The characters of Tracy Fairgate McQueen , Melissa Peterson and Tiffany Fairgate McQueen belong to Karen Evans This is a sequel to "Miracle." Thanks to Marcia and Gabrielle for pushing me to write this.




Part Two

McQueen mustered up every once of self control, not to throw Tracy on the floor of the limousine and make passionate love to her. He caressed her body through the dress, imagining himself inside her.

"Do you think they bought that sick act?" Tracy asked between long, passionate kisses.

"I don't give a damn if they don't. You're my wife, and I'm going to make love to you."

Tracy stroked his navel. "Is that right?" she said.

McQueen kissed her again, and again. "The way I'm feeling, I may not be able to make it to the bedroom."

"You forget, Tiffany and Cooper are in the house."

McQueen was only half listening. "Send them out for ice cream, you know how much Tif loves the stuff, Cooper too. I'll give them plenty of money, so they won't come back too soon."

Tracy bit her lip, knowing McQueen was still quite capable of making her scream in ecstasy, the years hadn't put a damper on that.

Just before McQueen opened the front door with his key, he pulled Tracy to him and kissed her mouth, letting his hands caress her behind underneath the gown. She caressed his body through his dress uniform and frowned.

"Goddamn starch," she said.

McQueen grinned and opened the door.

"Hawkes!" he shouted.

There was no sound. McQueen frowned. "Hawkes!" he said again.

Still nothing. McQueen's eyes changed, from smoldering to protective, he reverted to his warrior state. Something was terribly wrong. Then, all kinds of thoughts crossed his mind, murder, kidnapping. Tiffany was the daughter of two well known, influential people; also, he was an InVitro, a target for the anti-InVitro movement, and Tracy was a politician, who's investments when she was in "stasis" left her a wealthy woman.

McQueen took out the butterfly knife. Tracy watched the gesture, her mouth opened as she realized what was on McQueen's mind.

"Ty..." she began.

"Stay here, someone could be hiding in the house."

McQueen moved quickly and quietly along the first floor, cat-like in his movements. Tracy sighed, and followed him. McQueen saw her there, but didn't tell her to go back, she wouldn't listen, Tracy was an ex-gang banger who had been fighting dirty all her life. McQueen moved silently, opening doors, checking inside, Tracy held her breath with every door McQueen opened, a sick feeling was in her stomach, kidnapping was the last thing on her mind and she prayed that McQueen wouldn't hurt Cooper too badly when he found him.

Finally, McQueen looked towards the den door, he frowned. Tracy heard the soft sounds of a sim game. With the butterfly knife firmly in McQueen's hand, he slowly, silently opened the door and frowned at the darkened room and the game in progress. The next sound he heard was a moan. His eyes widened. Someone was hurt, perhaps, they'd kidnapped Tiffany and Cooper tried to protect her. With one swift motion, McQueen turned on the lights.

Cooper and Tiffany were on the carpet, Tiffany's shirt was pulled up, exposing her bra, and Cooper's tee shirt was pulled up as well. When the lights went on, Cooper turned his head to see McQueen standing over him, butterfly knife in hand.

"What the hell!" McQueen shouted.

Tracy looked at her daughter as Cooper scrambled to get off her. Tiffany's eyes widened, her mouth dropped. "Dad....no..." she said, seeing the knife.

McQueen put the knife away with one swift motion, Cooper was on his feet.

"Sir..." he began, moving to stand in front of Tiffany.

McQueen didn't say another word. He moved towards Cooper.

"Ty," Tracy said, feeling his anger rise.

Tiffany was too scared to get up off the floor, so Tracy helped her up. "Ty," she said again, her voice firm.

McQueen grabbed Cooper by the shoulders, as the younger man stared, stunned at his former CO.

"Sir...General."Cooper tried to talk.

Without anymore words, McQueen picked Cooper up off his feet and hurled him forward, through the French doors that separated the den from the library. Tiffany shrieked as the glass broke.

"Cooper!" she cried. "Daddy...no!"

McQueen rushed Cooper again. Cooper was on his feet, hands in front of him, not even fighting to defend himself. Tracy rushed her husband and grabbed his arms, turning him to face her.

"Ty...Ty...stop it...stop it." Tracy knew he was out of control before she saw his face, red, every muscle strained, his blue eyes wild with murderous rage.

"Sir...I..." Cooper was still trying to explain.

"Cooper," Tracy shouted, "go now! Come back tomorrow at 0900!"

The young InVitro looked confused at Tracy, then stared at Tiffany, but nodded and ran out of the house anyway. Tracy released her husband and looked at Tiffany, cowering against the wall, sobbing loudly.

"Go to your room Tiffany!" Tracy said.

Tiffany was too scared to even more. Tracy put her hand on her daughter's shoulder and spoke slowly and firmly. "Go to your room, I'll take care of your father, okay."

Tiffany just nodded nervously and quickly made her way passed the broken glass, rushing upstairs, and slamming the door.

Tracy turned off the sim game and looked around at the mess. "My French doors, who the hell's going to pay for this."

McQueen glared at Tracy, his hands clenched into fists and he stormed out of the room. Tracy followed him as he rushed upstairs and into their bedroom.


McQueen was so blind with rage, that he nearly slammed the door on Tracy, as he stormed into their bedroom. Tracy sighed, calmly closed the door behind her and stood, arms folded as McQueen paced back and forth in the room, like a caged tiger.

"Goddamn Hawkes...shit...trusted him...treated him like a son...all these years...all these years...how could he...how could he...force himself on Tiffany...." McQueen balled his hands into fists and looked at them. "Should've torn his fucking head off...should've killed the bastard...goddamn bastard...trusted him...gave him a chance...and look what happened...betrayed me..." McQueen continued this for several minutes, as Tracy watched him.

Then, McQueen glared at Tracy. "If we'd have been a second later," McQueen shook his head and shuddered at the thought, "then I would've had to kill the fucking bastard!"

Tracy sighed and moved in front of him, stopping him in his tracks. She shook her head and started unbuttoning his dress jacket.

McQueen stared down at his wife. "How the fuck can you be so calm, Tracy...our daughter was...that animal almost..."

Tracy let out another sigh and shook her head, as she pulled the jacket off his shoulders, and flung it onto a chair. "You're so pissed off, you can't even think straight?"

"What the hell are you talking about, Tracy? You saw them."

"Yes, I did. Ty, you and I both taught Tiffany how to defend herself, when she was about five, remember?"

McQueen nodded. "We wanted her to be strong, to be able to face the racism, the insults, the possible violence."

"And you taught her how to fight, Marine style and I... taught her to fight gang style."

"You mean fight dirty."

Tracy frowned. "Like you never fought dirty? Anyway, I didn't see a bruise or a mark on her body, or Cooper's. He may be an InVitro, but Tiffany's half InVitro, and half South Bronx gangbanger; if Cooper forced himself on Tiffany, one of them would've been pretty banged up. I don't think Cooper forced himself on anyone, in fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Tiffany was the one who instigated it."

McQueen's eyes widened as he stared with disbelief, at Tracy. "My daughter?" he said.

"Your daughter? I didn't see you lying in bed for sixteen hours giving birth to her. Ty, Cooper and Tif, have been close for years, she tells him things she won't tell me."

McQueen nodded. "I know that, Tracy, I'm not blind. But I thought it was like a brother/sister thing."

Tiffany smiled and shook her head, "Dear," she said softly, "Cooper and Tiffany ain't brother and sister, and I think they've just discovered that."

McQueen moved away from her, he rubbed his eyes and then shook his head. "No...no...Hawkes?"

Tracy touched his shoulder, gently, he turned to face her once again. "Ty, tell me something, who would you like to see Tiffany with?"

He stared at her as if she was speaking a foreign language. "With?"

"Yes, Ty with...as in boyfriend/husband."

McQueen swallowed hard and frowned. Tracy nodded. "That's what I thought Ty, you want to lock Tiffany up in a tower or something."

He looked down. "I know how cruel the world can be," he said softly.

"I know you do. But Tiffany's going to want to be with someone special, who loves her. Ty, I know how much you care about Cooper, even though you never say it. Who better for our daughter than someone like him, someone you've known for years, someone you trained."

Intellectually, McQueen knew Tracy made sense, but still he shook his head. "Cooper Hawkes...goddamnit, Cooper Hawkes is a...."

"...tank?" Tracy finished the sentence.

McQueen stared at her, he hated that she could read him so well, his ex-wife had never been so perceptive, Tracy's eyes stayed fixed on him. McQueen looked at the floor, then he walked to the window and looked out.

"I want better for her, Tracy. I don't want her to have to go through what I...what we went through...insults...hateful acts...I want her to be happy..."

Tracy slowly walked over to him, and put her hand on his shoulder. "Ty," she said gently, "there were people who told me, that if I took up with an InVitro, that I'd never get re-elected, and if I did, that I'd never make Speaker of the House. I didn't listen to them. I'd heard that in the 20th century, only then it was: No ex-gangbanger will ever get elected to congress, certainly not in the West Village, and certainly not some chick whose dad split and whose mom's a junkie. I've lived with discrimination and racism and prejudice all my life. Tiffany's our daughter and she will survive, and you and I both know that Cooper would never let her down."

A sigh escaped McQueen's throat. He turned around, briefly looked into Tracy's eyes, then took her into his arms. Their arms wrapped around each other in a long, gentle embrace. Tracy leaned her head on McQueen's chest and McQueen leaned his head on Tracy's shoulder.

"I love you, Tracy," he said softly.

Tracy squeezed her eyes shut to stop the tears. He rarely said those words, though Tracy knew the feelings were there. The first time he'd ever said that to her, had been on their wedding night, right before she'd fallen asleep in his arms.

"I love you too Ty."

They stayed like that for awhile, until, Tracy moved her hand upward and softly caressed his navel. A groan escaped from somewhere deep in his throat.

"You do remember why we came home early, don't you?"

McQueen released her and when Tracy saw his face, she caught the slight smile. "You're bad," he said, "I'm still mad."

"Sure you are."

McQueen stepped back and with agonizing slowness, stripped down to his skivvies, folding every piece of clothing and placing them on the chair where his dress jacket lay.

Tracy grinned as her husband teased her. Maybe he was warming up to the idea of Cooper and Tiffany, at least he was thinking about it. Tracy freed herself of the bolero jacket, she put her arms around McQueen's neck once again and stroked his navel more vigorously, then she turned around in his arms. "Unzip me," she said.

McQueen did as he was told, and the gown fell like a pool of black velvet around Tracy's ankles. She turned to face McQueen, and his mouth nearly dropped. Tracy hadn't been lying about her lack of undergarments, she stood before him in a black garter belt, sheer black stockings and black high heeled shoes.

"Oh, my God," he said.

Tracy smiled. "Now, don't have a heart attack General."

McQueen shook his head. With one swift motion, he picked Tracy up in his arms and carried her the short distance to their king sized bed. He lay her down gently and pulled the white gauze bed curtains shut, so they were in their own private world.

They shared one passionate kiss after another, both of them growing more aroused by the second. Tracy pushed McQueen's skivvies down and he kicked them away. Then, he got on his knees and slowly removed Tracy's high heels, then very slowly, pushed her stockings down. Tracy arched her back and moaned, desperately wanting him to be inside her. With the stockings off, McQueen lay his head on her stomach and unhooked her garter belt with his teeth. Tracy smiled.

"General...what would your men say if they saw you now?" she said breathlessly.

"The same thing Congress would say now..."

"You mean, she ought to be Secretary General?"

McQueen grinned and answered by moving down, to Tracy's belly button, then slowly lower, tickling her pubic hairs with his tongue and moving closer, closer to her heat. Tracy gasped and grabbed McQueen's shoulders as his tongue found her clitoris. He began to move his tongue, back and forth in a steady rhythm, while Tracy's thighs tensed around his shoulders and her hands grabbed at his hair. McQueen's rhythm became more fierce and Tracy was panting like a wild animal, eyes shut tightly, muscles tense. When McQueen knew she was almost to orgasm, he stopped suddenly, causing Tracy to sob.

"Shit, I hate it when you do that...Ty..."

He smiled devilishly, then moved up towards her. He kissed her mouth and Tracy groaned as she tasted herself. She felt his erection against her stomach and he teased her again by rubbing himself around her vagina. Tracy stopped any further torture by rubbing his navel, harshly. McQueen shut his eyes tightly as he felt the mixture of pain and pleasure.

"Ahhh....Tracy," he moaned. He felt like he'd combust any second.

She pulled him to her. "No more games," she whispered.

He shook his head, pulled her knees up around his hips and slowly entered her. Tracy threw her head back and moaned loudly as her body took his length. When he was all the way inside, Tracy wrapped her legs around his hips and wrapped her arms around his neck. McQueen caressed Tracy's face and looked in her eyes as they found their easy rhythm. Again, Tracy rubbed McQueen's navel roughly, he responded by increasing the rhythm. They kissed hungrily, not taking their eyes off each other as McQueen thrust harder and faster inside Tracy.

Tracy felt the madness approaching, her eyes shut tightly. "Look at me Tracy..." McQueen whispered, between ragged breaths.

Tracy forced her eyes open and stared into his blue eyes that were darkened with desire, she could see that he was close as well. Their movements were intense, frantic, desperate, their groans became louder, more guttural, as they raged on toward release. Tracy dug her nails into McQueen's back and gasped as she came, while McQueen bit Tracy's shoulder, stifling a scream, as climax enveloped him.

Seconds passed before they were able to breath normally. They slowly released their respective grips on each other, then McQueen withdrew from Tracy, causing a whimper of protest from her, and lay on his back, Tracy leaned over and rested her head on his chest.

"Gets better with time," Tracy said when she was finally able to speak.

"Uh huh," was all McQueen could muster, as he stroked her damp hair.

Tracy ran her hand along the familiar scars, she knew without even looking where each one started and stopped. "Ty," she whispered.

"Yeah," he whispered back.

"I want you to do something for me."

He smiled and kissed the top of her head. "You know I'll say anything now." Tracy smiled. "I want you to apologize to Tiffany, and Cooper."

McQueen chuckled softly. "Okay," he finally said, "that's it?"

"No. One more thing. I want you to replace my French doors."

Another chuckle. Tracy raised her head so she was looking at him. They eyed each other for a few moments, finally, McQueen smiled. "And what do I get?"

"You've already gotten it," Tracy winked.

"Do I get seconds?"

"Are you still hungry?"

"Marines are always hungry."

Tracy smiled. "So you'll do it."

McQueen sighed and was silent for awhile, finally, he nodded. "Yes..."

Tracy kissed him on the mouth and realized that he was aroused again. InVitros were incredible.

"Madame Speaker, do I get seconds now?"

"With pleasure, General."


Cooper Hawkes stood outside the McQueen's front door. He looked at his watch that read 0855, he looked at his feet, at the ground, then back up to the buzzer. He straightened the jacket on his uniform for the umpteenth time, and went over, again in his mind, what he had to say.

First, he would apologize to the General, and the Speaker of the House, tell them that everything that happened last night was his fault, and if he was banished from the house, he'd understand. Second, he would tell Tiffany that he could never see her again. That thought made Cooper's heart ache. He loved Tiffany with all his heart, but it didn't matter, he could not be disloyal to a man who had saved him from drowning in his own anger, who believed in him when no one else did. Cooper Hawkes owed his life to General McQueen, and if he had to stop seeing Tiffany, it would just have to be. Cooper remembered the incident last night and the worse part of it all wasn't being thrown through that glass door, Cooper was already starting to heal from the few cuts he'd received, it was seeing Tiffany so anguished, so distressed. Part of him wanted to pick her up and carry her out of that house, he was glad the more sensible part had won out.

Upstairs, Tiffany paced the floor of her small bedroom. She stopped, walked to the vanity then looked at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were still red from crying all last night, she'd cried herself to sleep, then had nightmares about her father finding Cooper and killing him, stabbing him to death with a K-Bar, and tearing his flesh apart. Last night, Tiffany was certain he'd do that, the only thing that stopped him was mom.

It would be hard, leaving mom, even leaving dad, but Tiffany knew what she had to do. Tonight, she was going to run away, to Cooper. She was sixteen, in Virginia they could get married without her parent's consent, and when they were safely married, they'd come back here and tell her dad that there was nothing he could do about it. Tiffany knew Cooper would agree, though he may not want to be disloyal to her dad, he loved her, and she loved him, and that was all that mattered.

Cooper took a deep breath, and rang the buzzer. The door immediately opened, and Cooper found himself staring into the hard blue eyes of his former CO. The younger InVitro took off his hat and noticed that the General was dressed in jeans and a white shirt; dressed to fight, perhaps? Cooper stiffened, not sure what to expect. McQueen threw open the door.

"Come in," he said dryly.

Cooper walked carefully into the house, still thinking this was some kind of trap and shut the door behind him. McQueen turned around and headed towards the dining room. He stopped and looked over his shoulder.

"Hawkes," he said harshly.

"Yes sir," and Cooper fell in step behind the general.

They entered the dining room. Cooper smelled coffee, toast, bacon and eggs coming from the kitchen, he noticed four places set at the table.

"Sit down," McQueen said.

Cooper obeyed, pulled out a chair on the left side and sat, making sure his back was straight. McQueen stood directly in front of him, shifted into parade rest, then looked down at the young captain.

"I'm sorry if I lost my head last night," McQueen said calmly.

It took a few seconds to realize that McQueen had just apologized to him.

"Yes sir," was all Cooper could get out.

McQueen took the chair from the head of the table, placed it directly in front of Cooper, then sat down, he leaned over and stared deep into the younger man's eyes.

"I'm going to say this once, Cooper, so hear this CFB, Tiffany's my daughter, my only child. You hurt her, and you will meet a fate worse than getting thrown through a pair of glass doors. I will do things to you that even the Chigs and the AI's put together could never have thought of."

Cooper cleared his throat. "Yes sir. I understand sir."

At that moment, Tracy came out of the kitchen. She wore an ankle length short sleeved, denim dress, in her hand were two coffee mugs. Cooper nearly knocked over his chair, as he rose.

"Sit down Cooper," Tracy said. Cooper obeyed, Tracy put one mug in front of Cooper and another in front of McQueen, black coffee, the way they both liked it. She put her hand on McQueen's shoulder.

"I'm glad you could come, Cooper," she smiled. Tracy sat down on the other side of Cooper. "As you see, the general doesn't bite."

Cooper fought the urge to smile. At that moment, Tiffany, who couldn't believe it when she heard Cooper's voice, rushed into the dining room. She stopped in her tracks, seeing Cooper sitting with her parents. McQueen turned to look at her, then he rose.

"Daddy, there's something I have to say," Tiffany said harshly.

Tracy, seeing that her daughter was about to put her foot in her mouth, stood up. "Tif, come in the kitchen, and help me feed these guys." She grabbed her daughter by the arm and practically dragged her into the kitchen, as Tiffany tried to remember what she wanted to say to her father.

Once the kitchen door was closed, Tiffany stamped her foot. "He's telling him to stay away, that he can never see me again," she started to sob.

Tracy put her arms around her daughter and held her close. "No...no Tiffany, everything's fine. Your father apologized to Cooper, he's not telling him to stay away from you."

Tiffany suddenly pulled back and stared at her mother. "What?"

Tracy nodded. "It's true."

Tiffany's mouth dropped, then she found her voice. "What did you do to dad last night?"

Tracy smiled, if only she knew. "Do? I didn't have to do anything, we talked. Sometimes, the general does listen to reason." Tracy turned her back on her daughter as she placed some bacon in the heated pan. "...especially when he's flat on his back," Tracy whispered to herself.

When Tracy faced her daughter again, Tiffany looked into her mother's eyes and saw a familiar twinkle, the same twinkle she had when she and dad emerged from their bedroom on some mornings; like the cat who swallowed the canary.

"Way to go mom," Tiffany said.

McQueen walked into the room and looked from Tracy to Tiffany. Tracy fixed two plates of food and left the room. McQueen waited for her to go, then cleared his throat and looked at his daughter.

"Tiffany...I...um...I'm sorry if I hurt you last night. I was only trying to protect you..." his voice trailed off and he looked at the floor.

Tiffany put her arms around her father. She knew how uncomfortable he was with words, it must have taken a lot out of him to say that.

"I know dad."

He moved out of her arms and patted her shoulders. "Let's go eat," he nearly whispered.

After breakfast, both Tiffany and Cooper cleared the table and placed the dishes and silverware in the dishwasher.

"Why don't you two sit outside, it's a nice day," Tracy said.

"Yes ma'am...I mean Madame Speaker," Cooper said.

"Ma'am is okay," Tracy told him easily, though soon, they'd all be saying Madame Ambassador.

McQueen watched as Cooper and Tiffany went outside and sat down on the porch. It seemed like only yesterday when he watched her being born, from a vid screen on the Saratoga. Now she was nearly grown up. Someday she might get married, maybe to Cooper, and have her own family. Damn, he could be a grandfather someday. McQueen shook his head and thought about the irony, that he, a tank who never thought he'd ever have a family, now had a family with a woman who should have been dead a hundred years ago. Strike a point for technology.

McQueen blinked as he felt arms around his waist. "Come on general, I've got paperwork to catch up on, and I know you do too."

He nodded, then put his arm around her shoulders, they walked to their respective offices. "Let's get to it, old lady," he smiled.

Tracy patted his behind. "I'm the sexiest old lady you'll ever see."

McQueen held her close. "You are right about that."

Tiffany leaned her head against Cooper's shoulder. "I thought I was going to have to run away," she said.

"Run away?"

She raised her head and looked at him. "I was going to go to you, and we could get married, because I'm sixteen and I don't have to have my parent's consent, and then when we were married, we'd tell them and they couldn't do anything about it."

Cooper frowned, then he shook his head. "Wait...hold up Tif..."

Tiffany smiled. "I don't want to," she reached behind him and began to stroke his navel.

"Tif," Cooper said firmly, trying to stop himself from getting hard.

Tiffany got on her knees and whispered seductively in his ear. "I want to make you happy Cooper, like my mom makes my dad happy."

Cooper grabbed Tiffany's wrists and looked into her eyes. For a second, he almost lost himself in the blues of her eyes, but he remembered McQueen's words to him, shook his head and regained control.

"Tiffany, I know you love me and I love you...but, we're going to take this slow. First, you have to finish school."

"Finish school That's two years Coop. I don't think I can wait that long. Can you?"

Cooper cleared his throat, he really didn't think he could, but he'd cross that bridge when he got to it.

"It's not going to be easy, Tiffany, but we can do it. I love you and I'll wait for you." He was surprised at how easy that came out.

Tiffany took Cooper's hand and kissed it. "I think I can wait for you," she said.

Cooper put his arm around Tiffany's shoulders and kissed her lips gently at first, but Tiffany relaxed and accepted all of Cooper's kiss. Cooper held her close to him and fought the urge to pull her on his lap. They broke from their kiss and looked at each other. Then, Tiffany leaned her head against Cooper's chest, and listened to his heartbeat. Cooper stroked Tiffany's hair, leaned back on the seat and smiled.

The End

Previous : Part One

The sequel to this story is also avaliable at this site.

Next : New Discoveries



Karen Evans
© 10/10/96