Sept 1980: The Truth Hurts: Pheddie & Fabs

[Phoebe Bones]

Humming quietly as she swayed in place, Phoebe eyed the papers laid out across her kitchen table. The early morning hours were often the only time she had to look over work, but Cami was determined to make it difficult. She thought that perhaps after Cami had finished teething, her youngest child would actually want to sleep. “Think maybe you want to lay down now?” she asked the toddler quietly, a sigh escaping as Cami shook her head.

Soft knocks at the door drew her attention, and Phoebe could only think of one person who might show up. She wasn’t surprised when it was Fabian, and Cami was reaching out for her Uncle as soon as he’d stepped inside. “You look like hell Fabian,” she told him as she headed back into the kitchen, doing her best to contain her mess of work. “Don’t mind the mess, was trying to get some work done since some of us don’t like to sleep,” she added, stacking the papers up.

“Edgar’s in bed, don’t know if he’s asleep or not,” she said slowly as he looked at him. She was curious about what he was doing here, but she had to assume it was her husband that he had come by to see. “I’m guessing you want to talk to him. Gimme this one, I will see if I can get her to sleep.”

Ducking down the hall to their bedroom, she sat the toddler down on the bed with a whisper to get the two year old to go and get her father. Cami was more than happy to oblige, giggling happily as she disturbed Edgar. “Fabian’s here,” she said as she collected their child, leaving the room so Edgar could have some quiet. It only took a few minutes to get Cami down, and she came down the stairs to meet Edgar in the hall, giving him a look of concern as they entered the living room where Fabian was waiting.

[Fabian Prewett]

Standing on the Bones’ front porch, he felt like an idiot. He’d stopped by HQ to reassure his brother and their former Headmaster that he was physically alright, before turning his attention to the last place he needed to stop before he went home for the night. If Kyra hadn’t already called Phoebe she would soon, even if it was reaching an ungodly hour for him to simply show up at their house. But he had barely knocked on the door when Phoebe was pulling it open, looking like she hadn’t slept in ages with Cami on her hip.

The two-year-old was quickly in his arms, Phoebe passing her youngest off to him without hesitation. The house was quiet, and he followed Phoebe into the kitchen with Sadie prancing behind them, the dog never far from one of them. Papers spread out across the table were a good indication Phoebe had been up for a while, and he gave a laugh at her words. “Figured that might be the case,” he said with a nod toddler babbling at him. Grayson and Elle were good sleepers, Cami was determined to deprive his friends of sleep for her entire life

Giving the little one a kiss on the forehead, he passed her back to Phoebe with a nod, “You might want to hear what happened too.” He didn’t know what he was going to say, but he headed into the other room to sit, Sadie following him curiously. Petting then pup was a welcome distraction from his thoughts, and it hardly seemed like a few minutes had passed when he heard them enter the room. Looking up to their concerned faces, he gave a sigh. “It’s been a long night.”

[Edgar Bones]

After an inside day of briefings and preparation for an upcoming mission, Edgar had been more than ready to enjoy dinner and before-bedtime play with his family. Pettigrew was twitchy as usual, Moody just as moody, and the longtime Agent was missing the days when he’d been in the field with true friends. Those true friends were solo operatives now, the Prewetts hardly ever around HQ. The vibe in the place was different without them, leaving Edgar feeling like the old man mistakenly mixed in with the still fresh Hogwarts graduates. (However much the kids liked to argue that they were grown up’s now too.)

But they were all doing what they needed to do. Fabian and Gideon were tackling problems that full teams - with lots of oversight - simply couldn’t. Edgar had a team at his back, added assurance that he would make it home after every assignment. So it was with no small amount of fear that his later check-in on Gray and Elle - both sound asleep - was interrupted by a familiar waddling patronus. Ed hurried to shut their door silently before the wombat spoke in Fabian’s voice, at full attention to the succinct information and command. He took only a few moments to find his shoes and wand and kiss his wife before apparating to Headquarters, hoping his other best mate was already there.

Thankfully Gideon was debriefing with Albus when he arrived, and Edgar’s delivery of news of the missing Prewett was quickly given. After a short exchange with Gid, the reasons for Fabian’s roundabout return to HQ made a bit more sense to Edgar. He’d often felt the need for some sort of life-affirming interaction after a harrowing night on the job; whether that was catching up with his brother while the younger Bones patched him up, playing with his children like nothing was the matter, or snogging his wife like they were teenagers still sneaking around their parents’ houses - something that felt normal, ordinary, could ground him back to the world that mattered. The one outside of the narrow, harrowing, scope of the field. With any luck, Kyra could help his mate get back to center, and he’d be reporting before too long.

Ed returned home to find Phoebe and Cami still awake, their toddler having difficulty understanding the concept of "sleep" lately, and with promises to fill her in when it really was morning, and to take tomorrow night with Camilla, he collapsed into bed. It felt like no time had passed when he jerked into wakefulness, his youngest daughter giggling with delight as she climbed onto his chest. Looking up with a tired why? in his eyes, he found Phoebe’s figure in the darkness and was shortly in the know. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes as Phoebe picked up their littlest, and swung himself out of bed. He met her in the hall, loosely clasping her hand in his to pause her as he whispered, "The patronus was his. Stopped by Kyra's on his way back from a mission. Had me find Gid to tell him."

He sighed and gave his tired eyes another swipe before they headed into the living room. Sitting in the space with their dog at his feet was an exhausted and forlorn Fabian Prewett. Didn't go well, then, Ed surmised as he fell into the seat next to his brother-in-arms. "What happened, mate?"

[Phoebe Bones]

Edgars earlier trip out of the house wasn’t entirely uncommon, as his need to go to work at the drop of the hat was something Phoebe had accepted long ago. The little animal made of light that had stumbled through their house earlier was also not uncommon - but it was helpful to know that it had been Fabian’s. It was even more interesting to know that the message had been about her best friend, and she felt an anxiousness in her chest that often cropped up when it came to magic and Kyra.

She settled in across from Edgar and Fabian, tucking her legs underneath her as Sadie came to join her. Fabian looked rough; his shirt had splotches of blood on it and she wasn’t sure if the man had slept in the past few days. It wasn’t a great look for him, but it was one she recognized. Edgar had had the same look after she had left years ago when she found out about magic - and lies. “How much does she know?”

[Fabian Prewett]

Where was he supposed to begin? Within the next few hours, Kyra was going to contact Phoebe. He still wasn’t entirely sure that the woman he loved hadn’t already called, although he doubted it based on the fact his brother’s wife hadn’t seemed to know what was going on. But as the long time couple settled in near him, two entirely different questions were out of their mouths. He didn’t answer immediately, eyes falling to the ground as he mulled over what to say.

“Gid and I had a close call and it made me think,” he began uncomfortably, unable to meet either of their gazes. How many years now had they told him to just tell her? How many years had he told Edgar the same thing? The conversation he’d had tonight had been a long time coming, that was something they all knew. “Went to see her, told her I loved her. And then I told her about magic and-“

He looked up at Phoebe, before slowly turning his eyes towards Edgar. His friends had been here before, at least when it came to the reveal of magic. “She knows I’ve altered her memories more than once. Last thing I did before she kicked me out was fix that. So I don’t know how much she’ll have recalled by the time she calls you.”

[Edgar Bones]

Seeing his mate in such a state was like looking back into a mirror to himself...six years prior. The helplessness, the hopelessness, the utter loss that realization of betrayal brought - it painted Fabian in a harsh light. While those in the room knew that this was a longtime eventuality, the gravity of it was still felt and respected. Ed put a steadying hand on his back as Fabian spoke, feeling through his words and tone the break in him that was different, more profound, than what the Death Eaters threatened. He met the other's eye as Fabian turned to face him, nodding mutely as the information registered. She knows you love her. That we've all kept this from her. And, in her eyes, that you've used magic against her.

He exchanged an understanding look with Phoebe, knowing that at any time the phone could ring or Kyra could show up and demand answers. He expected a lengthy berating from his old neighbor, coupled with an endless stream of questions about magic. Magic and Fabian - affirmations of how long he'd felt this way, why he hadn't come forward before, why he'd taken on the burden of these actions. Ed would take the blame for the last bit, and while he wasn't looking forward to the hell likely to be spat at him for it, finally being clear with Kyra - godmother of their first child - would be relief in and of itself. Eventually. "That can't've been easy, but I'm glad you came clean. About all of it. You had a defining moment tonight, Fabs, and you went to her. It'll take time for her to cool down, but I stand by what I've said before - she'll understand. And that you went after you almost..." The Agent cleared his throat, unable to vocalize his best friend's near-death experience. He went on quietly, "That means - that means everything."

[Phoebe Bones]

Phoebe had known this day would come eventually, that Fabian would tell Kyra the whole truth. She had always hoped it would be sooner rather than later, but every time she had suggested it to him, Fabian had shot her down. There was always some excuse, always some reason why it couldn’t work out. The first time the two of them had started dating back in their University days, Phoebe hadn’t known about magic either. She had always wondered why things hadn’t worked out between her friends back then, but when she’d learned of magic it had made more sense. And when she’d learned about magic, she had been the one to tell Kyra about it. But learning the truth had allowed a better relationship between Kyra and Fabian to happen - and she’d be furious when she had learned that Fabian not only broke things off, but altered her memories just two months after the truth had come out. Phoebe had always been against them altering her best friends memories, but her pleas had always fallen on deaf ears.

And then, Fabian had come clean about magic to Kyra - but not about the memories he’d already altered. Phoebe had been furious with him about that, and for the entire year the two of them had been together she had pestered Fabian to come clean. Instead, when things got serious between them - Fabian had bailed, and changed her memories once more. It had been the biggest fight between the three of them when Phoebe had found out. She wanted to be sympathetic to what Fabian was going through right now, but as she sat on the couch across from him and Edgar, she found that she was having a hard time. Even with knowing the danger Fabian had been in tonight, she wasn’t ready to give him sympathy. Especially since at any time, Kyra could be showing up on their doorstep. “Edgar’s right Fabs,” she said quietly, “After what you went through tonight, it means a lot that you went to see her. And that you finally came clean about everything.”

[Fabian Prewett]

Everything was so fucked. And it was all his fault, he knew that. How many years had Phoebe been begging him to just tell Kyra the truth - the whole truth. They’d had plenty of arguments here in this house, fighting in hushed and angry whispers when the kids slept. He’d tried to have a relationship with Kyra so many times now, but every time they got close to something real, he panicked. At first, it had been a murder of a Uni student that scared him away. Then it had been a visit from the Dark Lord himself. And the last time they’d tried, they’d ended up dating for an entire year. It had been one of the best years of his life by far, and yet he’d ended things when it started to get too serious. Because he was a coward, afraid to put Kyra in danger like Edgar had done with Phoebe.

But it had been Phoebe’s choice, you never gave Kyra that option until now.

And now that he had given her the choice, there was no way she would take it. He figured she would never forgive him for what he had done, and he’d have to respect that. As much as he loved her and wanted to be with her, he’d made some poor choices. “I appreciate you trying to make me feel better,” Fabian said, rubbing his face with his hands. “But it doesn’t mean anything. I should have just let her keep her memories, I never should have messed with them in the first place. She has to hate me, and I can’t say I blame her.”He knew that Edgar and Phoebe meant well, he truly did. But he knew the truth. “I’m sure she’ll show up here soon, I’m sorry for that.”

[Edgar Bones]

Ed sent a grateful smile across to his wife as she spoke, and he found himself hopeful. Hopeful that after all this time of back-and-forth, of deceit, of regret, that Fabian and Kyra would finally choose each other. For good. With eyes open, with everything laid bare, with the truth between them, and still choose the love that had never truly been lost. It hadn't been easy for anyone in the know to watch them over the years, to wait and see if this time would be different. But the strain that had been put on Phoebe for it, to see her best friend repair a broken heart when she knew the real reasons for it, to convince their children to keep their magic under wraps when she and Liz were around...It wasn't fair, it had never been fair, and if the situation was reversed, Ed knew that his patience would have worn out long ago.

What happens if they don't come back to each other?

    He can't keep erasing her memory. Look what it's done...

They were fighting to change their world, to save it - but not to reveal it. He felt the endless arguments that they'd all had about this revolving in his mind, and he reached out to take Fabian by the shoulder as he spoke. The waiting - for Kyra to process her emotions, for all of them to collide, to pick themselves up out of the fallout for what he could only hope was the final time - was only beginning tonight. Fabs needed to breathe, he needed a shower, he needed a change of clothes, he needed to sleep... "You told her about magic. You told her you love her. I can't imagine you didn't tell her why you've done what you've done, and the regret you have for it," Ed began. "You've been in tough positions, and you've made the calls as best as you could along the way. We all have - and I'll take the heat when she comes too." He was hardly faultless in all of this, and he wasn't sure if that had come up in the conversation already had, but if not...at least he could take some of the blame off of Fabian. "But now you've chosen to tell her everything...Seems to me like you're all in, if she comes around. She loves you too much to hate you forever." He chanced a short grin, giving Fabian's shoulder a shake. "What do you think, Pheebs?"