Run.
The single thought pulsed in his head like a heartbeat, growing more and more urgent with every precious second that passed.
Run
They would catch up to him eventually.
Run
He had nowhere to go.
Run.
He could feel the heartbeat of his brother, pulsing the same rhythm as his.
Run.
Just. Keep. Going.
Run.
He had always known that this moment would come. As the scenery flashed past him, his heart rate pounding in his ears, he couldn't help but wonder what went wrong. After all, yesterday, he had been sitting in his living room, his beautiful, wonderful, amazing, perfect family around him. His twins - how fantastic, after all those years of wanting a baby, he had two at once! - were barely three months old, just learning to smile, and wave their chubby little fists at him. Yesterday, they had laughed for the first time. A glorious sound that, although small, had filled their house with delight. His fiancée - oh, how his heart ached for her - had laughed with them, her eyes alight with wonder. All she had to do was call his name, and he would come running for her.
Run.
He had changed a lot these past few years. No longer was he the skinny, girlish boy that Hogwarts had known, and kept for seven years. No, he was taller. A little taller, anyway. His hair was longer - instead of being neat, and short, as his roommate had kept it for so long, it now fell into his green eyes, meaning he had to push it out of the way every so often. It was longer at the back, too. It swept down and tickled the neck line of his tee-shirt. He had been meaning to get it cut for a long time, but a second away from his precious family was a second too long. He loved to play with his sons, they were real mischief makers already. They were perfect - something half Fabian, half Laurienta, wholly unique. And Fabian - for that, of course, was the man - had to protect them.
Run.
Fabian knew there was something wrong last night when he couldn't hear anything. In Ottery-St-Catchpole, the wildlife was so noisy, it would wake even the heaviest of sleepers. Though Fabian found the sounds relaxing, the silence had frightened him. It was ironic really - the war had out everyone so on edge. So many people were losing their lives. Frank and Alice were considering going on the run, and Lily and James were preparing to go into hiding. After his father in law to be, Charlie Flentowock's, death, nothing had been the same.
He could remember getting up, leaving Laurienta asleep - she had looked so beautiful, so vulnerable, her skin papery thin, and almost translucent in the moonlight - and going to check on the boys. They were fine - twin cots, that Gideon and Arthur had made, with blankets knitted by Molly - and the sound of their breathing contented Fabian for a while. However, he could not rest. Gideon had been staying with them for a while - a rough patch with his lady friend, apparently, although Fabian suspected that Gideon just wanted to protect her, and Albus has already put many protective spells around Molly's house, and Fabian's.
The nest thing Fabian remembered - after watching his boys for an indefinite amount of time - was creeping into Gideon's room. Their house had three bedrooms, as the original plan was one for each of the boys, and one for Lore and Fabian, but it was of no consequence to let Gideon stay while the boys were still small enough to both fit in one bedroom. He had crept over to Gideon's bed, his jaw set in a firm line, and his hands balled into fists.
"Gid. You awake?" He had whispered to his twin, knowing the answer.
"Yeah... S'too quiet." He heard Gideon murmur in reply.
Fabian sat on the end of his brother's bed, the springs creaking in protest. He felt Gideon shift around - he had already been sitting up, it seemed. The brothers sat, side by side, at precisely the same height, identical thoughts running through their heads. Gideon had the nerve to speak up first.
"It's them, isn't it?" There was a beat of silence. Neither twin wanted to say it. For if it were them, they'd have to leave everything they treasured behind. Gideon grasped Fabian's knee briefly. "It's for the best. We're running to save them. It might not be them." On the last syllable, Gideon's voice cracked, and Fabian had never felt more like an older brother than he did at that moment. He grasped his brother's muscular shoulder, the shoulder that he had so often compared to his, and felt weak, insignificant. Now, as his hand comforted the bigger twin, he felt powerful. All he wanted was to guard his brother from the Death Eaters. It was Fabian's fault, all Fabian's fault. He shouldn't have gotten them involved with the Department of Magical Liaisons in the first place. If it weren't for him, there would be no reason for them to come after Gideon at all. Fabian's head ached with the guilt; it were as if a little army was marching around the inside of his forehead in protest, their boots pounding on the inside of his skull. And they were right. It wasn't fair.
"If that's them, Gideon. If that's them, we're going to have to run."
Fabian crept quietly into the small bedroom he shared with Laurienta, his heart pounding, half in fear, half in that silly teenage way it always had when he'd stolen a glance at her beautiful face. Even now, he still couldn't believe his luck. He had always loved her. Deep down, he knew he always would, even if she grew old and grey. He lay down on the bed beside her, pressing his body against the curve of her back, pressing his face into her neck, inhaling her scent, her soft blonde hair tickling his nose, his neck, his chin. Suddenly, it hit him. If the Death Eaters really were here, this might be the last time he got to hold her in his arms, hold her close to his body. It felt like his heart was ripping in two, and falling through a cavernous hole in his happiness. He wound his arms around her waist, pulling her closer. She - how he loved her - turned in to face him, her hands in his hair, her soft lips grazing his. Fabian could have held her there, in his arms but more importantly, safe, for the rest of his days. But it could not be.
"Lore..." He whispered into her ear. There was no need though. She already knew.
"It's time, isn't it?" Fabian sought her eyes. The eyes he had planned to gaze into for the rest of his life. The eyes that would never waver, never leave. It took all of Fabian's strength to stare into them, and nod. It felt like a death sentence.
They had been prepared for a long time. They had a plan of action. Lore was taking the twins to Molly and Arthur's, and Gideon and Fabian.... They had always known that they were going to fight.
The moon shone through the window of the twin's room, making the night appear deceptively mild. In reality, the night was heated by sparks of sheer terror. As Fabian and Laurienta wrapped the twins in blankets and placed them securely in baby carriers, he turned to her, his brow furrowed.
"What is this is the last time I ever see you? Ever say goodnight to my boys?" Fabian asked. There was no way to beat around the bush - the war waited for no man, woman, child, or engaged couple and their young children. He reached over, and grasped her hand, unable to express the utter agony this separation from his beloved family was causing him. Lore leaned over, and kissed his lips, her eyes full of love.
"This will not be it, Fabian. I know you're going to fight for us. I love you." Fabian placed his twin down, reached over, and embraced his future wife. She held him back, just for a second. Then, she had to leave. The time they had was too short. Now, she was escaping to safety with their beautiful children, and Fabian was running towards his greatest fear. It was terrifying.
Fabian could do nothing but watch as Lore took the twins, gave him a final smile, and stepped into the fireplace. All Fabian had now was the memory of a smile, a scent, and the knowledge that he had a family to come back to.
Gideon had stood beside him after that, tugging painfully on his arm.
"Fabian, we have to move. If we want to get away, we have to leave now." But leaving his family undefended, despite how much they had discussed it, ripped Fabian apart. But he had to protect them. And Fabian knew it wasn't just his family he had to protect. If he could overcome Dolohov - for Fabian knew that the Dark Lord would send Dolohov after himself and Gideon - he would be protecting all possible people that the notorious Death Eater would torture, maim or kill. And Fabian could live to watch his sons grow into men, and start their own families.
For now, Fabian and Gideon had to run.
So they did. They crept out the back door in the dead of night, knowing that apparition would give them away, and slipped away into the night. There was a safe house not too far from their house - the twins should have been able to get away quickly. However, everything did not go accordingly.
The first thing that Fabian remembered going wrong was the fall. Gideon had always been a little clumsy - it wasn't his fault. They had run, and Gideon had tripped.
Fabian turned just in time to witness it. He saw it as if in slow motion - the free root sticking out of the ground, his brother's stumble, fall, and finally hit the ground with a loud crack.
Then came the worst moment of all.
"Shit!"
That was the moment Fabian's heart stopped.
Fabian would remember Gideon's horrified expression, frozen in time for the rest of his life - which now could be a matter of minutes. They had no choice but to flee back in to the house, safe in the knowledge that Laurienta and Fabian's two precious sons were safe at the last remaining safe Prewett's house. Thank the Lord for Molly.
Fabian and Gideon ran for their lives. It was true that the phrase was a cliché, but unfortunately, it fitted their situation so tragically. Fabian could barely feel his feet as he pounded towards the wide open back door, it's darkness a comfort. At least they didn't have his sons, he chanted in his head. At least they didn't have his family. Fabian's family were the most important thing to him.
After stumbling into the house, Fabian saw that the kitchen light was on. His heart rocketed down to the bottom of his shoes. They had switched all the lights off. He turned to Gideon, his brother, his best friend, knowing that their expressions were matched almost exactly. They knew it was too late.
Faced with death, Fabian was actually quite brave. At this moment, he had always imagined that he would collapse - dying young was one of his greatest fears. He knew there was so much more he could accomplish. He had two young sons to bring up, a beautiful partner to make love to, a brother to laugh with, nephews to play with - just when it had seemed his life was full. He should have been terrified. However, a calm, almost serene feeling came over Fabian. He felt collected, together. He knew exactly what he had to do. All noise had been blocked from his ears and an eerie silence took hold of him. Putting a reassuring hand on his brother's shoulder, he nodded. Slowly, very slowly, Fabian crept over to the wide open kitchen door which had once been shut. Glancing behind him to the staircase, he was relieved to see that no-one had been up there yet - the carefully positioned 'Quibbler' had not been knocked out of place. Inside his kitchen - [i]his[/I] kitchen - Fabian could hear low, murmuring voices. There was a female, which had to be Bellatrix Lestrange. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named trusted no other female. The other voices he couldn't make out. Then, without warning, a man exited the kitchen, and Fabian found himself face to face with none other than the notorious Antonin Dolohov.
Fabian knew what he had to do. He had to fight - it was too cowardly to run. For Fabian had reasons to fight. He would fight for Cass, his self-deprecating friend who deserved more than she could ever imagine. For her, and also for her sister, who had found love with a wonderful man - and for their unborn baby, who was bound to be a star. He would fight for Lily and James, and their baby (James was convinced he was being bourne a son) who would be the year below his boys - perhaps they would play together. Fabian would fight for the rest of the Marauders. For Sirius, who made Cass so happy. For Remus, who had encouraged Lore into his waiting arms, and for Peter, his friend, his rocking horse, his Lion. He would fight for his first love, he would fight for lost love. He would fight for Molly, and her sons, who would grow into strapping young men before they knew it. He would fight for Arthur, and pray that he would live to meet muggles. But most importantly, Fabian was fighting for his family. For the girl he had loved from the moment he had set eyes on her, and kept that love a secret, until she'd reciprocated it, and for their two beautiful sons.
Fabian would fight for their freedom, or die trying.