"Al Heaven": Chapter Two

Disclaimer: This story was written by Char, and may not be posted on other sites/message boards without her permission.

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Summary: Will and Jen�s Father Dies


The party was a night to remember, if anyone could. Will tried hard, but he could barely focus the next afternoon, as he awakes from a phone call from a family friend in the police department. Al stumbles out of his bedroom.

Al: So what do you think of Tasha?
Will: I�ll have to talk to you about that later.
Al: Jeez� you look like you had a hard night. You okay?
Will is barely able to speak or stand but mumbles: It�s� muh, my dad.
Al freezes and looks into Will�s eyes, prompting him to continue.
Will: He�s, he�s, I don�t believe this. He�s gone. Murdered. Just like that� Gone.
Al�s mouth drops in silence for a few moments before his eyes slant back into his head, thinking about Jen. He walks toward Will and puts his arms around Will, knowing there�s nothing he can say that would make it better. He lets go just long enough to ask gently: You wanna talk about it? How� Will and Al do not notice Jen walking in the room. Apparently, someone called Jen too.

Jen: Shot.
Al�s temptation to comfort Jen is overwhelming, but he maintains his composure, controlling his impulse. He chooses to meet her eyes with sympathy, allowing Will and Jen some space. The silence is deafening. Jen�s walk toward her brother is robotic. An unspoken love is communicated through their eyes before they embrace. Jen gasps for air, as if she�d been waiting to breathe.

Al: I�m gonna let you two have some time together.
Jen released her brother.
Jen: Al, uh� you don�t have to, you know. I, uh, we, I mean� you� you are our friend.
Al: Of course. Yes, I� I� whatever happened between us doesn�t matter right now. C�mere.
Al holds out his arms, and Jen looks at him with hesitation.
Al: I�ll always care Jen. Not everything was about my incessant need for you to care about me. I care. I really do.
As Jen moves toward Al, she speaks gently: I�m sorry.
Al didn�t need to ask what she meant specifically. He knew that when it came down to it, the Jen he always believed existed under all the pain was just trying to say that she appreciates that she can count on him when things really matter.
Al: I know. It�s okay. Al brushed her face, and reached out to comfort her.
Al rubbed her back gently, and looked up at Will with as much concern for the friend he recently came to know, and love.
Jen gently rubs Al�s back in return, as she pulls up from his embrace. She wipes her eyes, and stands firm, as if to gain composure.
Will: Al, don�t you have a class? We�ll be okay. I don�t want you messing up at school again, because of this. After all I put you through, and you are just able to get it back together now. I wish there was something you can do, but there�s not.
Al looks at Jen and walks up to embrace Will in a guy hug. He turns to look at Jen once more.
Al: But if there was�
Jen looks in Al�s eyes as she walks toward her brother to stand next to him, and finishes the thought: We know who we can count on.
Al: You know it.
With that, Al turns toward the door and looks back one last time before he leaves.

Jen: Mom. She�s been acting so weird. I�m afraid of what this will do to her. It could push her over the edge. I swear I think she might be suicidal. I couldn�t get a hold of dad so I sent that creepy guy mom is seeing to make sure she was okay last night, before I came to the party.
Will: I already dialed her and left a message. I�m afraid she�s gonna hear this from someone else before we get a hold of her. But I couldn�t just leave it on the machine. When she turns up, we have to be together and be strong for her. Will you be able to do that?
Jen does not answer. Her mind keeps wandering with thoughts of her father�s last moments, what is wrong with her mother, and what a fool she�d been thinking she was so above it all. She realizes how she needs her friends, friends she�d treated like garbage when she was drowning in her pain over Cris, friends who actually cared, really cared.
Will recognizes Jen�s mental disappearance and embraces her, rocking her gently, and whispers sweetly: It will be okay. I promise.
Jen: I�ll get it together, for mom.
Will: I know you can. You are stronger than you know. You�re a Rappaport.
Jen: And dad would be proud of us, right? You know, how we handle this.
Will nods.
Al shakes as he pulls a baggie out of his locker at school, just long enough to pull out a tiny content, and swallow it.
Al (to himself): Only because of what�s going on. I�ll stop next week.





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