Seeley closed his duffle bag and took one last look around his room. His things were neatly put away where they belonged: books on the desk he and Jared shared and clothes neatly folded and placed in the drawers. He wouldn't be needing his civilian clothes anymore, he thought to himself with what he could only assume was melancholy.

He couldn't explain it. The decision he had been so certain of last week had become his biggest regret. In the past week, Jared had gotten into a fight at school and Kelly had become inconsolable. The only thing that could stop her fits of crying was Seeley himself. He didn't like the precedence it was starting and he most certainly did not like the idea of leaving his siblings right when they needed him.

Jared's things were strewn about the room. His pajamas were discarded in his haste to leave the room before Seeley had woken up. They both knew this day was coming and Jared was, as always, the first to run away. But he was only 12, Seeley kept reminding himself. Pops had said age wasn't going to be an excuse forever, but to Seeley, he would always be the little brother.

Seeley made his way downstairs and put his bag in front of the door. Out the front window, he saw Pops out in the driveway, fiddling with the car. The car that would take him to meet his destiny. Seeley laughed at the apocalyptic sound of the phrase.

He heard his grandmother in the kitchen, probably fixing breakfast for his brother and sister. He reluctantly followed the noise, knowing he should probably eat as well. When he rounded the corner into the kitchen, he saw Kelly sitting at her usual seat, singing a song.

"Chantilly lace, has a pretty face," Kelly sang, bobbing her head as her grandmother playfully danced by the stove. Kelly knew it was her grandmother's favorite song and she only brought it out when she saw what she called "the sad face" on one of her grandparents. "And a ponytail, hanging down. A wiggle in the walk and a giggle in the talk," She stopped when she saw Seeley standing in the entryway.

"Makes the world go 'round?" Martha stopped dancing and turned around and saw what Kelly was looking at. "Good morning, Private."

"Good morning, Grandma." He greeted politely as he slid into his usual seat across from Kelly. "Good morning, Kelly."

"Hi, Seeley." Kelly said rather sheepishly and started picking at the eggs that Martha had placed in front of her and Seeley.

"You don't want to keep singing?" He narrowed his eyes at her playfully and she shook her head. "Why not?"

"I just don't feel like singing." She mumbled

"Now that I'm here?" He asked, knowing she would nod her head. He looked up at his grandmother and frowned. "Munchkin, I'm not going away forever." He said softly as she continued to pick at her food. When she didn't respond, he looked back at Martha. "Do you know where Jared went this morning?"

"No, I haven't seen him." She shook her head. "His bike is gone, so I wouldn't be surprised if he's off with some of his friends."

"Alright." Seeley went back to his breakfast and mirrored Kelly's silent attack on the eggs.

"Are we ready to go?" A loud voice boomed from the front hallway. Kelly's eyes darted towards her oldest brother's and he nodded solemnly.

"I'm ready." He called back and stood from his seat. "Kelly?" He held out his hand. "Will you walk me to the car?" Reluctantly, she nodded and accepted his hand and held it tightly as they exited the kitchen and picked up his bag as they made their way outside.

He stopped in front of his grandfather's car and knelt down to meet Kelly's eyes when he suddenly remembered something he had picked up for her earlier in the week.

"Kelly, you can write me letters. And you can switch all of the Cs and Ss and I'll still be able to read it because I know about your law." He promised as he pulled out a small, white stuffed animal. "I got this for you. It's a seal. And when you're scared or lonely, you can tell it everything you would tell me." He whispered and she grasped at it silently, looking it in the eyes. "It can't talk back, but it can listen, Kelly. And you can hug it and know that I miss you just as much as you miss me."

"Okay." She said as she hugged the stuffed animal tightly. "Do you feel that?"

"Yeah." He laughed a little. "I do."

"Shrimp," Hank called from the car. "We've got to get going or they'll leave without you."

"I'm coming." He called over his shoulder and stood up and looked around. "Has Jared come back yet?"

"I still haven't seen him." Martha came up and pulled her eldest grandson into a warm hug. "But we'll just let him be for now. That's just Jared."

"I know." Seeley nodded and smiled as his grandmother. "I love you."

"I love you too, Seeley." She put her hand on his cheek. "You take care of yourself. This family needs you in one piece."

"I'll try." He promised.

He picked up his bag that he had placed on the ground and looked at Kelly one last time. She wasn't crying, but he could tell that she was on the verge of tears.

"This isn't forever, Munchkin. I'll be home soon and in the meantime, you just have to do a lot of cool things so you can tell me about them later, okay?"

"I'll try." She sniffed, echoing his promise. She threw her arms around his waist one last time. When it was clear she wasn't letting go, he started to pry her arms away from his body.

"I have to go now." He said as gently as he could. She stepped back and he threw his bad into the backseat of his grandfather's car and got into the passenger side of the waiting car.

As the car pulled out of the driveway Seeley refused to turn back, but he couldn't help but looking into the side mirror. He saw Kelly standing on the curb, face red and mouth open in a scream that was being drowned out by the car radio. In her hand, she was clutching the small seal he had given her, swinging it angrily as she stood there and cried. His grandmother was behind her, holding a strong hand on her shoulder in order to prevent her from running off after the car. He didn't see Jared.

But Jared sat on the concrete stairs that led to the kitchen entrance on the side of the house. He watched the car grow smaller as it made it's way down the street, finally disappearing around the corner. The only sound he heard was Kelly's inconsolable screams coming from the front lawn. He stood up and brushed the loose dirt off his jeans and mounted the steps. He paused when his hand touched the door handle. His grandmother could be heard trying to convince Kelly to come inside, but her screams continued. With a sigh, he jumped off the side of the steps and made his way to the front of the house.

"Grandma," He said as he approached them. "I've got this."

He stood next to Kelly for a moment, watching the road and trying to think like her. Maybe she was waiting for the car to turn around. Maybe she didn't know if she'd ever see Seeley again. He shook his head, not able to comprehend why his little sister was still screaming.

"Come on, Munchkin." He bent down and scooped her into his arms. At first, she fought him, kicking and screaming into his ear. She used the stupid stuffed seal as a weapon and beat it against his back. "Munchkin," He said soothingly. "I've got you. I'm not going anywhere. I've got you."

She stopped struggling and became lifeless in his arms, still whimpering as she threw her arms around his neck. As he started back towards the house, he felt his grandmother walking beside them. What he didn't know was that she was more proud of him in that moment than any other moment of the 12 years of his life.

It was then that he made the conscious decision that he wasn't picking up where Seeley left off. He never wanted to do that. It wasn't his responsibility to be what his brother was, it wasn't him. But he wasn't going to let Kelly hurt. He wasn't going to let her be alone.

He was going to show her that life goes on.

..fin..