Royalty ➳ Archibald

11 | first thanksgiving

"A strong woman is one who is able to smile this morning like she wasn't crying last night."

Alaska remembered what her caretaker in Rome, Veronika, had told her. She missed her dearly, as of now they had no communication whatsoever. The only reason they didn't was because Veronika was from a poor neighborhood, the only way Alaska could talk to her was to send her a letter, but she hadn't gotten around to it.

These past few weeks have been nothing more than stressful for her. First, Jenny and Roofus argue over Jenny's school and career. Then, Jenny crashes Lily's and Bart's Award Cermony, and Roofus threatens to have her thrown into jail and on top of all that- Nate and Jenny kissed. Kissed. Alaska knew she shouldn't have been mad at that considering she friendzoned Nate, but she couldn't help feel a small pang in her heart when she saw the photo of him liplocking with her half sister on gossip girl. During that time- what made everything even more stressful- was the fact that Lily had the judge push their case forward and long-story-short, Alaska had cried herself to sleep every night since Lily was granted joint custody of her.
She cried because she was scared.

Scared that eventually she would be torn away from Roofus, Dan, and Jenny.

Scared the judge would rule Roofus out and give Lily full custody.

Scared that Lily would send her away again, when she was finally happy in her home.

Now, Alaska cried as she went through Rufus's endless piles of old, vintage records in the middle of the night. Jenny lived with her model friend Agnus now, and no longer attended school. Dan had written some kind of memoir piece on Chuck and spent a couple hours in a jail cell with him. Nate was kicked out of the Humphrey house by Dan because he was angry that he touched his little sister. Alaska was meant to spend Thanksgiving with Lily tomorrow. And also broke it off with Logan when she realized her true feelings for Nate.

"Alaska?"

She jumped at the sound of Dan's voice coming from his loft door. She sniffed and put the records back in their place. "Are you okay?" Dan walked into the living area and sat down next to Alaska, who shielded her face from Dan with her hair. "I'm okay," she continued to stack the records on the bookcase, not caring if they were unorganized.

"What's wrong, Al?"

"I'm fine, Dan. Go back to bed." The younger girl rubbed at her undereye, trying to get rid of the tears that kept falling. "You've cried yourself to sleep almost every night since the court dates were announced."

Alaska met Dan's eyes briefly before she looked away quickly. "The walls here, are thin," he said. Alaska shrugged and picked at her pajama pants.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Cut the crap, Al. My room is next to yours. What's wrong? Seriosuly."

Alaska sighed and rolled her eyes. "What if... What if Lily only wants custody of me because she's planning on sending me back! Plus I have to be around Bart," she whispered.

Dan shook his head, "I can assure you, if there's anything I know about Lily is that she isn't going to let a guy come between her and her kids. You'll be safe, she really wants to get to know you, Serena told me."

"But what if she doesn't like me? What if I'm not who she wants me to be? What if I let her down and she doesn't want me? Oh, my god, what if Serena doesn't like me either!"