Name: Lightning Storm

Rating: PG

Summary: The night after the extermination ends, Ray stays awake to think, only to hear a scream.

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters

Authors Note: I loved the bond between Ray and Rachel; I have this special little place in my heart for fathers and daughters, maybe because I don't have that great of one with my own father. Ray was my favorite because no matter what he never left Rachel and did everything he possibly could to protect her. My favorite scene of theirs in the movie was right before Ray got sucked up by the tripods and he's covering Rachel to shield her, but then the tentacle grabs him and she grabs him around the neck to keep him with her. I just love that!

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You gave me wings and made me fly
You touched my hand I could touch the sky
I lost my faith, you gave it back to me
You said no star was out of reach
You stood by me and I stood tall
I had your love I had it all
-Because You loved Me, by Celine Dion

Ray Ferrier sat up right on the bed in the guest bedroom, jaw clenched and legs dangling over the side of the twin-sized bed. Dressed down in his worn-out light navy blue muscle shirt and jeans, his eyes were averted directly at the peach wall opposite him. His handsome features were deeply shadowed by the darkness, just faintly glowed with the light of the small red lamp on the nightstand beside him.

Ray had no idea what he wanted to do now. It was merely a brief several hours after the extermination had ended, but nothing had been normal anymore. He didn't think it would ever be. He thought back to his home, way back in New Jersey, but he realized that that place was destroyed. There was nothing left there; the aliens had annihilated his home. Every time he was about to venture to the solution about what he wanted to do after the ordeal he had survived, the rain heavily pounding the clear window outside distracted him, streaking and marking a clear line down the glass, that little reminder slapped him in the face.

The rain had started shortly after dinner had ended. After Ray and Rachel had arrived in Boston to Mary Ann's grandparent's house, recovery had begun. Luckily, news was still operating in Boston so Robbie and Ray had basically plastered themselves to the television for the rest of the afternoon to watch continuing coverage on the decline of the tripods all around the world, alternating showers between themselves and Rachel, who had remained conservative unless in the presence of her two men. It seemed that the tripods had all gone down in that day, all around the world, due to unexplained reasons.

Dinner had been the most excruciating of the night. The meal had been eaten in silence, all eyes focused on their plates or off in another world. The only eyes brave enough to stare at anything real was Mary Ann's father glaring coldly at Ray through the whole event; the man had never taken to Ray too much, a wild young man who had dated his daughter then married her and gotten her pregnant twice. After dinner all seven of them retired to the formal living room, like any well-organized social dinner, for coffee and drinks. Rachel, still shaken from the weeks' events, never strayed from Ray's side, even then. She positioned herself at her fathers' side where he sat on the leather couch, gently holding onto his hand all night. Ray had seen the surprised glances from Mary Ann, Tim and even the grandmother, but had ignored them. Rachel fell asleep not long after dinner, settled with her head in Ray's lap, so he volunteered to carry her upstairs, despite objections from Tim. Robbie followed. It was an amusing sight, seeing the once detached father and son jogging up the stairs, one behind the other, to make sure the 10-year-old girl was safe in her own bed. Suddenly it was as if the three of them were the closest family, one that had never been apart.

Blue and silver lightning suddenly brightened the guestroom, casting every inch of the room into bright oblivion, startling Ray enough that he jumped, his back banging against the wall behind him. He recovered fast, breathing a sigh of relief when the gracious sound of rumbling thunder followed the lightning not ten seconds later.

"Just a normal storm. Jesus…." Ray murmured, rubbing his hand over his face of wipe away the weariness.

He hadn't gotten to sleep in days, only for a short while when he could. The storm heightening outside had put most of the household—especially him, Robbie, and Rachel—on edge. Robbie had calmed down when he heard the thunder, but Rachel was fast asleep, so she was liable to notice the weather changes.

Ray blubbered out his closed lips, leaning back against the wall, wanting to relax some so he could get some sleep, but a scream erupted from off in the distance. He bolted up right then raced from his room when the scream echoed again, this time screaming for him. He ran for Rachel's room, her screams for her father getting louder as he got closer.

"Rachel! Rachel!" he yelled, maneuvering around the top floor to get to her room. It didn't even occur to him as he continued to yell that there were other people in the house besides himself and Rachel.

He stopped immediately when he entered her room and looked around wildly, spinning on his heel. She wasn't in her bed, which was drenched with sweat in a place and the covers thrown back in an obvious frantic movement. He whispered her name, curious if she was hidden in her closet.

"Daddy." a small voice whispered to his right.

Ray spun around and saw his small, blonde daughter huddled in the corner, knees drawn up to her chest with her hands, covered by her long sleeves, pressed over her ears. Her face was scrunched, instinctively retracting each time the lightning flashed. She trembled. Ray knelt down in front of her, placing his hands gently on her knees to help her calm down. She stared at him, eyes full of fear and panic; she looked like she had just woken from a nightmare. She glanced around Ray, staring at her window since he was plainly blocking the window.

"Is the lightning back?" she asked in a low hush.

He hugged her to him, pressing her head to his chest, stroking her hair. "It's okay, it's okay. We're fine. The monsters are gone. It's all over."

Shaking his head, he gathered her trembling form into his arms and slowly carried her out of her room and down the hall, whispering soft words in her ear. As they were rounding the corner, passing the grand stairs, Robbie stuck his head out of his room, yawning and rubbing his weary eyes.

"Is she okay?" he asked.

"Yeah. The lightning's just shaken her." Ray assured him.

Robbie inched forward and laid a comforting kiss on his baby sisters forehead, then retreated into the asylum of his room while Ray proceeded onto his own room. Moving cautiously, Ray lowered himself on his bed, still tightly grasping Rachel to his chest. He had her perched on his lap as silent tears fell down her cheeks.

"Daddy, the lightning." Rachel breathed, silent tears welling up in her eyes.

"Shh. It's okay, baby. It's only a storm, that's it. No aliens, no death, just a storm." Lightning, again, flashed then was followed by thunder. "See,"—Ray smiled for Rachel—"thunder. There was no thunder before, but there is now. We're safe. I'll keep you safe, I promise."

Rachel nodded slowly then Ray laid down on the bed, only for Rachel to lay down in front of him, lifting his arm to place around her body. He held her tightly against him, knowing what she needed right now was the security only he could provide. She began to hum the same lullaby she had sung in that farmhouse basement while Ray had preformed the unthinkable. Her eyes fluttered open and closed repeatedly, closing more and more each time like she was fighting a war to sleep.

"Rach, baby…" Ray whispered. Rachel only moaned in response. "What were you dreaming about tonight?"

Rachel hesitated in replying. "I had a nightmare…that they had gotten Robbie and you…I was left all alone, with no one. I got scared."

Ray instinctively pulled her closer to his body, tightening his grip. "That'll never happen, Rach. I'll never leave you alone. You'll never have to be scared when I'm with you, okay? I'm right here with you."

Rachel nodded slightly then transferred from humming to gently singing the words of the song. Ray lay there and listened to her, her soft voice as she sang, but mostly listened to her tone of voice. Once fragile and terrified, she now seemed secure. Her small fingers traced patterns on his hand, circling her fingertip over his skin.

"Rachel, when's your next horse show?" Ray unexpectedly asked.

Rachel stopped singing and rolled over, staring up at Ray with disbelieving eyes. Her lips parted as she breathed, she remained silent, but her eyes said otherwise. Rachel shrugged. "I haven't decided yet. There's one in a month or so, but I don't know if that's happening anymore. Why?"

"If it is,"—Ray blushed, amazed he was suddenly nervous talking to his daughter—"can I come?"

A smile tugged at the edges of Rachel's lips before spreading across her features. She nodded again. Ray reached over her and opened the drawer of the nightstand then drew something yellow out. He fingered the fabric and showed it to Rachel. She gasped in awe. Though crumbled and dirty, Rachel's yellow ribbon she had proudly adorned for days lay in Ray's open palm. Rachel cautiously picked it up, letting her fingers roam over the material.

"I thought I lost it." she confessed.

"You dropped it in the yard of that house, but I found it before we got snatched up and pocketed it. I didn't think you'd want to leave it. It seemed too important to you." Ray explained.

"Thank-you Daddy."

Rachel clutched the ribbon to her chest as she settled deeper in Ray's arms to fall into the dream vortex and started humming her song again. Within a few seconds, Ray joined in the song, falling easily in step with her. Minutes later, Ray was gazing down at the peaceful face of his sleeping daughter. As he gazed at her soft face, he realized he needed to stay in Boston, or at least in contact, because he realized he needed to stay so he could really be a good father, since that was apparently what both his children needed. He had to be there for them, for Rachel and Robbie. He had gone through this much with them and it had spat him out a changed man.

"I love you Rachel." he whispered then kissed her head, brushing a strand of hair from her eyes. He then settled down, looking one last time at Rachel's face before he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

FIN

A/N: New fic may be coming soon.