World War One

New York

TWENTY THREE - NEW YORK

They sat on the sofa, both still crying. Rose rested her head against Jack's shoulder and held his hand "god I hope they'll be OK" she sniffled and wiped her eyes "they've got Grace... she'll take care of them" Jack said "she shouldn't have to" Rose replied "I know..." Jack responded quietly.

—

Around 2 hours later, they fell asleep on the sofa. Rose woke up around 7am and got up, going in to the kitchen, she made herself a coffee and sat down at the table. She didn't take a sip before she put her head in her hands, trying her best not to cry. She didn't hear Jack come in to the kitchen so he startled her as he put his hands on her shoulders to comfort her. She jumped "sorry..." he kissed her head and sat beside her. "They'll be on the train now" Rose sighed "I can't believe they're really gone..." she said "I know, it felt like they'd be here forever... if they'd have had a good Mum, maybe it would have been easier to let them go" Jack sighed and Rose nodded. "I'm really tired, I'm going to try and get some sleep" she smiled weakly "I'll come with you" Jack said, taking Rose's hand and following her upstairs.

—

Lucy, Grace and the twins disembarked the train once they arrived in New York. The train journey had been silent. Grace held the twins in between them sleeping or crying and she didn't sleep a wink. Lucy sat there shooting daggers at her the whole journey or making unnecessary nasty comments about her, the twins or Jack and Rose, but Grace didn't see the point in arguing back or defending them, she knew it would cause nothing but trouble.

The twins clung on to Grace's hands tightly as they walked through the city back to the apartment, forgetting just how busy New York was.

It was 10pm when the 4 of them walked through the door. Grace had forgotten how cold and unhomely this place was. "Right, everything is where it was before you left" Lucy shrugged and slumped on to the sofa. "Come on" Grace said to the twins, guiding them in to their bedroom. The room was dark, cold and nothing like their bedroom at Jack and Rose's, which was decorated how they liked it. "Can we sleep in your bed?" Harry looked up at Grace sadly "of course you can" Grace said, knowing that he would ask, she still had hold of the twins hands and led them to her bedroom, which again, was cold, dark and clearly not been in since the children left. "Let's get your pyjamas on" she said as she opened the twins bags and helped them get changed before lifting them in to bed "remember, when you go out of mine or your own room, you leave Flopsy and Pancake in here, don't take them out of our rooms, OK?" "Why?" Poppy said, confused "Mummy doesn't like it, remember? She takes them off us" Harry reminded her, thinking of the amount of times Lucy would take the teddies from the twins. Poppy nodded sadly "oh yeah" "Grace? I'm thirsty" Harry said "I'll go and get you a drink. Wait here" she forced a smile.

Grace walked in to the kitchen, which was attached to the living room, where Lucy was sat with her feet up "what are you doing?" She snapped "getting the twins a drink" Grace snapped back, turning the tap on "well hurry up!" Lucy replied "Sam will be here soon!" "Who?" Grace looked confused as she finished pouring the drinks "my boyfriend! and I haven't told him you're back yet, he doesn't need to see you the second he walks through the door!" "You've got a boyfriend?" Grace looked at her in disgust "yes, what's it got to do with you?" Lucy stood up glaring and walked towards her "oh nothing, aside from the fact a man - who's probably dodgy, is going to be around my little brother and sister" Lucy slapped her cheek, making her wince and step back. Grace didn't respond, she didn't see the point, instead she picked up the cups of water and walked back in to her bedroom where the twins were sat on her bed "here we go" she smiled weakly and passed them the glasses before climbing in between them. Once they'd finished drinking, Grace put the cups down "have you got Pancake and Flopsy?" she asked, checking before she turned the light off, and they nodded, "good... lay down" she said. They lay there in the dark for a moment before Poppy spoke "Grace?" "Yes?" Grace answered "I miss Jack and Rose" she said sadly "I do too" Harry agreed "I know..." was all she could reply... what else could she say? "Come on, try and get some sleep" she sighed to herself and kissed their heads, wrapping her arms around them tightly. She wasn't sure how fast the twins fell asleep, but she felt it wasn't quickly, she lay there for what felt like hours before she fell asleep.