The meetings in the barn continued every night despite Jonathan�s knowledge. Alex made it clear to his uncle that if he told about the meetings that they would no longer be friends, and as much as he hated having to say that, Alex felt strongly about being able to make his on choices. Tonight they found more need to talk than to make love, and now sitting against the haystack, Alex told Megan what he had planned for them.
�It wouldn�t be fair of me not to tell you the rest of why I want to go to the United States,� Alex said as he kissed her cheek. �My dad told me that his father gave up on him. He caught their barn on fire and killed a bunch of the horses, and my grandfather made him get out. He�s never even talked about that, and he won�t even try to find out if they could work things out,� Alex said.
It was evident to Megan that Alex felt hurt about alot of things, and this time she wrapped her arms around him. �Alex do you think us finding them after all these years will be a good idea?� she asked.
�I don�t know. Part of it is selfish. My mum�s parents are gone, but I have this chance to meet my other grandparents. They might be gone too, but if they are not, then I want to see them, and try to have a relationship with them,� Alex said.
�How do you feel about us?� Megan asked, needing to know.
�I love you Megs, and I want to be with you for the rest of my life,� he answered.
�Even when things don�t always go good?� she asked, knowing that they would likely have some things they did not agree on.
�Even then. I may get frustrated even mad, but I�ll never stop wanting you in my life.� Alex pulled out of her arms then turned her to face him. He leaned forward and took her lips in a long passionate kiss. His tongue pressed into her mouth, and his hands began to roam between their bodies.
At the same time, Megan�s hands worked to get his trousers unfastened. She had become addicted to his touch, to the taste of his mouth, and how he smelled. She liked how he responded to her touch, and felt whole everytime they made love.
~*~
After some morning snuggle time with her husband, Evelyn got up from bed, and pulled on a red silk robe, then walked out of their room to get Alex and Hiedi up for school. As she approached her son�s room she found the door opened, and found Alex already dressed for school. Knowing that he didn�t like for her to caudal him, Evelyn opened the door to her daughters room, finding Hiedi asleep. �Hiedi it�s time to wake up my sweet baby,� Evie said as she settled down on her bedside. She leaned down and as she kissed her head, feeling that she was warm.
�I feel bad,� Hiedi said, as she opened her eyes.
�You have a fever. Let me get a thermometer,� she said as she gave Hiedi another kiss. She walked out of her room as Alex was walking out of his. �Will you call Hiedi�s school and inform them that your sister won�t be attending today?� she asked.
Alex heard the worry in her voice, and when she disappeared into her room, he walked into his sister�s room finding her in bed. �Hey Pixie,� he said as he sat down on her bedside.
�I�m sick,� she said as she faced him.
�Mum will make you feel better. Do you want to sleep with Paddy?� he asked. When she nodded her head, he went back to his room, and from his closet got his old teddy bear, then took it back to her. �Feel better okay,� he said.
He went down stairs and made a call to her school, then headed in the kitchen for breakfast. Any time his sister got sick, it was a big deal, because of the time she had gotten Pneumonia, a scary time when they had nearly lost her. He hated that she was sick, but then again it would have them distracted enough for him to do some searching. Alex knew three places that his dad always kept locked, and he had a feeling that somewhere in this house was something that would help him find his grandparents.
~*~
While Dr. Stanley saw to Hiedi, Evelyn and Rick sat downstairs waiting, worrying. It had been almost a year since she had been down with a cold, and that time she only had a cough and a sore throat. Fever usually meant something more serious.
�I want to go see her,� Evelyn said as she stood up. As she started toward the stairs, Dr. Stanley appeared at the landing.
�She is a bit congested, and her throat is irritated. I need to give her a shot of penicillin to insure that this doesn�t turn into anything more serious.� he informed.
Both of them walked upstairs finding Hiedi huddled up in her bed with the blankets pulled over her body, hiding from the nurse and her needle.
Rick walked over to her bed and rubbed a hand over her body. �Hiedi, lets be brave, and when the nurse finishes here, I will go to the sweet shop and get you your favorite ice-cream treat,� Rick said.
�It hurts daddy,� she sobbed.
�Your mum and I will hold you, and it will only hurt for a moment,� he said.
�Will you make them tell me when they are going to do it?� she asked as she uncovered just her head.� They never told her, and she hated that the most.
Rick looked at the nurse and she nodded her head. �They will tell you,� he reassured.
Then and only then did she come out from hiding. She rested her face against her father�s lap holding tightly to his hand that he offered while her mum lifted her nightgown up.
�Hiedi, I�m going to put some rubbing alcohol on the spot where I will give you the shot,� the nurse said.
Hiedi squinted her eyes, and cried out as she did that. �I don�t want one,� she said as she began to struggle.
The nurse backed off as Rick lifted his baby into his arms holding her close. �Shhh. Hiedi, we need to let them do this, or else you will become very sick,� Rick said.
�Hold me like this daddy,� she said as she held on tight to his neck.
Rick stood up and had to hold on to her so they could give the shot. They told her when it would happen, and then did it, then it was all over with.
Hiedi wanted Evelyn after that, and Rick left with the doctor and nurse to go get her the ice-cream treat he had promised.
~*~
School seemed to drag on and on. Alex had two tests to take, tests he had barely studied for, but he still knew he would make the grade his parents expected him to make. A part of him wanted to skip school, but he knew if he did he would draw unwanted attention to himself, and that he did not need. Once the final bell had gone off, Alex quickly left the school, finding his Uncle�s car waiting for him.
�Hey O�Connell, are you ever going to drive?� came a snide comment from a boy he had never liked. Alex turned around and faced Luke. �Maybe I have better things to do, like attend socials that you and your family would never be allowed to,� he said, knowing that Luke�s family was rather poor.
Luke laughed and walked away. He was all talk, and no fight, knowing well that Alex O�Connell could beat the snot out of him.
Once he was in the car, Alex just looked out the window.
�You don�t have to go into work today,� Jonathan said, hoping to strike up a conversation with his nephew.
�I kinda figured that,� he said, longing to see Megan. Today he had plans to go in the attic and open the crate labeled Richard O�Connell, and see what his father kept in there. His mind was too occupied to really carry on a conversation with his uncle. Thinking of home reminded him of his sister. �How is Pixie?� he asked.
�Her fever is gone, but the doctor said she was congested, so I�d imagine she won�t be leaving her room for a few days, or the house for a few weeks,� Jonathan informed.
�Did you or mum ever get as sick as she sometimes gets?� Alex asked. He knew his Uncle missed the old times, and truthfully he did as well.
�I had the mumps several times, and gave them to your mum when she was a few weeks old. That was about as bad as when Hiedi had pneumonia.�
�I bet so. I was really afraid she�d end up in heaven,� he admitted.
�Me too,� Jonathan said. The rest of the journey was made in silence, and when they arrived at the house, and Jon stopped the car, Alex left to get to the business he needed to attend to.
~*~
The attic was actually the forth level of the house. It was huge, and filled with all sorts of things, mostly treasures Alex�s grandfather Carnahan had acquired from his expeditions; treasures his mum refused to sell. As he had hoped, his parents were both occupied both with Hiedi and with other matters, so getting there was an easy task. Now Alex struggled with the crow bar he had snatched out of the woodshed, and finally got it wedged under the top of the crate. With very little effort he loosened the top, then set the bar down and lifted it away.
Inside he found an old uniform, and lifted that out without unfolding it. Under that he found a broke wrist band, much like the one his father had worn when they had been to Ahm-shere, but this one was more worn. He found a few medals, and some badges, and guessed those were from his days with the Legion. Then at the very bottom of the crate he found two sealed letters. The name of the sender was Lucille O�Connell, and without hesitation Alex opened the letter, finding the very information he sought. Quickly he put the letter in his pocket, then put the other items back in the crate haphazardly, knowing that his father never came to look at it anyway. Once he had put the lid back, he left the attic and made it back to his room without anyone knowing what he had been up too.
~*~
Night came, and Hiedi�s fever was back, though not high, which was a relief. Snuggled in their bed she watched as her mum brushed out her long dark hair. �Mummy? Why do I get sick alot?� she asked, then sneezed.
After setting down her sterling silver hair brush, Evelyn walked over to her daughter, and carefully wiped her nose with a soft handkerchief. �Dr. Stanley said that since you had such a bad case of pneumonia, that you would be more susceptible to getting colds,� Evie explained as she settled in bed next to her baby.
�What is susceptible?� she asked.
�That just means that you can�t fight off the bad germs as easily as your father, or Alex or I,� Evelyn said.
�Is that why I have to stay home for such a long time, and not see Miah?�
�Yes baby.�
Hiedi snuggled against her mothers side, then realized that she was missing Paddy and her blanket. �I need my things,� she said, then giggled when her brother walked in with her worn blanket over his head, and his bear cuddled in his arms.
�WOOOO,� Alex said, trying to sound scary. He didn�t see that he was getting too close to the bed and stubbed his toe on the steam trunk. �OUCH,� he cried out as he bent down to rub it, causing his sister to laugh more. Alex sighed, then stood back up and walked over to the empty side of the bed. �You try walking with a blanky over your head,� he said as he put his bear down beside her and her blanket.
�You have to stay here till daddy comes back with the yucky cough medicine,� she said.
He settled beside her, and turned away when she began to cough. When she stopped he, at her request, told her about the time they had gone to Egypt, leaving out the details that he knew would scare her. �I wondered down into the tomb, and saw dad looking for something. Then I waited and he turned and I scared him and he scared me.
�Did he get mad at you?� she asked through a yawn.
While her children talked, Evelyn stood in the bathroom finishing getting ready for bed. She wished they would get along like this all of the time, but knew that it was natural for brothers and sisters to argue. As she finished washing her face she heard Hiedi telling Rick to leave, and went out of the bathroom to lend her husband a hand.
~*~
�So I found what I needed,� Alex said as he pulled the letter from the pocket of his tan jacket, placing it in the soft hands of the woman he loved.
Megan opened the letter, feeling like an intruder in a house she wasn�t supposed to go into. �Dear Richard, I�ve sent so many letters to you, and I�m so frightened that something has happened to you. Your father was wrong to send you away. He did it out of anger, and I know if you came home that you two could work out your differences. Your sister and I miss you, and I know that your father does as well. Please respond Richard please. love mom.� Megan put the letter down and spoke her mind. �I think you and I need to leave this for your father to handle.�
�I still want to move to Montana,� he said, not willing to give up on that part of their plans.
�Promise me you wont try to go find them,� she said as she leaned into his arms so that he was cradling the upper have of her body against his chest.
Alex smiled at her and reached out to run his hand through her soft red hair. �I love you,� he said as they shared a kiss.
�I love you more,� she said as she leaned up to kiss him again. They talked more about their plans to get married, something they had decided on doing within the next week, then spent the rest of the night having some fun.
~*~
With plenty of bed rest, and plenty of icky cough medicine, Hiedi made a quick recovery, though was not pleased to have to stay inside even during pretty days, and also with not being able to see Miah. In her bed, she tried to get to sleep, but could not, so she slid to the floor and walked across the hall to her brother�s room. �Alex?� she called out softly.
At his desk, Alex sat going over the travel plan�s he had made for he and his wife. They would be departing England in the morning at 9am. He felt a slight tinge of guilt for what they were about to do, and prayed that his parents would forgive him. Another tinge of guilt hit him as he thought about how when he had gone to the bank and taken out the money from his account, they had given it to him without question. His parents had never thought they would need to protect the money from him. He heard his sister call out and got up going to the door. �You better go put some socks on those feet,� Alex said as he knelt down.
�I can�t sleep, and mummy and daddy have their door shut,� she said. She didn�t protest when Alex picked her up, nor when he carried her back to her room and put her to bed. �Where did you get that ring?� she asked noticing the gold band on his left ring finger.
�I�ve had it for a while,� he said, and quickly changed the subject. �Do you want me to read to you?� When she said yes, he went to her bookshelf and pulled out the story, The Velveteen Rabbit, and then settled in bed next to her and began. As he read he realized how much he was going to miss his family. He didn�t hate them, and he knew that his parents loved him, but he also knew that if he didn�t do this, then he would always regret it. When she finally fell asleep, Alex slipped away from her placing a kiss on her head. �I love you Pixie, don�t ever forget that,� he whispered.
�Love you too Alex,� she mumbled, then rolled onto her stomach, continuing to sleep.