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Post by Geoffrey Montgomery on Jun 12, 2009 23:43:42 GMT -5
The next day, after work, Geoffrey went to Riley's apartment and picked up the trunk she had packed full of things she would need while she was staying at Montgomery Manor. Using a featherlight charm, he was able to carry both Riley's trunk and his own. Because of their baggage, traveling by Apparation or portkey were both impractical, so they had to use the floo network. He led Riley to his apartment, where he had a direct line to his parents' house.
"OK, Riley," he said when their trunks were set in the fireplace. "Are you ready to go?"
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Post by Riley Neves on Jun 13, 2009 22:18:22 GMT -5
Riley had her hands shoved deep in the pockets of her muggle jeans. She was wearing a sweater, and her hair was pulled back. She was sort of standing in the middle of the living room when Geoffrey arrived. It felt weird, just being still. Especially here. Roland was supposed to be next door, and now there was just this echoing silence where he should have been.
She wanted to get out of the apartment as quickly as possible, but was a little out of it when Geoffrey arrived.
Her eyes met his after he charmed their trunks, and she slowly nodded.
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Post by Geoffrey Montgomery on Jun 13, 2009 22:49:53 GMT -5
In all the years Geoffrey had known Riley, he'd never seen her looking quite so forlorn. Her appearance right now brought to mind the little girl he had known back at Hogwarts who had cried in his arms over some mean thing her step brother had said to her. But this was so much worse. He couldn't just assure her that she was pretty and smart, and that everything was going to be OK. Nothing was OK about this, and it was pointless to lie to her. She wouldn't believe him.
He pulled her into a bear hug, holding her against him for a long time. He didn't even attempt to make any promises. What could he promise? Right now, all she needed was his support, so that she could stand on her own two feet.
Finally, he pulled back. "We should go."
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Post by Riley Neves on Jun 13, 2009 23:16:46 GMT -5
And she just held on to him, holding him close. She didn't know how to tell him that just him being so nice to her right now was doing a world of good. She was alone, and scared, and honestly feeling like she was about to crash and burn, and he was doing wonders just being there for her.
She really should have asked him for help a lot sooner, before he had to force it on her. She shouldn't have been alone at all, and she'd been kidding herself thinking she could handle this on her own.
"Okay," she said, finally speaking. "I'm ready. I don't really want to be here for much longer anyway. It's too quiet."
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Post by Geoffrey Montgomery on Jun 14, 2009 0:02:30 GMT -5
Geoffrey nodded. He knew her better than anyone else, and he knew just how close she was to falling apart. It was something so subtle that most people wouldn't notice it. But he could tell, almost like a sixth sense.
"I know," he said.
He sighed softly, then took a quick look around. "If you find you need anything else, we can have Hayden come over and collect it for you. I don't want you to have to worry about anything... well, besides the obvious."
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Post by Riley Neves on Jun 14, 2009 0:42:03 GMT -5
"I think I have everything," Riley said, taking another quick glance around. When her eyes came back to Geoffrey, she just looked lost.
Well, maybe that wasn't right. She knew exactly where she was, but she didn't know where to go now or how to get there. The world just didn't stop closing in, but she had stopped responding to it a while ago.
"I just really want a good night's sleep," she said, filling the silence that made her uneasy. "I have a feeling things will get scary tomorrow." Or at least for stressful.
As they stepped out of her apartment, she locked the door, and then held the keys out to Geoffrey.
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Post by Geoffrey Montgomery on Jun 14, 2009 1:07:48 GMT -5
Geoffrey took the keys and gave her a bracing smile. "Well, you know the bed at my parents' house are really comfortable," he said. "And if you have any nightmares... I'll be right nearby, OK?"
Picking up her charmed trunk, he began to walk down the hall, stopping only once to look over his shoulder at her. He didn't want her to know just how worried he was about her. She'd try to insist that she was fine, but he knew better. She was very far from fine.
He led them to the lift and stepped inside, pressing the button for the first floor, where his apartment was.
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Post by Riley Neves on Jun 14, 2009 20:43:51 GMT -5
She rather wished he would have let her carry her own trunk. She didn't know what to do with her hands at the moment, and she took a deep breath, trying to just stay calm while in the lift.
"Geoff," she said softly when they arrived on the first floor. "Thank you for this. I know I've been arguing and fighting you a lot lately, but... thank you. And I'm sorry."
She knew, no matter how she didn't like this, he was trying to do right by her, and she wasn't making it easy. Geoffrey just never gave up on her.
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Post by Geoffrey Montgomery on Jun 14, 2009 21:53:44 GMT -5
Being Riley's best friend had never been the easiest job in the world; luckily for her, he was very good at it. He was loyal almost to a fault, and he had inherited the family stubbornness just as much as his sister had. "Don't even worry about it," he said as if it was nothing. "You're going through a rough time right now. We all are. You know I'm here for you, no matter what."
The lift stopped at his floor, and he got out, still carrying the trunk.
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Post by Riley Neves on Jun 15, 2009 0:08:39 GMT -5
Riley may have been difficult to befriend, but she liked to think she rewarded Geoffrey for his efforts and his patience. There was nothing she wouldn't do for him. But he was so generally laid back and easy going that he was amazing at handling her when she went through her wild periods in school.
"It means a lot," she told him, stepping off the lift with him. "Outside of you and Hayden, no one has really... offered, and you're the only one who pays attention, I think. I'm not complaining. His family deserves the attention and the help, but I... thank you."
She walked to his door before she spoke again. "You're sure your parents won't mind?"
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Post by Geoffrey Montgomery on Jun 15, 2009 0:37:58 GMT -5
Geoffrey opened the door to his apartment and led her inside. His trunk was already packed and sitting right in front of the fireplace. "Don't be silly," Geoffrey insisted. "My parents adore you. I asked them yesterday and they were very happy to have you stay for a while. And not just because it means I'll be staying for a while, too. It'll be like old times, like when you stayed with us over the summers."
Of course, Geoffrey knew it would be nothing like that at all. Not this time. Everything had been so innocent in those days. Their biggest cares were about school and grades and... things that didn't matter at all. Not compared to what they were facing now.
"Why don't you go first?" he suggested, nodding toward the floo. "I'll follow you there."
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Post by Riley Neves on Jun 15, 2009 14:11:51 GMT -5
Riley looked at him, hesitant to go first. She just had this mental image of all of his family standing by the fireplace, staring at her when she showed up.
She took her trunk from Geoffrey, realizing she was being silly, and then took a handful of Floo powder. Standing in his fireplace, she gave him a smile. "Just like old times," she repeated, also thinking that it would be completely different. But she had Geoff as support... everything would be all right.
She threw the powder down, clearing saying her destination, and stumbled out of the floo on the other end, finding herself in an empty room, waiting for Geoffrey.
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Post by Geoffrey Montgomery on Jun 16, 2009 1:03:07 GMT -5
When she was gone, Geoffrey let out a worried sigh. She was doing much worse than he'd realized, and he could see it now. She was barely even bothering to hide it anymore, and the cracks were showing. He wondered what the chances would be of him convincing her to take a leave of absence from work. The way she looked right now, he couldn't imagine how she was managing to get any work done at all. And he'd seen her dust herself off after some pretty upsetting situations.
After loading his own trunk into the fireplace, he grabbed a handful of floo powder and stepped into the floo. He shouted the name of his destination as he threw the floo powder to the ground. A minute later, he was stepping out of his parents' fireplace with his trunk in his hands. Riley was standing there, waiting.
"Hey," he said. "See my parents anywhere about?"
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Post by Riley Neves on Jun 16, 2009 14:47:54 GMT -5
Riley shook her head. It was almost like they knew she was coming and were giving her space. "No, I haven't," she said. Thank Merlin. Now that she was here and steady on her feet, she wouldn't mind seeing them. It was just little moment where she lost her composure than she liked being alone for. There were definite cracks in her armour now, but she still tried to hide them.
"I almost forgot how big your parents' place is. Why on earth are you living in an apartment?" She asked, laughing slightly.
Just a moment later, however, James came around the corner.
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Post by James Montgomery on Jun 16, 2009 15:03:36 GMT -5
Geoffrey told them when he planned on bringing Riley over, and he thought it best that she didn't have a welcoming committee when she Flooed in. On the other hand, as Lillian pointed out, she probably shouldn't come into an empty house either. He gave her a moment when he heard her come in, and then came around the corner.
"Because he turned 18 and wanted out," he said, smiling gently as he answered Riley's question. When he wanted to, he had a very fatherly smile, gentle and welcoming. "It's good to see you again, Riley. We've missed having you over the summers, sweetie."
He pulled his son into a hug next. "We've missed you, too."
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Post by Geoffrey Montgomery on Jun 16, 2009 18:30:44 GMT -5
Geoffrey gave his father a quick hug. "Hey, Dad," he said, then pulled away carefully. "It's good to be home."
It was true that he had an independent streak to him, much like his sister and cousins. That was why he was so intent on moving out as soon as he was old enough, and why he wanted to try his hand at different jobs, rather than joining the family business. But when it came down to it, he loved his family and he loved being home. Even if his parents fussed over him just a little too much, he didn't mind.
"So where is everyone?" he asked. "And what's for dinner?"
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Christine Montgomery
 
Seventh Year[M:10]
In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present.
Posts: 925
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Post by Christine Montgomery on Jun 18, 2009 1:06:28 GMT -5
Christine chose that moment to walk past them. It was one of the few times she actually stepped outside of her room. No one knew what she was doing in there most of the day, and she only came out when one could assume she couldn't stand being in one place anymore. She had her meals and such delivered to her door and no one was pressing her to straighten up. Therefore it had to be sheer boredom that drove her to venture beyond the threshold of her room. Christine wasn't usually a sedentary person.
"Geoff...?" it was a question, and more words than she had spoken to anyone since her family took her back home after she had "run away". She blinked seeing her brother. Perhaps she had been told only a dozen times that he was coming with Riley but nothing was really penetrating her own inward thoughts therefore seeing him was a surprise.
Her voice was hoarse from lack of use, but it was nothing compared to the rest of her features, she had gotten thinner, the athleticism inside of her that always accounted for muscle and body shape were somehow limp now, and the purple shadows beneath her eyes were clear indicators of many sleepless nights.
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Post by Geoffrey Montgomery on Jun 18, 2009 14:49:18 GMT -5
It was truly shocking to see his vivacious little sister so completely ravaged. He hadn't seen her since they'd brought her home. He had attempted to visit her several times, but she had always turned him away. So to see how much she had declined in such a short time was heartbreaking.
"Chrissy," he said, using the pet name she usually yelled at him for using. He pulled her to him and hugged her fiercely. "I'm moving back home for a little while, and Riley's going to stay with us, too."
Some little part of him hoped that this news would be comforting to her, but he had no idea if it would help at all.
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Christine Montgomery
Seventh Year[M:10]
In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present.
Posts: 925
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Post by Christine Montgomery on Jun 18, 2009 14:58:58 GMT -5
He'd feel the frailty in her as tight as he was holding her, it even hurt to be held so tightly when one was borderline malnourished. It was more a mental state of dejectedness that held her in a pitiful state, the house elves made sure she ate and there were other various spells that made sure she slept. None of the Montgomeries would let her slip into decay without a fight that was.
If she wasn't so stubborn herself. She just couldn't shake herself out of the shock and pain. She let Geoff hold her but her arms didn't react or hold him back, almost as if she didn't have the energy. Instead she absorbed his words, he was staying for a while, and so was Riley. Riley...
Christine's eyes traveled to the other woman, and memories of Roland flooded her mind as tears flooded her eyes and pitifully she began to whimper.
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Post by Geoffrey Montgomery on Jun 18, 2009 16:18:38 GMT -5
It was killing Geoff to see Christine this way. It wasn't like her; she was just a shadow of her normal self. It was almost as if someone had come and replaced her with a pale imitation of Christine. And the worst part of it was that there wasn't a thing that he could say to her that would make this any easier. All he could do was just be there for her and hope that eventually, she would wake up and decide to live again.
"Chrissy... He wouldn't want you to be this way over him."
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