Life Without the One I Love

My Captain Is My Safe Haven

Gonch had followed me around, watching me like an eagle as if I was about to break any second while I was in Russia, right up until Kieta and I left to return to America.

"Stay safe," he wrapped me up in one of his famous fatherly like hugs.
"I will."
"Look after yourself and Kieta, she's all you got left and you need to protect her," he pulled back keeping a hand on my shoulder and squeezed it tightly.
"Don't reminded me," I sighed heaving my bag up.

I watched as little tears rolled down Kieta's cheeks while she said goodbye to her favourite uncle.
"Don't worry I will be back soon," he knelt in front of her.
"You promise?" she threw her arms around him.
"I promise," he squeezed her tightly before letting her go and pushing her in my direction, "now go before you miss the plane."

Kieta slipped her tiny hand into mine and let me lead her down the hallway to the gate. She kept glancing back, pulling on my hand as she lagged behind me. I knew she didn't want to leave so soon, she was really just starting to warm up to being in Russia which I couldn't have been happier about, but we had to leave whether we wanted to or not.

I placed Kieta into the window seat and set our carry on by her feet. She still didn't say anything to me, usually she was happy about flying and would be up on her knees looking out the window with a huge smile on her face, instead she just sat there staring at her feet.

"Princess you ok?" I sat down and put my hand on her knee giving it a reassuring squeeze.
"Yeah," she mumbled to herself.

I knew she wasn't though, I knew this whole thing was taking a huge toll on her and I honestly didn't know how she could be handling it. She understood that mummy was gone and wasn't coming back but even I hadn't completely accepted it.

Kieta was quiet the whole trip, eating when I made her, drinking when I offered her some juice before falling asleep with her head pillowed in my lap. Getting used to it being just us was hard; it just didn't feel right without Maria, another set of hands to wrap up our baby girl with, I was desperate for this to all be ok.

When the plane landed I tried to get Kieta up but she wouldn't have a bar of it, instead she wrapped her arms tightly around me giving me no other option but to pick her up.
"Come on sweetie, I not carry you and bags too," I tried to pry her from me.
"No," she grumbled and buried her face further into my neck, all the other passengers eyes wondering my way, offering small smiles.
"Ok," I sighed shifting her around in my arms so I could pick up our bags and carry her off the plane.

If there was one thing that I had noticed about Kieta lately was her reluctance to be away from me. I hadn't let her out of my sight but in the same she hadn't let me out of her sight either, always peering over at me or watching me from a distance but watching me none the less.

I didn't know I would be so relieved to be back in Pittsburgh and seeing Sid standing there waiting for us was even more calming. He was one of my best friends, had been from the moment I arrived all those years ago and he would never let me down. On top of it he was my captain and I had a huge amount of respect for him, I knew he was always doing what was best for the team and trusted him completely. That was why when I walked up to him and he reached to take Kieta from me I was more than happy to let him do so.

"Hey, how you holding up?" He asked using his captain's voice as Kieta settled in his arms.
"Am ok, little worried about what happen to Kieta."
"Don't worry G, none of us will let anything happen to her'" he reassured me, "now are you hungry? You should probably eat something after such a long flight."

There he was again being my captain all over. I guess the lockout was getting to his controlling side and he needed someone to led, I was probably going to end up being that person for now.
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Hey guys I am so sorry I have been M.I.A for this long but everything has been so hectic lately with moving out and starting back up at uni and the list goes on and on but hopefully I won't be so long between updates next time.