As he crept across the hall to the door of the room Lilly was staying in Ben noticed how dark it really was. When he reached the door he didn't bother to nock, too afraid he would wake the others. Jack was on deck, but the rest were sound asleep down below. In the light from the small window he could see Lilly's face. He crept closer to her and was startled when she turned over, rustling the sheets.
He sat down next to her on the bed.
She looked up at him.
"Ben?"
"Sorry… I was just leaving."
"No. Don't go. Lay down."
He lay down next to her and listened to her breathing. It was quiet and steady. She was falling asleep and soon he did the same.
The next morning, Jack came down to get some sleep while the rest of the crew managed things on deck. He took a peek into Lilly's door, which stood ajar. He smiled. The scene almost looked like a painting; Lilly's head was resting on Ben's shoulder.
A scream and the sound of feet clambering down the stairs woke the two. When they opened their eyes Jack was gone.
"What's going on?" Lilly whispered, getting out of bed.
"I don't know."
On deck Elizabeth screamed as the crew tried to ease her pain. The baby was on its way. Will sat with his head in his hands, too nervous to help.
When they finally managed to deliver the screaming baby Elizabeth was motionless. Will ran to her side, scared to death and praying she would wake up.
She never did.
The first few days were difficult. Will mostly stayed in his room. He wanted nothing to do with the baby.
Lilly took quickly to the motherly role, and by the sixth day Will had finally gone back to working on deck. Ben helped Lilly bathe and feed the baby every day, and Jack took the job of playing with the baby.
Will opened the door of the extra room, now a nursery for Daniel. It was the name Elizabeth had chosen.
He reached into the crib and picked up the baby. Supporting his head, Will looked into the baby's eyes. They were opened wide with wonder and curiosity. He had the same eyes as Elizabeth. For the first time he rocked the baby in his arms as it drifted off to sleep.
Lilly walked in a few minutes later and Will quickly placed the baby back in its crib and rushed up to the deck.
Ben walked in and placed his hand on Lilly's shoulder.
"It's a start," he sighed. Lilly nodded and began to undress the baby for a bath.
Jack found Will crying in the dining quarters a few hours later and sat down next to him.
"It's difficult and we all know you are going through a lot, but, Will, you're going to have to be a father sometime."
"I can't believe you're saying that to me. You abandoned your daughter. You've had plenty of time to tell Lilly the truth. When she finally finds out, she's going to hate you."
Lilly, listening from outside the door, dropped to the floor. How could she have been so stupid? Jack Smith… he was her father.
Jack, hearing her fall, ran to the door.
"Lilly, I'm sorry."
"Shut up."
Lilly ran to her room.
TO BE CONTINUED