Thank you to everyone who contributed to my 8 reviews! The last chapter got 4 reviews, the most for any chapter yet!
Steve P.- Thank you, and wait no more.
Phantom from the Fire- Thank you for the review, and welcome aboard! I'm glad all the work I've put in to developing Sarah shows!
BlueSunsetWaters- Hello again! I missed your reviews! 6! Thank you! I am honored that I wrote such a moving chapter, and that it made you cry. That's one of the best compliments you can give an author. Thank you. I'm glad you like Luna. I like her development in this story.
M.A.- I always appreciate your long reviews though! I will get back to you concerning that other chapter. This week was really crazy for me again, but don't worry. I haven't forgotten, and I still want to continue discussing it. Concerning the previous chapter, everyone grieves in different ways, and this is Sarah's way of healing. It may seem a little drastic to some, but I know from experience the way she expresses her grief can happen in "reality". Just keep reading, and I hope you like the end when it comes.
Enjoy!
Chapter 28: Talking
Ginny shook Sarah awake early the next morning.
"Hurry, before he leaves," she said.
"Wha-?" moaned a groggy Sarah.
"You and George are talking today, now get up."
Sarah's eyes flew open in horror, and Ginny forced her out of bed, into her dressing gown, and out the door.
Leading her to the still closed door of Fred and George's old room, Ginny took out her wand, and a string sprang up and attached itself to Sarah's wrist, while the other end snaked under the door and out of sight. She was happy her seventeenth birthday had just passed so she could do this.
"There. Now you can't go anywhere. I'll be right back." Ginny then turned and headed downstairs, coming back a few moments later with George, who protested when he saw Sarah. Once again Ginny said cast her spell and George was attached to a string similar to Sarah's. Then she told George what she had said to Sarah the previous night, and ended it by telling them that they would have to go into the room and talk, and then they would be free.
"You two used to be best friends," she said. "The two people closest and dearest to Fred can't stop talking. What would he say? Now if you'll excuse me, I think I'll finish sleeping." She turned to go, but looked back, adding, "I'm really sorry I had to do this, but it's the only way," and returned to her room.
The minutes of silences slowly ticked by. Neither George nor Sarah looked up at one another.
Finally Sarah yawned.
George noticed and spoke, his voice low and hoarse.
"You want to do it, or me?"
In response, Sarah swallowed and quickly opened the door. They could see the strings attached somewhere underneath Fred's bed.
George stepped back. "Ladies first," he said.
Shaking with emotion, the tears on their way, Sarah walked inside the room. George followed, then shut the door behind him and heard it magically lock as the strings disappeared.
Slowly, each quietly walked around the room, looking at everything, both crying.
Sarah stood in front of Fred's old bed and fell to the floor with emotion and sobbed again. George wanted out. He couldn't take it. Why had Ginny done this to them?! Why?! He did his best to block out the sounds of her sobs, and to look everywhere but the figure on the floor.
His eyes fell upon a picture next to him on the wall. It was of himself, Sarah, and Fred, all smiling and waving inside the shop. Every once in a while Fred would kiss Sarah, Sarah would hug the twins, or George would give the other two bunny ears.
They had cared about each other so much, the three of them. There was a time when he and Sarah had talked to each other, and to other people. They had all been happy once.
He sighed, angry, because Ginny was right. He and Sarah needed each other, now more than ever. They had to stick together. It was his job to care for Sarah now that Fred couldn't. They couldn't forget those good times. They couldn't forget that with Fred, they were happy. They couldn't forget Fred.
Slowly, George walked over to Sarah, knelt down, helped her up to a sitting position, and held her. She hugged him back, having just realized the same thing, and they sat, crying their hearts out until they could cry no more. And after that, they just sat numbly until Sarah yawned again.
George helped her up and onto Fred's bed. After she had laid down, he went over to his own bed.
Sarah felt the sheets. Fred's sheets. She put her head on the pillow. Fred's pillow. She felt the indent in the old mattress from him sleeping there for eighteen years. Fred's bed. Wiping her eyes, she turned over and smelled the sheets. They smelled like him. Breathing deeply, she closed her eyes and fell asleep.
"I've never felt this way before
Everything that I do reminds me of you
And the clothes you left, they lie on the floor
And they smell just like you, I love the things that you do
When you walk away I count the steps that you take
Do you see how much I need you right now…
We were made for each other
Out here forever
I know we were, yeah
All I ever wanted was for you to know
Everything I'd do, I'd give my heart and soul
I can hardly breathe I need to feel you here with me, yeah
When you're gone
The pieces of my heart are missing you
When you're gone
The face I came to know is missing too
When you're gone
The words I need to hear to always get me through the day and make it ok
I miss you"
Birds chirping outside woke Sarah up in the late morning. She sighed and turned over. The unfamiliar feel of the bed made her open her eyes, and as the room came into focus, the rush of memories came back. She rolled face-down and a let out a sob.
She heard George shift in his bed, and, tears now streaming, she looked over at him. George stretched and yawned before getting out of bed and walking across the room. Sarah watched him through her tears and turned over as he moved to the window.
For a while all that could be heard was Sarah's sobs, the birds, and the occasional creak of floor boards as the rest of the Weasley family went about their day.
"How long are we supposed to stay in here?" George asked as his voice cracked. He was fighting back tears again.
"No clue," was the glum reply.
"What happened to us?" George asked, frustrated. "We used to be best friends. No, I'll tell you what happened," he said, getting angry. "He left us! Fred left his twin and his fiancé! All because of that stupid explosion! And now, the whole family hasn't laughed in almost two months, his fiancé can't stop crying, and I can't stay in this house, so I go to his grave everyday!"
"It's not his fault," Sarah said, wiping her eyes and looking at him.
George looked down at the floor. "I know," he said softly. "I just can't believe he's gone. It's like-"
"-Like half of your soul is missing," finished Sarah. "Ginny has it right, and we, the closest people to him, need each other most now. But I can't look at you without seeing Fred. That's my problem. One of them at least," she admitted.
"I can't look at you without remembering Fred and all the times we had together," George said. "I hate this house because we grew up here. Actually," he added, "being in here hurts less than I thought it would."
"It kind of helps," said Sarah. She looked away, and for a moment her sarcastic statement sounded like her old self: "Helps make it worse."
"But I am starting to see Ginny's reasoning," said George. "I think if you and I, Fred's closest friends, are able to keep his memory alive and still live on, then the rest of the family will follow!"
This time George saw the old Sarah sitting on his bed as she stared at him unbelievingly and said, "You sound like a cheesy movie. I know you don't fully mean that."
George's face felt odd as he grinned mischievously for the first time in months.
"No, but I could be a motivational speaker, right?"
Sarah snorted and dried her eyes. She got up, walked towards George, hesitated, and hugged him.
At first George became stiff, but then he relaxed and hugged his best friend back.
Sarah sighed sadly and looked out the window.
"I miss him."
"Me too," said George.
"I can't do this on my own."
"Neither can I."
"So what do we do?"
George thought.
"Help each other for the sake of ourselves and our family?"
"But never, ever forget Fred?" added Sarah.
"How could either of us forget our other half?" asked George, releasing Sarah and taking a step back.
"Our better half," they said in unison.
Then, for the first time in months, both George and Sarah laughed.
And with that, the bedroom door opened.
Song Used- When You're Gone by Avril Lavigne
Please review. I really enjoy hearing from you all!
Haras
