Ronan: To the Moon and Back

47. To the Moon and Back

Warning: Proceed with caution 

"Neberland."

Rae startles, didn't know Ronan was actually paying attention to the screen. He's been dozing off by her side since they started the movie. Rae's been engrossed in the film because Peter Pan is one of her favourite movies and loves any version of the story. It reminds her of that night many months ago when Louis showed up at her door at two in the morning. Rae pulls her eyes away from the screen to look down at Ronan. He's looking right up at her, his big blue eyes staring directly into hers.

"Can I fly to Neberland too?" He asks softly, his voice having lost it's normal volume two days ago.

Rae swallows thickly. "You wanna be a lost boy and have adventures with Peter, yeah?"

"And fight pirates." Ronan smiles weakly. He takes a deep breath then, trying to get air in his lungs properly.

"Fight silly ol' Captin Hook." She pokes gently at his nose.

He nods once, then looks back at the TV. "Neberland looks pretty."

"Neverland is pretty, Bud. Tons of fun."

Ronan wiggles slightly, so Rae pulls him in closer, snuggling him on her lap. He gently taps her hands, and it's been four years of that small gesture to know what he wants. So she begins to sing The Second Star to the Right softly. She carefully strokes along his arms wrapped around her stomach and on her chest. By the time Peter catches Wendy from walking the plank, Ronan is asleep.

She starts up the same song again, whispering the words into the beanie on her brother's head. He feels warm still, his fever still hasn't gone down, yet he shivers every now and then. Rae pulls the blankets up high to cover Ronan's shoulders and holds him as close as she can before she falls asleep herself. It's a restless sleep, filled here and there by the same new nightmare. She's woken five hours later by her mother just getting off her morning shift.

MaryAnn taking over until her next shift. Ronan's still sleeping when Rae carefully transfers him over to her mum. She's sent home to properly rest, but takes a shift at the diner when she gets a call from a new coworker. Despite Jasper's heavy disapproval at her arrival, he allows her to stay due to shorthanded staff.

"Aren't you suppose to be off?" Liz questions, food tray in hand and spinning around Rae to avoid contact.

"Lucy needed her shift covered." Rae answers, holding the kitchen door open for Liz.

"Her shift doesn't end 'til four in the morning."

Rae shrugs and that's the end of the conversation.

***

Raelyn groans in relief when she finally plops down on her bed after an eight hour shift, face buried in the duvet. She doesn't move for several moments before she realizes smothering herself in her sheets isn't a good idea. She smacks her hand around for her pillow and properly places her head on it once she's found it. She soaks in the silence of her room, opposite that of the nosy diner. She can literally feel her energy draining from her body, despite the three cups of coffee she had before.

Rae doesn't want to move, but knows she has to. Otherwise she risks falling asleep in her uniform that smells like fired grease and chips and she's pretty sure there's a mustard stain from when the bugger of the six year old threw his corn dog at her. Came in with his traveling family; who orders corn dogs that late...why does Jasper even serve corn dogs? Not to mention the tan stain from when her co-worker slipped on a chip, and spilled half the coke in his hand on her. Letting out a frustrated growl that sounds more like a pathetic whine, Rae pushes herself back up, leaving the comfort of her bed.