Three Valentines
Title - Three Valentines
Rating -PG-13
Warning - None that I can think of!
Fandom - LOST
Pairing - Goodwin/Alex, Alex/Karl
Summary - "...shouts and screams exploded in the air like nuclear missiles leaving irreparable damage in their wake."
This was written for Cult_ships Valentines Day challenge.
Three Valentines.
Head pounding, shaking, she felt sick to her stomach. The frowns had transformed to harsh whispered words only fired when they thought she wasn’t listening and now it was even worse. The words rained in her ears like machine gun fire. Not that she knew of such things. Today the whispers had changed; now shouts and screams exploded in the air like nuclear missiles leaving irreparable damage in their wake.
“Ben, please! I just want to go home!”
“Damnit Juliet, can’t you just be happy? I have given you everything.” Her father’s voice was cold, distant. It scared her.
“Everything except love!” Alex’s step mom shot back with a sob.
Alex had always thought step mothers were supposed to be evil and feed their step children poisoned apples - Juliet often fed her burnt food but it was never poisoned- now she wished more than anything for that to be case. If Juliet were evil then the disintegration of her family wouldn’t have left her feeling as if someone was trying to lop off her favourite limb - her right arm - without so much as an apology.
As she heard her parents square up for yet another round of vitriol Alex came to the conclusion she had to get out. Just get away from the pain and hurt that was staining her childhood memories a particularly unpleasant shade of miserable.
She snuck past her parents with what she liked to think of as the prowess of Ethan but she was sure an elephant wearing purple trousers and a bright yellow sun hat could walk past them right now and they wouldn’t realise. As she walked out into the fading sunlight she felt the tension gradually subside only to be replaced with a heart throbbing sadness.
She didn’t even know where she was going until she found herself in front of the old cherry tree. As she sat on the long swing that hung from its thickest branch she wished more than anything it was the gateway to the past. Alex had passed many of her life’s major landmarks with this tree.
Her fifth birthday; singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to herself with Karl and his dad. Her dad had been busy that day but she hadn’t minded, she always had more fun with Karl and his dad anyway, her dad was always so serious.
Her dads wedding day she sat watching as everyone celebrated the nuptials. The sound of soft music and champagne corks popping intermingled as if they had meant to be together.
Her first (and last) kiss with Karl. It wasn’t lust or love that motivated that kiss but curiosity and hurt.
The last time she had sat her like this was her 16th Birthday waiting for her dad to come back with the lemon cake that her Uncle Tom had promised to bake her.
Now here she was again because she had reached another landmark in her life; the death of her family.
Suddenly she became aware of swinging high towards the gloriously coloured sky. She imagined it was her fifth birthday again, she could almost feel the warm, open palms of Karl’s dad’s hands as he pushed her harder, faster.
Then, she never knew why, she jumped, aware for the briefest second of falling before hitting the grass with a dull thud.
A dull thud and a heart wrenching sob.
When had she become like this? When had she become a child again? A young woman should not be petrified by the thought of her families break up especially when being together made them all hurt so very much.
An eerie silence cloaked her for mere seconds before it was broken by the sound of heavy, assured footsteps.
“Jesus Christ, Alex! Are you alright?” She recognised the voice instantly but refused to look in its direction instead burying her face into her grass stained hands.
“What happened?” The voice was softer this time as a familiar hand settled on her back gently.
“Julie and dad…” She choked out as tender arms enfolded her.
“Things aren’t going so good are they?”
Alex shook her head, suddenly ashamed of her childish display.
“I think she’s going to leave.” She wiped her eyes angrily not sure whether this new found anger was at Juliet, her dad or herself.
Suddenly he chuckled quietly “You know it’s quite ironic.”
Alex looked at him sharply. She was glad he found her torment amusing.
“What’s ironic?” She questioned him tersely.
“Today. Valentines day.”
She looked at Goodwin as if he had suddenly sprouted a brand spanking new head. Maybe he’d caught the illness…
“You know the 14th of February? The day of love?”
Alex nodded although she had never heard of such a day, she wondered if it was like an anniversary.
“Well they seem to have forgotten all about that.” It sounded bitterer than she had meant it to.
“Alex, listen, sometimes things just happen like that. You love someone with all your heart and then something happens and it all changes. You can’t help it no more than you can stop it. People change and so do their feelings for others its human nature.”
She listened to his words intently, the timber of his voice sending a shiver down her spine.
“You cold?” Goodwin asked noticing what Alex had thought was an imperceptible movement.
“No.” She answered truthfully wishing more than anything Goodwin was hers.
He had been in her life - constant and steadfast - for as long as she could remember. He had held her when she had fallen as a child, stroked her back when she had drank the contents of her fathers drink cabinet in an act of rebellion and now here he was again; guiding her as her world took a lurch to the left.
It suddenly dawned on Alex that there was no one she would rather share the break up of her family - and her first valentines day - with.
She loved him.
****
Another year, another valentine and Alex was waiting for him. She was sat on the swing which moved slightly in the cool breeze, her skin puckered to resemble goose flesh.
He didn’t keep her waiting long before she saw his wide vigorous frame head towards her. He whistled a song which he stopped when he noticed her. She wished he had continued she rarely heard music.
“Alex.” He smiled at her causing his eyes to wrinkle delightfully in the corners. “Everyday I come home and everyday I find you here waiting for me.”
Alex grinned back squirming slightly on the seat to try and settle the butterflies that were at battle in her stomach.
“Happy Valentines day.” Her voice was airy and light as if she didn’t have a care in the world.
“What’s Valentines day on this island?” Goodwin asked with an almost untraceable note of bitterness.
“Have a drink with me?” She asked holding a bottle of her father’s favourite sherry in his direction.
Goodwin looked undecided for a brief moment before he nodded, blue eyes sparkling in the waning light.
“Budge over then, grasshopper.” He teased taking a seat on the swing next to her before taking a swig from the bottle.
“Sherry?!” He grinned at her odd choice.
Alex shrugged as they fell into a companionable silence watching the sunset in one last blaze of glory.
“Why do you wait here everyday?” His quiet, serious tone caught her off guard.
She paused a moment trying to figure out how to respond.
“You honestly don’t know?” It was the best she could come up with.
He turned on the long seated swing to face her, his knee touching her thigh, looking into her eyes with an intensity that made her waver.
He sighed. “I don’t know. Tell me.”
“I love you.” She didn’t blurt it out like she always imagined she would but she said it matter of factly; maybe she was more like her father then she liked to believe.
Despite his previous apparent obliviousness to the situation he didn’t look very surprised, Alex mused.
She wished he would just damn well say something. Anything! She tore her eyes away from his and looked heavenward through the tangle of branches above them. The tree had witnessed yet another first. Her first ‘I love you’, even if it hadn’t been reciprocated.
Then suddenly, as if in sympathy, a bolt of lightning illuminated the sky and rain descended upon them like a waterfall. Alex had the presence of mind to think the storm odd, having come out of nowhere with no warning, but she was used to the oddities of the island by now. Besides she liked to think of such things as signs, signs of what she didn’t have a clue.
“Shit.” Goodwin cursed as he stood upright and tugged her to her feet. “Come on, let’s get out of this.”
He led her through the rain but instead of depositing Alex outside her house his hand remained clamped around her own as he led her to his house. Before she had time to digest this fact she was inside his front door still hand in hand and dripping wet.
Alex turned to face Goodwin to find his clothes clinging deliciously to his well muscled body, she licked her lips; they tasted salty.
“Where the hell did that come from?” He asked in a blatant attempt to break the silence.
Alex shook her head “I don’t know. Weird, huh?”
It was as much as she could do not to relieve him of his wet clothes and devise an inventive way to dry off.
“Well, er, take your shoes and socks off and I will find us some towels.” He said as he disappeared towards the linen closet.
Alex did as she was told stuffing her wet socks into her sodden trainers. “So, no Karl tonight?”
Goodwin visibly tensed at his son’s name. “He’s gone out in the sub with Danny and a few others.”
Alex nodded Karl had been spending more time on submarine expeditions recently. It was her dad’s idea.
Goodwin handed her a towel as he rubbed his face and neck with one of his own. “You wanna get out of those wet clothes? There should be one of my old shirts and a pair of Karl’s sweatpants in the bathroom.”
“Ok thanks” She twisting her hair into the towel as she made her way to the bathroom.
It didn’t take her long to locate the items she was looking for in the distinctively man-ish bathroom. Despite its modest furnishings and lack of woman’s touch Goodwin’s house was comfortable and homely. The walls were decorated with a fresh white which seemed to welcome in the sunlight. There were few knick-knacks scattered around; mostly pictures of Karl through various stages of his life.
Once she had dried off and changed into the dry clothes Alex searched for a comb to tease out the knots in her thick hair. Once she found one she twisted her hair and tucked it inside the neck of the cotton shirt before heading into the living room where Goodwin had started a fire. She looked around the room which was suddenly, starkly illuminated by a bolt of lightning.
“I’m in here.” His voice echoed.
She could smell toast and her stomach growled in hunger.
“Something smells good.” She commented as she walked in.
”I’m doing your favourite orange marmalade on toast.” He teased; it had been her favourite ever since Tom had babysat her when she was seven and fed it her to stop her crying for her dad.
“Delicious.” She grinned, sitting down on a stool at the breakfast bar watching him open and close cupboards. She noticed he had changed into dry clothes while she had been in the bathroom; he was wearing a deep blue shirt that accentuated the colour of his eyes, the top three buttons of which were undone revealing a tantalising view of his chest.
Goodwin soon had the toast ready and led her into the living room to eat it. They sat on the floor in front of the fire, the glow of the fire illuminating his face with its soft glow. Alex felt like she could spend all her life just gazing at him in the all the different lights the world had to offer. She wanted to learn everything about him and study him from every angle imaginable.
She took a huge bite of her toast ravenously, willing her mind away from thoughts of him. He wasn’t interested after all. Instead she focused on the intense orange, yellows and reds the fire offered, tilting her face towards the warmth it emanated. Alex thought not for the first time that fire was one of mother natures natural beauties, from the way it danced skyward to the crackles and pops it emitted, it was the living embodiment of passion.
“Glass of wine?” Goodwin asked drawing Alex’s attention back to him.
She was surprised to notice she had already finished her toast. “Please.”
“I know it’s not as classy as sherry but it’s the best I have.” He was teasing her again but she didn’t mind.
She took the glass he held out to her and took a lady like sip, suddenly aware of every look and glance, as thunder rumbled overhead.
Suddenly with a swift movement that caught her off guard once more, Goodwin swept his hand behind her neck releasing her hair from the confines of the cotton shirt.
“You’re beautiful.” It was a whisper, almost an involuntary release of an inner thought but it made her pulse quicken and her stomach flop.
She took another sip of the wine as if it would calm her racing heart and cool the heat surging through her body.
She was suddenly acutely aware of his warm knee touching hers. His fingertips touched her forehead before the flat of his hand slid down her face to cup it in a loving gesture. Alex wondered what spell the storm had brought over him knowing that she never wanted it to end.
It seemed natural when their lips met in a passionate kiss, neither knew who made the initial move but both welcomed it.
Goodwin knotted his hands in her thick, wild curls kissing her jaw and neck leaving her trembling in anticipation of his next caress. A flash of lightning illuminated the room around them as she pulled him down on top of her as she lay on her back.
“Alex, please. I shouldn’t be doing this.” His eyes met hers betraying the yearning he could scarcely contain.
“We probably shouldn’t.” She conceded with a purr. “But who cares.”
That night Alex had reached another benchmark in her life but there are something’s a tree shouldn’t see.
***
She couldn’t believe that had all been exactly a year ago. It seemed to have flown by in a blur of high emotions; love and joy made way to grief and anger and she had the sneakiest feeling she had her father to blame for it all. Alex didn’t know how or when her father had found out but she was sure that’s why he sent Goodwin and not Danny. That’s why Goodwin was dead and her heart was broken.
Then there was Karl. Poor innocent Karl. The victim in all of this. He had lost his father because of her. It was something she would always regret.
Once again she was waiting on the swing. It really had become a friend to her over the years, a sentient being. She was sure she didn’t imagine its creak of disapproval as Karl rounded the corner like his father had just the year before. Unlike his father he didn’t whistle or walk tall and proud; he looked broken. A shadow of the boy she had grown up alongside. All because of her.
She had seen Danny destroyed by his grief but she wouldn’t let it happen to her. She couldn’t let it happen to Karl, Goodwin’s greatest pride. So like him; such a good heart, such a kind nature. But he didn’t have Goodwin’s strength.
“Karl!” Alex called when she was sure he would hear her without alerting anyone to their whereabouts.
“Alex. It’s so good to see you.” Karl said sweeping her into his arms and kissing her wholeheartedly.
“It’s great to see you too.” Every time she said it she meant it more, one day she would be genuinely pleased to see him, one day she would stop thinking of the father and just think of the son.
“You want to come back to mine for a drink? I just passed Tom and your dad heading towards the hydra.”
“Sure.”
Alex hoped more than anything that her father wouldn’t find out about Karl and her. She shivered involuntarily as she wondered what her father was truly capable of but hoped she would never have to find out. Although she suspected she already had.
She laced her fingers with Karl’s as they headed towards his home and realised that one day she would come to love him. Although she would never forget her first love, the one she tragically lost her feelings for him would change. After all sometimes you love someone with all your heart and then something happens and it all changes. You can’t help it anymore than you can stop it.
Authors Note: Ok not my best fic ever. It was a good idea I didn't execute very well (I blame the fact that I have little time at the moment) so feedback would really be appreciated. I apologise if there are any typos or grammatical errors I did proof read. Honest! :) I'm just all over the place today.
Thanks for reading.
Rating -PG-13
Warning - None that I can think of!
Fandom - LOST
Pairing - Goodwin/Alex, Alex/Karl
Summary - "...shouts and screams exploded in the air like nuclear missiles leaving irreparable damage in their wake."
This was written for Cult_ships Valentines Day challenge.
Three Valentines.
Head pounding, shaking, she felt sick to her stomach. The frowns had transformed to harsh whispered words only fired when they thought she wasn’t listening and now it was even worse. The words rained in her ears like machine gun fire. Not that she knew of such things. Today the whispers had changed; now shouts and screams exploded in the air like nuclear missiles leaving irreparable damage in their wake.
“Ben, please! I just want to go home!”
“Damnit Juliet, can’t you just be happy? I have given you everything.” Her father’s voice was cold, distant. It scared her.
“Everything except love!” Alex’s step mom shot back with a sob.
Alex had always thought step mothers were supposed to be evil and feed their step children poisoned apples - Juliet often fed her burnt food but it was never poisoned- now she wished more than anything for that to be case. If Juliet were evil then the disintegration of her family wouldn’t have left her feeling as if someone was trying to lop off her favourite limb - her right arm - without so much as an apology.
As she heard her parents square up for yet another round of vitriol Alex came to the conclusion she had to get out. Just get away from the pain and hurt that was staining her childhood memories a particularly unpleasant shade of miserable.
She snuck past her parents with what she liked to think of as the prowess of Ethan but she was sure an elephant wearing purple trousers and a bright yellow sun hat could walk past them right now and they wouldn’t realise. As she walked out into the fading sunlight she felt the tension gradually subside only to be replaced with a heart throbbing sadness.
She didn’t even know where she was going until she found herself in front of the old cherry tree. As she sat on the long swing that hung from its thickest branch she wished more than anything it was the gateway to the past. Alex had passed many of her life’s major landmarks with this tree.
Her fifth birthday; singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to herself with Karl and his dad. Her dad had been busy that day but she hadn’t minded, she always had more fun with Karl and his dad anyway, her dad was always so serious.
Her dads wedding day she sat watching as everyone celebrated the nuptials. The sound of soft music and champagne corks popping intermingled as if they had meant to be together.
Her first (and last) kiss with Karl. It wasn’t lust or love that motivated that kiss but curiosity and hurt.
The last time she had sat her like this was her 16th Birthday waiting for her dad to come back with the lemon cake that her Uncle Tom had promised to bake her.
Now here she was again because she had reached another landmark in her life; the death of her family.
Suddenly she became aware of swinging high towards the gloriously coloured sky. She imagined it was her fifth birthday again, she could almost feel the warm, open palms of Karl’s dad’s hands as he pushed her harder, faster.
Then, she never knew why, she jumped, aware for the briefest second of falling before hitting the grass with a dull thud.
A dull thud and a heart wrenching sob.
When had she become like this? When had she become a child again? A young woman should not be petrified by the thought of her families break up especially when being together made them all hurt so very much.
An eerie silence cloaked her for mere seconds before it was broken by the sound of heavy, assured footsteps.
“Jesus Christ, Alex! Are you alright?” She recognised the voice instantly but refused to look in its direction instead burying her face into her grass stained hands.
“What happened?” The voice was softer this time as a familiar hand settled on her back gently.
“Julie and dad…” She choked out as tender arms enfolded her.
“Things aren’t going so good are they?”
Alex shook her head, suddenly ashamed of her childish display.
“I think she’s going to leave.” She wiped her eyes angrily not sure whether this new found anger was at Juliet, her dad or herself.
Suddenly he chuckled quietly “You know it’s quite ironic.”
Alex looked at him sharply. She was glad he found her torment amusing.
“What’s ironic?” She questioned him tersely.
“Today. Valentines day.”
She looked at Goodwin as if he had suddenly sprouted a brand spanking new head. Maybe he’d caught the illness…
“You know the 14th of February? The day of love?”
Alex nodded although she had never heard of such a day, she wondered if it was like an anniversary.
“Well they seem to have forgotten all about that.” It sounded bitterer than she had meant it to.
“Alex, listen, sometimes things just happen like that. You love someone with all your heart and then something happens and it all changes. You can’t help it no more than you can stop it. People change and so do their feelings for others its human nature.”
She listened to his words intently, the timber of his voice sending a shiver down her spine.
“You cold?” Goodwin asked noticing what Alex had thought was an imperceptible movement.
“No.” She answered truthfully wishing more than anything Goodwin was hers.
He had been in her life - constant and steadfast - for as long as she could remember. He had held her when she had fallen as a child, stroked her back when she had drank the contents of her fathers drink cabinet in an act of rebellion and now here he was again; guiding her as her world took a lurch to the left.
It suddenly dawned on Alex that there was no one she would rather share the break up of her family - and her first valentines day - with.
She loved him.
****
Another year, another valentine and Alex was waiting for him. She was sat on the swing which moved slightly in the cool breeze, her skin puckered to resemble goose flesh.
He didn’t keep her waiting long before she saw his wide vigorous frame head towards her. He whistled a song which he stopped when he noticed her. She wished he had continued she rarely heard music.
“Alex.” He smiled at her causing his eyes to wrinkle delightfully in the corners. “Everyday I come home and everyday I find you here waiting for me.”
Alex grinned back squirming slightly on the seat to try and settle the butterflies that were at battle in her stomach.
“Happy Valentines day.” Her voice was airy and light as if she didn’t have a care in the world.
“What’s Valentines day on this island?” Goodwin asked with an almost untraceable note of bitterness.
“Have a drink with me?” She asked holding a bottle of her father’s favourite sherry in his direction.
Goodwin looked undecided for a brief moment before he nodded, blue eyes sparkling in the waning light.
“Budge over then, grasshopper.” He teased taking a seat on the swing next to her before taking a swig from the bottle.
“Sherry?!” He grinned at her odd choice.
Alex shrugged as they fell into a companionable silence watching the sunset in one last blaze of glory.
“Why do you wait here everyday?” His quiet, serious tone caught her off guard.
She paused a moment trying to figure out how to respond.
“You honestly don’t know?” It was the best she could come up with.
He turned on the long seated swing to face her, his knee touching her thigh, looking into her eyes with an intensity that made her waver.
He sighed. “I don’t know. Tell me.”
“I love you.” She didn’t blurt it out like she always imagined she would but she said it matter of factly; maybe she was more like her father then she liked to believe.
Despite his previous apparent obliviousness to the situation he didn’t look very surprised, Alex mused.
She wished he would just damn well say something. Anything! She tore her eyes away from his and looked heavenward through the tangle of branches above them. The tree had witnessed yet another first. Her first ‘I love you’, even if it hadn’t been reciprocated.
Then suddenly, as if in sympathy, a bolt of lightning illuminated the sky and rain descended upon them like a waterfall. Alex had the presence of mind to think the storm odd, having come out of nowhere with no warning, but she was used to the oddities of the island by now. Besides she liked to think of such things as signs, signs of what she didn’t have a clue.
“Shit.” Goodwin cursed as he stood upright and tugged her to her feet. “Come on, let’s get out of this.”
He led her through the rain but instead of depositing Alex outside her house his hand remained clamped around her own as he led her to his house. Before she had time to digest this fact she was inside his front door still hand in hand and dripping wet.
Alex turned to face Goodwin to find his clothes clinging deliciously to his well muscled body, she licked her lips; they tasted salty.
“Where the hell did that come from?” He asked in a blatant attempt to break the silence.
Alex shook her head “I don’t know. Weird, huh?”
It was as much as she could do not to relieve him of his wet clothes and devise an inventive way to dry off.
“Well, er, take your shoes and socks off and I will find us some towels.” He said as he disappeared towards the linen closet.
Alex did as she was told stuffing her wet socks into her sodden trainers. “So, no Karl tonight?”
Goodwin visibly tensed at his son’s name. “He’s gone out in the sub with Danny and a few others.”
Alex nodded Karl had been spending more time on submarine expeditions recently. It was her dad’s idea.
Goodwin handed her a towel as he rubbed his face and neck with one of his own. “You wanna get out of those wet clothes? There should be one of my old shirts and a pair of Karl’s sweatpants in the bathroom.”
“Ok thanks” She twisting her hair into the towel as she made her way to the bathroom.
It didn’t take her long to locate the items she was looking for in the distinctively man-ish bathroom. Despite its modest furnishings and lack of woman’s touch Goodwin’s house was comfortable and homely. The walls were decorated with a fresh white which seemed to welcome in the sunlight. There were few knick-knacks scattered around; mostly pictures of Karl through various stages of his life.
Once she had dried off and changed into the dry clothes Alex searched for a comb to tease out the knots in her thick hair. Once she found one she twisted her hair and tucked it inside the neck of the cotton shirt before heading into the living room where Goodwin had started a fire. She looked around the room which was suddenly, starkly illuminated by a bolt of lightning.
“I’m in here.” His voice echoed.
She could smell toast and her stomach growled in hunger.
“Something smells good.” She commented as she walked in.
”I’m doing your favourite orange marmalade on toast.” He teased; it had been her favourite ever since Tom had babysat her when she was seven and fed it her to stop her crying for her dad.
“Delicious.” She grinned, sitting down on a stool at the breakfast bar watching him open and close cupboards. She noticed he had changed into dry clothes while she had been in the bathroom; he was wearing a deep blue shirt that accentuated the colour of his eyes, the top three buttons of which were undone revealing a tantalising view of his chest.
Goodwin soon had the toast ready and led her into the living room to eat it. They sat on the floor in front of the fire, the glow of the fire illuminating his face with its soft glow. Alex felt like she could spend all her life just gazing at him in the all the different lights the world had to offer. She wanted to learn everything about him and study him from every angle imaginable.
She took a huge bite of her toast ravenously, willing her mind away from thoughts of him. He wasn’t interested after all. Instead she focused on the intense orange, yellows and reds the fire offered, tilting her face towards the warmth it emanated. Alex thought not for the first time that fire was one of mother natures natural beauties, from the way it danced skyward to the crackles and pops it emitted, it was the living embodiment of passion.
“Glass of wine?” Goodwin asked drawing Alex’s attention back to him.
She was surprised to notice she had already finished her toast. “Please.”
“I know it’s not as classy as sherry but it’s the best I have.” He was teasing her again but she didn’t mind.
She took the glass he held out to her and took a lady like sip, suddenly aware of every look and glance, as thunder rumbled overhead.
Suddenly with a swift movement that caught her off guard once more, Goodwin swept his hand behind her neck releasing her hair from the confines of the cotton shirt.
“You’re beautiful.” It was a whisper, almost an involuntary release of an inner thought but it made her pulse quicken and her stomach flop.
She took another sip of the wine as if it would calm her racing heart and cool the heat surging through her body.
She was suddenly acutely aware of his warm knee touching hers. His fingertips touched her forehead before the flat of his hand slid down her face to cup it in a loving gesture. Alex wondered what spell the storm had brought over him knowing that she never wanted it to end.
It seemed natural when their lips met in a passionate kiss, neither knew who made the initial move but both welcomed it.
Goodwin knotted his hands in her thick, wild curls kissing her jaw and neck leaving her trembling in anticipation of his next caress. A flash of lightning illuminated the room around them as she pulled him down on top of her as she lay on her back.
“Alex, please. I shouldn’t be doing this.” His eyes met hers betraying the yearning he could scarcely contain.
“We probably shouldn’t.” She conceded with a purr. “But who cares.”
That night Alex had reached another benchmark in her life but there are something’s a tree shouldn’t see.
***
She couldn’t believe that had all been exactly a year ago. It seemed to have flown by in a blur of high emotions; love and joy made way to grief and anger and she had the sneakiest feeling she had her father to blame for it all. Alex didn’t know how or when her father had found out but she was sure that’s why he sent Goodwin and not Danny. That’s why Goodwin was dead and her heart was broken.
Then there was Karl. Poor innocent Karl. The victim in all of this. He had lost his father because of her. It was something she would always regret.
Once again she was waiting on the swing. It really had become a friend to her over the years, a sentient being. She was sure she didn’t imagine its creak of disapproval as Karl rounded the corner like his father had just the year before. Unlike his father he didn’t whistle or walk tall and proud; he looked broken. A shadow of the boy she had grown up alongside. All because of her.
She had seen Danny destroyed by his grief but she wouldn’t let it happen to her. She couldn’t let it happen to Karl, Goodwin’s greatest pride. So like him; such a good heart, such a kind nature. But he didn’t have Goodwin’s strength.
“Karl!” Alex called when she was sure he would hear her without alerting anyone to their whereabouts.
“Alex. It’s so good to see you.” Karl said sweeping her into his arms and kissing her wholeheartedly.
“It’s great to see you too.” Every time she said it she meant it more, one day she would be genuinely pleased to see him, one day she would stop thinking of the father and just think of the son.
“You want to come back to mine for a drink? I just passed Tom and your dad heading towards the hydra.”
“Sure.”
Alex hoped more than anything that her father wouldn’t find out about Karl and her. She shivered involuntarily as she wondered what her father was truly capable of but hoped she would never have to find out. Although she suspected she already had.
She laced her fingers with Karl’s as they headed towards his home and realised that one day she would come to love him. Although she would never forget her first love, the one she tragically lost her feelings for him would change. After all sometimes you love someone with all your heart and then something happens and it all changes. You can’t help it anymore than you can stop it.
Authors Note: Ok not my best fic ever. It was a good idea I didn't execute very well (I blame the fact that I have little time at the moment) so feedback would really be appreciated. I apologise if there are any typos or grammatical errors I did proof read. Honest! :) I'm just all over the place today.
Thanks for reading.