Home Is Where The Heart Is

[Antoinette Greenwood]

Antoinette gave an almost apologetic look at the young boy next to her. "I know, I know, it doesn't look like much. Well, it isn't much, really. But it's home, at least for now, and it's comfortable enough," she explained, a sheepish smile on her face. "I hope you like it," Antoinette added, wanting Pippin to be comfortable and safe. Slowly, she walked to the door, pushing it open to allow the pair of them in. "Et voila," she smirked. "Welcome to your new home, Pippin."

"Honey, I'm home!" Antoinette called, chuckling slightly at her own joke. The house had been expanded, but it was still small. She wasn't quite sure where Pippin would sleep, but for now she supposed it would be on the couch. She could probably Transfigure the couch in to a couch-bed, so he could sleep much more comfortably. That wouldn't be too difficult - Antoinette was quite adept at Transfiguration. She wasn't sure if they had everything they needed at the moment, but for now they had the basics, and for now the basics would have to do. At least they had each other.

 

[James Dalton]

James was in the bathroom, cleaning the tin bath.
Thank goodness they had magic or he would have been there hours..
And then he heard Antoinette's voice.
He was always pleased to hear her voice and suddenly, almost out of nowhere, James zoomed along, crouched slighty, to Antoinette, suddenly standing up and scooping her up in his arms.
"Antoinette!" He planted a kiss on her lips, his eyes flicking open after a moment and roaming over to the stranger in their house.
He put Antoinette down and looked to her for an explanation.

 

[Antoinette Greenwood]

Antoinette returned the kiss, gleefully, before she saw his look and knew it was time for an explanation. "Uh, well, James, this is Pippin. I...well, I pretty much rescued him, I suppose. He had nowhere else to go, and his family was abusive, and I figured I might as well take him in," she explained, sheepishly. "He's such a lovely kid, and he'll be such a big help to us, especially when..." she trailed off, looking down at her hands. Well, now she had to tell James, as well. Hopefully, he'd understand. Hopefully he'd be alright with the idea and accept it, heck, maybe even be happy about it.

Taking a deep breath, Antoinette looked straight at James, conflicted emotions evident in her features. "Especially when the baby's born." Breathing heavily, Antoinette looked away, almost afraid of how he would react. To both pieces of news.

 

[Phillip Piper]

It was such a small house, but it looked like heaven from where Pippin sat. He stopped and stared for several minutes before wheeling himself hurriedly down the slope to catch up to Antoinette. It was no good not arriving with her, it would seem rude of him. Pippin wouldn't be able to bare making a bad first impression on what was to be his ... employer? Father? Pip giggled to himself as he rolled up beside Antoinette. What strange circumstances would have him choose between such odd options? Carefully, he peeked around Antoinette's legs and into the house as the door opened, then drew back nervously as footsteps sounded ahead. Was this James?

Apparently. The first thing the man did when he reached Antoinette was kiss her, and Pippin turned beetroot red as he looked away. Yes. That was Mr. Dalton, alright. He opened his mouth to introduce himself politely, but Antoinette broke the news first. Without thinking, Pipping said "So you're the father! Pleased to meet you,". There was a short silence in which Pip turned several different colours. He looked down at his feet that sat neatly together on the footrest. "I'm Pippin Piper. I'd like to help out in your household, if that's alright." he said in a small, sweet voice. Please let him like me.

 

[James Dalton]

James listened to Antoinette's explanation and then the boy.. Pippin, he spoke up also.
There was a long silence and James contemplated the situation:
He was going to be a father and there was a strange boy in the house. What were his options?
Well, he could turn the child- turn Pippin away, tell him they didn't want him. He could turn Antoinette away, refuse both of them..
But why? Why would he do that?

James stared down at Pippin, looking to his eyes and he felt.. He felt sorry for him.
Sympathy was something James wasn't used to.
His heart seemed to melt a little. "Alright," he said, "He-.. Pippin can stay." James said, though he looked about the house. "Though I don't know where he'll sleep."
He had said nothing yet of the baby. He could turn Antoinette away still.. But..
James fell to his knees before Antoinette.
"I'm going to be.. a.. a dad?" He said, looking miserable. "In that case.."
Suddenly his hands were brought up, a box in them. He popped it open. "You'll have to marry me."
He looked up hopefully.
He would not do as his father had done to him. He would not abandon his child.

 

[Antoinette Greenwood]

The long pause unnerved Antoinette, though she was glad when he finally approved Pippin to stay. "Pippin, don't be silly. You're not here to do chores, you're here so I...we can look after you. You can help out, of course, but you're family. And that's what counts." Antoinette then turned her attention to James. "I'll sort something out, trust me," Antoinette responded, with a nod. Her voice was quiet, a little shaky, even. She was nervous, terrified. Of course, if James didn't accept either of them, then she would've summoned up whatever courage she had and just moved away somewhere else. No way was she going to abandon Pippin. Nor was she going to get rid of the baby. She was going to have her baby and love and cherish him or her. She'd decided that based on Pippin's reaction - though Antoinette didn't have the heart to abandon her own child anyway.

She could tell James wasn't overly pleased with the situation, and that made Antoinette want to cry again. Though she'd cried quite enough for one day, and would not shed any more tears for now. "You...you're not happy about it, are you," she said, sadly, her hands unconsciously rubbing her stomach. There was no visible signs of the pregnancy, and would not be for another couple of months, but Antoinette was still amazed by the concept that there was a whole new person growing inside of her body. "But yes, you're going to be a dad." Taking a deep breath, Antoinette managed to muster up a smile, although she was a little disheartened by his reaction. Of course, he wasn't going to be overly excited about it, but still. "Okay," she whispered, nodding her head. At least he was going to make an honest woman out of her.

 

[James Dalton]

James grabbed the hand on Antoinette's stomach.
He held it in his own for a moment. "I'm going to be a dad." He said, standing up.
James place both their hands back onto her stomach before releasing his grip.
"Excuse me." He said, nodding to Pippin casually.
He stepped outside and walked a small way into the clearing before-
"OH YEAH! OH YEAH! TAKE THAT, WORLD! I'M GOING TO BE A DADDY!"
And then he began dancing manically.

 

[Phillip Piper]

Pip was beaming and he knew it. With his cheeks flaming red, he turned his head away bashfully and fell silent to wait until James had spoken. The silence that filled the air was even longer than the first, and just like Antoinette he was nervous as hell as he fought the urge to run (wheel vigorously) up the path to hide in the undergrowth. Pippin looked between Antoinette and James and could tell that he was not pleased; in fact, James looked positively miserable. Antoinette looked no better and seemed to have had the wind sucked out of her by James' response. Pippin's cheekbones fell until he looked quite as miserable as the both of them, although Antoinette was putting on a brave face.

Saddened, he retreated into a state of reflection as he watched the interaction from afar. In order to cheer himself, Pippin recalled James' face when seeing Antoinette at the door, and he smiled unconsciously at the sheer revelry of the memory. He recalled his face as he looked at Pippin for the first time, and recognised pity in the look. Pippin shook his head and returned to the present. Luckily he did, for the situation did a one hundred and eighty degree turn. Off danced James, shouting to the world that he was going to be a father, and Pip threw back his head and laughed harder than he ever had in his entire life. He laughed, and the world brightened tenfold and burst into bloom. James Dalton was dancing, Pippin was laughing and somewhere in the world a pig was flying.

Some minutes later, when no-one else was looking, he reached out and took Antoinette's hand. In a voice that no-one but the two of them could here, he looked up at her and smiled. "I believe in us."

 

[Antoinette Greenwood]

Antoinette bit her lip. This awkwardness was not what she had been expecting, much less hoped for. She didn't want Pippin to have to witness a falling out minutes after arriving here. And she didn't want to bring a life in to the world unwanted, uncared for. The three of them had each had their own issues with abandonment and lack of care, she didn't want to bring the total to four.

Oddly enough, however, James did an abrupt about-face and completely changed his reaction - indeed, he ran off in to the clearing singing and dancing. Antoinette merely gawked for a moment, before she looked at Pippin and she, too, started laughing. It was almost as though she could forget her worries about being a good mother to the baby and a mother-figure to Pippin. In that moment, nothing else mattered. They were happy, and that was all there was to it.

Antoinette gave Pippin's had a small squeeze of reassurance, smiling when she heard his words. "You know what? I do too."