A/N: You guys are amazing. Thank you so much for all of the reviews. I love hearing back from my readers… I can not express this enough.

This is dedicated to my newest reviewer, halt-finatic378. You are amazing. XD

Warnings: Character death

Disclaimer: I don't own it.

11- Memory

It was the first time Will entered the cabin since Halt had died. As he pushed open the door, a flood of memories engulfed him.

Halt greeting him for the first time…. Halt drinking a cup of coffee by the fire… Halt instructing him on how to draw a map…. Halt comforting him….

"Are you alright, Will?" asked Alyss, who was standing behind him worriedly.

Nodding, he swallowed hard as he stepped through the threshold. The room seemed to spin and he felt a hand on his shoulder. He heard a voice in his ear, but it was as if it came from miles away. He couldn't make out the words they were saying.

His head spun as he was lowered onto his side. He closed his eyes and let the memories swallow him once more.

MEMORY

"Hold the bow up higher and you should be able to hit the target center almost every time," Halt said, holding up Will's arms in the correct position with a nod. "Other than that you are doing great."

MEMORY

"Come on, Halt!" shouted Will excitedly as he bounced from foot to foot.

"Hold on… We will go in a minute… I just need to grab a few more things…" Halt said, shoving a map into his pack. "Okay…"

"Lets go…" Will said, grinning. Then, he bounded away.

"Will!" Halt called.

Will stopped, glancing over his shoulder confusedly. "What?"

"You're going the wrong way…."

MEMORY

The fire glowed brightly in the hearth, casting shadows around the cabin. Halt sat on the couch, mug in his hand and map in the other. Will sat beside him, sipping at his own mug with a smile on his face.

He remembered his whishes to go to the battle school and wondered, 'Why would I want to be anywhere else?'

MEMORY

"I am not sick!"

"Of course not, Halt. You're running a one hundred degree fever and coughing up a lung. Of course you aren't sick…"

"Shut up and go away, Will."

"Okay… I guess you don't want this coffee I just made…"

"Actually..."

MEMORY

"Halt!" Will cried as he held his mentor's body. Crimson blood was pooling into the dust from a deep gash in Halt's side. The man's eyes fluttered.

"Halt… Stay awake… stay with me… you will be okay." Will sobbed, clutching his mentor tighter.

"Will…" Halt muttered, eyes opening fully.

"Yes, I'm right here…"

"S'okay, W'll…" Halt muttered. "S'okay son…"

And his eyes closed forever.

MEMORY

Alyss watched Will nervously as he opened the door to the cabin. He paused, closing his eyes, his face going blank and pale.

"Are you alright, Will?" she asked him and he nodded, stepping into the cabin. It only took a few moments for Alyss to realize that Will was not alright. He began to sway, his eyes going glassy.

Alyss stepped forward, resting her hands on his shoulder and guiding him over to a place on the couch. "It's okay, Will. It's okay," she muttered, not sure if he could actually hear her. She continued to talk, muttering random, comforting words into his ear.

After a few minutes, Will seemed to come back to himself. His eyes focused on Alyss. He sat up, glancing around the cabin with a sob.

Alyss leaned forward, wrapping her arms around his thin form. "Let it out…." she said, holding him close. Tears leaked out of her own eyes as she witnessed his distress.

She held him tighter, knowing that there was nothing that she could do or say to make it better. The only thing she could do was stay beside him and help him ride out the memories.

The sun began to set, the sky turning pink. Will gently pushed Alyss away, looking into her tearful eyes. He tried to smile, his lips quivering. Alyss loved him all the more for trying.

"Want to talk about… about... it?" she asked. Will nodded once.

"I… I don't think I can do this without him, Alyss," he said.

"Do what?" she asked him, holding his hand in her own.

"This…" Will gestured around them with one hand. "Life…"

"Yes you can, Will. I know it feels hopeless right now, but it will get better over time…. And I will help you through this…" she said.

Will shook his head. "How? How can you help?" he asked bitterly. A little voice in his head told him to stop and that it wasn't Alyss' fault that Halt was dead. But the little worm of darkness that was in his heart was growing larger.

"Will…" Alyss said. "What is the fondest memory that you have of Halt?"

Will paused, looking up. He was silent for so long, that Alyss decided to jump in. "Do you remember when he made you sleep in the tree because you sang Gray Beard Halt too many times?"

She watched his face carefully, and her hopes flew like an eagle when she saw his weak smile.

"Yes… He told me I sounded like a dying cat when I sang that song," Will said, laughing weakly.

"And do you remember that time he invited all of us... Jenny, Horace, George, and me… over to the cabin to eat dinner as a surprise birthday party for you?"

"Yes… that was just two years ago," Will said. "He tried to bake me a cake, but he forgot about it and it burned…" Will laughed when he remembered Halt's look of pure hatred when he saw the blackened cake come out of the oven.

Alyss smiled warmly. "Yes, I am so glad that Jenny brought some extra pies…." She gripped Will's hand tighter before letting it go. They sat in silence for a few minutes, looking out the window to where a pale moon was casting milky light over the trees.

"You see…" Alyss said after a moment. "You just have to remember all of the good times you had with Halt. It will get better…"

"Thank you," Will whispered, before pulling her into a kiss. At that moment, he knew that it would all work out. No matter how much he missed Halt, Alyss would always be there for him and he would always be there for her.

A/N: Woooohoooo! That was surprisingly easy to write… I usually have to struggle to make the chapters this long. I think I am getting better.

This month has been really busy for me and will continue to be busy. There will be gaps in between the chapters… I'm so sorry… DX But hopefully all of this stuff I am doing will clear up.

Thank you so much for reading. XD Please review and tell me what you thought, or any ideas for the next chapter, Insanity.

-Dawn

P.S.- go look up the song that inspired this fic… It is called The Time of our Lives by Tyrone Wells.