Chapter Text
"Yeah there are roads, just no more of these." The look the gas station attendant gave Alex made her stop in her tracks. She did not go through everything in the months since Spencer was taken from her to die in a car on a dirt road in the middle of nowhere Montana. So close to him and home, yet so far at the same time.
Her husband's voice rang out in her mind "I learn from my mistakes but I still make plenty" and the echo of his dream that the universe was wrong ..she would make the right choice her she would learn from her mistakes and she would make sure the universe was wrong. By the time she followed Hilary out to the car where she and Paul were already getting settled in for the drive.
"I got directions to Sheridan from the attendant," Alex said as she got into the backseat. "We are not driving to our deaths tonight. I'm sorry to have dragged you all this way to change the plan so suddenly, but we must get on the train. At least I must I would not blame you if you do not join me." She let out a ragged breath as she stopped talking. Her friends would make their own decision but she had made hers.
Paul and Hilary made eye contact across the front seat "ok," Paul said with a smile as he turned to look at Alex, "just how do we get to Sheridan?"
With a relieved sigh Alex passed on the directions that she had gotten on how to get the 35 miles to the train station and one stop closer to Spencer and The Yellowstone.
It was late by the time they got to the station, Alex stretched her tired body and rubbed her barely perceptible bump. 'Almost there little one,' she thought, 'we'll see Daddy soon.'
Alex missed her husband so much she felt it in her bones and they were edging closer every day to having been separated longer than they were together. That was not something she could handle.
When the three entered the station they saw on the board the next train to Livingston would leave the next morning, or really she thought today, the sunrise was only a few hours off by now.
Thankfully there was a station attendant and Paul purchased 3 first class tickets for the short trip. He had been assured there was a safe place to store their car until they returned on a train after getting Alex to The Yellowstone and hopefully Spencer.
"This is the best story!" Hilary cheerfully pointed out, "how could we possibly miss seeing the ending?" Of all the things that happened during her harrowing return to Spencer's side. She knew she had gotten very lucky to find such good friends to help her along the final stretch. They all settled into a bench to wait out the handful of hours before the train
Alex dreamed of Spencer as she dozed at the station, of Africa, of a tree in the Serengeti, of boats and wedding vows and borrowed rings. She awoke suddenly to the sound of voices as more passengers waiting for the train came in, the morning had arrived and she hoped it would be her last without Spencer.
Within the hour she was boarding the train in front of Hilary and Paul. The couple chatted behind her as they walked through the cars on their way to the food car. She was distracted from their chatter by a man's back and a very familiar hat. The man had been leaning forward talking to a boy that was turned around in the seat in front of him. Alex stopped dead in her tracks when the man spoke. She had found Spencer again, just mere feet ahead of her.
"Alexandra?" Paul asked as he barely managed to not run into her. "Are you alright?"
Alex watched as Spencer's head whipped to the side at the sound of her name. He was standing before he fully saw her and she was running and almost tackled him in the same heartbeat
Spencer stayed on his feet one arm wrapping tightly around her waist the other buried in her curls. Her face was in his neck, they were crying but they were together.
"Darlin' I'm going to need an explanation on just how you got here, but I'm damn glad you did." Spencer's voice was thick with emotion that was only ever saved for her and it was the best thing Alex had ever heard.
"We'll I think we've seen the ending of this journey my dear!" Alex heard Hilary say from somewhere behind her but she didn't move from her place in Spencer's arms.
"I told you not to doubt me baby," she whispered into his neck as she moved her hands from gripping his shirt to holding his biceps. She pulled back from his neck as his hands moved to cup her face.
"It was a worry," Spencer's face lit up with the smile she loved so much as he leaned to kiss her. "I promised I would never doubt you remember? But that doesn't mean that I can't worry. Now are those friends of yours?"
Alex drew her body back this time to turn slightly towards Paul and Hilary while keeping as much of her and Spencer's bodies touching as possible, her back to his front she gripped his left arm now hooked across her stomach.
"My love, meet Paul and Hilary my saving grace in this journey getting back to you." Spencer was already reaching around her to shake Paul's hand.
"Sound like I owe you quite the debt of gratitude for getting this one back to me," he said. "Trouble has a way of following her."
"No debt at all this is a story for the ages and we just wanted to have our part in it," Paul told him with a smile. "Now we are headed to the dining car are you coming with us?"
This was of course the moment her boy, their boy, decided to make his presence know and gave a sharp kick right under Spencer's hand. Alex smiled as she felt Spencer stiffen behind her, "we'll be along shortly could you please order me a cup of tea please?"
Hilary nodded with a knowing smile and pulled Paul along with her, leaving Spencer and Alex almost alone. The young boy had moved back to his mother so they had no one immediately on any side of them. Alex turned and sat down dragging Spencer back into the seat he had occupied just minutes ago before she appeared in front of him like a dream.
"I expect he'll be tall like you." She told him with a smile while rubbing his hand that was still resting on the small bump.
"I love you" Spencer choked out. "And you are never leaving my sight again as soon as this war is over." And there was his laugh and maybe that was actually the best sound she had ever heard. "Do you know how long? When did we make our boy?"
"Africa I'm sure, although with as much ravaging as we did I don't know that we could get any more specific I'd like to think on our beach." The baby kicked Spencer again as though saying hello or possibly agreeing with its mother on the timeline, but then her stomach growled so maybe he was just hungry.
"Ok I need food and this is entirely your fault." Alex laughed out while she smoothed her hands down Spencer's arms again. Spencer stood up with a smile and pulled her with him.
"Let's get you two fed then, hope you like elk, there won't be any of those rice balls you like." Spencer held her hand and led her towards the dining car looking back every few steps like she would disappear if he looked away for too long.
"I know you like those rice balls also, and honestly I'm hungry all the time he seems to like everything these days. Now baby look where you are walking I will still be right here I promise." She held his hand in both of hers only removing one to gently and teasingly push his face towards the front before returning to his hand. His grip tightened just a bit but he turned and walked through the cars.