Shaking her head, Sheena laughed softly. "No. I was over Scott well before I came here. I just hadn't broken it off. He's married anyway. He'll not miss me."
"A married man?" Angus rolled his eyes. "Ya can do a lot better than the likes of him, Sheena. Even fecking Nate is better than that."
Sheena laughed. "Agreed, but nothing with Nate is going to work out. I've given him chance after chance to tell me about you two. He never has and I don't expect he ever will."
"Huh," Angus said. "How did ya find out about us then?"
Sheena gave her sister a warning look before meeting Angus's curious gaze. Bri held up her hands in protest and rolled her eyes.
"Best not to ask me that question, Angus. Those blissfully ignorant can't be accused of any wrongdoing."
Angus laughed. "Would that be MacNamara logic?"
"No, something my mother used to tell me," Sheena admitted. "So probably more O'Shea logic than MacNamara. My mother was a peace lover."
"Nothing wrong with that," Angus declared.
Sheena let out a breath. "There's one other thing I need to tell you before we can talk about normal things again." She paused and looked at them. "I applied to be your DNA owner. Well, actually Bri and I both did. You see, if you're a clone, you're the responsibility of the people whose DNA was used to create you. I wanted to make sure you were mine and Bri's, just in case you ever needed serious legal help."
"I see. So like an adoption then?" Angus asked.
"Yes. Exactly like an adoption," Bri burst out, clapping her hands.
Sheena sighed heavily. "Bri and I will have final say on any decisions concerning you. By taking this action, we're basically making sure Nate doesn't have control."
Erin looked at Angus. "I trust ya, Sheena. Do ya trust her, Angus?"
Angus nodded his head slowly. "Yes and I'd like to think the originals would have been pleased that their daughters showed up to help us. This all has a fated feel to it, don't ya think, Erin?"
"I agree. It definitely has a fated feel," Erin replied.
"I'm not sure about fate," Sheena said dryly, "but I know how much clout my parents had on New Earth. I'm not about to let Nate's dysfunctional family mess with mine. That includes Carleton and Elsa. As soon as I get some new security put into place at the castle, we can all go home. If you guys want to come back here and keep working on the airship, that's up to you. Until the castle is secure again, I'm staying nearby."
Angus sighed. "Yer a fine woman, Sheena MacNamara. Yer parents would have been proud as could be if they'd lived to see ya like this." He looked at Bri too. "Yar both fine women."
"Did ya say ya intend to increase security at the castle, Sheena? Angus, tell Sheena about our idea. Maybe we can all work on it together. Then we wouldn't need the Guardians to give us anything but their blessing that the weddings can happen."
Angus waved at the humming ball on the table. "Ya can turn that bugger off and save the battery, lass. What I'll be sharing is no secret around here. I've personally told everyone but the Guardians. Erin sweet talked Director John into taking it forward to them."
Nodding, Sheena reached out and turned off her white noise creator. It would take far too long to explain perpetual energy to Universe 6 humans. Their universe had obviously been less technologically developed. Best they think for now that they were being helpful in conserving.
"Let me run get us an ale and we'll have ourselves a nice talk about the castle. It's a grand place. We only visited once, but Erin and I loved it."
Sheena nodded and hoped she was doing the right thing.
Chapter Thirteen
"Thank you, Berg. I'll only be a moment."
Sheena walked quietly into medical, looking around for a healer. She'd brought lots of things with her, but no sleep aides. Tonight she really needed one. She'd lived on stimulants for two days and her body was in total rebellion.
Her heart lurched when she saw him. Hunched over the bench, and wearing a healer's jacket, Nate read notes scrolling by on the com. Now and again, he'd bookmark a notation for later.
She cleared her throat to keep from startling him. Nate swung around on his stool and nearly fell off of it when he saw her.
"Very smooth, Admiral."
Nate's mouth twisted into a smirk. "Wasn't expecting anyone. What's got you wandering around alone?"
"Berg is here," a determined voice declared.
Sheena dropped her head to laugh.
"Sorry, Berg. I should have known you'd look out for her," Nate said solemnly. His gaze returned to Sheena. "Need something?"