Soul Of Steel
AU. Mary Margaret is a single mother struggling with raising a family after her husband is forced to go back to war.
A/N: I'M BACK! THIS JUST JUMPED INTO MY MIND AS I WAS LISTENING TO SOME GOOD COUNTRY MUSIC.
I DON'T OWN THE SHOW. WANT TO DEDICATE THIS TO ALL OF THE AMAZING PEOPLE THAT HAD SUPPORTED MY OTHER OUAT STORY "MISSING SINGNALS"
Kids are as following:
Emma (9)
Michael (5)
Brandon "Bran" (3)
Chapter 9:
"Emma?" August sat with her and her brothers in the cafeteria "You okay?"
The worry in his voice made the young girl smile but her smile was a sad one. Pain and worry. She turned to eye her Aunt Ashley who spoke to Sean in mere whispers. Grownups were so dumb, they thought she couldn't handle the truth. "Grownups suck" August looked at her curiously "Well they are! They just cant tell me truth"
"Maybe is best if they don't" August said wisely sipping his juice "It's best to keep it like that so they don't feel like they are letting you down" Emma shot him a dirty look. Why did always have to be so dam bright, he just couldn't be a kid, could he?
"Whatever" She spat at him. She knew her aunt and uncle were talking about her dad and they just didn't have the gut to tell her what was wrong. They were even avioding talking to her mother. August smiled sadly. He just wanted to help her. He just needed to help her.
"Come on" He said. Emma looked at him in confusion "I want to show you something"
"What about them?" Emma whispered. Going somewhere with August always made her feel... butterflies. "I don't want to"
"Come on" August smiled mocklingly "Don't be such a baby" Defiance. Emma's face turned into a pouting grin. Mary sometimes said she was too much like her dad. "You aren't scared are you?"
"Me?" Emma said dryly "I am never scared!" Anger in her voice but August just smiled again "Okay, maybe a little, but..."
"You are because of your dad, that's okay Emma" August said "You don't have to be strong all the time, you just have to be the kid sometimes"
"I..." Emma smiled. He always knew how to make her feel better "Weren't we going somewhere?"
"Yes" She heard Sean answer from behind her "The doctor says your mom is ready for you guys to meet the baby" Emma eyed August nerviously "I think I should drive you home, buddy, we might be here a while" Emma flinched at the suggestion. No. He couldn't leave.
"I..." Emma stamered "I want August to stay" Her words made the boy blush a bit "Please"
"I brought my bike" August said too sharing an angished look with the blonde girl "I'll just go home myself Mr. Herman"
"Fine" Sean smiled "But you should go now, it's getting pretty dark out there" August turned to look outside.
"And it's cold" Ashely had said joining them "I think it's best if you go home, Emma will be going soon too"
"Where is she going?" August asked curiously looking at her and then Michael and Bran "Where?"
"Yeah" Emma said harshly "Where am I going?"
"To Granny's" Ashley told the kids. Bran and Michael who had been quiet the whole time, smiled at the sound of pies and hot cocoa. "Granny has agreed for you to have a little sleep over with Ruby"
"Can't we just go home with you?" Michael asked yawing. This had been to exciting for the five year old to handle. Emma smirked at him but Ashley remained quiet. "Alexandra is going too because we need to stay here with your mom"
"I want to stay too" Emma said quickly biting her lip "With my mom"
"No" Sean said fimrly "I am sorry sweetie, but there aren't kids allowed at the hospital after night" The comment made Michael looked at him in a puzzled grin "Except for babies, because he needs to stay here"
"Not fair!" Michael said "Want to stay too" Sean and Ashley looked at each other in defeat. This had been a very long day and little did they know it was about to get much worse.
"It's not up for discussion" Sean said firmly kneeling to Emma's level "Neither of you are staying so I think it's best if you say goodnight to August"
"Come on" Ashley picked Bran up and held out her hand for Michael to take "Let's go find your Mom" Once they were gone Emma turned to August.
"They're right" The boy said "My parents will be worried if I don't get home soon"
"Okay" Emma said rolling her eyes "But..."
"What?" August smirked "Are you still scared?"
"I guess" Emma said blushing "Thanks"
"For what?" He was utterly cute when he was confused.
"Just thanks" Emma said "I don't think I am that scared anymore"
"Good" August leaned closer to her nerviously "You should go before..."
"Emma!" Came's Sean's voice from the hallway "Come on!"
"That" Emma chuckled "Happens" Emma hugged her friend thightly. "Good night"
"Night" She pulled away and ran away. She always did.
"Mr. Jones?" A doctor had come to wake Ray up. After what seemed like an agonizing wait they were ready to move David somewhere safe. The hospital wing they had installed was, well full of, unfitted equipment and David seemed to be getting weaker by the minute "We are ready to move the injured"
"About time!" Ray snapped , then he remembered who he was talking to "Sorry, I know you are just doing your job"
"And so are you" The man said sternly "I understand the uncertainty"
"Mary" David muttered in pain. He rested on a table with a mattress sorrounded by the other survivors from the bombing. His face had been cleaned and his injuries, attempted to be cured "Mary"
"Who's that?" The doctor asked "His fever is getting worse, he might be hallucinating"
"He's not" Ray said sharply as he helped the medic place David on to a stretcher on a convoy "It's his wife"
A knock on the door made Mary Margaret open her eyes. She had been dreaming of him. Longing for him to be here. "Come in"
"Mama!" Michael said excitedly which made his mother smile but she quickly placed her finger on her lips "Mama" He said in a low voice.
"Where is baby?" Bran asked from Ashley's arms, he cuddled next to her mother as soon as he was placed on the bed.
"Are you okay?" Emma asked worriedly "Is the baby okay"
"He's fine" Mary said sweetly brushing Bran's hair "He's perfect"
"Want to see him" Michael said taking a seat next to Emma on the edge of the bed "Can we mama?"
"I'll go tell the nurse" Sean whispered and left.
"Are you sure you are okay?" Emma was much like David. Stubborn. "Where's is grandma?"
"She went home for a moment to get some things for the baby. Michael who was still wearing his Prince Charming costume smiled "What is is baby?"
"I can give him my cape" Michael grinned "So he's isn't cold"
Mary was moved by her middle child's words, she was about to answer but Emma said in an annoyed tone.
"You can't give that to the baby!" She spat at him "He's got to have a baby blanket, like the one Leroy made for us"
"Oh" Michael said "Okay"
"But that was a very sweet gesture" Mary told Emma tiredly "Thank you"
"Here he is" The nurse announced as she handed the baby to Mary. 6 curious eyes watched the baby for a moment.
"We'll go" Sean said awkwardly "Alexandra is out there and I doubt she will behave if she's alone"
"We won't be far" Ashley smiled "We'll come get you as soon as Granny gets here"
"Thank you" Mary told the couple. "For everything" For as long as she had known them, they had always been there in the best and worst momemnts for their lives "I love you guys"
"We love you too" Ashley said closing the door behind her.
"He's sleepy" Michael's voice made Mary turn her full attention back to her children "What's his name?"
"Baby" Bran smiled. Emma and Mary chucked slightly.
"I think that might be a bit confusing Bran" Mary smiled and the boy sucked his thumb. Emma smiled at him sweetly. Boys.
"What's it?" Michael asked expectantly "What's it?"
"Well" Mary said sweetly looking down at the newest addition "What do you think of... Sebastian?"
"I love it!" Emma said a little bit to loud and she covered her mouth instantly "That's grandpa's name"
"It is?" Michael asked confused scratching his head "Sounds like a crab"
"Well it was your Grandpa's name, but he died when daddy was about your age" The mere dept of her words made her close her mouth "I know it is maybe too much like a fairytale name"
"Like the Little Marmaid" Emma pointed out "But I like it"
"Me too" Mary said "Michael?"
The young boy remained thoughtful for a second "Okay"
"Think daddy will like it?" Emma asked worriedly looking at her baby brother closely "He's got blue eyes!" She said suddenly.
"Yes he does" Mary said sadly.
"Anything?" Granny asked Sean and Ashley as she arrived to take the kids home. Sean had used his father's contacts to see if they could call David and tell him about Sebastian but there had yet to be an answer. "I have a bad feeling about this"
"You and me both" Sean said in frustration "They only told me he was stationed near Iraq, but I don't know where"
"I don't even understand the meaning of battles. we would be better off without them.
Sean's phone suddenly beeped. Silence filled the room, Granny and Ashley held their breaths. "Sean?" He was breathless. His heart pounding.
"His unit" Sean's voice left him "There was a bombing" Boom. Boom.
THIS CHAPTER IS FOR: greenfile, thistwinklingstar, Aod4L SnowandJames4eva love u guys! Hang in there! Only two more weeks! :))
