Nevermoor Fanfiction

Slip Ups

The first time she said it, it was on Christmas morning.

Christmas was being done differently this year. Instead of everyone receiving their presents separately, Jack, Jupiter and Morrigan all opened them together in the Smoking Parlour while the walls emitted puffs of red and green (peppermint scented, to raise Christmas spirit).

Morrigan and Jack had both received countless gifts. Morrigan had been given some new books, and some lovely new dresses. All black of course, although Jupiter had given her a very dark blue one. He said he was just trying to get her to expand her style a little bit. Morrigan had rolled her eyes at that, but thanked him for the present anyway. Jack had also gotten some new clothes. Handsome dress shirts and pants as well as some interesting hats (another gift from Jupiter). He had been gifted with new notebooks and pens for school, all of which looked extremely expensive. His final gift was a new chess set, although that was more of a present to be shared with Morrigan.

Jupiter had gotten presents from multiple people. Brownies from Martha, a blazer from Dame Chanda and a sock from Fen, just to name a few. However, his favourites were from the two children. Jack had given him a book on witness history. It explained how the first witness ability was found, and where it came from. It also taught about the greatest witnesses of all time. On the inside cover, Jack wrote "One day, you will be in here. Thank you for all that you've taught me."

From Morrigan, Jupiter had received a jar of wunder, just like the one she had given Jack for his birthday. He found it special to know that only the three could see it. It was like a little family secret, but it was not one he felt guilty about keeping.

Jack and Morrigan had opened up the new chess set and were engrossed in the game until Morrigan heard Jupiter clear his throat.

"Mog?"

"What's up?" Her gaze didn't leave the board. Jack was winning and she couldn't let that happen.

"You have one last present."

This caught her attention. She had assumed all the presents had been given and received, but when she looked up, she saw Jupiter holding up a wrapped something.

Morrigan sat up from where she was lying down on the floor and took the present as Jupiter handed it to her. It felt heavy in her hands. She really had no idea as to what it was.

She ripped the paper away and smiled as she saw that it was a large photo frame. It had pictures of the best days of her life. The day she was accepted into Wunsoc, her first birthday party, one of the sleepovers she had with Hawthorne and Cadence, a beach day with Jupiter and Jack and many other photos.

Morrigan placed the frame on the ground and tackled Jupiter in a hug.

"It's amazing. Thank you so much."

"You're more than welcome, Mog."

Morrigan scrambled off Jupiter, grabbing the frame off the floor.

"I'm going to put it in my room. Thanks again, Dad."

Nobody noticed her slip-up. Morrigan skipped out of the room, the photo frame in her hand. Jupiter took her place at the chess set and played against Jack. For Morrigan, it felt natural to say and for Jack and Jupiter, it felt natural to hear. In the future, Morrigan hardly called him 'Jupiter' anymore and everybody forgot the first time she said it. They just assumed it had simply started happening.

{~~~}

The first time she said it, was on a sick day.

She had woken up with the worst fever and sore throat imaginable, but she had still gotten dressed and ready for the day. She didn't need to miss a day of school. Her studies were too important to her.

Morrigan could hardly swallow without feeling like sandpaper was running down her throat. She walked downstairs to the kitchens to grab some tea before she had to leave for school. She had woken up earlier, thanks to her pounding headache, so she wouldn't be late anyway.

She started making her tea, the fumes slightly helping her feel better, until she heard a cry of distress coming from the door. She looked up and saw Martha, horror written across her face.

"Goodness, Morrigan! You look awful! What are you doing in your uniform? You need to go back to bed!" Martha rushed over to the young girl, placing a hand across her forehead. "You've got a temperature. Alright, up you go. I'll finish your tea, and bring it to you." Martha lightly moved Morrigan to the side, and continued making the tea.

"Martha, honestly, I'm fine. Just let me go to school."

"Absolutely not! You are in no shape to go to school. You are staying home."

Morrigan rolled her eyes, although she did like the thought of more sleep. She stomped half her way back up to her bedroom, but this only made her headache worse, each step causing her brain to rattle inside her skull. She slowly walked the remaining distance and entered her bedroom.

As soon as she was inside, she immediately changed back into her pyjamas and climbed back into her bed. Her uniform was discarded on the floor and she knew it would get crinkled, but she couldn't care to hang it up.

She heard a knock coming from her Wunsoc door and she knew exactly who it was. Morrigan lightly smiled before getting out of bed. She didn't want to get up more than once, so she grabbed her clothes off the floor and opened the door to her wardrobe and hung them up. She walked through the wardrobe to the other door and opened it.

On the other side was the whole of Unit 919 and their conductor.

"Are you coming, or what? Why are you still in your pyjamas?" asked Hawthorne.

Morrigan felt a tickle behind her nose before she sneezed. That seemed to get the message across to her friends.

"I'll tell your teachers you're staying home today," said Miss Cheery.

Morrigan nodded gratefully before turning to Cadence and Hawthorne. "On the way home, can you make me some tea and grab some biscuits?" She didn't know what it was about the tea and biscuits on hometrain, but they always made her feel better.

"I'll grab some medicine for you as well," said Anah.

"Thank you, Anah. You all better get going, you don't want to be late."

After waving goodbye to her friends, and watching hometrain leave, Morrigan walked back through the doors into her room where she found Martha fixing her pillows.

She walked over to her bed and climbed under the covers, relishing in the warmth. Martha checked her temperature and lightly clicked her tongue when a fever was still evident. Morrigan started yawning, but was instructed to finish her tea before going back to bed. Martha stayed with her, tidying up the room. When Morrigan sank into the bed once more, Martha turned to her.

"Do you need anything else, dear?"

Morrigan shook her head while yawning widely.

"Alright, call me if you need anything."

"Okay. Thank you, Mum."

Once Martha had processed what she said, Morrigan was already asleep. A tear slowly fell down her cheek as she exited the room, and Martha wiped it away softly smiling.

Similarly to how it happened with Jupiter, Morrigan hadn't noticed her slip up. It was just natural to say. Each time in the future, however, Martha would become emotional every time she heard the word pass through Morrigan's lips. She would always remember the first time Morrigan called her 'Mum' and she treasured the memory.