Weasley Family Fallout

Chapter 8: The Lost Child

A/N: Here is a nice Arthur-George chapter. Warning: Mention of Miscarriage

Rolling over in bed, Arthur groaned as he read the clock on the bedside table.

2:23 a.m.

He had been lying awake for nearly four hours. This is how it had been since he had returned home five nights ago.

Thinking about it, this shouldn't be happening at all. Everything should be getting better now that things seemed to have been worked out; Percy was welcomed back, they knew where Charlie was off to every day, all the other kids were doing their best at getting back to normal, and Arthur stopped drinking completely and did his best to keep his attitude in check...but something just wasn't right.

Molly didn't stir as Arthur got out of bed and slipped out of the room. Ever since they got married, one would wake when the other got up, but since a month ago neither sensed the other's absence. For the first time in thirty years, the perfect couple was out of sync.

With a flick of his wand, Arthur turned on a lamp in the kitchen then fixed two cups of hot tea. George would be joining him any minute now. Where Arthur would get sick of lying in bed around 2:30, George would get bored around 2:45. No one knew George had trouble sleeping until he startled his dad a few nights ago. So, father and son would sit at the kitchen table, sipping their tea and hardly saying a word. It's not that George didn't want to talk, but he could clearly see his dad didn't want to be bothered. Tonight would be a bit different, though.

"Dad?" George asked quietly, looking over at his father.

"Hmm?" Arthur didn't lift his gaze from his mug.

"I'm worried about you."

"I don't know why...Things are getting back on track."

"Things might be, but that doesn't mean you're getting better.. Around everyone else you smile and act as if everything is okay again, and they all believe it. But I see what no one else does, because you don't bother hiding it this late at night."

Arthur knew George was right. He had gone back to putting on a façade, but when he was alone, he took the mask off. The only reason he let his guard down around George was because he was too tired to keep up the act.

Arthur sighed then asked, "You haven't told anyone, have you?"

"No," George said because his father still wasn't looking at him. "But you need to at least talk to Mum about whatever this is."

Arthur didn't respond, so George put his empty mug in the sink and went back to his bedroom. He still had a question for his dad, but that would have to wait for another night.

ooOoo

The next two nights were spent like the first few: sipping their tea and not saying anything then going back to bed to finally fall asleep. Arthur thought about what George said, but he couldn't talk to anyone about what was bothering him, not even his Mollywobbles. It was evident to George that his parents still hadn't discussed this, because his dad's behavior hadn't changed any; in fact, it seemed to be getting even worse.

After half an hour of silence, George finally spoke up to ask what he'd been wanting to for a while.

"Dad...How long will this last?" he asked quietly.

Arthur wasn't sure what his son was getting at; he assumed it was about his own behavior, so his tone was a bit rough when he responded. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, you and Mum have both lost brothers and other people you've cared about. I was just wondering how long I'll feel like this...If I'll ever go a day without missing him...If things will get easier."