A Change of Heart // Sebastian Sallow

Chapter 45

"Did Leyton show you our tracker?" Gerard asked as they sat in the house they had occupied before the ambush.

"He did." replied Florence.

"Excellent. I'm grateful now that I thought to give one to Sebastian before leaving him at the hospital. Do exactly what you did with the other crystal to this one." He said, handing the small ball to Florence.

She took it in her hands and rubbed them together, warming the crystal. It lit up, creating another beacon of warm white light.

"Now, we wait." Gerard said.

While they made idle chit chat, Florence couldn't help but watch the ball intently, not listening to the conversation and waiting for the return signal. Every half an hour, she rolled it in her hands again, making sure he knew he was being looked for.

As night grew closer, Leyton and Gerard excused themselves to their room for the night.

"Are you coming to bed?" Leyton asked Florence who had taken a cozy spot on the lounge.

"Eventually." She replied.

"Well, don't stay up too late. Come and get us if anything changes." Gerard said.

"Yes, father." Florence said sarcastically, laughing at Gerard's comment.

She was unsure how long she laid on the lounge for, her eyes opening and shutting slowly as she resisted the urge to fall asleep, just in case the tracker went off. As she laid back, she untucked her shirt and lifted it slightly, looking at her slightly swollen stomach. She was overcome with a sense of guilt as she realised she hadn't paid much attention to it, honestly forgetting there was even something in there. She placed her hand over the top, feeling the firmness of her belly. She had guessed she'd be very close halfway through now if she wasn't past it already. She thought of Sebastian, how they had both missed so much and he could be missing all of it if the Daily Prophet was right.

She took the tracker crystal and placed it on her stomach. The coolness of it gave her goosebumps and made her audibly shiver. She rolled it around and around, the tracker emitting a small light again as it had every half an hour since Gerard gave it to her. A sensation of butterflies rolling in her stomach began, taking Florence by surprise.

"Is that you?" she whispered to the new person she was growing. She poked her stomach with her finger and felt the butterflies again. For the first time in a very long time, she felt happiness. Pure joy. For a fleeting moment.

The warmed crystal suddenly emitted light again and a streak of light grew to leave a trail out of the door.

"Oh my god..." she muttered to herself as she jumped off the lounge, adjusting her shirt and sprinting upstairs to wake Gerard and Leyton.

She banged her fist on the door, yelling at them.

"Hey! Wake up! The tracker has worked!" she called.

A sleepy Gerard answered the door, quickly throwing a coat on and rushing them all out the door. Florence grabbed her coat on the way out, she was thankful she had done so as the night air was so crisp, her nose became pink and it hurt to breathe.

They followed the beacon for miles. Florence felt herself growing tired as they walked, noticing the sun had begun to rise ever so slightly, giving the sky a subtle orange glow.

"How much further?" Florence asked.

"I'm not sure. We can set up a camp here for a while if you're tired." Gerard said.

Florence nodded her head and with one whip of his wand, Gerard conjured a tent for them all. Inside, it looked similar to the tent Florence used to carry in her enchanted backpack. Where she'd camped with Sebastian.

She quickly fell asleep, her wandering brain unable to compete with her exhausted body. She curled into a ball on the side, her hand cradling her stomach. She realised she may not get the chance to protect Sebastian again, so she would do anything in her power to protect the only physical reminder she'll have of him.

--

Gerard gently woke Florence later in the morning with a soft nudge and gentle words in her ear.

"You slept well." Gerard laughed.

"What time is it?" she yawned, stretching and rubbing her weary eyes.

"Almost 9am. I wanted to let you sleep longer, but we really must get a move on. Have you got the tracker?" Gerard said.

Florence flashed him the tracker she had in her pocket and they packed up the tent, setting off on foot again.

They walked what felt like all day until Florence saw the beacon fade off in the distance.

"Look." She said, pointing at the beacon ending. "Does that mean he's there?"

"Him or the tracker." Leyton said. "Let's go."

Florence felt her pace get faster, the two men struggling to keep up. The beacon led them to a small cottage, it was obvious it was occupied by the trail of smoke protruding from the chimney. Florence approached the door and gently knocked. Her heart beat fast as she heard approaching footsteps.

"Oh. Hello." A familiar voice said as they opened the door.

Imelda fucking Reyes.

"Imelda?" Florence said, confused.

"What's up, McCallister? Why are you here?" Imelda snarled, that signature smirk on her face.

"Where's Sebastian?" Florence asked, not beating around the bush with her.

"I don't know. Not here. Haven't seen him." Imelda told her, her harsh tone annoying Florence.

"She's lying. I can see him in there." Leyton called out. Florence realised the pair hadn't approached the door with her and were standing back near a tree observing, able to see past Imelda's shoulder.

Imelda hadn't realised she'd come with reinforcements.

"Move aside." Florence said, nudging Imelda back so she could get in despite Imelda's protests.

Her eyes caught Sebastian's who was sitting looking relaxed on the lounge.

"You're alive." Florence said, her eyes filling with the all too familiar feeling of tears.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Sebastian asked, bewildered, not moving up from his comfy position.

"What's wrong with you?" Florence asked, noticing something about Sebastian felt odd.

"Nothing. Why are you here, Florence?" he asked her, still sitting on the lounge, unmoving.

"What the fuck..." Florence muttered under her breath.

Imelda approached the lounge and sat next to Sebastian, too close for Florence's comfort.

"What are you doing?" she directed at them both.

"I think you need to go, Florence." Imelda said, snarkily. "I don't even know how you found this place."

Florence's heart began to ache by the scene she was witnessing. She stood her ground and refused to move, instead staring at them all. Gerard and Leyton had now joined her in the house, hearing Florence's voice getting shaky.

"What's that smell?" Gerard noticed. "Smells like musk."

"I smell parchment." Leyton noticed.

"I know exactly what that is." Florence said, her fists and teeth beginning to clench.