Everything Changes

A Star

In an ideal world, they would have sat there for hours, basking in the happiness of being new parents. They would have stayed in that room all day, letting Holly and the baby recover, enjoying their own little bundle of joy.

But this wasn't an ideal world. And in a matter of hours, a comet would be flying over which would determine the future of planet earth.

With some reluctance, they had helped Holly clean up and get into fresh clothes, wrapping a dressing gown around her body to keep her warm. She sat up in the bed, leaning into Ernesto's chest as he wrapped an arm around her. Their daughter was happily nursing against her chest, a sight which mesmerised the two new parents.

"You'll have to go soon, Ern, help the others complete the mission." Holly said sadly. It was a thought which had been lingering in the air for some time now, both reluctant to say it. But someone had to, even if the idea of their little family being split up so soon broke Holly's heart.

He sighed, pulling her closer to him. "I know," he said sadly, "I just want it to be us, just for a little longer."

Their baby finished feeding, and Kim handed them a cloth to burp the baby. "I'll be here for you Holly, don't worry. I can help you both." She reassured her teen daughter.

Ernesto carefully tapped his daughter's back over his shoulder, careful not to hurt her. "I think we should let the rest of the tribe meet her now, darling." He said as he finished burping their baby. "But only if you're up for it!" He added quickly, not wanting her to feel rushed.

"No, it's ok. I want them to meet her now." She replied.

Kim got up to find the rest of the Sparticles, leaving the couple alone for the first time since the birth.

"Do you want to tell them the name we've chosen?" Ernesto asked.

"Not yet, I want it to be a surprise. Especially for Kim." Holly said with a smile, excited for her teen mum's reaction.

A gentle knock on the door took their attention as it was cracked open slightly, Kim's beaming face peering around towards them.

"I have some very excited people out here ready to meet someone. Are they ok to come in?"

The pair nodded, and soon they were reunited with their tribe. They all scrambled around the bed, desperate to meet the newest member to their family.

"Congratulations, guys, she's a beauty!" Serena exclaimed, wrapping her arms around Holly in a hug.

"She looks just like you, Holly!" Reese added, but Holly couldn't be sure if she meant it as a compliment or not.

Frankie was undoubtedly the most excited of the bunch, and they could tell she was desperately trying not to squeal with happiness. "She's gorgeous! And so diddy! I can't believe you have a baby! An actual real life baby! I'm soooo happy for you both! When can we hold her?" She rambled off, careful not to be too loud.

Ernesto laughed at her excitement. "Thanks, Frankie. You can hold her a little bit later, she's still very fragile." He replied, placing a tender kiss on his baby's head. He was in his own little bubble; just him, his girlfriend, and their baby. "Life has just begun." He said with a smile.

"Or is it about to end?" Sadiq asked, earning him a glare from his mate. "Not for you, Ern, for us! The neuroscrambler is working and we're missing the seventh sensitive! With that machine on, and without the seventh sensitive, we can't send Kylie and the teen parents home!"

Kim, Holly, and Ernesto looked at him in confusion. "Did we miss something in the last hour? I thought the old man was the seventh sensitive?" Kim asked.

"Turns out he wasn't." Frankie said sadly.

"Me and Reese could search for the missing sensitive whilst you all break into the lighthouse and destroy the neuroscrambler!" Aris suggested.

Sadiq glared at him. "I still haven't forgiven you for wiping out a day of my life!" He spat.

"It doesn't matter if you forgive me. You need me!"

Serena had to hold Sadiq's arm to stop him getting closer to the boy, not wanting a fight to break out. "He's right, Sadiq. Times up, comet is here."

She gestured with her head to the window and everyone looked up. She was right. The sky had a red hue to it, and a bright light could be seen in the distance as it approached earth.

The sensitives left the room to go find the final sensitive; they had to be close. They could feel them!

"LET ME OUT!" Brian's voice could be heard shouting as he banged on the cupboard downstairs. They had all but forgotten about the bounty hunters they had locked up. "LET ME OUT NOW!"

The baby started to cry in Ernesto's arms, disturbed by the loud thumping and screams. He groaned as Holly took her back to try and sooth her.

"For god's sake. I'll get them to shut up." Ernesto spat, getting up from the bed and going downstairs. He was closely followed by the rest of the tribe, sans Holly.

"LET. ME. OUT!" Brian continued to shout.

"NO! LET US OUT!" Fizzy corrected, the annoyance clear in his voice about being forgotten by his teen dad.

"Will you please shut up! People are trying to sleep!" Ernesto yelled in frustration.

"AND PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO BREATH!" Fizzy yelled back.

Reese and Aris came back through the cottage door, much to the shock of the rest of the tribe.

"Guys, what are you doing here? Get out there and hunt for the missing sensitive!" Serena told them.

The old men then walked through the door after them, at a lot slower pace than the teenagers, making his way to the staircase up to the bedroom.

"Hand on, guv! You can't go up there!" Ernesto shouted out after him.

He stopped mid step. "Oh yes I can, I live here, remember." And he made his way up the rest of the steps.

Ernesto deliberated for a while between trying to get the bounty hunters to be quiet and trying to stop the old man, and eventually settled on going upstairs to get him away from his family, followed closely by his tribe.

"I'm looking for the power to light my lamp?" The old man asked, making Holly jump. She hadn't been expecting for him to come into the room, for anyone to come into the room for that matter. He started to approach her, so she slipped out of the bed, slowly making her way away from him, baby in arms.

"I hereby bestow a birthday riddle on your child to honour her." He said as he got closer, hand reaching out to touch her daughter.

Ernesto rushed up, stopping him. "Come on, she's just had a baby!" He protested.

"I'm an almost professional. Night falls, I'm admired by all. What am I?" The old man continued.

"Really? Come on, old man, time to go." Ernesto said as he tried to lead him away.

"It's alright," Holly reassured him, "what's the answer?" She asked. Go back a few months and she wouldn't have had the patience for this. Being a mum must have been rubbing off on her.

"A star. A little star is born." He replied, and Holly's face lit up at the sentiment, glad she had asked him.

He held his arms out, silently asking if he could hold her. Holly carefully handed him her baby; he seemed mesmerised by her small form.

"A star to light up the sky." He said, gently rocking her.

A loud bang bought them out of their trance. It had come from the lighthouse!

"The neuroscrambler has been turned off!" Reese exclaimed in excitement.

"Well let's break into the lighthouse and make sure it stays off. Something's gone wrong in Kylie's plan." Serena said with a smirk.