I Won't Lose You

I Won’t Lose You! by tigereyes320

~~~~~~~~~~ December 2011 ~~~~~~~~~~~

Percy sat on the porch swing, occasionally kicking out his foot and making the swing go back and forth. He heard the front door open; when he looked up, he saw his eleven year old daughter in front of him. With the long, red hair, slim body, and the small, round spectacles on her nose, there was no doubt whose daughter she was.

“Anything you need, Pam?” asked Percy.

“No, Daddy. Can I sit out here with you for a little while?” Pamela asked as she came closer to her father.

“Aren’t you too old to be sitting out here with your old man?” said Percy teasing his oldest daughter, who looked just like him.

Percy thought of Pamela’s twin, Kalista, who looked exactly like her mother Katie had at her age. Long, honey-blonde hair, bright blue eyes that didn’t need glasses, slim as a wand, and a demon on her broom. She could even out-fly her older brother, Kaleb, who had also inherited their mother’s love of flying. Pamela liked to fly, but she was more like him. She liked her feet firmly on the ground. The only time Percy ever really enjoyed flying was when he was with Katie.

“Daddy! I’ll never be too old to sit with you. Kali is trying to beat Uncle Ron at wizard’s chess. Kaleb is up in your old room writing something very important, and I’m not to disturb him,” Pamela said as she settled herself next to her father.

She giggled as he pushed the swing again with his foot.

“Daddy?”

“Yes, sweetheart?”

“Kali and I were going through the old picture books of Grandmum’s. When George was born, you and Mum weren’t there. Kaleb, Kali and I were though. Where were you and Mum?”

“Pam, do you remember the accident your mum was in?” Percy asked her seriously.

“No,” said Pam, shaking her head.

“Well, we had just celebrated your brother’s fifth birthday. Your mum had it put in her contract when she signed with them, that she would always have her children’s birthdays off and their summer holidays, no exceptions,” Percy began with a smile as he remembered how stubborn his wife had been during her contract negotiations. He continued, “The day after your brother’s party, your mum had a match against the Holyhead Harpies. The whole family came to the match. It was incredible. Quidditch has never been my favorite sport, but whenever your mum had a match close by, I always went and took you children. You all loved watching her fly past and wave at you.

“At this match, Puddlemere was in the lead by close to a hundred points; they were also the favorite to win. Just as Cantor, the Seeker, went into a dive to grab the Snitch, the Harpies’ Beaters hit both the Bludgers at the same time. Your mother flew directly into their path. The first one hit her at her right shoulder; it shook her off balance. The second Bludger was coming for your mum’s head; she put out her uninjured arm, and it glanced off her head. When that happened, she fainted and fell from her broom. It was close to twenty feet. I gave you two girls to your grandmother, told the twins to keep an eye on Kaleb and got down to the pitch as quickly as possible.”

Percy broke off as he remembered the worse day of his entire life. “I don’t remember how I got down there. I just remember your mother unconscious on the ground. They placed her on a stretcher and got her to St. Mungo’s. She was in surgery for hours. When she came out of surgery, they told us the next forty-eight hours would make all the difference in how she recovered.”

^*^*^*^*^^* March 14, 2003 *^*^*^*^*^*^*

Percy sat beside the hospital bed watched as the life-giving liquids dripped into his unconscious wife’s body. He held her hand in his and occasionally brought it to his lips to kiss it. Mentally he begged Katie to open her eyes, squeeze his hand, anything to prove she was still with him.

“Katie? I know you can hear me. The Healers say you’re in a coma. Hermione, though, said you could still hear me. Ron says she knows everything. Of course we all know he’s a bit biased. The kids miss you. I tell them you’re going to be all right, because you are. You promised me you’d be there to support me when I finally run for Minister of Magic. I can’t run without you. I don’t want to do anything we planned without you. I love you, my Katibell. The children need you. I need you. I won’t lose you! Not yet, not like this. We had a deal. You remember our deal, don’t you? When we die, it’s supposed to be surrounded by our great-grandchildren. Please, Katie, wake up,” Percy begged, not caring who saw him like this. He really didn’t want to know how he was going to raise their three children without her. Kaleb had just turned five, and the twins, Pamela and Kalista, were a few months past two. They had been discussing the idea of having another one.

Molly Weasley crept into the hospital room at St. Mungo’s. Her heart broke for her son looking so lost, and for the unconscious young woman she had long thought of as her own. Molly didn’t think she’d ever seen Percy look so, well, scruffy before. It makes sense, she told herself. He has barely left her side since they brought her out of surgery three days ago. He sleeps in that chair, only eats what we bring him. Never thought I’d see the day Percy would go three days without bathing or shaving.

“Percy?” Molly asked softly.

Percy turned at the sound her voice. “Hullo, Mum. Are the children all right?” he asked with an attempt to smile.

“They are just fine, Percy. They need to see you,” Molly said as she came over and kissed the top of his head. “They’re scared, Percy. Scared they are going to lose their mother and their father.”

“She won’t wake up, Mum. I keep telling her we promised each other when we died it would be surrounded by our great grandchildren,” Percy said with a brave face. “Mum, I can’t lose her; I won’t.”

“Of course you won’t. Our Katie is a fighter, Percy. She’s fighting her way back to you and the children. I want you to go to the Burrow; take a shower, eat, get some sleep, and be with your children for a little while. I’ll stay here with Katie. If there is any change in her condition, I’ll notify you immediately.”

“But Mum. . .” Percy started.

“Percival Weasley! I am still your mother,” Molly interrupted in a tone that brooked no argument. “Go. I promise to stay with Katie until you get back. I’ve already owled Bill and Charlie. They’ll be here by tomorrow with their families. Katie knows her family is here.”

Percy sighed; it was no use fighting with his mother. He got up and stretched his unused muscles. He bent over and kissed Katie softly on the lips. “I’m going to go home for a bit, and then I’ll be back. Mum’s going to stay with you until I get back. I love you, Katibell,” Percy said to her.

Percy bent and gave his mother a kiss on the cheek, a squeeze of her shoulder, and he walked out of the room. He was a bit surprised when he saw Fred and George in the waiting room. “What are you two doing here? Come to make sure I actually go home for awhile?”

Fred and George exchanged a look. “Yes and no, big brother. I thought you might do with a bit of good news,” Fred said with a proud smile. “Angelina…or should I say the baby decided to arrive early this morning. A fine and healthy baby boy. Angel was worried about Katie. I told her I’d see how she was and report back to her. I don’t have to ask if there is any change. Is there anything I can do?”

Percy wasn’t surprised that the twins were worried about Katie, too. “No, there’s nothing anyone can do. It’s all up to Katie now. Congratulations on the baby. I know you were hoping for a boy. What did you name him?”

“George Kieran Weasley, after this twin of mine, who, of course, will be the baby’s godfather. You tell Katie from us, she’s got to get better; Angelina wants her for George’s godmother.” Fred hated seeing his brother in so much pain.

“I’ll tell her. You kiss Angelina and the baby for me. Mum’s going to stay with Katie while I go and get some food and some sleep. Mum also says I’m to take a bath and spend some time with the kids. What do I tell them?” Percy asked the two brothers who had always made it their life’s ambition to tease him senseless. Without them, he wouldn’t have had Katie the last eight years or the family they had made.

George and Fred exchanged another glance. They had never seen Percy or Katie as happy as they had been since they got together. It was almost sick to see them make eyes at each other and catch them snogging everywhere. Too bad they looked so happy while doing it.

George went over and stood next to Percy. “You aren’t going to lose her. That wouldn’t be the happily ever after we’re ALL going to have. Katie is just letting her body rest. All the Healers have said she’s getting better. They said if she made it past the first forty-eight hours, her chances would just keep getting better. It’s been three days, and she’s still with us. C’mon, Perce, do you really think we would have set you up with someone who gives up easily?” George nudged him. “You’ll tell the children the truth. Kaleb, Pam, and Kali need to know that their mum was hurt badly. However, she’s fighting her way back to them.”

“Absolutely!” Fred said vehemently, agreeing with his twin. “Perce, Katie loves you. She has since that summer eight years ago. It’s only got better since the children came. Katie won’t let her family go without a fight. You know our Katibell better than that.”

Percy looked at the twins shrewdly. When had they grown up? “You two changed my life that summer. Did I ever thank you for inviting her to the Burrow?”

Fred and George both nodded. “You made us Kaleb’s godfathers. By the by, was that your idea or Katie’s?” Fred asked.

“Mine. I wanted my son to know how to laugh at himself. Katie agreed, because it would tell you two that we trusted you to take over if anything ever happened to us. Kaleb – he may look like a Weasley, but he is so much like her. He already loves to fly. We’re going to have another Quidditch player in the family when he grows up. Kali – she’s Katie all over again with that honey blond hair.” Percy broke off as he ran his hand over his face.

“Just like Pam is a miniature you. Kaleb is also quite a bit like you. He may fly like Katie, but sometimes he acts as serious as you used to. C’mon, Percy, go home, get some food and rest. Then spend some time with your kids. George and I will stay here with Mum.”

Percy nodded. He went to the fireplace that was at the far corner of the waiting room; he took some Floo powder and shouted “The Burrow” as he disappeared in a flash of green flames.

After he left, George turned to Fred. “Are you as worried about him as I am?”

Fred nodded, “If anything happens to Katie, I don’t know how Percy will handle it. I’m scared he won’t and he’ll just go back into his shell of rules and regulations. They adore each other. It’s hard to believe it was just four days ago that we were celebrating Kaleb’s birthday and looking forward to Katie’s match. Now we’re praying that she’ll be around tomorrow.”

“We need to be more positive. Let’s go say hello to Angelina and the baby. We can bring Mum back some tea,” George suggested.

“I’ll go tell Mum where we’re going,” Fred said as he went through the doors leading to Katie’s room.

George waited for Fred to come back out. They walked down the hall to the lift, so they could take it to Maternity. Once on that floor, they followed the arrows to Angelina’s room.

Angelina was sitting up in her bed, resting. She had her hand in the baby’s bed and was talking in a low tone to him as she stroked his small, but long arms and legs. Fred stared at her for a moment. I don’t know what I’d do if I ever lost her. He walked over to her and softly kissed her on the forehead.

Angelina concentrated her brown eyes first on her husband and then on his twin and smiled faintly. “Have you held your namesake yet, George?” she asked as she gestured to the baby bed beside her.

George shook his head as he bent over the tiny bed. “Let me look at the little blighter. Blimey, he’s handsome; he looks like you, Angelina. A bit of Fred around the eyes though. Alicia should be having ours any day now. You two always manage to have your babies within a fortnight of each other,” George said with a devilish grin.

“That’s because the two of you always seem to manage to knock us up within two weeks of each other,” Angelina shot back with a smile of her own. “Any word on Katie yet?” she asked them.

Fred lay down on the bed beside Angelina and held her close. “Not yet. Mum bullied Percy into going to the Burrow for a bit of food and some rest. A bath was also strongly suggested. He’s coming back later on tonight.”

Angelina took Fred’s hand in hers and gave it a squeeze.

George looked at the two of them and thought of Percy. He had a sudden, overwhelming need to see his own wife, Alicia. “I’m going to leave you two to enjoy my new nephew. I’m going to go pop in on Alicia at home and make sure she and the baby are okay; then I’ll come back. I’ll let you two know if there is any change in Katie’s condition.”

Fred and Angelina nodded as George left the room. Angelina closed her eyes and snuggled deeper into Fred’s arms. He held her close and closed his eyes as well. They sat there with their son and were grateful they weren’t in Percy’s shoes.

******************

Percy stumbled out of the fireplace at the Burrow, in a cloud of dust and soot, and into his father’s arms.

Arthur Weasley looked at this son of his; he’d never seen their Percy look like this. “You get right upstairs and take a shower. There are fresh clothes waiting for you in there. Your old room has been made ready for you. Ginny will bring you some food; then you can have a bit of a lie in. Once you wake up, you can spend time with the children.”

Percy was too exhausted to argue as he trudged upstairs. He barely remembered taking the shower, shaving and changing into the pajamas someone had set out. The flannel pajama pants and white t-shirt were soothing to his clean skin. Percy walked into his room; Ginny had left him a ham sandwich with cheese, lettuce, and tomato, with a glass of milk to wash it down. He wolfed down the food and drink. He crawled between the sheets, took off his glasses, and didn’t remember anything else for several hours.

When Percy finally began to wake up, he realized that he couldn’t move too well. His eyes snapped open as he felt weight on his body. He reached over for his glasses and put them on. When he looked down, he saw three small bodies curled up on the small bed with him.

Percy reached out and touched his son’s strawberry blonde locks. He might have looked like a Weasley, but Percy always saw so much of Katie in him. He always seemed to see more of Katie in their children than himself. Katie always said she saw more of him in them than her. Percy remembered the day each of them came into this world. The way Katie looked when she held each of them after they were born. The only times she had ever been that happy were when she’d agreed to marry him, the day they got married, the times she had told him she was pregnant, and the day Puddlemere agreed to her terms. She’d had everything, the career she wanted and the family she desired.

Kali opened her bright blue eyes just then and saw her father looking at her. She snuggled closer to him. “Hi, Daddy, “she whispered loudly as she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.

“Hi, baby,” Percy said as he kissed her on the forehead.

Kali giggled. “Youse was swepin. Daddy, where’s Mummy?”

Percy sighed at this question. He still wasn’t sure what to tell them. “Let’s all get up and have a bit of food. After that I’ll tell you all about Mummy.”

“She gonna be okay?” Kali asked worriedly.

“I hope so, baby,” Percy said he shook the other children awake and gave them all hugs, since he hadn’t seen them for four days.

As they all walked down the stairs toward the kitchen to get some food, they saw Ginny at the stove.

Ginny smiled at the sight of the family in front of her. “How about some of Mum’s soup? Grampa can help you kids get settled.”

“Actually, Ginny, I need to talk to you outside.”

“Sure,” Ginny said as she wiped her hands clean on a towel and followed him out on to the porch.

Percy sat down on the porch swing. “It all really started here.”

“Yep, that swing will go down in infamy as the downfall of the Minister of Magic.”

“Ginny, I need to know something. What were you going to tell Nick and Ally about their father when they were old enough to ask?”

“Percy, you can’t think that way. You also have to understand that our two situations are totally different. As far as I and everyone else in the wizarding world knew, Draco was dead at Voldemort’s hand. I didn’t even have a body to bury. Katie is not dead. She’s just in the hospital. She’s going to come home to you. I didn’t have that hope. I didn’t have any hope until I found out I was pregnant. That’s when I realized I still had Draco, not only in my memories of our time together, but a living part in the child we would have. I could shower on our child all the love I had for its father. Percy, you and I are very lucky. I got Draco back, and Katie survived an accident that should have killed her.”

“In other words, I shouldn’t dwell on the fact that I might lose her. I can’t control that. I should be concentrating on giving her support. I should be grateful for the last eight years she has been in my life. That, in the children, I have a part of her always with me. If the worse does happens, I’ll have them and my memories of our time together, right?” Percy said with a sigh.

“I know it’s not a huge comfort, but it is something.” Ginny gave him a smile; she knew better then anyone how hard this was for Percy.

“Ginny?”

“What?”

“I’m glad Draco was able to come back to you. I didn’t think I’d ever see you so happy again,” Percy said as he put his arm around her shoulder.

“Thanks, Percy. Now let’s go in and eat,” Ginny said as she got up off the swing. She turned back to him. “Listen, Draco has some pull at St. Mungo’s. Why don’t I see if he can get them to allow the children to visit her for a few minutes? Just long enough to say ‘hello’ and ‘I love you’ to her. I think it would go a ways in easing your mind and theirs.”

“I’d be grateful,” Percy said, after a moment of thinking about it. “I want them to see her again.”

“You go eat, and I’ll go talk to Draco,” Ginny instructed.

“Yes, Mum,” Percy said as he kissed her on the cheek.

Percy and Ginny went separate ways as they walked into the house, Percy to the kitchen and Ginny to the living room.

Ginny came into the kitchen not fifteen minutes later, with a big smile on her face. Percy looked up from his preparation of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. He saw the look and released the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. “Kids, let’s get to eating. We’re all going to go see Mummy.”

Amid cheers, the children quickly finished their food. Ginny helped get the children ready to go to the hospital. Arthur took Kali’s hand and Flooed to the hospital; then Ginny went with Pam; finally Percy followed with Kaleb.

As Percy exited the fireplace, a hand grasped his firmly. He looked up into George’s smiling face.

“You look better, Percy; that unshaven look only looks good on Italians. We English just look scruffy. Dust yourself off, and go see Katie. Ginny and I will clean up the kids, so they can go in for a quick visit.”

Percy nodded his head and headed toward Katie’s room, shaking the soot from his robes. As he walked in, he saw his mum holding Katie’s hand and murmuring soothing words to her.

Molly looked up and saw her son standing there. “Katie? Percy’s back; I’ll see you soon, love.” Molly rose and kissed Percy on her way out of the room.

Percy came to the bedside and leaned down to softly kiss her lips. He sat down and took her limp hand in his. “Hey, Katibell. I got a surprise for you. You’d like it better if your eyes were open. Draco pulled some strings, and they are going to let the children come in for just a few moments. We miss you, but I know you’re coming back to us. You’re a Weasley; we don’t give up; we don’t know how. I. Will. Not. Lose. You. We need you too much.”

Percy just lay his head down on the bed beside her hand and closed his eyes. He didn’t know how long he stayed with his head like that. In the back of his mind, he knew he should go get the children. He was so busy with his thoughts he almost missed the feather light touch against his hair.

Almost.

Percy lifted his head and looked at Katie. Blue eyes met blue eyes. Percy took her hand back in his and lifted it to his lips.

“Do you know me, Katie?” Percy said, not caring one whit what she said. His Katie was alive and that was all he cared about. The rest they could relearn if they had to.

Katie smiled wanly. “Of course I know you. You are my perfect, prefect Percy. You look so tired. Did I hear you say something about the children? Are they here? I thought it wasn’t allowed.”

Percy felt his eyes grow wet; he was afraid to leave. Afraid this was a dream. “Yeah, Draco got the hospital to say okay to them coming up for a minute. Angelina had the baby; it’s a boy. They named him George, and you’re to be godmother. Do you want to see the children?”

Katie nodded.

Percy flew out of the door. With a quick explanation of what had just happened to his mother, so she could notify the rest of the family as well as the Healers, Percy herded his children in to see their mother.

“Now you can sit by Mummy, but don’t jar anything or jump around,” Percy said as he closed the door behind him.

“Mummy!” Pam and Kali both hollered as their father put them on the bed. They immediately crawled up to get next to her.

“My babies,” Katie said as she put her arms around her girls. She would never tell Percy how close she came in her mind to giving up. Katie gazed at her son, who looked at her with Percy’s serious expression. “Come here, my sweetie.”

Kaleb curled up close to her as well. “I was so scared, Mummy,” he whispered. “Don’t ever leave us, Mummy, please?” His small voice quavered as only a five year old’s could.

“Not without a fight, baby. This family won’t lose me anytime soon. I have a feeling Quidditch will be out of the picture.” Katie looked up at Percy who confirmed her fear with a nod of his head.

“Only professional Quidditch, Katibell. The doctors say it’s too risky. Another hit like that to your shoulder and you could lose the use of your arm entirely. You’ll be able to coach, if you want, and you can still fly,” Percy said as he crawled into the bed with her.

“As long as I have my life and my family, I can go from there,” Katie said, with a small pain at what she had lost. Looking at her children, she realized she could have lost much more.

“You’ll have physical therapy for several months.”

“Will there be a problem for us trying to have another baby?” Katie asked; if she wasn’t able to play Quidditch anymore, they could add to their family.

“No, everything else is fine,” Percy reassured her as he put his arm around her.

“What do you say, after this physical therapy is done, we work on that?” Katie said as she leaned her head into the crook of his shoulder.

“Okay. Whatever you want. I love you so much, Katibell,” Percy confessed as he kissed her temple.

“I love you right back.”

~~~~~~~~ December 2011 ~~~~~~~~~~~

Katie walked out onto the porch and saw her husband and her daughter having a conversation.

“Pam, time for bed. Let’s go. We’re going to visit Nanna and Poppy tomorrow.”

“Okay, Mum. Love you, Daddy,” Pam said as she leaned over to give him a kiss on the cheek. “G’night, Mum.” she reached up and kissed Katie on the cheek as well.

“Good night, sweetheart. Keep it down when you go up; Gilly, Solange, and Jenny are all ready asleep.”

“Okay, Mum.”

“Where is Paul?” Percy asked of their youngest son.

“He’s sound asleep with Harry’s twins in your old bedroom. They are doing ‘boy’ stuff,” Katie answered with a sweet smile.

Katie looked back at Percy sitting there on the swing. He wiggled his eyebrows at her in invitation. She smiled and walked over to him. Katie took the hand he proffered and sat beside him on their swing. He kicked out his foot and started them swinging.

“You and your annoying habit,” Katie teased.

“Well, you haven’t minded it for the past what is it going to be?”

“Fifteen years of marriage come February. Seventeen years of being together in August,” Katie said with a faint smile.

“Any regrets?” Percy asked.

“Not a one.”

“I love you, Katibell.”

“Not nearly as much as I love you.”

Percy drew Katie closer, and as their lips met, Katie was taken back to the first time this happened, in this very swing. She still firmly believed that Bridget Jones had it right. Nice boys didn’t kiss like that. But that was quite all right; Percy wouldn’t be a Weasley if he didn’t have a bit of the devil in him.

Besides, who wants nice when you have a husband who can kiss like this? I won’t lose you either, Percy, she thought with a sigh as she sank deeper into their kiss.

The End