The Contract

Chapter 60

The Contract

WARNING – Very sensitive subject below talk of Domestic Abuse if you'd prefer to skip it, go down to the next line after this one.

Chapter 60

"Go on, head off early, you're head ain't in it!" Dorotha ordered Bill, "You're a danger to the rest of us, distracted as you are like this." She wasn't without sympathy, but she also had to look out for the rest of their team. She reckoned they only had about two weeks left before they succeeded in getting into the tomb. Then it was the matter of taking down the rest of the enchantments that could take months.

"But" Bill's protest was half hearted, he'd been like this for days, getting told to head off early. This was the earliest Dorotha had lost her rag at him, but he knew she was right. He was putting them all in danger, his mind constantly dwelling on what he'd seenwhat was happening. He hadn't voiced a word to anyone.

"And for Merlin's sake, talk to Charlie, will you?" Dorotha stated, her blonde hair in a bun and out of the way. Sliding her canteen from her hip, she drank deeply from the water. "Hopefully he'll help you with what's going on in that mind of yours." Knowing that something was eating away at Bill. She'd known him years, they were a good team, they stuck together.

"She's right, Bill, go ahead, we're good here," Fred nodded as he stood, also following Doreatha's example and drinking deeply from his own fresh water container. It was thirsty work, even with canopy's overhead to keep the sun directly from shining on them. The heat was stifling, they were used to it though.

Bill licked his chapped lips, blinking the sweat out of his eyes, he reluctantly and grudgingly nodded. "I'm sorry, guys," he felt awful, just positively awful leaving them in the lurch.

Everyone immediately brushed off his concern, all of them worried about him. They knew his mother and youngest siblings had taken illand they were at the closest clinic getting the care they needed. Yet they had a feeling that it was worse than his worry for his family, it was justsomething much deeper, if that was possible. Bill rarely mentioned any of his family except for Charlie actually. Whom he was very close to.

Bill nodded, swallowing thickly, before he took three steps back and Apparated away from the dig. The clinic was in front of him, his heart sank when he saw Fred, George, Percy and Charlie huddled up at the entrance tears running down their faces. Oh, nonono, please, no, he thought, Merlin, please no. As much as his family annoyed the hell out of himhe prayed this wasn't what he thought it was. "What's happening?" he ran over to them, shaking his head already suspecting what he'd hear.

"Ron's gone," Charlie managed through the lump in his throat. "He just passed away, there was nothing more they could do for him." Clutching Percy close, the seventeen-year-old had been the one to actually look after his youngest siblings, due to the fact he and Bill had been away from home.

It was hardly any surprise; Ron always had eaten too much for his own good.

Bill choked; he barely knew his youngest brother but stillthey were brothers. He'd held him when he was born. Promised to look after him, be there for him like all big siblings did. Ron would never get a chance to grow uphe wouldn't get to see what kind of man he'd be. "Merlin, how are the others?" he croaked.

"They're starting to get better, there's a chance they'll survive," Charlie said morosely, "But only a chance." This was not exactly how he expected his weekend to go at all.

Bill hugged the twins close, always the fun-loving jokesters, they didn't know how to deal with this. They were no doubt overwhelmed and not sure how to deal with it. He remained strong and stalwart as his twin brothers hugged him just as tightly back, tears running down his neck from their crying. Fuck, how did he help his family cope with this? How were they going to survive? How could he even contemplate even suggesting what was on his mind? They were going through enough as it was.