Runaway Train
By Arashi no Baka
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Notes: A random one-shot that owes its existence to a train station named Gordon Hill. Where Halo and I stood in the rain and thought it up. So this ones for you honey You wanted a cute scene…you got one (of course, noting that we were standing at GORDON Hill made me much the more happier sadly, I never obtained that much wanted photo of my by the sign post T-T)
He sat on the small bench, huddled up in a coat against the rain. He knew he should really go into the shelter, that his father would be angry if he knew, but he didn't want to move. His hair was plastered to his hair, his long bangs obscuring his vision. Not there was much for him to see.
The sun had set long ago and the darkness that was engulfing the station frightened him a little. He had just enough money in his pocket for a ticket and he had been worried that the man in the ticket office would refuse him a ticket. But he'd made up some lie about his father meeting him the other end.
He was good at lying. He did it every day.
He sniffled a little and wiped his eyes on the back of his hand, only succeeded in making his face wetter. The people at the other end of the station had been looking at him for a while now, and he couldn't blame them. He was only little after all. Maybe they thought he was scared.
As if trying to prove he wasn't, he drew himself up straighter, blowing back the bangs in frustration. His father was right when he said he needed a haircut. As thoughts turned once again to his father, he thought of what his family were doing now. they were probably looking for him. Not because they cared, but because they wanted to tell him off…
He shivered, both from the cold and from his thoughts. He jumped a little as thunder crashed a little way over head and lightening lit up the sky, illuminating the track. It seemed menacing for a minute to his young eyes and he realised just how silly it was to be sitting at a train station in the middle of the night.
But it was too late now. His brothers were probably wondering the streets looking for him. his father was no doubt angry. But hen, he was always angry at him, wasn't he? He blinked back the tears. He was a big boy. He wouldn't cry.
He looked up as someone sat beside him, and then looked away quickly, lest they know he was staring. He briefly remembered his father telling him not to go anywhere alone, that there were some people out there who wouldn't hesitate to hurt him and he wondered if this person would hurt him.
Hit took a while to realise that it wasn't an adult beside him, but an elder boy. And it took even longer to realise that he knew him. "Where were you headed Alan?"
Alan Tracy shrugged lightly, and refused to look at the boy beside him.
"It didn't matter. I just wanted to go…"
They sat in a silence for a minute and then Alan spoke again, his voice uncertain now. He still wasn't sure this was a good idea, and this was the last person he expected to find him.
"How did you find me?"
There was a slight pause and Alan looked at the boy beside him. His eyes were closed and when he opened them, they met Alan's seven-year-old ones with a startling amount of pain and concern. They had really missed him?
"It wasn't hard to work out that this was the first place you'd head. You always thought about running away one day, and where better to come than the train station?"
Alan's voice was barely a whisper as he answered his brother.
"How did you know I wanted to run away?"
His brother sighed slowly and put a comforting arm round Alan's shoulders. The younger boy made no effort to remove it. Nor lean into it. He wasn't sure what eh wanted anymore.
"Because I could see it in your eyes Al…."
Alan stared at the ground in silence. All he was aware of was the rain and the sounds of the town behind them. He kicked his legs back and forth trying to find something to say, when his brother filled the silence for him.
"They're all looking for you, you know. Even Dad. You scared the hell out of him Alan…You should have seen him. and Scott…Scott was o mad. Not at you, but because he thought someone had taken you. You worried us all."
"I'm sorry…"
Alan's reply was quiet and small and he hugged his knees close to his chest, despite the fact that they were wet and cold. "I didn't think you'd miss me…"
There was a stunned silence and then an incredulous noise from his brother's lips. Alan winced, expecting to be hit, or at least yelled at. For his credit, his brother kept his voice even and steady.
"Why wouldn't we?"
"Because I looked in the room where your party was. And everyone was so happy. You were so happy, and I thought how everyone always seemed to be sad when I was around. Like I made u all unhappy and angry. I only wanted what was best for you…"
Alan sounded so much older than his seven years that his brother sat on the bench, stunned for a minute. Then, he reached over and pulled Alan's face around. "Then you should have asked me. It's my birthday Alan, and you know how I spent it? Worrying about you. What if you had been kidnapped or something? And you're wrong. We weren't all happy. I wasn't, because I didn't have my little brother there. Dad wasn't. He was waiting for you for ages to come down. Scott and John were worrying about you, wondering why you hadn't shown up. And Gordy…Gordy was most worried about you Allie...Because you promised him to play some prank or other on me, and you weren't here. He's been making him self sick with wondering why you weren't there. He misses you. We all do…"
Alan felt the tears falling down his cheeks. He didn't know what to do…He'd made everyone unhappy. And they did care. He shivered slightly and was surprised as the bright head lights of the oncoming train flooded the station.
As the train slowed to a stop, Alan was torn. They both stood and the doors to the train opened. Alan took one step forward and then stopped. The lights of the train were inviting, and then Virgil held out his hand.
Wordlessly Alan made his decision. Slowly, he reached over and took his brothers hand. He was going home.
Hmm. Sweet
R & R?