(no subject)

[clumsy_auror]

Nymphadora slips back into Bernard's hospital room, slightly more at ease now that she's gotten an update from his Healer. "Going as well as could be expected," he'd said, and assured the witch that her husband would be allowed to go home in a few days, perhaps a week.

She closes the door quietly after her, just in case Sunny's still asleep.

Comments

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

He chuckles despite himself. "You're veering dangerously close to 'I'm fine' territory. You know how that vexes me."

[clumsy_auror]

"I know." A breath. "I'm sorry. I'm trying."

And she is, sort of. But then again, really not. Because sometimes it's easier to just keep it all contained.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

Anthony grabs ahold of Mummy's finger and takes a good chomp.

Mmm. Mummy.

Bernard half-smiles, his eyes flickering between them. "So you're just gonna bottle it up until I'm well enough to provoke you into an outburst, is that it?

[clumsy_auror]

"Ow. Geez, Anthony. Um. Yeah, might do."

She tries to keep her voice light, and fails, somewhat.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

"Nymphadora..." he begins warningly.

[clumsy_auror]

"Please, I can't," the witch replies, her voice breaking, almost pleading. "You're hurt and your parents are here and it's all a bit overwhelming for them, and the kids are--"

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

He twitches, clearly longing to haul her into his arms. "Shhhh, wait. All I'm saying is that you have got to be careful when you do things like this. You've made yourself sick before over less. So if you feel like you can't use me as a pressure valve," at this, he winces, because he wants her to use him, injuries and all, "you find someone you can unload on. Okay?"

[clumsy_auror]

Nymphadora keeps talking, almost like she didn't hear him.

She did, though.

"--It's just that I don't know what to do, everything's a mess and it's over but it's not, at all, and I d-don't know how to make it so that we're all right again--"

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

Anthony starts to wibble, a little, because Mummy's sad, and, and, and Mummy isn't supposed to be sad, and--

Bernard interrupts her, his voice as strong as he can make it. "Nymphadora. It's not your job to make everything right."

[clumsy_auror]

The words come choking out. "Yes't is. Otherwise I dunno what to do with myself. 've gotta go find Crowley, and Aziraphael, and make them talk to each other and to us b'cause they're both so bloody thick--"

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

"Has it never occurred to you that maybe you need a fucking break from taking care of everybody at once? Nymphadora, you just fought a war, and I don't even know what you guys went through down there, but if it was anything like that little bit we experienced on the ramparts and in the hallway, I think I'm a lot more worried about you than I am about anyone else right now."

[clumsy_auror]

And all she can do is shake her head, because it's too much, too much to think about or talk about, just now.

The tears, however, are flowing freely, and her hand fists in the blankets over his chest.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

He takes another breath. Anthony's openly whimpering.

"Put my arm around you. I can't."

[clumsy_auror]

She complies, her hand shaking, and tries to soothe Anthony. "Shhh, s-sweetheart. You're all right."

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

It hurts to pull her closer, but he does it anyway, and presses a kiss to the crown of her head.

"I love you. Mom and Dad'll be back soon. Between myself and the two of them, we can handle the kids." The implication is clear.

[clumsy_auror]

Her eyelids are so heavy. So very heavy.

"Love you, too," she mumbles, struggling to keep watching Anthony. But Bernard feels so good, and so warm, and so much like home that, without another thought, Nymphadora falls into a dead sleep.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

And at that, Bernard lets out a heaving, shaky breath, and buries his face in her hair, more relieved than he can express.

Anthony wiggles on Bernard's chest, then manages to grab a handful of Mummy's hair. SUCCESS. VICTORY. ALL THAT.

He is pacified.

Bernard turns his head to smile at his son, then rubs Sunny's back. She slept through it, thank God.

When Kathleen and Dude return, both with coffee, and both exclaiming over the-- the persons they saw in the halls, and did you know there are people who can turn into animals? -- Bernard is the only one awake. He looks over at them with a soft smile, and they smile back, and take their places by the bed.

Watching over.

Because that's what you do, when you're family.