One Million Unfallen Tears
A one-shot for the Harper Fanatic!
Disclaimer: I don't own them, how sad.
The flexi fell from Harper's hand as he slept curled with his legs tucked to his chin and his other arm supporting his head on his bed on the Maru.
He slept soundly although the time of year had come round again. Barely five years ago had Harper been orphaned as his parents defended his freedom.
Beka had not yet convinced him to tell her the full story but she knew the basics; they had died to save him.
Now seeing him so soundly asleep she couldn't help but think that compared to his, she had had a pretty good life and it puzzled her that after all he had been through he still managed to sleep undisturbed.
Bending down Beka picked up the flexi, some shirts and a pair of pants reminding herself, as she put them on the bed beside him, to tell Harper that she wasn't his mom and couldn't constantly pick up after him.
Abruptly a picture on the flexi caught her attention. She dropped the clothes and replayed the two messages the flexi contained; both were dated some five years previous.
The first was a woman speaking, young by the sound of her voice, young and proud.
Seamus, I hope you are enjoying your stay with Brendan, I know it can't be much, it's not much of a trip but it's some where other than here. We miss you and can't wait to see you again. We are well and Grandma sends you her love. Remember you can always live your dreams. We love you so much.
From; Mum and Pa
Beka frowned slightly confused and played the next message dated only two days after the first.
A sudden lump caught in her throat as an elderly woman's voice spoke hesitantly.
Seamus, please you must come back, I have very bad news. You see the slavers came last night. They were looking for you and well…
I'm sorry, Seamus but your Mum and Pa they tried to fight them, tried to keep where you were a secret and they… they weren't taken but…
We'll see them again, Seamus, I know we will. Please come home. I'll be waiting for you. I love you and I know they do too.
Beka could tell the woman must have been his Grandma. She looked away, her eyes slightly wetter than usual and they fell upon the sleeping figure of Harper.
She tried to understand why nightmares that must plague his dreams never woke him up, why he never spoke about it, why he never cried.
She placed the flexi down and left him to sleep, heading for the cockpit.
Harper's eyes flew open.
"Mom?"
Beka froze in her tracks; the lump in her throat seized her entire ability to talk. Normally she would have been annoyed that some boy that she had now, for no reason, responsibility over was having problems about something that had happened almost five years ago.
But somehow no longer having Bobby around she new that she could not answer rudely to this problem, Beka didn't know what to say.
Harper looked around the Maru; still half in his dream, confused of why his Mum wasn't cleaning his mess, why Pa wasn't working in the corner on some secret project that Harper wasn't allowed to know about.
He laid his head back down on the pillow still confused only too fall asleep instantly with one tear to signify many in the corner of his eye.