Tuesday evening

[alec_leads]

Alec closes the door to his room and leans back against it. He's always heard about how your life can turn upside-down in a blink of an eye. He never thought it could actually happen to him. Even when Romilda died, the basics were the same.

But now...

He sits down on his bed. Maybe Mom and Dad just had a bad fight. Mom could have misunderstood. Nothing makes sense.

(Except it all totally makes sense and he just doesn't want it to.)

He picks up his phone and calls Ginny.

Comments

[alec_leads]

Hugs will be great.

He waits for her to get to the sidewalk before he's out the door and in her arms.

"I'm so glad you're here."

[ginginevra]

"Hey," she says, and holds on tight. Hugs she can totally do.

[alec_leads]

He doesn't do anything but cling for a minute or two more.

"Come on inside," he finally says. "I feel like I'm dreaming and I can't wake up."

[ginginevra]

She takes his hand tightly and follows him inside.

"I don't know what to say," she admits.

[alec_leads]

"Yeah, neither do I."

He starts up the stairs.

"It was a bad scene, though. I- could I just tell you what happened? I think if I talk about it, it might, I don't know. Make more sense?"

[ginginevra]

"We can talk about whatever you want. I just wanted to - I mean, that's why I came."

[alec_leads]

"Yeah. Yeah, okay."

He heads for his room, closing the door behind them.

"Just- Mom made dinner, which- she hasn't done in a while. She wanted us all to sit down and eat together. And she just started crying in the middle of it."

He sits on the edge of the bed, looking a little lost.

"Alyce was- she was being a bitch. She always is with Mom these days. They've always kind of pushed each others' buttons? But Alyce said something really awful about Dad coming home to the usual mess, and Mom just froze. And then she said Dad wasn't coming home. They were separating, and she didn't know what would happen, but he had an apartment in San Diego now, and-"

He runs his hand through his hair. "Alyce started screaming and crying, saying Mom drove Dad away, and I didn't- I didn't know what to say- and Mom kept crying and it felt like the world just kind of dropped out from under me."

[ginginevra]

"God, Alec," Ginny whispers, and wraps her arms around him tightly. "I'm so, so sorry."

[alec_leads]

So far, Ginny is doing and saying exactly what Alec needs.

"I just- When Dad started working a lot, he told me to look after them. I don't buy the 'man of the house' crap, but I tried. I can't- I think-"

This is what hurts the most, and it's the hardest thing to admit. "Things have been fucked up a really long time, but I couldn't do anything about it. I mean, how could I? I cooked and I did dishes and I tried to make Mom feel better and I tried to make Alyce feel better, and when Dad was home, I tried to make sure everyone was happy and getting along, and that's all I could do. Right?"

[ginginevra]

"You should never have had to do any of that," she says, resting her head on his shoulder.

[alec_leads]

"I didn't know what else to do. I love them. All of them."

He wipes his eyes.

"We weren't always like this. We used to be- to be a family."

[ginginevra]

And now she's back to not knowing what to say, so she just kisses his cheek and keeps hugging him.

"I'm so sorry," she says again.

[alec_leads]

Words aren't going to help much, but hugs? Alec feels a little better already and a lot less alone.

"I'm so glad you came over."

[ginginevra]

"Of course I did. You're my guy."

[alec_leads]

That gets her more of a smile. He kisses her on the forehead.

"You're my girl, so that works out perfectly."

He sighs. Everything still sucks, but it's bearable. Ish.

[ginginevra]

"Is Alyce in her room?"

She should see if Alyce will talk to her, too.

[alec_leads]

He shakes his head. "Rehearsal. She wouldn't talk to me before she stomped off. Locked her door, wouldn't respond."

He shrugs. "She's always been close to Dad. Closer than to Mom."

[ginginevra]

"Okay. Maybe I'll be here when she gets back." She sighs and cuddles closer. She's worried about Alyce, but she doesn't really want to leave Alec right now, so she doesn't really mind that Alyce is gone for the time being.

[alec_leads]

"Poor Neville," Alec says with the ghost of a chuckle. "I don't mean to brag or be mean, but you got the easier-going of the Carrow twins."

[ginginevra]

"Man, I love Alyce, but I would not want to date her," she replies, laughing a little herself.

[alec_leads]

Now Alec does laugh. Out loud.

He needed that!

[ginginevra]

Ginny grins at him. At least she can make him feel a little better!

"Neville's so easy-going. I'm sure he'll be able to help her."

[alec_leads]

He nods, trying to be serious.

No luck. He has the giggles now. He rests his head on her shoulder and laughs.

"Sorry. I can't stop."

It's not hysterical laughter, at least! It's purely stress relief.

[ginginevra]

She kisses the top of his head and squeezes his shoulders. She doesn't mind at all.

[alec_leads]

When he calmer down, he feels a lot steadier.

"I guess... it should surprise me more, but it doesn't. Now that I know for sure. I didn't like to think about it, you know? But even when Dad is home, it's kind of like he's not. I'm tired of my mom crying. I want her to feel better, to smile and laugh with us again."