Chapter Six: Pillow Fight

"You get to do what?" Jack almost yelled at his sister.

She had just told them that she was going to ship out the next week with their father. "I get to go—" she started to repeat.

"I heard what you said. But why?" James asked, scooting closer to her on the bed.

The three were having a meeting in Alaina's room, discussing the odd people they'd seen around the house when Alaina decided to tell them.

"Because," she told them, not able to think of anything else to say.

"Because what?" Jack asked, a grin spreading on his face.

"Because I asked her to," a voice said from the doorway, sending all three of them jumping.

Will smiled and came in.

"Isn't it a little late to be up talking?" he asked them, looking at the clock.

"It's only ten-thirty," Jack disagreed.

"Care to join us?" Alaina asked, motioning at the empty space still on her bed.

Will nodded and sat down. He always enjoyed the time when all four were together, though no matter what it always felt incomplete without Elizabeth.

"What?" he asked as large mischievous grins suddenly appeared on Alaina's and the twin's faces.

Almost immediately the three whipped out pillows from the top of Alaina's bed and began to hit him.

Will laughed and threw his hands up, trying to block the blows and trying to grab the extra one still lying at the top of the bed. Once Will felt the corner of the pillow he yanked and began to hit James, who was the closest to him.

"Arg!" came his muffled cry as the pillow hit him square in the face.

Alaina burst into giggles.

"Help me!" James cried, laughing, as Will continued to beat him.

Jack stood upon the bed and jumped onto his father's back. Alaina playfully hit her brother on the back of his head. A sudden plan popped into Jack's head.

"Get the sister!" he yelled, getting off his father and whacking his sister.

Alaina gave a shriek of laughter and dropped her pillow as they all advanced on her. "Parlay!" she cried amidst the laughter. "Parlay!"

"What do you say, Captain?" Will asked with a laugh, looking down at his son.

"Let her have it!" Jack yelled.

"This'll teach you for sticking peas in my ear!" he yelled, ruffling her hair.

"Jerk!" she yelled, falling onto the bed.

James began to jump on the bed with his father, and they fought until the clock downstairs struck eleven.

"Well, I think we've all had enough fun for one evening," Will said, stopping and dropping the pillow back on the bed, exhausted. The boys nodded and followed their father's suit.

"Goodnight, Alaina," Will said, catching his breath as he headed out the door.

"'Night," she replied as the boys scurried out of her room and into their own.

"That was fun," James said, crawling into bed.

Jack didn't respond; he was too deep in thought as he climbed into his bed.

"Jack?" James asked, looking at his twin. He thought it was funny sometimes, watching his brother like he was watching himself in a mirror.

Jack didn't reply and turned with his back facing his brother so he wouldn't see the tears welling up in his eyes.

***

Will sat up in his bed. He was restless. The moonlight gave him just enough light to read the clock.

Two-thirty.

He remembered the nights when he used to wake up just to watch Elizabeth sleep. Those nights seemed so long ago now. There was nothing but the pain and the grief that consumed him in the darkness of night when everyone else was asleep. He never slept; his soul would never be in peace as long as he was still out there.

Tears began to stream down his face as life went on. He didn't think it could. How could the world go on without her? In his heart Will knew that he didn't want it to. Some mornings it took everything he had just to open his eyes, and it was Alaina, Jack and James that kept him going. They were the only things that kept him alive, knowing that when he came back from sailing they would always be there to greet him, and to love him.

He had been away almost two out of the three years she'd been gone, not wanting to face his inner demons that seemed to grow in power when he was home. Sailing was the only thing that took over his mind.

He knew Alaina could hardly keep up with her studies, let alone them, her brothers, her friends, and the grief that he knew she still suffered from. And he felt enormous guilt whenever he left, but he could not face the pain.

Not yet.

A scream sent him out of his thoughts. It had come from inside the house. In a flash he was out in the hall. He stood there for a moment, beginning to think he was losing his mind, when his body started to move toward Alaina's room.

His hands were beginning to sweat as he turned the doorknob and opened the door. The room was almost pitch black except for a small trail of moonlight coming from a small slit in the curtains.

He heard heavy breathing and went over to the bed. "Alaina?" he asked in a whisper as he sat down on the edge.

He immediately felt her grab onto him and cry.

"I want her back."

Will's eyes began to fill with tears again to hear the plea in his daughter's voice. "I know," he told her, cradling her in his arms.

"It's not fair." She sobbed onto his chest.

"No, it's not," he agreed, closing his eyes and stroking her hair.

Alaina felt his tears fall onto her hair and rested her head against his chest. Normally when he held her she felt at ease, but nothing could comfort her now. Nothing could calm the throbbing pain that clutched her heart.

Will set his chin on the top of her head and began to rock her. "Alaina, I promise I'll find him."

Fresh tears began to fill her eyes as guilt flowed through her at her secret. It began to grow until she couldn't stand it any longer. Will was startled as Alaina violently pulled away from him. Quickly she wiped away her tears and fell back onto her pillow.

Will found her behavior odd, but he got up and headed for the door.

"Dad?" Alaina asked, rolling onto her back.

Will stopped and turned to her.

"I love you."

Will smiled. "I love you too."

Alaina sighed and closed her eyes, trying to push down her feelings. Will quietly shut the door and headed back to his room, no longer restless.

Lying down on his bed again, he closed his eyes and drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

***