I awoke with a splitting headache in the morning, and yet I couldn't be mad at myself for last night. Another bottle of whiskey had been gotten and Will had hardly let me get a bit of sleep before he had gone at me again. Although, I hadn't exactly been chaste either. Still, the morning light was far more than I was willing to deal with and threw the blanket over my head. I rolled over, greeted by Will's smiling face. "You couldn't stand the sun either?"
He snorted, "I've been under here for thirty minutes. It was that or go be sick in the bathroom."
"Will, don't even bring that up." My stomach roiled at the thought of vomiting, and I ran my tongue over my mouth. "Ugh, I need some water."
"Does that mean I have to get out of bed?" Will groaned, but threw back the blankets and stumbled his way to the bathroom, returning with a couple of glasses of water. "Here, I imagine we'll need more of these."
I greedily slurped it up, although it meant I had to be back in the sun. "Thank you, oh God, are hangovers always this bad?"
"Unfortunately." He sighed, "I suppose we could try and get some aspirin."
I leaned back on the pillows, closing my eyes. "But that would mean getting out of bed."
"And getting dressed." Will chuckled, standing briefly to hand me a dressing gown. "I'll track down a steward, just give me a moment." He had barely gotten into his shirt and trousers, the former not even buttoned, when an urgent knocking sounded on the sitting room door. "Ah, there's one now." I staggered upright for a moment to pull the dressing gown on so the steward wouldn't see me like I was.
"Ask for orange juice." I muttered, pulling my gown tight around me and throwing the blanket back up over my head.
I could hear Will move to the sitting room, the door opened and a set of footsteps rushed inside, a slower set following. I peeked over the edge of the blanket, seeing Charles barreling towards me with a grin on his face. I gave a peep, pulling the blanket back up. I could hear Will from the sitting room, "I'm killing him."
Sylvie, having trailed in her husband's wake, laughed. "Now William, we simply wanted to come and see how you were doing with everything. We were both so upset when we heard what happened and Bertie here was just so worked up that he had to take the pilot boat out."
"And my lovely wife was more than happy to accompany me." Charles had parked himself on the edge of the bed and began to pluck at the blanket. "Now, Anastasia, really, why are you still in bed?"
I tugged the blanket tighter, "Because I just woke up."
"It's almost noon." He glanced around the disheveled room, "Ah, I see. Stayed up late last night, did you?" He stalked over and lifted one of the empty bottles, taking a sniff. "Whew, if Will was drinking whiskey last night I can see why you'd still be in bed. I'll bet he hardly let you get a wink of sleep."
I could feel myself blushing. "I was having whiskey too."
"Ah, so did you let him sleep at all?" Lights was laughing loud enough to draw the attention of Will and Sylvie in the sitting room, and I ducked further under the blankets. Sylvie had a smirk on her face, while Will looked furious.
He grabbed Charles by the arm, tugging on him. "Lights, I'd thank you to let my wife get dressed."
"Well, I know you didn't let her wear anything to bed." He chuckled, allowing Will to pull him to the sitting room. It was only after the door was closed that I got quickly out of bed, then immediately sat back down when it felt like someone was driving a nail between my eyes. It took a few deep breaths for it to fade, and I moved more slowly as I collected some clothes and dressed. I was still pressing my fingers to my temples when I stepped out into the sitting room to find everyone sat around the table and two large pots of coffee. Lights stood, pulling out a chair for me next to Will. "Well, it's nice to see you at least decided to dress before disembarking."
"Is it just coffee?" I mumbled as I sat, feeling my stomach rebel at the thought of food at the moment.
Sylvie, with a firm look at me, nodded. "Yes, now, drink up."
"Cream? Sugar?" I looked around, and seeing none, began to pour myself a cup. "Anything to make this tolerable?"
Sylvie pursed her lips. "No, now, you'll be drinking the whole pot. The both of you." She looked to Will, "I understand you're upset, but that's hardly a reason for you to get drunk enough to sleep in until noon."
"You two might not have gotten off the ship!" Lights chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "Really though, we do want you to know that you have our sympathies. In fact, we were coming to invite you to dinner tonight."
Will, grimacing after he finished his first cup, sighed. "Thank you, that's very kind." He clenched his eyes shut as a knocking sounded on our cabin door, although Charles was nice enough to get up to answer it.
I perked up as a loud bark sounded, and turned to see Rigel standing in the door, his tail wagging as the steward handed his leash to Charles. Will stood, pulling out his billfold and pressing a large tip into the steward's hand before coming back to the table. I tried to keep my head from hurting when Rigel launched himself into my arms, licking happily at my face and loudly sniffing at the coffee. I shifted the mug away from him, "That's not for you."
"Indeed it isn't." Sylvie reached a hand out, guiding him over to her. "Now, drink." She ably managed Rigel as I struggled my way through the rest of the pot, and my mouth was so coated with the bitter drink that I made a vow to myself to never drink to excess around Sylvie if this was her solution. So I gritted my teeth and rose when more stewards came to collect our trunk and put it with the others to be sent to the house and Sylvie suggested a walk along the promenade to watch us being docked.
The sun at least didn't make me feel like I would die of a headache when I stepped out, and I greedily breathed in the scent of Southampton. It still smelled like a port city and I tried to see if I could see any of our offices from our height. I thought I might have seen a chimney but could not be sure. Sylvie seemed intent on us walking at least a mile around the decks, and Charles seemed to find it hilarious how Will and I were dragging our legs. "Honestly you two, you should be used to walking this much with this one." He jingled the leash he held, Rigel prancing alongside him.
"I do walk him," I shut my eyes for a moment, shaking my head. "Just not after I've been drinking."
"Well, we both know that's not the only thing you were up to last night." Lights at least kept his voice low, although I could see Will flush a bit. "Hopefully Will rubs off on Rigel, I want puppies out of Nana before long."
I stopped, raising an eyebrow. "Nana?"
"The boys can't get Peter Pan out of their heads," He sighed, rolling his eyes. "You know, one of these days they're going to be interested in something else. Cowboys maybe, I could help them there."
I pursed my lips, "Then I will simply buy them a boat and encourage them to become pirates." He burst out laughing at that, and I found myself laughing too. Rigel caught on and began barking loudly, bringing Sylvie and Will back to join us. Together the four of us stood at the rail and watched as the crew on the dock began to toss lines over and tie the great ship up. I could see the gangways already being readied to be extended out, the cranes already moving baggage down to be sorted out. I glanced to Will, "We should get headed down."
"Yes," Will held out his arm, looking to the Lightollers. "We'll be over for dinner later, if that's alright?" Charles waved him off, and we all made our way back to the cabin to collect the last of our things. The four of us, five if Rigel was counted, joined the other first class passengers and slowly shuffled our way off the ship. Porters were already waiting with our trunks and a cab, and were more than happy to call another one for the Lightollers.
There were flowers waiting for us at the house, a note attached. You have our sympathies, Davey and Nettles. Will lifted it, then sighed and set it down. "How did they know?"
"Perhaps Captain Haddock wired to Lights and he let your friends know." I leaned down to unclasp Rigel's leash. "Or maybe Sylvie learned and told people to expect you."
Will sat down in the parlor, sighing. "Why does everyone have to know?"
"Because they care about you." I sat beside him, putting an arm around him. "We all do Will, and we know it's not easy so we want to be here." Will leaned on me at that, quiet, simply breathing and letting me hold him.
He leaned even harder into my shoulder, "I just want it to be done." There was nothing to say to that, so I simply held him a bit tighter. Fortunately we had a few hours before we had to go to dinner, enough to have a small nap and change. Rigel had already found himself a comfortable spot on the parlor rug and barely opened an eye as we got ready to head out. Another cab was called to take us to Charles's house, and Will took the opportunity to show me the new garage while we waited.
It did him good to have something to focus on, especially when he showed me the various rooms. He opened the main doors, "It's big enough for two cars if we wanted two, and right through here is a work room." He walked over the brick floor, opening a wooden door to show a room full of shelves and a large table. I had to admire the garage, it was all brick and nice and roomy. In addition to the workroom it had a storage room, and Will was quite glad to show me every inch of it. Eventually we wound up back outside, the large latch thrown over the two front doors. He sighed, "Now we just need a car."
I could see the lights of the cab coming down the lane. "Anything you have in mind?"
"A Rolls-Royce?" Will shrugged, joining me at the curb as the cab stopped. "That's foolish though."
I gave him a smile as he helped me into the cab, "Actually, it sounds nice. Any kind in particular or should I just have Mr. Welton buy one?"
Will laughed as he sat next to me, "Don't tell me you'd actually do that."
"Oh, I'll send the order down tomorrow before we leave." I smiled, "What color?"
Will smirked, "Well, we should at least make it blue. Hopefully he won't be too angry."
"Will," I gave his arm a squeeze, "He works for us, and it's not like he's going to be paying for the car. Besides, it would be nice to have it waiting for us when we come back." At least it would give him something to look forward to, and Mr. Welton would huff and puff, but still have it waiting for us. When we arrived at the Lightollers, there was already someone waiting for us.
Freddy, getting up from his seat on the doorsteps, rushed forward when he saw us. "Uncle Will!"
"Hello Freddy," Will leaned down and ruffled the boy's hair.
"I'm sorry about your mother." Freddy took Will's hand, "But I'm glad to see you and Aunt Anna again."
"Oh," Will pursed his lips, "That's very kind of you Freddy. Thank you." Lights was there to greet us as soon as we walked in the door, and his solution to Will's mood seemed to be to thrust Mavis into his arms and send him off to the parlor so that Freddy and Richard could tell him all about the new puppy.
Lights offered me his arm, "That should get him set right, at least for now." He lowered his voice though, his pace slow. "How is he, really?"
"Tired." I sighed, watching as Will tried to juggle Mavis and Nana in his arms. "He just wants it over."
"Ah, well, I think we can provide some distractions." He grinned, coming to pay entirely too much attention to Sylvie while Will dealt with is children. Eventually, after covering Sylvie's hand with a dozen kisses, he looked to Will. "Oh, just pass one of them off to your wife before you drop one of them."
Will, with Mavis cradled in one arm and Nana trying to climb his shoulder, actually had a smile. "Which one do you want?"
"Oh, I'll take her." I leaned down and collected Mavis, sitting next to him. He chuckled a bit as Nana was clearly upset to lose her cuddling partner and tried to follow. I bounced Mavis, "Ah, now, how is she doing?"
"Good as gold." Lights leaned over to chuck her under the chin, "Although she's going to be hell when she starts teething, those two didn't have the set of lungs that she's been blessed with."
Sylvie pinched his arm, "A little whiskey on the gums will settle her down, you know that."
"And a little whiskey will stir Will up," Lights laughed, looking to Will. "How about it?"
Will was blushing at that, "I think I'm good on whiskey for quite sometime." I blushed a bit too at he way Lights waggled his eyebrows at the both of us, although Sylvie shortly had all of us herded over into the dining room. Everyone dutifully thanked her for the roasted chicken, and a little was even given to Nana in a small bowl. The conversation focused on the boys' education, both of them were quite firm in their desire to be sailors like their father.
Will, sipping from his glass of wine, grinned at his friend. "It appears you've infected them."
"I think it was more your wife." Charles chuckled, "Nothing like a close family friend with a large profitable business."
Sylvie gave him a smack at that, "Bertie, don't tease Anna like that. We're doing quite fine." She shooed the boys out of the room, following them up to put Mavis to bed. Nana was already asleep in a corner, and hardly lifted an ear when Sylvie came back. "Anna, really, don't listen to him. We're alright." But then her nose screwed up, "Although really, what was your mother thinking with that necklace? I haven't even pulled it out of the drawer since we got back!"
I smiled, "I think she was thinking that you look good in emeralds." Charles burst out laughing at that, and I couldn't help myself. Will was smiling at his reaction and I wanted that to continue. "Now, Lights, Will did mention something about you scaring an entire city in Australia?"
Lights couldn't seem to stop laughing, "He did not!"
"He did, he said you made them think the Boers were attacking."
"Well," Sylvie had a knowing smile, "He may have fired the cannon but he did have some help. You were with him on that trip weren't you, William?"
Will had his mouth clamped shut and vehemently shook his head. Lights chuckled, pouring out another glass of wine. "Oh yes you were, had to have someone distract the groundskeeper so I could get up there. Although your painting skills leave much to be desired."
"Lights!" Will exploded, although there was a laugh in his voice. "You're the one who gave me printed fabric to paint!"
"You should have put more on!"
"It was still wet when we took it out!" The two of them fell to bickering quick enough, and Sylvie and I shared a grin. If there was one thing to keep Will occupied it was Charles teasing him and getting him to tease back.
Will could still feel the hangover gnawing at him when they got home, the wine from dinner not helping matters. So when Ana had offered to help him change, he had declined but had sent her off to wash up with a kiss. To be quite honest, it wasn't just the hangover. He was exhausted from last night, having bedded her at least five times. All he wanted was to curl up around her and sleep. So that was what he did, he buried his face in her hair and felt her shift herself to lay up against him.
When Will first opened his eyes, he thought he was awake. Ana was dozing in his arms, and mumbled slightly as she rubbed her head against him. He pulled her a bit closer, pressing a kiss to her head and turning to look out the window. He had simply thought to see some moonlight, but what he saw was a beautiful woman, her brown hair pulled up and dressed in a lovely white lace dress. His tongue suddenly felt thick, "Ada?"
"Hello William," She smiled, and she still had that accent that he loved. "It's been some time."
"Yes," He tried to shift himself, although Ana held onto him tighter. "You're dead though, so I must be dreaming."
"Yes to the first, but as to the second," She shrugged. "It's a debated topic among us."
"Us?" His eyes widened. "Ghosts?"
"Some allow that, some prefer haunts. I find myself drawn to spirit." She smiled, seeing him move a bit in front of Ana. "I'm not here to haunt either of you though, she is lovely by the way."
Will blinked, sure that he must be drunk still. "You said I'm not dreaming?" There was no way the ghost of his first wife was sitting by his bedside while he held his second wife in his arms.
"You're somewhere between asleep and dreaming." Ada shrugged, "It's easiest for us to reach the living in dreams, but I never try to do that. Usually it's memories or nightmares, and I don't want to intrude." Part of him thought that was kind of her, to not push into his memories and try to keep him there.
"But you're here now." Will decided to ignore any more of the theoretical questions, he couldn't handle any more answers that weren't yes or no.
Ada sighed, standing and not really walking but not exactly floating until she had sat down on the bedside by him. "I know about Jeanie, Will. I felt it happen and managed a way to Scotland to find her." She reached out, looking like she wanted to pat his hand but her own hand passed through his, leaving a chill behind. "She's still adjusting to this world, it's difficult to start."
"I can imagine." Will felt a rise of emotion in his throat and swallowed it. "Thank you for helping her."
Ada smiled, and Will's heart squeezed in his chest. "It's not a problem, I always did like her. She wanted to come herself, but it's hard for her to leave Scotland at the moment."
"I still miss you." He blurted it out, for it had been in his mind since he had seen her. "Especially when I'm here."
"I know."
"I didn't know what to do with myself after."
"I know."
"Ada, I'm so sorry I wasn't there at the end." He closed his eyes, feeling that sob rising back in his throat. "I was a horrible husband."
She laughed at that, and he opened his eyes to see her smiling at him again. "Will, you were a wonderful husband, and you still are." She gestured down to Ana, "And if she were awake I'm quite sure she would agree with me."
Ana stretched and relaxed back onto him, and Will smiled fondly at her. "I'm glad I found her."
"As am I," Ada had that smile on, the one that pinched the corners of her eyes. "You always have needed someone to care for, and I feel like she and I would have been great friends if we had met." Then her grin turned mischievous, "In fact, we might have had to share you."
Will waited for her to say that she was joking, but Ada only chuckled to herself. Will shifted, "I'm very happy to have her with me for this."
"I can tell you two will have beautiful children."
Will snorted. "That's what everyone says, but they're not here yet. I'd ask you to not get my hopes up that they'll be here soon."
"Oh, I'm not guessing Will."
"Spirits can see the future?"
"Not exactly, but if we focus very hard we can get impressions. I can't say when it will be, but when I was at your wedding I briefly glimpsed the two of you in a parlor, a baby in her arms while you played with it." Ada reached her ghostly hand out again, stirring it through Ana's hair where it lay on the pillow. "It's where I met her father."
Will was shocked. "Gareth?"
"Yes, he was so happy." Ada chuckled, "I don't think I've seen a prouder man in my life, well, afterlife. It made the trouble getting to New York worth it though, to have something fun to do for once."
"Is travel difficult for you?"
"Not to places you know well, I spend my time split between here and Christchurch. I was able to follow the Lightollers over for the wedding and back, although when I tried to get Gareth to join us on the way back he refused." She looked away for a moment, "He didn't want to leave his wife." But then she shook her head and looked back. "I can't stay much longer Will, but I wanted to let you know about Jeanie and ask you to pass on a request."
Will didn't even question the absurdity. "What is it?"
"Tell Anastasia about this, and tell her the next time she sees her father in her dreams to not run away. He told me that every time he reaches out to her she panics and runs into a nightmare, so he's stopped trying, at least as much as he did before. But he misses her, William. So tell her to run to her father so he can see her again." She stood, and Will could see was growing more insubstantial, the moonlight cutting through her. "I don't know when I'll see you again."
Will wished he could get up from the bed, "I still love you, Ada."
"And I love you, William." She bent, pressing a kiss to his lips that left them freezing cold. "But you have a living wife as well, so you should focus on loving her. I'll always be waiting." There was a sudden stirring in the air, and then she was gone.
When he woke in the morning, he clutched Ana to him a little tighter.