Songbird ; Fred Weasley

Sixty-seven

I heard a door shut somewhere in the distance, and the panic intensified.

Did I lock the door?

I couldn't remember.

While the panic filled me up inside, I managed to get to my knees and make my way to the hallway while hyperventilating.

I was dizzy, but I needed to get to my babies and make sure I could keep them safe.

"Mavis?" A distant voice asked, and I flinched, dropping to my knees again.

"Don't hurt them." I cried, digging the palms of my hands into my eyes.

I felt a pair of hands on me, and I screamed, falling back onto my arse, trying to get away, but my eyes landed on Fred who was crouched down, looking more than concerned.

"It's just me." He said softly, reaching for me.

I stilled, staring at him for a minute before I broke into tears of relief. I threw myself at him, my arms wrapping around his neck while I cried into his shirt.

He held me tightly against him, one hand against the back of my head and his other arm wrapped around my back.

I cried and I cried and I cried, because the fear of some stranger being in the flat and hurting my children had scared me to death and I was still shaking.

"You're not supposed to be home yet." I cried. He didn't respond. Instead he just stroke my hair and held me until my cries died down.

"What's wrong with mama?" Phoebe's voice carried through the hallway.

I hid my face against Fred, hating myself for letting my daughter see me like this.

"Mama's not feeling well." Fred told her. "She'll be okay. Go play with your toys, yeah?"

"Okay..." Phoebe said quietly, but I heard her walk away, and only then did I lift my head to look at Fred.

"Oh my god..." I whispered and moved back until I sat against the wall. "...I let her see me panic. She shouldn't see that. Now she'll worry and—"

"Mavis." Fred cut me off. "Stop it. You know as well as I do that you can't just decide to not have a panic attack."

I shut my eyes and ran my hands over my face, feeling a headache come on.

"What happened?" He asked me, his voice soft.

I shook my head and nodded towards the kitchen so he could see it for himself. He hesitated to leave me in the hallway, but after I nodded towards the kitchen again, he stood up and walked in there.

The pictures were on the kitchen island so there was no way he wouldn't see them right away.

I gathered myself and got off the floor, needing to go find Theodora. I hurried down the hallway and into the bedroom where she was still sleeping.

I let out a breath of relief, sliding down to the floor again.

I stopped the lullaby and turned off the rocking motion of her bouncer, then picked her up and held her against my shoulder.

I leaned back against the bed and shut my eyes for a few seconds, already relaxing so much by just holding Dora against me.

When I opened my eyes, Phoebe was hiding behind the doorframe to the room, trying to sneak a glance at me.

I offered her a soft smile, noticing how cautious she was.

"Hi baby. C'mere..." I held out my hand and she immediately hurried towards me and fell into my embrace.