From Eden - Regulus Black (Complete)

Chapter One Hundred and Fourteen -

FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW MY COUNTRY'S POLITICAL SITUATION, A RIGHT-WING PRESIDENT LOST TO A LEFT(ISH)-WING PRESIDENT, TO WHOM I WAS CHEERING FOR. UNFORTUNATELY, BOLSONARO'S (RIGHT-WING) VOTERS ARE BEHAVING LIKE CHILDREN AND STOPPING CARS, BUSES AND TRUCKS FROM COMING AND GOING - IT'S BEEN 30 HOURS THAT THEY BLOCKED MY CITY AT THE TIME I'M POSTING THIS AND I'M VERY UPSET.

TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, MY PROFESSOR IS ANNOYING THE HELL OUT OF ME. SHE POSTED A WORK WE HAVE TO PRESENT ON THE 8TH TONIGHT. A FUCKING WEEK BEFORE THE DATE OF PRESENTATION. THAT'S SO FUCKING AGGRAVATING AND SHE DOESN'T LISTEN WHEN WE TRY TO EXPLAIN THAT WE DON'T HAVE ONLY HER SUBJECT IN OUR LIVES TO BUSY OURSELVES WITH. MY GROUP IS FUCKING LAZY, TOO, AND MY FRIEND AND I ARE DOING THE JOBS ALONE BECAUSE THEY DON'T ANSWER ON THE GROUP-CHAT. I'M ABOUT TO SCREAM, REALLY.

I'M SICK, THOUGH, SO I'M NOT WORKING TODAY. ALL MATTERS HAVE AN UPSIDE, I SUPPOSE.

I HOPE YOU ALL LIKE THIS CHAPTER. I'M SORRY FOR VENTING. IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE ANGTSY, BUT LIKE... WHOLESOME-ISH.

PICKING UP THE PIECES

"You need to eat, shower and sleep, Anne," said James from the doorway of the guest room she was sitting in, watching Severus' sleeping form. "I can stay with him for a few hours."

She didn't say anything, not wanting to hurt her dad by admitting that she didn't trust Severus with him. He didn't like the unconscious man and, though she knew James would never do anything to hurt someone already hurting, she didn't want her friend to wake up and see James' face as first thing after a very traumatic situation. She wanted Severus to wake up and see her, so she could explain everything to him – perhaps she could make him see reason and not hate himself... not hate her either, if she dared to hope so much from Severus. He meant so much to her that perhaps even him didn't know how much. It felt sloppy to leave him with someone else.

She had no idea how much time had passed when the door opened once more and someone stood quietly at the doorway.

"Anne, I think we can leave Coco with him while you at least eat," said Sirius. Anne was somewhat grateful that he didn't pretend that he cared enough to offer to stay with Severus. "Or maybe I can bring food up here, and you can eat while you watch him." She heard someone hiss, clearly not liking the second part of his offer; it was Lily.

"Anne, perhaps I could stay with him? Do you trust me to stay with him?" Lily had asked, jumping into the conversation.

She shrugged. She did trust her mother, of course, but she wasn't sure Severus trusted her again. He had been the one to break their relationship and he had no reason or right to be upset with Lily, but Anne wouldn't dare to go against his wishes... not again, not when it was going against his wishes that had left him with just one arm.

At the second day, Anne was quite happy to take a peek at the bandages while she changed them and saw nothing but the normal of an amputated arm. It was a clean cut, 4 centimetres under the elbow bone. The wound had been sealed with stiches that, although not the prettiest – after all, neither Madame Pomfrey nor Anne were graduated in Muggle medicine – and the small tube had stopped draining excess fluid. He had been kept under anaesthesia and painkillers for the time being.

"Anne, you gave enough blood," James said. "It's my turn now."

And, though Madame Pomfrey forced her to sit and allow James to give blood to Severus on the third day, especially after she found out she had been barely eating, she wasn't happy at all, even after the small tube was taken out on the fourth day. And on the fifth, Madame turned to her and watched her sitting there for a moment.