A/N: Well…thought I'd try writing George's PoV seeing as how he is one of the main characters in the story. Or he's supposed to be anyway…SO! Let me know what you think…I've only written from a bloke's PoV once before & it wasn't my most shining moment…if you think I should lay off, please let me know & the rest of the story will be told by Katie only. However, if you do like George's PoV, you should know that most of the story is going to be through Katie's eyes anyway. He'll just come in every few chapters or when I feel like I need him to. So definitely let me know & please read & review this chapter…

XXX

George picked at the steak on his plate listlessly. He was barely aware of his surroundings; he knew that his parents were sitting across from him, watching him nervously, and that he was currently eating dinner in Armando's Diner. The only reason he knew his location was because he remembered Katie's description of it the day after she had gone to lunch here with Wood. He knew that his parents were springing a lot of money to take him here tonight and he felt guilty for not speaking more, but he was very tired having stayed up all night at St. Mungo's, and his relationship with his parents seemed awkward at the best.

"How is your food, dear?" Molly pressed, looking at him kindly.

"S'alright," George said, forcing himself to swallow a bit of the steak. "Thanks a lot," he added, slightly off-hand. Molly looked at him worriedly and exchanged glances with her husband.

Arthur cleared his throat. "How are you feeling, son?" he asked, in what he clearly believed to be a casual sounding voice.

"I'm okay," George answered. "Bit tired."

"I'll bet you were, up all night at the hospital!" Molly cooed. "That was such a nice thing of you to do, dear. Staying with Katie when she was so upset over Michael."

George just shrugged. He figured that if it had been him, he would have wanted Katie to stay…

"How is Michael doing then, George?" his father asked, trying to make conversation.

His son frowned slightly. "They think he's going to be okay…" George trailed off. He wasn't exactly sure how Michael Bell was coping because he hadn't gotten a chance to talk to Katie about it, but he had overheard her telling Oliver Wood that he had woken up from a coma and appeared to be recovering just fine. George wasn't sure what had made him leave that morning; he just had. It was something about the way that Wood looked at Katie that had made George feel out of place. He'd looked at her with real, sincere concern and the ability to help. George couldn't offer that. He would have probably ended up in another of his famous breakdowns; that definitely wasn't something Katie had needed just then. And so, he had Apparated to The Burrow due to a lack of other places to be. His parents had fussed over him just as he had predicted, Percy avoided him as usual, and it was left to Ron and Ginny to treat George with any degree of normalcy. Ron had tried to talk about the shop, but he looked nervous, and Ginny was kind, but busy packing for her final year at Hogwarts. It was in this state of things that George had agreed to let his parents take him out for dinner after having a good, long sleep in his and Fred's old bedroom.

"Oh, that's good to hear," Molly said absent-mindedly. "It will certainly take a load off of Andromeda's mind! She's been so worried about him…"

Molly trailed off, trying to keep from tearing up at the thought of her own son whom he hadn't been able to reclaim. She took hold of George's hand in her weakness, but her son avoided her direct gaze. He had a pretty good idea of what she was looking for, and didn't want to meet her eyes when she did.

It was probably paranoia, George told himself, that made him think that his mother was searching his face for a glimpse of her dead son. On particularly bad days, George could even convince himself that she was looking at him as though desperately hoping to find that Fred had indeed survived and that it was George who had been crushed under the castle wall, and that she along with the rest of the world had simply gotten the twins mixed up for the millionth time. This was ridiculous, he knew, but he couldn't prevent the thoughts from entering his brain.

His father was a different story altogether. Seeming to notice what his wife was doing, Arthur Weasley would often try very pointedly to behave the opposite way. He attempted to show his son that he was very aware of who he was and that he wasn't put off by his appearance by staring at him constantly. This, coupled with his father's use of his name, "George", at the end of every sentence directed at him, unnerved George slightly.

"And good for Katie, too," Arthur put in. "She'll need her older brother right now, don't you think, George?"

George nodded. "Yeah," he muttered. "Yeah, she'll be really glad he's back…er…she is really glad to have him back."

George knew that his parents sensed the dependence with which he relied on Katie, and that they were trying to use this attachment as leverage to make him talk about something, but he found that he didn't have much to say. Yes, Katie had grown very important to him over the past couple of months, but he wasn't sure he could explain to his parents why that was without making them feel guilty and even more anxious about their behavior toward him. The truth was that George had come to rely on Katie because he felt that she was the only person who could come close to understanding what he had lost along with Fred. Sure, she and his twin brother had shared a different kind of bond than the one George had shared with him, but the bond was there nonetheless. She had some grasp of the feelings that were overwhelming him day and night, and when she looked at him, George felt that she truly saw him. Not Fred, but him. Katie, who had more of a right to search his face for his twin's than anyone else, always looked at George to find George. And this in itself was a comfort to him. Ginny was capable of looking at him this way as well, but it was somehow different with Katie. George couldn't put his finger on what that difference was, but it didn't matter. He didn't need to sort out how he felt about Katie. She was there, and that was all he needed to know.

"That's wonderful," Arthur said, but it almost felt hollow. George knew that his father was more concerned about how he was feeling, and wished to cross over to this subject as soon as possible. "So how are you feeling about tomorrow, son? Excited? Nervous? Maybe both?"

George considered this. The project which had so engrossed him over the past month was about to be executed, starting tomorrow.

"Both," he answered decidedly. "I'm glad that the shop's finally going to be open again, but I'm a little nervous about how—well, how people will treat me, I guess."

Arthur nodded his head perceptively while his wife cried, "Oh, Georgie!" and took his hand in both of hers for what felt like the fiftieth time that evening.

"Everyone's going to treat you splendidly, I'm sure," Molly said fervently. "And if they don't, they'll have me to answer to!"

George brushed his mother off carefully. "That's not what I mean, Mum," he said dully, letting his voice trail off.

Arthur considered his son. "You mean how people will treat you as the surviving twin?" he asked delicately.

Surprised at his father's perceptiveness, George looked up. "Exactly," he said. "I mean, everything's going to feel wrong. It's going to be awkward if they ask about Fred, but it's almost worse when they don't. When they avoid all mention of his name and treat me like nothing's happened at all, it's…horrible…"

Arthur Weasley just nodded. He put his hand on his son's shoulder. "I have every confidence in you, George," he said simply. George actually smiled slightly at this.

"Thanks," he said, surprising himself that he seemed to mean it.

"Everything is going to be wonderful, dear," Molly added, smiling through watery eyes. George attempted to return the gesture, though it was slightly strained. He had yet to learn how to deal with his mother's worries without joking about them or simply shrugging them off. This time, he chose to joke.

"Mum, when you're there, everything's wonderful," he said, summoning up all the cheekiness he could muster.

Molly blushed and waved her hand aside. "Oh, George, why do you have to be like that?" she laughed, coloring, but George could tell she was rather pleased. He patted her hand and smiled at her.

"Because, Mother," he returned. "You're top notch. Everyone knows that."

"Well let's see if I can't try to squeeze in baking an extra layered cake tomorrow, shall we?" Molly hummed happily, apparently pleased that she had a role in the reopening of her son's store. She was baking way more food than was necessary, but as it made her happy, George didn't protest. "Did you ask Katie to bring that wonderful boysenberry pie of hers?" she asked, continuing on in the vein of refreshments.

"Er…" George paused, considering how to keep his friend's secret that she was actually a dreadful cook without lying to his mum. "I've told her to take the day off," he said honestly. "She's been up at the shop so much after work helping to set up that I didn't think it was fair to ask her to do anything for the kick-off."

"Oh," said Molly, surprised. "Well, alright then. I suppose that's fair..."

"Ron's more than excited to help," Arthur put out, aiding his son. "And Lee will be there as well, right, son?"

"For most of the day," George answered. "But he's cutting out a bit early, as he's got himself a date for the evening…"

"Oh, really?" Molly asked, slightly put out. "And what gave him the idea to do that?"

George shrugged. "Probably because Angelina Johnson's bringing some bloke she met at a bar. Wants to make it even, you know."

"Are a lot of people bringing dates to your kick off?" pressed Mrs. Weasley.

"I dunno, maybe." George seemed indifferent about it, but Molly apparently felt differently.

"So Ron's bringing Hermione, I expect. And that will leave Ginny with Harry…" George wasn't sure why his mother was musing about this, but it was giving her something to preoccupy herself with and he didn't interrupt her.

"George, why don't you ask someone, darling?"

George looked up in shock. "What?" he asked, confused. "Why?"

"Well it is your night," she said fondly. "And you're going to be wonderful. Why, if everyone else has them, why don't you get a date as well?"

George frowned. "But who would I ask?" he questioned. He was less than enthusiastic about this idea. The thought of having to worry about someone else's happiness seemed a bit overwhelming at the moment. He would let his mother discover that there was no one he could reasonably ask and then the subject would be dropped.

As Molly sat musing, however, Arthur came up with an idea. "Why not ask Katie?" he put out.

Both George and his mother looked at him in surprise.

"Katie?" George repeated.

"Why not?" Arthur asked, looking from his wife to his son. "She'll be having a rather rough time of it as well, I imagine. It would be nice if you two spent the evening together."

"Oh yes," Molly now agreed, seeing where her husband was going. "She's a good friend to you, and you would both be there to support each other if you need it. You could even pop 'round for a nightcap later, if you wanted."

George stared at each of his parents, very puzzled. Why did they want Katie to be his date? She would be there anyway. They were probably worried about his feelings, seeing as how the rest of his mates would be in couples. It honestly didn't matter to him, however. He told his parents this.

"It might matter to Katie," Arthur put in. "Come on, George, don't you think it would be nice to know that you were watching out for each other? You might even have fun."

"I dunno…" George said, frowning slightly as he pictured himself asking Katie to be his date to his own kick-off. Even in his head, he appeared stupid. "I feel like every time I try to comfort her, she ends up comforting me. I can't imagine how it'd be on a date…Besides, she and Fred…"

"You two are just friends," Molly pressed. "I don't see why it should matter."

"Yeah…" George agreed, nodding at the table cloth. "Yeah, I'll do it. Just as soon as we're done with dinner, I'll go over. In fact…where is the waiter?"

The Weasleys smiled at one another as they watched their son stand up to claim the bill that none of them were yet ready for.

"At least we've got him excited about something," Arthur commented to his wife.

"Yes," agreed Molly. "It should take each of their attention off themselves and onto the other. It will be perfect."

XXX

"Where're you going, George?" Lee asked from his bed in the small flat above Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. He was chewing lazily on the end of a Fizzing Whizbee and watching his friend peer uncomfortably into the mirror.

"Going to see Katie," George answered vaguely. He was attempting to tame his unruly long hair without success. He looked at his reflection and fidgeted. He brushed a couple of crumbs off of the patterned button-up he had grabbed from the back of his closet and tugged on a tuft of hair, making sure that it covered the hole where his ear used to be. He was unsure of why he was so conscious of his appearance when he was just going to see Katie, but rather wished that Ginny had been there to help him pick out his clothes.

"Oh yeah," Lee said, suddenly remembering. "She came by to see you this afternoon. Wanted to know how you were. Say…what are you dressed up for?"

"I'm not dressed up," George answered uncomfortably. "I'm wearing jeans and a button-up."

"Yeah, but the jeans don't have holes and your shirt isn't wrinkled," Lee returned. "For you, that's dressed up."

George scowled, running his hand through his hair and flopping down next to his friend. "Well, to be completely honest, I'm about to go ask her if she wants to go with me to the kick-off tomorrow night."

Lee frowned, confused. "Go with you?" he asked. "But she's already coming…she said she would from the beginning."

"No, you daft prat," George growled. "Go with me. Like as in a date?"

"Ohhh," Lee said, understanding finally dawning on him. "What made you pick Kates? I thought for sure you'd go for Alicia…especially after all this going on between her and Wood. You sure you want her?"

George shrugged. "Well, yeah," he said. "Look, Lee, it's not a romantic thing, it's just…I trust her, I guess. I trust that she'll be there if I need her tomorrow night, and I want to make sure she's okay. After all those Daily Prophet articles about us, there's bound to be reporters coming, and I just want to make sure…well. That we're there for each other, I guess."

"How sweet," Lee said, cupping his hands and holding them by his face, batting his eyelashes several times. "Looking out for one another!"

"Knock it off, Jordan," growled George. "You know what I mean."

"Yeah, I do," Lee replied, abandoning his playfulness. "I think it's a good idea. And just so you know, mate? I'm here, too." He offered his hand, but George just rolled his eyes.

"Right, Lee," he said sarcastically. "Like I don't know that you're going to spend most of the evening snogging whatever girl agreed to be your date in front of Angelina."

"Hey!"

XXX

George shifted his weight from one foot to the other for what seemed like the thousandth time, and stared up at Katie's apartment building. He couldn't understand why he felt so apprehensive about what he was about to do. The only thing he could liken it to was how he had felt before asking her to the Yule Ball in their sixth year after Fred had pulled the stunt of asking Angelina to be his date. But the reason he had been nervous then and the reason he was nervous now couldn't possibly be the same. He had gotten over those feelings a long time ago.

George took a deep breath and swore to himself that whatever embarrassing thing he might resort to, he would not fall into Fred's old habit of rehearsing his "lines" beforehand. He had always thought Fred seemed a bit of an idiot for doing this. Besides, Katie had seemed to develop an uncanny ability to tell when Fred had practiced his apologies or declarations of love and wrote them off as insincere because of it. No, whatever he said would be completely off the cuff.

Wanting to delay the moment of his sure awkwardness, George suddenly took a left turn and disappeared into the communal gardens. He found that going for walks relaxed him lately, and hoped that this would work tonight as well. Walking through the trees, bushes, and flowers, George reflected on his childhood. Whenever he and Fred were behaving particularly badly, their father had taken them out of the house to spell his wife and led the twins on various paths through the tiny village of Ottery St. Catchpole. These walks were meant to calm them down and help them mellow out, and they often worked, but not until an entire hour had gone by. George would always whine and beg to know where they were headed. It had tortured him to walk somewhere without a destination. Fred, on the other hand, had never seemed to mind this. George laughed to himself, remembering how his twin brother ran forward with enthusiasm, up for anything that might greet him. It had been one of those seemingly imperceptible differences that only a few who had known them both were able to comprehend.

Feeling a little weak in the knees at this memory, George sat himself down on a small stone wall that held in multiple kinds of flowers. He set his head in his hands and breathed out slowly.

"Is that why the war never seemed to bother you?" he whispered to the brother who had not been alive for almost a quarter of a year. "Because no one knew how it was going to end? You always thought it was so exciting…it made me excited, too. But I think I was right on one point, bro. If we had known the destination, we never would have headed there."

He paused. "Well…you probably would have. I dunno if I would…I dunno much about myself anymore. In a way, that's almost what I miss the most, Fred. I miss you, but I really miss who I was when I was with you. I dunno who just George is."

Tears began to blur his vision and he was about to Apparate back home when something caught his eye that reminded him of what he was doing there in the first place. To his right, a sunflower bobbed gently in the breeze. George turned to look at it, remembering that Katie had once remarked off-hand that sunflowers were her favorite, and that they sometimes could cheer her up when nothing else could. He touched one of the petals, letting his fingers run down the stalk. Katie. That's who he was here for. Not himself.

Gathering as much courage as he could then muster, George plucked the flower from the earth and severed the end of the stalk off with his wand. He observed it. It was always a nice gesture to bring flowers to a girl, wasn't it? They had at least always seemed to get the most out of Alicia. He snickered at this, remembering his mad-cap school days with the blonde girl. Things were so much easier then.

He shook it off, and turned around to climb the stairs up to Katie's flat on the third floor. "Well…here goes," he said, preparing to knock on the bright red door.

Something caught his eye, however, and he stopped short. George backed up and peered cautiously through the front window. Yes, there had been someone moving in there who was decidedly not Katie Bell. It was Oliver Wood. From his vantage point, George could see Wood preparing something at the counter while Katie flicked through various channels on the WWN, a small frown on her face.

"Oliver, I don't know what you want to listen to." It was muffled, but George could still make it out.

Wood shouted something back, but it was out of earshot. George wasn't sure what made him do it, but he pulled an Extendable Ear out of his jacket and slipped the end underneath Katie's front door.

"What?" Katie asked, now clearly audible.

"I said see if you can find Serena Salmander!" the Scottish brogue returned in a teasing way. Both of them laughed. Must have been an inside joke.

Katie finally settled on something George didn't recognize and Wood walked over to her small kitchen table, laying down what appeared to be two grilled cheese sandwiches. Katie laughed. "This is your fine cooking?" she asked.

Wood pretended to look hurt. "Don't insult it," he mourned. "It's family recipe."

"Must have taken them years to come up with that one," Katie grinned, rolling her eyes. Her fringe fell in front of her eyes and she brushed it away. George frowned, upset that he seemed to find that attractive.

Katie bit into her sandwich and looked surprised. Then she laughed. "Oliver!" she cried. "This tastes like porridge!"

Wood smirked. "Sorry, Kates. Here, take mine."

He handed her his uneaten sandwich and Katie spit this one out as well. "Earwax?" she said incredulously. "Oh, Ol, you've got a terrible sense of humor…"

He laughed. "Sorry," he said. "Just a bit of fun. Here, let me go get the real ones…"

Wood disappeared into the kitchen and George shifted. He wasn't sure what he was doing out here on the porch, spying on his best friend and old quidditch captain. They were just having dinner; he could easily walk in, ask to see Katie, and get done what he came here for. He twirled the sunflower between his fingers, contemplating this. Something kept him rooted to the spot, however, and upon Wood's return, he knew that asking Katie to be his date tomorrow night wasn't going to happen.

"Katie," Wood said, a little more seriously as he reentered and sat back down at the table.

"Yeah?" she asked thickly through a bit of sandwich which apparently tasted normal.

"I don't want to upset you, or go back on my word to stop asking you out," he began awkwardly. Katie lowered the sandwich and George could feel himself tense up. "But your grandpa said it might be good for me to take you to dinner before George's thing tomorrow night…"

Katie's eyebrows knotted together and Wood hurried on. "I mean, if you don't want to, I completely understand…I wouldn't have even thought to ask if he hadn't brought it up. You know, it doesn't even have to be a date if you don't want it to be. I'll just dress up and pay for your meal, and pick you up here at six."

He grinned playfully at her, and Katie laughed lightly. Leave, George thought to himself. Leave now. You don't want to be here for this.

"Grandpa Artemus did mention you might be asking…" she said. By the look on her face, George could tell that she was trying to work something out in her mind. He could feel his stomach sinking.

"I know how important it is for you to be there for George," Oliver said, serious now. George frowned at this. What did Wood think he was? Some kind of invalid? "And you will be there…just…as my date. Hopefully. If you agree."

Katie seemed to take a deep breath and then nodded. "Yes, alright then," she said quietly. Wood's grin seemed to stretch from ear to ear. Miserable git still has both ears, George thought ridiculously. He turned around; he didn't need to see any more. He yanked his Extendable Ear from underneath the front door and shoved it back into his jacket pocket. He stared at the flower in his hand disgustedly and dropped in front of the door. He should have known better than to think Katie would prefer being his date over Wood's. So much for that.

Back down at the base of the apartment building, George sunk against the wall and set his head into his hands. He couldn't explain the tears that came flooding out of his eyes, but he thought that maybe he didn't want to. The only thing he wanted was Fred back. That was it. That was all he'd ever wanted from the moment his twin brother had died, and every additional thing that went wrong seemed to rip the wound back open, leaving it as fresh as it had ever been.

XXX

After Oliver left that night, Katie walked out of her door to clear her head. She had just committed to going on a date, the first one since Fred. Almost three months, and she was already dating again? She felt ashamed of herself, though she had to admit that it was mainly for her grandfather's sake that she had agreed. She just hoped George would be okay with it. She sighed and slid against her front door. Had she done the right thing? Her hand suddenly met something light and soft. Looking down curiously, she discovered that it was the petal of a sunflower. Katie picked up the flower and gazed at it, amazed. It had to have been Oliver. Katie warmed. The simple gesture of leaving her favorite flower on her porch endeared him to her enormously. Maybe she had done the right thing after all.

XXX

"George, it's just a date," Alicia said sympathetically as the red-head paced the floor of the back room in Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. "That's all! Just one!"

When George had Apparated back to the shop after his disastrous attempt at asking Katie out, he had found Lee there with Angelina and Alicia. The three of them were exchanging furtive glances and looking at George nervously.

"But it's only been two and a half months!" George blurted ridiculously. "How can she date already?! And how could that git have thought to ask her on one?!"

"You were going to ask her, too, mate," Lee pointed out calmly.

"That's different!" George shouted, causing the girls to stare. "Sorry," he muttered to them. "But honestly, you guys, I was asking as her friend. Wood's been on her tail from the beginning!"

"Fancying someone's not a crime, George," Angelina said gently. "Besides, he really does seem to care about her…"

Alicia and Lee nodded, much to his chagrin.

"But you don't understand," he almost pleaded. "I just…"

He sighed, sinking down into the couch next to Lee. "I just wanted her to go with me," he finished, muttering. He felt ridiculous and wished that his friends wouldn't exchange glances like they were doing. Alicia finally got up from off of the floor and went to sit next to him.

"George," she said kindly, placing her hand on his. "I think it's really sweet that you want to look out for Katie tomorrow night. Really. But you've got to understand…Oliver, well he's…"

"Happy," Angelina finished for her friend, gazing at George anxiously. "Really, George, it's nothing against you, but you're hurting just as badly as Katie is. Worse, actually. And what Katie needs right now is someone who can cheer her up, help her remember how to enjoy life again…you're a great friend to her, but I just think Oliver is what Katie needs right now." She shrugged and Alicia frowned, patting George on the back.

George sighed, rubbing his face with the heels of his hands. "Lee?" he asked finally.

Lee looked uncomfortable. "You know I love ya, mate," he said, shrugging. "But I'm afraid I've got to agree with the girls on this one…"

George nodded. "Yeah, okay…I'll just—er—go with Alicia then, I guess. You don't have a date, right?"

His ex-girlfriend looked heartbroken. "Oh, George," she said sadly. "I'd love to be your date, but I've already agreed to go with someone else…"

"What?" Angelina asked suddenly. "But you never date!"

Alicia scowled. "I do so," she protested. "And he asked me, so what d'you say to that?"

George smiled, attempting to joke it off. "He wouldn't be one of your patients from the mental ward, would he?"

Everyone laughed, but Alicia colored.

"What?" Lee cried. "He is?"

"Well he's not from the mental ward obviously…" Alicia said uncomfortably. "But he is one of my patients…"

"Well who is it, then?"

"Michael Bell," Alicia muttered, gazing into an obscure corner of the room.

"Michael Bell?!" Angelina said incredulously. "Katie's brother??"

"Yeah," Alicia said, suddenly defensive. "He heard about George's shop reopening from his mum and got permission to go just the one night from the Head Healer, and then he asked me to go with him." She looked around defiantly. "So there," she added, rather childishly.

Her three friends seemed speechless.

"Well there you go," George said finally. "I guess I'll be the only one going single then."

"Oh knock it off, George," Angelina said, rolling her eyes. "I'll be your date."

George raised an eyebrow. "But I thought you already had a date…"

She shrugged. "I'll tell Barry I've changed my mind," she said easily.

"What?!" Lee shouted incredulously. "You'll drop Barry from the Bar for George, but not for me?"

"I wouldn't drop Marcus Flint for you, Lee," she said disgustedly. "So how about it, George? Want to go with me?"

George shrugged, feeling a tiny bit better. "Why not?"

XXX

George lay in his bed that night without sleeping. He could hear Ron snoring and Lee mumbling incoherent phrases about Angelina, but it was neither of those things that was keeping him awake; it was Katie. Or thinking about her, rather…she was not currently in his flat making noise, although he rather wished she were.

George sighed and turned over in his bed for the thousandth time. He was still annoyed that Wood had beaten him to asking Katie to the kick-off, but he was more annoyed at himself for allowing himself to be annoyed. There was really no reason he ought to feel this way. As her friend, he ought to be happy for Katie, if anything. Maybe not so much happy that she was dating again, but that she would have someone who, according to Angelina and Alicia, she "needed right now".

George frowned at this. Why couldn't Katie need him? The way that he needed her? He felt rather ashamed of this dependence on his dead twin brother's fiancée, but now that it was out in the open to him he couldn't very well ignore it. He didn't want anyone else to disrupt the relationship they had founded; Katie had come so far over the past month. He didn't want Oliver to break her heart and give her even more pain to deal with.

George figured that more than anything, it was fierce protectiveness for Katie which made him feel the way that he did. He wasn't sure why; he had no right to claim her, but the truth was that he now felt like she belonged to him. She was his Katie to look after now that Fred was gone. He wanted to keep her to himself and make sure that no one could hurt her before she got her feet back on the ground, though according to his friends, he was not the right person to do this because of his own situation.

The red-head was well aware that to do so would be unfair to Katie. George would suffocate her, the way he feared he was suffocating Lee. He didn't want her to feel like she had become his pseudo-Fred. He blinked back the tears that were threatening to fall onto his pillowcase. It wasn't his fault that he didn't know how to be his own person. It was Fred's fault. That bastard Fred who had become not only his twin brother, but his best friend; his shadow and his partner-in-crime. That bastard Fred who had run off without looking where he was going, without a destination in mind. That bastard Fred who had gone off and died. The bastard who had left him all on his own, trying to sort out what to do with his half-life.

George could no longer deal with these thoughts. Everything led back to his brother. He got out of bed and ambled over to the bathroom where he extracted a potion for instant sleep from his medicine cabinet. His mother had brewed it for him herself, but had warned him to try not to become too dependent on it. George fell back into his bed, his head spinning into the instant REM cycle.

He had resorted to this potion every night but two since Fred had died.

XXX

I know you hate me right now for being so cruel to poor George, but please try not to…also, I'm afraid that the next few chapters will be like these past few, in that it will take a lot of them to cover a very short span of time. Things will progress normally again soon, however. Promise. Cheers, KJ.