Almost

Chapter 24: No Need to Worry

When Katherine peeled herself out of bed the next morning, she looked around the unfamiliar room and finally let her magic begin unpacking her belongings. She didn't bother changing out of her cozy grey nightshirt, just trundled downstairs without even fixing the ponytail she'd slept in.

She found Crawley in a pair of jeans and a navy polo. He was standing in front of the coffee pot and staring intently at a bottle of vanilla in his hand.

"Damn apology coffee," he muttered, setting it down on the counter and slamming down the top of the percolator.

"To vanilla or not to vanilla," Katherine said, alerting him to her presence. "That is the question."

He turned and looked at her as she came into the kitchen.

"Bread?" she asked, looking around at the cupboards.

He opened a wooden box, revealing half a loaf of her favorite wheat bread. As she opened it, he pulled a toaster down from a cabinet and plugged it in.

"Do you want a piece?" He nodded and she pushed the two slices of bread down.

"I'd like to go see Gran before the florist," Katherine continued. "I don't want anyone going through the floo and finding an empty house."

She dug around until she found the peanut butter, two plates, and a knife. As the coffee pot finished brewing, Crawley poured two mugs of coffee and set one in front of her. She took a long sip before the toast popped. Once they both had a piece in front of them, she took a deep breath and looked up at him.

"I know you meant well. I know you were worried about me and I'm sure it was scary to find me screaming at nothing in the forest. I can even sort of understand not thinking you had the time to fight with me about it before you went to MACUSA."

Crawley stayed quiet, his light brown eyes trained on her.

"But you couldn't have been surprised I wasn't thrilled you went for the most aggressive option."

"Most aggressive option?"

"There has to be a spell or something that would—"

"Katherine, the most aggressive option I considered was finding an island and flying us there myself on a broomstick and never telling anyone where we were. Abandon everything, live on what we could forage. You don't like fish, though, so that didn't seem super practical."

"Ezra—"

"The second most aggressive option was barricading us in my office and sealing the doors. Brewing an endless supply of Invigoration Draught and never sleeping again. But I know you'd go mad in those four walls. I've got to tell you, this option seemed pretty tame in comparison."

He paused a moment and took her hand. "I'd have done it, Katherine. I would fly us all around the world and back if I thought you'd let me. I had to settle for a place that you could at least have your own room and a fireplace."

"A gilded cage," she said quietly, "is still a cage."

He scoffed and she held tighter to his hand before he could pull away. "I'm not saying you're trying to trap me. But think about it from my perspective—you get to live without a shadow still."

"I'm very sorry you can't go running off for your clandestine meetings anymore, Katherine. Must be a real bummer to be stuck with your fiancé all the time."

"That's not what I—"

"No, I get it. Not getting to keep your secrets stored away will be hard for you."

She let go of his hand, knowing he'd end up with a nasty burn if she didn't.

"Really convenient way for you to keep tabs on me. Are you going to have your auror buddies provide a log at the end of every day? 9:15, got in shower. 10:20, had third cup of coffee. 12:45, stared blankly out the window. Real exciting stuff."