Story Title: When the Dust Settles
Disclaimer: The plot is the only thing, (other than OC characters or little details), that is mine. Everything else is J.K.R's.
Rating: M, for strong language at times, discussable and gory topics and scenarios, and some physical situations....
Full Summary: Molly Calheim, nee' Prewett, has always been tough...She's always been fierce...But when her husband who's wandered so much finally goes all the way, what is she to do? And who is she to turn to?...With two children at home...
And unknowingly pregnant with her third......
Comments, ideas, criticism, and questions are welcome. PM or review. Tell me if it's worth continuing.
God-Bless
Sarah
Her eyes felt heavy...almost as heavy as her heart. Her fresh wounds stung and she stumbled into the kitchen, opening her potions cabient and moving a few vials away before grabbing a small bottle. It wasn't a potion, instead it was a green gel, but it shimmered like a normal potion all the same...Of course, she couldn't let Nathan know she had ointment to lather her cuts and bruises with...It would anger him to know she was one step ahead of him...But it wasn't always that way, obviously, for she never knew when he would lash out, he just knew what he would do...
1) He'd always take it out on her or the kids.
2) He'd apparate to some bar, get drunk, find a nice lady, (who'd be floozy enough to believe he wasn't married even though he had a ring on his finger!), and be out all hours of that night, doing Merlin knew what, until he decided to come home...
And make-up with his family? His loving, caring, understanding family?
NO!
He'd come home to bloody her up some more, and lock the kids in their rooms as they fought..After all, Molly always told him never to let the children overhear.
Gently, Molly dabbed the ointment on the abrasions on her arms and chest. She conjured a mirror to look at herself, and then put more on her cheeks, left eyebrow, and lip. She sighed and put the gel back in its place, covering it with the other real potions. Then, putting her wand in her pocket, seeing as she would never, (No matter how bad it got,) ever, use her wand on her husband.
She wasn't weak..Like he was. So, when she had her wand stowed in her apron pocket, and the cupboard door for the potions locked, she walked back upstairs bravely. As she walked the stairs, though, she heard a faint wailing. She thought it was her imagination, from one of the worse hits he had inflicted, but then she heard the desperate cry of, "Mummy!" and her heart ripped in two as her mind registered the voice of her eldest son: William.
He was only 4 years of age, but a smart, loyal, and savage little boy none-the-less. He had long, straight, red hair, and he had always been a Mummy's boy....Molly held both of her sons so close to her heart, but since Bill was so close to her, she seemed to come to his aid more often then the tough, Dad's boy, Charlie was.
"Bill?" She called out as she walked the stairs...
It didn't take her long to get up them because their home was only two stories, seeing as they'd upgraded from their little old flat, but still she didn't see either of her sons.
"Bill!?" She called out, a bit more frantic. Again, she heard the wailing...She listened intently to where it was coming from...Then, finally, she heard it again....Now, she knew exactly where her son was, and ran to the basement door, falling beside it. She pulled up the rug and unlatched the door quickly. Pushing it open, she revealed her son, staring up at her. His face was tear-stained, frightened, and bloody.
"Billy!" She sobbed, reaching out her arms to him. He grabbed them as she pulled him up and she held him close to her bosom as he cried. She rocked him back and forth, her sobs taking over also, before she realized that Nathan never did this much damage unless he was completely drunk and didn't really know what damage he could do. She hushed her son and herself as harsh realization dawned over her.
They had to be quiet, number one...
Number two, she needed to find her other son....Where was her little boy? Where was her 3 year-old, fun-loving, Charlie?
"Bill," she looked deep into his son's dark brown eyes. "We're going to play a little game...You're going to go in my room, lock the door, go in the closet, shut those doors, and be extremely quiet until I come get you. Do not move, and do not come out, you understand?" Bill nodded, his thumb comfortingly finding home in his mouth.
"Alright," she stood and held out her hand. "Come on!" they both ran down the hall to her room, stopping outside the door as she opened it quickly. Molly made sure no one was in the room before ushering Bill inside and making him sit in the closet. She put her finger to her lip, silencing his crying, and soft, yet frightened words. He stopped whimpering as she smiled re-assuringly.
"Mummy..." He said softly, thumb in his mouth and his other hand clutching the hem of her skirt. She rubbed his long, red hair back from his face and kissed his forhead.
"Stay here, darling...Be quiet....Very, quiet...I'll be back before you know it." He nodded and she stood, shutting the door and whispering: "I love you," once more before running out of the room. She shut and locked her door, then went in search of her youngest son.
"Charlie?" she called out, walking into his room.
He wasn't there.
She hastened her step, now running downstairs, her bare, cold feet hitting the wooden stairs hard.
"CHARLIE!?" She yelled as she came downstairs and into the living room. She looked around for a moment, then took in a deep, shuddering breath and continued to the next room.
"Charlie!?" She stopped just outside the Nathan's study and moved to open the door but it was locked. She pulled on it, banging her fist into the wood angrily.
"Nathan!" She called out, angry and weary. "Nathan!! Nathan, open the door!!!!"
"Why?" Was his remark as he opened the door and came face to face with her. She drew herself up to her full height and brought her face closer to his.
"I notice you don't smell of alcohol? Why is that? Used a Masking Charm, eh? Afraid that I might call the police because of what you did to my son?!"
"Your son!!!!???" He yelled back, grabbing her shirt front and pushing her against the nearest wall.
"Your son? As in "only yours?" As in, you conceived it on your own, birthed it without any help, and now have taken care of it?" She glared furiously at him as she tried to pull from his grasp.
"No...Just loved him."
Flesh collided with softer flesh as his rough, strong arm pulled back and then slapped her hard across the face. She held her cheek, her face turned from him because of the impact, before she wiped at her jaw angrily and turned back around. Swiftly, she pulled loose from his grasp, making his hold on her become less controled, and she bit down on his hand hard before he let go, cursing angrily. She ran from him, darting into the kitchen and pulling out her wand. He came in also, but wandless....
She knew that it was probably in his study...along with where she hoped her little boy was...His eyes moved from her to the drawer beside her and he walked over to the drawer in two big steps. She moved to the other side of the room now as he pulled a large butcher's knife from the slots inside the drawer. Her eyes lit before she brought up her wand to hex him. He, though, threw the knife at her before she could react with her wand, and she moved just as it hit where her shoulder had just been. She turned to him again, and now shot a Body-Bind curse at him before he could react. Once he was on the ground, immobile, she ran to his study.
"Charlie!? Charlie!?" She looked around the room before her eyes fell on his dargon's skin coat on a heap on the floor in the corner. His dragon's skin jacket, though, was his prize possesion...And he would never have left it on the floor...Unless it was the only thing he had to-
Quickly she pulled it off the ground, revealing her child. Two year old Charlie was lying under the blanket, quivering and bruised, but not crying and bloody like Bill had been. Molly gently drew Charlie to her bosom and held him close, rocking the child as she stood to grab the muggle phone they had off Nathan's desk. As she shakily dialed the three numbers the knew she had to, she did something she'd never done....Pressed "talk." She held the phone to her ear as she also comforted her son, and looked frantically into the kitchen to make sure Nathan was still down. Then, once she had given the operator enough details and their adress, she hung up the phone, stood and walked into the kitchen. Nathan was still lying there, immobile and staring up at her with hate- filled eyes. She shot another Body-Bind at him, to keep him down longer, and then walked upstairs to gather her precious first-born. Just as she unlocked the door, she heard the sirens in the distance and a knock at her door. She knew if she didn't answer, the police would barge in anyway, so she continued to her son. Unlocking the closet door now, Bill fell against her shoulder and she held both of her son's close as she held back her own tears.
Bill looked around her shoulder and downstairs where he had aperfect view of his father lying on the floor, writhing and trying to get up. Bill noticed the police, but wasn't surprised. There were police for the muggle, and magical world...He'd seen these Magical Law Enforcement before...at the Ministry...When his Dad had been taken in for questioning of Charlie's accessive abrasions. Softly, he rested his chin on his mother's shoulder, and stared as the police set about their work, a single tear falling from his eye as he watched.
Casting Crowns: Slow Fade
Be careful little eyes what you see It's a slow fade when you give yourself away Be careful little ears what you hear It's a slow fade when you give yourself away The journey from your mind to your hands It's a slow fade when you give yourself away Oh be careful little eyes what see
It's the second glance that ties your hands as darkness pulls the strings
Be careful little feet where you go
For it's the little feet behind you that are sure to follow
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
It's a slow fade, it's a slow fade
When flattery leads to compromise, the end is always near
Be careful little lips what you say
For empty words and promises lead broken hearts astray
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
Is shorter than you're thinking
Be careful if you think you stand
You just might be sinking
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
Daddies never crumble in a day
Families never crumble in a day
Oh be careful little eyes what you see
For the Father up above is looking down in love
Oh be careful little eyes what you see
A\n: Please review...Leave any ideas or questions. Comments, and criticism. thanks for reading and I gope you enjoyed.
Things you might have wondered:
Where is Arthur!?: He'll be involved soon enough. ;)
Why didn't Molly use her wand to open Nathan's study door?: She was too much of an emotional wreck, and too frantic to find her child.
Why were there police when you could've had someone from the Ministry?: These were Magical police, and come on, did the Ministry do any to little good before post DH?? ;)
Next chapter should be up soon, if it's worth continuing.
God Bless
Sarah
