Love Is A Battlefield (Alan Wilder x Martin Gore)

4: Judas

Seven hours later, 3:52pm, the airport:

Watching as their children played in each other's company, Alan and Martin sat on chairs beside one another, awaiting the boarding of their flight.

"You're tired already?" Martin asked, having noticed Alan's yawn.

"Exhausted, love." Alan replied, rubbing his face with both hands. "Not sure how the girls still have so much energy."

"Because they're children. Children are always on a constant sugar rush." His husband laughed back. "I can go and order you a coffee from the cafe if you want. Might help you wake up a bit. And besides I'm getting rather hungry, to be honest."

"Oh, go on then. Only one sugar, remember."

"Yeah, yeah, I know." He giggled, getting up from his seat. "I'll be back in a minute."

Soon, Martin had disappeared around the corner. Alan then brought his attention back to his daughters in front of him. They were each sitting on their suitcases playing Rock, Paper, Scissors.

"I got wock! That means I get the win-dowe seat on the aire-plane!" Esme cried out all of a sudden.

Alan expected an argument to follow so braced himself to have to intervene, but instead they continued to giggle and play their game. He could simply sit back and take in their interactions. His daughters had a relationship as sisters and as friends unlike any other, which he thoroughly adored. The more he watched them, the faster time passed and his husband returned with his coffee and sandwiches for all of them in what seemed like just seconds.

"Oh, I didn't even realise you'd come back." He laughed with an accompanying shake of his head, pecking him on the cheek.

"You definitely need this coffee then." Martin too laughed and passed him his beverage as well as his food before giving his daughters theirs in addition.

They sat in only minor conversation as they focused on eating. However, they were swiftly interrupted when Esme felt a tap on her shoulder.

"Uncl' Fetch!" She yelled excitedly when she turned and saw her uncle's face, immediately putting her food aside and going to hug him.

Poppi joined her in doing so, and Andy welcomed their embrace with a tight squeeze.

"Hey, double trouble!" He giggled, ruffling their hair.

"Uncle Fletch, it feels like it's been so long since we've seen you." Poppi said, fiddling with his glasses frames.

"It does, Poppi. I've just had a few things to sort out." He admitted, keeping his replies vague.

For he didn't want to open up about his decline in mental well-being. It was a discussion for another time, another day, another place.

"But I'm back now. It's so nice to see you both again!" He tightened his grip on both of his nieces shortly before letting them go to speak to their parents, his bandmates. "Sorry I'm a bit late; the traffic on the way here was horrendous."

"It's not a problem, mate." Alan got up and helped him with his luggage.

When he looked up, he saw the clock and the time it read. It was approaching ten minutes past the hour of four. Without delay, their flight was booked for thirty minutes past the hour. There wasn't much time to lose. And that was when he realised he hadn't seen Dave once since their arrival to the airport.

"Anyone seen Dave?" He asked, and almost as though it were on cue, Dave appeared bedside the suitcases.

"There he is, Daddy!" Poppi giggled.

"Why do you always go missing like that?" Her father nudged him with his elbow.

"What can I say," Dave raised both hands as he shrugged. "It's important to take risks in this life." He winked.

"If you say so," He scoffed.

With everyone furthermore present, they began making their way to the conveyor belt.

~~~~~
One hour later, 5:39pm, the plane:

Situated in their seats, Martin, Alan, Poppi and Esme filled one row and Dave and Andy half of another. Esme looked out of her window, perturbed by the fact she was thousands of feet above the ground. But it was a beautiful sight. She could see the wing of the plane stretching out into the clouds that sat upon a canvas of blue skies, slightly duller due to dusk beginning to set in. In mere hours, they would land in Spain. At the thought, Esme felt the butterflies in her stomach flutter more than ever, for it would be her first memorable visit to the country. She then looked away from the window and at Alan, who sat beside her. His head was tipped downwards with a neck pillow providing support as he slept.

"Seems the coffee didn't help to wake up Daddy, huh, Mae." She heard Martin say.

She looked up at him and giggled. "Silly Daddy."