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We raced forward until I felt satisfied that the mob behind us had room to spread out. The teenagers dropped Sam at my feet and gave me a slight smile and nod. BeLew laid down on the cold floor, hands on their panting bellies. The room filled with strangers, and I collapsed to the ground next to the boys.
After a few minutes, we caught our breath and settled in. Using our bags as pillows, I stared at the metal ceiling. Sam was breathing, and there was no sign of bleeding. “What now?” I said to myself, and the boys shrugged their shoulders. We lay there and waited, and the room grew crowded.
My eyes felt heavy, and my body was weak. Every muscle shut down, struggling to move. I propped myself up against Sam and nudged the boys to come and lay their heads in my lap. My head kept dropping, startling me awake until finally, I couldn’t fight it anymore.
I don’t know how long I slept, but I awoke frantically and checked that no person or belonging had disappeared. BeLew–check, a random stranger I named Sam–check, three bags filled with our lives–check.
“Rowan,” I heard, as I was feeling around to verify everyone was present and alive. “Rowan!” I turned around and leaped up at the sight of Dean. He looked terrible, but his cocky smile made up for his sunken eyes and three-day stubble.
“Oh my God, Dean,” I cried and yanked him into a hug. He pulled me towards him, into his arms, holding me so tight I could barely catch air. Tears threatened to escape as I held him. For that moment, I pushed away all my fears about Dean and fell limp into his body. “Oh, Dean, I’m so glad you are here. Oh my God, I never thought we would make it.”
“Is anyone hurt? Are the boys okay? What about you?” he asked.
“We are worse for wear, but we just need food and sleep. This one,” I said, gesturing to Sam, “he’s not in good shape. He needs medical attention. I’m surprised he made it this far.”
“Who is it?”
“Sam Lawson,” I shrugged and grinned.
“Honestly, Rowan. You don’t need to keep secrets from me. We are past all that. I would have gotten a boyfriend on board. I love you. I wouldn’t hurt you like that.” His hand touched my cheek as he spoke, and my heart plummeted. He was lying, but it was a kind lie, one you tell someone you loved once.
I covered his hand with mine as it rested on my face. “Dean, I love you, but I have no fucking clue who this man is,” I told Dean the story of his rescue and our daring Captain Americas.
He shook his head and chuckled. “Those boys. Not sure where they got their heart. Sure as hell wasn’t their parents. I won’t waste time telling you how stupid this was.” He was hiding his anger well, but I could see his jaw tick as he spoke. Sam was here, despite Dean’s disapproval. There was no undoing it now, but I would pay for it later.
“So, what do we do now?” I could see the room held fewer people. Bodies no longer crammed together shoulder to shoulder. People settled into small piles. Some smiled while others cried.
“I’m taking you to your room. You are in the family barracks. I have a rack for your bags, but we will have to load him on it. Can you carry your things just a little further?”
“Of course. Are you staying with us?”
Dean shook his head and looked over at Sam for the best way to lift him. “I have to stay with the crew. Also, I don’t have children so I can’t stay in the family units.” His eyes lowered as he spoke, visibly bothered by the admission.
“This is no place for a baby, Dean. BeLew are the youngest I’ve seen.”
“You’re right about that. It wasn’t an easy journey getting here. It won’t be easy to live here for the year.” He lifted Sam in one motion, and I held the rack steady. Sam’s legs flopped over the edge, but he was still limp and didn’t seem to mind. Dean started walking, and we all grabbed our things and followed him.
Lewis groaned five minutes in. I shot him a stern look. “It’s just… do we have to go into another hallway? The last one sucked.”
“Shit,” Beau said at Lewis’s comment.
Dean’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh, you are nailing this parenting thing. They curse and are afraid of a fundamental part of every structure on the planet.”
“You didn’t have to run for your life in the last hallway,” I clipped. “And don’t say shit, Beau.”
“Can I say shit?” Lewis giggled.
“No one says shit or fuck, or damn, understand?” I yelled.
Their eyes got wide, and I received a few sideways glances from passengers as we entered the hall.
“A-plus, Row. Just drive that point home,” Dean cackled.
Frustration pumped through my veins, but so did relief after I heard Dean’s laughter. Seeing him lifted my spirits and gave me hope. I could be a mother to these boys and survive a year on the ship. We could make it through the storms and maybe come out on the other side, maybe even be happy. Dean, who had once been the reason for so much pain and heartache, was now my ray of hope.
After another long hike taking countless turns and stairs, we stood in front of a silver door labeled 00046–Lawson, scribbled in black marker.
Dean grabbed a ring with four keys and turned the lock, pushing the door open. The room was a shotgun-style studio. It was long, narrow, and maybe forty feet. There was a murphy bed on the left, held to the wall with chains. To the right was a desk or table, depending on the functionality we’d need, with two chairs. Down the right wall stood a trash can, an empty bookshelf, and a locker. Behind the bed were a sink and more shelves. The back wall held bunk-style murphy beds, also secured with chains so they could be lifted and lowered. There were no windows and no sign of where we were located on the ship.
