@fxprewettx
TED LASSO (TV Series 2020– ) ➼ Episode #2.6: The Signal 🖕
Even though Alice was nearly to her due date, she ignored Moody’s hints that she should take a break and start her maternity leave. Especially with Frank gone, Alice couldn’t stand to sit around the house alone and think about all of the things that had been happening lately or how nervous she was for childbirth. She needed a distraction, and work had always been good at keeping her busy. So despite the fact that she was moving slower than an old man with a cane, Alice dragged herself to work.
As she entered the Atrium, choosing to apparate rather than floo directly into the Auror offices at this stage of her pregnancy, Alice looked around, always marveling at the majesty that was the Atrium. Beginning to make her way towards the elevators, Alice greeted those she knew with a smile and nod. But when she stepped off the elevator onto the floor of the DMLE, Alice’s smile became a little more forced.
Her cousin Bellatrix was standing in the hallway, an annoyed look on her face. It was impossible for Alice not to think of all the things Emmeline had shared, the way Bellatrix had tortured her. Alice had always struggled with how she should feel about her family. She had been fairly certain of Bella and Freya’s loyalties, though they had never been caught for anything, but not knowing for sure had always helped her to interact with them with a normal familial affection. But now that she had heard of the horrors Bellatrix had put Emmeline through, it was a lot harder for Alice to see Bellatrix as anything but a monster. “Oh, Bellatrix. Hello.” Alice stumbled over her words, feeling awkward.
@bellatrxlestrcnge
“Mostly, I hope for snow in winter and the fortitude to bear it.”
— Jennifer Chang, from “The Strangers”, Some Say the Lark (via voirlvmer)
If [your plans] are at 6 PM, we can go hiking before that. We’ll go in the morning. We’ll go hiking early so you can be there by 6 PM.
#relatable
mxrymacs:
@alicelxngbottom
She hadn’t been short on visitors in the past few days. Friends had streamed in and out of her flat, with Greta being a welcome constant. The visitors were both a comfort and a reminder that something was wrong. She appreciated the distraction, the people to feed and to make tea for. She appreciated not being left alone to her thoughts, to not have to dwell on everything that was wrong any more than was absolutely necessary.
When she walked into the living room after taking a shower she was unsurprised to see Alice sitting on the couch, fairly sure that Greta had let her in. She had changed from one of Emmeline’s sweaters to another. It was much too long, but it helped her continue to go through the motions, to not dwell on the things she couldn’t control. She trusted that Mr. Moody was keeping his promise. She trusted that Dorcas was doing what she could from the inside. And she had to trust that they would let her know what she could do to help. And in the end, the best thing that she could do was keep herself from completely falling apart. Then she’d be of no use to anyone.
“Hi Alice,” she smiled softly, joining her on the couch. “Did Greta offer you some tea? If not I can go put the kettle on?”
...
Alice was well aware of the situation going on with Emmeline; despite the fact that she was supposed to be stepping back from a lot of active work with the Order due to her pregnancy, she was still a leading member, and it wasn’t as if she could just turn off the switch and go on maternity leave from caring about those she had come to consider family. So while she wasn’t involved in any of the plans they were scheming about, she was there to scheme and suggest and plan alongside Moody and Kingsley and Albus.
She had been so busy with that, in fact, that Alice realized far too late that three days had already passed without going to check in on Mary. Pregnancy brain or not, there was no excuse for not being there for Mary when her young friend needed her the most. So leaving the Auror office early, Alice stopped by one of her favorite bakeries for some pastries and her favorite restaurants for takeout before heading to Mary and Emmeline’s flat. Greta kindly let her in and then made herself scarce, so Alice was just sitting on the couch waiting when Mary got out of the shower and wandered in. Her face broke out into a smile at the sight of Mary, and she took it as a good sign that Mary was able to smile back, however weakly. Of course there was nothing comforting or good about the situation that they were all in, but Alice was glad that Mary was managing to hold herself together.
“Hi, Mare,” she said softly, her gaze turning sympathetic. At the offer of tea, Alice nodded. “Tea would be lovely.” She knew Mary well enough to know that the younger witch was a caretaker by nature, much like Alice, and she also knew that Mary would find comfort in being able to take care of others, a comfort that Alice would never take away from her now. “I also brought some chinese and pastries.”