Disclaimers: I do not own these characters except for Jessica Weaver and
Other characters that you do not recognize. The others belong to J.K.R.
This is a bit more interesting turn of events.
RWH
***
Fifteen
Saturday/Sunday- London 4/26-27
Jessica searched the area relentlessly for Severus for hours before the light of day brought her abruptly back to her senses. It was the mixture of the coming morning and the back pains soaring up and down her spine that was starting to slow her down. The baby obviously didn't like this kind of activity and her frantic searching was doing nothing to help. She couldn't find hide or hair of Severus and her pulse was racing in terror of what she might discover at some point.
She had been fortunate enough to talk to several policemen, but they didn't, or couldn't, tell her anymore. She had watched in complete silence as the body bags were taken out of the smoldering building, one at a time. Each opaque plastic bag zipped up completely to cover-up the burnt bodies and hiding any distinguishing features that could have identified Severus. Her face paled even more at the thought of one of them being her lover.
Okay.. This rising panic wasn't helping. She had to think.
She tore her eyes away from the carcasses being extracted and looked about her surroundings. Most of the people she had spoken to were gone and the others were slowly dispersing into their housing losing interest in the fiasco now that the fire had burned out.
She had to think here, had to pull herself together.
She slid down a wall and closed her eyes taking deep calming breaths as she waited for the pain in her back to subside. In her oblivion, she did not notice that ashes from the wall soaked into her damp back, soaking into the material of her blouse as she settled against the cool stone. Nothing could have budged her from that spot at that moment in time.
Severus
She looked up at the brightening sky and let a few tears fall unceremoniously down her cheeks. What if he was in the fire? What if he was now lost to her and the baby? God! What was she going to do if that was possible?
No!
She felt her pulse quicken in that one thought, She refused to believe that fate could be that evil. To give her a taste of what she had been seeking her entire life and to have it forcibly yanked from her grasp.
No, that was NOT going to happen. Severus had to be alive. He just didn't know.. about..
She stood back to her feet and frowned as a thought came to her mind. If Severus was alive, and he had heard of the fire, he would have been searching for her as well. Since she hadn't seen him then it meant one of two things. One, He was either one of the bodies burned to ashes inside or two.. He hasn't shown up yet and didn't know about the fire. She closed her eyes desperately hoping the latter would be the answer.
She refused to let herself believe that he was one of the bodies being pulled out of the building. In her head, she was frantically trying to dispel the awful image that kept creeping into her brain. The image of his body, dead and burned lying inside the building ruins. The image unfortunately refused to budge and she felt her stomach lurch, rushing to a corner she doubled over, upbringing whatever she had for dinner last night. Heave after heave didn't relieve her of her terror of losing Severus.
No, he had to still be alive. Their baby needed him. She needed him.
Leaning against the cold wall for support, she glanced back at the charred building. Fading smoke swirled into the rapidly lightening sky along with her hopes. Every second brought a deeper fear and every moment brought her further into fatigue
In the gathering daylight, the crowd thinned, departing back into their homes once the excitement wore off. Losing interest when apparently, no bodies were coming out of the rubble anytime soon. Once the smoke cleared only a few rag-a-bouts lingered to watch the clean up.
Slowly as if in a dream, Jessica made her way back to her building. All her muscles and joints were aching, screaming for a hot cleansing bath. The smell of ash and smoke enveloped over her, feeling sure that she looked like an old fashioned chimney sweep. At least she felt like one.
She dragged herself up the stairs to her flat, her fear for Severus was so far at the foremost part of her mind that nothing seemed out of place until she stood before her door and it hit her in the face. The shock barely registering, stopping her dead in her tracks. Her tired brain barely registering the padlock on her door.
"What. the. hell?"
Her heart skipped a beat as a new fear descended into her soul.
"Oh no, not this too."
Reaching out to test the strength of the lock, she glanced up and down the hall. Someone locked her out of her apartment. In her head, she knew why, but not today of all days, not now.
She turned on her heel and walked back down the flight of stairs to the superintendent's office intending to beg for another week. One more week was all she needed to get a new job and get her life back on track with or without Severus. A pang entered her heart at the thought that Severus may not be around but she had to squelch that thought for now, right now she had another crisis to get through before she allowed herself to fall apart completely.
A reverberating echo rang out as she knocked loudly on the door of the Super's office. She tapped her feet in agitation until the door was opened and the stocky build of Mr. Wiltington opened it up. She noticed the toothless satisfied grin on his face causing what little hope she had come crashing down to her toes. Somehow, she didn't think she would get the leniency she needed.
"Someone padlocked my door." She started pointing up the stairs.
"You are three months late in your rent, Miss. Wheeler."
"I did pay you for January, Mr. Wiltington. surely."
"That was for January, Miss. Wheeler, It is currently April. I believe I have been lenient enough over the months, but I can not be anymore."
"I only need one more week, Mr. Wiltington.I swear to you."
"I'm sorry, Miss Wheeler, I have given you all the time I can. I can not allow you to continue living here rent-free. Furthermore, with your place of employment burning down last evening, I know you will not be able to pay any time soon."
Her face paled as she realized she was now homeless.
"What about my things?"
"I will be keeping them as collateral until you pay for your back rent."
"I need my things.please.let me just get."
"No. I'm sorry, but I can not allow you to enter the room any longer."
"But."
"They will be held until you pay up."
With that, Mr. Wiltington shut the door shut on her face leaving her standing alone in the hall.
"Fucking GREAT!"
She shouted to the closed door and stormed outside into the coming morning.
Okay.Things couldn't get any worse, could it?
Right now, she had all day to find two things. First a place to sleep for the upcoming nights, and with the few pounds she had on her, that was going to be hard. Second, she needed another job, A.S.A.P.
Pulling her jacket around her she stepped out onto the sidewalk and walked off.
A/Ns and Acknowledgements:
Snape Lover: I don't wish to leave you hanging either.keep reading I have more coming soon.
Mother-In-Law: Oh, Gods no, I would not have her show up at a revel I like this character too much. She goes through enough in this story as it is. Thank you for taking the time to read and review. I appreciate it very much.
Magdellin: I will eagerly await your return to see how you liked the update. I held off a few more extra days just for you.:D.(Just a bit of brown-nosing there) Hope you enjoy this chapter.
someone28: LOL.. Sorry Hon, I have this little problem with cliffies.. I love them.but keep reading.
Cathryne: My faithful reader and sister, from one cliffhanger to another.BRAWHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! Oh.I'd much rather it be hugs than hits.BTW!
J.S. Sumner: Girl! I always look forward to your reviews. This one was no exception. I was on the floor laughing my ass off. Now, Honey, you know I hate to make ANYONE upset, so put that little wand away. You REALLY don't want to hurt me, RIGHT? (Just a little bit of Imperio there) Good, now.just hold on to your seat the ride it going to get just a little.. Bit... Bumpy.. Hehe! As for that OTHER little fic I have going.. It was something I did a while back and forgot about it. Just happened to have rediscovered it and decided to post it. Hope it keeps you interested as well.. Love you Too! :D :D
Fancy: Oh, keep reading, oh precious one.. You have MUCH to learn of this story.
dizmius: Oh, Indeed.. You just Gotta love Sevvy!!!!!!
NiteQueen: Conniving? Me? Hehe.well, maybe just a bit. Yeah, Fate is a Fickle Female.isn't she?
Please don't forget to review!
Blessed Be!
RWH
This is a bit more interesting turn of events.
RWH
***
Fifteen
Saturday/Sunday- London 4/26-27
Jessica searched the area relentlessly for Severus for hours before the light of day brought her abruptly back to her senses. It was the mixture of the coming morning and the back pains soaring up and down her spine that was starting to slow her down. The baby obviously didn't like this kind of activity and her frantic searching was doing nothing to help. She couldn't find hide or hair of Severus and her pulse was racing in terror of what she might discover at some point.
She had been fortunate enough to talk to several policemen, but they didn't, or couldn't, tell her anymore. She had watched in complete silence as the body bags were taken out of the smoldering building, one at a time. Each opaque plastic bag zipped up completely to cover-up the burnt bodies and hiding any distinguishing features that could have identified Severus. Her face paled even more at the thought of one of them being her lover.
Okay.. This rising panic wasn't helping. She had to think.
She tore her eyes away from the carcasses being extracted and looked about her surroundings. Most of the people she had spoken to were gone and the others were slowly dispersing into their housing losing interest in the fiasco now that the fire had burned out.
She had to think here, had to pull herself together.
She slid down a wall and closed her eyes taking deep calming breaths as she waited for the pain in her back to subside. In her oblivion, she did not notice that ashes from the wall soaked into her damp back, soaking into the material of her blouse as she settled against the cool stone. Nothing could have budged her from that spot at that moment in time.
Severus
She looked up at the brightening sky and let a few tears fall unceremoniously down her cheeks. What if he was in the fire? What if he was now lost to her and the baby? God! What was she going to do if that was possible?
No!
She felt her pulse quicken in that one thought, She refused to believe that fate could be that evil. To give her a taste of what she had been seeking her entire life and to have it forcibly yanked from her grasp.
No, that was NOT going to happen. Severus had to be alive. He just didn't know.. about..
She stood back to her feet and frowned as a thought came to her mind. If Severus was alive, and he had heard of the fire, he would have been searching for her as well. Since she hadn't seen him then it meant one of two things. One, He was either one of the bodies burned to ashes inside or two.. He hasn't shown up yet and didn't know about the fire. She closed her eyes desperately hoping the latter would be the answer.
She refused to let herself believe that he was one of the bodies being pulled out of the building. In her head, she was frantically trying to dispel the awful image that kept creeping into her brain. The image of his body, dead and burned lying inside the building ruins. The image unfortunately refused to budge and she felt her stomach lurch, rushing to a corner she doubled over, upbringing whatever she had for dinner last night. Heave after heave didn't relieve her of her terror of losing Severus.
No, he had to still be alive. Their baby needed him. She needed him.
Leaning against the cold wall for support, she glanced back at the charred building. Fading smoke swirled into the rapidly lightening sky along with her hopes. Every second brought a deeper fear and every moment brought her further into fatigue
In the gathering daylight, the crowd thinned, departing back into their homes once the excitement wore off. Losing interest when apparently, no bodies were coming out of the rubble anytime soon. Once the smoke cleared only a few rag-a-bouts lingered to watch the clean up.
Slowly as if in a dream, Jessica made her way back to her building. All her muscles and joints were aching, screaming for a hot cleansing bath. The smell of ash and smoke enveloped over her, feeling sure that she looked like an old fashioned chimney sweep. At least she felt like one.
She dragged herself up the stairs to her flat, her fear for Severus was so far at the foremost part of her mind that nothing seemed out of place until she stood before her door and it hit her in the face. The shock barely registering, stopping her dead in her tracks. Her tired brain barely registering the padlock on her door.
"What. the. hell?"
Her heart skipped a beat as a new fear descended into her soul.
"Oh no, not this too."
Reaching out to test the strength of the lock, she glanced up and down the hall. Someone locked her out of her apartment. In her head, she knew why, but not today of all days, not now.
She turned on her heel and walked back down the flight of stairs to the superintendent's office intending to beg for another week. One more week was all she needed to get a new job and get her life back on track with or without Severus. A pang entered her heart at the thought that Severus may not be around but she had to squelch that thought for now, right now she had another crisis to get through before she allowed herself to fall apart completely.
A reverberating echo rang out as she knocked loudly on the door of the Super's office. She tapped her feet in agitation until the door was opened and the stocky build of Mr. Wiltington opened it up. She noticed the toothless satisfied grin on his face causing what little hope she had come crashing down to her toes. Somehow, she didn't think she would get the leniency she needed.
"Someone padlocked my door." She started pointing up the stairs.
"You are three months late in your rent, Miss. Wheeler."
"I did pay you for January, Mr. Wiltington. surely."
"That was for January, Miss. Wheeler, It is currently April. I believe I have been lenient enough over the months, but I can not be anymore."
"I only need one more week, Mr. Wiltington.I swear to you."
"I'm sorry, Miss Wheeler, I have given you all the time I can. I can not allow you to continue living here rent-free. Furthermore, with your place of employment burning down last evening, I know you will not be able to pay any time soon."
Her face paled as she realized she was now homeless.
"What about my things?"
"I will be keeping them as collateral until you pay for your back rent."
"I need my things.please.let me just get."
"No. I'm sorry, but I can not allow you to enter the room any longer."
"But."
"They will be held until you pay up."
With that, Mr. Wiltington shut the door shut on her face leaving her standing alone in the hall.
"Fucking GREAT!"
She shouted to the closed door and stormed outside into the coming morning.
Okay.Things couldn't get any worse, could it?
Right now, she had all day to find two things. First a place to sleep for the upcoming nights, and with the few pounds she had on her, that was going to be hard. Second, she needed another job, A.S.A.P.
Pulling her jacket around her she stepped out onto the sidewalk and walked off.
A/Ns and Acknowledgements:
Snape Lover: I don't wish to leave you hanging either.keep reading I have more coming soon.
Mother-In-Law: Oh, Gods no, I would not have her show up at a revel I like this character too much. She goes through enough in this story as it is. Thank you for taking the time to read and review. I appreciate it very much.
Magdellin: I will eagerly await your return to see how you liked the update. I held off a few more extra days just for you.:D.(Just a bit of brown-nosing there) Hope you enjoy this chapter.
someone28: LOL.. Sorry Hon, I have this little problem with cliffies.. I love them.but keep reading.
Cathryne: My faithful reader and sister, from one cliffhanger to another.BRAWHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! Oh.I'd much rather it be hugs than hits.BTW!
J.S. Sumner: Girl! I always look forward to your reviews. This one was no exception. I was on the floor laughing my ass off. Now, Honey, you know I hate to make ANYONE upset, so put that little wand away. You REALLY don't want to hurt me, RIGHT? (Just a little bit of Imperio there) Good, now.just hold on to your seat the ride it going to get just a little.. Bit... Bumpy.. Hehe! As for that OTHER little fic I have going.. It was something I did a while back and forgot about it. Just happened to have rediscovered it and decided to post it. Hope it keeps you interested as well.. Love you Too! :D :D
Fancy: Oh, keep reading, oh precious one.. You have MUCH to learn of this story.
dizmius: Oh, Indeed.. You just Gotta love Sevvy!!!!!!
NiteQueen: Conniving? Me? Hehe.well, maybe just a bit. Yeah, Fate is a Fickle Female.isn't she?
Please don't forget to review!
Blessed Be!
RWH