DC Headcanon's 6: Sparkle Sparkle!

Leaving You Behind

"Ma'am? MA'AM!" Mrs. Betsey Hamilton glanced up from her needlework as a maid hurried over to her.

"What's wrong Nancy?" Betsey asked, placing her needlework on the coffee table.

"There's someone at the front door for you." Nancy announced, wringing her hands nervously. Betsey's face lit up and she stood, smoothing out her skirt.

"Gov, honey! Your cousins are here!" Betsey called before turning to the maid. "It's okay! Kentucky and Georgia were evacuating Atlanta and are coming to stay with us."

"But I thought Mr. Wright was no longer a soldier." Nancy announced and Betsey's face well.

"He's not....he hasn't been for nearly fifty years...." Betsey muttered following the maid out of the parlor to the front door. As the two made their way closer, Betsey could spot her young niece and nephew standing with a Union soldier on the front step.

The twins were crying.

"What's going on here?" Betsey demanded as they reached the front door. DC immediately broke from his sister, running to his aunt and burying his face in her skirts. Betsey rubbed the toddler's back before looking back at the soldier, demanding answers.

"I was just given a piece of paper and instructions to bring the children here, ma'am." The soldier explained.

"Where are Kentucky and Georgia? Surely they must've come with them!" Betsey demanded, picking up IDC.

"No ma'am, only the twins got on the train." The soldier announced as Gov ran downstairs.

"Hiya DC, hiya IDC!" Gov called. Betsey looked down at the twins, gently pried DC off her skirts and put IDC down.

"Why don't you two go see your cousin?" Betsey ordered.

"I want daddy and papa." DC cried, attaching himself to Betsey's skirts again, alongside IDC. Betsey looked at the twins before glaring at the soldier.

"Tell me what happened. All that you saw." Betsey ordered. The soldier sighed and straightened up again.

"It began in Atlanta..."

The train platform was overcrowded. Millions of Atlanta residents were desperate to get out, and the trains coming in and out were constantly full to capacity. No one knew how long Sherman would wait until he started his attack, and the trains were coming slowly, making everyone panic.

"We're almost full!" The lead general yelled to the citizens currently surrounding the platform, making the shouting go louder. Some soldiers tried keeping the crowds at bay as the general inspected all those in front of him, determining who would be next to get on the train.

"Sir, SIR!" The general turned and saw a tall, brown-eyed man standing in front of him holding a little boy in his arms whose fist was entirely in his mouth. The man looked ragged and desperate.

"Sir please, my children are young. Please we need to get out of here." The man begged.

"I've heard that from every father around." The general scoffed. "Get back in line." The man sighed and turned back to another man standing behind him holding a little girl about the boy's age who was crying, who gently pushed him aside and stepped up.

"Sir please. We're in massive danger if we stay here." The second man begged.

"Gentlemen, the trains are currently running at full capacity and can barely fit the loads as is. We can't fit all four of you." The general explained. The two men looked at each other; the first man nodded, then turned back to the general.

"Take them." The man ordered. The little boy turned to the man in shock, and the little stopped crying.

"Are you sure?" The general asked.

"Yes. We were going to their aunt's house in Washington." The man explained, adjusting his hold on the boy and taking out some paper in his pocket. As he was scribbling down the address the second man began trying to comfort the little girl, who burst into fresh tears.

"Please. Please take them." The man begged handing the general the paper. The general studied the paper before looking behind him.

"Get these children onto the train." The general ordered. The soldier nodded and approached the two children, attempting to take them from their parents. The boy clutched onto the first man's neck, and no amount of soft words could pry him free until the soldier forced it. His sister fared only slightly better; she let go but wouldn't stop screaming. Soon her twin brother joined her screaming as the soldier took the children away, disappearing into the crowd of soldiers, their screams being heard from across the platform.

Betsey swallowed hard as the soldier finished his story, looking down at the twins who hadn't left her side.

"Thank you. Thank you for bringing them." Betsey whispered. The soldier nodded and left, leaving the small family alone in the house. A few more seconds of silence passed before Betsey turned to Nancy.

"Nancy, prepare the guest room for the twins." Betsey ordered. Nancy nodded and hurried away, leaving Betsey with the twins. The young woman crouched down in front of the sobbing children, attempting to dry their tears.

"Don't cry darlings." Betsey whispered. "Your daddy and papa will be on their way soon."

"No they won't!" IDC yelled. "They left us!"

"Jennifer! Don't speak about your parents like that!" Betsey scolded.

"It's true! Daddy and papa abandoned us!" IDC yelled, stomping off.

"JENNIFER GRACE WRIGHT." Betsey yelled, standing up and watching the toddler storm off. But it was too late and IDC already disappeared into the kitchen, probably to hide in the cupboard. Betsey sighed and turned back to DC, still clutching her skirt.

"Did daddy and papa abandon us?" DC whimpered looking up at Betsey with his big brown eyes.

"No sweetie no." Betsey whispered crouching again. "Your daddy and papa are trying to protect you, there are some bad men in Atlanta right now, and they don't want you getting hurt."

"I want daddy and papa." DC cried.

"I know sweetie, I know." Betsey whispered, wiping DC's tears. "Let's go see Gov's room, you'll be bunking with him." DC nodded and sniffed, taking his aunt's hand and heading upstairs. Betsey made a mental note to write to Kentucky and Georgia, maybe send her husband to Georgia to see if he could grant them passage.

Anything to bring the pair back to them.