Subj: DS:Ally 12
Date: 4/4/02 2:31:15 PM Central Daylight Time
From: Aesgaard

The train only went through Collinsport four times in one day with the last one at almost midnight. It was quite a reversal in roles as it was now William begging Ally to stay and her ties binding her back to Boston. She smiled precociously and irresistibly at having him in control for a change as his hands overtook her waist and pulled her near for his lips to touch hers.

The train whistle sounded from far to the north beyond the starry sky. "I'll see you in Boston in a few days, right ?" She asked.

"Well," William cringed. "I'm leaving for Sidewinder, Colorado in two days. Uncle David's finally letting me lead my own team by myself."

"Does it have to be this week ?" Ally asked.

"The Hotel Overlook's only open for six months out of the year." William revealed. "Besides, they've never had a serious parapsychological on-site examination done."

"Next month ?"

"Hammelburg, Germany." William replied. "Colonel Hogan at U.S.I. invited me to join his institute's ghost-hunting team at an old prisoner-of-war camp."

"I can't believe it." Ally scuffed her heel across the wood deck of the train station. The train whistle sounded closer.

"But you'll have me a few days in between." William stared into her big brown eyes and stroked her face. She stared back into his big brown eyes and hugged him tightly.

"You and your ghost hunting." She sounded upset. "What are you going to do when you catch one ?"

"Teach it to sing and dance and give it a tv series." William's face turned into one big grin as she scoffed and rolled her eyes. She smirked adorably and squeezed him tighter. The train was actually in view and getting closer by the second.

"I love you." he continued. "I'll be back." The train roared to a stop as Ally refused to let go of him. The steam filled the air like fog, the loud ringing sounded like a brass band and a steward hopped off with two Collinsport natives returning home. A small tear dropped from Ally's left eye as she forced herself to let him go.

"Happy birthday." She turned and picked up her two suitcases. She looked like a little girl being sent to school as she looked back to him with her ticket.

"Thank you." William smiled as his heart broke. "And thanks for helping my Uncle Quentin."

"Don't mention it." She shook her head with humility. She lightly waved with her fingers, put them to her fingers and blew a kiss just before turning and jumping on the train with her baggage. A porter took them for her as she passed between the seats of the halfway filled car. She dropped into the second empty seat she found and clutched at the window to open it. It struggled against her to slide down then slapped into place. William's head barely broke the bottom.

"I'm only an e-mail away." He reached for her hand. "I'll be back !"

"I love you too." She shouted over the fracas of the train starting up again. The light on the deck of the terminal caught a tear on William's face as the engine roared outloud once more. A sudden lurch dropped Ally into her seat and she stood up again to watch William stay and watch her leave. Ally stayed watching as the Collinsport Train Station became smaller and smaller and then vanished behind a turn of trees. She turned into her seat and pulled the overhead pillow and blanket out. She pulled her legs on the seat and started to get comfortable. out of no where, she did a double take. "His Uncle Quentin??!!!!"

END

Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.