Never Is Our Always

Home Again 5

(Minnie pov)

I slowly opened my eyes and felt the warmth of something familiar, everything was just cozy and homelike to me.

So, where was I?

I put on my glasses and then shift my head to see Fred fast asleep with his arms around me.

I shift my body around and Fred held me tighter, moaning at having to wake up.

"Five more minutes," Fred grumbles, I smile as I take my glasses back off and nuzzled into him, taking in his scent as well as his warmth.

"Take all the time you need," I mutter into his ear, he flinched before pulling his head back as he opened his eyes and smiled at me.

"Hello there gorgeous," Fred pressed a kiss to my forehead.

"Mmm," I wrapped my arms around his neck as we kissed.

"I missed this," Fred whispered, lowering his hands to my hips.

"I missed you," I snuggled my head under his chin and then planted a small kiss to his sternum as I couldn't get enough of how warm Fred's body was.

"Are you cold?" I shake my head.

"No, my love, I'm just taking in what I can before you open shop," I told him.

"Oh we have all day," he said and I smiled sheepishly.

"You have till eight thirty, so twenty minutes because of the paperwork for the shop to open in July," I told him and he groans loudly, "I'm sorry!"

"Why do you have to crush my dreams of being with my girlfriend!" Fred cries as I started laughing.

"Baby I'm sorry!" I giggled, sitting up on my knees as I hover over him, "I'm sorry," Fred looks at me and I gave him a toothy smile.

(Fred pov)

When she smiled, it warmed my entire soul back up, she looked... sick, Minnie looked really sick.

"Baby, are you feeling okay?" I ask her, cupping her cheek into my hand softly.

"Totally," her skin was lighter than usual, her hand shook and she would squirm if I touched her back. Minnie didn't look the same, she looked skinnier, tired eyes as well as red rings around her eyes, there also were shadows were evident underneath her eyes...

"What did she do to you, Princess?" I whispered, Minnie looked surprised as I grew more concerned.

"Maybe you should see..." Minnie frowns as another streak of silver appeared in her hair, "when you're ready... take my sweater off." She sat down and faced away from me.

"What...? Okay," I slowly sat myself up and then peeled the back of her sweater slowly; I saw pink before her arms lift as I take off her sweater and hand it to her.

Whip marks were evident all over her back.

"Minnie," I whispered in horror, eyes widen as she held her sweater to her chest, she didn't say anything.

"Wrongdoers..." she mutters after a few minutes of silence, "that's what I am, a wrongdoer, if you think my back is bad..." she held her trembling hand out for me, "then you should've written lines for a month with the same blood quill."

I snatch her hand and held it up to see all the words deeply cut until her hand.

I must not tell lies

I must not lie

I must not disobey the rules

I must not go where I am forbidden