Author's Note: I was inspired by Valentine's Day as well as a book I am reading called "The House In Riverton". Read it because it is amazing. I own nothing and all that jazz. please enjoy.

Better Together

I watch my children, already grown up so quickly, cleaning after Brianna's sixth birthday. My first grandchild is six year old. I still don't know if that makes me feel old yet, but I sure know I look it. My exterior has turned into a reflection of my feelings towards my own life now, the continuum of not so great days, spiralling down into a lifetime of awful memories. It hasn't really been the same since the war. Everything changed when I lost the one thing I wish I still had, someone I lost before we had a real chance to live.

"Happy Valentine's day Mum," Melissa smiled at me as I notice the house is all clean and that Brianna, her young cousins and her friends have all moved upstairs. "I know this is a hard day for you, with losing Dad and all, but we are all here for you if you ever need to talk. Whenever you feel comfortable, just give us a call."

I smile at my oldest daughter as she gets her coat on herself and her 18-month old son Joseph, the namesake of my late husband. She is right about many things, but one thing she has wrong is why Valentine's Day is an especially bad day for me.

"Yes, yes, now tell Gordon that I hope he is feeling better and give him this. It's my pudding that he loves. I made it just for him." I put on a brave face for my daughter but I know she can see right through it. I can feel the hot tears as she apparated from the kitchen, but they go unnoticed by anyone.

I follow the sounds of screaming children and I follow it as I let my memory wander to when my own children were this age.

"Mum! Dad! Look, Tonya is walking! Mum, get the camera or something!" Dennis cried out as Tonya's pudgy frame wobbled over to Melissa and fell in her open arms. My children were shouting loudly, in an attempt to garner my undivided attention. I wasn't really thinking when I reached over for the camera and began snapping pictures of my children and husband, who had started to help the effort.

Dennis, Melissa, and our second youngest who was still too young to understand the excitement of such a normal activity, as watched on as Joseph played with his youngest child, the one that would become his favourite. Joseph smiled brightly at the camera as Tonya's little frame danced in his large arms, but as usual, he had to leave for a work meeting just as the children started to get used to his company.

I opened my eyes to behold the next generation of the Thomas family draped across the room. Tonya, who I can remember so clearly taking her first steps held her two children beside her as they felt her pregnant belly for any signs of movement from their future sibling. Dennis was still childless as he and his wife travelled the world sightseeing before they settled down. Finally, Marissa smiled at her birthday girl, an only child without one half of the parental team.

"Grandmummy, look! Mummy's belly was just moving a bit. She says that our little brother is kicking her insides. Daddy said we did the same thing. Isn't that mean of little babies to do?" Christopher said loudly, never once taking his hand off of his mother's stomach. Though my mind is still wandering to years past, I smile and nod to the young boy.

"You were just like that Christopher," I stated calmly in almost a whisper to the young boy and his cousin old enough to understand laughed at the boy, "But if I were you kids, I wouldn't laugh either. You were all the same."

The laughter of the room fell silent and the adults chuckled to themselves. I smiled as well, remembering that at a family dinner, that was what I was expected to do. They wanted me to laugh and joke and smile but they all just assume that since Joseph died only months ago, I am unable to. They are right but for a completely different way.

"Mum, didn't you meet Dad on Valentine's day?" Dennis said, prompted me to hopefully tell the story of how we meet. In truth the story was simply that we meet at a post war meeting for the order. Joseph was picking his cousin up and started chatting me up. It had been Valentine's Day, so he asked me to dinner. I accepted, and thus starts the hell that was our relationship.

"Well, it was just after the war, and as you know, I was in it a great deal. I had lost many friends from school and I was very upset. I went to these weekly meetings for those who were extremely troubled after the war and as I was leaving, this gorgeous man," He was average at best really, "asked me point blank out to dinner. I took a chance on him and ended up spending the rest of my life with him."

"Wow," Tonya said with eyes wide, "that story gets me every time. I just wish Dad could meet this little tyke. He was such as great guy. I miss him so much." We braced for tears as my other children's eyes darted to me. I smiled softly and hugged the swollen hormonal woman and calmed her down.

"Yes he was, but now I think it's time for these little kids to get home, we don't want to keep them up to late." I heard Marissa calling out as the family stood up to leave. After an array of hugs and kisses from them all, they left and I stood along in the house.

Tonya was right when she said Joseph was a great guy because he truly was. He was just what I needed after the war and I knew that. He just wasn't what I wanted and for that, I was never truly happy. I never left because I never had a reason to. I remember hoping he would cheat on me, or hurt me. I hoped I would be given a way out but I never was. He always smiled with the kids, and let me brood when I needed to. He just understood that the war was hard on us all. He just wasn't there.

He didn't know about the real reason I refused to celebrate Valentine's Day. I would always tell him that I thought it was a stupid holiday that didn't require a celebration, or I would say that it's a corporate muggle day that was utterly stupid. I knew he was dying to have a romantic day with me but I couldn't and he never knew why. Oliver.

In the war, he was my boyfriend. We were practically inseparable and we did everything together. At the time, I knew I was in love but you always assume its just puppy love that you will grow out of. That was not the case. It took me a while to completely understand that it was the real thing, about two months to late. Oliver was gone and I couldn't get him back.

I apparated quickly out of the house and back to my Valentine's Day celebration, the same one I have always had since I was 18 years old. I still think that Valentine's Day is a stupid corporate holiday celebrating whether you are in a relationship or not, but today isn't truly Valentine's for me. Today is Oliver birthday. The white wash walls of his hospital room are all too familiar as I walk in and notice the room was decorated. So was his lifeless frame.

"Miss Bell, I understand that you have taken responsibility for Mr. Wood, is that correct?" I nod in response, "So I must tell you the truth. He's not doing that well right now, but we are getting his vitals back to normal. That should be in a day or two and then from there on, this is Oliver's fight to win. He'll wake up when he wants to. There is nothing else we can do for him now.

My wrinkled hand reaches for his own as I notice his bright pink party hat and I smile. He has the best care money can buy but still it has been forty-seven years since he was awake. I had to decide whether it was worth it to keep this charade going. I always think this but I know that will never pull the plug on him. He was the one.

My grip tightens on his hand as I start to feel the tears track down my face, each hitting the caves and crevices of my face. I wanted to hit myself for even thinking about doing this to him. I had to give him another year, just one more. I know that next year will turn into year following year after that, and it will continue until I am gone but I will still hold on hope because right now, it seems like the only thing I have.

I am so wrapped in my thoughts I barely notice the twitching beneath me. The nurse in the beginning said that some spasmodic movement was normal but once I felt his grip tighten, I looked down to see heaven in his eyes. I felt my heart swell as he croaked out water. Once he gulped down a glass, he gave me a look that I can't say dreamed about.

"Who are you?" He asked with a scared look in his eyes, his Scottish brogue still ever present. I was in a state of shock. I didn't know how to proceed. "Maim, could you please get my fiancée, Katie. Katie Bell."

I froze. He didn't recognize me. "Oliver, I am Katie." I felt a tear run down my already wet face as I heard him scoff. I knew that face. He was in disbelief.

"No, Katie is 18 years old, the war just passed and I must have just been unconscious. Did we beat him?" I now burst into tears which grabbed the attention of the floor's mediwitch. He pushed me out of the room and I slumped against the wall. For what seemed like hours, though the lying clock told me it had been simply minutes, I sat there. Then the mediwitch opened the door and gestured for me to enter.

"Katie," Oliver said tears in his eyes. "I am so sorry. I didn't know, you're just so much, so much older. I should have known but I just, well I am sorry."

"It's okay Oliver. I should have expected that would be your response but I forgot that while was out here living, you were here waiting. I am just happy that you are awake." I smiled at him but I saw that his eyes darken.

"Where is my ring?" He said calmly but with an air of anger in his tone and on his face. I ring finger was bare of any rings, my wedding bands or my engagement ring from Oliver.

"Oliver, I must tell you something. I was married. He just passed away and but I was married for forty-three years to a man that was perfect but he just wasn't you. I could let myself love him like I love you. As for your ring," I reached to the chain under my shirt and pulled out the simple diamond encrusted ring.

"I should have guessed you didn't wait for me," He looked down at his lap, and I started to cry softly as I waited for the blow. "I would have hoped you would do that. I hoped that if I died, then you would love someone else."

"I didn't love him. I settled for him. I loved you too much to love him but I let myself seem like I moved on. Angelina told me that it helped her when she started dating Lee Jordan but I just couldn't love someone else."

"Well, now you won't have to."