Chapter 5: Anger Management

London, England- O'Connell Manor

September 3, 1939

"The attacks two days ago on Poland by Nazi Germany killed thousands as the German airplanes bombed the Czech Republic repeatedly, not even letting up during the night. This form of attack is called the Blitzkrieg, or lightning war. The cruelty and malice with which these attacks have been carried out furthers our plight against Germany. When Hitler first entered the Spanish Civil War to test weapons of mass destruction on the innocent civilians we were confused to where this war hardened commander came from and now we see that only hate can have control over him.

It is with my deepest sorrows that I announce our campaign. We are now at war with Germany. Stay tuned for-"

There was an audible 'click' as the radio was turned off. A great sigh could be heard as Rick dropped his head into his hands. What is this world coming to? He thought. He groaned as he stood up tiredly. Slowly he shuffled into the bedroom where Evelyn was peacefully sleeping. The twins were just two days old and she was tired from her ordeal so he wanted her to sleep. But, he was weary as well so he slid off his pants and shirt and collapsed into bed beside her, drawing her sleeping body into his arms. In her slumber she moaned softly and snuggled in closer to him and he squeezed her reassuringly. His eyes closed and within moments he was fast asleep.

Crying, incessant crying. Evelyn woke up immediately, concerned that something was wrong with Mahalia or Hashim. She started to get out of bed but then the pain hit her. She had no need to worry though for as she sank back to the bed she saw her husband standing over the cribs. They had had to bring Alex's old crib down from the attic when they realized they had twins in their hands. Also they had had a problem with the amounts of diapers and had had to go into town on several occasions to buy stocks of diapers. Mahalia and Hashim were only two days old and had already gone through many diapers and had become their Uncle's favorite possessions. She smiled to herself as she recalled him holding and reading to both of them last night when they had gone to bed.

Evelyn watched as Rick took Mahalia in his arms and brought her over to her. She had already taken off her sleep shirt and was ready for feeding. The site of her daughter made Evelyn's heart swell. Her face was red and streaked from crying but as soon as she saw her mother she stopped her screaming and groped, trying to find the food source. When she did she closed her eyes and suckled gently. Evelyn laughed remembering the first time she had breast-fed Hashim after he had been born. He was very rough, unlike her daughter, and he had also been very impatient. She gently stroked her daughters little head, absorbed in the life she had helped to create while Rick restlessly stood at the foot of the bed watching her.

"Evelyn?" he finally said, breaking the moment. He moved down to sit in front of her on the bed so that they were face to face.

"Yes?" She replied looking up from their daughter concern written across her face. He was in a serious mood at the moment for he never called her by 'Evelyn' unless he needed to tell her something. "Honey what is it?"

There was silence as Rick tried to think of the best way to break the horrible news to her. "Evelyn, there's something I need to tell you. We have to move, we have to go away."

She narrowed her eyebrows confused. "Rick, you aren't making any sense. Of course we don't have to go away, how can we go away? These two are too young." She was exacerbated.

"Evelyn, please don't make this harder on me than it is already. This isn't going to be easy for you to understand or to hear Evie."

"Damn it Rick, just tell me what the matter is!" She was frustrated.

Rick flinched visibly. Evie never used harsh language around anyone and Rick could tell that she was confused and scared. She didn't know what to expect, and quite frankly neither did he. He sat down beside her and began..."Well you know how two days ago Germany attacked Poland?" She nodded her head her eyes drooping somewhat almost as if she were preparing herself for the blow that would surely come. "Today, before I came in to sleep with you the radio broadcaster announced that we, along with France, have declared war on Germany." His voice trailed off as he saw the look on her face. "Listen Evie, that Blitz, the thing that Poland went through scares me." He took her hand, the one that wasn't holding Mahalia. "I could not bear to lose everything we have worked so hard to create. This is why we have to leave. England is separated from Europe by the English Channel but there are now other ways of attacking a country than by water and land. We have to go." He looked at her waiting for her response but he didn't get one. She just sat there staring a little past him to where her sleeping son lay. Hashim began to cry. This triggered Mahalia to cry again as well.

Rick immediately jumped up and went over to where his son lay on his back screaming and flailing his little arms and legs in the air. "Hey, what's wrong big guy?" He asked as he lifted Hashim into his arms. He gently rocked and swayed Hashim and then bounced him up and down softly. As he turned around Evelyn was still staring but he noticed that tears were slipping silently down her face. "Oh, Evelyn." He said as he rushed to her side. Taking Mahalia he placed Hashim in Evelyn's stiff arms and he began to feed. "Jonathan?" He yelled. There was a faint answer. "Can you come take Mahalia please?" Mahalia who had since stopped crying started again.

"Rick, lower your voice, you're disturbing the babies."

Jonathan came slowly down the hall and peered in through the doorway. Once he saw that Evelyn was crying he rushed to Rick and took his niece from him then promptly left, burping her and then rocking her to sleep.

"Rick, I don't want to leave!" Evelyn's voice was very soft and it wavered as she spoke.

"I know honey, neither do I but I feel that we must."

She repeated what she had said just before, but this time louder. "Rick, I don't want to leave!"

"Evelyn, we have to."

"Why Rick? We have never run away from danger before, why now?" Her eyes were blazing as her voice rose. Hashim began to wail, his little red mouth open wide.

"Listen to yourself Evelyn, would you? We have two newborn babies with their entire lives ahead of them and it's dangerous here. Do you know what Great Britain declaring war on Germany means? It means that we will be fighting, I will be called in for duty, and depending on how long this war lasts so will Alex." Meanwhile Hashim cries grew louder with Rick's voice.

"Shut up!" She yelled in his face. Her eyes immediately looked down at her screaming son. "Shhh, shhh, don't cry Hashim." She cooed, her voice lowering as she rocked him back and forth.

"Evelyn, don't you tell me to shut up, I am doing this for us, for you! Can't you see that?" Rick noticed that she wasn't even looking at him. He grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. "Listen to me." He commanded as he squeezed her chin harder.

"Ow Rick, that hurts! Let go of me, please, you are hurting me! LET GO!" She screamed.

~*~

Meanwhile Alex was in his bedroom reading comics. He heard his parents start yelling at each other and tried to ignore it. They never raised their voices at one another, they were always lovey-dovey, and this is why Alex began to get scared. When he heard his mother's voice yell in pain 'LET GO' he ran out of his room and down the hall to see his father holding his mother's chin in his hand and little Hashim's red upset face in her lap. Alex acted with his only instinct he knew and he grabbed his little brother out of his mother's lap and retreated out of the room to find his uncle. Then he too began to cry.

~*~

When Rick did not let go of her after Alex had come in Evelyn did the only thing she could think of and slapped his face with her hand as hard as she could. This caused him to wince and relax his grip on her. She then collapsed to the bed sobbing holding her chin in her hands. Gingerly she reached over and replaced her shirt. She would never forgive herself for hitting him. But how could he have done that, to hurt her like that? She did not understand.

Rick stared at her in shock, but that shock did not just extend towards her it also encompassed hate for himself. He would never have dreamed of hurting her, he just needed her to see that what he was trying to do would keep them safe, that it would help them. He felt the need to apologize immediately, but something inside him held it back.

"Evelyn?"

"Go away!" She screamed. "I don't want to talk to you right now!" She shook with her anger and her cries and he felt horrible but he didn't want to aggravate her anymore than he already had. He slowly stood up, still in shock with what had just happened. He walked slowly towards the door and when he was standing in the doorway he whispered-

"I am sorry Evelyn."

With this she sobbed harder clutching at her heart. Her eyes then moved and she found herself looking out the window of their bedroom, taking note of the darkness outside. As she gazed up at the moon, the stellar light shone down upon her and she realized that at least some place in this Universe light was still shining even if hers was extinguished.

~*~

P.S. Well, that's chapter five for you! I would like to say thank you to all the wonderful reviewers! (Thank you Des for helping me as well last night!) You guys are really making me go as fast as I can so that I can finish this to please you all! I hope you are liking it so far. Personally this is my favorite chapter yet! I am just starting chapter six and I don't know when that is going to be finished so please try to be patient! Oh, also another thing, this chapter is very serious, I hope I did not get the characters too out of place. It was very hard to write this chapter because of the serious nature. Thanks Shelby for helping me! I tried to think about how the move would effect Evelyn and her reaction was the best I could think of just because of her childhood and how England was where she grew up. Rick wanting to move immediately because of the events of Ahm-Shere etc. He wants his loved ones to be safe! Again, Reading and Reviewing makes the grass grow! SO GET TO IT YO!

P.P.S Another thing I forgot to mention, I got my information from the history notes that I took in my history class last year so everything you are reading about WW II is real!

Thanks again!-

~*Marion*~ (aka, GiantPygmyGirl)