Tales from Ravenhearst: Home, Sweet Home

Epilogue

Disclaimer: I do not own the Mystery Case Files: Ravenhearst series. This is an AU of that universe. This was inspired by The Basement Chronicles by SilveRanger on AO3. I highly recommend you read that as well, even though it is not related to this story.

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Maddie yawned as her and her father trudged through the door of their flat. Noticing his daughter's exhaustion, he chuckled. "You alright over there, kiddo?" he asked, watching the fifteen-year-old head straight for the couch, plopping herself down and curling up.

She let out a satisfied huff at the feeling of the soft cushions, barely registering what he had said. Finally, her brain caught up to her, mumbling, "Yeah, just tired." Her father chuckled again, the feeling of the couch seat dipping down indicating to her that he had sat down next to her. A large, warm hand began rubbing at her back. She sighed again, happily this time; it was just as reassuring since she was a little kid. She had missed it achingly, after being away for so long.

It had been nearly six months since the detective from the MCF unit had rescued her from Charles Dalimar. This fatigue she was feeling was a result of her five year-long captivity, after being locked away from the sunlight and fresh air that whole time, forced only to do domesticated activities. Nothing that resembled anything that was healthy exercise.

The first few weeks back home had been the hardest. Every morning, she would wake up, expecting to be back in that cottage underground, or worse, as a spirit with her body imprisoned inside a glass coffin. Even though the detective had assured her that Charles was dead, it was hard to make herself believe that this all wasn't an illusion, a cruel trick played by the madman to keep her obedient and compliant. It wouldn't have been the first time he had done such a thing.

She was surprised that Sadie came to visit her in the hospital, almost immediately after she was brought there. What was even more surprising was that the orange-haired girl felt guilt over her being taken in the first place. "I was so mean to you," she had sobbed, shaking in the chair by her bedside. "I was angry and frustrated ever since my brother and I were separated, and I took it out on you. I'm so sorry." Before Maddie could reassure her, Sadie had launched into her own tragic tale, about how, after their mother had passed away, their grandparents had taken custody of her, while her brother stayed with their father. It seemed as though her mother's parents blamed her father in a way for their daughter's death, even though it had been a tragic accident. And they didn't seem to express any interest in her older brother, which is why their father was able to keep him. It was a very emotional and ugly event that had stuck with her all this time. Still, after hearing this, Maddie assured Sadie that her kidnapping had nothing to do with her treatment. It had been Charles' fault, and only his.

It had always stung slightly inside when she said something like that. Everyone told her that she had been an unfortunate victim in all of this, but they either didn't know, or failed to recognize the importance that she was the one who had let Charles into their home, allowed herself to be taken. It had been a slow road to accept that she had been tricked, taken advantage of. That's what men like Charles did. A part of her still harbored some regret over causing her parents so much suffering for so many years; she had been so stupid. A stupid, little girl, like Charles had always said.

"I know going back to school can be overwhelming after..." Her father trailed off, rousing her from her musings. She cracked an eye open, catching the glimpse of a haunted and faraway look born from deep trauma before it disappeared. Her father was most likely hoping she hadn't noticed, but she had. His face stretched into a wide grin again. "You know you don't have to push yourself, right? It's okay to take your time."

Maddie suppressed another sigh. The doctors and her therapist had concluded that she was ready to return to school. She hadn't been to an actual school for a long time, and she had forgotten what it had felt like. She didn't want people giving her a wide berth, afraid to set her off. Yet, that was what she was greeted with when she was introduced to her first-year high school class by the principal. No one knew the details of her abduction and imprisonment, but they knew it had happened. They seemed intent on trying to avoid her, like a feral stray cat, not wanting to cause any trouble. It had been too much for one day, and her father had taken her home. Her mother still had her job in London, so she wouldn't be back for quite awhile. Now, she was still in her uniform, a heavy jacket draped over her thin frame to protect against the biting chill of winter outside.