Teine
"Letter for you Charlie," Molly watched Sherlock a brown and white barn owl flutter down onto the counter, holding a letter in his beak. Her son glanced up from brooding over his recent rescue animal being put outside. Even at twenty-five he was still moping when his mother rejected animals in the household. Meanwhile Molly took the letter from the owl and tapped it against her palm. "Are you planning on reading it?"
"She left mum, what the hell does she have to say to any of us?" Charlie rose from the table and left. Molly scowled at his back and opened the letter for herself. She read through it once, then twice before grinning. So, Ripley Todd was coming back, she had been gone for six months and now she was reemerging from Glasgow apparently. She watched her son moved around the garden that Ripley had planted. He was hurt, and so was the Auror. She had spoken to Rip when she could and she knew why the girl had left, and she knew why Charlie was wounded.
Love. Plain and simple. Molly had seen it over and over again. She was a mother after all. Even as she thought of the two Charlie went walking by the window, grousing under his breath. Behind him walked three hedgehogs. She wouldn't try to understand her son unless he opened up to her. But for now she would prep the guest room for Ripley. She hummed to herself as she headed up to the room. She would change it up some she decided. Ripley had changed since she had seen her last, and had grown a little bolder in her femininity. She opened the door, with a wave of her wand the shades flew open letting in the sun. With another wave a feather duster, broom and mop began to work around the room. The queen bed rotated its mattress and clean sheets in light pink began to fall over it.
Charlie peeked over his mother's shoulder, chewing on a biscuit. "She won't like the pink." He pointed out darkly.
"She will. She just won't admit it." Molly filled a crystal bowl with potpourri.
"Ask dad for the record player…she'd enjoy that," Charlie was gone before Molly could answer him. She smiled to herself. He was wounded, but not stupid.
It had been two years since he had last seen her. Six months since he had heard from her, and now she was coming back. Charlie sat on a rock amongst the garden Ripley had helped his mother plant; she had left a permanent mark at the Burrow what with the garden being shaped in a Claddagh. There was a patch of shamrock by his feet. Just in case you ever feel like missing me when I'm in Ireland. She had said as she planted the mound of green. And he had. Every single day for six months he had sat out here for at least five minutes. He had moved back from Romania to deal with the migratory dragons and it seemed fate was on a roll with old loves. His ears twitched a little as he heard the gravel crunching beneath tires. Ripley had returned.
Ripley Todd gazed at the Burrow, she remembered helping rebuild it two years ago, plotting with Molly on how to get a bigger kitchen. The ministry had helped a great deal with money to build the new home. But it didn't take away the memories of the attack, the screams. It didn't take away any of the pain. She sighed softly before checking the rearview mirror. She looked fine she assured herself. She had kept what little make-up she had on as natural, add in a new haircut, new clothes and she would be golden. What she hadn't taken into account was how her heart would beat the same fast way and palms still got sweaty at seeing Charlie. "Now or never," the Irish woman muttered to herself and exited her car.
"Ripley!" Molly clapped her hands as she ran from the house. "Hello gorgeous girl!" Ripley found herself in a warm embrace. She smiled as she hugged the portly woman back. She closed her eyes and breathed in the scent of fresh baked cookies and vanilla. "You look beautiful," Molly pulled back from the hug. "And you've lost weight." She had noted that the second she had hugged her. Ripley had always been of the sturdy breed. She was tall and was proportioned as so. Ripley smiled, and muttered her embarrassed thanks. Her brown eyes flicked over to the approach of Charlie. Molly turned to her son. "Don't be rude Charlie."
Swallowing hard the woman gave a forced smile. "Hi Charlie."
"Ripley." He nodded his head before dispersing. Ripley sighed, and tried hard to ignore the stab in her heart and the quick burn of tears that she blinked away. Molly patted her arm. "He'll come around dear."
But she was wrong.
He watched as she knelt in the garden that evening, idly picking away weeds and checking on the status of her flowers. He sighed as he leaned an arm against the window frame and thought of her. His blue eyes roved at her long legs in shorts. She had cut her hair, and done something else to it, she had never had bangs when they had been in school. Her lips that he had always loved weren't smiling as they used to. He wondered if it was the stress of being an Auror, he had heard stories of her and her brothers. They were known as the Todd Clan, it was the best writers could come up with, he supposed. In school they had been the rebels of the sacred heart; at the academy he had heard rumors that she had out shone her brothers' scores, but had never tied with her fathers. Charlie had also heard the hard parts. Her youngest brother was a Death Eater and her middle brother had been killed.
Grudgingly he had to admit that he was glad she was back, at least this way he'd know she was safe. And even more grudgingly he admitted she looked damn good. He didn't know what to do, would he go after her? Would he keep his distance? In the end which would be safer? He growled under his breath. Women just cluttered things up plain and simple. He'd keep his distance.
-0-0-0
She'd keep her distance. That was exactly what she was going to do. She would do her things and he would do his. She yanked at a stubborn weed. She would avoid him, and while doing so she would look drop dead fucking gorgeous so he could see what he let slip by him. Molly sat on the stone bench behind her. "He's scared Ripley." She said lightly watching as the weeds were yanked with a vicious hand from the dirt and thrown into a wicker basket.
"He's hiding." She replied bitterly. "Like a fucking rabbit when a fox is near."
"Watch your mouth Ripley Ann Todd!" Molly scolded. The Auror grinned sheepishly. "He has missed you…"
"Lies, all lies," the woman replied with a slight smirk. She rose, checking her lupines and nodded her approval at the tall purple flowers. "He never cared for me." She hated the tug in her stomach, egging her to gaze up. She gave in and tilted her face skyward. He stood in his window, the breeze blowing through it and carried her cold words. "He never came for me." She turned her back on him as he had done so long ago to her.
Authors Note: For those who have read my HP stories before you'll recognize Ripley. I wanted to do a Charlie story and went with her. Teine for the record is the gaelic word for fire. Enjoy.
