' I'm sorry to inform you... '
"Come on, (Y/N), catch up!" John yelled. I laughed and shook my head. I stopped and it didn't take long for John to notice. He turned his horse to trot over to me. "What's wrong?" I giggled.
"Oh, nothing." I said and leaned over to give him a peck in the lips, "Just admiring you." He smirked.
"You did that a few nights ago." He said, I rolled my eyes and slapped him on the shoulder.
"Oh shush." I fumbled with the reigns of the horse, "About that.." I trailed off.
"You're pregnant." He said for me. My head shot up and I looked at him with pure surprise.
"How did you know?"
"I just did." He dodged my question with a playful smirk. "I can't wait to be a father. I'll be the best father that this child could possible have." I smiled at him.
"I don't doubt it for one moment, John. What about the war?" I asked. He gave me a confused look.
"What about it?"
"You may get drafted to go fight."
"And fight I will."
"And what if you don't come back?" He gave me a scolding look and shook his head.
"Nothing can keep me away from you or this child. I will keep both of you safe." He said.
"Not even a war?" I sounded foolish, I know, but I wanted to hear him say it.
"Not even a war."
:----------:
I looked up at John, my husband, my love, my best friend, tears shined in the corner of his eyes and he held onto my shoulders. My tears weren't hiding themselves, they streamed down my face in rivers, he tried his best to wipe them away.
"(Y/N).." I let out a sob, I knew this was coming, I heard it all around town.
He
"I-"
Has been
"Have been-"
Drafted
"Drafted." I let out a loud sob that shook my body. My legs gave out and I collapsed to the floor. He caught me in his arms and gently lowered me so I could sit down. I knew I was making it harder for him. After all, he has wanted to go into this war for a while now, but I didn't want him to
"(Y/N), I will come back." He whispered to me, rubbing circles onto my back. I shook my head and looked up at him, "I know this is hard.." I shook my head more.
"What about our-" Another sob, "Our child? What about me?" My sentence was broke by my gasp for breath. He moved some hair out of my face.
"I will come back, and I will greet the two of you with open arms. When I'm back, I will be the best father." He gave a short laugh, "You might not want me back. I'll spoil the both of you." I continued to shake my head, I didn't stop wailing. I wanted him to stay. He had to stay. He sighed and whispered, so quietly, so gently, as not to break me more, "I leave tomorrow."
I shattered.
:----------:
John and I exchanged letters through the long seven years. Seven years. Eleanor, our daughter, is five now. She's lonely. She misses her father. But he will be home soon. The war is almost won.
"Ma, ma! Look!" Eleanor bounced forward, holding up a picture, "That's me and that's you and that's pa!" She pointed out the figures. The ink wad smudged. I smiled and put down the dress I was making for her and picked up the picture.
"Oh, it's beautiful. You did such a wonderful job." I praise her. She claps herself on and goes back to drawing. A knock erupts through the quiet house, causing Eleanor to jump and let out a whimper. I shush her.
"Someone is only knocking on our door, Ellie." I told her, a smile gracing my features. She smiled and hopped up.
"Is it pa?" She questioned happily. I hastily stood up and made my way to the door, Eleanor clinging to my arm the whole way. I opened the door and my smile faltered when the man at my door was not John.
Ellie, of course, did not know this and flung herself at the man's leg, "Pa!" She screamed. The man was taken back but patted her on the back.
"I'm sorry little one, I'm not your-" I cut him off with a shake of my head and two words.
"You're home." They were strained and tired but he caught what I was doing and gave Ellie a smile. I motioned him inside and he came in as best as he could with a five year old clinging to his leg.
"Ellie, let your father go. We need to have a talk." The man shut the door behind him and she nodded eagerly and ran off to the entertainment room. He coughed awkwardly and I let out a sorry.
"Think nothing of it." He said and handed me a folded up piece of paper. "I'm sorry to inform you that your husband, John Laurens, has died at British hand in Charleston." His words were shushed, as not to alarm the little one. I nodded and said thank-you. He nodded and stood there. "I.. I'm William."
"(Y/N)." I tried my best to hold back tears. It felt like the day he left all over again.
"Your daughter is.." I started to shake and the young man noticed, he stopped talking and gave me a sad glance. "Beautiful." He finished.
"Why are you still here?" I asked shakily. He stumbled over his words, trying his best to explain while he was stalling.
"I.. well.." He paused, thinking of ways to form his sentence, "I knew John, very well. He was a great man." I perked up, glad to be talking to someone who talked to, who knew, John.
"He asked me to take care of you." I sniffed and tilted my head some. "I intend to do just that."
"What do you mean?" I asked. He nervously gulped.
"May you give me the honor of staying with you and your daughter? For Johns sake, if not your own."
We stood there for a good few minutes. Not a word was uttered. Eleanor sang quietly in the other room. A song John sang to me. A song I then sung to her. I looked down. John wanted this. John wanted this man, William, to take care of me. I've always trusted John and I always will. Maybe he was right, he may be dead, but not even a war would hold him away from me. He was keeping Ellie and I safe through William.
"Please. My home is yours."
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Fandom One-Shots
Fanfiction-UNEDITED- "One, don't pick up the phone, you know he's only calling 'cause he's drunk and alone. Two, don't let him in, you'll have to kick him out again. Three, don't be his friend, you know you're gonna wake up in his bed in the morning and if yo...
