It was cold, a chill in the air and the ground damp and lumpy beneath him. The only source of comfort was his companion asleep beside him. The group had hunkered down beside a group of rocks, for shelter and some protection from the elements. Steve rested his head back, the cold and wet was beginning to cramp his muscles, made his back ache and joints stiff. His 2IC slept in an uncomfortable position beside him but they were used to the unfavourable conditions. They'd all been through worse. Steve tucked the blanket tighter around the sleeping man, moved an inch closer for the warmth and closed his eyes before quickly opening them again. He couldn't afford to drift off, it was his job to stay awake, only for another hour before someone else took their turn to watch over them all.
It had been raining but the clouds had cleared, moonlight and stars giving him some sight of their surroundings. Steve stared upwards, trying to pick out star constellations, but he couldn't settle on anything particular.
'Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight'
He'd found Grace whispering it to the night sky one time, what seemed like forever ago. When Danny had scared them all to death after the anthrax situation. She seemed too old for rhymes and wishes, but Steve had found himself wishing too.
Steve focused on a star above and tried to gather some faith in the unknown. He didn't know who he was asking - God? Fairies? One of the many island deities he'd heard about but not really invested any interest in. Maybe the stars themselves.
"Let us get through this. Please, let us got out of here. And right now, just - just let him know I'm okay and that I'll be home soon."
Steve stared at the star until his vision blurred and he returned his thoughts to morning, trying to figure the time of sunrise and how much sleep he'd get before they made a move. Above them, the stars watched over them both like silent sentries, keeping peoples wishes safe and sound.
Thousands of miles away, Danny woke early with a jolt. He reached out instinctively to the other side of the bed but it was emtpy and reluctantly he rolled off the mattress to his feet. It had been six weeks and still no word. He stumbled mutely to the window, pushing the curtain aside. Beyond the ocean stretched into the distance, the sun begining it's lazy ascent into the sky. The sky was lightly beginning to streak with colour, but it was that short moment of time, between waking and sleep, dark and light. The stars weren't surrendering easily to the march on of day. Looking up at the sight, Danny felt a lifting a weight inside where he knew he was beginning to lose hope. He had no reason to worry or fear, Steve had told him it would be a long mission, that he wouldn't be back within a few weeks. A star twinkled in a blink, before winking out of sight as light sprang through the sky.
Then you show your little light, twinkle, twinkle all the night.
Then the traveller in the dark, thanks you for your tiny spark,
He could not see which way to go, if you did not twinkle so.
Danny thought if he turned around he'd see his grandmother reciting the poem, he heard the words so clearly in his head. She used to recite nursery rhymes and tales to him when he was a baby and boy, he'd gone on to teach Grace many. It was a secret people didn't know about him, but he loved the innocence of childhood poetry and rhymes, there was something nostalgic and magical about them. His grandmother had nurtured that enjoyment and he'd tried to pass on that love of words to Grace.
"Light his way home," Danny ordered the sky. "Bring him back safely. We've got unfinished business."
A life together, a future to arrange; Danny returned to bed with those thoughts in his head, snatching another hour of sleep before he had to work, the nursery rhyme helping him drift off to sleep.
As your bright and tiny spark lights the traveller in the dark,
Though I know not what you are - twinkle, twinkle little star.