Part 14
Sebastian felt his blood turn to ice and he turned to look at Wes who was looking really sad. Hunter was feeling the same kind of dread. Thad was alive, he was there right in front of him but now Wes said he was dying. Wes sighed.

"He hasn't woken up for two days now", he said. "I thought that if I could tell him that you two were alive that he would somehow come back to us." Hunter moved slowly towards the bed and sat on his knees at the bedside and put a hand on Thad's forehead. Sebastian sat on the bed and took Thad's hand in his. Wes stayed in the door. Hunter looked at Thad's sweaty and pale face.

"Thad", he whispered. "Thad come back to us, please?"

"Please love", Sebastian whispered. "Wes found us, we're here."

There was no response. Wes walked into the room and sat on a chair beside the bed. Hunter turned to him.

"How… how did you get yourselves here", he asked. He figured that if Thad heard all three of them talking… he'd come back. Sebastian looked up and Wes sighed before patting the dog named Hunter's head. Wes smiled. He would rename them now that their friends were alive. Maybe call them Ranger and Bastian instead.

"Wes", Sebastian asked.

"Oh sorry I lost my head there for a second" he said after shaking his head. "Well here's what happened…"

Flashback

We all flew up when we heard screaming and we realized… Titanic was going under. All of us could see the water. I noticed how Hunter noticed Andrews frantically throwing deck chairs into the ocean for passengers to use as floating devices.

"Run", I said as people started coming our way as well as water. "Get to the stern!"

I saw the boys start to run, Hunter and Sebastian taking Thad's hands as they did so. I noticed then that there was one last life boat, on which a few women and children were being helped. I hurried over to help get them on before I also ran. But as I ran towards the stern I saw someone on the deck, someone I knew.

"Thad!" I called and helped him up. "What are you doing here? Where are the others?" People were running by us, ignoring us.

"I let them go", Thad whispered. "I… they wouldn't get there dragging me along… I wanted them to live."

I looked back and saw the water coming and I held Thad close.

"We'll get out of here", I said. "I promise. We will get out of here and the boats they are calling will arrive. It will take us to New York and we'll be safe."

"And we'll have apartment just like you described?"

"Yes", I said and pulled Thad to the edge of the ship. The water came. "Jump!"

We both jumped holding each other's hands and we went under the surface. The water was so cold, well you know how cold it was. We broke the surface and swam as far away from the ship as we could to not get dragged down with it. When she had gone down we just stayed there in the water, holding each other. So many people were screaming and struggling to stay afloat. I felt Thad burying his face in my neck and I hid my face in his hair. I didn't want to hear the screams, I didn't want to watch people die. I know Thad didn't want either, why else would he cling to me like that. But I did look up after a bit, trying to find any trace of Hunter and Sebastian. But I couldn't find any. They must either be further away from us or they went down with the Titanic. I sighed and held on to Thad.

End Flashback

"If I'm completely honest", Wes said and looked at them. "I don't remember that much and I don't know how we managed to survive. We both stayed awake until Carpathia arrived and was brought onto the ship and put in the same room. I refused to stay separated from Thad since we were both sure you two were lost somewhere. Before falling asleep I promised Thad I'd look out for him until we found you two."

"But", Hunter asked and caressed his little friend's clammy forehead. "Why… did this happen?"

"The doctor said Thad was already sick before ending up in the water", Wes explained gently. "He didn't know it of course." Wes lied. But he was never going to tell Hunter or Sebastian that Thad had known all along that he was sick and because of his occupation back in UK and on Ireland he hadn't gotten help from any doctor. Wes was never going to tell the duo Thad had wanted Hunter on Titanic and in the US so that he could die without Hunter knowing… he had been so sure that Hunter would forget him. Wes knew that would never have been the case. Why else would he still be looking for him.

"So… what happened when you two reached New York?" Sebastian asked. Wes chuckled.

"After a bit of trouble I convinced everyone into understanding that I really was Wesley Montgomery. It took a while but after giving them some things only a family member would know they realized I spoke the truth. I got money from the bank, my account mind you, and bought this place. Keeping Thad with me and naming him Clearwater to, sad to say, give him a higher status so the best doctors would help him if he got sick. And he did…" Wes sighed. "We hadn't been here long before he started to get sicker and after about two weeks… he couldn't leave the bed anymore and now we're here." Wes looked at the sick young man and sighed heavily. "I just… don't know what to do."

Hunter looked at Thad and made up his mind. He sat down by Thad's pillows and pulled the smaller boy close, resting Thad's head against his neck. He held the other boy. Whenever Hunter got sick Thad would hold him and sing to him. Hunter was not going to forget that. He was going to give it right back. It always helped him so it would help Thad too. Sebastian was on Thad's other side, resting his head on Thad's, hugging the smaller boy. Wes sat at Thad's feet, a hand on his knee. Hunter decided to sing that song he and Thad made up one day when they were trying to earn some money. Besides… if Thad had been rich or Hunter… Thad would never have gotten sick in the first place. And besides… it had always been part of their dreams. Being rich. He sighed before he sang:

If I were a rich man,
Yubby dibby dibby dibby dibby dibby dibby dum.
All day long I'd biddy biddy bum.
If I were a wealthy man.
I wouldn't have to work hard.
Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum.
If I were a biddy biddy rich,
Idle-diddle-daidle-daidle man.

I'd build a big tall house with rooms by the dozen,
Right in the middle of the town.
A fine tin roof with real wooden floors below.
There would be one long staircase just going up,
And one even longer coming down,
And one more leading nowhere, just for show.

I'd fill my yard with chicks and turkeys and geese and ducks
For the town to see and hear.
Squawking just as noisily as they can.
With each loud "cheep" "swaqwk" "honk" "quack"
Would land like a trumpet on the ear,
As if to say "Here lives a wealthy man."

Wes chuckled as Hunter sang. Recognizing some of his childhood.

If I were a rich man,
Yubby dibby dibby dibby dibby dibby dibby dum.
All day long I'd biddy biddy bum.
If I were a wealthy man.
I wouldn't have to work hard.
Yubby dibby dibby dibby dibby dibby dibby dum.
If I were a biddy biddy rich,
Idle-diddle-daidle-daidle man.

I'd see my buddy, my Thaddy, looking like a rich man too
With a proper double-chin.
Supervising meals to his heart's delight.
I see him putting on airs and strutting like a peacock.
Oy, what a happy mood he's in.
Screaming at the servants, day and night.

"Well not really we only did that for show", Hunter chuckled before he continued:

The most important men in town would come to fawn on me!
They would ask me to advise them,
Like a Solomon the Wise.
"If you please, Hunter..."
"Pardon me, Hunter..."
Posing problems that would cross a rabbi's eyes!

And it won't make one bit of difference if i answer right or wrong.
When you're rich, they think you really know!

If I were a rich man,
Yubby dibby dibby dibby dibby dibby dibby dum.
All day long I'd biddy biddy bum.
If I were a wealthy man.
I wouldn't have to work hard.
Idle-diddle-daidle-daidle man.

Lord who mad the lion and the lamb,
You decreed I should be what I am.
Would it spoil some vast eternal plan?
If I were a wealthy man.

Sebastian and Wes were laughing happily at Hunter. The other boy had jumped up and started to dance around. Hunter turned to them with a small smile and then noticed something that made his eyes water. Thad was looking at him.

"You forgot the part about the synagogue and the Eastern Wall… and reading the book…" Thad said in a weak voice. Sebastian and Wes stared at him and started smiling.

"Bah that part only mattered when we performed in that Jewish part of the town", Hunter said with a thick voice. Thad looked around and noticed Sebastian as well as Wes.

"Did I die", he asked.

"No", Wes said gently. "You are still alive and you better stay that way now that we've all found each other again."

"I'll try", Thad said weakly. Sebastian leaned in and kissed him softly, Thad kissed him back.

TBC *peaks out of bomshelter*

wesandwarblers - We still have to see about it.