I Can't Quit You, Baby

Audrey Larrabee grunted as she pulled the unprimed canvas tightly over her handmade stretchers, praying she didn't fall and damage the fabric as she straddled what would soon be her boss' next painting. Nash Jennings, widely-acclaimed art genius, was very particular and secretive about his work, and didn't want the critics to even know the dimensions of his next painting until he revealed it to the public. This in-turn meant it was one of Audrey's many duties to frame his canvases for him; along with making his paint, organizing his brushes, helping him set up and design his gallery, keeping his books and schedules straight, reminding him to put trousers on before stepping outside, making sure he didn't set fire to the Daily Profit office if they gave him a bad review, discreetly reminding him the names of important buyers that he had met dozens of times, and a slew of other absurd yet none the less amusing tasks required to keep the art genius from destroying himself.

And she thought her last boss had been a handful.

She couldn't help but release a bittersweet sigh as she returned to her awkward and tedious work. Of course she could have the canvas stretched perfectly in a matter of seconds with a wave of her wand. Charms, especially ones revolving around art, had always come quite easy to her as an artistic Ravenclaw, and she had been stretching canvas since she was twelve. But she needed something to do by hand at the moment, craving the distraction and the effort required of manual labor. She had learned over the last few months that it was one of the only ways to deal with certain frustrations, but even as she bit down on her lip to focus on pinning the almost completed canvas she still couldn't help but think one thing:

I refuse to be one of those girls who can't go a couple days without her boyfriend.

With one canvas down she returned to her wood stock to make another set of stretchers, reminding herself of all the ways in which she was independent. She loved her job more than she thought it was ever possible. Sure Nash was a bit of a trip and she occasionally felt like she had taken a Time-Turner back to her first menial days as a clerk at the Ministry, but for the most part it was wonderful. After a long self-exile she was back in the art world, making connections, learning from a master, and best of all was painting guilt-free once again. The pay was good enough to support her needs and the hours were flexible, allowing her to dedicate time to her own work. And despite the super casual atmosphere of the place (Nash was occasionally inspired to paint in the nude, especially when creating a nature scene, and Audrey had seen far more of her sixty year old, ex-hippie boss than she cared to), she took her work very seriously.

She also had her family. Her siblings David and Ama meant the world to her. They had survived the War and severe hardships coming out closer than ever, and there was nothing in her life that took precedent over her guardianship of them. She also dedicated a lot of time to her Muggle grandmother. Her second husband, Daniel, had passed away years ago, and with her only son permanently housed in a wizard hospital and her two youngest grandchildren off at school, Audrey was the only family she had. Though a tough old bird, Rebecca Larrabee seemed to be worn out on life. Audrey therefore visited frequently to insure her grandmother didn't feel alone. She also saw her father at least twice a week, though these meetings were much harder than an afternoon eating cold soup and watching EastEnders. Her father's mind had been permanently addled during the War, something she forever blamed herself for. It was difficult to see her once coolly charming and confident father housed in the Janus Thickey Ward but as he was her only remaining parent she always visited with a smile, treasuring the fleeting moments in which he recognized her as his daughter.

She also had the best girlfriends a witch could ask for. Though vastly different in personal style, Fleur, Angelina and herself matched each other in strength, confidence and trust. They all corresponded daily, lunched and shopped together regularly, often with the adorable Victoire in tow. And though they were all kept happily occupied by their respective Weasley men, they still vehemently agreed that independence and the occasional Ladies' Day Out was a crucial need for any witch.

It was of this she tried to remind herself as she struggled with how much she missed Percy. A girl should be able to go a couple of days without her boyfriend, no matter how much she loved him. Sporadic separation was healthy for a relationship, and she should be excited to use the time that he was out of town to focus on her own personal desires.

Only, 'a couple of days' was a bit of an understatement she argued with herself dangerously, and she felt her strong resolve begin to weaken into sadness. A couple of weeks was more like it. Sixteen days to be exact (which she found herself being more often after prolonged exposure to her...endearingly...anal-retentive boyfriend). He was currently in Cozumel at a Pan-Atlantic Magical Trading Standards Conference, representing Britain as an expired treaty was being renegotiated. As head of the International Magical Trading Standards Body, Percy often had to travel for meetings and conferences. In the months since he had secured the post he had been to France twice, Portugal, India, Australia, America and now Mexico, staying in some of the world's most fascinating cities only to really ever see the inside of an inn and an office building. She was used to him leaving on these business trips and often encouraged him to try and enjoy more of his surroundings, instead of letting him see world-wide travel as the downside of his job.

But despite the frequency of his travels Percy had never been gone quite this long. Usually he was back within three days, the only exception being a six day conference in Lisbon. This treaty however was expected to take at least two and a half weeks to renegotiate, and that was the Ministry's optimistic time frame. In his brief Floo calls he eluded that it might take even longer, as it seemed certain members of the conference were more interested in viewing their stay as a paid for vacation rather than a serious discussion over international legislation. Though Audrey could hardly fault Northern Europeans for wanting to enjoy a tropical paradise during the middle of a brutal winter, she couldn't help but begin to feel the toll of Percy's absence.

It was all mostly little things, really. She missed being able to talk to him. Sure he Flooed her every night and they were able to converse about the big things they did; progress on the conference, important new people they had met, how her newest painting was going. But between both of their busy schedules and a six hour time difference they only had about a fifteen minute window before he had to leave for dinner and she had to go to bed. She had grown used to being able to tell him anything and everything that went through her mind. Audrey was chatty by nature, but Percy always made her feel amusing and endearing, and he happily partook in her spontaneous conversations. But with such little time allotted to converse with him she found that her remarks on topics such as how even though she had been going to different bakeries she still kept getting cranberries in her blueberry muffins didn't seem to be appropriate. (It was a silly topic for sure, but it had happened three times in the past week so surely it meant something).

She was beginning to miss a lot of the everyday things. Food didn't taste as good when he wasn't there to help her cook it, red wine wasn't as enjoyed when he wasn't there to share, and getting something from the top shelf wasn't nearly as amusing when he wasn't there to simply reach up and grab it himself, smiling his 'you're short, but cute' smile as she begrudgingly thanked him. Countless inside jokes had gone wasted in his absence, making her feel slightly silly as she laughed at a seemingly usual occurrence on her own. It had felt like ages since she had had to fight for space on her coffee table, as usually her sketches merged with his sea of Ministry files. There had been no surprise lunch visits given by either party, no random notes throughout the day containing a short anecdote beginning with the phrase 'this made me think of you', and there had been no arguments over whether or not muggle technology sometimes bested magic (did the Magical Community have anything comparable to the internet? To which he would reply a simple Stunning Spell could surely out do any nets the Muggles could make).

Luckily Angelina and Fleur, being the wonderful best friends that they were, had compensated some of this loss by upping their dinners, calls and hangouts. Audrey was extremely grateful for this, but knew they each had their limits. Angelina had just started her work as a Healer, Fleur had both a young daughter and a part-time job, and though they were with the more laid-back of the Weasley brothers, Bill and George still tended to get fussy if their significant-others' attention strayed from them for too long.

The days were still manageable without feeling his absence too acutely. Work, family, friends and painting were all around and readily enjoyable, and she didn't feel lost or alone. Nights however were their times, and she therefore could not be as easily satiated with a substitute or distraction. For the last six months they had spent nearly every night together. As much as she looked forward to their nightly Floo talks it seemed all the harder to go to sleep when he wasn't there next to her. She almost despised the delivery of the Daily Profit in the morning, frustrating herself as she made a mess of separating the sections. Percy always divided up the paper perfectly, handing her the crisp pages of the Arts and Leisure as he kept the News and Business for himself.

Still, she reminded herself as she went to measuring out and cutting her stretchers, he hadn't been gone all that long and was due to come home soon. She was grateful that their separation was short, and she sent out a small blessing into the universe for all those who had to spend months or even years away from their loved ones. He would return soon and things would be back to the way she preferred it: chaotic, a little messy, but totally wonderful.

Her thought process did make her feel better, and she set off determinedly to saw her marked pieces of wood in order to set her next canvas. And all would have been well if she hadn't remembered the discovery she had come across last night, the one that had sparked her little descent into Melancholyville that afternoon at work. The night before, as she buried her head into her soft down pillow and struggled for sleep, she realized something. She could no longer smell the pine scented shampoo Percy always used on her sheets or pillowcases any longer.

That tiny revelation had made the chilling February night all the colder, and sleep became all the more impossible.

"Ouch!" Audrey proclaimed, wincing in both pain and surprise. Distracted by her solemn thoughts she hadn't been paying enough attention to where she was cutting and she had nicked her finger badly. Sighing as she tried to pinch the wound from bleeding too profusely, she went out in search of her wand. After a brief stint backtracking she remembered it was still in her purse, which she had stashed behind the front desk out on the main floor of the gallery.

The moment she opened the door that lead out to the floor she heard shouting. Nash stood in the middle of the gallery arguing with a heavily bejeweled older woman clutching an old painting of his. The overly rich and under-cultured woman had purchased one of his portraits after hearing one of her art patron friends rave about his work. She had picked the particular painting she had, not because of its particular meaning or reverence, but because the colors went with her Drawing Room. While Audrey understood the importance of art tying a room together she believed the woman's particular philosophy was better used when buying second hand pictures from an estate sale, and not when dropping the kind of galleons demanded of an original Jennings. And one certainly didn't express that kind of reasoning to the painter.

But she had. And, not only that, she had requested it be framed in a hideous and awkward gilded frame, as the varnish matched her mantle's candle sticks. Mortally offended, Nash refused to have his work displayed in such a way. But, as principled and self-righteous as he was, Nash had long passed his days as a starving artist and had grown accustomed to a comfortable lifestyle. So instead of refusing the sale he simply had Audrey place it in a much more dignified mahogany frame. She thought she had done a good job picking out the right hues of wood as it looked beautiful, easily went with any home, and even Nash was satisfied.

The woman however was not, and had come into the gallery foaming at the mouth over the change. For the last half-hour the two had been in a row. Nash stood firm on his decision, refusing to change out the frame especially as all sales were final. Audrey had given up on trying to mediate and decided to let the two work it out amongst themselves. Grinning, she slipped past them over to the desk, ignoring the squabble as best she could so she could heal herself and return to work. It was due to this determination she didn't hear the door open behind her, and as she kneeled down to search for her bag she missed the entrance of the tall red-headed figure as he walked into the shop.

"You there, Suit!" Audrey heard Nash demand. "Is this not the most perfect and dignified frame for such a masterpiece? Far superior to a tactless, department store style gilded frame?"

Audrey bashed her head clumsily against the bottom of the counter, hastily trying to rise to her feet in excitement.

"Erm, yeah. Yeah, it all looks really good..."

"See!" Nash interrupted swiftly. "Even slave-to-the-Ministry Suit can see that this frame is..."

"Percy!"

Nash stumbled in his stead as Audrey ran past him and the angered buyer, all but jumping into Percy's arms. Percy's face immediately morphed from confusion and slight indignity over to an elated smile as Audrey crashed into him. He let out a laugh as she hugged him tightly, quickly wrapping his own arms around her. Far too excited to think, Audrey popped her head up from his chest and expressed the one greeting that kept circling her head.

"You're back!"

Percy broke out into another happy grin, and answered her with a hungry kiss. Audrey's arms quickly threw themselves around his neck, and she strained to the height of her tiptoes to return the exchange as passionately as she could. His scent, his warmth, his touch all washed over her readily, and she ran her hands through his thick curls to her absolute delight.

"Well I never!" the old woman scoffed in loud offense, causing the break between her and Percy's kiss. "This is the most savage establishment I have ever stepped foot in! I'll never buy from you or suggest this place again!"

"Good riddance. You wouldn't know true art or expression if it bit you on the tit, you old bat!" Nash shouted as the woman retreated with her painting. Audrey had to stifle a giggle at the exclamation , though Percy seemed less than amused.

"Thanks for helping me get rid of the culture-less cunt, Suit," Nash greeted as his hazel eyes focused on Percy's displeasure. "Where the hell have you been?"

"Cozumel," Percy responded curtly, pulling Audrey back closer to him. "I was there for a treaty negotiation."

"Cozumel, eh?" Nash inquired with a grin. "I've been there a few times, great little island. Terrific brothels..."

Audrey felt Percy tense quickly at the implication, and his arms spasmed nervously.

"I can assure you I saw nothing of the sort!" he implored, lowering his gaze and talking more to Audrey than to Nash

"I can't really picture you in a place like that," Audrey responded in a laugh, dropping her arms to squeeze his waist affectionately.

"I should certainly think not," he replied, still indignantly ruffled though his displeasure had softened greatly.

"Huh, well, your call," Nash shrugged, flicking his long grey ponytail behind him. "I'll leave you to sucking the fun and creativity out of the room, Suit. Good luck, Aud."

Percy's olive green eyes flared slightly at the parting as Nash walked off to his side office. Nash had instantly disliked Percy, writing him off as a stuffy, bureaucratic Ministry stooge. On top of constantly referring to him as 'Suit', Nash never really had a problem voicing just what he thought of him. Percy in-turn wasn't really a big fan of Nash. Audrey knew he saw him as an ungrateful hypocrite, but he always held his tongue for her sake, knowing she loved her job and that she of all people knew how to handle picky bosses.

"Hi," Audrey called out softly and sweetly, cupping his face so she could return his gaze to her. His eyes instantly brightened and his warm smile returned to his face.

"Hi," he replied back just as quietly, before leaning down and kissing her madly once more.

"I missed you," he gasped through frenzied kisses. "I missed you so much I could hardly stand it."

"And I missed you," she replied seriously, though another giggle escaped as he picked her up, practically throwing her over his shoulder as he walked them to the back room.

"It's hard living our life here without you," she murmured into his ear as her arms wrapped against his neck. The moment the door to the back room was securely closed he placed her gently back on her feet. He stroked her face, staring at her intently, and his mouth opened as if to speak. Instead of words, however, he seemed to think himself best expressed with another hearty kiss.

"Well said!" she exclaimed with a smile, earning a laugh from him. Audrey then stared at the face she had been missing for weeks, suddenly realizing it was not how she left it.

"Oh my gosh! Percy, do you have a tan!" she gasped, stepping back a few steps to soak him in. Percy's teeth, always properly cleaned, seemed all the more white when he smiled, the contrast more defined against his new golden skin.

"I do now," he replied. "But for the first week or so of the trip the other delegates congratulated me on how I got my skin to match my hair."

"I've never seen you with so much color! It makes you look all the more handsome. We should really get you out into the sun more often," she suggested, her hands cupping his face again as she took a closer inspection. She did believe a few more freckles had sprouted on his face. She made a mental note to think up names for them and present her suggestions the next time he stayed up too late doing work. Such inane conversations were always a surefire way to get him to admit that he needed to go to bed, especially when he realized he was deeply engaged in an intentionally senseless discussion.

"And I thought you were busy working the whole time, when you were really just laying out on the beach, probably over that brothel Nash was talking about..." she teased after completing her inspection.

"You know the only reason I ever even go near beaches is because I get to stare at you in a bikini all day," he bantered seriously. "We just had most of our meetings outside because...Audrey, you're bleeding!"

Percy grabbed the hand that cupped his face and stared at it intently. Though dried, her hand was still covered in blood from her forgotten accident.

"Oh, yeah," she replied sheepishly, biting her lip as she knew he wouldn't like what he was about to hear. "I was cutting stretchers and got a little...preoccupied. It was just a little nick."

"You know I hate it when you insist on using those Muggle tools," he scolded lightly, pressing his wand against her injured hand. "Episkey."

"Thanks. But it honestly was just a little accident, no harm really," she assured, smiling at the way he pressed his lips together to keep from lecturing her about the dangers of barbarous Muggle contraptions. "Besides, isn't my reckless impetuousness one of the things you love about me?"

"Yes,"he replied earnestly. "But it is also something that causes me no short amount of undue stress and worry."

Audrey laughed again, patting his cheek affectionately in expression of her gratitude.

"You worry too much, sometimes," she stated, kissing him reassuringly. Though she meant it to be a sweet and chaste moment of contact, Percy caught her lip, deepening the connection until she started panting slightly.

"And you, my love," he replied with a growl, picking her up and setting her on her large work table with a gasp, "don't worry nearly often enough."

Audrey grinned and greedily met his mouth with hers. Not only did it feel like ages since she had been kissed like this, but Percy had placed them in one of their favorite positions. Sitting up on a table like that removed the obstacle of their height differences. With her legs slightly parted he could stand right in front of her, their bodies pressed against each other's firmly as they continued their deep kiss. Audrey moaned as he ran his fingers through her hair, tugging slightly on her locks as he held her face pressed up against his. She grinned, knowing full well that he knew exactly what that did to her. She let her hand fall slowly from his shoulders, cascading down his shirt until it finished its descent just above his belt. There she let it lay for a tantalizing moment before her fingers began to work their way to the taut skin of his stomach.

"I can't stay," he expressed in a forced gasp, breaking the contact hastily as if coming up for air.

"You mean you're leaving me again?" she inquired sadly as she nuzzled against his ear, fully intent on not letting him do anything of the sort.

"I have to go back to the Ministry," he groaned, breathing deeply as her hand continued to dance lightly across his stomach, flirting dangerously with his waistline. "I was supposed to go straight to the office when I got back."

"And yet," she countered in a sweetly dark voice as her fingers unlatched the first button of his trousers, "you're here with me."

"I had to see you," he replied in the throaty, raspy tone that always sent shivers down her spine. His hands softly fell to her knees, laying there before slowly sliding up her thighs.

"And I can tell you are just desperate to go back to work," she grinned, burying her face against his flushed neck as his hands disappeared under her skirt. She then proceeded to nip lightly at the lobe of his ear, trying not to smile to broadly as she heard his rapid intakes of breath.

"I have come back earlier than any one anticipated," Percy stated matter-of-factly, as though he were talking to a co-worker about the weather and not slyly rubbing his hands over the tops and sides her thighs.

"A wonderful surprise to all,"she agreed calmly, suppressing her delighted victory.

"And even if the office has heard about the wrap up of the treaty...well, you know how unreliable cross-ocean port keys can be."

"They do have a dastardly reputation," she replied, gasping as his fingers flickered across her knickers. Reeling in her expression, Percy withdrew one of his hands and grasped her face, rekindling the steamy kiss as his work obligations were temporarily forgotten. Despite having engaged in some pretty steamy intimate affairs throughout her life, Audrey never felt more special or desired than when Percy ignored the callings of his job because he couldn't keep his hands off her. Though some might laugh at the act she knew the extent of how much the Ministry meant to him, and for him to set aside what he felt were stringent responsibilities because he would rather be with her was the most romantic notion she could think of.

She broke the kiss for a moment, simply wanting to look at him as she reveled in her happiness at his return. He smiled softly, stroking her hair lightly in shared sentiment.

"I love you, Percy," she proclaimed, leaning back into him to hug him tight. "Promise me you won't develop a nasty habit of being gone so long very often."

"I promise," he responded with a laugh, kissing her hair reassuringly. "I love you, Audrey, and hate having so much distance between us."

Audrey smiled sublimely, ecstatic to feel his warmth and arms embracing her again.

"In fact," Percy continued suddenly, scooping her up so she laid back further on the table. Audrey inhaled sharply at the swift movement, but soon laughed as she found Percy had quickly joined her, laying next to her as he grinned wickedly.

"In fact, it is my complete intention to eradicate any distance between us at all at the moment."

Audrey had just enough time to beam up in response before their lips found each other's, and their bodies reunited after far too long an absence.

(A/N: So after three months of absence, certain that I was done with this pair and eager to write other stories, I realized that I just wasn't finished. I couldn't be! I had planned so much for them and couldn't not keep it going. I'm still writing in My Dirty Little Secret fic and school is about to start, but dammit all, I want more Percy and Audrey. I do very much hope you feel the same. As a further note I'd like to thank the wonderful and talented Julu for agreeing to be my beta. If you like Percy fics you should really check her out. Amazing. )