Violent Shove into Reality

[Hades Styx]

Hades didn't know why he bothered to do this now. Well, Jaken was completely healed now, and it was about time the ex-Auror gets a violent shove into reality. Having Jaken by the shoulder, he apparated to a smaller house than the Styx Manor, and Hades released his brother's shoulder. He purred into his brother's ear, "Remember to knock. This might fill some holes into that mind of yours. Meanwhile, I'll be on the lookout for those people who attacked you in the alley. Just don't overload yourself nor push yourself too much, all right?" Hades smirked deviously. Sadly, he wouldn't be here anymore. He had not been to this place in about six months. Maybe more, he could not remember. Hades turned and he disapparated, with full intentions to leave the family in peace now that what he truly wanted to do was complete. Now, he needed to do other things. Hades was a busy man, and he was not going to be in New Zealand for long. In fact, he may just disappear for a while. Hades needed to raise his two little demons, plus he had more coming. Yet, the maniac would never be satisfied.

 

[Jaken Styx]

Jaken didn't know what to expect when Hades apparated him to an unfamiliar place. Sure, no one has told him that he was married. This was the day after his own grandfather's wedding, and all of a sudden, he wondered if he was ever married. Jaken didn't know, but he listened to Hades' words. Jaken nodded and he gripped his cane with his right hand. Whatever hurt his right leg nearly damaged him from ever walking again. But luckily, now it was only affected in the cold weather. Jaken may have his cane but he wasn't using it right now. He watched his brother apparate away, and he took a deep breath. Why was he here? Jaken remembered; he was here to fulfill some memories. To fill in those gaps. He walked, the tiniest of limp from his right leg, to the front door. With a quickened heartbeat, he knocked on the door. He didn't know what to expect, what remained behind these closed doors. What if it were someone that he went to school with? What if it was Svetlana or Dietrich? Who lived here?

 

[Estrella Drage]

The doorknob shook and shuddered. Someone was trying to answer the caller, but seemed to be having a hard time of it. Whoever had knocked probably could hear the scolding, then high pitched giggles. Estrella was absolutely grateful for Charms at this moment. If she hadn't been taught this particular one, Olivia would be running about the neighborhood already. The toddler had fled the crime scene when her mother discovered her.

Sighing, the woman opened the door. She stared at the visitor, taking in his features, his expression, and the cane that supported him. He didn't disappear the first or tenth time she blinked. Her hands plastered on both sides of his face, she searched for recognition. Her husband seemed confused at best.

It was possible to be happy and sad at the same time. Though she smiled, her eyes were flooded with months of hardship and loneliness. The man's attacker had done a grave wrong, committed a deed more vile than crippling the victim. Estrella would have gladly hunted the tyrant down and thrashed him with an inch of his life. Considering that she did not have that opportunity, she would have to settle with what she had. Her love was home.

"Come in," Estrella choked, subduing the door with a wave of her wand and moving into the entryway. She cleared her throat and held back her tears. Jaken had enough to worry about as it was. "Livvy, there's someone here to see you!" The little girl loved being a troublemaker, but she loved attention more. She wouldn't pass up the chance to have it on her.

 

[Jaken Styx]

Jaken started to worry a bit. What in the world was that sound from the other side of the door? Then, the giggles were gone, and Jaken watched the doorknob turn, and it opened to reveal a woman. Jaken stared at her in disbelief. This couldn’t be…Estrella Drage? Jaken’s words were caught in his throat, and he didn’t know what to say, what to do. He started to wonder how in the world Hades knew where she lived. I don’t hold that against him though, he can find about anything at anytime. Jaken wanted to say something, but he couldn’t.

It was when she said something that caused him to snap into reality. He lifted the cane up a bit and he nodded at Estrella. He entered the home, and he couldn’t help but feel like he knew this place. Yet, he did not. Jaken murmured, “Estrella, um…” Jaken wondered if he even had the guts to propose to her years ago. Did someone beat him to it? “Livvy?” inquired Jaken in a baffled tone. It was then a small girl came running, and Jaken didn’t recognize that Olivia, the trouble-making little toddler was his. Estrella had children! Maybe he was their godfather or something? He didn’t know. Jaken glanced at Estrella and he chuckled, “She’s cute.”

It was then when something struck him. Jaken lifted his daughter into his arms, and he stared at Estrella. He could not take his eyes off of her for too long. How in the world did she manage to still look as gorgeous as she did when they were in school? Was…James the husband? Was Estrella Drage now Estrella Potter? Or maybe Estrella Dumbledez? Perhaps…Estrella Thomas? Jaken didn’t know. But he had to ask, “Is she James’ daughter, or…your husband’s?” Jaken glanced into the little girl’s eyes, and thought there was something familiar about her. Shame that Jaken needed to learn all of this again though. Ignorance was not bliss in this situation.

 

[Estrella Drage]

"She is, isn't she?" Estrella's gaze wandered to Olivia and then back to Jaken. Her daughter was sure happy to see him. The 20 month old squealed when he picked her up, hugging him and planting a kiss on his cheek. It wasn't long before Olivia's attention wandered somewhere else; she started to swing her legs and try to kick at the stick her father was leaning on. She didn't know what it was, so why not kick it? Her mother shook her head, adding, "Cute, but I think we should have named her Trouble instead."

The woman stared at Jaken when he asked her who the father was. He really didn't remember, then. She'd anticipated this, though she'd hoped seeing his daughter would create some recognition. It seemed nothing could trigger what had happened over the past few years. Jaken's attacker had robbed him of his memories. Estrella worried that he had been robbed of his feelings, too.

Estrella shook her head and concealed her hands behind her back. "No, James is not her father. He and I were never together." Sure, they'd had a make-out session at the Yule Ball, but that was about it. She took a deep breath before saying what she had to say. "Jaken, she's yours."

Olivia seemed to reinforce that fact by pointing at the cane once more. "Daddy! Stick!" she hollered, still having no idea why in the world he had the thing. He didn't have it in the pictures that her mother had shown to her almost every day. Estrella didn't want Olivia to forget her father, even though he had forgotten her.

 

[Jaken Styx]

Jaken raised his eyebrow when she said that they should have named her trouble. Why would I have been included to name this kid? Jaken thought. But then he glanced down at the wedding band on his finger. He was married. But to whom? Jaken wasn't paying much attention to Olivia and her trying to kick the cane from his hand. Jaken's eyes widened when he heard that James was not the father and that they were never together. He wondered if it was Bruin or Kale instead. Jaken couldn't recall any other guys. Jaken didn't think that it was himself either. He made the cane lean against the wall when he noticed the Olivia kicking and she yelled for the stick.

Kids will be kids after all. Then, those words settled in his head. "Jaken, she's yours." Jaken turned his eyes to stare at Olivia, and he muttered, "Oh...Merlin's...beard..." Well, he had it in his mind that he was married, but had no idea that he was a dad. He didn't know the little girl, yet by looking right at her, he felt as if he had known her his entire life. Jaken became frightened. What if he dropped her? He had a hard enough time holding Kailie half of the time while he was sitting down. Very carefully, he set her down on her feet, and Jaken turned to Estrella. He stuttered, "I...that means...we-we are married?" So, the whole thing with him proposing, the idea...she accepted? He couldn't remember the wedding, he couldn't remember anything.

Jaken's shocked face turned sorrow, "Estrella...what else have I missed? Please tell me that we aren't filing a divorce. The feelings I have...now...are still like they were when we were in school. I need to know." Was Olivia his only daughter? While he was healing, didn't anyone send her a letter about what was going on? No one had told him anything. Then again, he had a hard enough time believing it was 2025. This...this was overwhelming. Was he a good father? A good husband?

 

[Estrella Drage]

"Yes." Estrella gauged Jaken's reaction, splaying the fingers of her left hand. The jewel there matched his own. So, his family had found it appropriate to let him know that he was married, just not who he was married to. Anger conquered her relief and choked her happiness. There shouldn't have been secrets or surprises when it came to the existence of his family. Estrella gritted her teeth, fighting to restrain those months of loneliness and rage that had all but consumed her.

Filing for a divorce? Whoever had put that into his head? The witch wasn't certain of her standing when he professed his feelings for her. She wanted to embrace him, to tell him that everything was looking up from here on out, but she wasn't sure of anything anymore. There was no doubt that she still loved him.

Overwhelmed by emotion, Estrella turned away from him, providing neither an answer or an explanation. A strong wailing, which had begun as a whimper and grown to rival the lamentations of a banshee, now swallowed up the brick house. Olivia made it to the living room first, standing by the bassinet and expressing concern for her infant sister. Estrella assumed that Jaken would follow.

"Mummy!" The little girl pointed at the crib exasperatedly. There was something wrong with the baby, and only her mother could cease that heart-wrenching racket.

"I know, Olivia Namina, I know," Estrella replied hurriedly, reaching into the bassinet and snatching up her youngest. Lydia wasn't yet two months old, but her lungs were working to full capacity. The infant's face was scrunched up in indignation and red as a cherry. All the world would hear her roar.

Estrella examined the most basic of possibilities, to no avail. "Hold her, will you?" she sighed, thrusting the squirming, screaming baby to her husband. The issues of the moment had to be ignored for the needs of her child. No sooner had she summoned a pacifier when the racket stopped. Warm in her father's arms, Lydia's cries fizzled to coos, while her fussing succumbed to a quiet still. Instinct reminded her that she could be nowhere more secure.

Her hands on her hips, Estrella stared in amazement and then shook her head. It figured that Lydia had been raising hell almost nonstop since birth, but the minute Jaken arrived, she was as docile as a lamb. "She was born on your birthday," Estrella informed him, giving a weak smile. There was no concealing the tiredness that had declared war on her body.

 

[Jaken Styx]

Jaken smiled softly in relief, but what was going on? He didn’t know. Jaken was drawing a blank, and it was evident in his eyes. Why didn’t his family tell him who he was married to and such? No, they thought his healing was more important than that of his questions. Jaken didn’t understand, but he would one day. When Estrella turned from him, fear conquered Jaken, fearing the worst. What had he done? He professed his feelings for her, and she said nothing. Did she not feel them in return? A wail filled the room, and he followed Estrella.

Jaken watched with fascination from afar, and saw that there was another. Another baby. He was a father to two gorgeous daughters. He took her and naturally, he held her with skill. The racket stopped, and Jaken smiled down at his daughter. “Olivia Namina. I love that name,” Jaken said softly. And now, he was wanting to know this one’s name. Jaken glanced over at his wife – that was still amazing to him. His wife. He was married. He was an adult. It was just incredible. “She was? She isn’t old at all… What did you…we…whoever name her?” Jaken did not know if he helped pick out a name or not. He could not recall for the life of him. “Perhaps you should sit down, or nap. You seem tired, Estrella.” Jaken averted his gaze from Estrella to the bundle of joy he had in his arms.

 

[Estrella Drage]

It seemed that Lydia was going to be even more of a Daddy's girl than her sister. Estrella plopped onto the sofa. There was no way she was going to take a nap or sleep at all tonight, but she could at least sit still for a few moments. It was no surprise to the woman when Olivia wanted up. The curly-haired toddler was stretching her arms and attempting to join her. Sighing, Estrella hoisted her daughter onto the couch. Olivia soon clambered into her mother's lap to snuggle, gently playing with Estrella's hair, which the witch didn't mind. At least Olivia wasn't using the grab-and-yank that Lydia would shortly be fond of.

"Her name is Lydia Lorelei Styx," wife told husband, smiling as she stared back at him. Estrella was scared to blink; if she did, he might just disappear. After four months apart, it was still difficult to comprehend that Jaken was here, in the flesh, and questioning for all he was worth. Only time and Jaken could wrestle and dominate her fear of being alone forever. "That was one of the names that we chose. Before..." she swallowed hard and continued, "Well, we never decided on a final name, but I figured you wouldn't mind after all was said and done. Couldn't leave her nameless until they let me have you back." Estrella winced then, figuring she better cut back on her comments before she started an argument. "Anyway, we both thought Lydia was pretty, and a few of your ancestors had that name, so it's fitting, don't you think? And Lorelei is after my mom. Just like this one-" she tickled Olivia's stomach, resulting in an explosion of giggles, "was after yours."

"You can sit if you like. Merlin knows we've got all day." We've got the rest of our lives, rather. "How is your leg holding up?" Estrella didn't need to inquire about his memory, the state of that was as obvious as a phoenix in a chicken's coop.

 

[Jaken Styx]

Jaken watched Estrella plop down on the sofa, and he continued to stand, holding the little bundle that was his daughter. Olivia joined Estrella as well, and he smiled at the picture. How could someone rob him of his memories of this? This... This was a picture perfect scene. Jaken glanced down at his daughter, and he repeated the name, "Lydia Lorelei... Notice that we are naming our daughters after relatives in the family? Of...our family?" Jaken didn't mind, he would have had it no other way. "Well, I guess they would be my dad and all. It took me a long time just to learn to walk."

Jaken doubted that Estrella would see it the way he did. If everything was thrown at him at once, someone could have taken him to a loony facility. Here he was, without memories, and standing here with his family that he had known all for five minutes. Jaken went to the sofa and he sat down next to his wife. That still blew his mind. Jaken chuckled, "Well, a few nerves couldn't be fix, they were too damaged. But I can walk up and down stairs now. I...um, fell at dad's house the first time; almost landed on Kailie. But it only hurts when it is cold out or right before it rains." Jaken wondered who in the world jumped him. Hades said it was a gang mad at the Aurors or something. Needless to say, it scared Jaken from ever going back. What if he died?

 

[Estrella Drage]

A laugh, quiet as they come though still a laugh, trickled over an icy tongue. "Of course I noticed." Four months' worth of burdens rolled off her back. While now they seemed to be on the proverbial razor's edge, Estrella was certain that life would turn out in their favor eventually. These four were a family. Neither mangled limbs nor time would rip them apart. Hugging her child to her just a bit more tightly, she smiled again at Jaken. The couple had quite the journey ahead of them. They would weather any storm too stupid to come their way.