When Sebastian and Ominis returned home, they told me that Justus would be setting up a patrol on our old home to see if the invaders would try to show up again and catch us coming home. We were "ordered" not to return until this was all over.
I sighed. I never did take orders well.
Sebastian was almost worse than Justus. He didn't want me to leave the house at all. I bucked against that.
"We've discussed this, Seb. I can't just hide away..." I tried to protest.
"And that was logical before people were actively coming after you! And our children! You need to stay here. At least until we figure this out or come up with our next move."
"But I can take care..."
"NO! Rachel. Don't argue with me about this! I can't... I can't worry about you. All the time. I need to know you're safe. I need to know they're safe." He ran his hands through his hair, like he always did when he was frustrated. "We're done discussing this."
And with that, he went straight upstairs and slammed his door.
"Rach. It's a good idea to stay here for at least a little while. Until we can figure out what's going on or who's behind it. We all want you and the twins to be safe. Don't worry, we'll figure this out." Omi said softly and put a reassuring hand on my shoulder.
I tried to smile his way. I didn't want Anne and Omi to see me cry or know how upset I was at Seb. "Thanks, Omi. And thank you both for having us. I'll do my best not to be inconvenient for you both."
"Nonsense, Rachel. You're family. Stay as long as you want." Anne said firmly.
I fed the twins and let them play with their toy wands on the floor for a while. I skipped dinner. And so did Sebastian. He hadn't reappeared. Anne and Omi ate in silence at the table. Anne got up to start clearing and I stopped her.
"Please. Let me. You two go enjoy each other's company. I need something to stay busy anyway." I said as I rose from the chair and started cleaning up the table.
"Ok. Thanks, Rachel. Omi? Would you like to take a walk?" Anne extended her hand to him and he took it. They went out the door, closing it gently behind them. I was left with the dishes and children who were playing on the floor.
As I cleaned up, I realized this was my new role. Housewife. Taking care of the children. Cleaning up after everyone. Staying home all day while the others went off to their careers to provide for all of us. Not that I didn't love my children. Or that there was anything wrong with being a housewife! It just wasn't me.... how had I been reduced to a prisoner of my home. And not even in my own home!
I had always been so proud that I provided myself with my own home; I bought it. I did. Just a short while ago, I was a fully self-sufficient woman, out on my own. And now... I couldn't even go shopping alone. Sebastian had laid down the law.
A small part of me knew it was only temporary and it was for our own good. To keep us safe. But I bristled at being treated as delicate and needing protection. As if I couldn't take care of myself or my own children. I sighed deeply.
"Can I help?" Sebastian's soft, melodic voice sounded from behind me.
"You can put them away when I'm done, if you like." I answered him, not turning around but continuing my work.
His strong arms snaked around my waist from behind me and he placed his chin on my shoulder. "I'm sorry for yelling. I'm just scared." He said softly into my ear.
"I know. Me too. I just hate the idea of being trapped here all the time. I'll go stir crazy, Seb! I will."
"I know, I know. You're not the type to sit back and let others handle your business. I just... I can't risk it. I can't risk my family.... I just can't... " He pulled away from me, running his hands through his hair again.
"So, I'm just supposed to sit back and let everyone run around the world while I stay home and do what? Twiddle my thumbs?" I was getting worked up just thinking about it.
"It's not permanent, love. But can't you see what a target you are by yourself? Yes, you can take care of yourself but if someone's coming after you, all they would have to do is threaten the children and you'd be so distracted to save them, you could die yourself, or they would get hurt in the process or any number of scenarios! It's just too dangerous! We can't risk it!" He was worked up, too.
I exhaled roughly. "So, what do I do?"
"I don't think we have a choice... we're here. In this position. Because someone is threatening you and the children. And until we can expose them and figure this all out... there isn't any choice... you must stay here." His brow furrowed. I knew he hated to tell me this. He knew how hard it would be for me.
"Ok. I agree. Under duress, of course. I'm highly protesting." I sighed. "But I get it. And I wouldn't want anyone worrying... so, I'll stay here." I turned around to continue cleaning up. Hot tears were prickling the back of my eyes.
"Love. Forget the dishes for now. Can I please hold you?" He begged. I could hear the turmoil in his voice. I turned around slowly and he closed the gap between us, grasping me by the waist and lifting me up onto his toes.
He buried his face in my neck and inhaled deeply. When he exhaled, it was almost like I could feel the relief washing over him. I, on the other hand, was tense. I hated every. Single. Part of this.
But I wanted to comfort my husband, so I wrapped my arms around his neck, tangling my fingers in his hair.
"I love you, Rachel. I love you so much. If anything ever happened to you..." He whispered into my shoulder.
"I know. I know." I stroked his soft hair and let him hold me for as long as he wanted.
--
The twins were sleeping peacefully in the bassinette that Seb had brought from the house. I had stowed their carriage in the closet. I cried when I did it, not knowing how long it would be before we could actually use it again to stroll the streets of Hogsmeade together.
Seb was just starting to stir next to me as the early morning sun was streaming through the window. I sighed. I hadn't slept. I laid there all night trying to come up with ways to end my newfound imprisonment and possibly catch whoever was after me.
I had made a mental list, or tried to, of all the people that knew of my powers and my children and who might want to take advantage of that. I had no solid leads.
"Good morning, my beautiful wife." Seb's thick, sleepy voice called next to me.
I tried to put on a happy face and turned his way to greet him back. "Good morning, Seb. Did you sleep well?" I asked him.
"Yes, I think so. Like a rock apparently. How about you, love?"
"Oh, fine." I said, not making eye contact with him. He reached over and pulled me close to him.
"Mmmm. The best way to start my day is to have my wife in my arms."
I smiled but I didn't feel the connection I usually felt. I was in a deep hole of depression already and it was only day one of my new incarceration.
He leaned down and pressed his warm lips to mine. He moaned softly against my lips. HIs hands started to move over my body and I could feel him getting hard between us.
I was not in the mood. For the first time ever, I didn't want to have sex with him. I just didn't.
I pulled away from the kiss and turned to get out of bed. "Time to start the day, I suppose. Can I run you a bath?" I asked, feigning like I didn't know he was wanting something else.
"Um, sure. Are you joining me?" He smirked.
"Oh, no. I should go warm up some milk. The twins will be awake soon."
He sighed and rolled over into the pillow, grunting loudly. Strangely, I took pleasure in denying him. I was really feeling so resentful of my new role.
I threw my robe on and went to the washroom. I ran his bath for him and while I waited for the tub to fill, I splashed my face and threw my hair up on top of my head.
I sighed looking at myself. The bags under my eyes were becoming a permanent fixture. And I just didn't care anymore.
I went back into the bedroom. "Your bath is ready. Would you like breakfast before work?"
"Sure." He said, looking confused.
"Ok." I smiled gently at him and went downstairs to warm up bottles and see what there was for cooking. It wasn't my own kitchen so I wasn't exactly sure where everything was, but I knew it wouldn't take long to find out.
After giving the twins their bottles, I went back downstairs and baked muffins, boiled a kettle for tea and fried sausages for everyone.
"Wow, Rach. Thank you for breakfast." Omi said as he came downstairs.
"It's nothing. Anne had everything I needed. Plus, she's the one that taught me to bake so all the credit goes to her."
She entered just as I was finishing giving her accolades. "What am I taking credit for?"
"Oh. My muffins!" I pushed the basket her way and a cup of tea with a splash of milk, just the way she liked it.
"Wow! Thank you." She said and I smiled at her.
"Mmmm. Something smells good." Seb entered last and came over to me. He bent down to kiss me and I gave him my cheek.
"Yes, thank you. Anne's recipe, you know. Eat up." I put a muffin in his hand and went upstairs to fetch the children.
They were fussing. I went over and looked into the bassinette. They were holding hands but Junior's free hand was on his ear and Charlotte only seemed to be picking up his distress and relaying it to me.
"Oh, no, Junior. Do you have another infection?" I picked him up and held him to my chest. He put his little hand to my cheek.
Hurts. He told me. "Yes, yes, baby, I know. Let's get you a dropper of medicine, hmm?" I went to the washroom and looked in the cupboard. Nothing. I searched the cabinets and the wardrobe in the bedroom. No Wiggenweld.
"There's no way we're out!" I was getting angry. I couldn't leave the house and my child needed medicine.
I took Junior downstairs. "Could someone run to J. Pippins for me before you all scatter to your jobs? Junior has another ear infection. I need Wiggenweld." Just then Junior cried out loudly and put his hand to my cheek. Hurts! "Please hurry. He's in pain." I said firmly.
Seb wiped his mouth from breakfast and got up quickly. "I'll go." He walked over to us and kissed my forehead while putting a gentle hand on Junior's head. "It's ok, Baz. I'll be back quickly." He kissed his forehead too. "I'll hurry. He's got a fever."
He bustled out the door so fast, I barely blinked and the door shut.
Junior wailed in my arms the entire time he was gone. Which wasn't long at all. He rushed right over to me and dropped a few drops down his throat quickly. Junior whimpered a few times and then shut his eyes.
"Thank you, Seb." And I turned to take Junior back upstairs.
"I got you extra. I'll... just lay it here. On the table." I heard him call to my back as I went upstairs.
Charlotte was holding herself up in the bassinette, as if she were awaiting her brother's return.
"It's ok, Charlotte. He's here. He's ok." I said to her, brushing her dark locks away from her sweet face. The moment I laid him down, she clutched his hand and smiled at me. They were really connecting and going to be a lot for me to manage. But I now had so much time to figure that out with them. I smiled back at her.
I entered the washroom and started to clean up and dress for the day.
"Hey. Is everything ok?" Seb asked me from the doorway.
"Yes. Of course. Just starting my day. I don't like that Junior's sick... but Mrs. Jones warned us we'd have to deal with this. Is this his third or fourth infection?" I said as I pulled my hair down and started brushing it vigorously.
"Fourth. He gets one about every month. Maybe it will slow down a little as he grows."
I sighed. I also worried because he was not growing. At least, not as quickly as Charlotte was. He ate less. He was smaller.
"You're doing an amazing job, love. Don't stress yourself."
I didn't reply. I WAS stressed. I was GOING to be stressed. It was unavoidable.
"Well... I'm... off to work."
"I'll come down. Say goodbye to everyone." I said as I finished braiding my hair down my back. I turned and tried to give him a soft smile. I knew he knew I wasn't happy. And I knew he wasn't either. But what could we do?
I went downstairs and Anne and Omi were throwing on their cloaks, hats and gloves. "I'll be back at lunchtime. If there isn't a rush at the store. Don't worry. I'm just down the street, Rach." Anne smiled warmly at me and hugged me.
"Thanks, Anne. Don't worry. We'll all be ok. Any lunch requests?" I asked, jokingly.
She laughed. "Whatever you do is fine, Rach. Love you all!" She blew me a kiss and went to the door.
"See you tonight, Rach. I know telling a new mother trapped at home not to worry is fruitless... but, please try not to. We'll figure this all out as quickly as we can." Omi kissed my cheeks and left with Anne.
"And then there were two." Seb said, coming close to me. He pulled me by the waist to hold me like he always did, on his toes.
"And soon, just one." I said a little bitterly.
He exhaled sharply. "I know how hard this is for you. I'm so sorry we don't have any other choice. It won't be long, love. I'm going to see what I can find out today. Be strong. Anything that's thrown at you, you beat it! You'll be fine, darling." He leaned down and kissed me sweetly.
I let myself feel comfort in his hold and his kiss. But it was hard. I was feeling resentful. And tired. And worried. My baby was sick on top of it all.
"Thanks. Now, off you go. Don't want to be late." I tried to genuinely smile at him. It wouldn't do to have everyone else worry as well. He needed to go to work and concentrate.
He left reluctantly. And just as he did, I could hear Junior's cry from upstairs. I sighed and made my way up the stairs.
--
Junior cried all day. I gave him regular doses of Wiggenweld that would only relieve him for an hour or so. Then he would start up. I held him, rocked him, and cooed as softly as I could at him. And yet, he wailed.
Hurts. He told me over and over through the connection. It broke my heart every time.
Charlotte sat on her blankie on the floor watching us and didn't make a peep all day. She even managed a small nap in between Junior's screeching.
When Anne came home for lunch, she tried to soothe him while I made us sandwiches.
"Shh, Baz, darling, it's ok. It will get better." She rocked him in her arms, but he still cried.
"Maybe you should owl Mrs. Jones." Anne said.
"I was thinking that too. I'll send Onyx after lunch."
Anne returned to work and I opened the front window calling for Onyx.
No sound. No wings. No hooting. Great. Perfect time to go hunting, Onyx.
I wonder... I bet I could apparate to Feldcroft and come back before anyone would even know...
I put coats and hats on the children, as well as myself and wrapped them tightly in a blanket together.
I opened the door and stepped outside.
There was a man, semi-sitting on the half wall at the end of the front door path. I thought he was just a resident taking in the wintry afternoon sun.
But as I shut the door and started forward, he turned and addressed me.
"Mrs. Sallow. You need to stay here. Please go back in the house."
"Excuse me? Who the hell are you?"
"Apologies, ma'am. I'm one of the guards your husband hired from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Until the culprit who ransacked your house is apprehended, we are to account for your safety."
"You've GOT to be fucking kidding me?!" I spat. "My child is ill. I need to take him to a Healer." I said through my clenched teeth as Junior wailed in my arms.
"I'm sorry, ma'am. You must stay here."
"Then why don't you make yourself fucking useful instead of holding up the wall and find someone to help me!" And I went back to the door, flung it open and slammed it shut behind me.
Hurts. Hurts hurts hurts. "I know Junior, baby, I know. But your loving father has other plans."
I set Charlotte down on her blanket and took off her coat and hat. I placed her rattle in her tiny fingers. "Play, darling. I'll take care of Junior."
I took him upstairs and gave him more Wiggenweld. Lots more. And I paced the entire house with him, upstairs and down, over and over, rocking him and singing to him, humming, crying.
I was losing it! If someone didn't come home soon to help me, I was going to bust through this door, curse the asshole outside and take my child to his Healer! Consequences be damned!
I finally broke down and gave Junior two drops of Sleeping Draught just to calm him. He had been wailing nonstop for an hour and a half. He closed his sweet, wet eyes and drifted off to sleep. As his head turned, I noticed not only pus in his ear, but there was blood, too.
"Fuck!" I screamed. He didn't even move. I clenched him to my chest, tightly and cried. I cried so hard for my poor, sick baby. He was absolutely miserable and so was I.
--
Charlotte was napping on her blanket by the fire. I was sitting in the chair, holding a restlessly sleeping Junior, with my head leaned back, eyes closed, trying to find respite. The house was still. Quiet. My anger had not ebbed. Every second that ticked by on the grandfather clock sent my teeth on edge. I hadn't made a thing for dinner.
It was almost six-thirty when the door opened, Seb and Omi laughing with each other at coming home at the same time. They took in the atmosphere of the room quickly.
I had Junior bundled already in anticipation for their arrival.
"Omi, watch Charlotte, please. Sebastian, take us to Mrs. Jones in Feldcroft. Right now."
I went to the door and threw it open.
He wrapped his arm around mine without a word and we apparated to Feldcroft.
"This way." He said, pointing ahead to a small, warm-looking cottage just on the edge of Feldcroft. He knocked twice and Mrs. Jones answered.
"Sallows! Wonderful to see you. Judging by your faces, this is not a social call."
"No, it's not." I said sternly. "Junior's ear infection is not going away with Wiggenweld. I left my Essence of Dittany at home and we're staying at Sebastian's sister's house. It's a long story... but I couldn't treat him all day. It's bleeding now. He's miserable."
During my speech, she showed us in and set Junior down on a small examination table she had set up in her main room. "Well, he seems calm now." she said softly.
My face flushed. "I'm not allowed to leave my home. I got desperate as he was screaming for hours straight and his ear was bleeding. I.... I ... broke down and gave him some Sleeping Draught." Tears streamed down my face at my shame.
"Relax, dear. There's nothing wrong with that. You gave him much needed rest. Let's take a look." She put her tool to his ear and "hmm-ed" a lot. Then she turned him and investigated the other ear and "aahh-ed."
"Well, I think with him asleep, we can risk the Dittany." She grabbed a dropper and sucked it up, dropping two drops into each of his ears.
He stirred and cried out but stayed asleep. A soft sizzling noise came from his head. Then she put some more Wiggenweld in a dropper and opened his slack mouth, squirting it in quickly and rubbing his throat.
She investigated his ears again. "They're better. It's not completely gone though. You can give him two more drops in each ear in about four hours. Repeat with Wiggenweld for pain. And relax. You're doing wonderfully. If he is so fussy he hasn't slept all day and won't quit crying, you do what you need to do as a mother. To not only help your child, but to keep your sanity, dear. Please don't fret about a couple of drops of Sleeping Draught. I've done worse with my own children and they've all turned out plenty healthy." She squeezed my hands tightly before wiping the tears from my face. "Now, I order you all to go home and rest." She smiled warmly.
I tucked Junior to my chest. "Thank you, Mrs. Jones. Thank you." I pocketed the Essence she gave me and the extra Wiggenweld and walked out of her home.
I apparated as quickly as I could without Sebastian, back to the house in Hogsmeade and went inside. I noticed that now he was "home" his guard dog was gone. I was pissed.
Omi was sitting in the chair playing "wands" with Charlotte. "Omi, can you help me out a little? Charlotte needs a bottle while I try to feed Junior so I can get them into bed."
"Of course, Rach. Is everything ok?"
"Yes. Junior's better but we're all exhausted."
Sebastian came bursting in the door. "Hey, why you didn't wait for me?"
"I only need you to leave not to come back, right Warden?" I spat at him.
"What's THAT supposed to mean?" He yelled at me.
"I'm talking about your GUARD you posted outside this house! Onyx was off hunting, my child was SUFFERING and I tried to get help. And COULDN'T. Because YOU decided, without telling me, to have someone watch this house so I couldn't leave. I. Am. Angry. And I can't talk to you about it right now because I have to take care of the children."
"Rachel, I only..."
"No." I turned around to him. Giving him a glare. I was done with this day and I did not want to talk any more about this. "I'm done talking about this right now."
I finished making the bottles and handed one to Omi who was still holding Charlotte. She eagerly grabbed the bottle from him and laid back in his arms to eat.
I took Junior upstairs and sat in the chair by the window. He was barely awake, eyes not even open but he was hungry as he hadn't really eaten all day. I fed him with my eyes closed, too. Once again, trying to find respite.
"Can we talk?" Seb asked from behind me.
"No. Not right now, please. I'm exhausted. And so is your son, who has been screaming all day in pain."
He sighed. "Can I at least hold him? I'll feed him. You take a break. Go have a bath."
I picked my head up and he was standing in front of me, his eyes pained, holding his arms out for his son.
"Ok. Thank you." I conceded as I handed Junior to him and we switched so he could sit and feed him.
"Hey, Baz. Feeling better?" He said softly to him. Junior didn't open his eyes but kept drinking his bottle.
I went straight to the washroom and drew a hot bath. As I sunk into it, I could hear Junior fussing and Seb's movements in the room. He knew what to do... I needed to trust that he would take care of him. So, I scrubbed myself clean and laid my head back to relax.
And after everyone was fed, washed, clothed and put to bed, I finally got to pour my exhausted self into bed. I crawled in and threw the blankets up over my head, drifting off to a deep sleep. My first day not allowed to leave the house was a complete failure.
--
--
So, what does everyone think? Is Seb justified in keeping Rach and the kids at home?
Thank you again, everyone, for loving this story and being so engaged with your reads and votes and especially your comments! They fuel me like no other so THANK YOU!