Authors Note: Just a quick note. I hope this chapter is okay in regards to "skipping" over Alicia's parents' death. Because I have written most of the details earlier in the story, I felt I would just be repeating myself but writing it out again.

Chapter 46: Finally Opening Up

Zak's Point of View

When I had gotten off the phone, I had to explain to Aaron why I had it with me, and then explained that I had to leave.

We had briefly discussed the lockdown, and since Debby insisted she didn't mind staying for the rest of it, I left her and Aaron to continue in the first class pool room, after they both gave me well wishes for Alicia.

But I did take one thing with me - the recorder we had captured Emily's voice on.

I just knew in my heart it had to have been her.

I then made my way through the ship, still feeling a great deal of sadness and fear, and eventually reached Billy and Jay and told them what was going on. I also said Ashley offered to come down at around 6am to help with gathering up the equipment.

They, like Aaron and Debby, had no trouble with me leaving and also offered their well wishes.

When I walked off the ship some of the crew expressed their concerns about me leaving, but I assured them that the others had everything covered, and that we would get a full episode out of the footage.

After freeing myself from their questions and concerns, I made my way to one of our SUVs and got inside.

I sat there for a moment and took a deep breath to try to calm myself.

I was still feeling the sadness and fear, and I had a feeling that somehow, I was feeling what Alicia was going through.

It almost brought tears to my eyes.

I quickly put on my seatbelt and started the SUV and then proceeded to pull out of the parking lot.

I'm coming Ali…just hang on.

Between updating everyone and then driving to the hotel, I arrived roughly 45 minutes later.

I quickly headed inside and took the elevator to our floor, and walked down the hall straight to Alicia's room and knocked on the door.

After what felt like hours, Ashley answered the door, looking worn out.

"Thank you for all this Ash," I said, giving her a friendly kiss on the cheek as I walked inside.

"Don't worry about it. She's in the washroom," Ashley started, having noticed me looking past her for Alicia. "I'm going to go try and get a few hours of sleep before heading down to the dock. Come get me if you need me," Ashley added, picking up her bag.

"I will, thanks again Ash," I said.

She smiled weakly and walked out the door.

I slipped my shoes off and barely took a step forward before I saw Alicia walk out of the bathroom.

I briefly noticed that she was showing more skin than I've ever seen her show around me, and normally would of commented, but the expression on her face erased all those thoughts from my mind.

She looked pale, exhausted, afraid, and her eyes were swollen and red from crying.

"I'm sorry…" She said quietly.

My heart broke.

I quickly walked up to her and took her small frame in my arms, and kissed the top of her head.

"Nothing to be sorry for doll," I said softly.

I felt her arms wrap tightly around me and her head rest against my chest.

"I don't want you to get in trouble-" She started, but I cut her off.

"I won't get in trouble, and you're more important anyway," I said softly, stroking her back.

I felt her small hands clutch the back of my shirt tightly, whether out of fear, or gratitude, I didn't know.

"I need to tell you everything…about my parents death…about Emily's…I can't hold it in anymore…" Alicia said, her voice pained.

I was stunned by the seemingly random change of attitude in regards to Alicia opening up about her past, but I figured what she saw tonight onboard the "Queen Mary" must have been the final straw for her.

I was also relieved and happy.

She's finally going to open up to me…

But I pushed those thoughts aside, knowing she needed me right now, because it wasn't going to be easy for her.

"Alright sweetie, whatever you need," I said softly.

She held onto me a bit longer, before gently pulling back and taking one of my hands in hers.

I let her lead us over to a table and two chairs that were in the corner of the room.

I realized she must have had this planned, at least since Ashley had called, because there was two bottles of water on the table, as well as a box of Kleenex.

I sat down in one chair as Alicia sat in the other and I kept a hold of her hand across the table.

Her eyes were watering, and she had more fear on her face then I think I've ever seen.

"Ali…I don't want you to feel like you have to tell me because of what happened on the ship…" I said softly.

She shook her head slightly, wiping her eyes with her free hand before looking at me.

"I am doing this because of what happened on the ship…but not because I feel pressured by anyone. I'm doing this because I can't handle the pain anymore…I can't take feeling alone anymore…" Alicia explained, a few tears falling down her cheeks.

I kept a tight grip on her hand, but used my other hand to pull my chair closer to her, so we were sitting directly in front of each other.

I then reached up and gently wiped the tears from her face.

"You're not alone, I'm here," I said softly.

"I'm afraid you won't be after you hear everything…" She said sadly, looking down at her lap.

"Hey…" I said softly, reaching over and gently lifting her chin up until she was looking at me. "I'm not going to go anywhere, I promise," I added softly, looking into her eyes.

She looked back into my eyes for a brief time, and I could feel the pain and turmoil she was going through.

It made me want to pull her onto my lap and hold her until all the pain went away.

I heard her take a deep breath.

"My parents died in a car accident…on the fourth of April, in 1995. We were living in Halifax, Nova Scotia at the time…"

Alicia's Point of View

Roughly an hour later…

I wiped my eyes again, calming down from the crying spell that had started from reliving the memories of my parents deaths.

I hadn't left out a single detail.

I told Zak everything I could remember, from what Emily and I had had for dinner that night, to what video game I was playing when Michelle, our babysitter, had come into the room to tell me the news.

Zak was amazing through it all.

He held my hands as I talked, stroking the tops of them with his thumbs for comfort, squeezing my hands whenever I had gotten to a difficult part, and listened to every word intently.

When I had broken down crying at the end of it, he had leaned across the small space between us and hugged me tightly, stroked my back, and before I could even ask him, he had softly said, "It wasn't your fault".

I had pulled back after calming down enough from crying.

My head was killing me, and there was still another story to tell.

Once I was calm, I took a swig of water from my bottle, to help clear my throat, and to ease the slight pain from all the talking and crying.

I noticed that Zak looked like he had a question on his mind.

I set my water down and looked at him.

"What is it?" I asked.

He looked hesitant, but I nodded to tell him it was okay.

"Did they ever catch the drunk driver?" Zak asked, somewhat quietly.

I closed my eyes briefly before opening them again.

"No," I replied simple.

Zak nodded in response, but I could see his jaw muscles clenching, as if he was angry.

He took a drink from his own water and then looked at me as he set the bottle down.

He looked worried.

"Maybe we should save the rest for later…you look exhausted…" Zak said, his voice full of concern.

I shook my head slightly.

"I need to do it now…while I still feel like I can…" I said quietly.

Zak leaned forward and gently took my hands in his again.

"Whenever you're ready sweetie…" Zak said.

Emily…please help me through this…