwhile, was trying to smile but she couldn’t quite manage it. After what had happened with her and Judy and her and Penny, learning about the expectations she had felt even in childhood, Maureen had realized that maybe she hadn’t always made the right choices when her kids were that age.

She had tried her very best, but with her girls in particular, it was hard for her… maybe she tried too hard to give them the childhood she wished she could have had, growing up on that farm, without friends and without the attention she needed, even though she missed her mom so much. But maybe she had tried too hard to give them what she wanted, instead of what they wanted. 

But they were her children, she would always protect them, and she was trying now to really listen and understand. But this girl… this girl wasn’t her child. Was she John’s? Maureen didn’t want to believe it either, she knew the most likely answer wasn’t always true, but how was any of this even likely at all? 

Maureen thought about what it would have been like, if John had another child when she had started dating him. He had accepted Judy as his own, and even with Grant back and them building that relationship they had missed, John was Judy’s father in every way. So of course, Maureen would have raised John’s child as her own too.

Sometimes, she would have strange dreams, as though from another reality where she and John had another son, about Judy’s age, and lost him on a very different version of the Resolute, but she was glad none of that ever happened. She loved her family as they were, but she had become open to the idea of a found family. 

But this was different, this girl was younger than all of her kids. If John really had been unfaithful to her… how could she even come to accept that? Inside, she felt she couldn’t. It would have been such a betrayal… but Maureen found herself questioning everything she knew. 

Maybe it would be better not to do the test, not to find out these answers. What would it change now? She even thought about getting someone to change the test results, it wouldn’t be the first time she had done that. But no, that wouldn’t be the right thing, and her own words resurfaced. “The truth will come out eventually, it always does”.

In times like these, she tried to bury her feelings in a little box… where you put things you don’t want anyone else to know. And that box had to be airtight. That was what Smith had told her once. 

Damn it, seriously why was she such a good therapist? Smith wasn’t even a real therapist, and she had more problems than all of them combined. She was the one who needed therapy, not to sit alone in some dark cell. But despite herself, Maureen felt like visiting her after this. She was sure there would be couples counseling, therapy to attend with John once they knew the truth. But out of all the people she trusted, why was Dr. Smith the one she thought of… 

“Ready to go?” Judy asked a while later, after getting in touch with her colleagues at the hospital. Usually doing tests on your own family members wasn’t seen as a good idea, but there were no rules about it yet on Alpha Centauri and Judy felt like she had to be the one to do this. 

Maureen put her feelings back in the box and nodded at her daughter. 

While everyone had been silently going through their thoughts, Livi was unbothered by all of it, currently trying to climb the dividing window grid in the living room, while Robot helped make sure she wouldn’t fall. Gently, he picked her up and carried her back over to the Robinsons, placing her in John’s arms instead 

“Whoa, um okay. Guess we’re doing this, huh” John said. 

“I’ll get the Chariot ready” Maureen said. 

“There’s a new one from the Jupiter 2, right, so we don’t have to use the rental?” Judy asked. 

“Yeah, it’s right outside” said Will. “Sorry if we scratched it a little in the exploratory group,” 

“Okay, I’ll drive” 

“Judy, we can-”

“Hey, listen. You and Dad have enough to worry about. It’s okay” Judy said. “Just leave everything to me… no matter what happens.”

“Oh wow Will, looks like we’ll have the house to ourselves” Penny realized. “What should we even do? Wanna watch some Christmas movies?”

“Me and Robot kinda already did that when we were waiting for you. Also, I’m supposed to have my heart checked out to make sure it’s working right. So I’m coming to the hospital too” 

“Trust, Will Robinson” Robot reminded him. 

“I know, I’ll always trust how you saved me. Saved my heart. But they still want me to do the check ups anyway, just to be safe”.

The Robot nodded reassuringly, following his friend. 

“But of course you can come too,” said Will, grateful that their special connection would alway be there. But both he and Robot had room in their hearts for everyone there.

“You know what, I’m just coming with you guys.” said Penny “There’s no way I’m staying home. Someone has to document this moment, right?” She pulled out a notebook and joined her family. 

Like literally everything else in the lately, the drive was awkward. Livi had trouble staying still, and the seats were too big for her anyway. Judy wished Don was here to play some of his music to cover up the awkward silence, but eventually she just turned on the Chariot radio, but since the colony was still kind of new and radio was seen as kind of old fashioned, the only music playing was this weird, ancient 1960s style song called Space-a-delic that got stuck in everyone’s heads. Finally, after what felt like hours, they arrived at the hospital.

Chapter Text

Will felt strange being back in the hospital, the first time since he was recovering there after he was given his new heart. It was a weird feeling to be back in the place he almost died, but it was only one of many, there were a disturbing number of places where that almost happened, all over the universe.

Still, he was grateful to hold Robot’s hand to help with his anxiety as they all walked down the hallway, and he could almost hear his mechanical heart beating as he walked.

Maureen always felt uncomfortable in hospitals too. She had almost lost her son there, not once, but twice… she was glad Will didn’t remember the first time when he was a baby. But the hospital was very different than the last time she was here, it now included a Robot hospital too, where robots repaired each other. It had been suggested that they could go to a mechanic or a repair shop, but the robots who had stayed wanted to use the hospital too, and so it had become shared, with the robots helping to heal human patients too like Will’s friend had for him, and the humans helping robot patients.

It was so beautiful to see, and Maureen hoped that she could use her engineering skills to help them too, if they would be okay with that. She wished she could stop at the doors to the robot rooms, but right now she was too preoccupied with getting this blood test over with. She reached out and held John’s hand too, a silent acknowledgement that they would get through this. They always did, right? But John also held Livi’s small hand too on the other side.

At least Judy was in her element, finally having respect in a real hospital, finally being a real doctor. But it was still uncomfortable to be the one to do this, even though she knew she wanted to.

It was hard enough when it was someone she didn’t know, but her own father… she reminded herself how unlikely it was that the test would even be a match. She could have just done this at home, but she wanted it in the hospital with the best DNA tests available at the colony, just to make sure.

“Welcome back” said Dr. Kinoshita. “Dr. Robinson, good to see you back, and you too Will! It’s so nice to see you so healthy again”

“Thank you!” Will smiled. “But I still need my check up, right?”

“That’s right.” Dr. Kinoshita nodded.

“Okay, I’ll just do it now. I was away for a long time, lots of adventures, I’ll fill you all in later-”

“You don’t want to be in the room when Judy does the blood test?” Penny asked.

“No, I think I’m good. You can tell me about it after” Will tried to give a small, confident smile but couldn’t quite do it. “I love you guys”

He walked away with Dr. Kinoshita, and Robot followed him. Livi looked over, kind of sad to see Robot go, and he glanced back briefly. Finally, Livi turned away, staring up at the ceiling lights.

“We love you too, Will” Maureen promised. “Don’t you ever forget it” John added.

“Penny, what about you?” Judy asked.

“I’m watching you. I have to find out if this will just be like filler drama or an important part of the story”

“Okaay then-”

“I know I have a chapter 2 to write, but I’m kind of hoping we’ll have less drama for once”

“What, you mean you like the drama?”

“Nooo I didn’t mean it like that, Judy. Just, I’m hoping for less drama than usual”

“Let’s hope so” Judy agreed. They all entered the testing room, decorated in bright colors with pictures of Earth animals and nature that didn’t even exist on Alpha Centauri on the walls, a 3 large cartoon suns, two yellow and one red, with smiley faces on them, some happier than others, and a blue comfy chair with paper over it in the middle.

Judy was surprised to see a man was already there, resting in the chair, but he wasn’t a patient, he was another doctor, wearing a medical uniform. She had never seen him before, but there was something vaguely familiar about that face, even with his still healing scars.

“Excuse me?” Judy asked. “I’m Dr. Judy Robinson, I was supposed to be using this room for a DNA test.”

“Robinson? Ah yes, I’ve heard that name-” said the other doctor. “As you no doubt have heard of mine, although we have never met.”

“Who are you?” Maureen asked, but then she read his nametag and her eyes widened in realization..

“ Dr. Zachary Smith at your service!” he said, and everyone exchanged looks. As if this day couldn’t get even more awkward, they had once again descended into another level of awkwardness.

“Wait… you’re the real Dr. Smith?” John gasped.

“I’m the one and only Dr. Smith!”

“I mean, all fairness, it is kind of a common name-” Penny pointed out. “But wow, no way-”

“Please don’t mistake me for that impostor who stole my identity and left me to die!”

“It’s nice to actually meet you,” Judy said hesitantly. “We always wondered-”

“You were in one of the cryotubes we saved from the Resolute, they couldn’t awaken you until we reached the colony.” Maureen explained. “A lot’s changed”

“Yes, I can certainly see that. Those things that attacked us are everywhere now, my necklace is gone, and my identity was totally erased, not just by that impostor, I had a form of amnesia, you see, it took a lot of medical help and recuperating at my lovely lakehouse before I could clear my name and identity again”

“I know the feeling” said John. “Of having amnesia and having to recover, at least, not the other stuff. But I’m sorry for what you went through”

“Wait what? When?” Penny asked. John quickly explained what had happened when he was part of the rescue effort on Earth, over five years ago…

“Wow, you really do have a mysterious backstory, Dad,” Penny said. “This isn’t looking good”

“Dad, I’m literally a doctor, why did you never tell me?” Judy asked. “I’m just happy you’re okay, but what the hell-”

“I was gone for years after that, I didn’t want to worry any of you- but that’s why I stopped writing and calling for awhile”

“Mom, did you know about this?”

“I just found that out too” Maureen sighed.

Livi was totally bored with the conversations and running around the room, looking at the trinity of suns on the walls and trying to jump up to reach the highest one and feel it.

“Well, it seems I may have been fortunate, not having to be lost with your family-” Zachary mused. “And as for that person who stole my identity, if our paths never cross again, it will be much too soon”

Maureen looked away. The stress was building up inside, she did so well hiding it, but more and more she felt like visiting Smith in her cell… June? No, she was Smith to her, this man was a stranger.

“We wish you all the best in getting your life back” she said plainly, formally.

“Thank you very much. So, you’re here for a blood test, eh?”

“A DNA test.” Judy clarified. “Actually, I’m supposed to be the one doing it”

“Oh, very well” Zachary got up from his comfortable reclining position and exited the room hastily. Once he was gone, Livi immediately took the stop on the comfy blue bed, ripping the paper and brushing it aside.

“Okay, I guess we’ll just do this now” Judy said, opening up the sealed box with the DNA test inside. She could have just done it at home, but here they were closer to the lab, the results would be a lot faster and more reliable. So it would all be over with sooner. Part of Judy wished she could delay the test, but there was no turning back now. She had to find this out for sure.

Livi looked scared. It wasn’t a shot or anything, no long needles, so Judy hoped it would just be a walk in the park. But it was hard to get the much younger girl to cooperate and not feel scared.

Before she could start the test though, the doors creaked open.

“I’m back” said Will. “I’m done with the check-up, I thought I would come and watch after all, since you know, the Robinsons stick together”

“How’s your heart?” Judy asked her little brother.

“They say it’s perfect.” Will said quietly, privately hoping it wouldn’t be broken after the results of the test.

“Where’s Robot?” Penny asked.

“Oh, he’s working on something secret. It’s a surprise. A good surprise, I think. I hope this will be too”

“Ooh, mysterious” Penny whispered.

“It’s good that we’re all here as a family, no matter what we learn here” said Maureen carefully.

“Don’t forget Robot” Will said. “Found family is family too!” he looked at Livi, trying to make her feel welcome.

“And Don” Judy said. “And my- and Grant-”

“And Debbie!” Penny finished.

“Right.” John said. “We’re where it started but-”

“Families can grow” Maureen finished.

“And you too, Livi” Judy said patiently. “You know, I was a lot like you once. When I was growing up, first it was just me and my mom. I was too young to remember that, but I never knew my bio dad. Then I had an amazing father-” she said, looking at John.

“Don’t forget an amazing sister-!” Penny reminded her.

“Amazing siblings” Will interjected

“Yeah, sorry I was getting to that part- ”

“Yes,” Judy said. “So you won’t be alone-”

Livi didn’t seem to be paying attention to anything they were saying, but she had calmed down. Judy removed the cotton swabs from the kit and tried to show Livi how to do it.

“Alright, open your mouth just like this, and I’m gonna put this in, okay-” Judy said. “It’s nice and soft and doesn’t hurt, and just for a sec-”

Finally, with some help from her parents, she managed to get Livi to cooperate for just long enough to get the sample. As Judy placed the swab inside, she had the strangest feeling that the girl wouldn’t let go, but she did. Doing the same with her dad was much easier, and somehow less awkward. As she did it, she stared into his eyes, knowing that the outcome of the test could change their relationship in an instant.

She thought back to when she was young, and how hard it was when she understood that she had another father that she could never know. Now, she had both fathers and her life was actually pretty good. But she had always had a hard time trusting, and it had taken a long time for her to have this kind of relationship with her dad. She had already almost lost him twice, once when that Jupiter exploded, again when she saved him from that well. But she got him back, and the bonus prize of Grant Kelly, the father she had always wondered about, alive and well. But getting a new little sister? She could relate to Livi, but the idea of her dad betraying all of them hurt, and nothing could change that.

Judy placed the samples back in the kit and placed it in a conveyer tube in the wall that would send them to the lab and have them analyzed.

“So how long do we have to wait for a result?” John asked.

“Just a few minutes” Judy said. “These things are much quicker these days, even at the colony”

“A few minutes” John repeated, glancing at Maureen and his kids, then at Livi, who seemed more interested in the conveyer tube than anything else. Noone said anything, there was nothing more to say. Not until they knew.

“I could have compared the two samples here, but sending it to the lab means that the DNA will be compared with other people at the colony, so we can try to find her real family that way” Judy explained.

“Good idea” Maureen said, realizing this was one test that she couldn’t change the results of, even if she wanted to. Right now, all she wanted was the truth, so that she could finally understand. As a scientist, she knew how the most unexpected things tended to happen, and it seemed like they happened even more to this family. But it was harder to be objective when it involved her marriage.

“Seems like it’s taking a really long time” Penny said.

“Yeah…” Judy agreed, wondering if she should call the lab. While they waited, everyone was preoccupied with trying to entertain Livi, but Mauren found it very awkward, She was not a superstitious person at all, but she crossed her fingers anyway and hoped for the best outcome for everyone.

“I’m all for slow burning stories, but this wait is killing me” Penny said. “This shouldn’t have to be happening-”

Finally, after what felt like forever, Judy saw on a computer monitor that the results were in. Livi seemed attracted by the computer screen like a moth to a flame, but John gently kept her away from it while Judy pulled up the results. He was glad for the distraction, he wasn’t sure he wanted to look. Why was he so nervous about this? He had never been unfaithful to Maureen, he knew that. She was his wife, the love of his life, and they had had some hard times, but that was one thing he would never do.

Those years when he had been apart from his family had been painful, even when he had chosen it. But he would never choose to hurt the family he had. But then how did this girl have his father’s dog tags? Why did she think he was her dad? John already felt attached to her, but he couldn’t be her father. But there was still that one time, the amnesia… he had tried so hard to forget those hard times, to make up for them, that he had almost forgotten that he had forgotten. There was a beeping sound.

“Alright, moment of truth-” said Maureen. “You don’t all have to watch this if you-”

“We’re watching” Will said, in a dramatic voice he was used to using when there was some sort of weird space danger, not something like this.

Maureen remembered the last time she had been so nervous about a test, when Will hadn’t passed. She had that changed, at that changed their destinies forever, but this wasn’t like that anymore. This wasn’t something that shouldn’t matter. She trusted her husband. She trusted him, but there was still that lingering sense of doubt. She knew better than to rule out any possibility.

Positive Match.

All the air was sucked out of the room. Everyone in that room had been in situations in space where the air was literally sucked out of the room, but this felt worse.

“Maureen, kids, please-” John pleaded.

“Not right now” Maureen said quietly. Penny and Judy said nothing, not even looking at Livi or their father.

Will felt his eyes grow watery. He thought nothing could upset him like this anymore, not after all he had survived. But he couldn’t deal with this. Without a word, he ran out of the room.

As he ran down the halls of the hospital, his father’s words from so long ago on that cliff echoed in his mind. “As much as we’d all like to change the past, undo our mistakes, we can’t. We have to live with our history”.

At the end of the hall, he saw Robot stepping out of another room, and threw himself into the arms of his friend, trying to hold his feelings in. Robot held him gently and understood. But Will couldn’t understand.

Chapter Text

The Alpha Centauri nights were dark and lonely, not what one would expect on a planet that had three suns in the sky. But this night in particular seemed darker than usual, even in the early evening illuminated by the glowing lights of the colony as John walked alone, without his family, depressed and disturbed by what had learned. He looked down at his watch, it wasn’t even that late. He remembered Penny giving him the watch just recently, and something hurt deep inside. Christmas was coming up, he already had gifts for the kids… of course now he wanted to find something for Livi too. All he had wanted was a happy Christmas with his family, but that just didn’t seem to be in the cards this year. John loved his kids, he loved watching them grow up, and he knew he would love raising Livi too, none of this was her fault. But even though he had gained another child, there was a deep sense of loss deep in his heart. How could this have happened?

But then John’s thoughts were interrupted, as just so happened to run right into an unmistakable man wearing bright orange clothes and walking a bright orange chicken.

“Oh. Hi Don.”

“Hey bro, I’m just taking Debbie for her nightly walk, just like I do every night, nothing to see here-.”

“I didn’t know chickens were like dogs?” John said, eyeing the chicken harness, which Debbie was free to come and go from as she pleased. “And since when have you called me ‘bro’?”

“Well, Debbie’s a- aw come on, I’m out of practice, used to be better at the whole alibi thing when I was a smuggler, but I can’t right now, so whatever, I’ll just say it. I just talked with Judy, she’s not ready to see you yet, but she told me I should come find you, because leaving your kids right now isn’t a good look-”

“I figured.” John said. “So, you know.”

“Yeah. Seriously, what the hell, man?!”

“Wait, please, I can explain-”

“Like, I knew she thought that, I knew this could happen, but why would you lie about it-”

“Don, I didn’t know-”

“How could you not know???”

“I was never with anyone other than Maureen after we got married” John swore. “But when I was in the military, I did have amnesia for awhile, but this whole thing makes no sense, I never would have-”

“That’s the worst excuse I’ve ever heard, and I’m a mechanic slash former smuggler on the side who grew up in an orphanage and knows Smith, so I’ve heard a bunch of ‘em”

“It’s true, Don. You know me, I-”

“Damn it, yeah I do. I love you, John, but like I said, I also love your family, and this is just not okay.”

“I don’t know what’s going on, but something’s off about this whole thing. Whoever Livi’s mother was, why would she never come find me after? Why did nobody else ever tell me? How could I not know- and I couldn’t do that to Maureen or my kids”

“I don’t know,” Don said “I’ve known a lot of guys who seem really nice, really stand up guys, you know ‘em for years and one day, just randomly, gues what? Turns out they were total assholes all along! Or they get bored of being nice guys and decide to be jerks, I don’t even know. Either way, they’re total a-holes, that’s it”

“Yeah, no kidding” John said. “I know it must look like I’m one of those. Hell, maybe I am.”

“That’s the thing though, you’re not. I don’t trust people easily, I’ve been burned dozens of times, ever since I was little, but I do trust you. You’re a nice guy and I meant what I said about you, ever since that Jupiter exploded on us and we were stuck in orbit together. Maybe even since the day I met you and I had to spend all night trying to get you and Maureen out from that big satellite dish, remember that? So listen, you mean a lot to me, but so do all you guys, So I don’t want to see any of you hurt. You get what I mean, right?”

“Yeah” John said. “I just got them back, Don. I can’t lose my family. And you’re part of that family, you know”

“Yeah, I didn’t know you back then, maybe you did screw up. But that’s not who you are now. Hey, I’m a mechanic, so I know a thing or two about screws, and I screwed up a lot in my life, most of my twenties was just like, one screw up after another, literally, but I own up to it.”

“Hey, you’re a long way from 30, Don, your twenties aren’t over. You should see what I was like when I was your age-”

“Can’t even imagine” Don said, smiling at the mental picture of a younger ‘bad boy’ John in an even darker and longer synthetic leather jacket.

“Hey, what are you even thinking about?”

“Oh nothing-”

“But yeah, I did screw up. I hurt my family, I never meant to but that doesn’t change that I did, and I swore I would never do that again”

“And you’re very open about that, you’re always hard on yourself about failing your family or something when you’re all things considered, a pretty damn good Dad” Don said. “So I don’t get why you would lie about this? Unless you’re really not lying”

“I’m not” John promised. “But it still happened, right?”

“You know, I’ve seen people tamper with these tests before to fake them, sorry I know that’s a sore spot with you guys, but it’s a thing people do. And the tests aren’t always right either. Like I tried to find my parents for years and turned up nothing, no matches anywhere, it’s weird.”

“I’m sorry.” John said. “But you know, genetics isn’t everything. I don’t know if that helps, but family is who you choose, and it’s their loss for not wanting you-”

“It’s fine” Don said. “I guess I kinda already found my family out here. I love you all”

“The feeling’s mutual, Don”

“Right, but a bunch of people do also hate you, can’t ignore that. Okay maybe not hate, but they’re jealous of you. And since you guys are super famous celebrities now, which I’ll never understand why I’m not the more famous one, I’m the one with the good looks and the charm and the cute animal sidekick, but whatever, anyone would want you as their dad and try to make it happen. Heck, I would. And I’ve run my fair share of scams in my day, I own up to that. Like I always say, fake it til you make it”

“But how would anyone do that?” John said. “Seems hard to fake, Judy did the test on both of us and I trust her. And Livi, she wasn’t with anyone else on the Solidarity”

“Okay then, so maybe not that.” Don said. “Hang on, weird question, is there any chance, any chance at all that you have an identical twin brother?”

“Uh, no?”

“Even one you didn’t know about, because apparently that can happen-”

“Come on Don, that would never happen-”

“It happened to me not too long ago! Just saying”

“Oh yeah, that was a weird day” John remembered.

“Yeah, right, I kinda blocked that whole day out, let’s never talk about that again, okay nevermind” Don said. “But anyway, it’s more common than you think-”

“All kinds of things could happen out here, like Maureen and Will were saying that she could be the daughter of some parallel universe version of me. I don’t understand how that would work like they do, but I’m not into the science like them. In my life, I feel like the simplest answer makes the most sense, and no excuses can change that.”

John turned away from Don, staring up at the ever darkening sky, the darkness that mirrored how he felt inside. After so much time being lost in those scattered stars, he had never really felt lost at all, when being lost helped him find his family again, what mattered most to him. It wasn’t where they were that mattered, Earth, Alpha Centauri, some other planet, even just in the void, as long as he had that connection. But now that they had finally reached their destination, and found a whole new child too, it was still like he lost his family all over again. He sighed and spoke again, not looking Don in the eye.

“Her age lines up exactly with when I had amnesia and was away from the family, she has my father’s dog tags that I lost, and a picture of me- and she somehow stowed away on the Solidarity. The pieces all fit together, and I hate that. Like those family jigsaw puzzles we used to do, but I don’t think I like the picture I’m seeing. But it makes too much sense”

“How does any of that make sense???” Don wondered aloud.

“The worst part is I don’t know. I don’t know what’s going on right now.”

“Here’s what I know, you have got to be with your family” Don said.

“I don’t know if they want to see me right now. Maureen is trying to believe me, coming up with theories to explain it, but I can’t stand knowing I could have betrayed her and not even known it. And unless I go back to Earth again, I’m not getting those answers”

“But you took that girl back to the house, right?”

“Yeah.” John said. “She went to bed, guess she had a long day too. But Will’s with the Robot, and Penny went out with her boyfriend, and I guess Judy was with you. And Maureen- she says we’ll work through this, but God, every time I look at her I feel like I betrayed her again, worse than ever. I couldn’t stay there”

“So uh, who’s watching the kid? I know she’s asleep or something, but come on, she’s five”

“Ugh, you’re right. I should really get back to the house, I have a monitor on my wrist com, but-”

“I’ll come with you” Don said. He and John (and Debbie!) walked together in silence for awhile, and Don wasn’t sure what to think, but he knew he would be there for all of the Robinsons. John was like a father figure to him, but then there was Judy- he didn’t know how to describe their bond, but he would do anything for her. Even if it meant calling out her father. But Don knew when someone was lying, and he didn’t get that sense with John. But he hadn’t gotten it from Smith either, and he saw where that had gotten him. Maybe he was too trusting, as much as he tried to hide it with a happy go lucky attitude or an edgy rogue attitude, that was still who he was deep down.

As they walked through the town square, the two men realized they were not alone. Victor Dhar stepped out of the shadows, right in front of them. “Robinson, West. Hello there.” he said.

“Hello Victor.” John said.

“Hey, why so formal?” Don asked.

“John, Don-” Victor sighed. “I’m just setting up for the holiday parade, it’s not my cup of tea, but apparently the Chancellor wants me involved as your colonial representative. And I hear the robots have a special plan this year as well”

“Looking forward to it!” Don interjected, stepping between him and John. “Debbie is expecting a giant chicken float!”

“Er, yes, we’ll see what we can do” Victor eyed the chicken. “Anyhow, John, I don’t want to ignore the elephant in the room, or street rather,”

“There are elephants in the parade too?” Don asked. “Didn’t know they were on Alpha Centauri, that really shouldn’t be-”

“No, not that” Victor said. “We haven’t spoken since the Solidarity, but I heard from your daughter about the results. I’m not going to lecture you John, but I will say this. No man is perfect, but a real man takes accountability for his faults and mistakes-” Victor paused.

“Especially the biggest mistakes. Prisha and I have had our disagreements, but we’ve always had a happy marriage, the power couple of our colonist group, I might say. I thought you and Maureen would be that way too, but infidelity? Really?”

“I would never do that to Maureen, Victor” John said.

“So what, you think the test results were altered or
falsified?”

“I don’t know what I should think, but I’m not gonna rest until I find some answers”

“Well John, either you did or you didn’t, it’s not exactly complicated-”

“I had amnesia when I was in the rescue effort after the Christmas Star. Could something have happened then? Sure, but I would never consciously betray my wife, Victor, and I would never abandon my own child either”

“I only hope you’re telling the truth, because I’ve known you to be a decent man at your core, and I would hate to be wrong about that. My son is dating your daughter, after all.”

“I swear, Victor. I swear on my life.”

“Well, alright then. But I intend to talk to Maureen later, hear her side of the story, since she and your children are the ones hurt most by this”

“You’re right.” John said. He didn’t know what else to say. He knew he didn’t do it, not that he could remember anyway, but he couldn’t stop feeling like he had totally failed his family.

“Anyhow, with that out of the way, you should know that Penny is staying with us tonight, I hope you don’t have a problem with that. While she and Vijay are nearly adults, I assure you they will be supervised-”

“Hey, they’re both kinda on the ace side of things, right? And they just started really dating. So yeah, don’t think you have to worry about that” Don said.

“Huh? Uh, yeah, I knew that” said John. “But yeah, if Penny’s more comfortable staying with Vijay right now, I understand. But I just want her to know that… that I’m so sorry. I don’t know how this happened, but it’s not fair that my family is going through this”

“I will” Victor promised. “Anyway, have a good night, and remember not to ignore your other children, even with this new daughter of yours”

“I won’t. But I’m respecting them, and giving them space. Same for Maureen.”

Victor nodded and walked away, leaving John and Don alone again.

Elsewhere, Will sat on a branch of the large pine like tree, lost in thought as he stared at the stars, trying to find the sun that Earth orbited in the darkening sky.

“Danger, Will Robinson” came a voice. Will peered down the edge of the branch and saw Robot staring up at him.

“Oh. Hi Robot. Don’t worry, I’m not stuck in a tree again. I just climbed up here to look at the stars, they seem kind of friendly tonight”

“Safe, Will Robinson”

“Oh, okay” Will climbed down and into Robot’s arms. Even though he had grown so much, he was glad Robot could still carry him like that. It made him feel small again, like the youngest, even if he wasn’t anymore. It was strange because he had wanted to be grown up, to prove that he wasn’t just that little kid anymore. But now, he missed the innocence of those times with him and Robot. In a lot of ways, things were harder then, and even more stressful for him, but he still missed those carefree moments.

Robot didn’t say a lot, but Will liked it that way since he didn’t know what to even say.

“Hey Robot, what were you doing in that hospital anyway? I kind of lost you for a moment, was it because of that secret project?”

“Yes. Secret.”

“Can I maybe have a sneak peak or something? I just need anything to distract me tonight, and if it’s a good surprise-”

Without a word, Robot carried Will into the night to show him…

Chapter Text

At the Dhar estate, Penny and Vijay were trying to have some alone time in his large room, the walls covered with posters of bands and other music stuff that Penny didn’t recognize. But the one thing Vijay’s room didn’t have was soundproof walls, and his mom, Prisha came to check on them.

“Penny, you’re welcome to stay here if there’s anything you need. Our home is your home, always remember that”

“Thanks Vijay’s mom” Penny called out. Then she and him were alone again. 

“Do you… do you want to stay here?” Vijay asked softly with that note of kind understanding that was always in his voice.

“For tonight, yea” Penny said. “But I think if I’m not with my family for too long, they’ll fall apart.”

“But like, you shouldn’t have to hide your feelings for them” Vijay told her. “I can see how this is hurting you”

“Vijay, you’re so sweet. But really, I’m fine. I mean, you know. As fine as I can be, right?”

“Yea” Vijay said. “But you never have to pretend with me.” he promised.

“Thanks” Penny said. “I just put way too much effort into writing that book for chapter two to start like this. What if my mom and dad get divorced? Right after they got back together? I just, wait who’s texting me-” Penny heard the familiar vibrating sound and picked up her phone. “If it’s my dad being like ‘i’m sorry, i’m sorry’, I swear- oh crap, it’s Liam”

“Liam?” Vijay’s eyes widened. “What did he say. Wait, you’re not-” 

“Don’t worry, I’m committed to you now Vijay. I’m not my Dad” Penny said. 

“No I wasn’t worried about that. I hope you two can be friends too, he seems like uh… a nice guy” Vijay choked out. 

“He just says, ‘hey Penny, heard about ur dad. WTF, shit sucks, my condolences. parents amirite, bet it makes u miss that planet without them. if u ever want to hang out hmu. i want to be a friend for u rn in these trying times’ Wow.” 

“Shit sucks, my condolences?” Vijay repeated. “That guy is really bad with er, matters of the heart. What? I’m just saying?” 

“Yea” Penny said. “Also that’s not even how you use ‘condolences’. But he’s trying” 

“Yea. Trying times” Vijay said sarcastically. 

“Ahhh, but everyone’s going to be talking about this now, I hate it. I just want everything to go back to normal. All those times I hated being the middle child, youngest sister, always in Judy’s shadow… now I just want that back. 

“But no matter what, you’re still a family. Both your parents will always love you-”

“But I want them to love each other, Vijay. Or at least for my dad to respect my mom and their marriage, like that shouldn’t be so hard. I mean, having a little sister might be fun I guess, but the way it happened is just not okay.”

“I’m so sorry, Penny-”

“Don’t be sorry for me Vijay. If you want to play sad songs on your guitar at me for three hours, go ahead, but just don’t feel sorry for me. I have thick skin and right now I just really feel bad for mom, she’s the one who was really hurt” 

“I know how strong you are” Vijay said. “But you know how we see friendship is a two way street? It’s the same with family stuff, like any kind of relationship. You shouldn’t always have to be the one holding everything together when you’re hurt by this too”

“I don’t really know what you just said there.”’ Penny said. “But thanks… I think?”

“Thank you too” Vijay smiled. “I would have totally understood if you canceled on me, it means a lot that you’re here”

“Thanks for letting me stay” Penny said quietly.

“Yea. No matter what, this might sound weird, but I’m here for you Penny. And since we’re dating, your family is like my family too. I’m like here for all of you… but especially you. Whatever you need”

“Even if I need to binge eat oreos and write this all down while listening to breakup songs with you even though we’re together and stronger than ever, but just because I need to listen to something sad?” 

“Especially if you need to do that” Vijay smiled cutely. 

“Hey, how did you know that about Penny and Vijay?” John asked, walking along the sidewalk with Don and Debbie.

“Uh, I follow them on spatial media? You don’t?”

“Spatial? That’s what we’re calling it?” 

John had never really been into social media, being sent off to the military at a young age meant he never could keep up, especially now on a whole new planet. 

“Yea, you know, cause we’re in space”

“Not funny, Don. Damn it, I really haven’t been paying enough attention. Maybe I should have never left them, you know. I wouldn’t still be so out of touch, and this whole mess-”

John and Don quickly realized they were not alone. It was Zachary Smith, striding towards them. 

“You again?” John asked. 

“Hello, Mr. Robinson. How was the test?”

“It’s- it’s complicated” John sighed. 

“Huh, who’s this guy?” Don asked, before he had a vague memory of the face on that ID, a long time ago. “Wait, what the- you’re the real-”

“Dr. Zachary Smith,”

“Right!” Don said. “No way, this is so weird. I’m Don West.”

“Who?”

“Sorry I lost your St. Christopher necklace by the way, the person I thought was you was lying-”

“Well, you seem to still have something else of mine.”

“Huh? Excuse me?”

Zachary pointed at Debbie.”I believe that is my chicken, from my Jupiter -” he said. “Who I brought with me from my late Uncle Thaddeus’s farm, ”

“She’s my chicken!” Don declared protectively. “Sorry, but I’m the one who raised her, her name is Debra Abigail West and I adopted her!”

“But she’s the last memory I have of my poor Uncle Thaddeus, may his spirit rest in peace” Zachary said sadly. 

“Here, let me show you” said Don, as Debbie climbed out of her hardly existent harness and walked to the middle between Zachary and him. 

“Okay Debbie, which one of us is your father who raised you and loves you?” 

Debbie looked back and forth for only a minute before walking back to Don and rubbing against his leg. 

“See?” Don asked. “Sorry, but like we say in my business, finders keepers”

“Oh very well, first my identity was stolen, now my own chicken-” Zachary walked off into the night, defeated. “You will regret this, West, one day you will regret it-”

“Damn, he just runs away? Seems like he’s the real chicken around here. Uh, no offense” John said, looking at Debbie.

“Guess any version of Dr. Smith is a piece of work” Don noticed. “Always thought we’d be better off with the real one but at least our Smith never tried to do anything to Debbie. You know what Debbie, you don’t need the harness, I’ll just carry you, we don’t need any chicken catchers tonight”

“Wow” John said. At least something had distracted him.

“See, I know all about family drama too” said Don. “We’re a found family too, Debbie and me. Even if it’s not uh, traditional or something, it’s still-”

“Yeah. But Livi seems really attached to Debbie too, so let’s get back to the house just in case she wakes up” 

Don nodded and they walked in interrupted silence again. 

“So, Maureen went out too, right?” Don asked.

“Yeah. She went to talk with some friends” John said. “And I’m going to give her space. God knows we’ve had enough of space, but it’s what we all need right now, so I’m gonna respect that”

“Look, if you’re about to ask if you can crash at my place, I-” 

“No, I wasn’t gonna.” 

“Okay good, because the spare room is all Debbie’s. Just kidding, actually the spare room is mine, she gets the main suite for her coop”

“Okayy then… I was actually thinking of sleeping in the Jupiter 2. It’s parked nearby, I’ll fly it over to the house and sleep in there, that way I’ll be close by, but still giving Maureen space” 

“Oh right, the Jupiter’s right over there at the landing pad. So what the hell are we walking for? Poor Debbie’s little legs are gonna get tired… uh, and mine” 

It took literally a few seconds to fly the Jupiter 2 from the landing pad to the Robinsons’ house by the woods, but it still felt like an eternity. Sitting side by side with Don at the controls, John almost felt nostalgic for those days, everything was somehow simpler. Sure, they were lost and fighting for their lives all the time, but still. They were all together. But then they landed, and he was brought back to reality. 

In the Robinson home, Livi slept soundly and contently. John walked in to make sure she was still asleep and comfortable in the guest room. As much as Don and Debbie had gotten along with her, they kept their distance and stayed outside. But they weren’t alone. 

“I see you landed the Jupiter outside” Judy noticed, approaching Don. “So you found him?”

“Yea. He’s gonna sleep in the Jupiter right now, since that would be better for your mom”

“Yea she’s still out with some friends.”’Judy told him. “Grant was here, but uhm, he went out to look for mom” 

“Ohhh” 

“No, it’s not like that Don, I know what you’re thinking” Judy said. “It’s just he and mom go way back and he’s worried about her. And me.” 

“So am I” Don promised, and Judy hugged him silently in the night. Debbie clucked. “Even Debbie is” 

“You know, everyone’s worried about me” Judy said. “everyone always thinks I’m so fragile now, ever since… the ice. But after I found out that I wasn’t even planned to be in this world, in this universe… it’s just a lot. And now this? Seriously?” 

“Doctor slash Captain Judy Robinson, you are a lot of things, but fragile? Never. But that doesn't mean you always have to be perfect, okay?"

“I just don’t want to lose my hope and become a total bitter cynic. No offense Don”

“What, I’m not a cynic? Okay, maybe sometimes. But I have faith in your family, that you’ll get through this”

“Thank you. But you know, Penny and Will, they’re both teens. But I’m an adult, I could move out, have my own space away from this. Grant even offered. Even Samantha texted me about moving in with her and her mom, seriously, and she usually just sends me emojis” 

“You’re always welcome at my place too” Don promised. “Uh, no pressure of course.” 

“Thanks Don. But mom needs me here, I’m not leaving her with this, and right before Christmas too. You know when we first got lost, I couldn’t wait to move out and live on my own, but now? I know my family needs me. It would be great if you and Grant could move in though.”

“Yea, I kind of miss living with you in the Jupiter 2” Don admitted. “Just me and you guys against the universe”

“Yea” Judy smiled. “But everything’s just so shaken up. I don’t know what the next few months are going to look like for our family, and it’s almost Christmas too…”

“I’m gonna guess dramatic” Don said. 

“Yea, probably” Judy agreed. “I have a lot of work to do at the hospital too, but now everyone is going to be talking about this, and it’s a whole thing. But I just… I can’t bring myself to leave right now. For Mom, mostly. But as much as I want to hate my dad right now, I just can’t. Not after everything. But I hate this. That this happened. That he could be lying to all of us. But however she came into this world, I can’t hate that little girl in there. But it’s just especially hard for me, not just because I’m older. Sorry, am I ranting?” 

“Judy, you’re more than entitled to any amount of ranting you want right now-” 

“But still, it’s ranting. I just have all of these thoughts swirling around, and I have to let them out to someone.” 

“Yea, that’s not ranting, take it from me, the king of ranting, this is just you being able to open up to someone about your very shitty day. That’s a good thing, and it doesn’t bother me one bit. What bothers me is that you’re going through this crap in the first place, and I wanna make sure you, all of you don’t go through this alone”

“Thanks Don. I mean I did talk about this a little bit with Grant, but it’s still so awkward. Growing up, it was never a big deal that Grant was my biological dad, I mean it was, I always wondered about him back when I thought he was gone forever, and it’s a real miracle that he’s in my life now. But you know, dad was Dad, and mom was Mom…” 

Judy took a deep breath, looking up at the Centaurian sky.

“It didn’t bother him at all that he wasn’t my bio-dad, because he was- he is my dad in every way that mattered. So I never saw him any different from mom, like those are my parents, Don. But all of us, me and Penny and Will, we still do have that blood connection from Mom. But this girl… she has Dad’s DNA and who knows who else? I know family isn’t about genetics, at all, and you’re proof of that, because you’re as much a part of this family as anyone else as Don. So maybe it’s really just the age difference, I mean I’m an adult, a doctor, and this girl is five… I mean I did have like 97 adopted younger siblings recently but it’s still different- “ 

Don hugged Judy, and she felt very comforted by his presence. Judy didn’t cry often, or allow herself to cry maybe. But right now the tears were coming to the surface, and she could see Don had some too. 

“I’m sorry. I know it’s insensitive for me to complain about this when you never knew your parents at all” 

“Oh, another ‘Sensitive issue’?” Don asked. “No really, it’s totally fine.” 

“Oh my God, throwback-” Judy remembered that day when she first really got to know Don, and how an awkward and uncomfortable moment had turned into something really special. 

“I’m just glad we can talk about these issues” Don said. “And no, I don’t mind at all” 

“Thanks for listening to me vent” Judy smiled at Don. “But it’s weird, even though Livi is so different and I hate the way she could have come into this world… I do feel a connection with her. Maybe that’s why I don’t want to leave. Because I always had questions about Grant, even when that didn’t matter to me yet, or I didn’t understand. I don’t even remember what it was like when I was 5. But maybe I kind of see myself in her.” 

“Yea, I get that too” Don said. “Since I was abandoned by my parents, I always had those questions. I still do. So I’m always here to help, since it seemed like she really got along with me. Okay, mostly Debbie”

“You know, you could be a good role model for her?”

“Uhhh, I could?”

“Yea, you know. Because she was watching The Little Mermaid earlier before bed, and you’re a badass princess, right? Oh but she’s too young for the swear word part” 

“Speaking of throwbacks” Don grinned. “You’re never gonna let that one go, are you?”

“Nope. Never” Judy said matter-of-factly. “At least some things never change”.

“I mean I do have a cute animal sidekick!” Don stroked Debbie’s feathers with care “Wait, is Ariel even technically a princess though?”

“Um, yeah. You love old movies, but you’ve never seen any of the Little Mermaid versions?”

“Er, maybe a long time ago, you know. I’m more of a Tangled guy to be honest.”

“Too bad, I would’ve told you to come over and watch it if I knew that-” 

At that moment, Will and Robot walked back up the path to the house. 

“Like those two sneaking out at night-” Judy said. She nodded at Robot, who nodded back. Robot and Debbie exchanged a look too, Judy always thought those two had a secret friendship noone else in the family knew about. But Will looked strangely at peace, as Judy hugged him. 

“You know, I’m not even mad.” Judy said. “It’s been a hard day for all of us, Will” 

“Yea” Will said. “But we’ll be okay. Is Mom here?” 

“No, she’s still out. But don’t worry, she’ll be back soon.” 

“But Dad’s here” Will realized, looking up at the Jupiter parked nearby. It was dark, but Judy could see the tears in his eyes. 

“Hey” she said, comforting Will gently. “We’ll get through this. We’re all still here”

“Judy I’m- I’m really scared” 

Ever since they were on that planet, he hadn’t seemed as sensitive as he did when he was younger, but maybe he went too far and was too closed off. But Judy knew beneath all of that he was still her little brother. Even if it wasn’t the same youngest and oldest child connection any more, even as the family was falling apart, nothing could take their sibling bond away. 

As John walked in to check on Livi, he noticed a faint indigo and violet light coming from the cracks in the guest room door frame, and he realized her light must still be on. “Livi?” he whispered. “You up, sweetheart?” That still felt so weird to say. Stepping towards the blue outlined room of the guest room was like stepping into a bizarre dream. The light vanished, but John opened the door anyway just a crack, and saw Livi awake, staring at him, wide eyed. The blankets were a mess, and her sequined outfit that she didn't want to change seemed to glow in the dark. 

“Daddy?” 

“Can’t sleep?” John asked, trying to remember how to even talk to five year olds? He had always kind of talked to his kids like mini-adults, same with Maureen, but Livi was very different than how he remembered Judy, Penny and Will at that age. And how could she not be? The poor thing was probably really traumatized, if she really did grow up alone. 

“The sky is falling” Livi said. That was still the longest sentence John had heard her say, and apparently Don was the one who taught it to her. But her expression said it all, she was scared of something. Maybe a bad dream, and her face looked wet as though she had been crying.

“Shhh it’s okay” John said soothingly, sitting down beside her and gently brushing aside tiny tendrils of hair over her face. “I know, I know, it’s been a big day. But we’ll be okay. I promise. We all love you so much” 

Livi smiled, as John tucked her into bed. John hummed a small lullaby from his own childhood to her, calming her down. 

“Huh? What do you know? Someone actually likes my singing voice? Er… humming voice?” John whispered, genuinely loving being around this girl who he had already begun to see as his daughter. 

John decided to sing a soft rendition of You Are My Sunshine, the song his mom had always sang to him when he was just a small boy, years before he had to ‘be a man’ and be sent off to the military and all of that. 

“You are my sunshine,”

“Sunshine?” Livi repeated, that curious light in her sleepy, shifting eyes. 

“My only sunshine. You make me happy. When skies are gray.”

Before he could finish, Livi had drifted off to sleep.

John had never really understood what the words meant growing up, just that it was a pretty song, and she would always sing it to Penny, Judy and Will too, even in her sickness. But John wasn’t there when she passed, he was halfway around the world. And the year after that was when he left his family. Now, here they were on a world in a solar system with three suns, but still that same song… 

But singing it now, John found a new meaning in the words, and he thought of Maureen. She was his sunshine, just like all his kids were. Just like Alpha Centauri had more than one sun, John had more than one sunshine. And he didn’t want to lose any of them. 

But Maureen was the love of his life. And this would be the first night in awhile that they wouldn’t be together. He wanted to give her space, but he was scared. He wanted one big happy family, but he knew this would create a rift. And even though he couldn’t for the life of him remember it, he knew it was most likely his fault. A single tear rolled down his cheek, as he wondered what the coming days would bring. 

“Hey Vijay, would you sing me a song?” Penny asked, as she sat on the edge of the bed with her boyfriend. “I don’t know if you know it, it’s even older than Three Little Birds. But my grandma always used to sing it to me. It’s called ‘You Are My Sunshine’ “ 

“I love that song” Vijay said. He took out his guitar and began to sing it, staring into Penny’s eyes. 

“You'll never know, dear

How much I love you

Please don't take my sunshine away”

Chapter Text

Maureen had a hard time believing in happily ever afters. She always wanted one, but that just wasn’t the way life seemed to go.

She thought she had found it with Grant, but he was taken from her. But she had Judy, and then she had John, Penny and Will.

Then that fell apart, then the world almost ended and they had to move to a whole new planet, only they literally became lost and faced every possible danger imaginable one after another and sometimes all at once, and she had gone nearly a whole year without seeing her children or knowing where they were. But then, against all odds, she found her happy ending.

Her kids came back, even Grant was alive after all, and they finally found their destination. Every problem really did have a solution. But now here she was, hurt again.

She had never taken it personally when the universe threw obstacles in her way, but it hurt most when it was her husband, again. But even before all of that, Maureen was used to being hurt. And this situation brought back painful memories, not just of John lying to her before, but of her own father and what had happened there.

Her husband, the person she thought she could trust most… he had lied to her. She didn’t want to believe that, but that was what everyone was saying. That was where all the evidence led.

It wasn’t the first time, but even that felt like nothing now, compared to this. She still remembered the day where she confronted John about that lie, years after she found out. Their relationship had started traveling down a rockier road than her favorite ice cream flavor even before she opened that letter, and learned that he had chosen to leave his family to travel all the way around the broken world.

He was gone for so long, but she waited for him, she never filed for divorce, although she had considered it on more than one occasion. But when she had made the choice to take her kids to a new planet, suddenly John was back. At least he had finally trimmed that long beard she hated, he almost looked like the man she met all those years ago. But he wasn’t. He had lied to her, and she had to hide that she knew from him for her family’s sake as they all traveled on the Resolute.

Even before everything else had happened, she had never planned on telling him that she had read the letter. What difference would it have made? John knew about the distance between them, he knew what had happened. But now they were together, and even though she wouldn’t tell him that, she was still happy to have him there, under the same roof, or at least under the same hull plating.

But when their life on the Resolute was ripped from them, when they were all stranded on that very first planet that they still had never bothered to name, it was suddenly harder to see eye to eye again, and under that kind of pressure, it didn’t take long for the truth to bubble to the surface.

She and John had been exploring some wreckage from the Resolute along with Don, who they had literally only met that day, and found that the Resolute’s large communication dish had been torn from the ship and crashed on the planet’s surface. As day became night, she and her husband found themselves sitting under the dish, where they witnessed one of the most beautiful sights they had ever seen, thousands of purple and pink bioluminescent flying jellyfish lifeforms, floating through the night sky in a swirling miniature nebula of light. If it had been a date, it would have been the most romantic date ever, but she and John weren’t in that place back then.

At first they had only reminisced about old times, but then the conversation turned to where he would live when and if they ever made it to Alpha Centauri. Then things turned sour, she admitted that she read the letter. Then, not even a second later, as if things couldn’t get any more awkward, the giant crashed communications dish fell right on top of them, sealing them under it. Don found them and promised to try to get them out, but it took a whole night.

That night, within the dish’s large domed confines, she and John had talked some more, and she told him that she knew that he made the choice to leave the family. Then they sat in silence, far apart from each other again.

“Mm, home sweet dome” John had said, more than a little wasted, laying down and looking up at the ceiling of the communication dish. Maureen joined him, still from a safe distance. Suddenly, there was a creaking sound from high above.

“The hell was that? Don? You there? DON?!!” John called.

“Sounds like something in the outer frame of the dish” Maureen said. “Might be the wind”

“What the, is that a security camera up there?” John stood up and looked up at the ‘ceiling’ of the dish. “That’s like that one movie I saw when I was little, are we being streamed to someone out there?”

“That’s for taking pictures of stars and other space phenomena” Maureen said. “This dish isn’t just for communications. It also functions a lot like a radio telescope”

The dome above creaked again.

“Er, this thing can’t you know, cave in on us right?” John asked.

“No, it should be structurally sound” said Maureen. “But I told them… I told the other people on the design team that this dish was totally impractical and I could design a much more compact system, like I always say, less is more, a ship should be streamlined like my design for the Jupiters, not with lots of little… I mean technically huge bits that can fall off and crash and burn, hey like our marriage! But of course, they didn’t listen to me and now I can’t even say I told you so because we can’t contact anyone on the Resolute and we’re trapped under the goddamn thing. I guess you never know how bad something is until it falls on you.”

“Hey, you heard what he said, Don’s gonna get us out of here, we just have to wait” John said, clearly trying to sound confident.

“Oh yes, the person we just met today who we just found out is a smuggler. Yes, I’m sure we can rely on him.”

“Hey, he didn’t leave Darby behind, that means he’ll come back for us too” John said

“Darby?”

“Isn’t that the hen’s name? The one he was going on about?”

“No, it’s Debbie. Even I remember that. And she’s a chicken, apparently.” Maureen said.

“Those are different?”

“Yes? What, I practically grew up on a farm, I remember this stuff”

“Oh I knew this woman in the SEALs named Darby, I was thinking of her…”

“Oh” Maureen said. “That’s a nice name too, but kind of old fashioned. Oh… nevermind-”

“You know, maybe some of those purple jellyfish things will fly through that opening up there and carry us out?”

“They probably couldn’t lift us, John” Maureen said. “Or even know what we are, they’re totally alien to us. But it’s a nice thought”

“Hey, you always say we need a plan B, right?”

A few minutes passed.

“So… he’s really coming back, right?” John asked. “He wouldn’t just, you know, take the Chariot and leave us trapped under here. Haha, no way, he wouldn’t. Would he? Damn it…”

“I don’t know, you tell me. You’re the expert in leaving people.”

John looked embarrassed. “Oof, sorry. That was definitely the wrong thing for me to say right now. Seriously, I’m sorry Maureen. When we got married, I swore I’d never lie to you, I broke our vows, your trust. And the kids… God, I missed so much”

Maureen looked at him, then looked away again.

“You know, Dr. Smith was just telling me about how important it is to set boundaries, a personal bubble to sort out your feelings. Somehow I don’t think this is what she meant?”

“Maybe we need counseling from her after all” John sighed.

“I don’t think that would solve anything” Maureen said. “But sure, when we get out of here. But you know, I haven’t told the kids. I’m not planning on it. I have my secrets too, you know. But that doesn’t mean I forgive you. I understand why you did it, you wanted to help people. I can’t hold that part against you. I had dreams too, of being an astronaut before all of this, but I couldn’t leave my family, risk orphaning them. I wouldn’t come into space unless our kids could come with me, and now look at us.”

Maureen looked up at the dark ‘ceiling’ of the dish high above, wishing she could see the stars. Instead it was just darkness. The odd light that had shined through the small hole before had vanished now, and everything was becoming dark.

“So that hurt me, you know, how you were perfectly fine with leaving us for your calling and leaving me to pick up the pieces all on my own. But you know, it’s the lying that hurts most”

“ I don’t deserve you, Maureen. I regret the choices I made. And I understand why there’s this distance between us now. And it’s all my fault. I’m so sorry”

“I guess you could say we’ve got communication problems…” Maureen said, and maybe it was all the alcohol, but they both laughed at that one.

“Hmm. Being trapped with you would be much less awkward if we were on better terms” Maureen mused, more to herself than him. “You’re my person, John. The person I’d most like to be trapped with.”

“Yea…” John nodded, not arguing.

“We always did find a way to make do and sleep in the most uncomfortable places. The ground under that church,”

“that motel bed… oh God and that family gathering” John added. “But I am- I was a Navy SEAL, I’m used to that part. Ever tried sleeping on a submarine?”

“No, but I went through NASA training, I’ve slept in a cryo-tube if that counts. And I slept on some hay bales once as a kid, and there was that time I got trapped in a well…”

“What the, a well?”

“”And you know Grant and I spent a whole night out by these rocky pinnacles on our last real date together. Kind of reminds me of the desert ground here. I know you don’t like camping-”

“It’s not fair. You’ve been through so much, Maureen. I don’t know how you stay so damn calm about it. I know I wouldn’t. And I know I can’t ever live up to Grant Kelly, I would never try to-”

“It’s not the first time someone I loved left me. Grant left me too, on the Fortuna, I didn’t want to hold him back. I couldn’t even tell him I was pregnant with Judy. He couldn’t commit to me that way, space called him. And now he’s gone, he’s dead, and I’ll never see him again. How could I live with that?”

“I’m so sorry Maureen-” She could tell John wanted to embrace her, to comfort her, but he knew she needed space, and was respecting her boundaries. She wished she could hug him too, but nothing more. The distance between them was still wider than all of those trillions of lightyears they had traveled.

“But I moved on, I started a family with you, I have Judy and Penny and Will, and they need me, John. They need us. I wouldn’t trade any of that, as much as it hurts. So what was I supposed to do if you died too? My father abandoned me. Grant abandoned me and passed away. And then you abandoned us. But I couldn’t follow Grant into space… the way you followed me. That dream was taken from me, John. And now that you’re finally here and stuck with us forever, I wish I had some space away from you. Isn’t it funny how that works?”

“I’m so sorry. Seriously, I can’t imagine. And it wasn’t fair of me to do that to you again. I never wanted to hurt you, but that’s what I did, and I’m so sorry”

“It just feels life whenever my life starts to get better, the universe finds a way to make it worse”

“I know it’s bad right now Maureen, but it could be worse. We made it here, didn’t we? We made it somewhere at least, together. We’ve got a big spacious dome in here, plenty of space for both of us. And Don’s gonna get us out, so we’ve just gotta wait. At least we’re safe, we’ve got plenty of air and space.”

“How could it be worse? We’re stranded on an alien planet in an uncharted galaxy thousands of times farther than the furthest thing in the observable universe at least, our only way of contacting the Resolute crashed down here and fell on top of us, we can’t contact our kids and I finally confronted you about how you lied and left our family. Oh yes, and our only salvation is a happy-go-lucky smuggler rogue who we just met and who has every reason to abandon us and keep his own secret.”

“Yeaaa that’s pretty bad” John conceded.

“Ok, not as bad as that Thanksgiving with your family, but it’s up there.” Maureen smiled.

“Or that time we got locked in the closet” John reminded her.

“Nooo, don’t bring that up. Trapped under a giant crashed communications dish is a new one though”

“Hey, all things considered, it’s not that bad. At least we’re not like, trapped in a tar pit or something”

“Hey watch it, don’t jinx it”

“Nah that would never happen. And I never saw you as the kind of person to be superstitious-” John added.

“I never saw you as the kind of person to leave his family and lie to his wife AKA me, but I guess people are full of surprises, aren’t they?”

“Maureen I’m sorry- no really, I”

“At least you didn’t cheat on me or something. That’s the only worst case scenario I can think of.”

“Maureen, I would never, I swear-”

“I want to believe that John, I do. But if you kept this secret, how many others are there? Is there more to this story? Is this a pattern I should learn to recognize?”

“No, that’s it. I promise you.”

“Ugh I’m way too drunk to have this conversation with you right now” she sighed. Somehow John apologizing so much was only making her feel worse.

“Damn it, me too” John agreed.

“It would be so much easier if I could just hate you. I would’ve divorced you so hard if you have me a real reason. But I can’t. I can’t hate you John, and maybe I’m just naive for feeling that way. But it’s how I feel. Nothing can change that”

“I’ll always love you Maureen, and always trust you to make the best choice... for all of us. But were you.. were you ever gonna tell me you read the letter?”

“Were you ever going to tell me you chose to leave?” Maureen asked. “To abandon us? Yea. Didn’t think so. But like I told you earlier, the truth will come out eventually. It always does.”

“I swear Maureen, when we get out of here, I’ll do everything I can to make it up to you and the kids. And I’ll never lie to you again”

“You’d better not” Maureen said. “Anyway, let’s get some sleep.”

Maureen remembered that night vividly. As nightmarish and awful as it was at the time, it was the beginning of her relationship with John being saved, even though she definitely couldn’t see it at the time. But she was bitter about it now, wondering if John had been keeping this much bigger secret even back then? There had to be another explanation. There just had to be.

Chapter Text

When she was growing up, Maureen wasn’t close to very many people. The stars were her friends, the animals on the farm were her friends, and of course when she was very little, her imaginary friend inside her teddy bear. Not other people. Stars and animals were like people in a lot of ways, they were born, they lived, then finally they were gone, new ones took their place in the cosmic life cycle. But stars and animals didn’t judge, they could never betray or hurt her.

After her father was gone, Maureen had grown up sheltered and isolated on that farm with just her mom, who warned her not to set her expectations too high.

Maureen wondered what her mom would think of her now. She hoped she would be proud, at least. Even if she had never understood Maureen’s dreams, in the end she had supported her. But her childhood still royally sucked in a lot of ways.

Even in school in her old fashioned rural community, she was always the ‘weird kid’, a cross between a stereotypical science nerd and a horse girl, which Maureen thought was really cool, but the other kids hadn’t felt that way.

They made fun of her name, her interests, her clothes, her social awkwardness; all of it. The place she grew up was like one of those cookie molds, everyone had to be forced into a certain shape. Even if it was one of those special molds with lots of shapes, it was still the same cookies being made, at the end of the day.

But she had never fit the mold, she had never even wanted to use that damn cookie mold like her mother wanted her to. That was not who she was, that wasn’t her reality.

The other kids at school could never have understood her, and they were the ones missing out. But being excluded and ostracized so much had left her with very little social skills, and it had taken a long time.

Now, she had her family, and that was something she never could have imagined, and even a few friends. But after what she had learned, a part of her felt like she was young again, hurt again. That night, so many people had reached out to her, she had a support system, friends who loved and cared for her now.

Maureen knew she should go home, but she wasn’t ready, so she visited them that night. Usually a lot of social interaction would be the last thing she needed after her world was turned upside down, especially if all they were going to do was give their sympathies, but having friends who cared meant the universe to her, she no longer had to go through any of this alone.

First there were the Azevedos, friends of the family since the 24th colonist group. When the Jupiter 2 had been decontaminated and was an investigation scene back on the Resolute, she and her family had stayed with the Azevedos in their Jupiter for a while. Now she was at their home, a cozy place on a hill. Their daughter Elise had gone with Will on the exploratory group, and couldn’t stop talking about him, and about their trip.

“And then we went to a tropical planet with four different suns! And I thought that desert planet was hot, we’re talking like SPF four bajillion sunscreen on this one, but we had our suits on. It was like a vacation, Will said it was so beautiful, but I thought what was even more beautiful was…” Elise trailed off. “But there was also a pool of hot lava, but not as hot as, um, other stuff”

The way she talked about him kind of worried Maureen, she was slightly older but they were both still so young,

She felt very protective of Will, he was still her sweet, small little boy who she wanted to protect, and she had felt the same way when her daughters had told her about that other girl, Macie, on Earth.

She knew he was growing up, but she still didn’t think he was ready for that kind of thing. Befriending robots, sure, but dating was not something he seemed to want, and Maureen totally supported that, even though she missed a year of his life, she was glad that in some ways he was still her little boy, not totally a man yet. But she was still very close with Elise’s parents.

“Our home is yours for as long as you need” Izabel promised. “If that’s what you want”

“I think we’ll be okay, but thank you for the offer,” said Maureen.

“We’re really sorry you’re going through this” said Izabel. “I can’t imagine what that must be like, but you have our sympathies, I promise”

“Sometimes men really can be the worst though” said Aubrey. “I’m glad we don’t have to deal with them”

“Aubrey, we shouldn’t make Maureen jealous-” Izabel said. “She’s going through enough”

“No it’s not that, I mean John isn’t like that.” Maureen defended. “He’s always been an amazing man and very respectful to me, we’ve had our hard times but until… until now, I could always trust him deep down. I still want to, but it’s just- it’s hard.”

“We understand” Izabel promised, reaching a hand across the table to Maureen. It wasn’t a long visit, and Maureen wasn’t sure if she felt better or worse, but she appreciated their friendship so much.

Next, Maureen visited the Watanabes at their beautiful home by the lake, which had three floors, one for each of them, and the bottom floor seemed to merge with the Alpha Centauri lakeside landscape. They were family friends for a long time, even though she hadn’t seen most of them for awhile. But she remembered often visiting them back on the Resolute before they were lost, back when she was still not on the best of terms with John. But when they were all together on that first planet, they had found their way back to each other. Now it kind of felt like she was back at the beginning again. Naoko greeted her and hugged her, and led her over to the outside deck of the lakehouse, overlooking the water.

“I wish it were under better circumstances, but it’s so good to see you again, Maureen” said Hiroki as they sat outside in the dark. He smiled as he greeted her, but Maureen could see the concern in his eyes behind his glasses, and in the lines of his face. “You’re always welcome with us”

“It’s good to see you too Hiroki. I was actually worried when you disappeared for so long, I know we were all on the Sunshine Base together for almost a year, but I still feel like I hardly saw you”

“He’s still researching the lifeforms from that very first planet we were all stranded on” said Naoko, who did spend time with Maureen fairly often and even once helped her with a mutiny. But Hiroki had always been one of her closest friends in that colonist group, even though she saw him so rarely these days.

“And I’m here too” said Aiko.

“Oh yes, hi Aiko. It’s so good to see you again too” said Maureen.

“Yes, I’m sorry to have been so distant, I’m still trying to figure out what those flying jellyfish beings actually were, it’s been puzzling me for at least 2 years. What can I say, at my age, I have to pass the time somehow” said Hiroki. “I think that’s something you and I have in common, disappearing into our work when our personal lives are difficult.”

It was hard to fill everyone in on everything that had happened, but Maureen tried. Having to say the same things over and over again was really difficult, especially with something so painful and fresh.

“I know that you and I are no strangers to keeping secrets,” Hiroki began. “When we were first stranded together, we both realized the truth about that planet dying, and it was very hard to know whether to tell anybody about it. But withholding something depends on the context, and what your husband did… it’s not fair to you. I always respected John, so this is very disappointing to hear. But Maureen, you’re my friend. I’m here for you, and so are all of us”

He hugged her, and she felt comfort in the older man’s words. Hiroki had seen a lot in his life, but Maureen was so glad he was here for her now.

“That being said, I might not be the best person to talk to about this, since my own marriage ended in heartbreak, a long time ago” Hiroki said. “I still do miss her, but I’ve learned to just remember the good times and find comfort in those. But I understand if you’re not there yet, Maureen. Don’t let anybody else tell you how to feel.”

“Thank you” Maureen said. She always saw him as a friend, but in many ways, he was kind of like the father she wished she had. She wouldn’t say that out loud though, she knew he had a family of his own and they were all her friends.

“Yea, my marriage was terrible too” said Naoko. “I don’t miss him at all, though. I’m ready to move on, but it’s been a long time now. So I’m here for you too, Maureen, and I understand how that hurts?”

“Wow, both my mom and my grandfather?? Maybe I shouldn’t date anyone if my family is like this” said Aiko dubiously.

“We still have a wonderful family though, the three of us” said Naoko.

“And so do you, Maureen.” Hiroki said. “Whatever you decide, know that we support and believe in you, and know that you will make this work”

Maureen wished she could stay with the Watanabes for a little longer, but she didn’t want to be a burden on anyone, and she still had more places to be.

“Ok this has been… really depressing” Aiko said.

“You’re welcome here any time” Naoko promised, as Maureen said goodbye, knowing she would keep in closer touch with them from now on.

Next, she visited Holly. Unlike the Watanabes, or the Azevedos, she barely knew the woman at all, aside from being Samantha’s mom, and she only knew Samantha somewhat too. But Holly had gone through both the pain of tragically losing her husband and then finding out he had been cheating on her the whole time. She thought Holly had enough of her own nightmares to deal with without Maureen venting about her own problems, but she really appreciated Holly’s offer to visit at her small house in the woods.

While Maureen thought Elise Azevedo’s slight and not so subtle crush on her son Will was harmless enough, she wasn’t sure what to think about Judy and Samantha’s friendship, and how Samantha seemed to talk about her all the time. She thought it was very sweet, but did worry too.

That poor girl had been through so much too, and had just found out that her dad had betrayed her mom, after the pain of finding out he was gone forever. Maureen wished she could spare her kids that pain too, but more lies would not make the situation any better. But now, Samantha had clearly figured out the truth after Holly talked to her, and Maureen knew she would be included in the conversation. Maureen wanted to be there for her kids right now too. She was sitting hear comforting someone else’s child about the same thing that her kids were suffering with right now, the same thing she had just found out. But Samantha was so much younger. Judy, Penny and Will understood, but Samantha still seemed so small, and being separated from any adult for 7 months and then soon after that, a whole year, except for Judy and Smith, definitely hadn’t helped. She felt so sorry for her.

Samantha looked down at the picture of her father, that she took with her everywhere.

“Do you think… maybe, he didn’t mean to?”

“No sweetie. I’m sorry. I wish I knew why, but he-” Holly was trying not to cry, it was still so fresh for her.

“But he’s gone now” Samantha said in a little voice. “Is it… is it okay for me to still love him? He was my dad…”

“Of course” Holly said. “I always loved him… but you can feel however you want, Samantha. I’m so sorry this happened. And the one thing I do know… he did love you. That I can promise” Holly was having a really hard time saying that, trying to be calm about the man who ruined her life, the man who she should be mourning, and was mourning, even after the horrible thing he did.

“I never got to ask my husband why? Why...” Holly whispered. “To tell him how I felt. But you have that chance Maureen”

“But Judy’s dad still loves her even if she has a new sister” Samantha said, still very quiet, hands cupped around her face as she sat on the couch in an awkward position. It was very late but she couldn’t sleep, but she did not have the same energy as usual and there was even more sadness in her eyes, but she didn’t cry. She just accepted it, like all the other nightmares of her life. Maureen and Holly were on the other side, close together.

“Yes, he does” Maureen said. They sat in silence, two heartbroken mothers and a heartbroken daughter, alone in a quiet house.

The silence stretched on, Samantha fell asleep on the couch. Usually she had nightmares, but it was a strangely peaceful sleep. But Holly knew Samantha could have strong panic attacks in the night, so she stayed by her side to watch over her and said goodbye to Maureen.

“I’m thinking we should start a support group” Holly said. “You’re welcome to come too”

“It has been a long time since I was in one of those. Thank you, Holly”.

Maureen hugged her, even though she still hardly knew her, even though she had once told her daughter to stay away from Maureen’s whole family, now they were definitely friends.

After that, before her next visit, Maureen wanted to go to the park and have a break from all the stimulation, but robots and humans alike were already hard at work preparing it for the holiday parade. Maybe she would bring her kids to it, to try and give them some sense of normalcy again, but tonight she had to be alone for a moment. But most of the planet was like one big park, so she decided to just go for a walk in the woods. She couldn’t see the stars from there, under the canopy of the very thin trees, but right now Maureen did just want to hide. Nobody else invited her, but she did get some constant texts, Judy checking in on her, and other people expressing their sympathies, even Sebastian from Alpha Control sent a short text. Maureen appreciated that people cared about her, but she also felt very overwhelmed.

The forest wasn’t enough. She went back to the beach, away from all of the houses, and sat by the lake again. But she wasn’t alone there either, she saw Jessica walking home along the beach.

“Well, I talked to her. I hope you’re happy” Jessica sighed, walking back to her lake house.

“I’m sorry Jessica, I really don’t feel like talking to you right now” Maureen said.

“Yes, I heard. I’m sorry”

“Thanks” Maureen said awkwardly. “But you really should say sorry to Holly”

“Look, I visited my sister like you wanted. Just leave me alone, please”. Jessica walked away. “I lost him too”

Maureen was alone again, and soon all was dark. From here, she could see the stars though, like there was something she was missing. Something up there that would explain how all this had happened

But before long, she was interrupted by an approaching flashlight.

“John, I told you, I need some time to process this, will you just give me that?-” Maureen said, but it wasn’t John. It was Grant.

“Oh, Grant, sorry.”

“You look like you’ve just seen a ghost” Grant noted.

“Well, technically…” Maureen said. “How did you find me? Were you following me?”

“Well, sometimes people just so happen to run into each other. Like the daughter I didn’t know I had, happening to find me by pure chance out there in the stars. I was never the kind of man to really believe in destiny, but now… I do. But no really, Judy did ask me to go check up on you, and Holly and I have become fast friends too, so she texted me.” he said. “Even though my phone is over 20 years out of date, I should get a new one. Or one of those wrist things” He sat down next to her.

“Judy finding you, it’s just… it’s still so surreal to me. I never believed in that either, but it’s like you were sent to take care of them, and she was sent to take care of you. Ah, I’m starting to sound like my mom did-”

“I’m sorry. I heard about her passing” Grant said. “I’m still catching up on everything that happened while I was on ice, but I’m so sorry you’ve had to go through so much, and carried all of that alone. Well, I want to be there for you, Maureen”

“Thanks Grant” Maureen said. “You know, it’s almost poetic. You finding out we had a daughter you never knew about, but she was raised by a different father.” Maureen said. “And now John has his own daughter he never knew about, from a different mother”

“It’s different though” Grant said. “You thought you wouldn’t see me for what could be decades, then you thought I was dead. I don’t blame you for moving on, and I’m grateful that Judy had someone to be that father for her. It’s still bizzare for me, but I understand. And I’m just sorry he let you down like that”

“I know what you’re thinking, Grant” Maureen whispered.

“That this beach is just like where we went on dates all those times? Except this is just a lake. That was an ocean”

“Oh, well we were on an ocean planet for 7 months” Maureen said. “Seriously, all ocean, just tiny bits of land. I wish you could have seen it”

“Any space fish?” Grant asked.

“Yeaa…” Maureen said. “And space jellyfish, and space whales, but those were other planets”

“I wish I could have been there too” Grant said. But then he looked up at the stars. “But that’s the real ocean, up there”

“I feel that way too” said Maureen. “But John, you know, he spent most of his life on boats, he was a captain…” Maureen trailed off. “No, you can’t distract me with my hyperfixations, Grant. I know what you’re really thinking. It’s alright, I understand”

“How can you know?”

“Because you literally are the same man I loved and dated all those years ago” Maureen said. “Perfectly preserved, just as you were. But I’m not. But we still have that connection.”

“Well I guess you’ve got me there. I was thinking about us… what it would have been like if we stayed together”

“I think about that too” Maureen said. “But like you said, things happen for a reason sometimes. I wouldn’t give up Penny and Will, for anything. And I’m so grateful for how John accepted Judy as his own daughter. But now… if we can’t work our marriage out- are you still thinking you would want to be with me?”

“I would be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about it” said Grant. “It wasn’t that long ago for me, though. And I do relate to John too, finding out he had a daughter he didn’t know. But I hate what he did to you. But I know you love him, and I’ll always remember what we have, but I would never feel comfortable being in like, a love triangle with you.”

“I guess it wouldn’t work out” Maureen said. “But I’m glad you’re in my life. Because we can still be close, we can still be friends. No matter what happens, wherever the future takes us”

“I’m here for you. Forever” Grant promised. But he washed his face with some of the water to try to keep her from seeing the tears. He didn’t want to hold Maureen back, he cared about her too much, and now he knew it was time to move on. But he would never stop wanting her to be okay.

They sat together, reminiscing for awhile more before Maureen got up.

“It’s getting late” Grant said. “Are you alright to go home right now?”

“I should be.” Maureen said. “But I actually have one more stop first”

Maureen said goodbye to Grant and drove away in the Chariot, tears still in her eyes. But at least she was not alone.

She walked up the ramp of the landed Jupiter and inside. No one else was watching, everyone had gone home for the night. She walked through what would have been the garage, but it was repurposed for something very different.

“Hello, Maureen” came a familiar whisper from the shadows behind a glass door.

“Hey… Dr. Smith”

Chapter Text

The Christmas tree was very tall, almost up to the ceiling, and it was a very high ceiling too. But it was especially majestic to little June and Jessica Harris, as they stared up at it and decorated it with their mother’s fancy, glittery ornaments and lights.

“It’s so pretty!” June exclaimed, laying on the floor looking up at the star on top.

“Everything looks pretty from far enough away” her mother Sheila said, looking at it. “It’s far from perfect. We need to add the angel on top, first”

“Ooh, may I do it?” Jessica asked. “If I’m allowed to-”

“If you’re alright using the step ladder-” her mom said. “It’s very high for you- JUNE! Stop trying to climb the tree!”

“But I just want to see the top up close? I think it will be pretty from close up too”

“Here June, you can put the angel on top then” Jessica offered, trying to be kind, even though she still rolled her eyes at her sister’s behavior.

“Okay!” June took the angel and climbed up the ladder happily. At the top, she stopped and turned around, waving her hands out.

“Hey look at me! I’m a angel!!”

“No you’re not” Jessica said

“Yea I am, meanie!”

“Baby, be careful up there, don’t fall-” her mom called.

“I won’t!” June steadied herself, but knocked over the star and dropped the porcelain angel on the floor in the process. It shattered on the floor, narrowly missing Jessica’s head.

“No!” her mom cried out. “That was valuable, that’s been in our family for generations-”

“Oops” June said. “But I didn’t fall! So that’s good, right? Right mom?”

The shattered star and broken angel lay on the floor…

Dr. Smith sat on the hard bed of her makeshift cell in some random Jupiter. It wasn’t the Jupiter 2, and she had spent even longer locked in the airlock on that ship before, but it still felt more like home than most other places. But being in this one room for a long time was driving her crazier than everyone already thought she was. The worst part was that she probably could have escaped if she really wanted to. After all, she had escaped being sucked into space from a depressurizing room on the Resolute in a spacesuit that shattered and somehow made it all the way to a storage compartment on a transport Jupiter, she could basically escape anything.

But she was in there by choice, Smith reminded herself. She chose to confess, to atone for her sins. She had been punished before, and she was used to being alone in the dark. She just wished she had visitors more. She had saved the Robinsons and she had practically co-parented and taught 97 kids of all ages for a whole entire year, she really wished at least someone would visit her. But there was a visitor stepping in to see her…

Her last visitor before that night had been the ‘real’ Dr. Zachary Smith, and had not gone well.

“June Harris, you stole my identity and left me to die! How dare you!”

“I’m- I’m sorry. I would have taken you if I could, if I could have carried you. But there was nothing I could do, I thought you weren’t going to make it, and I couldn’t help you, I’m not a doctor like you, and you were too heavy, I couldn’t drag a 200 pound man, I’m very weak, my back is too delicate, we both would have died-”

“I’m 167 pounds, thank you very much! You could have told someone I needed help”

“I couldn’t have waited- I promise, if there was anything more that I could have done-”

“So you took my coat and stole my life and besmirched my good name?”

“I didn’t mean to steal your identity. I mean… you’re Dr. Zachary Smith, pediatrician, I’m Dr. Zoe Smith, psychiatrist, pretty sure those are legally distinct under intellectual property laws, and uh, and such. And it’s like, the most common last name.”

“Oh you know all about those laws, being a scammer, yes I read about you, June. And my dear cousin Jeremiah and I are the last of our noble bloodline now, so you will never ever be a true Smith. You wish you were me” Zachary said dramatically.

“Not really” Smith shrugged.

“I saw you again… in the cryo-tube. I didn’t recognize you. But now my memory came back, I know what you did- and you just left me there again”

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry…” Smith said sadly, but Zachary wasn’t listening.

“I just wanted a better life” she admitted, more to herself than to him.

“But it was my life” he said, and walked out.

Dr. Smith hoped for a more friendly visitor this time, but then she saw who it was. Her sister Jessica.

“Jessica…” she said, hardly believing it. “You’re here, you made it-”

“June” Jessica said simply. “Your hair’s different. At least it’s not a wig that looks just like my hair though”

“You really like it?”

“No”

“Oh”

“So…”

“So how have you been, Jessica?”

“Oh, just fine, June. I was on the floor tied up and gagged for ages without food and water, everyone thought I was on the Resolute so no-one thought to look for me until the cleaning lady found me. Then I had to wait for years to get to Alpha Centauri, but hey, I quit smoking again and no longer have to deal with a sister, so it wasn’t all bad”

“You must hate me now. And I deserve it”

“I don’t hate you. I’m actually sort of glad I missed the 24th colonist group, it sounds like hell. And you didn’t make it to Alpha Centauri much earlier than I did, karma I guess. But I feel sorry for you, that you’re like this.”

“I’m trying to get better” Smith said. “I turned myself in, I confessed to everything. I’m trying Jessica, and I want to make it up to you in any way I can-”

“If you want to make it up to me, don’t contact me again” she said. “I’m sorry June, but I can’t forgive you for what you did.”

“Jessica I-”

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m really glad you’re trying to become a productive member of society and face justice and get better. And I’m grateful that you arranged for me to get on the Solidarity. But I can’t have you in my life. You knew I disowned you after you were gone-”

“Yes” Smith nodded. “I understand, but Jessica I- I miss my sister”

“Maybe if you had just hurt me, I could forgive you” Jessica said. “But you killed Charlie. I found that out. That’s what I’ll never forgive you for”

“That was an accident, I didn’t mean to do that- I froze up, the airlock… I’m so sorry. But he was someone else’s husband. And I’m friends with his daughter, I’ll always try to make up for what I -”

“Don’t try to drag me down to your level” Jessica flipped her hair back. “I’m not perfect. Yes, I knew he was cheating with me, yes I have issues, but I’m nothing like you June. And of course you’re friends with little kids, they’re the only ones as immature as you, and easy to manipulate, right?”

“No, it’s not like that. I was a teacher to them, for a year, I taught them French. I was a ‘productive member of society’ like you said. I know you won’t-”

“Good for you, June. I’m glad you did something decent for once. You do seem different, healthier maybe. But I’m sorry, I can’t be your sister anymore. I have my own life here now, and I have to move on.”

“Are you going to get a restraining order against me?”

“I don’t need to, June. Involuntary or voluntary manslaughter or not, you’re going to be in there a long, long time. Maybe one day, if you actually get your life together. Until then, if our paths never cross again-”

“It will be much too soon?” Smith finished sadly.

“That’s right” Jessica said, and Smith thought she saw a tear down her face, but maybe she just imagined it.

“Goodbye, Jessica”

“Goodbye June. Merry Christmas”

And then she was alone again. When other people were around, Smith always tried to put up an act, sometimes to manipulate people and deceive them, but usually just to cope and try to be liked, loved, to be the person she wished she was. But with no-one else watching, the tears came down her face like the waterfall on that ocean world. She often used fake cry as a performance when people were around, but no one was there to comfort her as the true tears came.

She wished she could go back and be different, but now it was too late. Even though they were on the same planet now instead of lightyears apart, Smith felt further from her sister than ever.

The tears passed, replaced by the cold loneliness of isolation. But the night was not ever, and another visitor came, someone she wanted to see for a very long time.

“Hello, Maureen” Smith composed herself.

“Hey… Dr. Smith”

“Did you get me that cake yet? I know you don’t bake, but store bought is fine, one chocolate maple surprise birthday cake, if you please, with a nice little surprise file inside?”

“It’s not your birthday yet.” Maureen said. “Actually, when is your birthday?”

“Mmm… don’t remember. But it’s almost Christmas, isn’t it? Make that an angel food cake, on the house if you please, to brighten the lonely hours of incarceration in here. Pleease?”

“I do have a present for you actually. But I was hoping to talk with you first”

“A present? For me? I can hardly wait. You haven’t visited me in so long, Maureen, I missed you. Is this about my dear disowned sister? She came to see me earlier,”

“How did that go?”

“Oh, she’s lovely as always” Smith smiled fakely. “But are you alright, Maureen? I don’t like being out of the loop, you know., and I know whenever you make that face something is really wrong. You can talk to me”

“I guess that’s what I’m here for.” Maureen spilled it all to Dr. Smith, who listened carefully, not just because she was a captive audience, not just because she loved hearing other people’s relationship gossip, but because deep down she did care.

“John Robinson, not such a hero after all…” Dr. Smith whispered. “ I’m sorry this happened, Maureen. It doesn’t make any sense, at all. What sort of person does things like that? I can’t imagine what that feels like… to be betrayed by someone you thought you can trust, that’s the most horrible thing I’ve ever heard. So… maybe I’m not so bad in comparison, mm?”

“It’s different” Maureen said. “But it does hurt more when it’s from my husband. And after we worked so hard to get back together”

“Sometimes, no matter how hard you try to make something work, it just falls apart. Like, hm, in your terms, you can build the best spaceship ever and go on the most amazing mission ever, but if a critical, uh piece is faulty the whole thing can break down on reentry?”

She thought of the Christmas tree, and the broken angel and star sadly. But she wouldn’t tell Maureen about that. “Ew, analogies, I hate them”

“Yeah, but the box one was good though” Maureen said. “I still use that”

“But maybe this isn’t the time for boxes, Maureen. You can feel. You can let it out. I would be a hypocrite to judge you… I know what you’re gonna say, that I am one already, but I still won’t judge you Maureen.”

“Thanks Smith”

“But the question is… what are you going to do about it? You’re going to make the girl feel wanted, right? Even though she isn’t your own”

“Of course” said Maureen.

“And how do your kids feel about having a little sister?”

“About as good as they felt about you”

“Oh, that good?” Smith asked. “Come on, you know they love me.”

“And I’m sure we’ll love Livi too. I don’t blame her”

“Livi? Is that even a real name?”

“Uh, I think so? Short for Olivia? I don’t really know. She doesn’t talk very much”

“Olivia? Ugh. There was a girl named that who was always messing around with my stuff on that planet”

“Anyway, the name doesn’t matter. Of course I won’t blame this five year old girl”

“Five? Oh, that’s a handful. I didn’t teach any that young- but that’s very recent. When he was away”

“Yea, tell me about it” said Maureen. “But it’s John who hurt me. He was with someone else while he was married to me, he had a whole kid I didn’t know about-”

“I can’t believe he did that” Smith said, actually shocked. “I probably shouldn’t tell you this, but when I first met you I was kind of, sort of, trying to get close to him, to use your boring marriage problems to come between you, but he didn’t care.-”

“Wait, you mean like-”

“Ew, no? I don’t mean that. What do you take me for?”

“Uh, that’s my husband-”

“I know, and I’m just surprised he would do that. It’s not like him at all. Well, at least you have Grant Kelly now, right?”

“Smith, I still love John”

“But did he love you? I guess… someone can love you and still hurt you”

“Right…” Maureen said.

“But you know, if you do want revenge, we can always… send him up in a Jupiter again, and I can knock you out again… and we can explode the Jupiter and strand him in orbit again. Just offering”

“Smith! That’s not funny. That’s not okay to say. You’re supposed to be redeemed, right?”

“Yea, you’re right, that was too soon. Sorry Maureen. You know I care about your husband too, ugh not like that, don’t even think that, but I did save him before- but I’m sorry that he cheated on you, that’s disgusting, it really is-”

“I’m not looking for revenge on him. I just want to know the truth”.

“I’m good at keeping secrets… but I’m also good at finding out when someone is lying” Smith said.

“Takes one to know one?”

“Mhm. But I knew that my sister was with a married man, so I can help you find out who John was with too”

“There’s just one problem though. He might not actually know. He said he had amnesia in the military”

“Amnesia? That’s a terrible excuse” Smith tried to keep from laughing. “Even I wouldn’t have come up with one that obvious. Actually, I probably would have, but it’s still silly.”

“It makes more sense to me than him cheating-” Maureen said.

“That’s true. I’m very good at seeing through people, Maureen, reading them, seeing into their soul, their deepest secrets, and that was never something I picked up on from him. But you would know… but if he never confessed, how do you know this, uh Olivia? is really his daughter?”

“We did a paternity test though. Judy even was the one who did it.”

“A paternity test? Those are ridiculously easy to fake if you know how,”

“Yea, but the only person on Alpha Centauri who would know how to do that was locked in here when we did it”

“Hehe, you mean me? I would never do such a thing, Maureen. But I did take some of my sister’s blood when I st- borrowed her identity to get on the Resolute, not the exact same thing maybe, but well, if I could convince everyone I was Jessica, a paternity test would be a piece of cake. Mmm, cake. Ahhh I’m so hungry.”

“With or without the file?”

“With the file, of course”

“I don’t think so”

“Aww, okay. Understandable”

“But yea, this girl is five with no mother around. I don’t think she’s scamming us” Maureen said.

“I don’t know Maureen, I was scamming people when I was five”

“Oh come on, you’re exaggerating-”

“Maybe” Smith said. “But when you’re desperate, you do desperate things. You did that… I did that, on the Resolute. And a lot of other times too. If someone wanted to set this er, Olive up with a better future, your family would be a good one to choose”

“I’m not ruling anything out” said Maureen. “You’re right, something doesn’t quite line up with this. I shouldn’t jump to conclusions, but I can’t ignore what this means. Thanks for listening to me. And for being kind to me.”

“My door is always open to you Maureen. Actually it’s not, because it’s a prison cell door that’s never open, but it’s the thought that counts, right?”

“I do miss you though. Somehow it’s not the same without you”

“But just as chaotic, hmm? So that wasn’t all me”

“Yes, I guess we’re all kind of chaotic.”

“Hmm, it sounds like you need some…”

“Some space?”

“No. Therapyyy” she stretched out the word in a dramatic voice.

“Oh, I’m the one who needs therapy?”

“I’ve been… I’ve actually been getting some in here, and it’s been helpful for me. Well, no it hasn’t, it’s been terrible, but I don’t have the right therapist?”

“I just don’t know where to even start with finding a therapist, with all the drama in my life- farm girl who wanted a different future, abandoned by my father, bullied growing up with no friends, my boyfriend, the first man on Mars and to leave the solar system, by the way, died except wait no he didn’t, but I never told him I was pregnant and I had a daughter and gave up on the life I planned, but I became an aerospace engineer, I met my husband, had two more kids with him, then he lied to me about being forced to leave and go halfway around the world because by the way the world had almost ended, but he apparently cheated on me and had another kid while he was gone? Oh and all that happened before we all got literally lost in space and almost died more times than I can count, so I don’t know where I would even start with therapy”

“How about with someone who knows your story and your family and can relate with you.”

“Like who?”

“Moi, obviously. How about this, you come here to my office… “ Smith gestured around the jail cell. “...every week for regular therapy sessions, and we can talk about your feelings some more. I’ll be your therapist again”

“Tempting. Is there a catch?”

“Oh really, Maureen? My advice is free, I just like having company. But now that you mention it, tipping me some money for the commissary would be a welcome payment. And a cake with a file in it. Or anything with a file in it. Or honestly just a file would be nice. A big shiny, pretty one”

“No files” Maureen said. “They’re not allowed”

“Fiiine” Smith rolled her eyes. “What about the cake?”

“We’ll see about the cake.”

“At least that’s not a lie. But you know… if you and John ever wanted to come together, we could make it couples counseling, since we all know I’m someone who can navigate you through a stormy raging sea, literally and figuratively”

“I do want to see you more” Maureen said. “But I don’t think that’s going to happen”

“Why not?” Dr. Smith asked with a small sigh.

“Because you’re not a real therapist? I’m sorry, that was rude, but I just think you’ve had such a hard time with your own family… and I know your advice might be revenge, and I’m not sure if that’s what I need right now. But talking to you is… strangely calming. So I won’t abandon you”

“Hm. Maybe it’s like that from outside the cell. Sooo… I’m not your therapist, but you're still coming to me to consult with me and vent to me. Am I- am I like your best friend now?”

“That’s not-”

“Whatever, bestie” Dr. Smith grinned. She knew that whatever else was happening, she finally, for the first time in her life, had a friend. And not just Maureen, but her kids, her family. Maybe even Smith’s family too.

Maureen gave a small smile back.

“I’m glad I have friends.”

“Hehe, friends. So we have graduated from frenemy status, haven’t we?”

“I guess we have. You know, everyone else just sugarcoats it, tells me what they think I want to hear. At least with you it’s not like that, so seriously… thank you. Being hurt by friends is hard, but we can get past it. You’re proof of that. But John was my husband, he’s the love of my life.”

“You know, they say it’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all” Smith said. “You loved… and you were lost. Whoever said that just forgot the space part at the end”

“They say that, but I don’t know” Maureen sighed. “Did you ever love someone like that, Smith?”

“Hmmm… nobody ever cared about me, so I learned not to care too, not to get to close. I did have a ‘boyfriend’,”
She said in a bored tone of voice complete with air quotes

“Do I want to know?”

“ugh, I forgot about him. I didn’t love him at all, just used him. Maybe I’m unloveable”

“You’re not, somehow. You’re really not. But you’ve never had anyone you really loved like that? I’m not judging, I promise. I’ve always had a hard time with my emotions and finding the right ways to show them. Honestly, in some ways maybe that’s easier”

“It’s not so easy, really. Oh right, there are a few people. My mom… my sister. Well, sort of. Half and half. Mmmm who else? I can’t remember… oh right. You and your family.”

Maureen knew how good Dr. Smith was at lying, at saying all the right things to get what she wanted. But in that moment, something was different, and she knew that she was sincere.

“You know, actually, Jessica and I aren’t in a good place” Dr. Smith said. “She still visited me, so it’s a start, but she’s like a stranger, not like my sister. She wants nothing more to do with me”

“I’m sorry. I come in here talking about my family drama, about my husband cheating and my kids having a new sister, I didn’t mean to be insensitive to what you’re dealing with too. I’m here to listen to you too. And I’m sorry Jessica doesn’t want to be your sister. But maybe in time, things will change. I hope things get easier”

“Maybe” Smith said. “But it’s alright.” She looked Maureen right in the eyes. “I still have a sister right here”

Maureen wished she could hug Smith, but the glass of the cell was between them. She placed a hand on the semi-transparent door, and Smith did too.

“I have a surprise for you” Maureen said again. “It’s not cake, but-”

Smith’s eyes widened.

“So I have a lot of influence around here, as you know-”

“You got the charges dropped?!” Smith asked hopefully. She chose to confess, she chose to turn herself in and serve her time, but after so long in the cell she still hoped for a miracle.

“Well, no. You wanted to serve your time, remember?”

“Er, yess…”

“But it’s the holidays, and after everything that’s happened… I arranged for you to be let out for a short holiday break, a vacation if you will” Maureen said. “You’ll have to wear an ankle monitor and stay near me at all times, but it was the best I could do. That’s my gift to you”

“Maureen, I- I don’t know what to say. Thank you. It’s a Christmas miracle, I promise I’ll be good”

“You’d better. As long as you stay off the naughty list” Maureen smiled. “Just don’t make me regret this, I had to pull a lot of strings to make this happen at all”

“I won’t. I won’t, Maureen, I promise. Thank you”

“Well, it was the least I could do. And this holiday is already kind of ruined, not as bad as the year of the Christmas Star, but this one’s up there. So I’m not worried about any extra drama from you being there”

“I’ll be on my best behavior” Dr. Smith assured her. “It’s interesting… our first Christmas together, you kept me in the airlock, you wouldn’t let me out. Now, you’re letting me out of this cell to invite me over for the holidays. I wonder what changed-”

“A lot”.

“So is John going in here in my place?”

“What, no? Again, I’m not the type to want that kind of revenge.”

“Neither am I. Anymore” Smith added hastily. “But I’m happy to give you both couples counseling, if you want,-”

“I’ll think about it. And I’m not just bringing you over for revenge either since it will annoy him, I really want you there. We’ll all be there, one big dysfunctional, dramatic family” Maureen said. “And it will be a holiday to remember. Merry Christmas, Smith”

She smiled. Even as everything else fell apart, she had a family to spend the holidays with. Even if they wouldn’t be very happy holidays, for the first time in a long time, Smith felt like she wasn’t the bad one, she wasn’t the problem. She belonged somewhere.

Chapter Text

The days passed, and soon it was the night before the last day of school before Holiday break for Penny and Will. Not that they had the best attendance records anyway, with the whole being lost thing and all. Penny had gone to class on the Resolute, but the classroom was literally explosively jettisoned from the ship and she had to escape through space in a storage container with her teacher, Vijay back when they were broken up, and Dr. Smith, before they were rescued by Don. So that was it for classes, until Dr. Smith’s lessons to all the kids on the shattered planet. 

But there hadn’t been much time for school after that, since then there was Will’s journey with the Human-Robot Exploratory Group, and Penny going on the Solidarity’s first trip with her family. And Livi was about the age where she would be starting Kindergarten, but as her legal documents were still being worked out, John decided to wait on that. 

Livi was his daughter, he was accepting that, and after missing her whole life, he didn’t want to send her away for hours every day. And even though she was only five, John had no idea what her life had been like. She was so quiet, so scared, and John just didn’t have a good sense of how much she really knew. 

Livi only said a few words, sometimes a full sentence but it was usually copied. Now that robots and humans lived side by side, semi-verbal communication was thankfully finally being accommodated more, but there were still elitist educational standards from the origin of the colony that no one could ignore.

But the ninety-seven kids of the 24th colonist group were all so traumatized by what they had been through, so no one was expected to be developmentally exactly the same, and the colony’s school accommodated all grade levels and was actually very nice. But he really didn’t know how much Livi understood. She was five, or at least about five, but she did not really act like the rest of the Robinson family did at that age. 

Sometimes, when John stared into her eyes, those eyes which were so familiar somehow, but he couldn’t place where he had seen them before. But when he took a long, hard look in the mirror as he often did, he realized it was because her eyes were so much like his own.

But there was an intensity behind them, like illuminating thoughts swirling beneath the surface. He felt like she understood so much more than she could show. Maybe that was why she and the Robot had been getting along so well. And she was so independent too.

How had she even gotten aboard the Solidarity? But in other ways, she was just a typical five year old, and she did seem excited whenever John mentioned Christmas coming. 

Penny and Will were very excited too. even with the awkwardness in their family. Penny made plans with Vijay for some dates; they had thought about trying ice skating at the new skating rink, but then it turned out Liam went there a lot and it was just too awkward, so they were trying to think of something else, and wondering whether oreo-themed mistletoe was a thing. Apparently there were custom mistletoe oreos, but not the other way around. So they decided to compromise and make a giant oreo themed wreath. 

“We’re totally gonna eat this before Christmas, aren’t we?” Penny had said. 

“I mean if you think about it, it’s really just one big oreo…” 

But Will was so excited for the parade, especially after Robot had given a sneak peak at a special surprise he had been working on. Keeping it secret was hard, but he knew the day was coming soon, and how exciting it would be for everyone.  

“I’m really excited for the parade! I never thought I’d say that about a parade, like they were always fun to watch but I was always so scared to go to them. Penny probably told you that. And, uh I’m used to Christmas.,.. not always being fun, like when Dad wasn’t here, and when the world ended, stuff like that. I know the Christmas Star was bad in a lot of ways… but maybe some good things can come from it too? Like, I wouldn’t have met you if Scarecrow hadn’t crashed on Earth… so sometimes, maybe something can be really bad for someone, but really good for someone else.”

“Danger…” 

“Yea, you’re right. Lots of danger too. But also-”

“Trust, Will Robinson.” 

“Yea, you got it!” Will smiled. “I totally trust you, Robot. I’m happy there’s someone I can you know, trust… sorry I shouldn’t say it like that. But yea… I don’t know if you can trust me though, cause I’m kinda tempted to hang some ornaments on you for Christmas! Only if you want though, but I think it would look really cool… but yea, we should do some things over break, I know we were just away for a long time in the exploratory group, but it would be fun to just hang out. You and me.”

“Trust.” Robot nodded, reaching out his hand towards Will. 

“But don’t worry, I won’t let my family put you in one of those weird uncomfy Christmas sweaters.” Will promised.

“Comf…y, Will Robinson.” 

“Hey, new word! Yea, I’m comfy with you too, Robot. Even though you’re made of metal, or uh, I don’t actually know what you’re mad out of. But I’m so glad we’re friends. No, not just friends. Family.” 

“Family, Will Robinson” said the Robot, his lights arranging in a swirling symbol of love. 

And then there was Judy. While the school at the colony had a nice long Holiday break, she was a doctor, so she didn’t really get time off as often. She thought she would have the actual day off, but there was no way of really knowing. Judy did want a vacation one day, she had never really had time to slow down. She was glad that things had gotten so much better with her Mom, and she no longer felt pressured into being perfect for her. But with her Dad, everything was so awkward. She didn’t want it to be awkward, but it just was.

It was late at night, and Judy had been planning to go out to meet Don. He had gone out on a walk with her father that one day, but now she and him had been doing it, just on their own. It was a nice way to calm down after long days, somehow Don always made her feel at ease, and she never felt like she had to be fake with him the way she sometimes did with other people. But as she got up, she heard crashing sounds coming from the kitchen. That definitely wasn't Don. Well, it could have been, or Debbie, but Judy still stayed alert. She had heard some strange sounds earlier, and she knew to always be prepared. 

But when she entered the kitchen area, she saw a figure, shrouded in shadow. “Who’s there?” Judy called out. “Oh, Dad. Oh my God, I thought you were a home intruder-” 

“Ah, Judy, hey. Sorry, I should have let you know I came back to the house, I didn’t know you were up.” 

“Don and I are going out for a walk. What are you doing?” 

“Oh, I got on alert from this-” John pointed to his wrist com. “It’s been glitching out on me, but anyway, long story short, I got an alert, Livi can’t get to sleep, she wasn’t feeling well,” 

“Oh, do you need help? I’m a doctor, remember, I can take a look-” 

“Nah, it’s okay, I got it. She’s not sick or anything, I think she just has uh, sleep problems. So I thought I’d make her some hot chocolate and bring it up to her.”

Judy remembered the first time her dad had made her hot chocolate. It was probably one of her earliest memories, she would have been about three, when her mom was pregnant with Penny. She hadn’t been feeling well, and John had been taking care of her. She was scared to be without her mother, and still warming up to her dad. 

Even though she couldn’t really remember a time before him, she knew he came into the picture after she was born. But then he made her the hot chocolate. She couldn’t even remember if she liked it or not, she would have been a toddler after all, and as a doctor looking back, she wasn’t even sure if that would have been an appropriate age to have it or not. But throughout her childhood, whenever she hadn’t been feeling well, her dad had always made it for her. He probably did for Penny and Will too, she realized, but now seeing him making it for Livi just hurt for some reason. 

“Oh. Yea, that always worked for me, I remember… I haven’t seen you make it in awhile, though. Still your secret ingredient?” 

“Always. My legendary secret- uh, Judy, you know we should talk. I know what you must be thinking right now-” 

“Hey, Dad. It’s fine. I mean no, it’s not fine. It’s never going to be fine, I know that. But unless you’re gonna confess, I’m not sure what else there is to say, really. I understand that you’re busy with Livi, and I think it’s really nice how you’re there for her. Just like you were for me, all those years when I was growing up. Before I even knew who my biological dad was, you were always my Dad, you are always my Dad, and I know how much I loved your hot chocolate when I was her age. I’m sure I’d still love it now-” 

“I can make it for you too, Judy. I promise. I know I’ve been spending a lot of time with Livi, trying to get her adjusted, but you’re all my kids. Having one more doesn’t change that. Just like you’ve got me and Grant as your fathers. I know it’s complicated-” 

“Sure. That would be great, Dad. But you know,  I think I’m good right now. I don’t think this is really the best time for a lecture. I’m really trying to be okay with this. But it’s going to take time. For me, and for Penny and Will too. Just know that I’m trying. And I know you’re trying too.” 

“Wait, Judy, I need to tell you-” 

“No, you don't, Dad. I’m not a child anymore, like Livi. I’m an adult, you know, and I was responsible for ninety seven kids, I think I can make my own hot chocolate. Grandma taught me how to do it before she passed anyway, so I know the ‘secret ingredient’ is love, I have for years. But yea, let’s talk more some other time…” 

Judy left, but John was glad that he finally got a chance to talk to her. Between her work and his sudden new child, it seemed like he had been seeing less and less of her. But he had hope that maybe she believed him, and maybe she understood. 

“I can’t believe it’s almost Christmas already,” said Judy as she walked with Don. “Our first one on Alpha Centauri, too-” 

“I actually did spend the holidays here once, 22nd colonist group, spent the whole day fixing something in a ventilation duct, which I guess is kind of a chimney. Santa would be proud! I even hid some nice presents up there, yea I think I was on the naughty list, guess he wouldn’t be proud, but I’ll be good this year-” 

“Oh… wow. But I hope this year we both have off. I don’t know if I’ll be working yet either, but it would be nice to have you at another Robinson family Christmas. I think we really need your energy this year.” 

“Yea, I’ll try my best to be there. I know I’m not a doctor slash captain like you, but I am an admiral, so I’m pretty busy-” 

“You’re really not an admiral…” 

“Major?” 

“Nah, not really.” 

“Okay fine, you got me, just your plain ordinary everyday roughneck mechanic” 

“You’re definitely not ordinary, Don. That’s one thing I can say about you.” 

“Thanks! Ya know, I’ll take that as a compliment, I really will.” Don grinned. “But yea, really thought I’d have more time off now that the Solidarity made it there and back in one piece, but of course the minute we get back suddenly, guess who, Ava calls me, apparently there’s a bunch of power outages all over town. So who has to repair them? Don West of course! Because apparently the guy doing it while I was gone on the Solidarity, elite guy, passed all the tests, well respected, was way less reliable than me, surprise surprise!” 

“Oh, I know what you mean.” said Judy. “But if anyone can fix it, it’s you. And you really should, because those power outages are terrible for my work, we can’t have the power go out in a hospital. At least there are backup generators-” 

“Yea, I guess we’re both in high demand” said Don. “But yea, I think we young adults deserve a vacation too! You know, nice beach somewhere?” 

“Oh, I’d go with you.” 

“Yea, we’ll have to find the time one day. Who says we should only get breaks on holidays? You know, Christmas was really only another day for me until I met you and your family. Now I really look forward to it.  Well I guess last one wasn’t so great, and this one seems like it’s gonna be like the awkwardest day ever, but still, sign me up! Any excuse to get Debbie to wear a cute Christmas outfit-” 

“You’re always welcome, Don.” Judy promised. “I like it a lot better when you’re there too.” 

“Yea. I guess Halloween is more my scene though, I miss my orange outfit era! Seriously, I need to wear that more again, me and Debbie can be twinsies-” 

“I guess we are at the colony, we can wear whatever we want.” said Judy, who was wearing a casual grayish denim jacket with lots of pockets. Don, meanwhile, was dressed in plain tan overalls with a few oil stains, but he didn’t mind. 

“Yea, good point. But doesn’t it seem like it should be Halloween, not Christmas?” 

“I mean, it was just Halloween…” 

“Yea, but we deserve two! I need to use that giant chicken costume again-”

“Ah, so you admit it was a costume and not some chicken alien?” Judy laughed. 

“Yea, okay fine, you got me there too. I guess me and Debbie already twinsy-ed.” 

“Really though, it feels like it’s been Halloween every week the past few years, with all the creepy things that have happened-” 

“Hey, fair point, fair point.” 

“Even now, there aren’t any monsters here that we’ve seen, but it’s still like that. I feel terrible saying this, but even at home feels kind of like those old horror movies from my parents’ time. Like the family adopts a little girl, and-” 

“Hey, I’ve seen horror movies, I know how it ends. But you know I take personal offense at those movies, I’m an orphan, and sure I turned out to be a smuggler and stuff, but I like to think I’m still a great guy. So yea-” 

“Oh, I’m sorry, Don. Sensitive issue?” 

“Sensitive issue.” 

“You’re right. I always think because I never knew my biological dad that I know what that’s like to be an orphan, but I was raised by two loving parents. So I shouldn’t joke about that.”

“It’s okay, I know what you mean. But Livi does seem like a sweet kid though, it’s really not her fault. But you have every right to be upset anyway.”

“Yea, I’m not upset with her though. I can’t be upset with a five year old. I actually really… relate to her. She’s just like me, she never knew her biological father growing up. And I was the one who found her, on the Solidarity. I really felt a bond with her. So why does she bother me so much? It’s Dad I should be mad at, she’s just an innocent child. And I am mad at him. But I just don’t really know what to think.” 

Judy hugged Don. She didn’t randomly hug people often, but with Don it was different. He was so comforting, even if he said the most awkward things sometimes. 

 “It’s like… For me, Dad was always Dad. I knew about Grant, and I only dreamed that one day I could actually meet him, that he was really out there. But now I have met him, I have him in my life. But now Dad has another daughter too… I just never thought of what that was like for him back then. He married Mom even knowing she had a daughter… me. And he adopted me too as his own, because I am his own. All my life, it’s been him there. Yea, you can probably tell by me doing a speech, huh?” 

“Umm, yea, you guys really have a lot in common-” 

“We do. So that’s why I guess this hurts so much. I never really felt jealous of Penny and Will like this, and I know they’ve been jealous of me sometimes… but with Livi, I don’t know… Dad was making her hot chocolate, just like he did for me when I was a kid. I mean I know hot chocolate is great-” 

“Yea, it really is…” said Don, walking beside her. “Uh, at the orphanage I used to have it all the time, and even when I got older, still love it.” 

“And here I thought you only had, hmm, stronger drinks…” Judy teased. 

“Hey, well not only… they actually go well together, you know…” 

“I guess you need a lot of caffeine to have that kind of energy,” Judy smiled. 

“Yea, but sorry, I went off on kinda a tangent there. I didn’t mean to change the subject-” 

“It’s okay. I actually really appreciate it right now, Don. Just getting to talk to you like this. With everyone else, it’s all just speeches. Except for Penny, but then it’s snark. With you I feel like I can just… be free and open and raw with you, it’s nice. But I don’t feel like I can get anywhere with my dad right now. I know it’s awkward since you go on walks with him too-” 

“Yea I do, so I know what you mean about the speeches. But you’re my favorite person to walk alone in the dark in a colony on an alien planet with, doc. Don’t you ever forget it.” 

“Aw, that’s sweet. I think. But don’t let Debbie hear you say that!” 

“Okay fine. Second favorite,” Don teased back. 

“You’re my second favorite too.” said Judy. “Did I ever tell you how Dad and I used to go out for runs, back on Earth? From when I was really little, all the way until I was a teenager. I don’t know why we have to do it anymore, we have a whole planet now. But the only running we’ve done lately was on the treadmills on the Jupiter… I just miss it. So hey, I guess that makes you my first favorite after all…” 

After her walk with Don, Judy went home again. She missed when he lived in the same place on the Jupiter 2, especially after not seeing him at all for a year. But now even her dad was living on the ship, as she walked home she saw the light on behind the control room viewport. She turned away from the ship and back towards the house, but she wasn’t alone there either. Penny had also been out at night. 

“Hey. You’re out awfully late, shouldn’t you be in bed?” 

Penny, who still had that sunhat with her for some reason, hastily put it on backwards and pulled it down over her entire face, speaking in a higher voice with a slightly mid-atlantic kind of accent. 

“‘Scuse me madame! I’m just delivering the floral arrangements for our lovely, uh I mean your lovely family!”

“Nice try,” Judy smiled. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone-”

Penny pulled the hat up with a sigh. 

“You know you’re really not that much older than me, Judy, you don’t have to act all big sister-y all the time. Technically I’m not even the littlest sister anymore, so yea, might as well. But yea, I was with Vijay again. Night dates are nice.” 

“Oh, right. Sorry, old habit from when I was captain. So, last day of school before break, right? You still should get some sleep.”

“Yea but I’m just gonna sleep late for the rest of the days, so it’s no big deal” Penny shrugged. “But same for you right? You still have work-”

“Yea, I’m just-”

“What’s wrong? No, I shouldn’t ask that, I know what’s wrong, everything’s always wrong with this family… but yea. I’m here. You don’t have to go through all the awkwardness alone.”

“Thanks, Penny. But you know… remember when I said normal was out there somewhere, we just have to find it?”

“Yea?”

“I’m- not sure it is. I’m not sure there’s ever going to be any ‘normal’ for us anymore…” 

“Yea, maybe. But we’ll just have to be abnormal together, right?” 

“Right…” Judy hugged her sister, and she remembered when it had just been the two of them, and then Will… those days would never come again, but maybe they could still make the most of what they had. 

Chapter Text

Maureen had dropped Penny and Will off for their last day at the Goddard school, the colony’s learning center which taught all grade levels. She knew those two were independent enough that they didn’t need to be driven to school by their mom, they had both driven Chariots after all, but she had missed so much time with them that she insisted on doing it anyway. After that, she drove around in the Chariot again, exploring the scenic world beyond the colony town. 

Even with the Solidarity finished and working, she still had plenty of work to do, but she had something else to do that day too, before it would be time to pick up Penny and Will up again for their vacation. But first, she drove home…

Livi had slept in, not having any school or activities other than sessions with a counselor and therapies. She seemed to be feeling better that day and really liked the hot chocolate. But for breakfast, John had made her one of his classic peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. She seemed interested in the jelly inside, and seemed to eat it slowly, after a few minutes of staring at it. John smiled. She did seem to like everything he made. 

“Hey, I’m glad you liked it, Liv!” he said, shocked how easily that nickname came out. He really was getting used to Livi being there, but when he looked around the table and saw that he and her were the only ones there, he felt a sense of sadness. 

But it was the last day of school before break, then at least Penny and Will would be home more and maybe he could have some family time and convince everyone that he had no idea how Livi had been born, which he really didn’t. Maybe they could all be a family together… at least, he hoped so. 

He still flashed back to right after Will was born, those first days when he was kept in the hospital, and how difficult and heart wrenching those days had been. 

He and Maureen had both agreed that their only son  would be their last child. She couldn’t go through that again, and besides, three was a good number. 

But now, here was this new daughter, so much younger. John couldn’t help but wonder where her mother was, what had happened to her, and who even was she? 

Maureen was his wife, she was who he loved. He would never be unfaithful, he would never do that to her. But he knew despite how much closer they had been, there were still rebuilding their trust. 

“Trust, John Robinson…” Robot said, as if he had read his mind, but as far as John knew, he couldn’t do that. Will was the one who had the connection, not him. He was always saying Will Robinson, but this was only like the third time, maybe, that John had heard him say his name. But only a few words could show a lot. Livi had shown him that too. 

There was a time not long ago when he wasn’t too fond of the Robot, or perhaps was even a little jealous, but now he was kind of grateful for him. But it was still startling to see him just living in that otherwise very ordinary house on Alpha Centauri. 

But a few minutes later, Robot left, probably to prepare with his other robotic friends, humanoid and non-humanoid alike, for the upcoming colony Holiday event which was now almost upon them. It was just John and Livi again. Until Maureen came home… 

Maureen stepped out of the Chariot and walked across the lawn, past the Jupiter 2 which was still parked there. She considered just going in there, that was her ship after all and in many ways felt so much more like home. She knew that even though her husband was sleeping there, he would still be in the house during the day, with Livi. But she was not going to let her family fall apart, not again. She was determined to make this work, it was what she always did. But how was that fair? 

She thought she had taken the time to get used to the new arrangement, but when she reached the mesh of light screen windows on the front of the house, she paused and peered inside, remembering all those times as a child when she had done that with the fences on her mother’s farm. 

John was leaning on a sideboard, watching Livi, purple sequins sparkling, who was sitting not at but on the dining table, her legs dangling and moving back and forth like little tendrils.

She was drawing on something layed out the table, but Maureen couldn’t quite see what it was through the array of tiny rectangular windows that reminded her of when she removed the Jupiter 2’s horizontal viewport divider and all the other Jupiters did, because of… no, usually thinking about spacecraft specifications and changes distracted her from her Earthly worries, or as Penny called them, her Alpha Centauri-ly colony-ly worries, but not today. 

She moved to the transparent front doors, and it was then that she saw what it was Livi was drawing on. It was much too big for her to hold, so it was laid out on the table, but Maureen would recognize it anywhere. Her lucky whiteboard. 

“I’m back.” she said, trying to hide the frustration. 

“Maureen-” John started to say, with that guilty pleading look in his eyes. She looked away, she didn’t want to let that sway her at all. John had hurt her. She didn’t know how it had happened, but it had. And she wanted everything to go back to how it was, but how could it? 

“I’m drawing!!!” Livi said, and Maureen wondered if that was the first time she had ever really said anything to her. 

Maureen looked at the whiteboard. Her lists for the day had been totally erased, and in their place were purple scribbles and swirls. Maureen’s frustration was building, but she couldn’t show it. Livi was just a kid after all. 

Looking past the purple swirls, she could see three drawings of suns with smiley faces, and Maureen would have actually felt proud of Livi for drawing two yellow and one red, like the suns in the Alpha Centauri system. For her age, it was actually an amazing drawing. 

Unfortunately, Maureen could tell it hadn’t been drawn with dry-erase markers, but with regular ones. At least it wasn’t finger-paint, but it was almost as bad. 

“That’s a very nice drawing, Livi.” said Maureen, forcing herself into mom-mode, even though Livi wasn’t her daughter, she knew that. Maybe it didn’t matter, after all Judy was John’s daughter, no-one could deny that. But Maureen wondered if she could ever accept Livi in the same way. 

But she knew she couldn’t get mad at a five year old for drawing something, when it was really John she was upset with. She had been that age herself once, and gone through that three times with her own kids. It had been quite awhile, but it still came somewhat naturally to her. 

“You should use the dry-erase markers instead though,” Maureen re-directed her. “Those work better with my whiteboard. And remember, be careful with it. It’s my lucky whiteboard, you know.” 

Livi nodded, and used the dry-erase markers instead, after some hesitancy. 

John looked embarrassed, and Maureen realized he probably hadn’t noticed. But he had still been letting Livi draw on the whiteboard without permission. 

So she took him aside and asked him about it. 

“- so you’re teaching her to be a vandalist? I know you told me you had that stage as a teen, but really? John, you have no idea how hard this is to watch-” 

“I’m sorry Maureen, but she’s a kid. You have every reason and right to be mad at me right now, h-heck, I deserve it, but Livi’s just a little kid trying to express herself. She’s had a hard life, and she’s like five-”

“I know, John. But letting her draw all over my whiteboard?” 

“I was trying to see if she could use the whiteboard to tell us how she was feeling, you know, since she doesn’t talk very much? But I forgot about the markers, dam- dang,” He looked over to make sure Livi wasn’t listening. She was still happily drawing.

 “Darn. I mean, that wasn’t okay, but I’m pretty sure we can fix it. I know some old tricks from when I was in the SEALs, and hey, we can call Don, I’m sure he knows how to get that stuff off. And Robot was just here too, I’m sure he can get it off. But I just figured that you and I, the whole family writes and draws and leaves little messages on that whiteboard- I didn’t realize, I’m sorry.” 

“I wrote on that whiteboard just this morning,” said Maureen. “But it got erased, didn’t it?”

“Yea… yea, Livi was playing with it and- it’s my fault. I should’ve just gotten a different whiteboard for her, I mean I know we have more than one, but I should’ve remembered this one’s special to you.” 

“John, you and I know full well that it’s not just about the whiteboard. I know there aren’t as many chores I need to list now that we don’t all live in the Jupiter, but that whiteboard still represents structure for me. It’s a metaphor, you know. You can add to it, but it feels like this is all just erasing our past, erasing all our progress. I’m fine with adding Livi to our family tapestry, I understand that. But erasing what we have?”

“She didn’t know what she was doing,” John said patiently. “But I did. I mean, I didn’t back then. I still don’t know what happened, how I have a daughter I never knew about. But like I said to Will once, we can’t change the past, we have to live with our history. I have to live with mine, and try to never hurt you again. And I failed, even at something as simple as this. I’m sorry, Maureen-” 

“I believe you, John. I do believe you, that you didn’t know.” said Maureen. “But I don’t know how I can reconcile this… with anything. It just doesn’t fit what I dreamed about, for us, for our family. It’s nothing about Livi. It’s you and me. I just- again, I can’t right now. I thought I was ready, but I’m not. I should go, I have things to take care of.” 

“Wait, I love-” 

She was practically already out the door before John could finish. He sighed to himself, angry that he had let this happen. But then he looked at Livi, still sitting on the table, looking up from her drawing. He knew she seemed to be in her own world, and he hoped she couldn’t understand what had happened between him and Maureen. But he couldn’t understand any of this either. 

He had missed so many Christmases, and then they had gotten lost, and he had lost even more time with his kids again. Now, it was going to be Holiday break, and everyone was going to be in that tiny Robinson home much more, all together. John felt his dreams of a happy family be gradually wiped away, like Maureen’s notes on the whiteboard…

Maureen realized how pointless going home had been once she was back in the Chariot. She would pick up Penny and Will soon anyway, but first, she had something else she needed to do. 

She drove around in the Chariot some more, and decided to turn on the radio again, to the vintage and classic music station. Anything to drown out the pain. 

Most of the channels were broadcasting Christmas and Holiday music, but Maureen just wasn’t in the mood unless it was something like Silent Night, but it was daytime, so not that. And not that Space-a-delic music either, it didn’t fit the mood. She changed stations again. Maybe something happy wouldn’t be bad after all.

“- an expert, at sorry, and keeping lines blurry.”

Oh. 

“Never impressed by me acing your tests, all the girls that you run dry have tired lifeless eyes, cause you Burned. Them. Out.” 

Oh no. 

Maureen hoped no-one she knew was in charge of the colony’s music channels, not that most people used them anymore. 

But of all Taylor Swift’s songs, it just had to be this one. It was an amazing song for sure, Maureen had listened to so much in her Swiftie era when she was younger, which other than her ever present Horse girl era was maybe the only popular taste she had ever had, but her music had always been just so good. But it was uncomfortably resonant now. 

“But I took your matches, before fire could catch me, so don’t. look. now. I’m shining like fireworks OVER YOUR SAD EMPTY TOWWNNNN!!!!!”

Okay, but it was still such a powerful song though. Maureen hadn’t heard it in forever, and she knew Taylor’s ex-boyfriend was not at all the same as her husband. The circumstances were totally different, her John had never treated her awfully, or had an inappropriate power dynamic or anything so horrible. But something about it still really seemed to speak to her across time and space. 

“DEAR JOHN, I see it all now that you’re gone…” 

For once, Maureen sang along. 

Maureen spent about an hour at the colony courthouse, hoping she could keep her promise. After that, she drove to the unused Jupiter on the outskirts of town that had been converted into a prison. 

“The prisoner’s all ready for transport,” said a familiar figure, stepping down the ramp. “You sure about this?”

“Yes, I am. Thanks, Neil.” Maureen said awkwardly. 

Neil Caird-Penn was the same security chief who she had to talk into not arresting her when she led that mutiny on the Resolute. Now, he was chief of security at the colony, and the one who had helped her get a certain someone released for the holidays, even after all she was charged with, and even after what had happened when Maureen and John had gotten Hastings released… but Neil had a good reason for helping her. 

“By the way, I was so happy to hear about you and Anton” Maureen told him. “I’m sorry I didn’t get to be there since I was working on the Solidarity, but I heard it was beautiful.” 

“Aw, thanks. It means a lot. You know, though I may not always agree with your kind of methods, and how you don’t seem to care about the rules… like at all, I’ll always be grateful to you for bringing Anton and I together like that. So I trust you have a reason for letting this criminal out, and that’s why I agreed to help you with this, because I felt I owed you one. And I’m sorry to hear about what’s been going on in your family.” 

“Thank you, Neil. And it’s alright, we’ll get through it, like everything else. But I really appreciate it.”

“Just try not to break any more rules in the future. It’s getting a little hard to explain, you know?” 

“Ooh, Maureen is a rulebreaker!” said a very distinctive voice. “Be careful though, don’t wanna end up like me, now do you? Er, I mean, how I was. I’m not like that now, of course. Hello again, Maureen. The prodigal daughter has returned!”

“Now wait a minute, you’re not my daughter, I wouldn’t go that far.” 

“Prodigal sister?”

“Fine.” 

Two other security guards led Dr. Smith down the ramp, and Maureen could see that she was walking slowly, wearing an ankle monitor. But she spread her arms wide.

“Ahhh! Fresh air! Sunlight! I forgot how much I missed that…” Dr. Smith walked up to Maureen and gave her a very awkward but genuine hug. “Human contact! You know, believe it or not, I even missed that-” 

“Oh, I believe it, Smith.” 

“So you’re really going to invite me into your lovely home?” 

“Yes. But first, you’re coming with me to pick up Penny and Will from school for break. They’re going to be very happy to see you… I think.”

“I’m so glad to hear that Will is back from his trip. Letters are one thing, but it will be good to see everyone. And ooooh, the school! I should really see about applying to be a teacher… a French teacher at least, I do miss that, and I’ve been doing plenty of studying during my hmm, little reflection period.” 

“I’m afraid you’ll have to wait in the Chariot. You’re allowed to be in our house, but criminals on bail aren’t allowed near the school, it’s colony rules.” 

“Well, so much for being free as a bird. I would say I’m just the pet bird, but if that were true, Don West would like me. You know, a lot of people won’t be happy to see me out here. I wouldn’t want to spoil Christmas, right.”

“I know that, Smith. But Christmas is already pretty spoiled this year, having you around will only add to the experience. I didn’t want you to miss out.”

“So kind of you Maureen.” said Smith. “No, I mean that genuinely. I know I’ll have to go back after this… but it means a lot that you would do this for me. I never really got closure with anyone, I wouldn’t want those kids to think I forgot them!” 

“Don’t worry. They know.” 

“And John? How will he feel about having me around the house?”

“Let’s just say it will be a surprise for everyone.”

“Mm. ‘Tis the season of surprises!” Smith declared, as Maureen helped her into the Chariot. 

Chapter Text

After what felt like forever, school was finally over, and though there was no winter at the time, there was still winter break. “Bye Ms. Janila, I’ll see you after break!” Will called out brightly to the music teacher, who had taught him back on Earth too, and had finally made it to Alpha Centauri in the 25th colonist group.

“See ya later, Mr. Jackson! Happy Holidays!” Penny waved to her own teacher, before catching up with her brother and Vijay.

Fortunately, Liam and his family had taken their Jupiter on a skiing retreat to a colder part of the planet, so she and Vijay didn’t have to worry about that awkwardness. They stepped out the clear front doors and into the parking lot of the Goddard school.

Will took one last look at the school building. “I wish we could have shown Robot the school, it would have been more fun with him there.”

“I don’t know, is take-your-Robot-friend to school day a thing?” Penny wondered. “I know take-your-chicken-to-work day exists according to Don, but that’s totally different.”

“Yea. Totally.” said Will.

“I mean lots of people are friends with robots now…”

“Yea, but I set the trend!”

“Whoa, is my little brother turning into a ‘popular kid’ now that he’s a teen? Nooo, don’t let the fame get to your head, when I’m published soon, you’ll see-”

“Bye Will!” called a girl rushing past as if on cue. “Merry almost Christmas! I’ll- I’ll get you something!”

“Thanks Elise, you too! I’ll uh, I’ll get you something too. Promise.” Will said awkwardly.

“It’s weird. It’s like everyone knows me now, when back on Earth I was always just bullied in school, or just so anxious and scared. But now, even when Robot’s not here, I do feel more confident, you know? But it still makes me anxious that like, literally everyone knows me?”

“Yea. Even on Earth, Judy and I met this girl, Macie, we told you about that right?”

“Only about fifty or sixty times, approximately. I’ve been counting. It’s like when you were telling me about those books with the super obvious foreshadowing.”

“Whoa, you actually listened to that? Well, she wasn’t in the 25th, so she won’t be here for a while, but she was really into you! I was not expecting-.”

“I know right? Lots of people want to be my friend now!” Will said. He still had that sweet and wholesome look in his eyes, even after growing up.

“Mhm. Friends. Sure.” Penny smiled.

“You know, I’m kinda lucky.” said Vijay.

“Just kinda?” Penny teased.

“Nah, you’re right, very lucky. Extremely.” Vijay took a deep breath. “What I meant is, I’m like the colonial representative’s son, I thought everybody would recognize me and whisper about me, but then your family showed up, and now everyone is all focused on you, and I can blend in again and be my sweet shy self, you see?”

“Nah, but you’re one of us now. One of the family!” said Penny. “You get special Robinson privileges-”

“Aww-”

“Like the worst possible thing happening every week, like I always say, drama will find us.”

“I thought it was umm… danger will find us?” Will interjected.

“You just love to get that ‘Danger Will’ pun in there, don’t you-”

“Mhm” Will grinned. “And I guess the ‘find’ part too!”

“Seriously, maybe we should stick with the Robinsons Stick Together, I mean Judy always says that one-”

“Yea. But I hope we can stick together for break.” Will’s smile faded as he left the school, and remembered what he was coming home to. “But the holiday festival and the parade are soon! We’re all going, right? Trust me, you don’t wanna miss it, I know you and Vijay have all your dates but-”

“Are you kidding? Of course we’re going there, it’s a perfect place for a date too, right Vijay?”

“Um, ye-a, of course.”

“Hey, no pressure though, I know you don’t really celebrate as much-”

“Oh yea? Well my dad’s been planning this parade anyway, it’s going to be pretty cool. I think.”

“Yea, that’s true, your dad is pretty freaking cool,” said Penny, still thinking about her own and what was going on with him and her new little sister.

“And the robots have all been planning something too. A special surprise, I think you’re all gonna love it.” said Will.

“I just hope that, and the parade distracts everyone from staring at us.” Penny pointed to some other students in the distance who quickly turned away. “I have that problem too. Like it was one thing when we were like, cool-famous, then it was kinda fun. Yea, yea, I know we all had that whole renegade wanted delinquents era on the Resolute, but we were still cool. Now everyone has heard the rumors, and now we’re controversial-famous. Which is… definitely not as fun.”

“Yea, there’s a lot of gossip about you guys, not gonna lie.” said Vijay. “But hmm, if everyone starts to stare, I’ll just start singing O Come All Ye Faithful and playing my guitar really loud, then they’ll just focus on me.”

“Aww, really Vijay? That’s really sweet and all, but er, why O Come All Ye Faithful? I don’t even like that song and I forget the words-”

“Uhhhm, isn’t it about a waterfall? Like where we went on our first… our first real date? Even though it was dried up, it still reminds me of then-”

“If you mean Old Faithful on Earth, that’s like a geyser, not a waterfall.” said Will.

“You know the randomest things-”

“What, Dad told me about it-” Will trailed off, his father still on his mind as he remembered the good times. But the disappointing times were creeping back into his memory now too. He had always felt a little awkward about being the youngest Robinson, always the baby of the family. But now? He didn’t know what to feel.

“Yea, okay, geyser or waterfall, I don’t think that’s what the song is about.” said Penny. She whispered to Vijay. “Also I’m all about irony and sarcasm and sarcastic irony and stuff, but I’m not sure I’m ready to hear a song with ‘faithful’ in it so much, you know? Because of the thing with my parents-” She had been thinking about it a lot too.

“Oh crap! Sorry, really the wrong thing to say. I’m sorry, I’ll pick a different song.”

“It’s all good, Vijay. I know it’s awkward for us with my thing with you and Liam too… but you and I are together now, for good. Nothing’s gonna change that, okay?.”

“I promise.” said Vijay, kissing Penny right outside the school gates.

“I should get Robot to hold some mistletoe above you guys!” said Will.

“Hey, you’re tall enough now that you can probably reach.”

“Nooo I don’t want to do it! That’s gross!”

“Okay, okay, fair enough,” Penny laughed. Height aside, Will was still her little brother. But then something else caught her eye. “Oh, I think that’s our Chariot over there! I wonder why Mom parked so far away?”

“Ahh, there are my parents too. Okay, see you lots over break, Penny-”

“See ya Vijay! I’ll save some oreos for you!” Penny waved at him, and she and her brother walked to the Chariot.

Not far away, Samantha was also walking through the school grounds, accompanied by the Adler boys.

Even though Samantha had lived on a planet for almost a year with many, many kids her age, she had never really made friends with most of them. Making friends was really hard for her, maybe because she had been alone for so long?

Before being one of the ninety-seven, she had been alone on the Resolute for all those months. Just her and the monster who she had later learned wasn’t really a monster at all. She had even made friends with one of the robots not long ago, so she tried not to be scared.

But she still had nightmares about that time. Back then she didn’t know how many months it was, those cold hallways and passageways felt like the whole world back then. Then she had finally been reunited with her mom, but it wasn’t long before she was alone again. The Resolute that had once been her personal home was gone.

Instead, it was a foggy place that felt just like her first home, like when her and her dad went hiking in the hills and took a picture right in front of a rainbow together. That was how she remembered him. Now that he was gone, why were people saying other things about him? It wasn’t right. Samantha didn’t understand. Her father was in the Hall of Heroes. He was a hero. He would not have been with anyone else except her mom. Right?

She was not alone on that planet, there were so many kids her age, and all were without their parents. But somehow, she had never made too many friends even with all of that in common.

She wanted to spend time with Judy, the one who had found her, but she had so many other kids to take care of then, she found it hard to get the same kind of attention as before. There was Dr. Smith, but it took a long time before she stopped avoiding her. Samantha really liked Dr. Smith, and didn’t understand why she would always stay away like that. But that woman, Jessica… was that really her sister? She remembered her mom talking to Jessica, and her dad talking about Jessica. She even remembered seeing her before. She just wished she could know what had actually happened. Maybe. She didn’t know for sure.

Then Judy had gotten her dad back. Her bio-dad. Samantha couldn’t help but be jealous, and wondered if her own dad was still out there somewhere too. Grant Kelly was gone for like… all of Judy’s life? So there was a chance that maybe she would see hers someday too. That was what she held onto. But her mom had been spending more time with Grant Kelly. She didn’t know what that was. But she hoped that if he spent more time with her mom, maybe Judy would spend more time with her too?

But now that she lived at the colony, she had finally made some friends, two brothers who had already been living there, Willem and Henry Adler. Samantha didn’t know if they were older or younger than her, but she did know their dad, Ben Adler, who had been the one to reunite her with her mom on that sandy planet. But then he had been lost too. They understood what it was like to lose a dad and never see him again. And Samantha could tell them stories of their dad too, from the short time she had known him. And both Adler boys were very quiet, like her, so they made the perfect friends.

“There’s Will Robinson…” Henry pointed as Will walked away with his sister. “He was so nice to us, telling us about our dad. Should we… should we go so say hi?

“Okay…” said Willem shyly.

“Judy’s not there.” Samantha pointed out sadly. While Penny and Will were celebrities on their own, Samantha was most interested in Judy, the first one to find her. “She must be at work.”

“Let’s surprise them.” said Henry. “C’mon”

Samantha and the Adler boys followed, but soon lost them in a crowd of students. Crawling through small tunnels was easy for her, but she got very overwhelmed sifting through big crowds, especially students much older than her. Then through the passing people, Samantha saw her mom calling her in the distance, always wanting to keep her in sight.

“We lost them,” Henry said. Willem shrugged. Their mom, Amanda, was also waiting by a Chariot calling them.

“Maybe… maybe they’ll go to the festival too.” Samantha suggested. “And Judy will be there too…” she added softly to herself as she walked away.

Penny and Will finally reached the Chariot where Maureen was waiting, but when they climbed in, they were not prepared for what awaited them.

Will often found himself having panic attacks, everyone acted like they would just go away now that he was all grown up and a badass who befriended robots, explored new worlds, walked right up to SAR and survived a literal knife through the heart. But anxiety didn’t work like that, it was always something he lived with, and he accepted that. But he did not often scream, not after all he had seen in space. But when he saw who was in the front seat next to his mom, he let out a small scream of surprise.

“Ahh! What?! Smith?! Dr. Smith? You’re here…”

“Hello kids.” She grinned. “Miss me?”

Penny’s face froze in a dramatic gasp. “But… how.”

“Well you know, you kids get winter break… I get prison break.” Smith said nonchalantly.

“Stoppp, I didn’t break you out-” Maureen laughed.

“You totally broke her out, Mom.” said Penny.

“Definitely.” Will echoed.

“Well, I may have pulled some strings, but this is just for the holidays.” said Maureen.

“Oh my God, Mom-” Penny gapsed again.

“Umm, Dr. Smith… I’m sorry that I never really visited.” said Will.

“Hey. Don’t be. You had your whole robot human expeditionary, whatever you call it. And I didn’t even want any of you to know that I was locked up anyway.”

“I… I missed you.” said Will, hugging her. Smith moved back in surprise. “You really mean it?”

“Yea.” Will nodded. “Actually yea.”

Penny joined in on the hug. “I MISSED YOU TOO!!!”

Dr. Smith was overwhelmed with joy. She wasn’t sure how they would react, if they would have moved on from her.

“So, you’re taking the front seat though?” Will asked.

“Oh no, I’ll move to the back.” Smith climbed over the seat.

“I’ll sit in the back with you.” said Penny, joining her. “You know what, me too.” Will walked around to the back, and soon Smith was sandwiched between the two of them.

“Oooof, it’s cramped back here, but not as cramped as being stuck in a box hurtling through space. And definitely not as cramped as prison. I’ll take it. You know, it’s worth it to see you two again! I feel like I missed so much…”

As they drove home, Maureen smiled as she heard Penny and Will share stories with Dr. Smith. Will told her all about his adventures in the Exploratory Group. “You and Robot went off in the Jupiter without me? Oh, I thought that was… our thing! You, me and Robot.”

“Hey, maybe you can come next time. It wasn’t the same without you flying the ship!” Will smiled.

Penny also shared some of what she had been doing too. “I can’t wait for you to read all of Chapter One! Don’t worry, I think you’ll like how I wrote about you. And your new hair’s still cool!”

“Aw, thanks. But… wait, didn’t I already read Chapter One?”

“No, now the whole thing is Chapter One.”

“The whole book is Chapter One? Hmm, I like it. I respect it, you know, one long eventful chapter is better than lots of little short filler chapters where hardly anything happens. Isn’t that just boring?”

“I mean exposition and character moments- ahhh fine, I guess so.” Penny admitted. “But Chapter Two is going to be dramatic in a different way. I’m glad you’re still part of it, though.”

“Oh trust me, I’ll be the life of the party…”

Maureen listened as her kids reconnected with Smith. She knew they had a special connection, spending so much time together on that planet, and knew that seeing her free and home with them for Christmas would be just what they needed. She wasn’t sure how her eldest daughter or her husband would react, though…

Chapter Text

“Smith in our house?!” John asked, after they had gotten home. “For Christmas?!”

“Don’t be so surprised, John. I’m like the elf on the shelf. Never know where I’m gonna turn up next.”

Maureen stepped in front of her and her husband.

“Well its not like she can have her own house, John? And you’re sleeping on the Jupiter, so… “

“You’re letting her use our room?”

“No, pre-fab houses can have more than one guest room since they are all the same. But for now she can sleep on the couch.”

“Hmmm, an actual house on Alpha Centauri. Never been in one of these before.” Smith paced around, arms spread wide. “Eh, it could still use an interior decorator. Pre-fab is right, it’s far from fabulous. These windows, what is- what is going on here? It still looks a bit like a cage to me, but it’s better than prison-”

“Well, I did work on some of this decoration,” said Maureen. “It was a team effort.”

“Mm, Maureen, your skills at designing spaceships are very impressive…” said Smith. “Your decorating skills, though…” she trailed off.

“Well, you can help with the Christmas decorating, we still need to get all our lights an ornaments up-”

“What is going on here?” John wondered. “You’re supposed to be in prison?!”

“But I won’t get time!” Smith sang. “Sorry, Maureen and I were listening to some songs in the Chariot.”

“Did you know about this?” John turned to his wife in shock. “You picked her up with the kids?”

“It’s just for Christmas, John. And she has an ankle monitor, so she had to be close to me where I can keep her out of trouble.”

“Just great.” John said sarcastically. “You know, during our first Christmas with her we were keeping her locked in the airlock- and Smith, don’t you try that historical Christmas truce excuse like that time, as a soldier it’s not the same thing-”

“Well you know, Auld Lang Syne…”

“Well a lot’s changed since then, hasn’t it?” Maureen pointed out. “I mean, you have Livi here. If you’d rather, Smith can sleep in the Jupiter with you?”

“No way. Livi’s just a kid, Smith’s- I don’t know what she is really, or what to think about her.”

“Oh really John, you and I teamed up before, remember, we had a whole thing going? You told me about your own… complicated past, right? We all make mistakes, but we all should be able to grow… by the way, if you and Maureen ever need couple’s counseling, I’ve offered it.”

“You think you- ah, you know what thank you.” said John with a sigh. He knew he was in no position to try to get rid of her, and honestly he would take any help he could get to repair the broken trust between him and his wife. Even if it was help from a certain ‘therapist’.

“Hmm, and where’s the little one? I’d just love to meet her.”

“No way in-” John started. Livi emerged shyly. “Who’s that?” she asked in her high wavery voice, still seemingly not used to talking.

“She’s like our cool aunt.” Penny explained. “Or weird aunt.”

“Cool weird aunt.” Will smiled.

“Hello… Olivia?”

“Livi!”

“Hey Livi.”

Then Livi ran over and hugged Dr. Smith’s leg. “Mommy!” she said brightly.

Everyone gasped in horror. “WHAT?!”

Dr. Smith smiled awkwardly as Livi hugged her leg. She had been annoyed by kids in the past, but gained a new respect for them as their teacher when she ended up being a rare responsible adult in a sea of temporarily orphaned children on an alien world. And of course, she loved all of the Robinson kids, even with those annoying tendencies of theirs. But she found herself feeling really emotional as Livi hugged her and tried to pull at the shimmery purple scarf she had changed into that seemed to match the sequins on her dress. “Oooh, sequins” Smith smiled. “I used to make such a mess with Jessica’s, wait why is everyone staring like that?”

“Um, she just called you ‘Mommy’. “ said Penny. “What the hel-heck!?”

“John, if you had an affair with Smith, I swear to God-” Maureen whispered.

“What?! Maureen I don’t even like her, uh no offense. And Livi was apparently born before we left Earth, before I even knew her.”

“But you had amnesia, and she could have had a different identity. And you both spent a lot of your life on boats, it’s not impossible.”

“I think I was at sea right before I blacked out and got amnesia..” John remembered. “But the ocean’s a big place, it’s just not likely to me. I’d remember-”

“Not if you had amnesia.”

“Okay fine…”

“Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind… just kidding. I can assure you, John Robinson, you’re not my type.” Smith rolled her eyes. “And I never met you before we were lost. But if you insist, you already have a sample of my blood stored on the Jupiter 2. We can check, if you’d like.” said Smith.

“Yea, Judy will be home soon, maybe she’ll run a test.” John added. “But I’m not sure she’ll be too happy to see you. Either way, we really shouldn’t talk about this in front of Livi.”

Livi was still playing contentedly with Smith’s unravelling scarf, still holding onto her like she was her mom…

“Okay, WHAT IS HAPPENING?!” Will wondered. All of this was so extreme that he couldn’t even be upset, just shocked and confused. .

For once, Penny was at a loss for words.

Judy was used to surprises. Her dad had always told her rule number one was to expect the unexpected, and all the years later, through all the ups and downs, he was still right about that.

After running across her long lost biological father who had been presumed dead her entire life by chance on a shattered planet that just happened to be the alien robots’ homeworld, while in command of a ship full of ninety-seven children, she now totally believed that anything could happen and nothing really surprised her anymore.

But some things were so shocking that she couldn’t possibly expect, like coming home to find Smith of all people not only out of prison, but also alleged to be the mother of her adopted dad’s secret daughter. That was not how she thought her day was going to go. But she decided to do the blood test anyway.

The old med-bay felt comfortingly familiar in the midst of a strange situation. With all of them and Smith aboard the Jupiter 2 again, it felt just like old times. Well, sort of.

“Oh come on, Judy, aren’t you happy to see me?”

“I have… a lot of questions, but they can wait. Let’s just go through with this test, okay? I still have your extra blood sample stored away somewhere from that transfusion.”

“Ooooh, can I see it?” Smith asked a little too eagerly.

“Uh, no. Just sit still and wait, I might need to take a new sample.”

“Good luck getting Livi to sit still.” Penny pointed out, as Livi climbed up to touch the hexagonal patterns on the clear medbay wall, mesmerized

“Actually I was talking about Smith.”

“Oh, I’m a ‘good girl’.” Smith smiled brightly, sitting down on the other medical bed.

“Dr. Smith, I mean this in the best way, but you’re definitely a bad girl” Penny told her. “And that’s a compliment.”

“Ooh, but bad girls are the coolest, right? I like it. As long as I still get presents. Why is everyone looking at me?!”

“But you too Livi,” said Judy. “Don’t worry, this will just-”

“Mommy, Daddy…” Livi said. Smith and John awkwardly tried to comfort her as Judy prepared to take the sample, and Maureen and Will just stared.

“This is probably a waste of time, there’s no way Smith and I-” John started. “And look, let’s think of this realistically, if Livi was born about five, almost six years ago? Then uh, wouldn’t Smith still have been a little old to uh,- I mean I know it can happen, but-”

“Well that’s pretty rude…” Smith said indignantly. “Just how old do you think I am? Younger than you, I’m sure- well, unlike my sister, I don’t feel the need to lie about my age, you know.”

“Yea, actually with the advances in IVF, it’s not too uncommon to give birth much older now.” Judy took her dad aside. “Would you ever have been a donor?”

“Not- I don’t think so.” said John.

“It would explain how you never met Smith though. And it would mean you didn’t do that to Mom.”

“I’m- I’m trying to remember-” John started. “But we still have no proof that the Smith thing is true-”

“We’ll see pretty soon.” Maureen said pretty soon. “In my field, it’s important to make sure we consider all possibilities, even ridiculous or disturbing ones, in order to narrow it down .”

“Totally understandable, Maureen.” Smith shifted awkwardly.

“Well, this is my field right now, Mom” said Judy. “So I’ll just do this, okay? Let’s not wait any longer”

“Here, it’s okay Livi, don’t be scared.” said Will. He didn’t know why he was trying so hard to comfort her. He was really struggling with not being the youngest, with his dad hurting his mom, his whole family. But when he saw Livi looking so anxious and fidgety as Judy tried to get the sample, Will remembered when he was the smallest, and so afraid and anxious. He had always been the baby, and Judy and Penny had always protected him. So he felt compelled to do the same, and be there for his … his younger sister. No matter what happened.

“It’s okay Livi” he smiled at her, gently taking her hand.

Judy administered the test. It wouldn’t be as perfectly accurate as at the hospital, but it was something.

“Okay.” said Judy, when the results came in. “It’s negative.”

John breathed a sigh of relief, and he could hear the sigh echo around the room like a chorus, from everyone.

“Whew” said Penny. “That would have been a crazy plot twist, but I’m still glad that’s not true,”

“Yea, that would’ve been the real worst case scenario” Judy replied. “There is something off about this though. The results aren’t coming through right. I’m going to leave her sample in processing here and study it some more later, see if there’s anything I missed.”

“The plot thickens…” Penny and Dr. Smith whispered at the same time. “Hey, jinx!”

“See, I missed this.” said Smith. “They say prison is dramatic but it’s just a bunch of waiting around. This Robinson family drama and intrigue… there’s nothing better. I mean, sorry. I’m sorry for what your family is going through.”

“Our family.” said Will. “You’re one of us, you always will be. Even though I am glad that the thing about you and my Dad isn’t true, cause that would just be pretty weird-”

Livi didn’t seem to understand what was going on, and everyone was careful with what they said, not wanting to shatter her world. But afterwards, Smith explained her view of this whole situation.

“I may not be an actual family therapist,” she confessed. “But I do know what it’s like. It seems like she just sees me as a mother figure, and latched onto me. Cause I’m such a maternal person, right?”

“In your own way.” Maureen admitted.

“This also means she may not know who her real mother is.” said Smith. “So finding that out will give us the answers we need. And I think I know how.”

“Lemme guess, counseling?” John asked.

“No! Hypnosis.” Dr. Smith declared dramatically.

“Are you kidding me right now?” John asked incredulously.

“Dad, that’s my line-” Penny said. “But yea, I didn’t know that was a thing you could do?”

“I’m a very persuasive woman, and I didn’t get that way just by my, mmm, natural charisma alone.” Smith shrugged. “Although that helped. Definitely helped, trust me. But I learned a few tricks about recovering repressed memories. To bring you back to that time.”

Smith remembered when she had done this with Angela Goddard back on that very first planet, how the poor woman had been so traumatized by her husband’s passing. And how she had taken advantage of that, only made her feel worse, manipulated her into doing horrible things.

Smith felt awful about it in retrospect, and where even was Angela now? She hoped she had survived in the year she had been away. Just one more person to make amends to, but Smith was committed to making up for her past, and if using her considerable skills for good would help her found family in any way, she was determined to do it. She just hoped it would make things better this time, not bring up more heartache. Especially for Maureen and her kids.

“It sounds like it’s worth a shot, Dad.” said Judy.

“Huh. Well this is already so crazy. Guess it can’t hurt to try one more thing…” John said reluctantly. He really didn’t like the idea of hypnosis, especially not at the hands of someone like Smith. But he was ready to try anything to find out what really happened, wherever it would lead him…