A Peculiar Time in 1944 - A Millard Fanfic (Miss Peregrine's Home) #wattys2020

Chapter 32

"It was an enchanted place, designed to keep kids safe from the monsters, on an island where the sun shone everyday and nobody ever got sick or died." { Abe Portman, pg 9 book 1}

Aurora helped Claire out of her dress and into her pink pajamas before she wrapped a light mint green robe around herself and joined the others downstairs. When they got there Olive was just starting the fire and Claire ran to sit beside Bronwyn. Aurora took a seat on the opposite couch with Jake and Emma as Millard entered with a mug of hot chocolate.

"Yours has extra marshmallows Jake."

"Millard, put some pajamas on." Emma reminded him.

"It's too hot in here!" he complained still cranky about not having a chance to finish his supper. He took a seat next to Aurora, the couch cushions sinking under his weight. He put his arm around her shoulders and she leaned into his side.

"Stop moaning." Horace sneered placing his monocle to his eye as Miss Peregrine turned out the light.

Immediately the space above the fireplace lit up as Horace's dreams played like a motion picture. It began with the usual: clothes and Aurora tuned it out as she listened to Millard's steady breathing. Her attention returned to the screen when there was a sound like a woman evilly laughing and the scene turned into a round room. In the center was a large cage filled with exotic birds and people sat in a circle around it. The two closest turned in their chairs and Aurora's heart jumped into her throat when she saw they had pure white eyes. Next three men – wights – came around a corner in a brick walled tunnel with a woman strapped to a vertical gurney. The woman was older and had white hair with black streaks in it and looked with worry between the men's expressionless faces before she let out a bird call. The children gasped as Fiona said, "An ymbryne. Who is she? Miss Peregrine, do you know her?"

"Don't be silly." Hugh said with bees crawling on his face, "Horace must've just had a bad dream that's all."

Aurora curled into Millard's side further and felt his arms tighten around her. She didn't pay attention after that and re-focused on Millard's breathing again. Though shortly after Miss Peregrine turned the light back on.

"That's quite enough of that, thank you Horace."

While they talked about whether Jake was going to stay the night Olive suggested, "Will you at least stay to see the reset Jake? It's really quite spectacular." The children all jumped at the idea, except Enoch who threw his head back and groaned.

oOo oOo oOo

Millard was the first one on the lawn, now wearing a robe and boots and Aurora had to rush to keep up with him. The reset was one of Millard's favorite things in the loop and Aurora remembered the first time he'd told her about it. It had been right after he'd saved her from those terrible men in the alley and he'd sung 'Run Rabbit' to cheer her up. Soon all the children had joined them with their masks as Miss Peregrine set up the clock and record player. As 'Run Rabbit' began she turned to her wards and nodded as they all pulled their masks over their faces.

'Run rabbit, run rabbit, run run, run. Don't give the farmer his fun, fun, fun.' The song played as the sky behind the house lit up as bombs went off in the distance.

'He'll get by without his rabbit pie.' The first bomber flew overhead and the children's heads all lifted to watch them pass. 'So run rabbit, run rabbit, run, run, run.' The melody continued as the final plane passed over the house and dropped its bomb. The projectile plummeted to the earth and Jake became very obviously worried as it neared the roof. Before it could make contact with a single shingle Miss Peregrine stopped her pocket watch. The bomb froze in midair for a moment before she rewound time and sent the bomb and raindrops back into the sky. The clouds lightened as the sun re-rose and fell in reverse and soon they were back to the early hours of September second 1940.

Miss Peregrine pulled off her mask and smiled at them looking quite pleased. The children pulled off their masks – Millard helped Aurora with hers, always the gentleman – and they returned to the house for the night. 'So run rabbit, run rabbit, run, run, run'

oOo oOo oOo

MILLARD P.O.V.

Millard was up late again that night going over his notes. He was so close to completing his book he could almost taste it! Then the door to his bedroom opened slowly and Aurora poked her head in. She smiled and entered, carefully closing the door behind her being sure not to make a sound. In her hand was a plate with a napkin over it covering whatever she'd brought.

"I know you didn't get a chance to eat much at supper, what with everything that was going on." She said pulling the napkin off the plate and revealing a few slices of goose, some mashed potatoes and a chunk of Fiona's massive carrot.

"You're too good for me darling." He said smiling and taking the plate. Aurora smiled and took her book from his shelf. He picked up the utensils she'd carefully balanced on the plate and dug in as he noticed what Aurora had started reading and rolled his eyes. Tales of the Peculiar.

"Why do you read that nonsense?" he asked holding the napkin in front of his lips so she wouldn't see the food in his mouth. She shrugged not taking her eyes from the page.

"I think they're fascinating."

"They're for children."

She paused before closing the book and looking at him, "Did you notice how differently Jake pronounces your name?" she asked changing the subject.

"What do you mean?" he asked finishing the goose and starting on the mashed potatoes and carrot slice.

"The American accent removes the long a. The way he said it sounds like a duck." She said her nose scrunching in distaste. Millard couldn't keep from laughing and had to stop chewing or risk choking on his food.

"That would be a mallard, darling." He said between chuckles.

"How do you know – stupid question." She stopped herself shaking her head which he found incredibly cute, "I just think it sounds better the british way, Millard." She said enunciating the A. "Don't you think?"

He put down his fork and knife and sat next to her on the bed and put his lips to her ear, "I think my name sounds best when you say it." He said as he kissed up and down her neck.

"Millard." She said in a knock-it-off kind of way.

"See." He said between kisses, he didn't stop until he left a mark just beneath her ear, under her jaw. "I don't see why it bothers you so much."

She shrugged, "It's just one of those things that makes no logical sense but still just gets under your skin and annoys the living daylights out of you. Don't you feel that way about anything?" she asked turning to him. He looked down at the comforter and sneered.

"Incorrect punctuation."

Aurora giggled, "You're impossible."

"And you love that about me."

"I love everything about you." She said before leaning in and kissing him.