THE DARK TOWER, UNPLOTTABLE
The following evening

Lucius stood frozen in the flickering light of the torch-lit room, his casual stance contrasting the wild racing of his heart.

Winning had meant they were safe. They were supposed to be safe.

Even, he frowned as the thought crossed his mind, when he had to save the boy from himself.

Lucius met his master's gaze and then nodded. "My lord." The words were uttered with feigned reverence. There had been a time when he had idolized the dark lord, but his master's continued slip into madness grated on his sensibilities. Somewhere between the first war and the turbulent times they found themselves, he had lost his enthusiasm for the dark lord's company. He grit his teeth (in private) each time he thought about having to kneel down before the crazed shell of a man.

Of everything, Lucius revered himself, his family, and his wealth. And power. He valued intelligence and knowledge, the ability to make quick decisions, no matter how difficult they were.

He was faced with such a decision now.

It was the goddess's knowing smile that tipped him off.

"You are required, young Mr. Malfoy." The dark lord was addressing Draco, his serpentine eyes never once cutting over to Lucius.

Draco must have sensed something was wrong as well because his grey eyes met Lucius's across the short distance that separated them.

In that moment, a montage of images of Draco growing up flashed before Lucius's eyes, and Lucius stepped forward, gesturing to his son to remain where he was with the lift of his hand. "There's no need, my lord. I'll go."

Draco looked from him to their master with growing distress in his eyes. Always with his heart on his sleeve! Lucius thought. He gave an internal sigh for what had to be the millionth time. Would the boy never learn?

Lucius inclined his head to Jeh, meeting her smiling eyes with an indifferent and regal nod.

"So be it." Voldemort turned with a flourish of his robes.

Draco made to follow, but his father's parting glance stopped him in his tracks. Grey eyes met grey and, despite everything, despite how much he loathed his father most of the time, how much he loathed his father this very second, worry burned like a white hot poker in his stomach.


NEAR GAIRLOCH, THE HIGHLANDS, SCOTLAND
Continued

Leaning back against the rough bark of an ancient tree, Sam stared up at the stars, trying to clear her head. She wasn't sure what time it was, but it was late.

Too many thoughts wanted to crowd in when perpetual hunger wasn't lingering in the forefront of her mind. She'd never thought she would miss that hollow emptiness.

It was too easy, really, for her thoughts to travel down paths that were supposed to be blocked. With a loud huff of a sigh, she hopped out of the low-hanging branch of the tree she had climbed up in and headed towards the cabin. Maybe something in the kitchen could take her mind off of things.

The pantry revealed leftovers under Stasis, but she gravitated instead towards a jar of mayonnaise and a banana. Cutting off a few slices of bread from the homemade loaf she found in the larder, she made a sandwich. Not bothering to put anything up, Sam hopped up on the worktop by the sink and took a large bite and closed her eyes.

It was gross, but, despite herself, she laughed and took another bite.


"What're you doing, Dad?"

He chuckled. "Eating, Sammie, what does it look like?"

"Ugh, you're disgusting."

He leaned towards her over the counter, an obnoxious grin on his face, and took a huge bite. "If God made anything better, he kept it for Himself."

Her face was a perfect blend of revulsion and repressed laughter.

He laughed loudly and, finishing his banana-mayo sandwich in one huge bite, he then pounced, ruffling her hair and dodging her elbow to his ribs.


The echo of her dad's laugh faded away, leaving a heavy knot of pain in her stomach. Sam hopped down and finished her sandwich in a single bite, then wiped her mouth off with her arm and left the kitchen. She barely made it down the hall and to the bedroom she was sharing with Beth before the tears started. Stupid, stupid. A few days off the street and she was already falling to pieces. Sam tried not to make any noise as she pulled back the quilt on the twin bed furthest from where Beth and Toot were sleeping and climbed in, pulling the blanket tight around her.

Sam held herself rigidly, not even allowing her shoulders to shake, and stared at the dark wall as the bitter tears bled out. You can't think about the past, you idiot, she chided herself, trying to push the emotions back. A few tense minutes later, Sam startled when she felt someone tiny climbing up into bed with her. "Toot, go away," she whispered, and froze when he clambered easily over her side and sat as close as he could manage, his little face peering down at her.

"Sammy," he whispered, "i's 'kay, i's 'kay now." He burrowed under the quilt and laid down beside her, his chubby hand reaching out to rest upon her wet cheek.

Sam tried to scowl at his serious little face, but she didn't quite manage it. "You're supposed to be sleeping," she whispered.

"Shhhhh," Toot whispered, imitating Beth, no doubt, "shhhhh. I here now. You go sleep, Sammy. I watch."

Sam smiled, relieved to find she felt better. "Stop channeling Beth, you little turkey, and go to sleep."

Toot brought his hand up and signaled with one finger at his mouth for her to be quiet. "Shhhhh," he said again, giving her his own version of her scowl, and closed his eyes, snuggling into the pillow and her side.

Sam caught herself before she laughed out loud, and then she sighed, closing her own eyes.

Sam woke a few hours later to the sounds of Beth and Toot's laughter in the bathroom across the hall. Like always, she went from asleep to wide awake in the second it took her to open her eyes. Pushing the quilt down, she climbed out of bed and stretched her arms out and up as far as she could reach, and held the pose, stretching her back for several seconds, then she bounced on her toes rapidly for a minute.

Beth poked her head around the open door. "Hey, you're awake. Hurry up, we're going to help with breakfast."

Sam raised an eyebrow. "Help with breakfast?" Her tone was doubtful, very doubtful.

Beth quirked her own eyebrow. "Yes, oh-stubborn-one, and yes, I do insist." Beth bumped the door open with her hip, her arms full with Toot, who was playing with her loose hair. "It won't kill you to scramble an egg."

"It might," Sam replied, snorting, then uttered a melodramatic sigh. "If it does, and I'm not convinced it won't, I'll haunt you and Toot until you're appropriately sorry. Which will take forever, knowing you guys." She poked and tickled Toot under his double chin, and couldn't help chuckling in return when he let out a hearty belly laugh.

Molly poked her head in the open door. "Good morning, dearies." Sam immediately stopped smiling and a neutral expression fell back into place. "I wondered if Toot here might like to help me make pancakes? Animal pancakes are still my specialty. What's your favorite animal, little one?"

Tootie leaped out of Beth's arms and started doing an odd dance, screeching and making ooo ooooooo ooo! sounds with a great deal too much enthusiasm. "Oh, here he goes." Beth weaved around Tootie. "Here, here. Stop monkeying around, you silly goose."

He immediately stopped impersonating a monkey and tilted his head, bouncing on his toes. "Not a goose," he assured her before starting up his dance again, scratching under his arms.

Sam grabbed Tootie up and lifted him into the air, then tucked him under her arm and hauled him out of the room on her hip, much like how one might carry around a very large, very wiggly football. "Toot, behave yourself, you little hooligan." All she got in return of her stern voice was a chorus of giggles and continued monkey sounds.

When they made it to the kitchen, Sam deposited him on the counter and told him to shush.

"No monkey have manners," he told her quite clearly, grinning up at her scowling face.

"No, no, you see, now you're a little man, and little men must behave. At least until they've had their breakfast."


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