My updates are getting along... you didn't have to wait a month for this chapter.
I'm going to Florida tomorrow morning for a week with a 1 year old. wish me luck on that fun flight. i will try to write when i can. trying to get transferred to texas with my job. so things are busy here.
I am writing a new fic that's marvel, ulysses klaue/oc fic. i'l be posting that within a week or so. i only have the outline and first page right now.
this chapter sev goes home, juliet the healer
next chapter garrick vs tobias
He was without pain for only a few moments, then he felt the sharp sting hitting his open wounds. It wasn't raining in Cokeworth, last he remembered, although he was much too preoccupied to take in the weather at the time. He hissed in pain and tried to scramble out of the pouring rain. He couldn't stand, he had awkwardly rolled and scooted towards the only cover around.
He balled himself up, hugging his knees to his chest and tucking himself further into the corner of the porch he ended up near. His mind raced, trying to figure out what to do and where he was. Looking around and taking it all in, he realized that he was in the back of the wand shop. It was late, probably around midnight at this point, he didn't know what time it was when he got home, nor how long he was there.
Severus knew that he shouldn't be there, but the runes dropped him on his girlfriend's doorstep. He couldn't let Juliet see him like this; then she would see him as weak and incapable. He couldn't stand to see her face when she found out that his watch was broken, probably beyond repair now that it got wet too. Judging by the fact that Auras hadn't shown up to escort him to Azkaban, he was certain that he hadn't broken any laws by rune apparition. The good news was that Juliet's thesis was correct.
The rain didn't seem like it was going to let up soon. Severus wanted nothing more than to knock on the door and see Juliet, but couldn't find the courage to do it. He started shaking, he'd been without her touch for nearly a month, and the first physical contact since was his father beating him. What if he never felt her again? If she saw him worthless and weak like this, then she wouldn't want anything to do with him.
Severus peaked around the wall, looking at the Apothecary next store to see if Slughorn's nephew was awake. He might be able to get in the back door and sleep in the storage until he could heal himself. What about his mother? He gritted his teeth and rested his head on the brick wall behind him, he needed to go back for her. Severus just needed a moment to try and sort his thoughts and next plan, so he closed his eyes and buried his head in his crossed arms.
Juliet couldn't sleep, she hadn't gotten a decent night's sleep since she was at school. She hadn't heard from Severus since the Hogwarts express, and she was constantly worried. He had made her promise that she wouldn't send him an owl or try to see him at home. She sent Corvus to try and find him, just to see if he was alright. Technically she wasn't going to Spinner's End, Corvus was, and he wasn't an owl, he was a Raven. It didn't matter, he never found Severus.
After fighting a fitful night's sleep, she decided to get up and get the day over with. The Hogwarts supply letters went out earlier that week, and Diagon Alley was going to be busy that weekend. Juliet looked over at the clock on the wall and sighed before throwing the covers off and getting out of bed. She got ready for the day and started to work on her chores. This was the summer that she would be taking on more responsibility around the shop and she wanted to show her Papa that she could handle it.
She went upstairs to the main floor kitchen and got started the coffee and tea. Then she made her way to the pantry to get what she needed to start breakfast, but she saw the garbage bin nearly overflowing with trash. She sighed heavily, rolled her eyes and picked it up before heading to the back door. Even though she was up early to get started, didn't mean that Robbie or Garrick was as well. She tried to be as quiet as she could as she unlocked the back door and slipped out to throw out the trash.
She could hear the rain through the door, so she grabbed the umbrella that was next to the coat rack and stepped outside. She took in the smell of the rain for a second before stepping down into the alley. The clouds were blocking most of the sunrise, but she was still able to make her way to the dumpster easily. Thunder boomed above her as she threw the trash out, causing her to jump.
Juliet liked the rain, but she never liked the thunder. It was too loud and unexpecting for her, so she turned to head back inside but saw a dark puddle at the bottom of the steps she has just come down. As she got closer, she saw that it was more of a red color, like blood. She followed its trail to the source, coming from up the steps and by the dark corner of the back porch.
Juliet gripped her umbrella tightly as she tried to think of what to do. She had left her wand inside on her nightstand, and the only way back inside was right past whatever curled up and died on the steps. It was too big to be a cat, maybe it was a dog? She hoped it didn't belong to anyone, she didn't want to be the one to tell them that their beloved pet was found at their back door dead.
"Rrrrmmmm…" the animal in the corner shifted a bit.
If Juliet had a voice, she would have let out a high-pitched scream of terror. It wasn't dead, it was very much alive and probably hungry. She cursed mentally and tried to gather the courage to run past it and back inside to safety.
Severus didn't intend to pass out from blood loss and exhaustion on his girlfriend's back porch. He had been startled awake by the thunder overhead, making him flinch and groan in pain. He didn't know how long he had been out, but he needed to close the wounds on his back before he went back to Spinner's End for his mother. He decided that his original plan of going to the Apothecary was his best shot. If they didn't have any dittany and blood replenisher in stock, then he would at least be able to brew it himself.
He was shaking, from the pain and rain that brought the cold chill to his already aching bones. His back muscles were spasming uncontrollably, causing more pain and shaking. Severus craved her soft touch more than anything right now, wishing that he could be in her arms right now.
He counted to three, trying to gather the last bit of strength and energy he had. He unfolded his arms from around his knees and extended his legs out, trying to stretch the stiffness out of them. His head shot up when he heard the all too familiar gasp.
"Angel…" his throat was dry from screaming in agony. His voice came out in a rasp that she barely made out.
The umbrella fell to her feet and rolled off the porch, she dropped to her knees beside him and put her hands out hesitantly. She wanted to go to him but didn't know if he would let her. "Demon." She breathed in greeting.
When Severus saw her hands pull back from touching him, he wanted to cry. The emptiness in his chest felt like it was growing larger, consuming him and making it harder to breathe. "Please... please don't go." He begged.
'I'm not going anywhere. What happened? What do I do? Tell me what you need.' Juliet's hands were moving so fast she jumbled some of her words, but Severus knew what she meant. 'Let me go get help. I can get Papa. Or I can take you to Saint Mungo's- '
Severus tried to move closer to her, "Please, just touch me. I'll do anything… please just touch me."
Juliet was confused, but she did as he asked. She sat on her knees in front of him, reaching her right hand out to cup his cheek. He finally lifted his head high enough to look at her, giving her full view of his black eyes, broken nose and cut face. She could see it in his eyes, he was defeated.
She cupped his cheek carefully, trying not to hurt or scare him away. He sobbed when her hand touched his skin, it was a simple action, but he had never felt anything so comforting in his life. She caught the tea that escaped from his bloodshot eyes, rubbing it away and taking the opportunity to move closer to him.
Once both of her hands were on him, he let his weight fall into her, making her open her arms to receive him and so he could bury his face in her stomach. She held him tightly as he cried, rubbing her fingers through his lank, dirty hair and rocking them from side to side.
When her hand met his cuts, he hissed and jumped at her touch. She pulled her hand back to see the blood on it, she leaned forward and pulled his outer cloak back. She could see nothing but blood all over his back.
'We need to get you inside. Now.' She signed to him suddenly.
With maximum effort and struggle, Juliet was finally able to get him inside the wand shop. Shushing him the whole time as they tried to sneak down the stairs to the bathroom. If she could get him into her bathroom, she could sit him down and clean his wounds and close them as best she could. With him being unresponsive to her questioning, she thought it best to fix him until the shock wore off. To say she was scared was an understatement, but she held herself together as best she could while she helped him. Severus needed her to be the strong one right now, and he needed her more than ever.
Severus was getting water and blood all over the floor and rug that lead down the hall. She whistled softly for Robbie as they passed his room. The small elf popped his head out of his room and looked around with a sleeping look on his face. When he saw Severus being practically carried by Juliet, his eyes went wide, and his jaw dropped.
Juliet put a finger up to her lips to quiet him. Robbie had a voice, he could speak if he so chose but preferred sign language because he wanted to be like his big sister Juliet. Even though he was only a year old, in elf years that made him eight years old.
'I need you to clean up everything from the back door to the bathroom! Papa can't know about the mess!' she signed quickly as she paused to explain things.
Robbie nodded his head quickly, making his ears fall forward over his eyes. He turned around and started to work his magic on the blood stains coming down the stairs. Juliet finally kicked the bathroom door shut behind them and sat Severus on the edge of the tub.
He groaned in pain and kept his eyes shut tightly when she turned on the bright bathroom light. "Don't… leave…"
She tried to console him as she ran around the bathroom, trying to find the medical kit that might be in another bathroom. After grabbing towels and finding the medical kit, she got into the tub behind Severus. He faced the bathroom door with his legs outside the tub, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees for support as she stood in the tub that way she would wash most of the blood down the drain.
She carefully peeled his clothes off him from the waist up, hissing with him when she had to rip some of the stuck cloth off his skin. When she finally got a full view of the wounds covering his back, it was her turn to cry. Her hands covered her mouth and nose, frozen in shock as she saw the bloody Criss Cross lines starting at the back of his neck and ending right above his jeans. There were bruises and smaller cuts on his ribs and sides, she couldn't wrap her head around who or why anyone would do this to Severus.
He started to shake and wrap his arms around himself, trying to curl away from her, but she refused to let him move away. She put her hands on his shoulders and leaned into his ear, careful not to touch his cuts on his back.
"Shh… I'm here. I love you, Severus. I love you." She whispered softly.
Severus relaxed slightly and leaned into her, "Say it again."
"I love you." She kept repeating until he calmed down enough for her to start healing him.
She kept one hand on his shoulder to steady him as she dabbed the cuts one at a time with dittany. He didn't scream, but he did grit his teeth and growl a few times. After each cut was closed, she wiped it with a clean towel and gently kissed the fresh scar. It helped him relax and get through it, forgetting that their sounds were not muffled beyond the bathroom door.
