Mirrors make the best company

[Alliana Porter]

She couldn't sleep again. It was probably close to 4 am and she was sitting here alone in the bathroom. She had cried some, paced around, and had even stripped down and sat in the corner of a hot shower at one time that night. Ally was more alone than she could ever remember. The drama with Luke, Anna leaving, it seemed like her entire world was crashing down all around her. or once in her life, she was actually really missing her mother. She was the one person that had always been there for her, and then she completely lost all contact.

Considering she was alone at this obscure hour, she gave in to her impulses and spoke to her reflection. "Alliana....what have you done to yourself. I mean...really? Look at you. There is no excuse. Stop being so...damn pathetic. You came back, that said something. Conviction. Who cares if you were missed. This isn't about you...none of it is. It's for the greater good." She clenched her jaw and thumped her head against the mirror for a moment, staring up at the tiled celling. "Does he even love you anymore? ....God I miss the old me. The way it was...." By now a few small tears had found their way from her grey eyes, but nothing close to what had happened at two am.
"Mom...I know you can't here me...but...I miss you...like...more than you would ever know. You'd probably laugh at me for saying that. Your self destructive daughter want's to be a mummy's girl again...but...forget that. I'm so sorry...for this...for everything...I just want to reset it all...." Ally wiped a tear with the blunt of her palm and sniffled up a little. "What happened Ally....what happened.."

[William Blake]

After Jay's third feeding/nappy change that night, Will had given up on all hope of sleeping. How Natalie had snored through it all, he had no idea, probably because of the sleep deprivation. But he'd been glad to take care of their son, even if it meant she slept and he didn't. She needed it more than he did, or that's what he believed anyway.

After making sure Jay was fast asleep, thumb corked in mouth, he decided that he was going to go have a shower while he had the chance. He could certainly do with one. The hot, steaming water was like heaven against his skin, almost searing, but it felt like it breathed life back into his body, soothed his mind. By the time he dragged himself out of the thing, he was bright pink, and had to stand around for a while waiting for his skin to fade back to it's natural colour. That's when he heard the voice.

The Australian accent was unmistakable, and it wasn't difficult to make out what she was wittering on about, although he wasn't exactly sure who to. Pulling on his trousers, he would at least be that decent, he seized his shirt and peered curiously round to see that, sure enough, Ally was in the adjacent bathroom... talking to herself in the mirror. And he thought he'd been driven halfway to madness. "I always find my reflection makes for good conversation," he said, the words just slipping from his lips. He hadn't meant to tease, or had he? When he saw the tears however, he pressed his lips shut. Oops.

"You okay?" It was the least he could ask really after that comment, but he half expected a wet towel to get thrown at his head.

[Alliana Porter]

She hadn't heard the water running the entire time, because she was so impossibly lost in her own self pity. She came here for alone time, which seemed to be the wrong choice. Will's voice echoed through the tiled celing and he appeared around the corner, trying to make light humour. She wasn't in the mood. She couldn't comment back, she she simply clenched her jaw and stared hard, before turning her attention away again.

If anything she needed a hug or a good girl talk, but obviously she wasn't getting any of that. Sure there were plenty of women on board, but she hadn't made an attempt to really be friends with any of them and them to her. She was still sort of the black sheep on some days, mouth usually glued shut. The old Ally was definitely gone, or at least on vacation. He was aiming at conversation she would fight to provide. 'I'm..fine" she lied blatantly, sniffling again. She as far from fine, that was more than obvious right now.

[William Blake]

"You know I'm a trained liar, right?" he said, taking a step further into the room, pulling his shirt on in the process. The occasion didn't really call for shirtlessness. Usually, he would have butted out. He didn't appreciate people poking around in his affairs, so he didn't tend to poke around in their's. But he felt stupid for making that comment which made her whole face contort in annoyance - yes, he'd noticed, he was also well practiced in telling when women were pissed at him - and far from just saying sorry, he was going to try and resolve the situation.

Will leaned back against the wall, sticking his hands in his pockets. "Far be it from me to offer to lend an ear," he said, "but as I'm here at this un-Godly hour, and I'm not an inanimate object, you can talk to me if you want to." Having kids was turning him soft, but his personality, the things that made him 'Will' were still there, just beginning to smooth off around the edges.

[Alliana Porter]

Addy sniffled and pulled her legs up to her chest, turning her gaze away from him. She was usually a pretty decent liar, but lacked the skill right now. She wiped her nose with her forearm and sucked in her bottom lip to keep more tears at bay. It was bad enough he had heard her talk to herself, she didn't want to let him see her cry. Nothing seemed sacred anymore aboard the ship.

When Will offered his services, she turned slowly to him. She needed to vent, she really did, but to Will? Of all people. She didn't hate the guy, but they'd had some rough patches and he wasn't her favourite. "what...what all did you hear?" Addy sniffled again, still fighting back the waves.

[William Blake]

Aaaaand she was going to hold their past grumblings against him, great. Sure, there had been ups and downs, their personalities hadn't meshed very well in the past, they butted heads on a couple of occasions, but he didn't think they mattered in a situation like this. Sighing slightly, he wondered whether he should make it up to her in another way. He had Anna on speed dial, pretty much, he could get the red head to haul her butt back to the ship to help her friend. But he decided to persist first, when she actually chose to ask him a question.

Pulling his back away from the wall, he walked over and sat down a couple of feet away from her, stretching out his legs; that way he was closer, but not too close, in case he was invading her personal space or whatever. "I heard you talking about your Mum," he told her honestly, "and how you miss her." He pursed his lips together, looking away before looking back at her, "you know, as long as she's alive, it's never too late right?" He knew that was the truth, he'd reconciled 20 odd years of hate with his father in the man's dying breath. If they were able to solve their problems, Ally could certainly do the same with her Mum, even after what her parents probably believed she'd done.

((Sorry to reply so soon after you posted, but my Will muse was dancing. xD))

[Alliana Porter]

Will wasn't his usual self, which Ally was soon picking up on. She knew there had to be more to him, despite their differences, and now here they were. She sniffled again and swallowed down the warm lump in her throat. She should have worn her long sleeved shirt, rather than a tank so she could curl into it more, but her AC wasn't working in her room again. She was trying so very hard to fit back in on board. It didn't help that she had started off seeming lie the bad guy, the black sheep, the invasive outsider. But they were all lies, masks. In truth, she was broken and desperate for a new life...a new life she had single handedly destroyed yet again.

Ally watched Will sit down a comfortable distance away from her and she could tell he was at least trying. His words only made her tears well up in her story grey eyes again. "You have no idea.." she choked "She's the one person who ever loved me unconditionally...even...even with my dad. I haven't seen on heard from her in years. I just...I lost contact after the divorce." Tears now fell unashamedly down her cheeks and she was looking more of a mess by the second. Crying brought out her vulnerability, which was something she hated to show. She liked to appear strong and collected, even though so was so far from it now.

[William Blake]

Picking a little lint off his jeans absentmindedly, he waited while Ally seemed to study him in silence for a moment or two. This was entirely out of character for him, it must seem, as Natalie, and maybe a couple of others, were the only ones who he would actually sit down with if something was wrong. But he wasn't a bad guy, he just hadn't found himself becoming as emotionally invested in other people's lives on the ship. It was hard not to now, not with what Ally was saying. Seemed he wasn't the only one who had issues with their Dad.

For better or for worse, his relationship with his Dad had effected him and his personality as he was growing up. The only comfort he had was knowing that the façade that the man had put on was a complete lie, and that he was at peace now, wherever he was. He also knew what it was like to miss his Mum, so very much. The tears broke free of Ally's eyes, and Will swallowed. A year or so ago, he would have fleed from a crying woman as quickly as Speedy Gonzales, but now...

He shuffled closer, closing the gap between them, before easing an arm around her shoulders, squeezing her arm gently. He wasn't sure whether he was overstepping a boundary, but he couldn't just leave her sitting there by herself, crying. "Well," he began, in an effort to comfort her, "we are on an elite government vessel, with a high grade of clearance. I'm sure we can get on the computer, find out an address, that shouldn't be too hard." Especially with him being Chief Engineer and all. "I wouldn't want you missing out on a chance to see your Mum again... like I did."

[Alliana Porter]

When Will brought an arm around, she crumpled into him. She knew someone cared about her, despite the mess she had made of herself. Most of it was about Luke, but it definitely hadn't been the only thing. She just felt so alone and small, and to put it bluntly, all she really wanted was her mum. She needed a feminine role model to help her smooth out the mess she had made.

Ally cried shamelessly into Will's shoulder, sudden;y abandoning all she had been holding against him. That was all behind them now, and she needed a shoulder to cry on...Will was simply available. In this state, she probably would've cried on whoever offered a shoulder and an ear. After letting her bawl for a while, he spoke up with a comforting thought she hadn't actually considered. Ally looked up at him slowly, brushing a few strands of hair that had stuck to her tear stained cheeks. "Do...do you think you coud help me...ya know..find her?"

[William Blake]

Will hadn't even noticed how wet his shoulder had become until Ally pulled her head away, looking up at him with her shining gray eyes. Despite the situation they were in, he could see why Luke had fallen for Ally in the first place, and was still head over heels for her now, even if he had a different way of showing it - he was about as miserable as Ally. Time and a place, Will. Time and a place. Also, he was happily married, lest he forget.

"Of course," he nodded, "in fact, give me two seconds." He put a hand on her arm for a moment as a reassuring gesture, then hopped up and headed back out into the main area, where he'd left his hand held computer - yes, he'd brought it to the shower room, he brought it everywhere, just in case. Seizing it, he came back through, sitting down next to her again as his fingers whizzed across the screen, bringing up a government database. He pointed at the screen, "I just need a full name, and a date of birth, and we can start from there." Looking across at her, he offered her a small smile. "I'd offer a sleeve as well, but I think you already used one," he glanced at his shoulder, attempting a joke again, "unless you want to try the other."

[Alliana Porter]

Will was looking at her almost too intensely and it was unnerving and slightly uncomfortable. She looked away immediately after this realization and pretended to find something more interesting on the bathroom stall doors instead. He had looked a little too deep into her eyes and if she didn't look away, he wouldn't.

She watched him hop down and leave, curious as to where he was headed. Her question was answered when he returned with his hand held computer. Why the hell would he carry it into the bathroom anyway? Ally leaned in and watched him work on the database. finally finding blanks to enter."Name.. .Elizabeth Marie Porter. Date of birth August 22nd 2413. Um...last time I saw her was in Queensland if that helps. " Ally was fairing much better now that Will was helping her out with such a delicate matter and for once. She knew she could be a handful at times, but it really meant a lot when people cared or at least tried to.No, that's fine...thank you." She wiped her sniffled nose with her fore arm a little and continued. "Just..not many people try to help. I guess I'm still intimidating..that..or the fact that I'm usually a wreck..or blaming me for what I did to Luke."

[William Blake]

It did help, it narrowed down the search a lot if they had her last known whereabouts. Typing the information in, he let the computer do it's thing while Ally continued to talk. He made sure not to stare too harshly this time, keeping his gaze light and inquisitive. "I'm not sure," he said, honestly. He hadn't been avoiding her for any of those reasons, in fact, he hadn't been avoiding her at all, he just hadn't seen her around. "Luke was down for a while there, but I haven't heard anyone say it was your fault. Luke's a big guy, people know he can take care of himself." And with the increased responsibility the Captain was putting on the man, he couldn't mope around all the time.

The computer beeped, and Will averted his eyes to the screen once more, holding it out to Ally so that she could see, "well, she's not in Queensland any more." The address on the screen showed that Elizabeth had moved to Tribeca, in New York. It'd even managed to pull up a street name and building number. "Now you know where to go, all you have to do is ask the Captain for leave, and voila," he shrugged his shoulders lightly, "you get to see your Mum again."