An hour into my first day, I knew this was going to be the job for me. The work was more interesting than my last job, it was more challenging, and it incorporated things that I had enjoyed reading about before. It was about history and protocol and quite frankly, being nosy. Which was exactly what I wanted out of a job.

Because Coco still met with her brother for lunch every day, I ended up going to lunch with Blaise. He wanted to take me to a nearby Steakhouse that was actually on the muggle side of town.

We headed over that way, getting seated fairly quickly.

"Lunch is on me," Blaise commented.

"There's no need-"

"It's a celebration, Nott. You are one step closer to getting out from under your father's control. Now if only we could get Alistair and Broderick to do the same."

"They will in their own time." I hoped they would anyway. "Also- Soon enough, it won't be Nott," I explained the Selwyn-Nott thing and waited, half expecting him to take the piss out of me.

"That makes sense." He admitted.

"I thought so." I nodded. "It will be nice for us to be able to start our own legacy."

The waiter came and took our orders, and we waited until he had walked away before continuing.

"Perhaps we will have a proper housewarming party when we move in." We still hadn't gotten the yes on the house but I could feel in my gut that we had this house, it was meant to be ours.

"One with just us and our friends or one with… everyone?"

"With the Fawleys you mean."

"I didn't say that," Blaise argued, giving me an annoyed look. I simply grinned back.

"You didn't have to. Every time they've come up either in conversation or in person, you freak out."

"I have never in my life 'freaked out' Nott… Selwyn-Nott… huh, guess we'll have to start calling you by your first name."

"You will." I agreed. "You'll get used to it," I promised. Blaise nodded and when the waiter came back with our food, I picked up my fork and knife. "Wait is that- Reid?"

Blaise nearly knocked his chair over turning to check. When he realized I was absolutely making fun of him, he looked ready to throw his drink- or steak knife- at me.

"That's not funny." He snapped as I laughed.

"It really was though."

"Your wife is rubbing off on you in a bad way- a very bad way."

"That one was all me and you know it," I argued. Blaise grumbled and started to cut into his steak. "Come on, tell me, what's so terrible about the Fawleys? I know when they left it sucked but- I thought everyone was on pretty okay terms."

"It's not- The Fawleys. At least not all of them."

"What do you mean not all of them?" I asked, quirking an eyebrow. Blaise sighed and glanced around as if someone we knew would pop up out of nowhere. We were in a muggle restaurant, chances of that happening were slim.

"I've been avoiding Reid."

"Why? You guys seemed to get along fine before they moved."

Blaise muttered something under his breath, something I couldn't really make out. I leaned in a little closer.

"Sorry, what?"

"I slept with her." I jerked back straight and nearly knocked my glass of water over.

"What?! When?!" The table next to ours glanced over, curious until my glares finally gave them the clue to mind their own business.

"After your engagement party."

"After my- that was- a while ago, And you didn't tell us? Did you tell Draco?"

"No, I didn't tell anyone, not even Draco."

"Wow, so- what happened?"

"I don't- I'm not- I don't want to talk about it." He finally managed to say. I made a face.

"Well that's not fun, I tell you all about my sex life."

"Yes, no one asked for that." Blaise pointed out. I shrugged one shoulder. Technically he was right, but I didn't care. "I'm going to eat before the steak gets cold."

And with that, both of us tucked into our meals without a second thought.

Back at the office, I finished getting everything settled in, the afternoon went by fairly quickly between meeting new co-workers and learning the ropes that came with my new job.

When it came time to leave for the day, I packed up my stuff and started for the door.

"Theodore? A word before you go?" I paused, turning back to look at my new boss.

"Yeah, of course." I agreed, I glanced at the time, Coco could wait a few minutes. She would understand.

My new boss, Marcus Crane, had greeted me that morning, but then I was handed over to the woman who showed me to my desk and we went over all the new person paperwork.

"I just wanted to check in and see how everything went."

"Smoothly. All the paperwork is finished and tomorrow I'm set to shadow Ms. Yannes." I quoted from what I had been told after lunch.

"Perfect." Mr Crane nodded. He was an older gentleman, his hair fully gray with a white goatee around his mouth. "I often find it- a red flag when someone transfers between departments so quickly- but the recommendation from Danworth was glowing.

I gave him a tight smile. I knew it was, the man didn't have a choice and I read it over myself, making sure that it was what I wanted. Everything he said about me was entirely true. He just had to do it under duress.

Mr. Crane continued to talk about the job and expectations and while I did give him- almost- all of my attention, there was one small part of my mind that was wandering to Coco, eventually, she'd probably just come up to my office to check on me.

"Alright, then I will see you tomorrow, Nott." Mr. Crane finished, holding out his hand.

"It's Selwyn-Nott." I corrected. I had written it on all of my paperwork, and with that, I shook his hand said goodbye, and hurried out.

I managed to hop on the elevator right before it descended and stepped out when it stopped, looking for my wife and I found- nothing.

"What?" I headed over to the spot where we had always met before, looking around the lobby. We hadn't technically agreed to meet here, but it was what we had done. I had no reason to think she would change up the routine.

I spun, thinking maybe she just- was waiting somewhere else but no luck.

"Alright," I muttered, heading for the Prophet office.

I went to her desk- shocked that I could actually see the top of it. But no Coco. I knocked on the door next to her desk,

"It better be important." Came the reply. I considered it important. I opened the door and stuck my head in.

"Are you holding my wife hostage?" I asked. Helene frowned, taking off her glasses.

"Not tonight no, she left about… fifteen minutes ago?"

"You're sure?"

"Very sure. What's going on?" Helene stood up from her desk- which was just as cluttered as Coco's.

"It's probably nothing- I went to meet her in the lobby and she's not there."

"Perhaps she went home without you?"

"No- well- maybe." It had been a couple of weeks where she just went straight home after work, without waiting for me so it was possible. I headed out and nearly ran headlong into Daphne. I instinctively grabbed her arms to keep her from stumbling back.

"Oh, my g- Are you okay?" Daphne asked. I let go when I was sure she'd be okay.

"Yes, I'm fine, are you-"

"I forgot to pick up some paperwork for the Minister." She waved a dismissive hand.

"Ah." I knew it was rude, but my eyes were still darting around the space behind Daphne, looking for signs of Coco.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing-"

"Theodore."

"Just looking for Coco."

"Oh, she's right over- there…" Daphne turned and pointed, her finger drooping when she realized the space where I had originally gone looking. "Well, she was there when I left." She frowned.

"She was here- waiting?"

"Yes," Daphne confirmed.

"Thanks, Daphne." I slipped past her and hurried back over towards the spot, something was wrong, something was very wrong, I could feel it in my chest.

If I had been a second later I would have missed it. The light hit just right the glint off the surface got my attention.

I headed over and knelt down- it was a ring. A very distinct ring.

My Wife's ring.

The unease in my chest spread through my whole body and I apparated home.

"Coco!" I shouted as soon as I popped in. I left my work bag abandoned in the front hall running up to the bedroom.

"Coco?!" I shoved the door open, running directly into her wardrobe, then into the bedroom, there was no sign of her.

"Cordelia?" I checked the secret room- the room where my mother's portrait was hidden. It was empty. From the room, I apparated to the Selwyn home.

I called her name, hurrying down the hall.

"Theodore?" I jumped, whirling, hoping beyond hope- but it wasn't Coco. It was Genevieve Selwyn, with Baz by her side.

"Is Coco here?" I asked.

"No, is she meant to be?"

"What did you do?" Baz tensed up.

"Nothing." I snapped. "I didn't do anything. Today was my first day in the new department. I went to meet up with her after work and She wasn't there but I found this." I held up the ring.

"Does this have to do with the bomb?"

"The what?" Genevieve reached out, gripping her son's arm.

"It's a long story that I will tell as soon as possible, I promise. And maybe." I answered Bastian. "Coco told you about that?"

"No. I happened to be with her when Harry Potter and Weasley came up to talk to her."

"Did they have any information?"

"No."

"I'm shocked." I rolled my eyes. "Okay- Okay." I took a deep breath and a step back, rubbing my temples, I needed to calm down- I needed to assess the situation.

My wife, who had been repeatedly threatened over the past few months, was missing. I had no idea who was behind the threats or who might have taken her or even if they were in fact the same person.

"Okay, so what do we do?"

"I don't know," I admitted.

"You go to the Aurors!" Genevieve insisted. Baz and I exchanged a glance and I was happy to see he seemed as skeptical of that idea as I did. "Boys." Genevieve sighed.

"Look- we are going to do what we can and if that produces nothing, The Aurors can be our last resort," I promised.

"Or, you go to the Aurors." Baz offered, talking to his mother. "I will go with Theodore and we will work on it ourselves, then it's double the manpower."

I made a face at having to work with the Aurors in any capacity, but I supposed as long as I didn't have to talk to them then maybe it would be okay. And Merlin help them if they got in my way.

"Fine." Genevieve sighed.

"Perfect" I paused, realizing I had no idea what to do next, and I hated that.

"Bastian, darling, do me a favor, run up to my room, and grab paper and pen for me." Genevieve waved him off.

"Seriously?" Baz sounded exasperated.

"Seriously, go, hurry." She insisted. Baz groaned but turned and ran out of the room. "Theodore."

I looked up at her, my chest felt tight again, and each breath hurt.

"I didn't protect her." Was all I could say. She stepped closer, her arms wrapping around me.

I didn't get a lot of hugs. My father was not a hug person, obviously, my friends occasionally did, but honestly, none of us were the most touchy-feely people. Genevieve wrapped her arms around me and- I melted into her touch. The dam in my heart threatened to burst as she held me.

"I didn't- I'm supposed to- I'm sorry." I couldn't make the words come out, full sentences becoming too difficult for me to force out. Genevieve pulled back, just a little, her hands coming up to cup my face.

'You're going to find her. You are going to find her and take care of whoever did this to her, Theodore. You can't prevent everything bad from happening, baby, but you can do this." She assured me.

I could feel the stinging of tears and I quickly pulled back before they could get to a point where they might fall. I hadn't cried since I was a child and I refused to start now.

"You love her?" Genevieve asked. I didn't even hesitate, I nodded. "Good. Then when you bring her back to me, I can tell her I told her so."

"Okay, here it is- you two had a moment without me didn't you?" Baz accused. I had my head tilted back to encourage the tears to drip back into my head- and my mother-in-law had the smuggest look on her face.

"We did, I'm sorry, baby, we will include you in the next one." She promised, taking the paper and pen from him. "Go get your sister."

I headed out and I could hear Baz hurrying behind me.

"Where are we going?" He asked.

"The Averys."

We got to the Avery Estate and I didn't waste any time. I ran up to Broderick's room with Bastian hot on my heels. I didn't bother knocking just pushing the door in.

"Broderick?"

The man in question was sitting at his desk. I could see the nearly empty bottle on his desk. Annoyance flashed through me like a hot poker. If he was too drunk to help me, to help Coco…

"Lovely to see you too, Nott." Broderick turned in his chair and quirked an eyebrow at me. "To what do I owe the pleasure."

"I need everything you have on Danworth."

"Theodore It's been like two days-"

"Coco's been taken."

"Taken?"

"Yes, Taken." I pulled the ring from my pocket and slammed it on the desk hard enough that the liquid left in his glass sloshed over the side.

"Payment?"

"It's Coco's Ring." Baz's eyes were wide.

"I found it on the ground at the ministry, she dropped it- it's obviously a sign-"

"That it needs to be refitted." Broderick's head lolled back. He reeked of bourbon. Of course.

I stepped back, taking the ring and I pulled my wand.

"Aguamenti." I snapped. The water spewed out of the tip of my wand, soaking Broderick immediately. He sputtered, falling back in his chair, toppling to the floor.

"What the fuck?!" He shouted after the water stopped and he was able to sit up.

"Coco was kidnapped, asshole. And I am sure that whoever did it is the person who left the notes and the package. I know you didn't have anything to do yesterday so what did you find out?"

Broderick glared at me but got up, pushing his wet hair out of his face and opening the drawer.

"Not much. I found out quite a bit about his history and the people he keeps close to. Of course, it's easy to find plenty out about his wife, she is an open book." He got up and went to- presumably, change into something dry.

"What is this?" Baz asked.

"Broderick has a talent for finding information. It was something that made him- useful- to the Dark Lord." Draco and Broderick had been the closest to the whole thing. My father didn't think I was worthy of joining, which was fine by me, and Alistair's father was worried about what his son might do if given free rein to attack whoever he wanted.

"Oh."

"He has a lot of connections from his job and- Yes." A minute or two later, Broderick walked out in dry clothes, grabbing a pile of letters from the table next to his door.

"You're welcome to look at what I have so far but it really isn't much." He righted his chair and plopped back down, opening the first letter. I glared at him and his lack of concern for my wife, grabbing the papers he had left on the edge of the desk.

Brody grabbed the glass and took a drink, tossing the letter over his shoulder. He opened the next one, reading over it- and it went over his shoulder as well.

The next one though- He actually put down the glass, sitting up straighter.

"Theodore?"

"Yes?"

"What do you know about a woman named Kaitlyn Rhodes?"

"Nothing. Who is that? Oh! Wait! Danworth's assistant?" I asked.

"Yes. AKA the other woman he was sleeping with." I dropped the papers and grabbed for the letter he was holding, but he pulled it back.

"I don't reveal my sources, but." He dug into the envelope and pulled a photograph of Danworth and very obviously Kaitlyn going into a hotel.

"The source says they are close to Delilah and she knows that they've been having this affair for years." He stressed.

"Wait! Do you have the notes?" I asked. Brody nodded and pointed to the pile I dropped. I dug through it until I found what I was looking for, the note that had been left on Coco's desk. It was hard to read the writing under the vile words but-

'We are deeply saddened by the misuse of the trunk and the poor muggle who had to have their memories wiped after falling in-'

"The statement!" I announced, getting nothing but confused looks in reply. "The statement- that Coco had been after for weeks. Kaitlyn gave it to her- and then did this. And I worked with her, so it would be easy for her to drop the note on my desk without anyone noticing her."

"Okay, so where would she take her?" Baz asked. "Where does she live?"

"Her own place would be too obvious. No, she wouldn't do that." I shook my head.

"Well, if it were me, I would want to take her to someplace that meant something to Danworth. If I'm going to kill my romantic rival, I'm going to make sure to sully the memory as well." Broderick commented.

"Coco is not her romantic rival."

"Perceived Rival." Brody rolled his eyes. "The point is, where is someplace that means a lot to Danworth- especially if it's Danworth and Coco's place."

It took me a moment to put the pieces together but when I did it was like a spark went off in my brain.

"The cottage!"

A/N - Sorry for the sudden vanishing. Things in my life got overwhelming and I didn't have the brain space to worry about fics but things are settling down a little and we are all good again!