A One Shot Book of Unfortunate Events

Past Promises and Present Propositions

Hey y'all... Been a while... Feeling nostalgic and I got this idea while doing dishes lmfao
~*~
*No POV*
Fifteen years ago, there was a discussion in the hall late one night at Prufrock Preparatory School.

"Duncan, if Count Olaf enacts his plot tonight," Violet sighed shakily, "and we're separated, I want you to promise me you'll stay safe."
"We'll all be okay," he promised her. "No matter what, Isadora and I will find you three again."
"You can't know that for sure... He's brought a lot of grief to the Baudelaire family. I can't- My siblings and I can't stand the thought of losing you and Izzie."

There, of course, was the subtext of that statement. They both knew. They both knew the feelings were there and they both knew Violet wouldn't bring herself to voice them, lest Duncan be taken from her too. It went unsaid, that was all.

"Violet, you won't lose us." You won't lose me. "If we get separated, we'll find eachother again."
"Forgive me if I'm having trouble believing that."
"Forgiven," he said simply, lacing his hand with hers. "I swear, Violet, I won't let you lose anyone else." I won't give up on you. Not now, not ever.

Violet hugged him tightly. "Thank you... I'm thankful to have you."
"Of course. I'm here for you." He let go of her and they held eachother at an arm's distance. "And one day, when you're winning... I dunno, a Nobel Prize for your inventions, I'll be right there for you then too."
"You can interview me for your news article on it," she giggled.
"I'll hold you to that offer!" Duncan beamed. "We both have big plans for the future, and I don't want to miss yours for the world."

~*~

To no one's surprise, Violet Baudelaire definitely won that award. And countless others. After the traumatic ordeal of her childhood with her brother and sister, she grew up. She cleared her name, went to therapy (a lot), and won so many awards. Before all of that, though, she was a bit of a recluse, along with her siblings and Bea. Staying out of the public eye was what she wanted since the most gut-wrenching moment of her life was posted on the front page of The Daily Punctilio. This new life was calm, it was peaceful, but it was Quagmire-free.

Duncan refused to wait for her Nobel Prize. The second his boss, Mrs. Mallahan, referenced an assignment for a local female inventor winning a prestigious award, he took the opportunity. It was practically calling his name. Something deep down made him 100% aware that inventor was Violet Baudelaire, even before he heard their name.

The Baudelaires hadn't been heard of in eons. They bought the property their family home used to lie on and rebuilt. Duncan and Isadora had talked about visiting them, but they just never had the right time to.

"Do you think that's healthy for them?" Izzie asked. "Living where their old place used to be? There's no way clinging to the past like that can be healthy..."
"I'd like to hope it gives them a connection to their parents," he reasoned. "Trudging up old rubble like that could be painful, I bet."

Duncan sent her a letter on behalf of The Daily Punctilio. It was an invitation for an interview about her latest award, worded very professionally, as if they were never friends in the past. What else would he do? It had been fifteen years and they knew eachother for a few months maximum. How could Duncan act like no time had passed without seeming crazy?

How could Violet scream at the top of her lungs without seeming crazy?

The letter sat, envlope torn to shreds, simply because as soon as it sat in her hands, she could feel it in her bones that The Daily Punctilio wanted to talk to her, possibly about everything. She'd be back in the spotlight, and she didn't even want to know how much old stuff that'd be trudged up by any Baudelaire reemergence.