The day that Audrey left him was one where his emotions were swirling around like a whirl pool, everything was topsy turvy and confusing. It...this wasn't supposed to happen to him. None of it. He'd long given up on the perfect life, on things going exactly to plan, but these circumstances were so far off. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine coming face-to-face with an empty wardrobe or a total lack of her toiletries in the bathroom, all the while holding onto a cranky Lucy that wailed incessantly after just being changed. Perhaps she, too, felt the change within the room and the absolute dread that weighed him down like an anchor.

She'd really done it. She picked up everything she owned and left them, sneaking out while he was preoccupied so she wouldn't have to endure the questions and the hurt, the disappointment, the anger. A part of Percy died that day. He might have laid on that bed that they'd once shared and wept, drank himself to oblivion or worse-but he didn't. Because it wasn't just him and Audrey anymore. He was taken out of his stupor when Molly, all of two years old, grabbed ahold of his hand, pressing it against her face. His raging inner emotions were momentarily wiped away. He couldn't very well go berserk, not when he had two young daughters to take care of.

Because it wasn't just him and Audrey anymore.

Throughout the rest of the day, he went through the motions, maintaining a semi normal appearance for his daughters' sake; he smiled when appropriate, even forced out a laugh when it came time to act out the characters for the story Molly was adamant on him reading out loud. As she cuddled against his chest, entertained by his voices and over exaggerations, Percy caressed her soft cheek, dropping a kiss on the top of her head. His little girl had no idea how her life had just turned upside down and things weren't going to be the same.

Percy pulled the covers up to her chest, smiling lovingly. She was properly tucked in, eyes fluttering open and shut as she weaved in and out of consciousness. "Goodnight, darling," he whispered. "Daddy loves you so, so much."

"Mummy," she babbled sleepily. It broke him a little to hear that. "Where mummy?"

He swallowed.

"Mummy went out for a little bit. She'll be back soon."

At the end of the day, when he was able to sit in the living room, was when the whole situation finally came crashing down on him like a tidal wave. This was his life now. He was going to be doing everything all by himself without the backup of another. The responsibilities fell to him, of dealing with a household, with parenting.

The dream he had for himself at one point-coming home after a day of work to his beautiful wife and children, the one where he'd wrap his arms around Audrey's waist, kissing her neck while she made supper by hand and doing all of the mundane things of life together and watch their girls grow up-was shattered. It was gone, just like that. No warning, just poof.

He felt so lost. A part of Percy felt torn up that he hadn't seen any signs, nothing that he could have stopped or made him think that something was amiss. Why hadn't he caught on? Why had he let himself be convinced all of Audrey's issues-not wanting to talk or be around Lucy, her withdrawing, her unpredictable anger-would all go away eventually? If he'd of done something, he could have prevented this.

Couldn't he have?

He knew he would have to let the rest of the family know, preferably sooner than later. They'd find out anyway. It was impossible to hide that one's wife had abandoned them. He wished it was. It would be easier to hide this piece of information than to inform everyone of the turmoil that was occurring that was out of his control. He was just so ashamed. This wasn't supposed to happen to him. He should have his life together. His siblings had their lives together. They were all so perfectly happy and deeply in love with their spouse.

While he was the only Weasley to get divorced and to be raising his girls alone.

But he had to tell them sometime. And so, on a gorgeous autumn afternoon, Percy sat at the kitchen table in the Burrow with his mum and dad. He was nursing along a cold cup of tea, his gaze lingering on the window, watching Bill hold Lucy and enchanting the leaves into a big pile for Molly to jump when he broke the news.

"Audrey left the girls and I," he said with hardly any emotion to him.

His mum's hand flew to her mouth, exchanging a glance with his dad. They were utterly shocked, rendered into silence by his admission. "When did she leave, son?" his dad asked, gently when he recovered.

"The other day," Percy let out a breathy laugh that lacked any humor. "I...I was changing Lucy and Molly was upstairs. I didn't hear her. I didn't hear her packing or leaving. How do you not hear that? How can you just not hear someone doing that? How does that even happen? People hear that sort of thing because the wardrobe..." he gripped the edge of the table, "the wardrobe squeaks. Audrey and I were going to fix it but never got around to it. It squeaks, it always squeaks." He looked at them, distressed. "How did I not hear it squeak?"

"Oh, my baby," his mum was heartbroken for him. She got out of her chair, holding him around his shoulders, her cheek resting on his hair. She squeezed him and his hands grasped her forearms. . "My poor baby. You've been all alone over there, haven't you?"

It took him a second to conjure up the words. "Yes," he managed. "I...I know I should have told you guys sooner, I just-"

"Hush now," his dad commanded softly. "We don't fault for you that, Percy. What matters if you've told us now and we can help you."

"Quite right," his mum said strongly. "First thing I'll do is pack my things-"

"Pack?" that caught his attention. Slightly alarmed, he twisted around to face her, eyebrows furrowing. "What for?"

"To move in, dear," his mum said. "You'll need help with the children."

"Mum, I-" he didn't know how to start this without unintentionally hurting her feelings. "I appreciate it, I really do, but you need to sta here. Dad needs you. I'll manage, really."

She looked like she wanted to interject, but his dad patted her and said, "If that's what you want. Just remember we're here if you need us."

That same day, he told the rest of the family and attempted to answer all of their questions. The ones that he could. But he did it and he held himself together somehow. All the while, in the moments after that, when they ate the feast his mum had prepared for them, feeling time slow down and a distinct tinge of loneliness become embedded within him. He sat there, amidst all of the families his brothers and sister had made, the smiles, the laughter. He felt incomplete, even with his girls by his side.

Would it ever go away?

There was one question that he couldn't shake off. It haunted him, kept him awake in the late hours of the night, wondering. He hadn't shared it with anyone. He didn't want their theories or for it to turn into them bad-mouthing Audrey in defense of him-(truthfully, he'd done much of that on his own). But that one question lingered on his mind, making him restless and should he ever see her again, it would be the only thing he had to say to her.

Why?

He'd felt so angry back then. Utterly furious for the profound selfishness she displayed. It was easy to feel overwhelmed by his own emotions at times. It hurt to have her ripped away from him and for that onset of loneliness to cripple him. Such as when he would lay awake in what was previously their bed, staying on the side he preferred instead of wandering to the middle, remembering the times he'd accidentally done so in his sleep and how she became mildly irritated at having to push him away from her. He'd stare up at the ceiling as moon light flooded his room, wishing. He wished many times during that course of his life.

Wished that things were different. He wished he didn't feel overtaken with jealousy at the happy go lucky couples he encountered while he was out and about because before all of that, he and Audrey were them. They shared a special bond and he'd truly believed they would be together until death. He wished the position he was didn't grant him pity from his family-Percy wasn't obtuse, he was aware of their unsaid worries at him being unable to handle everything by himself.

But most of all, he wished she had thought of their girls before her own wants and needs.

Percy could be a single man. That wasn't the most concerning issue going on. He did greatly miss that companionship being with a woman brought to him. It'd been nice having someone around, but Molly and Lucy needed their mother more than he needed a wife. If she'd just came to him and explained that that she was feeling unhappy with their marriage, they could have figured an alternate arrangement out. He would of been willing to sign up for counseling or aid in her getting a flat of her own for a separation period. Divorce wouldn't have been the desired solution, but it was better than disappearing altogether.

It wasn't fair to their girls, not in the slightest. It infuriated him, really, how Audrey had given no thought to them, how she only thought about what she wanted. How had she been the woman he fell so in love with once upon a time? She didn't resemble the girl that dragged him out into the pouring rain, yanking him by his tie for a passionate snog.

About a few weeks after it all went down, Percy was dead set on, should she ever resurface-Merlin help them-, she was not allowed to see the girls. No matter how much she would beg. He thought it was only right, to shield them from any potential hurt that could've came from it. Some of his in laws saw it as being a bit cruel, seeing as-despite it all-Audrey was still technically their mum. He didn't and was thankful for the back-up of his siblings-Ginny and George in particular. They agreed with him.

"I don't know," Angelina shook her head, frowning. "It's complicated. Percy's hurt, I would be, too, but what if the girls want to see her? Shouldn't they get the choice?"

"Then she should've stayed," George argued. Percy hadn't expected such a strong reaction from him, but his brother had been upset on his behalf since he first told them and he was beyond grateful.

Ginny nodded, firmly. "She doesn't deserve to see them!" she exclaimed. "If it was me, I wouldn't let her."

That was the initial plan.

At first.

Much as he felt that way, he began to see sense as the pain lessened. He knew if the opportunity ever arose, he shouldn't put his own feelings ahead of the girls' feelings and what they might want. If they truly wanted to see Audrey, then perhaps he could shove his feelings aside and let them experience what they should have instead of cruelly denying them of it.

He eventually held out hope for a long-awaited someday. One of these days, Audrey had to have some epiphany, some sort of mental click that made her yearn to see the girls. Just how did she do it, being away from them for so long without reaching out to them? He would've been driven mad by it. He didn't understand and didn't think he ever would.

He never made such thoughts known to either of them, about that someday he hoped would happen when she made up her mind to come back. He didn't want to get their hopes up, only to be devastatingly crushed by reality. They never pressed for much details about Audrey and he didn't voluntarily offer much information without some kind of prompt. After so long, they-or, more accurately, he-adapted to living without her; it was as if she was never there in the flat at all.

He remember when that hope dwindled until the flame blew out. It was the day of Molly's thirteenth birthday. They celebrated with two parties because his mum insisted on them coming over to the Burrow so the whole family could be there and so they did; Molly had let out a screech of excitement, thrown herself around his middle and thanked him profusely for the broom he'd bought for her-the broom he spent a few months bargain hunting for, as well as trying to find one that was relatively safe. She immediately bounded out the back door, spending all evening flying around and even got a game of quidditch going.

He and the girls went back to his flat later on, where they had a much smaller party with just the three of them. Both girls were more than okay with digging into another cake. He'd saved a few presents for her to open then and overall, it was nice and relaxing. He'd watched her hurry upstairs to take her new radio out of its box after giving him another hug and more thank you's for everything he'd done that day and sighed.

She wasn't coming.

He'd buried his face in his hands. There was nothing else that could be done at this point, nothing that he could do. She had no interests in the children she helped create. Hoping was useless now. It wasn't going to happen. But the thing was, when that realization came, he didn't feel like he thought he would. He was no longer angry, knowing that it wasn't worth it to be. He was just...thoroughly disappointed.

Maybe, somehow, it was for the best. He'd been doubtful in the beginning. But his mum believed as much; she often praised Percy for taking on both roles and assured him that he was doing a marvelous job and if Audrey was happy being out of the picture, than so be it. She was the one that was missing out while Percy was building a lifetime of memories with them, he was told. Percy would simply shake his head at his mum, smiling fondly, if a bit bashfully.

He didn't think he'd ever see her again. And maybe that was okay.

Until the day came that he did.

There was the door bell again. Third time now; not for the first time, Percy considered charming the ruddy thing invisible so people couldn't use it. More of a nuisance than anything. All the houses in the muggle neighborhood were like that for some reason or another. He set the Prophet down, not getting up right away in case one of the girls should race by him to open it for one of their friends. He didn't recall them mentioning anyone was coming over, although he simply might not have heard them. Or they'd forgotten to ask and invited their muggle friends over anyway.

Merlin help him if it was the Myers boy again.

Cody was generally well behaved, he'd give him that, when he wasn't plotting to get into mischief. Molly didn't need the extra influence, she was a natural born troublemaker just like George was-and still was. Not to mention, the boy often ventured into the refrigerator and had taken to acting as though their home was his as well. Even referring to Percy as dad on a few occasions.

Percy had yet to decipher if that was meant to mess with him or if the boy really saw him as a parental figure.

But much as he faux complained about it, he was also glad his daughters had someone to be close with that wasn't related to them in some way. It was good for them. When it became apparent that neither of the girls were going to be the ones to answer it, he gave a small sigh and stood up. "I suppose I'll get it."

Molly's voice floated down to him. "Okay!"

And then there was Lucy's. "Thanks, Dad!"

He shook his head, rolling his eyes good-naturedly. Those two. As he was opening the door, he'd expected to see Cody standing there with that kite of his over his shoulder and that hat he always wore, but what he actually saw made him freeze. "Audrey?" he murmured in disbelief.

She was the same woman that he'd longed for all those years ago, except for a few facial wrinkles and a couple strands of premature greying hair that he noticed (the petty side of him, which was way deep down, satisfyingly noted that his own hair had maintained its color for now. But he digressed. He wasn't going to start any unnecessary arguments. He would behave).

When they were together, he and Audrey had been fairly opposite on just about everything. He was the serious one and she'd been so carefree and bubbly, not to mention witty. He liked to think he'd loosened up since the days of his youth. So, it was odd to see her wearing such a solemn expression, as if she was perpetually unhappy. That's what Percy got from it, anyway.

"Audrey," he repeated, having gotten over his shock.

"Are you going to let me in?" she said without so much as a proper greeting.

If he was still young, naive and in love with her, the brusque tone she was using would have hurt. Luckily for him, he was well past feeling much of anything for her. His thoughts immediately went toward his girls. They were still upstairs and even though he'd decided being able to see Audrey would be their choice, this wasn't the right time. An inkling inside told him that the best option would be to get away as soon as possible.

"How did you know we still lived here?" he asked, keeping in front of the door so she couldn't just waltz in.

"I have my ways," she said, smoothly. He narrowed his eyes, to which she rolled hers. Oh, honestly, as if I really didn't know. You're predictable, Percy. You wouldn't just move. You probably stayed here because you hoped I'd come back. Isn't that right?"

He wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of confirming. It had been true at one point. It had been one of the reasons, other being that it was simply unnecessary. The flat was big enough for the three of them to share. "Is there a reason you're here?" he asked, mindful to keep his tone pleasant. Not the one he reserved for those he knew well, but the one he used while working and dealing with people he'd rather not. Such as now. "I assume there is for you to come out of the blue like this."

"What? You're not happy to see me?" She rose her eyebrows. "And here I thought you'd be dying to. Unless you've moved on already and there's a special someone I'm unaware of."

She was goading him. A rather good talent of hers she came to practice very well before her abrupt departure. Well, he wasn't going to fall for the poorly thrown bait. "What are you doing here, Audrey?" he asked, his tone bordering on sharp.

"Do I need a reason to see my girls?" She crossed her arms and instantaneously, he felt his protective fatherly instincts wash over him like a wave.

She tried to get past him, but he effectively blocked her path. "Now isn't a good time."

"Isn't that convenient," she muttered.

"They're doing their homework." It was a lie, but she didn't need to know that. "Molly's unfocused enough as it is and this essay is essential for her first term grade."

She stared at him with an expression he could not read. "You haven't changed, have you? I wouldn't be surprised if all your nagging gave the girls ulcers."

His hands clenched into fists.

"Stuck a nerve?"

He took a deep breath, inwardly counting to ten to preserve the last of his patience. "The girls are just fine," the smile he wore he was not sincere in the slightest. "Now, if you'll excuse me-" He attempted to shut the door, but she stuck her foot in between to stop him.

"I have every right to see them!" she snapped. It gave Percy flashbacks to the last couple months of their marriage. "You can't keep them away from me!"

For once, Percy wished she would be intimidated by the height difference between them. "As a I recall," he said, tightly, "you gave up any right to them when you walked out. Therefore, I don't have to let them see you and I don't intend to."

She looked flabbergasted. Like she honestly couldn't believe he'd just denied her like that. "I don't believe this," she looked up toward the sky. "I really don't. You're really going to stand there and act like I'm the bad guy here? Really? Are you bloody serious right now?"

His blood pressure was going to skyrocket at this rate. He'd envisioned her coming back after she recognizing what a mistake she'd made. It was supposed to be something wonderful, something great. All he'd ever wanted was to get his happy ending, too.

"Perhaps if you hadn't abandoned our children I wouldn't have a reason to," he snapped back. "Do you realize how selfish that was? How hurtful it was for me to find out you left us? You didn't even have the courage to face me."

"Oh, this is so typical! You always did think you were so perfect."

"This is not about being perfect," he interjected, strongly objecting to her absurd claim, "This is about you thinking you have some twisted right to seeing the children you left. Do you understand what kind of mixed message you're sending them? Do you understand how much this will confuse them?"

"I understand that you're making up needless excuses," she wasn't having it. She looked at him straight in the eye and it was a bit unnerving, really. "They've asked about me, haven't they? That's why you're acting like this. They want to see me and you just can't stand the very idea."

"That is ridiculous-"

"Is it?" she challenged him. "Tell me, you've obviously told them why I left and all my wrong doings but have you told them of your own?" He stayed quiet, unsure of where she was going with this. "Have you told them how you came home screaming at me for leaving the cabinet doors open or leaving letters in the wrong spot."

He straightened up. "I'll admit I contributed to things."

"There's a first."

"But I can. You, on the other hand, have admitted to nothing, despite being just as apart of it as I was!"

"Oh, you want me to admit? Fine, I'll gladly admit. This," she gestured to the both of them, "us, was a mistake. Are you happy now? Does that make you feel better to get it all out there?"

His eyes hardened. "A mistake?" he hissed. "That's what you think?"

"Oh, pardon me, Mr. Junior Secretary, do you need further clarification?"

"Leave! You don't deserve to see them. I want you gone now. I'll not have you talking like this for the girls to hear!"

She got up as close as she could, her eyes flashing. Practically spitting fire at him. "Have you forgotten they're my girls, too? I'm their mother, for Merlin's sake."

"In what sense of the word?" He said, incredulously. "You haven't been their mother for thirteen years!"

"Don't you dare!" She all but shrieked and he winced, knowing that they must have heard that. "You don't get to judge me for that. I did what I had to do. You act like I left them on the bloody sidewalk!"

Percy was going to retort but the words died on his tongue when he heard a voice from behind him. "Dad?" He whirled around, finding Molly and Lucy standing on the steps of the stairs, looking both unsure and worried. "Are you okay?"

He plastered on a reassuring smile. "Of course. Everything's fine, Darling-"

"Oh, my girls!" Audrey exclaimed, as if she wasn't just shouting at him. She swiftly maneuvered past Percy, extending her arms for the girls to embrace her. "Look at you both, you're so grown up now." Molly and Lucy were virtually rigid. Percy's eyes flickered from them to Audrey. "Well, come on. Give your mum a hug, won't you?"

They didn't.

Neither of them budged. Several emotions crossed their faces at once. Percy yearned to take them in his arms and shoo his ex wife away. He should have made her leave right away. This was a mistake. It was even more evident when Audrey grew irritated at the lack of reaction she felt she deserved to receive. "Girls," her voice was saccharine, but Percy saw through that. She did that same thing back when they were married. Where it was seemingly alright before she exploded.

If she dared explode on his girls...

She better not. That's all he had to say.

"Aren't you happy to see me?" Audrey's face was pinched into a rather disturbing smile. "I came all this way for you. Come on, loves. Give me a hug."

She stepped forward, halting when Molly took a step backwards, up a step. "We don't want to," she said, plainly. Lucy looked at her sister in surprise. Percy inhaled, bracing himself.

"Girls," Audrey's voice went tighter, "now is that any way to treat your mother?"

"You're not our mother," Molly grumbled, looking down at the floor.

"Excuse me?"

Molly raised her head this time, to meet Audrey's eyes. "If you were, you wouldn't have left," she said, quietly.

The temperature in the room plummeted.

Percy decided to intervene. "Why don't you girls go upstairs-"

"You better watch that mouth," Audrey warned her just barely holding back her temper. "I don't know what your dad lets you get away with, but I'm not tolerating any disrespect." She addressed Percy, next. "You don't think I see what you're doing? Poisoning their minds so they hate me but think their daddy is number one."

"I haven't done anything," he responded, steely. "Your own actions have caused this."

"You're a bloody liar!"

"He's not!" Lucy cried out in his defense. She hated it when anyone raised their voice at him or said things about him that weren't true. More so than she hated confrontations. She was protective of him in that regard. "He's not lying. He hasn't done anything, really!"

"Lucy, honey," Percy's face softened at his youngest. Her eyes were brimming with tears. "It's okay. There's no need to get upset."

Audrey was unimpressed. "Is this how you intend to handle situations? By coddling her?"

"How am I coddling her?" Percy kept himself calm. Miraculously. He certainly wasn't feeling that way on the inside. "I'm reassuring her." The because of you went unsaid.

"She's thirteen, not three," Audrey shot back. "You can't reassure her forever."

"Am I supposed to yell at her?" Percy retorted. "Would that make you happy?"

"At least you'd be doing something! I thought you of all people would have a better handle on them," Audrey scoffed, her lips curling into a smirk. 'What's that saying? Oh, how the mighty have fallen."

"Get out," Percy ground out. "Get out now!"

"No," Audrey refused, much to Percy's frustration. "I'm not finished."

He would remain calm. He wouldn't cause any more conflict... Percy cleared his throat, louder than needed in order to get her attention. "I think the girls have made it clear they don't want to see you."

"No," Audrey repeated, shooting him a glare, "you made that clear." Than, she turned back to their daughters. "I know they want to see me. That's why I'll be back every Saturday."

What?

The three of them stared at Audrey, astounded by this bombshell she just dropped. Percy was the first to break the silence, rubbing a hand over his face. "Pardon?" he said, tiredly.

"You heard me," she said, smugly. "It's called visitation darling. I'm their mother-" As if he hadn't her the first fifty times she said so. "I deserve to see them."

"Show me the papers," he demanded.

That set her off. He should have known. It was only a matter of time. "I don't have to show you a bloody thing!" She raged.

"Because you don't have them, do you?" His suspicions were confirmed when she scowled. "No, absolutely not. I'm not permitting this."

Audrey blatantly ignored him, putting on a false cheery smile for the girls. "It'll be fun, loves," she insisted, talking right over him. "I'll take you for a girls day and we can catch up. How's that sound?"

Molly went down one step, getting in front of her sister. "No thanks," she said, her voice firm. "We'd rather not."

"Yeah," Lucy's voice was quieter, but Percy knew she meant it.

That wasn't what Audrey was expecting. She was blind-sided by the rejection. Surely, she thought they wouldn't object to it. "Mol-" Percy inwardly tisk'd. Molly greatly disliked her name being shortened. He saw it on her face now, her obvious displeasure and the way she was biting her bottom lip to refrain from saying something she shouldn't. "I know you're not trying to, but that really hurts. I'm trying, here. I really am. But I need some cooperation from your part, too. Yours, too, Lucy."

The audacity of her. Honestly! Stooping low enough to emotionally manipulate. He didn't doubt that she was capable of it, but he thought she was above using it on their daughters. "You're despicable," he was filled with disgust.

He should have known she would use that as an attempt to garner sympathy. "Girls, don't you see? He was like that when we were married. If he's doing that to you both as well you just need to tell me," she reached out to touch Molly's cheek, but her daughter pushed her arm away.

"Get away from me," Molly said through grit teeth.

"Is that any way to speak to your moth-"

"You're not our mother!"

Molly's chest heaved, her hands into fists, eyes closed. When she did look back at Audrey, Percy saw that familiar sign of her temper flaring. But for once, instead of admonishing her and urging her to go cool off somewhere, he let her be. She needed to get this out because, if he had his way, they weren't going to be seeing her again.

"Margaret!" Audrey barked. But Molly refused to back down.

"No! You can't just leave us and come back like everything's normal! It's not fair!"

"Life isn't-" Audrey started to say.

"You didn't even ask us!" Molly's eyes were brimming with tears. "You didn't ask us if we wanted to spend time with you."

"Of course you do," Audrey waved it off dismissively.

"No we don't!" Molly said, fiercely.

"This is because of your dad, isn't it?" Audrey wore a mocking smile. "What, you think you're betraying him or something?"

"No!" Molly shouted, stomping her foot. "That's not it!"

"Well what is it?" Audrey was loosing her temper.

"I think it would be better if we-" Percy tried to regain some of the order in the house.

"You can't just come back and expect us to be okay with it! How selfish can you be!"

Smack!

The house went still.

Lucy's hands went to her mouth, her eyes widening in shock. Percy could safely say he was mirroring that as well. He knew his ex wife had a temper, but he hadn't imagined she would go as far as to strike one of their children.

That crossed the line.

"Get out!" Percy snapped and he wasn't playing around this time.

"No!" Audrey refused. "I'm not going. This girl needs to learn some respect!"

She yelped when Percy gripped her forearm. "Leave," he said, steely, "or so help me I will contact an auror and make sure you don't see the outside of a cell for as long as I possibly can. Is that clear? Don't test me, Audrey. Just don't."

Audrey did nothing but glare at him. She obviously hadn't expected him interfere like he did. She yanked her arm away out of his grip. "Fine," she said, coolly, "have it your way. But don't expect me to come back, now that you've turned our girls against me."

He didn't even bother to refute her claim. "That's perfectly fine."

The door slammed behind her and for the first time since she stopped by, he could breathe. But not for long. He had a daughter to take care of right now. Molly was rooted in her spot, her eyes brimming with tears that were overflowing. There was a red spot on her cheek from where Audrey had slapped her.

Percy gathered her in his arms, gently rocking her as she sobbed. "Oh, my darling," he murmured. She held on to him like he was her lifeline. "There, there. I'm not going anywhere, I promise." Lucy's face crumpled, like she was going to become upset any minute now, so Percy gestured for her to join them and she did. He pressed a kiss to the top of their heads, sighing lowly.

I hope you're happy, Audrey. I hope you're happy with yourself