Rangers Apprentice Oneshots

In case you dont live forever-Ben Platt

(Disclaimer: this is a song by Ben Platt) This takes place after Halt's Peril. It will be a songfic of sorts. Each line of the song will have a quote from the books under it in parentheses that I think is associated. Not all lines will have a quote if I cannot find on one or if the line is repeated.

Halt reigned Abelard into a halt as he reached the edge of Will's cabin. The events of their most recent mission had been hard on everyone and he wanted to check and make sure Will was holding up ok. He was about to walk up to the veranda when he heard Will playing a song on his lute. Or...mandola. Whatever the blasted thing was called, he decided to listen for a bit before making himself known to the young man playing it. Although Halt would never admit it, he did rather enjoy Will's playing.
As he listened, Will began to sing the first verse.
you put all your faith in my dreams
("he insisted this is up to you. He's already agreed to abide by your decision")

you gave me the world that I wanted

("The boy, Will, has potential to be trained as a ranger. I will accept him as my apprentice.")

what did I do to deserve you

("His teacher, mentor, and friend.")

I follow your steps with my feet

("What would Halt do, he wondered.")

I walk in the road that you started

("The boy is a ranger.")

I need you to know that I heard you, every word

("Halt says that no place is really impassable, Will put in.")

I've waited way too long to say

("Goodnight, son. Halt chose the last word intentionally.")

Everything you mean to me

("Halt has become as much a surrogate father as a mentor to Will.")

In case you don't live forever let me tell you now

("Halt can't die! He can't! He's...he's Halt.")

I love you more than you'll ever wrap your head around

("There was a very special relationship between the grizzled senior ranger and his young friend. Will was more of a son to Halt.")

In case you don't live forever
Let me tell you the truth
I'm everything that I am, because of you

("For five years, he had tried his best to the grizzled, unsmiling ranger that had become like a father to him.")

I've carried this song in my mind

Listen it's echoing in me

But I haven't helped you to hear it

We, we've only got so much time

I'm pretty sure it would kill me
If you didn't know the pieces of me are pieces of you

("He could bear the dying, he thought, but not the disappointment.")

I've waited way too long to say

Everything you mean to me

In case you don't live forever let me tell you now

I love you more than you'll ever wrap your head around

In case you don't live forever

Let me tell you the truth

I'm everything that I am, because of you

I have a hero whenever I need one

I just look up to you and I see one

("Finished staring, the ranger asked.")

I'm a man cause you taught me to be one

In case you don't live forever let me tell you now

I love you more than you'll ever wrap your head around

In case you don't live forever

Let me tell you the truth

I'm everything that I am

Oh

Oh

I'm case you don't live forever

Let me tell you the truth

As long as I'm here as I am

So are you

At this time, Halt wiped the moisture out of his eyes, and walked up to the veranda to sit next to Will on the bench.

"Halt!" Will exclaimed, raising a hand to rub the back of his neck in embarrassment, "I, uh, didn't see ya there." Halt simply stared at his young friend and placed a gentle hand on his knee. Tears returned to his eyes despite his best efforts as he reached over and wrapped Will in his arms. He felt Will begin to shake as tears began falling from his own eyes.

"Shh. I'm right here, Will. I always will be. I know I don't tell you enough, but I'm so so proud of you. I love you so much. And I know I should have told you this sooner, but you're like a son to me." Will straightened up, wiping his eyes as he looked up at Halt.

"You're like a father to me, too, Halt. I never told you because I felt like it was just understood in our relationship, but then, in our mission, when you told me..." Will broke off as a stray tear fell down his face. He took a breath and continued "When you told me you were d...dying, I started thinking about how I had never actually told you what you meant to me. So, I'm telling you now. You're the best thing to ever happen to me, Halt. You're like a father to me, and I love you." Halt didn't reply with words this time, but simply wrapped his son in another hug. His actions spoke for him.

After enjoying a cup of coffee together, Halt left for his apartment in the castle. He still had a soft smile on his face when he entered the apartment and sat next to his wife on the sofa. Pauline had one elegant raised at her husband's happy expression. She recognized that smile. It was the smile he reserved for Will. For his son. She had been the one to recognize this relationship between the two before even they had.

"What happened?" She asked him curiously.

Halt smiled again before saying "We had a much needed discussion. I think he was a little...shaken up, by the events of our mission. When I went to visit him, he told me he thought of me as his father, and I told him he was my son."

Pauline smiled back at him. "About time," she said.

Halt and Will both went to bed with a smile that night.