When the Fog Rolls In {Amelia}

Lucas was thoroughly confused. He had come home from his preseason practice to find no one home. No note. No hint. No anything. He could have sworn Amelia was going to be home. Where else would she be? She wasn't going to be at practice. No not now that she was pregnant. They hadn't really revealed it to many. Really just her coach to explain why she couldn't play. It had been touted as an injury to everyone outside of that. They weren't ready to announce it just yet. But that still didn't solve the question of where she was. He thought they were going to have dinner together when he got home. This wasn't like her.

He paced around the house for a while, thinking maybe she had run out to grab something really quick. But as the minutes ticked by it became clear that that wasn't the case. Where could she be? He was also becoming worried. Flash backs to when she had been kidnapped and almost killed by his father started to creep in. What if something had happened to her? Maybe he should go out looking for her. Just to make sure she wasn't in danger. Especially now that she was carrying their child. He looked around the house one last time to make sure he hadn't missed anything before he headed out the door set on finding her.

Using magic, it was easy to hop from place to place. He tried all of their usual hang out places first. No luck there. He checked the local pub, maybe she had had a craving or something. Not there either. He ran by Romy's place to see if she was visiting him. Not there either. Maybe Alicia would know? Or maybe she was visiting with Alicia. She was a close friend after all. He just hoped she was there, or Alicia knew where she was, as he was fast running out of places to look, and with every dead end, he was becoming more and more worried that something bad had happened to her. How would he survive if she, and his child, were taken from him like that? He didn't even want to think about it. So he came up to Alicia's place and knocked on the door. Before the door was opened, his lack of patience in the moment got the better of him and he said "Hey Alicia, is Amelia there?" Please be there. Please not be hurt.

How could he? How could he jeapordize everything they had for some other woman? She hadn't wanted to believe it and had, on her own, ignored the letters she had been receiving, ignoring that strange woman who actually came to the locker room at the Quidditch stadium when Amelia had visited her team saying that she was the one Lucas wanted. That had hurt but again she kept it to herself. It wasn't true she kept repeating over and over in her head. He would never. But then the woman kept popping up and after a while and after so many times Amelia started to believe it. The last straw was the woman ending up on their home's doorstep. 

Poor Alicia had to deal with a sobbing Amelia as she arrived at her home not even leaving Lucas a note. Luckily her friend had a spare bedroom and a good heart so she was allowed to stay for as long as she liked. Sure Amelia could pay for a hotel room, she had the funds, but the company while being knocked up for the first time by a cheater probably helped. Luckily Alicia already knew about the pregnancy (along with Romy) and was delighted. It would be like old times... maybe. When they were both in school and rooming together. Attempting girl talk and whatnot.

The knock on the door had her looking up from the contents of her suitcase in the living room. She held her breath because she had a hunch who it was and the voice after confirmed it. But should she respond? She wrestled with that dilemma for a few moments before giving in. "You need to go, Hart." Uh oh, last name and they weren't flirting. This wasn't good. "Leesh went out to get something. If she comes back and finds you here she might hex you." Most likely will hex you was probably a more correct statement. Alicia was a Gryffindor through and through and her loyalty, like Amelia's knew no bounds.

Things with Amelia had seemed to be going very well. Or at least that's what he thought. They had fallen into a rhythm. Sure it had helped that she was no home and not traveling, but things had been in a rhythm before that too. She hadn't indicated anything was wrong. And there hadn't been any note to indicate where she was. It had just had him all types of confused and worried. He was really hoping she would be in a place with someone they knew instead of kidnapped or something. Maybe he was just overreacting in his head and she would be fine. He hoped that was what was going on. He didn't know if he could take another instance where she was in real danger.

It had been a few moments before he had spoken after knocking, and there were several moments where there was no sound. There was lights on, but he didn't hear anyone inside. Maybe she had gone out and left her lights on. His mind started to think of where else she could be. Maybe the stadium? He was about to turn around and figure out where to go next when he heard an oh too familiar voice call out. He let out a breath he had subconsciously been holding. So she was safe. That was a relief. But the tone of her voice and how she had addressed him sent a whole lot of worries. It sounded like he was in trouble. But what had he done?

"Amelia, what's wrong?" He asked through the door. Had he forgotten some important date or something else? He had no idea. And he couldn't work to rectify the situation without knowing what he had done. Racking through his brain wasn't helping much either. Usually he could see some instance where he had messed up, but he couldn't even think of a toothbrush out of place. "Why on earth would she hex me?" he said, the confusion clear in his voice. Why would his friend want to hex him? He was so confused.

What was wrong? Did he really not know? "Why don't you ask that redhead?" She shot back unable to hold the comment back. She knew that she really should have. She needed to work on that about herself. She was too trigger happy and never thought things through too much before saying or doing them. She needed to start doing that or else she risked creating more trouble... Like now. Huffing she pushed other more bitter words now. Don't say them. You really should have just been quiet and let him go about his merry way. If you had kept your mouth shut he wouldn't have even known you were inside but now you've totally blown your cover. Good going, Evans.

"You need to go before Leesh comes back. That should be in any minute." Amelia walked toward the door, minding her six month pregnant belly (something she was still getting used to), turning she leaned against the door not opening it. "Don't make me call Romy." Though Romulus was Lucas' friend he was also Amelia's and was quite the pushover when it came to women. As much as he adored Lucas he'd still pick him up and haul him off if Amelia or Alicia wished it. 

Redhead? What redhead? It wasn't at all clicking that she thought he was cheating on her. Partly because the thought of cheating on her had never even crossed his mind. Not only did he not think cheating was right or appropriate, but Amelia was the woman he loved more than anything. "What redhead?" he asked, confused. He didn't even know if he knew any red heads outside of those who played quidditch and the Weasleys. Just saying the color of the hair was very vague, and he wasn't sure what she meant, and how it was related to him being in trouble.

"Why would it matter that she comes home?" Sure Alicia was more her friend, but what would she have against him? This was all too much for his brain to try and figure out. He couldn't figure out at all what he had done to deserve this or done to piss her off. "What would he do? I was just with him." He had just been with Romy. "Amelia please talk to me." He needed to know what was going on here.

"Are you serious right now?" She crossed her arms defiantly over her chest and leaned against Alicia's wooden door leading to the outside world. "You must really think I'm an idiot, Hart. Listen, I might not be a Ravenclaw or whatever but I'm no dummy." What redhead? Was he really going to play stupid to win her favor? Then again he was pretty oblivious about most social things but even so. Folks who cheated tended to know that they were doing it, did they not?

"She came to our house, Lucas! Our home!" The Keeper stressed to her boyfriend (or once boyfriend?) her voice straining genuinely upset by the recent level of escalation. "Veronica, or Vanessa, or something... Something with a V. She keeps sending letters, she came to the locker room saying you two had-" She couldn't even finish that particular sentence. The thought, fictional or not, bothered her far too much. "This morning while you were at practice she came to our house." If he was going to have an affair did he have to do it with someone so cruel and brazen? Someone so pretty and not pregnant and fat like she currently was.

"You better get going. Romy is going to kick your butt if I tell him. You know he will if I ask!" It was an unfair threat but it was all she had for the moment. "Just go away? We don't want you here." She managed to keep herself from crying only because she had been doing that most of the day. Poor Alicia had to put up with a big chunk of it.

"Seriously. I have no idea what you're talking about." He honestly had no idea what she was talking about. "Of course I don't think you're an idiot." What did she think he was doing? Did she think he was lying to her? She should know by this point that he didn't lie to her. He had excluded bits of information, but he have never actually outright lied to her. Why did she think he was going to start now?

"Who came to our house? No one should be doing that." Even if he wasn't dating her and expecting his first child with her, having someone turn up to his home uninvited was absolutely not okay. No he lived a very private life and his home was off limits, unless he invited people there. By the end of her next statement he was finally caught on to what she thought he had done. And now he was just puzzled as to why she thought that. "Wait do you think I cheated on you?" he was so confused for a number of reasons. "First off I can count on one hand how many people I have slept with and none of them had red hair or started with a V. Second I don't know anyone who fits that description anyway. And third, why on earth would I want to be with anyone other than you?" He would never even dream on stepping out on her. "It is not okay that anyone came to our house like that. I don't even know how anyone knows where we live." It probably wasn't too hard, but they weren't exactly flashy about where they lived. It was kind of alarming that someone he didn't know just turned up at their place.

"I've literally either been with you or Romy. You can ask him. I haven't been stepping out on you." If he wasn't playing quidditch either at practice or a game for both of his teams who where in full swing, he was either with Amelia or Romy, and often sleeping. There was no way he would have been sneaking around. Nor had it even crossed his mind. "I'm not leaving until you believe me Amelia. I have only been with you since we started dating."

"Seriously, Hart!" Her fists clenched into little balls as he denied her accusations again. Of course she didn't want them to be true, that would make her day, but at the same time his denial was really bugging her. He had to be having an affair. How else would this woman know where she lived? All these things about him? It just didn't make sense (unless she was a stalker but Amelia hadn't dove down that rabbit hole just yet). "You must thing I'm dumb or something if you don't think I wouldn't pay a strange woman on our doorstep any mind." Now she was becoming increasingly furious. Alicia needed to come home and fast or else she would risk casting a magic spell his way just to stop dealing with him.

"Who came to our house? No one should be doing that."

"No shit." Amelia nearly spat through the closed door. "Maybe you should tell your girlfriends that!" Amelia had half a mind to slap the woman across the face earlier in the morning but, admittedly, she had been in too much shock. Also if the woman wasn't attached wasn't it mainly the man who was in a relationship's fault for straying? "Oh. So now you're sleeping with so many women that you can't even remember their names? Great!" She threw her hands up in the air and stormed over to the couch, plopping down. She wasn't about to let Lucas into Alicia's flat anytime soon. "Go away Lucas. I'll send my teammates by for my things." Probably Justin, her co-captain, who would most certainly give Lucas a piece of his mind and then some. If he was going to wait there until she believed him he would be waiting for a while and a while it was as Amelia emerged in the evening locking the door behind her.

Alicia had become caught up in town and insisted Amelia join her for dinner. Amelia didn't even know that  Lucas was still there until she was already down the stairs. Amelia studied him, unamused, for a few moments before letting out a heavy sigh and rolling her eyes continuing on her way walking toward town. "Go home, Hart." She called out over her shoulder pretending to ignore him and not care. Truth was she cared. She cared a lot.

"Seriously!" He stated simply. How on earth had she even believed in the first place he would do anything like that. And even if the inkling was there, why wouldn't she believe him when he said he hadn't done what she was accusing him of. He had never lied to her, why would he start now? It was really hurtful for her to accuse him of that and not believe him. He felt as though they were back to when she had thrown him out that morning after they spend their first night together because she thought he was lying. They hadn't talked for a year. Now there was so much more on the line. She wasn't just his friend. No she was his girlfriend who was expecting his child. "I don't know who on earth turned up today Amelia. I swear."

"We've only been at that house together since after the seasons ended last year back in December. I have not once been there without you there, how on earth would I bring someone there?" He had moved in with them once their seasons had ended to allow more time to actually move in instead of just moving boxes in then heading out for 3 weeks. But with her pregnancy she hadn't been out as much as before when she was playing. "No I can name them all, and none of them start with a V. And the only person I've slept with the last 3 years starts with an A." Unlike several other quidditch players, he had only slept with people he was actually in a significant relationship with. He had never had a one night stand. He almost did once. But that had been with the girl he was currently arguing with. "It's your place, if you want me out I'd take my stuff." Anyway she was the one that truly needed the home right? She was expecting a baby.

He let her be for a bit, trying to figure out in his mind how on earth she could believe some random girl over him. He wasn't lying to her. He'd never dream of cheating on her. And yet here he was, sitting on the curb in front of Alicia's house, trying to figure out what on earth had gone wrong. Why did his life always have to take these horrible turns? He lost track of time as he sat there, trying to figure out a way to make Amelia believe him until he heard the door open. He knew it was Amelia. He didn't need to look up to know. "I'm not going home." he said quietly before adding, forlornly, "I didn't do anything Amelia. You have to believe me. I'll do anything." At this point he'd even take a truth serum. He somehow was following her at a distance at this point. He didn't even remember standing up.

He wasn't going home. That was his declaration as he followed her. She was determined not to look back at him. To not give him that comfort or acknowledgment. He could be stubborn when he wanted to be and so could she... Without even trying. Stubborn was her middle name. "Fine. Don't. You're not coming with me either." She stated simply though it was all in vain. He wasn't going to let up. It was probably for the best considering he was telling the truth but she didn't exactly know that yet. Right now she was just upset and hurt. "So if you're not going home and you're not staying here I don't know what the hell you're going to do." She shrugged pretending not to give a troll's ass whatever the case might be as she kept walking along the cobblestones picking up the pace toward the restaurant where Alicia had told her to meet.

"I don't have to do anything and that includes believe you." She announced rounding the corner, nose turned in the air. How she wanted to believe him though. She wanted it not to be true... But why had this woman shown up at their home? Harassed her! How had she known the things that she did? It was annoying and scary. "I don't want anything from you other than for you to leave us alone." She said sternly, turning around to face him while trying to put on a brave face, her hand resting on her growing stomach. "You were a Ravenclaw right? Shouldn't you be smart enough to take a hint?"

His heart was certainly overriding his mind by making him follow her. She had asked him to leave her alone, and maybe when she had some time to actually think about what he said she'd realize this was all crazy. That was what his mind was telling him. Telling him to let her have some space. But his heart wasn't letting that happen. Not this time. "I can follow you if I want" She had always been on him to do what he wanted. Not what others wanted. It probably wasn't the best time to actually act on it, but hey, it was a start right? "I'm sure I'll figure out somewhere to stay. I could always get a hotel room." Or stay with Romy. But she was sure Romy would be on her side. When would he have had the time to sneak around with someone else? He was either spending the night at home with her, or was rooming with Romy on a trip. And he hadn't had a single night he had been outside of either of those situations.

"And look how well that turned out the last time you didn't believe me." he said. That painful time they didn't have once pleasant conversation because she didn't believe him. He really had no idea who this woman had been. It had actually scared him to think that someone he didn't know had turned up on their doorstep. How had she gotten that information? It was in no way out there for anyone to see. Really the only way was if someone had followed him or something. Her turning around and saying she just wanted him to leave them alone stopped him dead in his tracks. "You are literally taking the word of someone you don't know, who I don't know, over me?" he said trying to stay strong and not just collapse into that nervous kid who just wanted to leave the situation.

"You can hint all you want. I'm not going to just walk out over something not true." he said before adding "Come on Amelia. Have I ever lied to you? Seriously. Think about it. I don't know who this girl is, and quite frankly I want to give her a piece of my mind, but I swear I have not cheated on you. I never have and I never will. I love you, and you are the only person I have ever said that to, why on earth would I jeopardize that?" He had chickened out of his other relationships before the 'I love you stage' (or he got cold feet when his girlfriend had said it) and he had never said it to his father. But Amelia? He'd say that every day.

"You keep doing it and I'll call the cops." She threatened with a frown. Though how reliable was that threat? It wasn't like anyone in the magical world used phones and she wasn't the best with spells. If he truly meant anything nefarious than she was done for in that regard. "Why can't you just leave me alone, huh?" She insisted, hands on either of her hips, her very pregnant belly sticking out as she shifted her feet to maintain balance while also trying to still appear intimidating. He always bent over backwards to give her what she wanted. Now all of a sudden right now was somehow different?

"And look how well that turned out the last time you didn't believe me."

"That's low, Lucas." She told him seriously, actually hurt he would even bring that up. "And a real shitty thing to bring up." Maybe he had a case but at the same time the past was the past. She may have jumped to conclusions, as she was prone to do, but he had claimed he had forgiven her for back then. Now all of a sudden he was bringing it up to win a debate? That was hardly fair and, in her opinion, such a Slytherin thing to do. "And I'm not taking anyone's word, Hart. She showed up at our house. At my work. Everywhere. She knew things about you. About us. About our home. How do you explain that unless..." She couldn't even finish that thought and turned away from him trudging away in a manner that only a pregnant woman in a hurry could pull off. "I'm not even getting into this with you. I told you what happened. That's that. You can waste your time and your breath all you want you big jerk." She huffed, not really meaning the insult but she was trying to put up a strong front.

"I don't know why you do the things you do Lucas. I really don't. I'm not going to pretend to even try." His next words had her turning around. Blame her tiredness for crying for practically forever. Looking at him, so handsome and so sad, she let out a heavy sigh. "I don't know why you would decide to hurt me.. Us." After all there was about to be three of them.

"I'm allowed to walk to town as well you know." It wasn't like she could call the muggle cops, he could apparate away long before they even got to in action to come and investigate. And the wizard law enforcement didn't really use phones. Lucas still really didn't know how to use a phone, although she had been trying to teach him. "Because I don't want to lose you, and I didn't do this." No he had gone through not talking to her and almost physically losing her. He didn't want to lose her again. He really didn't know what he'd even do without her in his life. She had been pulling him along for so long, whether she realized it or not.

"Well it's true. Its in the past, and I forgive you for it, I just don't want to have it happen again. Because that hurt." He had never really said just how much it had gutted him to have his closest friend, his first friend, not believe him like that. He had moved past it, pushing it and so many other things into the past, but he didn't want to go through it again. It may have been a low blow, but he was partly in self preservation mode. "Why can't you take my word. I wouldn't lie to you Amelia." He was so confused as to why she was choosing now to not believe him. "And I wouldn't have told anyone any of that stuff. I've never brought anyone over that you didn't know. How is me cheating the only explanation? What if my info was leaked, or someone has been watching me." That last one sent a shiver up his spine. It was creepy to think someone could have been watching him. He didn't even follow her the next time she turned and walked away. He felt he was just losing her, and it was crushing him. "I believe you that someone came to our house and violated our privacy. But I didn't do anything with anyone." Then she hit him with an insult and it just felt like another dagger being driven into him, driving him closer and closer to cracking.

"I would never do what you are insinuating." he said firmly. But the anguish was behind the words. He watched her turn around and come to looking at him. The devastation of feeling helpless and unable to change her mind was there. The sadness of thinking he could lose her was there. "I would never dream of hurting you Amelia. Hurting either of you. I'd do anything. I'd even take a truth potion."

"You may be allowed but you can't follow me wherever I go like some lost puppy when I already told you to stop." Her frown deepened. Was now really the time he decided to speak up for himself? Now of all times? Ugh. He needed to work on his timing. "You're pretty much stalking me." That was probably too mean to accuse him of but she was still miffed by what had transpired earlier and for how upset it had made her. Maybe she could just blame her hormones which were pretty much running havoc at this point.

He didn't want to lose her. That comment nearly took her breath right away and for a moment she forgot that she was in the middle of the street looking upset and pretty pregnant. "And what if you do?..." She asked quietly, choking back the tears that wanted to come out but she couldn't prevent herself from asking. It certainly wasn't something she wanted but the way he had uttered the words made her curious in a sick sort of way. Like if he wanted her to stay badly enough it would erase what the woman had told her from her memory... Even though that was hardly true. Still...

"Watching you?" Again her breath caught. But that meant someone was probably watching her too just by association. Instinctively her hand rested on her belly. "But what about the baby?" Gone were the days of simply worrying about herself. There were other things that took priority even if she didn't mean to let it show as Miss Independent. He would never hurt her. She knew that. Still this was hard and she looked down at the ground. "I know that and I don't want you to take a truth serum." She had only seen them in action once and it looked pretty painful. Even upset she wasn't about to subject a loved one to that. Possibly someone else but not him even if she was upset. "You should stay away until we sort all of this out." She admitted quietly not even having the balls to look at him. "I can reach out to the Ministry. See what the aurors think."

"How else am I supposed to tell you I didn't do it?" Sure it wasn't exactly the best time to actually step up and defend himself, but he felt he had to. He couldn't just let this go and lose her. She meant too much to him. And they were going to have a family. Or at least they were. "I'm not stalking you." He was just trying to prove he hadn't done any of this. It was all so huge mistake. He was going to wake up from this nightmare soon right? That's what he hoped anyway.

Not wanting to lose her was probably a huge understatement. He didn't know what he'd do without her. With her he had found something to live for, and a reason to live. He had been miserable before he had met her. Slightly less miserable until he had started dating her, but it had been hard to stand on the sidelines wondering if he'd ever even be noticed. When she asked what he would do if he did lose her. He locked eyes with her, the sadness and pain clear, before saying "I can't imagine a world without you Amelia..." She had saved him in so many ways, she probably didn't even realize it.

The thought of someone watching him had him uncomfortable. He was a very private person. The only reason people now knew they were dating publicly was because she was expecting their child, and they hadn't been able to hide that with her having to take time off from quidditch. "Maybe someone is..." he trailed off, not even wanting to think about it too much. "I don't know about the baby. But I'd do anything to protect it, and you." He had caused enough harm in the world. At least he thought he had. "If taking a truth serum would show you I didn't do it, I would. I'd do anything for you." This conversation was hard, he could tell. The statement that he should stay away had him looking at the floor. How had it come to this? Was she just saying that to get rid of him? "If you think that would be best, I could go stay with Romy. But you shouldn't go home either. Not without some protection" Someone had clearly found out where they lived, and he wasn't comfortable with her being there alone. Not now that he knew about this. "I just want this all sorted. Because I would never even dream of being with anyone else. You're all I need. You're all I've ever needed."