Title: "Sacrifices"
Author: Waterdancer aka AquarianLady
Email: jch114@hotmail.com
Website: none at this time.
Feedback: YES! Flames will be ignored.
Distribution: CD ALL DAY. Anyone else please ask.
Disclaimer: Anything Alias related are all the property of ABC and Touchstone Pictures. It is the creation of JJ Abrams and Bad Robot Productions.
Summary: Will's post-ATY decisions affect his future and everyone that he loves.-Character death.
Rating: PG for right now. Will go from PG-13 to R
Classification: Alternate Universe.
A/N: Thank you to Robin, and Thorne for the beta. All italicized words are his thoughts and flashbacks. Enjoy!
******
"You know what?" Francie asked, laying her head on Will's chest.
"Hmm?" he mumbled with his eyes partially shut.
"I love you. I do. I've never loved anyone more, Will."
"I love you too, Francie," he looked down at her. "Truly and totally love you."
She sat up on the bed and started to twist her wedding ring around her finger.
"Will? I have something to tell you." She looked over at him, lines creasing her forehead as she bit her lip.
"What's wrong?" he asked, sitting up
She looked down at her hands and stated, "I'm pregnant."
"What?" he asked, sitting up.
"I'm pregnant," she repeated, still looking down at her hands.
He reached over and pulled her back to him. "That's amazing," he said smiling.
"Really? I didn't think you'd be happy about it. I mean we just were married two years ago, and already there's a baby," she sighed. "I just didn't think that this is what you wanted right now."
His eyes widened in shock. How could she ever think that he didn't love her, that he didn't want a family? "Fran, you are my wife, and I love you. Pregnant or not, that isn't going to change. Ever."
"You mean that?" she asked, her voice shaking with emotion.
"I do," he replied, rubbing her cheek.
"We're having a baby, Will," she said as tears fell down her face.
"Yeah, we are," he replied. Then, he kissed her to show how much he cared.
***
Will blinked his eyes hard to try to stop the tears from coming. He pulled his overcoat around him tighter. I have to be strong for Kayla. He looked over at his daughter who was asleep in his sister's arms.
"Francine Denise Tippin was a devoted wife and daughter, a beloved mother, and a cherished friend."
"Will you marry me?" Will asked sliding a velvet-covered box across the table.
Francie stared at him. "You aren't serious, are you?"
"I am." He nodded slowly. Don't say no. Please, don't say no.
"I love you, Francie. The time we've spent together over this past year has been the best in my life. I don't want it to end. I want you there every morning when I wake up. I want you there all the time. I just love you, Fran. I—"
"Will?" she held her hand up and the diamond ring was shining brightly. "Yes, I'll marry you."
"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust," the priest continued.
"Will," Amy whispered, "your hand." She motioned down to the white rose he was holding. Her favorite. His grip had gotten so tight on the flower that the thorns pricked his skin. He hadn't even noticed it.
He took out his handkerchief and wrapped his hand. He walked and placed the rose on top of the closed casket. "I love you," he whispered as he wiped tears from his eye.
"Thanks," he mumbled to Amy. She nodded at him sadly and rubbed his cheek. "Will, it's going to be okay."
He knows that's a lie, the kind of lie everyone says to the mourning. "I know. Thank you for helping me with her." He rubbed his daughter's back as she slept soundly on her shoulder.
"You're welcome." A cold shudder ran through his body as he watched the casket be lowered into the ground. It's supposed to be me in there. Dammit, Francie, why did you come home early?
****
"Do you want something to eat, Will?" Amy asked as she handed him a plate.
Will took his eyes off of Kayla who was sitting in her playpen. "Thanks, Amy, but I'm not hungry." He turned back to watch her, afraid that if he blinked she'd be gone just like her mother.
"When's the last time that you've eaten? Or gotten any sleep?" Amy studied him, and he knew what she was seeing. She saw the dullness in his eyes and how he was continually twisting the wedding band around his finger. He knew she was worried about the fact he had barely shown any emotion during the burial. .
"This morning and last night."
"A bagel and coffee isn't eating, Will. Sleeping for 30 minutes and pacing all night isn't sleep," Amy sighed patting his knee.
"What do you think I should do?" he said, his voice showing the stress of the past week.
"All I'm saying is that you aren't doing Kayla any good by not taking care of yourself," she said evenly, standing up, pulling him up with her.
"Go get some sleep." She pushed him towards his bedroom. "No argument."
He smiled weakly, "You're starting to sound just like mom. Thanks, Amy."
"You're welcome." She pushed him again. "Now go."
***
Will walked down the darkened hall to the bedroom that he and Francie had shared. He stopped at the closed door before opening it. As he walked over to the bed and sat down, the faint smell of jade assaulted his senses, and tears came to his eyes.
"Do you like it?" he asked, standing behind her, with one hand on her waist and smelling her hair.
"I love it, Will. How did you know that I would like this?" she asked as she put a drop of the jade scented oil on her neck. "Thank you."
He said a silent thank you that night. Francie had seemed to forget about their argument a few days earlier, about the frequency of his trips. She missed him and so had his daughter.
"I'm going to tell Devlin that I'm done," he had thought that night. Francie and Kayla were more important to him.
That had been a month ago.
Will laid down on the bed and whispered, "I'm sorry, Francie. So damn sorry."
