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Imogen Halstead (age 7-8)
Word count: 953
Imogen's POV
Will told me I need to be on my best behaviour today, and that everything is gonna be alright. I don't understand what he means, but I'm gonna trust him. So now, as I stand in jays bedroom doorway watching him pack up a camouflage backpack whilst he wears his camouflage jacket and pants, I still don't know what's going on. He turns around sees me stood in the doorway, "hey kiddo" he walks over to me and picks me up. I'm seven years old, I haven't been picked up in a while...
He stares at me for a really long time, almost as if he's trying to memorise my face so I pull his mouth into a smile, because he's looking a little blue today. He smiles as I move my fingers away, "you know I love you so much, right?" He nods. I frown, "always" I nod. He pulls me closer into his neck so he can kiss my cheek, but it's a really long kiss! Ewwww...
"I love you 1,000,000" I smile and kiss his cheek too. Jay smiles, "remember what I said? Wills gonna let you have as much ice cream as you want, as long as you eat your veggies" he nods. I chuckle, "yeah, I remember" he sets me down and grabs my hand, "let's go" he grabs his back, "where to?" He looks down at me as i speak. He smiles, "just for a road trip" he nods, "why're you wearing that?" I ask. He looks up, "that doesn't matter" he answers quietly. What's going on?
~
"... leaving in 15 minutes" the intercom in the airport blares loudly, "why are we here?" i cling onto jays hand. He stops and drops his backpack before turning to kneel down in front of me. I frown as he wraps his arms around me but doesn't pull me towards him so I can still see him, "remember how I told you, a long time ago, that I would be going away to fight bad guys?" He nods. I pause to think back but nod, "well today I have to go and fight those bad guys" he adds and I feel my heart clench. Tears prick my eyes, "no, you can't leave me..." I bury my face into my brothers neck. I hear Will sigh and kneel down behind of me, "I don't want you to die" I cry. What if he dies?!
"I'm not gonna die, baby" he pulls away to wipe my tears away. He smiles sadly, "just think of it as a vacation, and when I come home we're gonna spend a lot of time together. Yeah?" He nods. I shake my head, "no, I don't want you to go..." I sob. He rubs my back, "he has to go skippy, but you know he's gonna come back. And when he does we can go shopping for new dresses, how does that sound?" Will speaks up. I nod slowly, "you h-have to come back" I place my hands on the side of jays face. He smiles, "you know I will" he nods. Will stands up and reaches from my hand, "I love you, baby girl" jay stands up and plants a kiss onto my forehead. I don't want him to leave!
A few minutes pass by and I feel like my world just collapsed, I stare at another girl who is also crying, watching her daddy leave to go be with jay and fight the bad guys. I let go of wills hand and run over to the window as I spot jays plane taking off. Will follows me before grabbing my hand again, I don't want jay to leave...
~
*six months later*
Jays POV
Todays the day I finally get to go home. I know I missed a lot whilst being away, the main thing being Imogen's birthday. She's eight now, and I hate that I couldn't have been with her, "I'll be home in five" I reply to wills answer over the phone before shutting my phone off.
When I push the front door open I notice that only the kitchen light is on, probably because it's six in the morning on a Saturday, and Imogen is still asleep. I walk inside and place my bags down, not even bothering to take my boots off yet, before approaching my brother. He smiles thankfully and welcomes me home with a brotherly hug, almost squishing my bones, "glad to have you back man" he whispers. I smile, "thanks, I'm glad to be home" I sigh. I look around before nodding, "is she still in bed?" I smile weakly. Will nods, "yeah, she doesn't know you were coming home today so..." he shrugs.
As I sneak into Imogen's room I flick the lights on and walk over to her, since she doesn't wake up from the lights, I place my hand on her back and give her a little nudge. It takes a few seconds before she wriggles a little and sits up, although I'm still not sure she's noticed my presence yet. She looks up and her face lights up, "jay!" She squeals and wraps her arms around my neck, almost choking me out in the process. I chuckle and sit down as she fails to let me go, "I missed you so much" she sobs into my neck. I sigh and pull her away, "don't cry, skippy" I smile. She smiles but returns to the hug as soon as I let her, "I missed you too" I rub her back as Will smiles at us from the doorway. It feels as if I've never been away...
