Is It Still a Home?

[Monty Pendleton]

Monty paused on his front door step, working up the courage to go inside. Even the neighbourhood seemed quieter now that Saveli and Ainmere were gone. The trees were still in the absent wind, the birds silent, unwelcoming. He was going to have to get used to it; this was how every holiday would be, now. Alone. At least he'd had plenty of practice.

Turning his key in the lock, Monty let himself into the hall. He hung up his coat and wandered upstairs, trailing a hand up the dusty banister until he reached the top. All of the doors were closed. He went to Saveli's, nearly knocking out of habit, and twisted the handle. Her furniture was still there, in exactly the way he'd arranged it for her arrival, but her books, her clothes - her everything - was gone. Monty leaned against the door frame, absorbing the emptiness. Everything seemed paler, and bigger. Then he spotted something on her bedside table - a picture frame, with its photo still inside. He ventured toward it, knowing before the picture was discernible exactly which one it was. It was the photo she'd taken of herself and him on the day she'd moved in. Saveli was grinning, holding the camera up to capture them together, while Monty looked comically startled. She hardly came up to his shoulder in height.

She had obviously left it for him on purpose, and the gesture formed a lump in his throat. He put the frame back on the dresser and went downstairs, wandering aimlessly through the hall for a moment before entering the lounge. There he sighed gently through his nose. Well, he was home. It didn't feel much like home any more, but at least it was something.

 

[Saveli Pendleton]

"Shh, Roo you're on my foot move over!" Saveli urges in a hushed tone, tucked gently behind the only sofa big enough to House the three of them. Ainmere was asleep currently, in Sav's arms tucked gently in an indigo blanket. The fiery red locks that peaked over pale skin were a full head already, wild and wavy like Reuben's. The surprise had been partially Saveli's idea, considering how homesick she was the first few days living with her lover. However she knew Reuben enjoyed the idea of possibly startling an old professor. After all, his fun loving side was what drew Saveli to him, was it not?

The sound of the front door reached Saveli's ears and with a wicked grin she glanced at Roo. However Monty did not enter the lounge immediately. Of course not. If he took any longer though the blonde was certain her legs would cramp and fall off. Hazel grey eyes peaked up slightly, but at the sound of approaching footsteps she ducked down lower. "Ready?" She asked, holding up her fingers and counting silently. As Monty exhaled the blonde popped up, baby in arms just barely awake. "SURPRISE!" Saveli yelled loudly, unsure if she would drowned out Reuben with the eager excitement in her voice.

 

[Reuben Pendleton]

Of course Reuben had been up for surprising Monty! If it had been entirely up to him, there would probably have been a few booby-traps placed around the house as well, but what with Ainmere around it had been deemed safer just to jump out from behind the sofa. "Ahh, sorry!" Reuben whispered, adjusting his position and trying not to let the cramp show on his face. Merlin knew how long they were going to have to sit there, and it would all be ruined if Ainmere decided to wake up and start crying. Reuben strained his ears to the silence, and after a few minutes, the footsteps entered the living room. He gave Saveli a nod, watching her fingers, and then- "SURPRISE!" Reuben launched himself out from behind the couch, falling down on the carpet and rolling onto his back. "Oww, I think I pulled a muscle in my collarbone," he said stupidly, sitting up to see how his old professor had reacted.

 

[Monty Pendleton]

Monty nearly jumped out of his skin. "Jesus Christ," he said, one hand clutched to his chest, the other holding onto the edge of the sofa for support. His heart had gone from nought to one hundred in less than a second, and continued to hammer fiercely at his ribs. He started to laugh, realisation following the shock: Saveli, Reuben, and Ainmere were here. They'd hidden to surprise him. All that rubbish about the neighbourhood seeming quieter must have been in his head. "I'm too old for this!" he told them, shaking his head. Then he offered Reuben a hand to his feet, and embraced Saveli, minding the fiery-haired bundle in her arms. "Goodness, look how you've grown!" he said, an adoring smile warming his face. He looked at Reuben and Saveli in turn, still mildly stunned. "This is... why? I mean, it's lovely to see you, but I didn't know you were coming!" Of course he hadn't - it was a surprise - but he didn't know what to do but state the obvious. "How are you? Are you settling into the farm? Can I get you something to drink?"

 

[Saveli Pendleton]

The reaction was golden. Saveli watched his face and she laughed heartily, the baby picking up on this and giggling as well, tugging at the blanket gently and looking around. It was easy it seemed for Ainmere to be comfortable in this house - it was her first home. It was Saveli's first real home too. The blonde embraced her father. "Good to see you too dad." She said as he coped at Ainmere and how much she had grown. She adjusted the baby, undoing the indigo cloth to reveal a sweater. "Oh I can get us drinks, can you remove her sweater for me actually?" The blonde spoke, leaving the room but staying in visual distance for the big reveal. Was it wrong for Saveli to tell Monty and Reuben at the same time? Both were the most important men in her life, so she didn't particularly think so. The blonde peaked around the corner, pretending to get drinks as she did so.

 

[Reuben Pendleton]

Reuben grinned, letting Monty help him up. He rubbed his sore collarbone, unsure how he'd even hurt it, and watched the professor greet his daughter and granddaughter. Reuben had always had a loving family, but even he could sense the warmth in the room at that moment, as if the lounge had come alive with love. He asked Saveli for a coffee, and then he was left alone with Monty, who had Ainmere. "Yeah, it is pretty warm, huh?" Reuben said. "We're great. The farm's amazing - kinda small, but that's cool; we're gonna expand slowly. How are you, Sir?"

 

[Monty Pendleton]

Saveli knew what kind of tea Monty liked, and how he took it, so he didn't bother requesting anything specific. He took Ainmere gently, surprised by how much heavier she was in spite of already marvelling at how she'd grown. While Reuben talked he sat Ainmere on the sofa and carefully removed her sweater, so intent on not hurting her tiny arms that he didn't even notice what she was wearing underneath until he picked her back up again. Reuben's question went unanswered as he processed what was going on. "Um," he said, wondering whether there was some kind of mix-up, or if he was totally misunderstanding things. He angled himself so that Reuben could see the print on the romper suit, looking to him for an explanation.

 

[Reuben Pendleton]

"You okay?" Reuben asked, slightly concerned by Monty's sudden silence. He watched the man turn, his gaze falling to what had presumably caught the professor's attention, too. Future big sister? Like - future future, or future? For a moment, Reuben couldn't take a proper breath of air. "Saaaaaav," he called eventually, glancing toward the doorway. It was then he saw her peeking from behind the frame, and caught her eye. "Sav... what's going ooon?"

 

[Saveli Pendleton]

Seconds turned to an agonizing minute as Saveli waited for the reveal. Once Montgomery was holding Ainmere in front of him she knew he saw it, and watched the face of her father and boyfriend. Saveli had known about her newest bun in the oven for about a month now. Keeping it a secret for the perfect reveal was quite the trouble, but now catching eyes with Roo she smiled mischiveously and rushed into the kitchen with wand in hand getting drinks quickly, putting a kettle on the stove top. The blonde turned toward Reuben's voice. "Yes dear!" She called back in a sing song voice. Coming out she put her hands on her hips. "Teas on the stove, don't you think her short is cute. Bought the onesie last week." She spoke. "Should have bought it a month ago though." She spoke, grinning.

 

[Monty Pendleton]

Judging by the look on his face, Reuben didn't know what this meant, either. Monty turned around to see Saveli re-enter the living room, an enormous grin on her face. For a moment he was dumbstruck, unable to do anything but stare at her, mouth slightly open, while Ainmere smacked his chin. Then finally the brightness of Saveli's face registered, and Monty realised how happy she was. "Saveli!" he said, still trying to process the fact Reuben looked as shocked as he did. Monty laughed and shook his head, emotion welling in his eyes. "Congratulations! I can't believe it. That's wonderful. I just - I'm still trying to process it. Wow. Reuben, did you not know?"

 

[Reuben Pendleton]

Reuben might have passed out if Saveli had taken any longer. He stared at her as she came back, a look somewhere among hope, shock, and joy spreading over his face. Even once she'd as good as confirmed she was pregnant, he had to glance at Monty to make sure he wasn't just misunderstanding. And by the sounds of things, he was not. "I HAD NO IDEA," Reuben yelled, attacking Saveli with a hug. He really wanted to kiss her, but he couldn't do that with the Potions professor around. As he pulled away, he said, "You knew this the whole time?! Since when? Omigod, I'm so happy! AINMERE, YOU'RE GONNA BE A BIG SISTER!" Grinning, Reuben turned back to Saveli, his eyes full of admiration and love. "Man, I love you."

 

[Saveli Pendleton]

Saveli bit at her bottom lip looking toward Monty for approval more than Rueben. The blonde couldn't help that fact. Monty was her father, the first man she'd trusted after betrayal. And as much as she loved Roo, it was a different love, and Monty would come first on her list. The blonde made an "oomph" noise when attacked with a hug, giggle and smiling all the while. Though she and Roo were not wed she had no doubt they would be together so long as they both breathed, and fear that once filled her heart had disappeared the moment Ainmere had been born. "I've known for around a month. I just needed the perfect way to tell you both." She admitted, pulling out of the hug and grinning. "Monty looks like you're going to have two rugrats to deal with when we visit every holiday." She said, stressing that she and Roo were not going to let him alone any holiday or chance they got. Just like how he didn't let her alone when she needed him around.