Family Matters

It had been two weeks since Hallie had discovered the news of her pregnancy. Within that time a lot had happened: Maura had gotten married, Hallie had helped rescue Khaat Lupin and she had decided to keep her baby. It was the latter that had resulted in Hallie finding herself in a secluded room upstairs in the Leak Cauldron. Hopefully Theodore would attend. Friday, seven o clock, room 3B. That's what her note had said. There wasn't any other details as the trainee auror felt that what she needed to say couldn't be put into a letter, besides for these types of conversation they were best spoken aloud.

The room was a rather old one as Hallie didn't intend to stay the night she'd simply booked the room as a private place to talk. Away from Toby and not in Theodore's house. It was neutral ground. The bed was a single, the sheets fresh and a mint humbug had been placed by the pillow as a sign of welcome. A desk, accompanied by a wooden chair, looked out onto the not-so-busy street of Diagon Alley - granted it was five to seven and most people would be home from work or kicking their feet up and enjoying time with the family. At least that is what Hallie envisioned herself to be doing this time in ten years.

Perhaps in ten years there would be another child on the scene, hopefully her and Theodore would be living happily - unlikely given their track record for arguments but Hallie remained hopeful. Amelia would come to visit once a month and on birthdays, easter, halloween and Christmas whilst Toby would be the playful uncle who'd teach them how to get up to mischief and irritate her month.

Hallie's thoughts were punctured by a light rasp at the door. Gosh. He was here.


'Come in.' Hallie called, turning her gaze from the cobbled alley to the wooden door across the room.

When angry with a woman, the last thing Theodore wanted to be was at her beck and call. He loathed being the one out of the cycle and forced to break back into the race with a helping hand. He wanted to be the one setting the pace. He wanted to be the one in charge. He wanted to dominate, to decide, to reign. He wasn’t his father, though, and that was a fact he reminded himself of quite frequently whenever he got like this. The fact that he wasn’t his father was what brought him to the Leaky Cauldron in the first place. The fact that he was still angry, though, made him have a shot of Dutch courage before he went upstairs.

Punctuality was about all Theodore had going for him at this point in time. He didn’t know why Hallie wanted to see him. He’d made it his personal business to take the nights looking after the Half-Breeds. He’d taken up the gauntlet and had started to help Cael in the miniature hospital that had been set up and he was aiding the transformations of the Werewolves, trying to make it as easy and as painless as possible in the build-up and in the aftermath. He wanted to do something for himself, by himself. He kept himself busy for the sake of not seeing Hallie. He slept in his own home – or sometimes in Eli’s. He’d bunked on Cael’s couch and prevented the elder man from getting attention from Rivah. He’d avoided her like the plague – now he was coming back at her call.

Needless to say, Theodore was feeling particularly rotten by this point.

Once he was admitted, Theodore opened the door and closed it behind him. He stayed beside it for he fully intended on leaving as soon as Hallie said her piece and he his. He wanted to take back everything he’d said and bury the romance. He’d tried to speak to Cael about it but he felt more and more ridiculous as time wore on. He couldn’t be in the same room as her now – especially not if it was about what he could well imagine it was about. She’d gotten rid of their child. Theodore would’ve liked to have said he didn’t care, that he’d sired a dozen illegitimate children he doted upon, but he didn’t. He couldn’t. He was surprised this one was his – simply because it had never been an option.

“What?” Theodore ground out, eager to start the proceedings because as soon as they started, the sooner they were over.

He'd arrived. Theodore looked well, at least that's what Hallie saw, which was a relief. Where he'd been staying or what he had been doing Hallie didn't know, hopefully she'd find out. Hopefully Theodore would forgive her and they'd head off home together. Although in all honesty the chances of that happening Hallie couldn't guess.

When Hallie first heard of the marriage law she had initially been frustrated. Being an ex-Gryffindor with a knack of landing into dangerous situations Hallie was annoyed that her future had been mapped. The day she had signed the papers to the marriage law the blonde had thought her life was over. She was adventurous, she enjoyed not knowing what was happening it kept her going but six months ago Hallie feared that had come to an end. Marriage. Children. Retire. That was the plan she had predicted, granted she was right but Hallie was just as much wrong as she was right. Nobody knew what the future held. Sure that was her path but how she travelled down the path was a complete mystery.

'Nice to see you to.' Hallie responded in a blunt fashion. Perhaps they wouldn't be running off home together after all. Not waiting for Theodore to reply or edge closer in the room Hallie continued. 'I'm sorry for what I said I just needed time to process everything and for a while I thought I'd figured everything out but then-' 

Hallie paused. She was starting to ramble. Her Tongue had almost gone on to tell the tale of holding Khaat Lupin's babies, going to her house. She'd sworn never to tell her story of what happened that day. People could wonder, which they most likely would considering she was mentioned in the Daily Prophet, but they would never know.

'-But then I realised that I can't give up our baby. I want to be an auror, I want to be one of the best but I also want a family. I want us to be a family again.' 

With that Her blue eyes gravitated towards the chocolate pools of her husband. She didn't move closer nor did she take her gaze away. Hopefully all Theodore needed to do was look into her eyes to feel how apologetic and honest she was. 

“Excuse me if I don’t believe you,” Theodore spat, unable to stop himself. “You’re not particularly convincing. If that’s all, I’m ready to go.”

Theodore didn’t even know why he’d bothered turning up. He’d half hoped for the u-turn but now he’d gotten it, he was no longer interested. He wanted a part in his child’s life but the point was that he was still angry. Livid, in actual fact. He adored children. He loved the idea of being a father. What he abhorred was his own incapability on that front. What he abhorred was the fact that he nearly couldn’t have a family because Hallie had waned to put an ephemeral career first. That, he loathed more than anything else. He wanted the family but what he didn’t want was for Hallie to make the decision just because he was annoyed.

What was bizarrely ironic was the fact that Theodore had been at the little soiree to save Khaat Lupin. He’d been detached of course, surrounded by the other Rookwoods who hadn’t made a point to hang around for long. They didn’t care. He still didn’t. He wouldn’t be able to appreciate Hallie’s point of view on that front. Regardless, he didn’t want to listen to her point of view at all. He just wanted to go back to Cael’s, get drunk and go to sleep. In the morning he’d get up, go and babysit Millie and teach for a few hours before going back to Cael’s, rinse and repeat.

“I’m not interested in playing this game with you, okay? If that’s it, I’m going. I’ll believe it when I see it. Are there any other bulletins I need to know about? Is Toby now a tap-dancing prostitute? Has your mother died her hair green? If not, I’m off.”

The bubble of hoped imploded into irritated embers that were starting to spark and flicker within Hallie. How could anybody be so rude, so ignorant that she could actually have a heart. Hallie thought Theodore knew her, she'd thought he would have taken her seriously, ran into her arms and began to think about all the wonderful memories that they'd have together.

'Why would I lie about this?' Hallie spat back, 'What would I achieve by pretending to have your baby? Do you think I think you're stupid? Do you think that in eight months I'd just pretend to have a baby somehow?' The anger from Theodore's sharp tongue had come from nowhere, perhaps it was a Motherly instinct to protect her children. It may have not been Theodore's intentions but to Hallie he was ignoring their child, casting him (or her) aside.

'And now you're leaving? How noble of you to walk away from your wife and child.' Perhaps that last comment wasn't necessary but he'd píssed her off and she wanted to bite him right back. If she had kept her cool maybe Hallie would have mentioned she would be throwing her prosthesis aside, planning to undergo excruciating pain to regrow her leg for him and their child. If he was leaving why would he need to know?

“I’m not a Gryffindor,” Theodore assured Hallie shrilly. “There’s nothing noble about me, dearie.”

Theodore wanted a cigarette. Sure, he had other things on his plate but he wanted a cigarette – not to mention a bottle of Ogden’s. Wait, no, a bucket to put his head in. Then another cigarette, maybe. He didn’t need this. He didn’t need the pressure or the abuse. He wanted Hallie out of his system. He didn’t need the games, the stress, or the pain. All he’d ever wanted was an easy life. He’d gotten it, to be sure, but he hadn’t really wanted to work too hard at getting over the hurdles. A low, slow build up and then rolling over top would’ve suited him just fine but he was being forced to hurtle towards them and he had to launch himself over. He was done with that. He also didn’t believe she really wanted the baby. Not after all of that.

“You’ve really done a number on me, Hallie, you know that? I don’t believe you. I can’t. All I can hear in my ears is you saying you don’t want it. That you’d rather have the career. I can’t get that out of my head, alright? So excuse me if I can’t stand here and take what you say at face value. I just can’t, okay? I can’t. I don’t know how.”

Theodore sighed and rubbed his hand across his face, wishing all the while that he’d chosen things better – namely, in this instance, his words.

“I’m not leaving my child.” He told her calmly. “But I don’t trust you right now. So, excuse me if I need a bit of time.”

It all came back down to their houses didn't it. Gryffindor and Slytherin were destined to clash as they had done countless times in history. Godric against Salazar, Potter against Riddle and evidently it was now Hallie against Theodore. The only difference was that there lovers quarrel didn't carry the same magnitude that the other examples did. Nobody was going to die over this, hopefully, and nobody was going to leave... Or perhaps one of them would?

Thankful that Theodore was speaking in a more calm manner Hallie sighed. How did she land herself in this situation again. Ever since the pair had got together all they'd done was fall out, fall in love, fall out, fall in love. Theodore wasn't the only one who was sick of it Hallie was too and she was darn annoyed that even after giving in to her husbands desires they were still rooted in the 'fall out' part of the cycle.

'Well...' Hallie thought for a moment, turning her back to her husband to gaze out of the window at the cobbled street below where an elderly witch was taking her grandson in flourish and blotts. 'I guess I'll have to show you then.' Hallie said, finally finding the words she had been searching for.

'In nine months I'll have our child and if you still want to be a part of his or her life then so be it but don't expect me to welcome you back with open arms.' Hallie hoped Theodore hadn't heard the crack in her voice as she bit the inside of her gums to fight back the tears.

'We can't keep doing this. We can't keep fighting and then running back to each other.'

(ooc: sorry it's not my best)

Theodore knew this was ridiculous. Beyond ridiculous, now. She was preaching to the converted – only the converted still had the roots of the heretical religion. He didn’t want to give. He just didn’t know how. What was there to explain? This was never the way he had been told he was going to deal with his marriage. He was going to have a nice calm woman who was going to be content to stay at home and spend his money and have tea with her friends. That’s what he’d planned for. That’s all he’d ever wanted.

For the hard work, for the uphill battle and, quite frankly, for the sex, he’d take a mistress. He’d work in Hogwarts, sit on the Wizengamot and he’d live out his life content – even more so once he finally did away with his brother. He’d have a brood of sons with his wife and his real family with his mistress. That was the way it was going to go. He’d die in bed with the mistress and that’d be it, that’d be the end. That was the way he’d always imagined it. This was so different. He didn’t know how to be a proper husband.

“Hallie, c’mon,” Theodore murmured, throwing out his hands. “I want to be a dad, okay? I do. That you don’t ever have to dispute.”

Theodore stepped forward and thought twice about going to get her. But, he couldn’t stop himself. He crossed the room and pulled her into his embrace, burying his head in the soft fragrance of her hair.

“Merlin Hallie, I’m sorry,” he murmured, pressing a kiss at the juncture where her neck joined to her shoulder. He had to bow. He had to be the bigger man in some manner or another. He had to build the bridge.

Theodore pulled away after a moment but lingered to brush a kiss against her forehead.

“So you’re sure about this, are you?” He asked, softly, brushing a lock of her hair behind her ear. “You’re going to bring a Rookwood into the world? Another one of the devil’s disciples?” Theodore chuckled. “We’re not all bad really but … I shouldn’t have flipped before. Shouldn’t have been going nuts at you just now. It’s a big ask. I’m an arsehole. But hey, I’m not going to let you on your lonesome, okay? I might be beyond miffed… so angry I’ve come full circle and I don’t even care anymore, but I’m still your husband and you are still my wife and this is certainly a for worse situation and it’s going to get better… I’m here. Whatever. Alright? So, we’ll work on this, okay?”

The blonde hadn't expected it, she had expected a sigh from Theodore or her to reflect the questio right back, maybe suggest they call the entire marriage off. Instead it was refreshing, comforting. The past few weeks she had felt alone. Her Mother was at Hogwarts, Maura was busy reaching her due date, she hadn't made any 'friends' at work and Toby was off doing his own thing. Yet it hadn't been any of those she had wanted.

Hallie allowed her head to sink against Theodore's chest as she felt his warmth. For that moment in time she wanted him forever, simply to be content, happy in his arms. Already she had lost too many people in her life. Her Father, Toby once, Henry, the odd friend here or there. She couldn't lose Theodore, at time she got mad maybe even pushed him away in fear she would get too attached and lose him but now it was beyond walking away. She wanted him, she wanted it to stay and was afraid she would lose him.

His words were sincere, appreciated. He'd never know how much the words from his lips mean't to Hallie and no amount of telling him could illustrate that. Instead Hallie, slightly teary, pulled out from the embrace and looked him in the eye.

'Thank you.' Two words. Hallie was emotionally drained, the past year had been emotionally exhausting from watching Maura being mutilated, to the mugging and then the marriage. Surely it was time for her to turn the card of luck or whatever.

It had taken Hallie a while to understood but now, now she fully understand Theodore's proposal. It was a do-over, a mark of a new era, a positive one. She would ask if her acceptance was too late but really they didn't need a wedding, sure it would be a nice symbol to embark upon their new path but it wasn't needed.

'I love you.' She said, taking hold of her husbands hand. 'I'm going to do whatever I can to make things better. I'm going to regrow my leg, do extra hours and try and complete my training before I'm too far along. I want you. I want the baby. I want this.'

(ooc: If that is too cheesy/soppy then I'm not sorry)

‘I love you’ was the purest thing a woman could ever say. For Theodore, the words sounded like music when spoken as quietly as his wife uttered them. It made his stomach turn with guilt in a way that he doubted his father’s ever had. Theodore had often heard his mother cry and worse still he’d listened to the tears of his aunts and that of his cousins-in-law. The women of the Rookwood family were precious yet thrown about as though they were commodities that could be replaced as easily as they were lost. If they were truly valued, there would not be a multitude of mistresses hanging about the manor in Sligo. If the Rookwood women were valued, there would be no need for any of the hardship they faced. But it was in the men to treat them as they did. As Theodore looked at Hallie, he realised that all he’d ever done to her was the same thing he’d watched his father do to his mother and he’d loathed that man ever since he’d realised what Thaddeus was doing to her.

“Hallie I’m so sorry,” he whispered fervently, sinking to his knees before her. “God, I don’t deserve you, you know that? I don’t want you to do any of that unless you’re sure. I was wrong before. I’ve just been so wrong this whole time and I don’t know how I’m going to make it up to you.”

Theodore sighed, resting his head against her stomach, his fingers coming across her lower back. He did love this woman. Whether he’d damned himself or not, he loved her. He’d been so angry before. Regardless of his feelings he’d felt trapped and he didn’t know what to do with them or with himself and he’d struck out and hurt everything that he held dear to him. It hadn’t felt like a marriage before. Merlin knew he hadn’t put in the effort. He’d wanted to be different but he’d failed. He’d been the Rookwood he was always going to be. He slunk off and found himself women to warm his bed. He didn’t forget what he perceived as birth right – the allowance of mistresses. He bedded his father’s, making the old man even more livid at him than he was already, and he’d done the same with his brother’s fiancée. All of that and he still managed to simultaneously fall in love with Hallie. He supposed what he’d done was to take himself out of himself, to hide and believe that he was still at liberty – certainly, indeed, at liberty to take cheap shots at his family members. He hadn’t valued her. He was no different from the rest of them.

“Hallie,” Theodore lifted his head. “All I want is for us to work. And I need… Merlin. I need to marry you again. We can get divorced with a flourish and then remarry if you like,” he paused to shake his head, chuckling a little to himself, before going on, “I just … I need to feel like this is it and it wasn’t it when the Ministry forced us into this and I’ve been a shit and I haven’t kept my word, alright? I’ll admit it, I haven’t. I’ve not been good to you. But I was just livid and frustrated and I was a child and I know that’s not a good enough reason but, Hal, I’m still a child and a shit and I’m always frustrated and annoyed but I want to marry you,” he took hold of her hands, shaking them to make his point. “I want to do this properly. I want a do-over, I really do. I want you to want angry, frustrated, childish… stupid me and I want to give you everything I should’ve. Because I didn’t before and I need to make this all up to you. Sod the leg. Sod everything unless you want it. I’ll build a house on the moon for us if you want. I just… I want this and I don’t think I ever realised quite how much until… until I realised we could actually be a family. Proper… a proper family and I… I’m bloody terrified but I want to do things right this time, if you’ll have me.”