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First Time Seeing His Parents Again
As much as Mark appreciated NASA for the whole 'discovering he was alive and putting together a plan to save him' thing, he couldn't help but detest them a little in the days following his return to Earth.
Perhaps that was unfair. It was the guidelines he hated; the need to check pretty much every aspect of his anatomy to make sure that his body still functioned properly, when all he really wanted to do was go home and sleep.
He knew that the others felt the same. He had seen Chris spend hours on the phone, assuring his sister that she could see him soon, and both Vogel and Martinez were anxious to see their wives and children again. Beth had had to send messages to her parents through nurses to ensure them that she was okay. It seemed a tad excessive, keeping a barrier between them and the rest of the world even now, but the doctors had their reasons. They couldn't very well be sent into the wild with radiation poisoning or dangerously low bone mass after all - worst case scenarios, but ones they were forced to consider nonetheless.
So yes, he accepted that NASA had their reasons and that complaining about four days of medical testing was slightly petty of him. After so long of spending his days in isolation, however, or looking out the windows into the black void of space, he was just desperate to be home and to feel somewhat normal again.
That in itself would take a while, he knew. There were nightmares to overcome, psychological evaluations to pass, and he wasn't entirely sure how deep a toll Mars had taken on his mind.
He had a plan though. It had been agreed that he would live with Chris and Beth until he felt truly comfortable with being on his own. With Chris being his long-suffering doctor and probably the only man alive who knew how to help him through intense nightmares, it seemed the best option. Mark would just have to keep his distance from the two love-birds when they were being sickeningly adorable.
After a few sleepless hours of dwelling on everything from his time on Mars to his uncertain future - all while staring up at a white ceiling - he was dragged out of his thoughts by a light knock on the door. Turning his head, he saw a young nurse waiting by the door and gave her a polite smile before sitting up on his bed, mentally preparing himself for some last-minute test that the doctors must have forgotten. The promise of a needle or scan didn't arrive however; instead the nurse simply cleared her throat and took a small step into his room. In the low light, Mark could almost swear she was blushing, and it was an unwelcome reminder that he was probably one of the most famous people in the world right now.
"Your parents just got here," she said, and the news made Mark's heart leap in a way he hadn't expected. He'd thought about his parents less in the past few years than he probably should have – a feeble attempt to focus more on surviving than on the people who would suffer if he didn't – but he now found that he longed to see them more than anything. A slight twinge of guilt seeped into his mind when he thought about how hellish this entire experience must have been for them, but he pushed it aside as the nurse went on. "Technically we'd rather wait before letting them come in, but your test results have been better than expected so we're prepared to let that slide. Should I show them in?"
"Yes," he replied without hesitation, and she nodded before going off to fetch them. It struck him then that he had no idea what to say; there wasn't exactly a precedent for this. He tried to remember what he had asked Martinez to tell his parents if he didn't make it, but nothing came back to him and besides, it probably wouldn't apply now anyway.
When he finally heard his parents' voices making their way down the corridor, and saw them emerge in the doorway, any prospect of saying anything left him. His mom looked like she'd aged ten years in the time he'd been away and her eyes were red-rimmed, but she still had a silent strength to her that he remembered well and despite the way she froze at the sight of him, a relieved smile appeared soon enough. His dad hadn't changed much, besides some new lines on his face and his hair being far more grey than he remembered, but he too seemed frozen by the mere sight of Mark on the bed, and it made him want to leap up and hug them both and assure them that he was okay.
That probably wouldn't be wise. He was still unused to Earth gravity and would likely land on the floor in a heap if he made any wild actions, but the temptation was there all the same.
Instead he simply swung his legs over the edge of the bed and greeted them with a small smile and a feeble "Hey," which was apparently enough to break them out of their stupor.
His mom rushed towards him first and pulled him into a hug so tight he was surprised by her strength, and he wrapped his own arms around her while whispering nonsense words about him being okay in order to reassure her. He hadn't realised he'd closed his eyes until he felt his dad's arms wrap around him without warning and heard "We really missed you, Mark," and as much as he would have liked to remain cool and collected, he found a painful sob tearing its way from his throat and he hugged them impossibly tighter.
It had been hard to accept that he was going to be okay and that he was going home, even after he'd been rescued from Mars by his crew. Earth had seemed like a distant memory some days, and the people he'd left behind had felt like ghosts.
Now though, in that clean hospital room, he finally realised just how much he'd missed home, and the fact that he was finally there hit him with more force than he expected it to and left him a crying mess. His parents were quietly crying too - he could feel his mom's chest shuddering even though he knew she was probably trying to hide it - but maybe that was just what they needed.
Maybe, after so long of being millions of miles away and thinking he was going to die, all he really needed was to feel like a ten-year old again, finding refuge in his mother's arms.
First Time Going To The Movies
"We're going."
"We'll be sitting in the theatre for about eight hours, Chris!"
"I don't care, we're going. I can pay and I'll buy you that sweet popcorn you like."
"But eight hours Chris!"
"It's Star Wars! The originals! On a big-screen again! That opportunity doesn't happen every day, Mark."
It was a debate that had spanned an entire week, and one that Mark was getting more enjoyment out of than he expected to. Living with Chris and Beth had been a better idea than he ever could have imagined; teasing Chris gave his life some purpose while he waited for NASA to provide him with job opportunities, and Beth was able to work from home so he always had some company. They'd grown comfortable enough on Hermes to not be fazed by sharing a place together and his house-mates weren't so adorable that he felt the need to puke every five minutes. And, so long as he remembered to put in ear-plugs before he went to sleep, what they got up to in the late-hours didn't disturb him much either.
It did mean that they were keen to take him out occasionally though. He didn't particularly mind when they did; usually going out to the shops or for a walk in the park did him some good and the world had calmed down enough in the months since their return that they were usually left alone. Sometimes young kids would recognise him and come up to ask him about Mars, but he didn't mind so much anymore and found some enjoyment in watching their eyes widen in awe as he fed them tales of his daring escape. Just so long as nobody mentioned potatoes, everyone was happy.
He wasn't sure how he felt about the prospect of spending eight hours in a darkened room with lots of other people though. He hadn't been to a movie theatre in years and, much as he loved Star Wars, he found it odd that that was the first thing Chris wanted to drag him to after they'd just spent literally years of their lives in space.
"Won't all the inaccuracies annoy you, though?" he asked on perhaps their eighth discussion on the subject. Mark was very aware at this stage that he would likely give in, if only to stop Chris from unleashing the puppy eyes, but he had to admit that he found a lot of enjoyment in winding the man up. Beth seemed to as well; she had been sitting quietly at her laptop during their debate, but Mark hadn't missed her trying to conceal a smirk as Chris grew more desperate. "You know, sound in space and all that stuff?"
"It's more fantasy than other space movies, I'll forgive it," Chris said dismissively, before turning to Mark and unleashing the wide eyes that would make a puppy jealous. "Please, Mark? I'll miss you if it's just me and Beth."
"Oh, should I be worried?" Beth piped up for the first time, any attention she was pretending to pay to her laptop forgotten. Chris looked like he was about to become defensive, if only jokingly, but she started to laugh before he had the chance. "It would be nice to have you with us, Mark. Even if I seem to be less desperate than Bossy-Beck here."
Mark couldn't help sniggering while Chris looked between them both like he'd been betrayed. He figured it was about time to put the poor man out of his misery though. "Of course I'll go. Wouldn't miss Han Solo in glorious HD. But you are buying that popcorn."
Chris grinned before quickly snatching his laptop to book the tickets, and Mark set about mentally preparing himself for eight or so hours worth of space battles and ewoks.
He enjoyed it a lot more than he thought he would. Although, the whole 'sound in space' thing still made him cringe.
First Flashback On Earth
Nightmares, Mark could deal with. He'd had his fair share of them, even since arriving home and being in close proximity to his friends. It was easy enough to reassure his racing mind in the moments following his awakening; to look around and see a world outside his window and know that Mars was far behind him. Sometimes he would even be woken by Chris if his dreams had been intense enough to make him cry out. He hated nightmares, hated worrying his friends with them, but he could handle them at least.
He hadn't had a proper flashback since he was on Hermes however, and even that had been when they were still far closer to Mars than Earth. Chris had been there to reassure him and hold him through it, and prescribe sleeping pills to ensure he got some undisturbed rest afterwards.
He'd hoped the flashbacks had worn off or, at the very least, had only been a remnant of the fears that had plagued him in the days leading up to his rescue. He certainly wasn't prepared for one to strike in the safety of his own home.
A storm was raging outside, the first since he had returned, and all he could do was lie tense in his bed; his sheets wrapped suffocatingly around him and the sharp howling of the wind piercing his ears every time it pounded against the windows. He knew he was on Earth, deep down, but all he could think was that the wind would eventually cause life-saving canvas to rip and that it wouldn't be long before the air was sucked out of the place and he'd be left to die within seconds.
It didn't help that Chris wasn't here. He'd been called away to a medical conference and while Beth was in the house, Mark couldn't summon up the energy to call for her. He was aware that his muscles were aching from being curled up so tightly and he was trembling, his hands clenched in fists and his nails biting into his skin. He needed help, he knew, but he couldn't call for it without the sickening feeling of being alone on an entire planet trickling into his blood.
It may have been hours or mere minutes before light from the hallway spilled into his room and a familiar voice called his name from far away. He wanted to answer but he heard a pathetic whimper emerge instead, and a crash of thunder from outside made him curl even further into the sheets. He heard distant activity and subconsciously noted that a light had been switched on, before he froze as a hand started softly stroking through his hair. Though he could barely understand the voice that started to speak above him, it was familiar enough that it made him want to listen.
He couldn't tell how long his new guardian stayed by his side, whispering reassurances and holding him in a way that felt reminiscent of home, before he started to feel his heart calm down and the ache in his muscles fade as he relaxed. He opened eyes he hadn't realised he'd clenched shut and saw Beth's concerned face close to his as she knelt by his bed and helped him come back to Earth, and he couldn't remember the last time he'd been so relieved to see another human being. She smiled weakly when she saw him open his eyes, and kept running one hand through his hair while the other rested lightly on his shoulder.
"Hey," she said, and it was the first word he understood since she'd come to him. "You back with me?"
Mark couldn't be sure. The storm was still raging outside but it seemed to have calmed a little, and the feel of the sheets and the sight of his bedroom reminded him that he was home at least. He was aware of sweat dripping down his forehead and his chest hurt from holding his breath, but if he closed his eyes and tried to even out his breathing he found that it was manageable.
Not wanting to worry Beth any more than he already had, he responded with a small nod and let himself stretch out a little, groaning in relief as the tension in his muscles was released. He was aware that Beth was still making noises, humming something that may have been The Beatles, and he let himself focus on that as he rested his head against the pillow, suddenly very aware of how exhausted he was.
"Stay with me?" he asked, his voice raspier than he'd like but otherwise clear. Something crossed over Beth's face at that, something like pain or worry or both, but she gave a weak smile regardless.
"Of course. As long as you need me."
It was a reassurance that he'd desperately needed, and he reached up to clasp a hand around the one she'd placed on his shoulder before closing his eyes. If she minded she made no indication of it, and he felt her give his hand a light squeeze as he started to drift off; safe in the knowledge that Mars was far behind him.
First Time Travelling Away From Home
Germany had turned out to be as beautiful as Vogel had always promised.
Not that Mark had had any reason to doubt the man's stories on their long voyage through space, but it was nice to see the lush forests and sprawling cities come to life before his eyes, along with centuries-old castles resting on tall hilltops and small villages on the coast with yachts crowded around the bay. Mark was starting to suspect that Vogel intended on showing them every inch of his country, having already driven the length of the place from north to south, but he couldn't say he minded.
It was nice to be out of his small corner of the world. Not that the US could ever truly be considered small – Mark had had his fair share of journeys there that proved otherwise – but when one had travelled to a different planet in his lifetime, staying in one place didn't sit as naturally as it might once have done.
He'd suspected for a while that he, Chris and Beth were itching to spread their wings a little now that they'd been home for two years, and Vogel's offer to have them all round for a few weeks had been met with more enthusiasm than he'd likely anticipated. Still, it seemed to be working out well and Vogel was certainly pleased that they showed as much interest in his impromptu tours as he did, and Mark didn't feel nearly as homesick as he'd thought he would.
They'd eventually ended up back at Vogel's home, after two weeks of one-night stays at hotels and hostels, and all of his kids seemed to be thrilled to have three astronauts in their house who they deemed cooler than their dad.
Already Mark had been pressed for stories, and while his German was patchy at best, he found that he could get across a lot with wild hand gestures and exaggerated expressions, not to mention some improvisation with toy spaceships. His young audience giggled at the right moments, and on the couch behind them Chris and Beth were huddled together and listening avidly themselves, both grinning everytime they knew a story was being exaggerated to sound more exciting. It was slightly disappointing when Vogel's wife, Helena, came through to chase her children off to bed, but they seemed content with the promise of more stories in the morning. Helena smiled and thanked Mark for keeping the children entertained before following them up to their rooms and leaving him in peace.
Suddenly aware that he was exhausted, he wandered over to the couch and collapsed beside Beth, who was curled up against Chris as if he was her personal pillow. Mark adorned his typical 'my house-mates are sickeningly cute' smile that always made her blush, but made no other attempt to tease them. He did enough of that at home.
It didn't take long for the distant sounds of children protesting their bedtime to quieten from upstairs, and Vogel came through to help them set up their (thankfully quite large) sofa-bed before leaving them in peace with the promise of proper Bratwurst in the morning. Mark suspected they were all tired enough to happily drift off then and there, but he had something on his mind and waiting until morning seemed like too much effort.
"You think you two nerds will ever have tykes of your own one day?" he asked, purposefully not looking at the couple beside him and focussing on the small scattering of toys littered around the floor instead. He'd never particularly wanted kids of his own – even the idea of being in a relationship didn't overly appeal to him – but that didn't mean he'd protest to being a cool uncle or something.
Beth made a slight noise that might have been a hum and Mark turned just in time to see Chris shrug. It was probably too early to ask; despite the extreme circumstances surrounding them getting together, it had only been around three years for them both and, though they never complained about him being around, he imagined his presence must have put a dent in any hopes of having a normal relationship back home. They didn't seem to mind his question though. If anything, Beth seemed thoughtful.
"Probably not yet," she said with a slight shrug that suggested she wasn't too bothered. "Besides, we've already pretty much adopted you so I think we're set."
Mark turned to face her, the mattress creaking as he did so, and put on his best 'stern old man' face that did nothing to chase away the smirks from both her and Chris's face. "I'll have you know, I'm older than both of you. If anything, I'm the weird eccentric uncle that lives in the attic."
Chris laughed at that and Beth looked like she'd happily do the same before playfully nudging Mark's shoulder.
"I'm not sure we're meant to enjoy having a weird uncle hanging around, Mark," Chris said, trying to keep his voice down as if he was suddenly aware that his laugh could have woken an entire house.
Mark felt something warm pool in his chest as his mind put together what that meant, but he didn't linger on it. "You mean you actually like having me around all the time?"
"Well, now that you mention it..." Chris didn't get to finish before Mark hit him with a pillow, trying to avoid hitting Beth who was silently giggling between them. It almost looked like Chris was intending to retaliate before Beth put a hand on his arm.
"Relax, boys. Leave the pillow-fight for when we're not in someone else's house."
Mark grumbled jokingly, and he could swear Chris looked disappointed, but they both obeyed and settled down; the sudden quiet in the room feeling alien. As much as he was exhausted, Mark found that he'd happily endure several more hours of he and his friends joking around. He was still compensating for his isolation on Mars, after all.
It wasn't long before a light snore indicated that Chris had gone to sleep, although even in the low light Mark could tell that Beth's eyes were still open. He tapped her shoulder lightly to get her attention, not wanting to risk making too much noise and waking Chris.
"I bet you ten dollars I win the pillow-fight when we get home," he whispered when she looked at him, and her devilish smirk was the only response he needed.
"You're on."
First 'I Love You'
Mark learned sooner than he'd expected that he didn't need a fanfare or something groundbreaking in order for his world to feel complete; it could easily happen on a boring rainy day, curled up in bed and watching bad movies to pass the time.
Sharing a bed with Beth and Chris had become surprisingly normal in the weeks since their return from Germany, even if it was just to watch a movie in the evening before he wandered back to his own room. It wasn't too unusual for one or all of them to fall asleep on each other, and though he always expected to be kicked out at some point in order for his house-mates to enjoy some privacy, it hadn't happened yet.
Mark wasn't sure why this was supposed to surprise him anymore; he'd expected to be kicked out of the house the minute the nightmares started to get better or when he'd finally got another job at NASA, and yet any time he brought the subject up, Chris and Beth quickly deflected it. He wasn't sure why but he knew that he liked living with them and having them close by, and he was grateful that they hadn't tired of his presence quite yet.
He still suspected that that wouldn't last, however. Chris and Beth would get engaged eventually, he imagined. They'd get engaged and have the fairytale wedding and maybe a couple of kids, and there'd be no room for the mad old astronaut who still dreamt of Mars anymore. He wouldn't blame them when that happened – he'd intruded on their lives long enough – but it didn't mean he was looking forward to it.
Apparently he'd be thinking loudly, nestled on the bed between Chris and Beth, for he distantly heard Chris say his name and it was enough to break him out of the funk he'd gotten himself into. He turned to face the man at his side, probably looking like a deer caught in the headlights, and he noticed that none of them seemed to be focussing on the terrible movie they'd been laughing at only fifteen minutes before.
"Are you okay, Mark?" Chris asked, and he'd almost be tempted to give a jokey response if his friend didn't look so genuinely concerned. He tried to smile and wave it off before turning his attention back to the screen.
"It's nothing. Was just thinking..." He wasn't sure how to finish that sentence while sounding nonchalant, so he left it hanging. He couldn't miss the way that the resulting silence seemed to hang awkwardly over them though, or the fact that Chris was still looking at him. "I'm just wondering why you keep me around. Wouldn't you rather you got the place to yourselves?"
He turned back to Chris and was surprised to find that the man looked genuinely hurt. Mark doubted he intended to come across that way, but Chris had always been one to wear his heart on his sleeve; it was the reason the entire crew had first known he was in love with Beth after all.
"Do... Do you want to leave?" The question was hesitant, and only now did Mark realise that Beth must have lowered the volume on the TV because there was no way to distract himself from the way the idea settled uncomfortably in his gut. Of course he didn't want to leave; couldn't face going back to an empty house after spending so long living with his two best friends.
However, he also didn't want to impose on them, and they had their own lives to think about. If he was desperate, he could live with his parents. It would probably make his mom feel better to have him around.
"I don't want to leave, exactly," he started, treading carefully as if any wrong word could cause his world to explode. "But me being here was only meant to be temporary and it's not fair on you two if I'm hanging around when you have your own lives to worry about. I just... I don't understand why you'd want me to stay."
The words leapt from his mouth before he could stop them, and though Chris didn't say anything in response, he looked like he desperately wanted to. Mark noticed him catching Beth's eye, but a part of him was scared to turn around and see her reaction; as if doing so would lead to them saying that no, they didn't want him to stay, they just hadn't said as much because they were too kind to do so.
Instead, he heard Beth's voice say "We want you to stay because we love you, you idiot," and he was sure he could feel his heart stop.
It was only then that he turned to look at her, and he saw that she had that quiet determination that wouldn't be expected of one so shy, but that every member of the Hermes crew had seen often enough. Mark looked from her to Chris, who had the same look, and then back; feeling both very lost but also, deep down, as if he'd found home.
"You mean..." He was pretty sure this conversation had killed any bravado he had, for complete sentences seemed to be beyond him. "I don't understand."
"We love you, Mark," Chris said, sounding more sure than he had all day. "We love having you here with us, even when you're being annoying as hell." Mark couldn't help but laugh slightly at that, aware that Chris was still bitter about losing the pillow-fight several weeks before. "If you want to go, we won't stop you. Just know that you're always welcome to stay with us and that we love you and we'd really like it if you stayed."
Mark thought he should probably have something to say to that, but he couldn't find the words. He could stay here; he was loved here. He'd spent so long fearing he was being a nuisance in Chris and Beth's lives that he'd never really taken the time to consider that they could love being with him as much as he loved being with them, and the realisation made him feel warm and happy in a way he couldn't remember feeling in a long time. Despite not knowing what to say, he found that he was smiling and that seemed to be enough. Chris smiled too, and it was like Mark was seeing the way it lit up his whole face for the first time, and he looked round to see Beth barely concealing a grin as she looked at them both.
"You two are impossible," she said before laughing and wrapping her arms around Mark, resting her head on his shoulder. "I've chosen to love two idiots."
"If it's any consolation, I love you two nerds as well," Mark said, and even though he was only acknowledging the truth in those words for the first time, it struck him how easily they came to him; how they rang true and settled like a comfortable weight in his chest. He wasn't sure what would happen between them now, but he knew they'd figure it out and the knowledge that this was still his home and would be for as long as he wanted was more than he felt he deserved.
Chris leaned into Mark as well, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and pulling Beth closer, and it should have been cramped and uncomfortable but Mark felt like he could stay there forever. Mars had made him touch-starved – more so than he'd like to admit – and he could hug these two for years if it meant that he was compensated for those endless sols of isolation.
"Can you imagine if this had happened when we were still on Hermes?" Chris asked, breaking the comfortable silence. "Lewis would have had a heart attack."
It was a ridiculous thought that had them giggling like maniacs, curled up against each other while the film played silently before them. Mark could only imagine what Lewis would have thought - what NASA would have thought - and it made him want to tell the world.
He could wait though. He'd survived Mars and made it home, and now he had two people in his life who loved him, and it was something he could barely believe even now. They'd probably tell the world eventually, or at the very least close friends and family, but for now they had each other and Mark found that that was more than enough.