Disclaimer: Obviously, the idea of War of the Worlds does not belong to me, only the story I am creating around it does. Also, some of the characters I am using are from the 2005 remake of War of the Worlds and they belong to Steven Spielberg. Those ideas you see that are unfamiliar? Yeah, those are mine.

A.N.: Okay, so I'm just going to set up the story here. Hopefully you have seen the 2005 War of the Worlds because I'm going from there. At the end of the movie, when Ray and Rachel get to the grandparents' house in Boston and everything is all happy and everyone is together again? Yeah, well, I'm changing that around a bit. And then Ray is going to wake up and it is all a dream, but…then it starts happening for real. Only different, because he knew what was going to happen and he doesn't want it to end like his dream did. Now if we're good on that, I'll just say that this story will be rated PG-13 just like the movie. And let's get on with it:

Just the Beginning

A War of the Worlds fan fiction

Ray swerves around the corner leading to his house and screeches into the driveway. He sees that Mary Ann has her car parked in the road and gets out along with Tim, her new husband. Ray takes the keys out of the ignition and shoves them in his pocket. He gets out and grabs the garbage can to bring to the road.

"Uh, we said eight thirty, right?" Ray asked, knowing he must have gotten something wrong or else Mary Ann wouldn't be standing there with her arms folded across her swelling belly and giving him that look he used to give her when they were still married and she was disappointed but not quite mad.

"We said eight." Mary Ann says.

Ray blinks, he feels like he's had this conversation before, but then again Mary Ann usually does get upset with him for some reason or another so maybe it's nothing. Robbie opens the door to the SUV and gets out. He has his iPod on so loud Ray could probably make out the words if he listened hard enough. Ray warns Robbie that the door is locked, but he knows his son probably can't even hear him. When he looks away from Robbie he is being hugged by a little somebody with blonde curls. His heart lurches as he remembers his nightmare. He hugs Rachel back and says, "That's my girl. Here, I'll get your bag." He reaches in the back seat and pulls out her suit case. "Planning on moving in?" He asks her before struggling up the front steps with it.

"Mom, do you see this? He's carrying my bag." Rachel says to Mary Ann.

"Yes I see. It must be our lucky day, or something." Mary Ann says sarcastically.

"Hey, can't you see I'm trying?" Ray says, bracing the suitcase on the wall as he unlocks the front door. Robbie goes right in and up the stairs. Ray follows him up, carrying the suit case with him until he gets to Robbie and Rachel's room. Mary Ann and Rachel come up and Rachel sits on her bed beside her suit case.

"Robbie has a paper to write, and I really don't want him to have to stay up all night on Sunday to get it done, so if you could get him to at least start it that would be a big help." Mary Ann says, looking Ray in his blue eyes so he knows she's serious.

"All right, I'll get him to do his paper." Ray says, holding his hands up. He leans over Robbie, pulling out an ear plug and says, "Did you hear that? Your mom wants you to start your paper, you got that? I don't want any shit from you about it later."

"Ray! You don't need to talk to him like that, especially in front of Rachel." Mary Ann scolds.

"Mom, its fine, I'm ten, not six." Rachel reminds her mother. Mary Ann turns to her and holds out her arms for a hug. Rachel stands up on the bed and wraps her arms around her mom. "I love you mom."

"I love you too, Rachel. Be good, and make sure your dad doesn't forget to feed you." Mary Ann makes a pointed look at Ray.

"They're kids, not dogs. They'll let me know when they're hungry." Ray tells her.

"Right." Mary Ann smiles slightly. "I'll be back hopefully before dinner on Sunday. Please listen to your father Robbie. Robbie, take those off for a minute and listen to me." Robbie sees his mom is trying to talk so he pulls out the ear plugs and looks up at her. "I said please listen to your father. And do that paper."

"Okay mom." Robbie nods. Mary Ann smiles and kisses him on the head, ruffling his shaggy brown hair before turning back to Ray. She motions for him to follow her downstairs.

She hesitates at the front door and says, "Call me on my cell phone if you need anything. I mean, anything, really. If Rachel wants to call me, then that's fine too. Tell her, okay?"

"Hey, take it easy. I have had them for the weekend before, you know. They're going to be fine." Ray assures her.

"I know," Mary Ann says smiling weakly at him. "I don't know why I get like this. Every time I go I feel like I'm losing them. Like this is my last chance to tell them I love them. It's silly, I know, but that's just how I feel."

Ray nods and silently remembers his dream. He knows exactly how she feels. The knots of dread that tightened in his stomach that had felt so real in his dream was something he never wanted to experience for real. He called up the stairs, "Hey Rachel, Robbie, come down here for a minute."

There was a pause and then Rachel came clomping down the stairs, Robbie following. "What is it?" Rachel asked, her blue eyes wide with wonder. "Mom, you're not having the baby, are you?"

"No! No, sweetie, I'm not." Mary Ann answered quickly. She smiled at Ray and then said to Rachel, "I just needed to say goodbye to you two. And I love you," she squeezed Rachel tightly, "so so much; you know that, don't you?" Rachel nodded. Then Mary Ann hugged Robbie and said goodbye again and then left, first smiling gratefully at Ray. She might not be in love with him anymore, but she still loved him and cared for him.

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A/N: Please review! I'll update soon.