You Kept This From Me?!? (Kit & Jake)

Subject: You Kept This From Me?!? (Kit & Jake) Sat Feb 17, 2018 3:30 pm

When the class had finally kicked out, Jake had -- unusually -- left his classroom as soon as all of the children had exited, sparing only a moment to pick up his keys and coat before heading full speed down the stairs, and out in to the grounds of Hogwarts.

On first sight of Mimosa Harrington he'd thought himself to be seeing things.

The second look had made him second guess himself in to thinking he was making connections that just weren't there.

But, by the time the hour had finished, there was no denying what he knew in that moment. Mimosa Harrington was not just Azalea's daughter. There had been no other relationship with a man that had resulted in the child.

Mimosa Harrington was, without a shadow of a doubt in Jake's mind, his daughter. The small witch might have everything that he'd found beautiful in Azalea, but her eyes, her eyes were a reflection of his own, and Jake was not stupid. The timings -- a quick consultation of the register -- fit too perfectly. There was nothing he could deny in that moment.

The grounds bit at his skin, the cold that oozed out from the snow forced Jake in to his jacket, even though he felt numb as he broke in to a run once he was in the grounds. The Auror had only just made it through the gates of the school when the loud sound of apparition sounded in the empty space around him.

From the cold of Scotland, Jake's feet landed outside the Harrington Estate. The vast house Jake had visited over a decade barely seemed to have changed, though he was in no fit state to really take it in in that moment, his feet were on autopilot as he moved to the front door of the mansion, shedding his coat now the warmth of Carmel was hitting him.

It didn't much matter, though, that a light sweat was forming on his brow, Jake's focus was the lying bastard that was Kit Harrington. The man who had knowingly kept the fact he had a daughter to himself for the last decade for no good reason.

Reaching the door, Jake's fist pounded on the door in a constant, unrelenting rhythm.

"KIT! OPEN THIS DOOR!" Jake demanded. Oh, he knew full well he could let himself in, or else force his way in. But the Auror was not going to give Kenneth Harrington the satisfaction of being able to pull his badge from him. No, Jake may be seething, he may wish to curse the man in to the next millenium, but he wasn't going to risk anything in his life to get him answers.

So, the pounding of the door continued, and would continue until someone answered the door.

And, of course, Jake had not given consideration to the fact that just because it was 3:30pm in Scotland, that it was only 7:30am in Carmel-by-the-Sea.

________________________________________________
~ Auror ~ Profile ~ DADA Professor ~
~ In a Relationship ~ 36 ~ Father ~ 6' ~ American Accent ~

Subject: Re: You Kept This From Me?!? (Kit & Jake) Sun Feb 18, 2018 2:44 pm

Mornings in the Harrington Household began whenever Clara rose for without fail, she was the first to rise on a normal day. Now if that happened to be nine in the morning, mornings began at nine. if she rose at noon, than that was morning. The only adult able to keep to a somewhat regular schedule over the past twenty five years, Clara ruled the roost more than any other occupant of the house and the witch did not appreciate being woken from slumber via the loud banging on their front door.

Still, it could be important, she figured as she stumbled out of bed, confused feet finding her slippers before she emerged from her room, her t shirt askew and the pair of boxer shorts serving as the bottom half of her pajamas hanging loosely off her waist. Kit really needed to drop a size or four for his old underwear to make better sleeping material for the psychic. Braless and devoid of a dressing gown, she meandered down the stairs and to the front door towards the distinctly male voice demanding to be let in.

Pausing at the door, the witch listened to he words seeping through, they were definitely not meant for her and for a brief moment, the short haired witch considered ignoring the livid pleas and going back to bed. Let Kit deal with whoever was on the other end. But then her conscience got the better of her. Kit had stayed up late developing the pictures from his Bondi shoot. He may have only just gone to bed while Clara had had a solid five hours.

Opening the door with a fake, cheery smile across her face, she greeted the visitor with as much bubbliness as she could. "Hello, good morning. Did Kit sleep with you and forget to call you back too? Because that's really something we could have sorted out over email."

________________________________________________

Come Plot With Me <3

You Kept This From Me?!? (Kit & Jake) Rsz_mi10

You Kept This From Me?!? (Kit & Jake) Rsz_ja12

You Kept This From Me?!? (Kit & Jake) Rsz_rs13

Subject: Re: You Kept This From Me?!? (Kit & Jake) Sun Feb 18, 2018 6:41 pm

The hammering on the door continued until the door was opened. But the person whom Jake had come to see did not stand on the other side of the door before him, no before him stood Azalea's godmother, Clara, looking like she'd just woken up. Had it been any other time, and other circumstance, Jake Newbury would have apologised for rousing her from her sleep, but today was not one where Jake was caring.

"Funny." Jake replied to her question. "Where's Kit?" He demanded putting his foot in the door to hold it open. Ensuring Clara could not close him out of the house.

"I need to see him right now, Clara." Jake insisted, motioning for the witch to go off and find the bastard that was Kenneth Harrington. Merlin only knew what was going to come next, Jake's mind had not thought that far forward, but he knew he was going to get answers, one way or another.

________________________________________________
~ Auror ~ Profile ~ DADA Professor ~
~ In a Relationship ~ 36 ~ Father ~ 6' ~ American Accent ~

Subject: Re: You Kept This From Me?!? (Kit & Jake) Sun Feb 18, 2018 6:57 pm

When the visitor curtly demanded Kit's whereabouts without having the decency to as much as introduce himself, Clara's eyes narrowed. The psychic was all about self expression and emoting well but when a burly stranger put his foot through your door, you'd be crazy to not have alarm bells ringing.

"You realize I'm neither Kit's mother, nor his wife. And the only way I'll go get him is if you tell me who the fuck you are and what your business is with Mr. Harrington." The witch made a great show of putting emphasis on Kit's surname. "Or I can call nine one one and you can explain your business to the cops, your choice, Mister."

Never having been one to back down from intimidating looking men, Clara was in her element despite the lack of preparation. If this stranger wanted to enter her house, he would do so on her terms. Dark eyes still narrowed and hands folded over her chest, Clara waited until given a passable answer before deciding what to do next.

________________________________________________

Come Plot With Me <3

Subject: Re: You Kept This From Me?!? (Kit & Jake) Sun Feb 18, 2018 7:16 pm

When the older witch demanded to know who he was, Jake was more than slightly taken back in that moment. Did neither Kit or Clara remember him? Did they not remember their daughter/goddaughter's friend, significant other, and the man she'd lived with for... Jake couldn't even remember how long it had been, but he knew he had been significant in Azalea's life. How, then, did neither of them remember him?

The logical side of him wasn't entirely working, though, and Jake simply looked stunned for a moment, before he spoke. "Jake Newbury." He supplied, hoping the name would jog Clara's memory, but not believing that she would be so kind as to pretend to remember, Jake elaborated. "I was Azalea's boyfriend, a long time ago.

"And... my business with Mr Harrington, is to demand an explanation as to why he saw it fit to keep my daughter hidden from me for the last decade. Why he believe that the child Azalea and I had together would not be better off knowing her father, and why in Merlin's name nobody has ever fucking thought to contact me." Jake replied, the anger inside him bubbling up once more.

"Though, I suppose you had a hand in that, too, didn't you? You would have known. How can you not know?" Jake continued, verging on the point of hysterics now because he hadn't truly thought this through before apparating. He had another daughter.

He. Had. A. Ten. Year. Old. Daughter.

"I must speak with Kit. Right now." Jake added once more, showing quite clearly he was not going to budge, even if she was threatening to call the police here. Let her, Jake thought, the police would help him in the end, wouldn't they? Kenneth Harrington and Clara had kept his daughter from him, wasn't that some kind of crime?

But, Jake was a man not thinking right, and he just... needed to shout at the shit of man who had taken so, so much from him.

________________________________________________
~ Auror ~ Profile ~ DADA Professor ~
~ In a Relationship ~ 36 ~ Father ~ 6' ~ American Accent ~

Subject: Re: You Kept This From Me?!? (Kit & Jake) Sun Feb 18, 2018 7:41 pm

When the man gave his name, no recognition sparked in the witch's eyes. Over ten years and hundreds of thousands of people later, a name held little meaning for Clara. His further explanation however made her dark eyes open wide. Stunned into silence, the woman tried to find the young man who had once dated Azalea in this angry stranger. Lines had marred his smooth forehead and the shape of his face had changed. His nose too may have restructured itself after one break too many but his eyes... They remained the same shade of blue Clara was used to seeing almost every day.

Mimosa's eyes...

"You better come in," she finally breathed out, pulling the door open all the way and allowing him entry. Gesturing to the living room sofa, she asked him to take a seat before dashing into the kitchen. Refreshments were the last thing from her mind, and she was sure her guest felt the same. But they were a very needed distraction right now. Going to the fridge, she pulled out a carton of orange juice and frowned at its' lightness. Kit must have drank the last of it and put the empty container back in once again.

Reaching for the next carton, she pulled out milk. A quick examination of the expiration date showed it was still good. Pouring the white liquid in a tall glass, she reached for a packet of cookies, opening them and laying out half a dozen on a plate before carrying her bounty back into the living area where Jake was seated.

"I know you don't want these," she started before he had time to interject and demand Kit be brought to justice. "But not everything's about you. Now sit, we need to talk." Placing the plate of cookies and glass of milk in front of him, the witch took a seat opposite him, pulling a cushion into her lap in the process and hugging it close to herself where she sat.

"And I promise I'll get Kit after we're done," she offered as a sign of parlay. "What do you know about Azalea since... since you saw her last?"

________________________________________________

Come Plot With Me <3

Subject: Re: You Kept This From Me?!? (Kit & Jake) Sun Feb 18, 2018 8:01 pm

The admittance to the home, and the motion to taking a seat in the lounge was not helping Jake. Things had changed within the Harrington home, of course they had, but there was still familiarity in the whole space, a familiarity that was not helping in this situation.

Whilst Clara moved off -- to get Kit, Jake supposed -- the younger man took to pacing in the lounge.

He couldn't sit down, his adrenaline was running. His head was a mess, and sitting sounded much too enclosed, controlled, calm for his current state of mind. The time that Clara was away from the room, the time in which Jake was left simply in his head, trying to understand why the older man had lied, kept this from him even after Jake had written to ask of Azalea's health... Why did Kit Harrington think this was an acceptable behaviour?

Didn't he think Jake could have stepped up to the bill? Did he think that Jake wouldn't have wanted to be in his daughter's life? Jake might have been many things in his youth, but he had never shied away from responsibilities. And, had he of been told of Mimosa's life...

As Clara returned, Jake's eyes returned to the witch, denoting Kit was not with her, but she'd instead... brought milk and cookies. Jake was about to restate his demand to see Kit when Clara told him to sit, because they needed to talk. The man stood for a moment, jaw working excessively as he tried to calm himself, tried and just about succeeded enough to bring himself to perch on the edge of the sofa.

After all, Clara was his elder, Jake had respect for that position, if nothing more for the witch in that moment.

The promise to get Kit was just a stalling method, Jake knew that. He didn't much like that, either. But he knew stubbornness and demands would get him so far, he had to give in order to receive something he wanted, so he had to bide his time, be patient, and wait.

"What do you know about Azalea since... since you saw her last?"

Jake's eyes remained on Clara's in that moment, trying to work out what she meant by that question. He knew that Azalea had died. Nothing more. That had been all Kenneth Harrington had offered him in the letter. "All I know is that she died about a year after she left our flat in Moose Jaw." Jake replied to the witch. "That's all Kit told me when I wrote to him about Azalea's well being last year. And, that she had left him the greatest gift in the world, Mimosa."

That was all Jake knew, it was all Jake had needed to know. He had moved on from Azalea, been through too many relationships since then, and he had Ivan and Adrienne. Knowing how Azalea had died... wouldn't have changed much, Jake had believed.

But, that had been before he knew of Mimosa.

Known of his daughter.

________________________________________________
~ Auror ~ Profile ~ DADA Professor ~
~ In a Relationship ~ 36 ~ Father ~ 6' ~ American Accent ~

Subject: Re: You Kept This From Me?!? (Kit & Jake) Sun Feb 18, 2018 8:27 pm

As her interaction with Jake Newbury continued, Clara could feel the polite, determined young man she had once known coming through despite his raging emotions right now. She ahd never found out why Azalea and Jake had called it off. If any one couple seemed like they were meant for the long run, it was those two. But in the end, she had never gotten a chance to know, and it hadn't been important.

Hugging her cushion closer to herself, she listened and nodded. He knew the bare basics. Not that she blamed Kit. Clara knew better than anyone the burden her best friend carried on his soul. it had been his duty to protect Azalea, and he still blamed himself for what had happened to her.

"From the last letters we received," she began once Jake had given his answer. "Azalea left Moose Jaw somewhere around mid to late February in 2013. The letter was dated late but upon further examination, we believe it was written after she left. Something about an expedition with erh old mentor, Professor Walker and how she would be gone for a few months."

The lounge was decorated as it always was, with the mess of latest gadgets and modern furniture. Frames dominated the side tables showing Mimosa at different stages of her life, the magical ones showing the child jumping, swimming, making faces or dancing while the Muggle ones showing her in various stages of smiling, laughing, reaching to smack a pinata, riding on Kit's shoulder's, snuggled in Clara's lap with a sleepy yawn on her face, basically living her life through the past eight years.

"We fund out she was never on an expedition later, that the letter was just an excuse. Professor Walker confirmed it when the authorities finally started looking for her after four months of no contact." The witch sighed, her eyes finding Jake's as she continued. "The authorities claimed that Azalea was obstructed soon after she left Moose Jaw. She was found dead in a collapsed basement with several other women of varying ages and... ailments. She appeared to be the only one who had given birth in the reason past. The officers on watch were able to pull Mimosa out just before the building completely collapsed."

Giving Jake a moment to process he information, Clara picked up a cookie her guest had left untouched. Instead of nibbling on it however, he psychic simply turned it in her hands. ten years had not made the story easier.

"The reports came later. Her body wasn't recovered but the other women, their autopsies were a good indication of what Azalea might have gone through in that basement for the year and a half she was there. They never found the monster who did it but I saw him come to a painful end in the woods. And I thank whoever did that for us."

________________________________________________

Come Plot With Me <3

Subject: Re: You Kept This From Me?!? (Kit & Jake) Sun Feb 18, 2018 8:55 pm

"From the last letters we received,"

The frown had touched Jake's features in an instant. That... was not how... That wasn't what Azalea had said she was going to be doing. It might have been almost eleven years since Jake had read the letter from Azalea Harrington, but he knew full well what it said. She was going home, to Carmel, to see out her jobs for the year.

That had been why Jake had not gone after the witch, she had gone home.

And asked him not to contact her.

The time frame made Jake shake his head. "The fourteenth." He replied to the witch's struggle with placing the time. It was the fourteenth of February, Valentine's Day. Her leaving on that day had caused him to dislike the day in the earlier years, fear it coming around when he had been with Mari to the point where he'd tried to ignore it the first time.

Jake's eyes remained on the witch before him throughout as she spoke, his anger, his feelings of betrayal, his hurt tunneling everything to simply one place, one focus, because he simply could not, and would not be able to cope with anything more in that moment.

The expedition was not something Jake had known of, and as Clara continued, he realised it had never been a thing. But Jake had not been ready for the next round of information. The ex-Quidditch star's hand slowly closed in to a fist, and a thick lump had formed in his throat as he slowly shook his head. Disbelief, that was what was clear on his features. Wanting this not to be true, because if that was true...

He'd let Azalea go, he'd let Azalea down, and he'd not done enough all those years ago...

If the idea of being abducted was not enough, however, Clara's explanation of what had been found, even without the specifics was enough for Jake to know. Azalea had not just been kept hostage, and though Clara had not depicted the scene in the slightest, Jake could see if vividly in flashes of scenes. Scenes familiar to the ones he'd found Hathor Valois in a few years ago when raiding the Deadly Nightshade cells...

Unknowingly, a tear had started it's course down Jake's cheek.

The woman he'd claimed to love all those years ago. The woman he had truly loved all those years ago... The young man couldn't get the picture from his mind. Couldn't stop himself from believing the simple fact it was, without a shadow of a doubt, his fault for letting her go. He shouldn't have accepted her words.

He should have contacted Kit to make sure.

But, he'd been so angry with her.

She'd left, for a reason he'd told her would never matter to him. She'd left, and walked straight in to a trap he could have prevented if he'd just chased after her, told her that...

Jake wiped furiously at his eyes, not daring to speak a single word as his eyes fell to the cookies. He didn't want one, but he couldn't bare to look at Clara in that moment.

"She said she was coming home..." Jake managed, a moment later, another tear cascading down his cheek as he shook his head. "Azalea... oh shit..." The young man said, burying his face in his hands as the grief flooded his system.

He'd failed her so, so much.

And it was clear now why Kit had never allowed him near Mimosa.

Jake had failed to keep his daughter safe, how could Kit trust him with his granddaughter?

________________________________________________
~ Auror ~ Profile ~ DADA Professor ~
~ In a Relationship ~ 36 ~ Father ~ 6' ~ American Accent ~

Subject: Re: You Kept This From Me?!? (Kit & Jake) Sun Feb 18, 2018 9:17 pm

It didn't take a psychic to predict Jake's breakdown, it didn't even take a mother's intuition. All it took was human decency to see how much this was hurting Jake. This was why Clara was the one who needed to do this. Between Kit and Jake and their massive inabilities to articulate logically through their anger, the real truth would have come out a lot more painfully.

Well that, and no father deserved to retell the story of how his daughter had suffered. Clara would happily take that bullet for her best friend any day.

Moving closer to Jake as he buried his head in his arms, his muffled sobs breaking out despite his attempts to control his grief, Clara enveloepd the man in her arms, letting him cry on her shoulder. Now she could perfectly picture the nineteen year old she had once known, the nineteen year who looked at Azalea like she was his whole universe.

"There, there," she stroked his head carefully, the motherly instinct taking over out of sheer practice. "I know how awful it feels to hear it for the first time, and the second, third and fourth time. But after a while, we learn to live with our mistakes. Kit and I... should have done more. And while I can accept that after so many years, Kit is still... Well, i can understand why he wouldn't want to divulge the details of her passing. No father wants to admit how badly he's let his daughter down."

The short haired witch soothed Jake some more, until his grief subsided to at least a manageable level before she continued. "When Mimosa was found.. she wasn't in a good way.Her tiny bones were all fractured and Merlin only knows how she escaped permanent brain damage at her young age. My guess is that Azalea kept the child safe at ehr own expense." Clara shuddered at the thought of what ehr god daughter must have gone through to make sure the child remained as safe as possible in that horrendous environment.

"Regardless, when we found her, her parentage was the least of our worries. For a while it looked like Mimosa wouldn't make it. She could have been the result of Azalea's captor and we wouldn't have cared less. There was a DNA test somewhere but I doubt Kit even looked at it because Mimosa is ours no matter what the papers say. She's our one chance to... do better." At that, her voice finally cracked, a single tear running down her cheek. She had held herself throughout the tale but the mention of Mimosa broke her.

Of course she would move to dreary England if that was what Kit and Mimosa wanted. Why had she ever told herself she would fight to stay in the states? They were her family and she would live in a hovel in Africa with them. There was no future for Clara Kent without the Harringtons.

________________________________________________

Come Plot With Me <3

» Acceptance (Jake)
» A welcome home. (Jake )
» The Godfather (Jake)
» Clearing the Air [Jake]
» How Will I Catch Up?! {Jake}