Out of Her Hands

A/n: I am so sorry it's taken me so long to update this story. Many thanks to Ang. my beta reader.

Chapter Ten: Questions and Answers

"Would you like a cup of tea?" Albus asked nervously as Minerva strode past him and into the living room where he had just come from along with his brother.

"I'll make it myself!" she countered rather childishly.

Albus wondered if Minerva was actually going to listen to what he had to say or put up walls between her and his answers. She had heard what he had told his brother but he was sure that she would have her own questions. Aberforth wasn't nearly as frightening as Minerva when she wanted answers. Albus had noticed the icy glare she had whenever she looked at him and he couldn't blame her but he didn't want her to look at him like that. He longed to see love in those green eyes of hers and not contempt.

True to her word, she made her own pot of tea before making herself comfortable in her chair. Albus had remembered the day she had spotted it for the cottage. She had been so excited when her eyes fell upon the forest green velvet chair. Albus had bought it on the spot for her. Anything she wanted, Albus would do his very best to get. It was rare that Minerva wanted anything, so Albus had known she had fallen in love with the chair. He also bought himself a similar one but in deep blue velvet. They went together as a pair as did Minerva and Albus.

"I am glad that you aren't dead!" she finally said.

Albus looked up at her hopefully. That must mean that she still cared for him and that meant a lot because there might be a chance of him winning her back. It felt good to be back in the cottage with her. It nearly felt like being back home again, apart from the coolness radiating off Minerva.

"So am I," he admitted. "There was a point when I thought I wasn't going to make it."

"You say you were taken to a hospital," she began. "How did you get there? I searched every hospital in the United Kingdom and then spoke with each and every one of them who had someone who fit your description."

"I was told that I found by two hikers," he explained. "They took to me to the St Wilfred's and I recovered slowly there."

Minerva looked at Albus. She had been to St Wilfred's more than a dozen times. It was the nearest place to where they found Grindelwald's body. They had told her each time that they could not help but they would contact her immediately if they did. She had finally taken their word but now she found out that they were withholding information from her. They had seen the state she was in, the crying she had been doing and still they had refused to help her.

"Why did they say that they hadn't been treating you?" she asked.

"I asked for no visitors," answered Albus. "I was in a right mess and I didn't want anyone to see me like that, especially not you."

"Did they tell you that I had come?" she questioned.

"No," he replied "I suppose they felt that it might upset me if I heard about you and it might have interfered with my rehabilitation"

"I could have helped you," she argued, her tone of voice rising slightly. "You might have recovered quicker with your loved ones around."

"I didn't want you to see me like that," he told her. "I didn't want you to feel obligated to me."

Minerva bit her lip to hold back from yelling at him. She knew it would not get them very far but she did feel like it. It was pent up frustration that was making it hard for Minerva to keep her cool.

"I think that was for me to decide whether I would have stayed or left," she said. "You took the decision out of my hands without consulting me."

"I know what you would have done Minerva," he said softly. "What kind of life would that have been?"

Minerva had to look deep down inside of herself to answer his question. She had grown up watching her mother nurse her father through the last stages of his life. Her mother had said it had been hard work but she loved her husband and a smile from him was worth all the hard work.

"I would have been with the man I loved Albus," she answered. "That was the only life I had wanted."

"It is easy to say that!" he said.

"NO, its not!" she answered through gritted teeth. "You only thought about yourself and how you didn't want people to see what you had become. You failed to realize that you were still Albus Dumbledore, the man I loved and adored. I mourned for you! Just this morning I had to think about arranging your funeral. Couldn't you have at least picked up a quill and wrote me a simple note?"

"I know you are angry!"

Minerva's nostrils flared as she stood up and walked over to the fireplace. She looked at the picture of them together that took the most prominent place on the mantelpiece. They were standing together, his arm wrapped around her waist and they were both smiling brightly. They looked so happy in the picture and they had so much to look forward to in their future together. How could he have been so selfish?

"You have no idea what I am feeling Albus Dumbledore," she snapped. "How dare you try to even presume what I have gone through while you lying in bed covered in self pity?"

Albus placed his head in his hands and sighed. It was true that he had no idea how she was feeling but he wished she would see it from his point of view. He knew that she wouldn't be able to, just like he couldn't see if from her point of view.

"I realize what I did was wrong Minerva," he told her as he moved to stand beside her. "I came back to try and work things out. To say I'm sorry for the pain I have caused my loved ones. To try to make it up to people."

Minerva turned to look at him and smiled slightly at him. He was still the man she loved desperately and she wanted to hold him but something was holding her back. It was the pain he had caused her. She loved him more than words could express but was her heart willing to give him another go?

"I have been devastated by this Albus," she told him.

"I know you have Minerva but I want to fix things."

"I don't know," she said as she began to walk away from him. "I just don't know!"

"Please Tabby!" he pleaded, his hands clenched together in a begging gesture.

"It can't be fixed overnight Albus," she answered. " I need some time. Please give me some space!"

Albus nodded sadly. He would give her the space she needed and he wouldn't pester her. He loved her and wanted to be with her but he didn't want to force it. She needed time to heal and think things over.

To be continued