Hal layed in the bed of the truck as they drove down the streets. He felt each and every bump in the road, and in that moment, those bumps were all that Hal felt.
Hal's thoughts all seemed to have frozen. He couldn't form any words or thoughts. All he knew were the bumps that jerked his body back and forth. Nothing was real to him as he lay in the bed of that truck.
Tom sat stiffly next to Hal, his face pale. He gripped on to the sides of the truck as it shook.
Tom found that he couldn't look down at Hal. He wanted so badly to look into his son's eyes and comfort him, but he couldn't do it. It was far too painful. Tom had realized, after Hal's breakdown a few moments before, how much Hal was truly hurting. He had always known that Hal was struggling with all that he had been through, but now he knew to what extent, and it frightened Tom to his very core.
Tom glanced over to Maggie, who sat on Hal's other side, her hand tightly wrapped around his. Her eyes were staring down intently at Hal. She hadn't looked away from him for one moment since he had collapsed in the street.
Tom could see all the love she had for Hal in her eyes at that moment. He had known Hal and Maggie had become very close in the last year. They were sleeping in the same bed, but Tom had assumed that was mostly because Hal was desperate to avoid his family. He had been so distant after they found him.
But as Tom gazed at Maggie, he knew that what she felt for his son was more than a simple teenage relationship, that it was complete and undeniable love, and he could only assume Hal felt the same for her.
It suddenly dawned on Tom that there was so much about Hal that he had missed out on. Before the attacks, he had missed a few lacrosse games, and a dinner or two. There were those days when he had to work late, and he'd come home to find Hal already in bed. But he always felt he was close to his oldest, and he felt like he had a good understanding of him.
But after the attacks, when Rebecca had been killed, Tom had started to almost neglect Hal. He hadn't meant to. He loved Hal with all of his heart, and he wanted to be with him every second of every day. But it had been too hard to be around Hal after his wife had passed. Hal was so similar to Rebecca that she was all Tom could see when he looked at him, and it was agonizing.
Hal was so strong, so determined, and he'd always been independent. He had always been able to take care of himself, and after the attacks, he had proven himself more than capable of taking care of his little brothers as well, especially when Tom had been taken on that ship. Hal had really stepped up, and in a way, he had assumed the role of a second dad for Ben and Matt. And because of all of this, Tom had felt that it was almost okay to leave Hal be, and to focus all of his attention on his two youngest. He now realized how terribly, terribly wrong he had been.
Hal was strong, stronger than most people in the world they now lived in. But he was still a boy. He had grown so much after the invasion, but there was still a part of him that was just a boy, a boy who needed his daddy. And Tom had seen that part of Hal when he had broken down after Dai's death.
Tom had been selfish. He had been so concerned with his own pain and fear that he had forgotten that Hal still needed a father. Hal had been forced to grow up so fast, and he had been forced to take on the role of a surrogate parent when he had only been seventeen years old. And on top of that, every horrible thing that Tom could ever imagine happening to someone, and more, had happened to Hal. And Tom hadn't been there for his son to properly help him through it all. And Tom was so incredibly sorry for it all.
He was sorry that Hal had been the one to find Rebecca's body, instead of himself. He was sorry that Hal had to grow up so fast, and become both a soldier and a parent when he was still so young himself. Tom was sorry that Hal had seen innocent children be murdered at the hands of someone he once cared for greatly. He was sorry Hal had been bugged by Karen, and lost all control of himself. He was sorry Hal had been abducted by Karen, and tortured so badly. Tom was so sorry for how much Hal was hurting, all of the things he had witnessed, all the guilt he felt, and now the death of his closest friend. Tom was just sorry.
Hal forced his eyes to reopen, forced himself to focus on something real. He saw Maggie instantly, and his eyes settled firmly on her. He let himself take all of her in. All of her beauty, her kindness, her passion. All of those things about her felt very real to Hal, and he managed to find a small amount of comfort in them.
Maggie was already staring right at him, and as she saw his eyes meet hers, she unintentionally tightened her grip on his hand.
Hal tried to swallow, but his throat was too dry. So, he simply stared at Maggie, needing to see her, needing to know she was real, that she was there with him. Hal just needed Maggie.
As they looked deep into each others eyes, Hal felt himself shift forward harshly, his feet colliding with the tailgate of the truck. The truck had suddenly come to a stop.
Despite being so incredibly numb and weak, Hal sat up. Maggie and Tom both rose to their feet in an instant, armed and ready to kill. Tom glanced around quickly, searching for the cause of their abrupt stop. Hal watched as his father's eyes settled on something in front of the truck, and he watched as any color in his face vanished.
Maggie's eyes followed Tom's, and she, too, became devoid of color. Hal rose to his feet shakily, a small, pained gasp escaping his lips as he did so.
Hal turned his attention to what had caught Tom and Maggie's attention, and he soon found himself struggling to stay standing.
Some forty feet in front of all the vehicles was the alien ship Hal had been held captive in just weeks before. A few yards in front of it stood a trembling, sobbing Matt, and pressed right into his side was Karen. She had a gun pressed to Matt's temple. Hal immediately stepped forward in the truck, nearly collapsing as he did.
No, no, please, no, Hal thought desperately, his heart about to explode in his chest.
Hal's hand flew to his pocket, where his pistol rested. He gently pulled it out, hoping to not catch Karen's attention by doing so.
Karen's eyes immediately flickered to Hal, and a sinister, gnarly grin appeared on her face.
"Hello, Tom, Hal!" Karen shouted, stepping closer to the vehicles. She pushed Matt in front of her as a shield when everyone raised their weapons.
Tom turned and jumped off the side of the truck, walking closer to Karen, still grasping his gun firmly. Maggie and Hal quickly jumped off, too, and followed in his steps.
Karen wrapped her arm around Matt's heaving chest, pulling him closer to her body. She kept the gun pressed to his head, her finger hovering over the trigger.
Hal had his pistol aimed directly at her forehead, and as soon as he had a clear shot, he planned on taking it. But he had a terrible feeling in the pit of his stomach that was telling him there would be no clear shot to take.
"Dad!" Matt cried out. He sounded so young, and so frightened. Hal's stomach lurched painfully.
"What do you want?" Tom yelled out as he took a step closer to his youngest boy. His eyes were filled with such desperation and fear. He couldn't lose his son, any of them.
Karen tore her eyes from Hal as Tom spoke, and met his eyes evenly.
"How about you tell me about your little alliance with the Rebel Skitters, and about that attack you're planning, in exchange for your youngest?" Karen called back, her eyes practically sparkling with malice.
Tom looked torn. He couldn't give up their plan, but he couldn't lose Matt.
"I-I can't do that!" Tom reluctantly yelled out after a minute or two. He continued to inch closer to Matt and Karen.
"Now, Tom. You wouldn't let little Matty here die, would you? He's your son. You're so willing to give up his life?" Karen called, her tone mocking and menacing.
Hal watched as Karen's finger rested comfortably on the trigger, ready to pull it at a second's notice. It was then that Hal knew what he had to do.
Hal knew Tom wouldn't budge. He knew that, as much as he loved his sons, he would have to put the safety of the entire 2nd Mass before any individual, even his own son. And Hal knew that even if, by some chance, Tom decided to save Matt and give up their plan, Karen would still kill Matt. And Hal wouldn't let his baby brother die. He couldn't let him die.
Hal glanced over at Maggie, who was standing rigidly at his side, her eyes gleaming with hatred and fury.
"Maggie…" Hal whispered. His voice was quiet, but she caught it instantly.
Maggie turned to Hal slightly, her eyes questioning.
"You're so beautiful." Hal breathed, his face soft and emotional. Maggie's lips parted to speak, but Hal continued.
"In all my life, I've never seen someone so beautiful. I love you, Maggie. God, I love you so much. Remember that." Hal reached out slowly and took Maggie's hand, squeezing it a little.
"Hal, what-" Maggie started, her eyes shimmering. She knew what Hal was thinking, but she didn't want to acknowledge it. She couldn't lose Hal Mason.
"Take care of Ben, and Matt. Tell them I'll always love them." Hal felt a cry rise in his throat, but he forced it down.
"And tell my Dad I'm sorry. For everything." Hal finished softly.
Without any warning, Hal took the half-step he needed to reach Maggie, and pressed a firm, loving kiss to her lips. He put a hand to her waist, memorizing how she felt beneath his fingers. When he pulled away, Maggie let a small cry escape her lips, tears beginning to slip down her cheeks.
Hal gave her one last long look, his eyes expressing all the love he felt for her. She felt it. She felt his love, and she knew he felt hers.
"Goodbye, my love." He whispered softly. Then, he pulled his hand from her waist, his fingers lingering a bit longer.
He stepped away slowly and raised his hands, letting the pistol dangle from his thumb loosely.
"Take me." Hal called out loudly, his eyes still resting on Maggie. Tom had opened his mouth to make some sort of compromise with Karen, but now all eyes turned to Hal as he continued to back towards Karen.
Hal reluctantly turned his back to Maggie, and faced Karen, a shiver shooting down his spine at the sight of her.
Karen cocked her head slightly, her finger moving away from the trigger of the gun slightly. She looked amused, and mildly eager.
"Hal-" Tom started shakily, fear striking through his body. He couldn't let Hal go with Karen. He knew what he was trying to do, and Tom had to stop it.
"Take me!" Hal called out again, ignoring his father completely. "You need leverage, so take me. Give my father some time to think. Let Matt go, and take me with you while he decides what he wants to do."
Hal knew what Tom would do, what he would have to do. Hal knew this was a death sentence, that Tom couldn't jeopardize the entire 2nd Mass. But if Karen was going to use one of them as leverage, it would be him, not Matt.
"And why would I do that?" Karen called back, still smiling.
"Because you know it's me you want." Hal stated simply, sounding completely empty of emotion.
Karen looked at Hal with a distinct curiosity, her lips still curled up in a frightening smile. After a brief moment of consideration, Karen nodded, lowering the gun from Matt's head.
"Hal!" Tom shouted, the fear in his voice clear. "Hal, stop!"
Hal pushed forward through the fighters. He moved very slowly, and stiffly, but he showed absolutely no fear. The last time he had seen Karen, he had showed fear, and she had used it against him. He wouldn't give her that opportunity again.
Hal brushed past Pope, who briefly grabbed his shoulder.
"You got balls, kid. I'll give you that." Pope muttered, looking Hal directly in the eye. For a moment, Hal thought he saw a flash of respect and genuine care in Pope's eyes, but it disappeared as quickly as it came.
Hal nodded slightly, and continued closer to Karen. He finally made his way through all of the fighters.
It was then that Ben stepped forward, reaching out and stopping Hal for a moment.
"She'll kill you. I can hear her." Ben whispered, his voice grave.
Hal reached up and gently removed Ben's hand from his shoulder so that he could continue to Karen. He bit his lip and gave Ben a small, sad smile.
"Take care of Dad. He'll need you." Hal whispered, holding Ben's pained gaze evenly. Ben opened his mouth as if to speak, but instead he took a step backwards, still looking into Hal's tired eyes. He let out a small breath, desperately trying to hide his emotions, but failing.
"You've always been my hero." Ben mumbled, sounding slightly choked and a little embarrassed.
Hal started to turn away, letting out a painful chuckle.
"You've always made me proud." Hal said quietly as he started towards Karen again.
He reached Karen, and as he did, she released Matt, who immediately ran into Hal's arms. Hal picked Matt up and held him tightly, his eyes shutting. Matt clung desperately to Hal, his small legs wrapping around his big brother's waist.
"Please don't go, Hal." Matt cried into Hal's shoulder.
"It'll be okay, buddy. I'm going to be okay." Hal mumbled, kneeling down so that he could put Matt on the ground again.
Stop lying to him, Hal's mind screamed at him furiously.
Matt stood before Hal, his little shoulders shaking as he cried. He hung his head, but Hal gave his shoulders a gentle squeeze, causing him to look up.
"You know I love you?" Hal looked at Matt intently. Matt nodded weakly.
"You know I'm proud of you?" Again, Matt nodded, wiping at his cheeks angrily.
"I'm always gonna be your big brother. You remember that." Hal whispered. Matt nodded, his bottom lip trembling. He bit down on it to keep from crying.
"You're so brave, Casper. Now I need you to go back to Dad, okay? Go stay with Dad." Hal pulled Matt to him quickly, pressing a kiss to his dirty forehead. Hal stood slowly and gave Matt a gentle push back towards the group.
As Hal watched Matt run clumsily back to where their father stood, he met Tom's eyes. Tom was frozen in place, unable to move or speak as he watched his oldest boy give up his life to save his little brother. He wanted so badly to stop him, to give himself up in place of Hal, but he knew that would never work. Hal was right. Karen wanted him, and no one else. It was their only real option, and that killed Tom.
Hal held Tom's gaze for a moment longer, a small smile forming on his features. He nodded at Tom, and then his eyes flickered across the rest of the group. Pope and his crew were shuffling somewhat anxiously, some looking at Hal, some looking at the ground. Pope was staring directly at Hal, his jaw tight. Hal skimmed through the crowd, nodding briefly at Anthony, and smiling weakly at Ben. Weaver nodded at Hal respectfully, his expression one of a proud Captain.
Hal finally let his eyes rest on Maggie once more, soaking in her beauty for what he could
only assume would be the last time. Her cheeks were stained with tears, and her beautiful brown eyes were slightly bloodshot. The hand that wasn't holding her gun was pressed firmly to her chest, as if she were in pain.
Hal struggled to control his emotions as he realized he would probably never see Maggie again. He managed to stay strong, though. Hal let out a soft breath of air and smiled at Maggie. The smile was so genuine and loving that it caused a choked sob to rise in her throat. She somehow managed to return the smile, biting down harshly on her lip.
Hal turned slowly to face Karen, who looked both disgusted and amused.
"One week, Tom! I'll give you one week to make your final decision. Your son's fate is in my hands!" Karen shouted mockingly, her voice echoing throughout the entire street.
Karen extended her cold, bony hand for Hal to take.
He grimaced and felt sick to his stomach as he looked at her, but he took her hand. A shiver went down Hal's spine as their skin touched, and he wanted so terribly to rip his hand away and run back to the others. But he let Karen pull him towards the ship, his feet dragging numbly beneath him.
Hal knew what was in store for him. He knew Karen would kill him on that ship, and that it would be a slow, excruciating death. But if it meant that Matt, and the rest of the 2nd Mass could live, then Hal was okay with it.
As Hal boarded the dark, sinister ship with Satan herself holding his hand, Hal felt frightened. But then he thought of Matt, and how he would get to grow up, live his life, however long it may be. He would get to fall in love, as Hal had with Maggie. Maybe he would survive to the end of the war, and get the chance to start a family of his own in a new, safer world. He would get to be with Tom, and Ben, and he would always know how much Hal loved him, how much he meant to his big brother. He would know that Hal had kept his promise. He had kept Matt safe.
And that was all Hal needed to know to fight away the fear he felt as he boarded that ship and left his family behind.