Authors' note: Whoa….200 chapters! We can't believe it! We're thinking of changing the title to Neverending Dance …Thank you guys for keeping with us on this long journey!
CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED
Saffron was home for Easter and was glad to see her parents again. She was brimming with news from school, from the Quidditch match to her duties as Head Girl and what they entailed. She also filled her mother in on what Ashley was up to.
"I'm so happy for her," Hermione said. "Poor Ashley sometimes feels a little left out with the other children. I'm so glad she's made some friends and is doing so well."
"She really is," Saffron nodded.
Hermione sat on the edge of her daughter's bed. "I know I say this every time you come home, but I really am glad that you're back."
Saffron smiled. "I'm glad too. I missed you and Dad so much."
"Your father wishes he could have been here to pick you up at the station," Hermione said. "But he and Ethan are on assignment. They'll be back tomorrow."
"I can't wait to see them," Saffron replied. "But we'll have fun tonight Mum. Just you and me."
Hermione smiled. "Girls night in."
Saffron clapped. "Let's grab some girly movies and watch those while we have dinner."
Hermione couldn't argue with that. She and Harry didn't always have the same taste in movies. He usually preferred action films---the more explosions the better.
"How's Aunt Lav?" Saffron asked as they headed downstairs.
"Completely flustered," Hermione said before telling her daughter about Lavender's latest crisis. "She lost her designs for the winter collection. She found out that her assistant leaked them to Witch Weekly..."
Saffron gasped. "Oh no!"
"Luckily, Lav was able to call in some favours and they didn't publish the designs," Hermione told her. "But now Lavender's completely paranoid. She isn't letting ANYONE see her designs and she's keeping them under lock and key."
Saffron shook her head. "I hope she sacked that assistant."
Hermione nodded. "And pressed charges."
"Wow," Saffron was impressed. "Go Aunt Lav!"
"So," Hermione said as they entered the kitchen. "I made lasagne in honour of your being home."
"YUM!" Saffron exclaimed.
"It was either toast or this," Hermione said winking at her.
She giggled. "You're almost hopeless, Mum. Almost."
"Lucky for all of us, I married a bloke who knows his way around a kitchen," Hermione said.
"Daddy's the best," Saffron answered as she helped her mother scoop servings of the lasagne onto two plates. "No, Puddles. You have your kibble over there."
"How has he been getting on at Hogwarts?" Hermione asked.
"He loves it there," Saffron replied. "Sometimes I bring him bits of my dinner back."
"Which I'm sure he loves," Hermione said setting a plate before her daughter. "What do you want to drink, love?"
"Some juice would be great," Saffron loaded everything onto a tray.
"You bring that into the sitting room and I'll get the drinks," Hermione said.
"Sounds good," Saffron replied.
Hermione joined her daughter a few moments later and they sat down. "So you do realise that your father is getting bombarded with questions as to what team you're going to play for next year."
"If all goes well, Puddlemere," Saffron answered. "RJ told me he was going to mention to them how I did in the last game."
Hermione smiled. "And I'm really glad that you made up with RJ."
"I did sort of drag that on, didn't I?" Saffron asked sheepishly.
"Just a little," Hermione admitted.
"Yeah well..." Saffron toyed with her fork. "It wasn't worth being angry at him anymore."
"Life is way too short to worry about grudges," Hermione said. "You and RJ have known each other since you were babies. I remember how you used to follow him around..."
Saffron made a face. "Follow him? He so followed me!"
Hermione laughed. "I must be remembering it wrong."
"I think so," Saffron giggled.
"So what have you chosen for us?" Hermione asked.
"I thought either Steel Magnolias or The Wedding Planner," Saffron held two of them up.
"You choose," Hermione replied. "Either one's fine with me."
Saffron put Steel Magnolias in. "I'll grab the tissues," she joked.
Hermione laughed. "Maybe we can make it through this time without crying..."
"Yeah right," Saffron said, digging into her lasagne. "Mum this is your best batch yet."
"Thank you," Hermione beamed at her.
Saffron leaned against her mother and they watched the movie in silence for awhile. "Mum?"
"Hmm?" Hermione replied.
"Promise not to freak out on me?" Saffron asked.
Hermione picked up the remote and paused the film. She looked at her daughter. "What's on your mind?"
"I've just been doing a lot of thinking lately," Saffron said. "How did you know you were ready to sleep with Daddy?"
Hermione coughed. "Um---"
"I haven't yet," Saffron said quickly. "Because I wasn't sure if I was ready to."
Hermione put her hand over her heart and sighed in relief. "I'm really glad to hear that."
"But you were only a little older than me when you met Daddy, right?" Saffron asked.
"Nineteen," Hermione replied.
"I just wanted to know how you knew you were ready," Saffron said softly.
Hermione looked thoughtfully at her daughter. "Well, your father and I---everything happened so fast for us. But, when the moment arrived, I didn't have any doubts. I knew in my heart that I wanted to be with him."
Saffron thought for a moment. "There were so many times I wanted to with Andrew. We came close... but we never went that far."
Hermione knew that Harry would be glad to hear that. "Sean's not pressuring you, is he?"
"No," Saffron shook her head.
Hermione took Saffron's hands in hers. "Sweetheart, you've always been very responsible. I just hope that when the time does come, you will be careful and take every precaution."
Saffron nodded. "I just don't know if I feel this way about Sean because I'm trying to get over Andrew."
"Andrew was your first love," Hermione said thoughtfully.
"I thought he was my only love," Saffron answered sadly.
"Do you still love him?" Hermione asked.
"Yes," Saffron answered quietly.
"And Sean?" Hermione asked.
"I care about him," Saffron said.
Hermione had expected as much. "But you don't feel the same way for him that you do for Andrew?"
"That's the thing," Saffron replied. "I still love Andrew... I think part of me always will. But I want to move on with Sean. What Andrew and I had is over."
Hermione had seen the photos in the paper of Andrew and his dates. She knew it couldn't have been easy for Saffron to see that. "I just want you to be happy, love."
"I'm trying to be," Saffron leaned against her mother.
"You'll know when the time is right," Hermione told her. She just hoped that her daughter would be careful. It seemed like just yesterday, her little girl was just taking her first steps.
"I promise I'll be careful," Saffron said. "Thanks Mum. You're the best."
"You can always talk to me," Hermione told her. "I hope you know that."
"I know," Saffron nodded. "That's why you're the best."
Hermione gave her a hug.
"You're not going to tell Daddy I asked you about this are you?" Saffron asked.
"It's our little secret," Hermione promised.
"Thank you," Saffron said gratefully. She could just imagine what her father's reaction to her telling him she was thinking of having sex would be.
"You can always come to me with questions about that," Hermione told her. "It'll always stay between us."
Saffron gave her mother another hug. "I just don't think Daddy would---well, that he'd..."
"He wouldn't handle it well," Hermione finished.
"That vein in his neck would start to bulge," Saffron imagined. "And he'd run his hands through his hair and he'd pace back and forth..."
Hermione laughed. "You make him sound like an ogre, Saffy." she teased.
"Hello?" Saffron asked. "Mum, do you remember when I started seeing Peter?"
"He just doesn't like to see you grow up," Hermione defended her husband. "You're his baby girl, Saffron."
"I bet he didn't mind hearing about Ethan's first time," Saffron said and then her face scrunched up in disgust. "Eww...Ethan and sex....bad, bad visual."
Hermione laughed again.
"What time was Ethan's curfew when he was my age?" Saffron asked.
"Eleven," Hermione replied.
"Mine's ten," Saffron pointed out. "When did Ethan get to date?"
"Um, well," Hermione said. "He---I don't think we ever had an age limit on him, now that I think about it."
"What?" Saffron asked. "Mum!"
"It never came up," Hermione said.
"Well why does Dad keep pushing back my curfew?" Saffron asked.
"I didn't realise that he had," Hermione said truthfully. "There's nothing that says you can't stay out until 11."
Saffron grinned. "YES!"
"You are just as responsible as your brother," Hermione said.
"More so," Saffron replied.
The fireplace roared to life, startling both of them. Hermione gasped when she saw her husband, covered in some tar like substance. At least, she thought it was him.
"Daddy?" Saffron asked standing up. "What happened to you?"
"I had a problem," Harry said sourly.
"You weren't scheduled to be back until tomorrow?" Hermione asked.
"We finished early," Harry replied. "Turns out these kids were behind the whole thing and they booby-trapped that house we were staking out."
"You'd better go take a shower and get that stuff off you," Hermione said.
"Can't you just use a wand?" Saffron asked. "A cleaning spell?"
"Tried that already," Harry replied.
"How old were they?" Saffron asked.
"Seventeen year old boys," Harry said grimly.
"Did you catch them?" Saffron asked.
"Oh yes," Harry answered. "Your brother did most of that, actually."
"That's good at least," Saffron said stepping closer, but then backtracking when she got a whiff of her father. "If it makes you feel better, Mum made dinner."
"Lasagne?" Harry asked.
"Saffron, why don't you warm your father up a plate?" Hermione asked. "I'll help him upstairs."
"Okay," Saffron disappeared into the kitchen.
"Come on," Hermione said to Harry. "Off to the shower with you."
"Stupid kids," Harry grumbled.
"They're quite stupid," Hermione agreed. "You're really starting to stink up the room, too."
"They weren't laughing after we notified their parents," Harry said following his wife upstairs.
"I'm sure they weren't," Hermione said, reaching into the shower.
"How's Saffy?" Harry asked kicking off his tar-coated boots.
"Good," Hermione said, adjusting the temperature. "I'm so glad she's home."
"Hopefully I won't be long in here," Harry told his wife.
"I'll get your plate together," Hermione smiled at him. "I'd risk giving you a kiss, but I may pass out from the fumes."
"I understand," Harry said. "Thanks, Hermione."
"Of course," Hermione said. "See you downstairs in a few."
"So much for our girl's night in," Saffron said to her mother when Hermione entered the kitchen.
Hermione smiled. "We finished our talk just in time, didn't we?"
"Just in time," Saffron agreed. "But I am glad we had a chance to talk.'
"Me too," Hermione agreed.
Saffron grinned. "I noticed that we had some triple chocolate fudge ice cream..."
"I think some of that is just what the healer ordered," Hermione nodded, reaching into the icebox.
Saffron smiled as she looked at her mother. It was good to talk to someone about how she was feeling. She'd meant what she'd said to her mum. What she and Andrew had was over. She had to move on. Sean cared about her. He'd said as much.
So perhaps things would progress a little further between them now. Saffron figured she'd see how it all went when they saw each other the next day.
*** *** ***
It was Easter Sunday, and as usual, everyone was gathered at the Burrow. Currently, all the younger children were out back enjoying a monster Easter Egg hunt that Arthur and Molly had organised while the teenagers were enjoying themselves in the kitchen.
"And the scouts were really impressed when I told them about you getting back on the broom and keeping a hold of the Snitch," RJ said to Saffron.
Saffron grinned. She wanted nothing more than to play for Puddlemere.
"That was an amazing game," Alexa agreed. "I still can't believe how good Meems is."
"She's our secret weapon," Saffron said. "One of the reasons we're undefeated."
RJ laughed "Who'd have thought?" he stood up as Audrey came back from the loo.
"This house is amazing," Audrey said. "It really, really is."
"I always loved being here as a kid," RJ told her. "Later we'll take a walk out back and I'll show you the swimming hole."
Audrey smiled and sat back down beside him.
"How are you doing over there, Sassy?" RJ asked. He'd nearly fallen over in hysterics when he'd heard Chloe call out for Saffron earlier.
Saffron threw a crisp at him. "I'd rather be Sassy than what she calls you."
"I thought that was cute," Audrey reassured her boyfriend. "And she did give you a big hug after she said it."
"Yeah," RJ said. "Wretch. That was just great."
Saffron giggled. "She's adorable."
Alexa leaned against Gabriel, who was alternating between the conversation at hand and the large textbook sitting just to his side.
Saffron looked at her cousin. "Okay...what has you so engrossed over here.."
Gabriel held up the book. "Biochem."
"Thrilling," Saffron said dryly. "Come on Gabe..."
"Okay, okay," Gabriel said putting the book away.
Molly came into the kitchen looking a bit flustered. "Don't mind me," she told them. "I'm getting more sweets for the children. That Emma...."
"Did she eat it all?" RJ chuckled.
Molly laughed. "She had the triplets and little Chloe following her instead of looking for the eggs."
Audrey laughed too. "That little girl is too much."
"Oh you have no idea," Saffron told her. "I baby-sit them sometimes, and once she ate a whole box of mac and cheese on her own."
RJ laughed. "She is a Weasley."
Alexa smiled. "And how's little Adam coming along, Mrs. Weasley?"
"He's enjoying himself very much," Molly said. "Emma's got him trained quite well."
"Come on," Saffron said to Sean. "I have to see them."
"Sure," Sean stood up and took her hand.
The others followed them outside where the children were all sitting on a blanket looking enthralled by what Emma was saying.
"Kay," Emma announced, holding up a red-coloured egg. "Who wants the red one?"
"Me!" Casey raised her hand. "Me, Em!"
Emma handed her cousin the egg. "Kay, Case. Here you go."
"Blue," Noah pointed to another. "Me!"
"What's magic word, Noah?" Emma asked holding it up.
"Please," Noah replied. "No waste!"
Emma beamed at him before handing over the blue egg.
"Allie?" Saffron asked. "What is she doing?"
"Since she found all the eggs, she's dividing them up," Allison explained.
"She found ALL those eggs?" Saffron asked incredulously.
"All of them except for the ones Katie and Caroline found," Allison said.
"Adam!" Emma admonished. "No eat the eggs yet!"
"Mmmmm," Adam tried to bite through the plastic.
"Where's Hannah?" Saffron asked. "I thought they were here too."
"She went in to help Frankie with the babies," Allison explained, gently prying the egg away from her son.
"I'm saving eggs for Han," Emma told Saffron. "Don't worry."
"That's nice of you Em," Saffron said, squeezing Sean's hand.
"Okay," Emma said holding up a green one after she looked inside at the sweets. "Ooooh....this one has Bertie Botts!"
"I want!" Aidan said. "Please?"
Emma handed the egg to Aidan. "Happy Easter, Aidan!"
"Tanks, Em." Aidan broke open the egg.
RJ sat down beside his nephew. "Aidan, can I have one?"
"Kay," Aidan said, handing him a sticky bean.
RJ popped it into his mouth and nearly gagged. "Earwax."
"What?" Audrey asked as she sat down next to him. "You have EARWAX flavoured jelly beans?"
"Oh yeah," RJ said. "They have good flavours too, but they also have some horrible ones, too. Like, earthworm, grass, rotten egg."
Saffron squirmed. "Vomit, too."
"That is so gross," Audrey wrinkled her nose.
"Most of the time you get good ones," Allison reassured her. "Lemon drop ones are my favourites."
RJ put an arm around his girlfriend. "I promise to taste test all your jelly beans," he joked.
Audrey nudged him in the ribs. "That's very romantic, RJ."
He leaned in and kissed her. "Only the best for you, you know."
Audrey leaned against him and watched the children as they sampled the sweets.
Frankie came back outside with Hannah and the twins, who were kipping in the pram.
"Frankie," Saffron breathed as she hurried over to them. "They're just gorgeous!"
"They are, aren't they?" Frankie said looking adoringly at her children. "I know I'm biased."
"All three of them are gorgeous," Saffron opened her arms up to Hannah.
Hannah gave her a hug. "Saffy? Will you plait my hair just like yours?"
Saffron laughed. "You always want me to do that, don't you?"
Hannah nodded. "Please?"
"We'll do it right now," Saffron looked over and saw Sean talking to RJ and Audrey.
Frankie pushed the pram over to sit beside Maddie and Ethan. "They wanted to say hello to their godparents, but I couldn't keep them awake."
"That's okay," Ethan said with a grin.
"Will is still with Arthur," Frankie told them. "I think we might never see him again. It's his own fault for bringing him our old paper shredder."
Ethan laughed. "It was the same way with the toaster, right Mads?"
"Right," Maddie said forcing a smile.
"Are you okay?" Frankie peered at her best friend.
Maddie nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just going to dash inside and get some more lemonade. Can I get you anything?"
"I'm fine..." Frankie's voice trailed off as Maddie rushed inside.
"I'm sorry," Ethan apologised. "It's not you, Frankie. She's just---"
"She's what?" Frankie asked quietly.
Ethan didn't want to make Frankie feel bad. He also didn't want to betray Maddie's confidence. "Really stressed with work."
"Oh," Frankie tucked the blanket in closer around Isabelle. "I thought she might be angry with me about something."
"So," Ethan said eager to change the subject. "When are you going back to work?"
"I'm working from home when I get a spare hour or two," Frankie said. "But I'm in no rush to go back to the office."
"And how's Hannah adjusting?" Ethan asked.
"She's wonderful," Frankie said. "Always willing to help out and she just loves them."
"I'm really happy for you, Frankie," Ethan said.
"Thanks," Frankie smiled at him. "And I hope you and Maddie will have little ones of your own soon. You're going to be such great parents."
Ethan nodded. He hoped it would happen for them soon, too. He couldn't stand seeing Maddie in pain.
His wife was currently in the kitchen, sobbing into a handkerchief. She kept telling herself that she would get over this and that it would happen for her and Ethan when the time was right, but it just wasn't any comfort.
"Maddie?" Hermione had come into the kitchen for some juice. "Sweetheart, is something wrong?"
Maddie turned around and readied herself to say that she was fine, but the words didn't come. Instead, she just shook her head.
"Did you and Ethan fight?" Hermione was concerned.
"No," Maddie said wiping at her eyes. "I'm just---we're still having---"
Hermione put a comforting arm around her daughter in law. "You can tell me if something's wrong, Maddie."
Maddie told Hermione everything---about how she and Ethan had been trying for months now to have a baby. She told her mother-in-law about how jealous she was of her sister, sisters-in-law, and best friend. "I'm not a jealous person, Hermione."
"I know you aren't," Hermione told her. "This is normal for you to feel, Maddie. I was the same way."
"You were?" Maddie asked.
"I was quite jealous- of your mother in fact," Hermione said. "She was pregnant with Jon and Josh and I was having all sorts of trouble conceiving again."
"How did you get through it?" Maddie asked.
"Harry," Hermione said. "And Julie was only three years old- I knew I had to shape up. We also saw a family counsellor for a short time."
"Do you think it would help me to talk to someone?" Maddie asked. "I hate feeling like this."
"I think perhaps you and Ethan ought to talk to someone together," Hermione smoothed back the blonde's hair.
Maddie gave her a hug. She wished she'd talked to Hermione sooner. If anyone knew what she was going through, it was Hermione.
"Ethan loves you so much," Hermione held the younger woman tightly. "And we all do too. You're a wonderful person, Maddie."
"I've been horrible to Frankie," Maddie admitted. "I've avoided her."
"I'm sure she's not angry with you," Hermione said. "You might want to explain things to her though."
"Did you talk to my mum?" Maddie asked. "When she was pregnant with Josh and Jon?"
"I told her what was wrong," Hermione nodded. "She was very understanding. That's how your mum is."
"That she is," Maddie said softly. She felt better now that she'd gotten her feelings out. Perhaps it would help to talk to a therapist about what she was feeling.
"I know it's going to happen for you," Hermione told her. "It just takes some patience. And I'm here for you whenever you need to talk."
"Thank you," Maddie said giving her another hug.
"Would you like to go back outside?" Hermione asked. "Or shall I send my son in here?"
"I'll come back outside with you," Maddie said dabbing at her eyes with the handkerchief.
"That's a girl," Hermione gave her hand an encouraging squeeze.
Maddie followed Hermione back outside. It really was a beautiful day.
Ethan saw his wife come back out and realised she'd been crying. "I'll be right back," he said to Frankie as he crossed the yard towards her.
"Mads?" Ethan asked. "Sweetheart?"
"I'm okay," Maddie said. "Really- your mum and I had a nice talk inside."
Ethan smiled at his mother. "Thanks, Mum."
Hermione smiled back. "Anytime, love."
"You ready to join the others?" Ethan asked his wife.
Maddie nodded. "I owe Frankie an apology."
"Come on then," Ethan said taking her hand.
"Hi," Maddie smiled tentatively at her best friend as they rejoined her.
"Hey," Frankie said. She saw her friend's eyes and knew that she'd been crying. "Maddie---"
Maddie shook her head. "I'm all right," she said, sitting down. "I'm so sorry I haven't been a good friend to you since the twins were born."
"What are you talking about?" Frankie asked. "Maddie, you've been a great friend."
"No I haven't," Maddie said as tears welled up in her eyes. "I've been so jealous of the fact that you have three children, and I have none. I couldn't stand feeling this way, and I didn't want you to know, so I was avoiding you."
Frankie had no idea that Maddie had felt this way. "Maddie..."
"I am so sorry," Maddie wiped at her eyes with the soggy handkerchief.
"You don't have to apologise," Frankie said giving her friend a hug. "I wish you'd have said something before."
"I didn't know how to even approach it when I didn't want to think about it," Maddie explained. "I just... I'm so confused. We've been trying so hard and we just haven't had any luck."
"It's going to happen," Frankie tried to reassure her. "And just think, you and Ethan get to have all that fun trying..."
Maddie had to smile at that. "That's very true."
"You can tell me anything," Frankie told her. "I want to help anyway that I can."
"Thank you," Maddie said softly. "And I want to put this aside and help you out too."
As if on cue, Isabelle started to cry from the pram.
"All right, godmother," Frankie smiled at her.
Maddie walked over to the pram and gingerly lifted Isabelle. "Hello, Miss Izzie."
Isabelle looked at her with her dark eyes and let out a tiny whimper.
Maddie placed a kiss on Isabelle's soft forehead.
"I think she loves you," Frankie smiled at her.
"The feeling is entirely mutual," Maddie said sitting down with the baby.
"She might be hungry," Frankie said. "I'll have to take her inside if she starts crying again."
"I think she didn't want to miss the excitement," Maddie said looking down at Isabelle.
"She's just like me," Frankie grinned.
"She looks just like you," Maddie said smiling as Isabelle raised her little hand.
"And Nathan looks so much like Will," Frankie said. "They both have his eyes."
Ethan stood behind Maddie and made a goofy face at Isabelle. The baby didn't react and Frankie laughed.
"See, like me, she doesn't find you very funny either, Ethan," Frankie said grinning at him.
"That's just hilarious," Ethan said sarcastically.
Maddie laughed. "Your humour is an acquired taste, Ethan."
"Just as long as you love it," Ethan sent her a goofy smile.
"I do," Maddie said. "Hey---do you want to hold her?"
"Sure," Ethan said, sitting down next to his wife.
"Here she is," Maddie said gingerly handing Isabelle to him.
"Hey," Ethan said, taking the small baby into his arms. "She's not crying!"
"Give her time," Saffron joked. "She's not smelled your breath yet."
"Whatever you say, Sassy," Ethan smirked at her.
Saffron responded by sticking her tongue out at him.
"RJ, I'm going to send home a plate with you," Molly told her grandson. "Since Andrew couldn't come today..."
"Thanks Nana," RJ said. "He'll appreciate that."
Andrew was spending Easter with Natalia and her family. Saffron felt a twinge of jealousy at the thought of him spending the holiday with another girl's family.
RJ glanced at Saffron and quickly changed the subject. "Audrey, can I get you anything else to drink?"
"I'd love a glass of lemonade," Audrey said.
"I'll be right back," RJ leaned in and gave her a quick kiss.
Audrey moved over to sit beside Saffron and Hannah. "Your hair looks pretty, Hannah," Audrey said.
"Thank you," Hannah said shyly. "Saffy did it for me."
"She did a good job," Audrey said tugging on one of Hannah's plaits.
"Thanks," Hannah giggled.
"I plait my hair most of the time," Saffron told Audrey. "It's all over the place if I don't."
"Mine is just wavy," Audrey replied with a grin. "I don't have too much trouble with it."
"You're lucky," Saffron said.
Audrey smiled at her. "So you and I have never really had a chance to get to know one another..."
"Not really," Saffron agreed. "This is your first time at the Burrow, right?"
Audrey nodded. "This is such a fantastic place."
"It is," Saffron said. "And the Weasleys are great people..."
"What's the story with them?" Audrey asked motioning to where George was talking to Angelina and Fred was scowling.
Saffron giggled. "Well, Angelina used to be Fred's girlfriend, like 50 years ago. And when George ran into her, he asked her out. They haven't been talking since Christmas!"
"A love triangle," Audrey said nodding.
"A what?" Hannah asked scrunching up her nose in confusion.
"A love triangle," Audrey replied. "When two people are in love with the same person."
"I've read about those!" Hannah exclaimed. "In the magazines Mummy and I read!"
Saffron laughed. "She reads the advice columns, does she?"
"We read them all the time," Hannah said.
"I have a confession to make," Audrey said blushing. "I read them, too."
"So do I," Saffron said with a grin. "They're so fun."
"The only bad thing is you never find out how it turns out," Hannah said.
Audrey nodded. "That's definitely not the best part of it."
Saffron smiled at the other girl. She couldn't help but like Audrey.
RJ came back out carrying three glasses of lemonade. "I thought you girls would want some, too."
"Thanks," Saffron grinned at him. "Appreciate it, Faerie boy."
"Right back at you, Sassy," RJ said. "Hey there, Hannah."
"Hi RJ," Hannah carefully took the glass. "Thank you."
"I heard you are a good big sister," RJ said. "Just as good as Maddie, Drew, and Dar are to me."
Hannah nodded. "I'm helping Mummy out a lot."
"Even changing nappies?" RJ asked.
"I'm trying," Hannah giggled. "Daddy usually has to help me."
Audrey nudged him. "I think next time one of those babies needs a change, YOU should do it."
"Yeah right," RJ slid an arm around her.
A few feet away, Maddie watched the teenagers with Hannah and was glad to see that they all seemed to be getting along.
An odd feeling came over her, though, and she closed her eyes. The picture was a little blurry, but she could make out a man pacing back and forth in a small room.
"Going to get them," she could hear him mumble. "Mine..."
Maddie tried to focus, but his face was distorted. Who was this man? And why did he sound so angry? His voice sent shivers up and down her spine.
"Mads?" a voice made her snap out of her vision.
"Hmm?" Maddie asked distractedly.
"Are you okay?" Will looked at her with concern.
Maddie met his gaze. "Yeah----yeah, I'm fine."
Will nodded. "Have a vision?"
"Yes," Maddie said quietly. She told him what she'd seen. "But I don't know who it was, Will."
"Maybe it was just something random," Will suggested.
"Do you think?" Maddie asked.
"Perhaps," Will nodded. "Do you have to go in and document it?"
"I have to put it in the pensieve," Maddie said getting to her feet. "Can you---can you tell Ethan that I'll be back."
"Sure," Will nodded.
Maddie hoped Will was right and this was just a random vision, but she couldn't shake the feeling that this was important. Someone's life could be at stake.