And the day bleeds, into nightfall (Jazalea)

Subject: And the day bleeds, into nightfall (Jazalea) Sun May 03, 2020 9:26 am

"Look Miss, I'm sorry but unless you're a parent or an official guardian registered with the school, we cannot let you take the children."

"And as I've told you repeatedly, Miss, I have been authorized by their father," Azalea replied, facing her phone towards the teacher on which Jake's text flashed with the words "Got caught up at work, can you please take the kids from school. I'll explain everything later".

"Be that as it may, the school requires-"

"Hey, Adrienne, Ivan, over here!" Azalea interrupted spotting the children in the pick up line. "Can you pleas tell the nice lady that you know me and that i can pick you up from school."

Ivan looked taken aback for a minute, the question on his lips. his sister though was quick on her feet. The child bounded up to her teacher and nodded. "Yup, we know her, she's our mum."

Ivan barely had time to straighten his face before the teacher turned suspiciously to the children. "Is she now, why haven't I seen her before then?"

"Zay-Lea works in works in Scotland, our Nanny is very supportive of our parents careers, hat's whys he helps out a lot.. Let's go Ivan."

And just like that, the children were piled up in her car and heading towards Surrey at a safe speed. The GPS and auto system did most of the driving for the witch, leaving her to explain to Ivan and Adrienne that their father was at work and would be home for dinner.

This was no the day she had expected when Azalea had woken up that morning.

Mid May was always a busy period for all teachers at Hogwarts. What with year end exams, OWLs and NEWTs a swell as packing up for the summer, most teachers were either wrapping up syllabi, giving extra classes, taking extra appointments for career advice or just making sure students were coping well in general. Azalea had been forced to take over all of Annika's duties too after the witch's impromptu resignation but miraculously, the witch had found herself free by lunch.

She had intended to take a long bubble bath and then retire to her rooms to grade the latest batch of her NEWT class's essay when her phone buzzed with a name she did not expect.

" Got caught up at work, can you please take the kids from school. I'll explain everything later".

Anther text followed with the school's name and address, one that wasn't necessary as Azalea knew well where the Newbury children studied, having mended Adrienne's uniform one to many times. What she did need, was a form of transportation, and to learn to drive safely in just short of three hours.

Bringing up google on her phone, Azalea discovered there was only one car dealership near Hogsmade and ignoring all the device she could remember about women going to purchase cars alone, set off to get a decent vehicle. The salesmen didn't have to itch hard to ehr as she started with "I need soemthing that's safe for children and requires non existent driving skills".

Azalea left the dealership in a brand new black and grey minivan with a state of the art navigation system and an auto function for everything from parking to backing to turns. The salesman had assured her she could go to sleep behind the wheel and the baby would self drive her to her destination.

Still, Azalea had spent an hour practicing before she entered the location of the school and sure enough, the car sped along smoothly, coming to a stop at the pick up lane without any encouragement from the driver.

So what are we going to eat for snack time," Adrienne piped up.

"I was thinking... McDonalds," the witch suggested with a grin, making both her passengers cheer loudly in return.

***

Dinner time came but Jake did not.

After taking the children for ice cream and inadvisable fast food (Azalea had wanted the fries herself, Murray manor never seemed to have fries, or chicken nuggets and she was too embarrassed to ask the kitchen staff to make some), she had brought them home, helped them get changed and bathed and then taken a look at their homework. She had even allowed dinner to be late by half an hour in hopes that their father would join them but at eight a clock, there was neither Jake nor a text from him. The brunette could see Ivan beginning to worry so she had pulled him aside and told him everything was fine, that Dad was just running late.

But she herself was starting to worry as she read the children their bedtime stories, tucking them and in putting them to sleep. There was no way she was going to leave them alone so Azalea settled for the next best option.

Fixing herself a thermos of coffee, she settled on the living room sofa, keeping one ear to the children's room as she flipped through her ignored grading for the day. Red pen tucked behind her ear, the witch set out on the tedious task of grading papers on the finer properties of multivariate potions as submitted by her NEWT students.

And the clock on the wall ticked away.

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And the day bleeds, into nightfall (Jazalea) Rsz_gr10

And the day bleeds, into nightfall (Jazalea) Rsz_az10

And the day bleeds, into nightfall (Jazalea) Rsz_li10

May had rolled in much too quickly, and with it the departure of his parents. That day had been a difficult day for all of the Newbury family. Ivan understood, so far as Jake could tell, that it was not a personal attack from his grandparents when they left that day, but he couldn't quite grasp why his grandparents were leaving for America and they were not. Adrienne, however, had been inconsolable as she clung to her Nanny with the strength of a lion. Tears had streaked the girl's features, her eyes had gone puffy, and her voice had ended up hoarse as she kept shrieking with the same line of thought.

"Nanny and Grampy can't go!"

The effort had exhausted her eventually, though, allowing Jake to untangle her limbs from his mom and cradle the child in to him. Henry had been as quiet as he always had been when it came to the subject, only breaking the silence to ruffle his grandson's hair and tell him to look after his sister. Ivan had nodded whilst trying to fix his hair back in to place before being smothered in kisses from his Nanny in turn.

The eldest Newburys had departed shortly after, but not without the gruff reminder from Henry that there was still time.

Jake hadn't replied to that.

The first week without his parents had gone as well as he could have hoped it to have. The already frantic schedule of his had become much less forgiving, but he'd managed. Only having to forgotten the children's lunch once -- to which he'd received a polite phone call from the school to say neither Ivan or Adrienne had food today, how would he like the school to deal with this. Red faced and highly apologetic, Jake had paid for the school lunches on the phone, apologised once more to the Receptionist who tried to assure him it happened more than he would think, but still with the edge of judgement in her voice.

But they'd managed, and by the time the weekend had come all three of them were just happy to have a day of Disney movies together in the pillow fort Jake had constructed using magic to speed the process.

Monday had come back in full force, though, bringing back the hectic routine Jake was not yet adjusted to. He'd dropped the kids at school before hurrying to Hogwarts for his classes that day. He'd barely finished his classes before he was hurrying back to Surrey to pick them up again, and the cycle repeated.

Until the Wednesday.

Jake had known that his job at the Ministry would become much more time intensive with the closing of the American borders, but he'd expected that to be in June. Not now. By lunch time, he had known there was no way he would be finished by three o'clock when an emergency was touted through the memos, and all Aurors not currently out on work were called in to help. His mind had gone in to panic mode. The children didn't have anyone to pick them up. Not with the uncertainty of the hour he would be finished...

He'd looked helplessly at his mom's number for a while, considering calling her, despite everything...

But he couldn't.

Once people returned to America, the borders were not letting the citizens back out.

The sigh escaped him as he racked his brain for one of the other moms he could ask to look after the children, but... he didn't really know them. His mom did, but he didn't. As he thumbed up through his contacts, looking for someone he could ask, the man paused at the one name he could... the person who wouldn't mind.

"Got caught up at work, can you please take the kids from school. I'll explain everything later".

Knowing Azalea would never let the children down, Jake didn't wait before sending the address of the children's school to the witch. Not a moment later the reply had come that Azalea would help him out in this situation. Jake had returned his phone to his pocket before hurrying off through the Ministry and the gathering of his fellow Aurors as they awaited instructions.

***

It was well past ten before Jake apparated back to Surrey. His body ached, and his head felt like it was going to explode. The afternoon had turned in to evening, and for the life of him he could not remember when he'd last eaten. Breakfast, perhaps? He'd gotten home as soon as he could, not waiting a minute longer in the locker rooms than he had to before he returned home. The lights in the children's rooms were already off as he turned the key in the lock and let himself in, depositing his keys on the side table, followed by his jacket.

His route was decided by following the source of light in to the lounge where Azalea sat, bent over paperwork that any other time Jake might have recognised as homework of their students.

"Hey," the man greeted gently, trying not to make her jump if she hadn't already heard him entering the house. "Thank you, and I'm sorry, for being late, for asking you to pick the kids up. Thank you." Jake hadn't realised he'd already said thank you for that as he moved to sit in one of the armchairs, happy to take his weight off of his feet for a moment.

"Are the children asleep?" He would ask, waiting for the affirmation before he would give a small, but sad smile. "Thank you." Jake would repeat again, and he would mean it as he sat, trying to get a grasp on what had happened thus far that day. "I did intend to be home sooner, I'm sorry for keeping you so late. There... there was a protest against the ICWW today. It was supposed to be peaceful, but it started to get out of hand for the Aurors already stationed there. We had to disperse the crowds, which turned violent in a small number of cases. Reports for the media had to be done, reports for the Ministry. Completing fines for those who started the violence...

"I'm really grateful you picked the kids up." He finalised, because whatever happened to him, it didn't matter so long as the children were kept in something of a normal routine at this time.

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~ In a Relationship ~ 36 ~ Father ~ 6' ~ American Accent ~

The pile of essays on the table was down to its third quarter when Azalea heard the front door open. Instinctively, her gaze shot towards the hallway lading to the children's room before her mind caught up and supplied the information that a key had been used.

It was just Jake.

And indeed, Jake walked in a minute later, looking beyond exhausted and giving off the air of someone much older than his actual age.

"Hello stranger," she greeted him with a half smile, putting down her scroll and making to get up, only for Jake to head straight towards and armchair and sink into it. "One of those days huh?"

"Hey, thank you, and I'm sorry, for being late, for asking you to pick the kids up. Thank you."

"That's alright, the kids are fine. They fell asleep about an hour ago, they missed you but I told them you'd be home soon."

"Thank you."

Instead of the usual perfunctory reply of "No problem", the witch took a minute to study the exhausted man in the armchair. It hand't taken much to put two and twp together given the situation with the cold war. But while Azalea had been busy consoling students for whom this would be the final year at Hogwarts, she had completely forgotten that Jake's parents were also facing the same dilemma.

She had fully expected them to choose their grandchildren over a decree though.

"I took the kids to McD after school as a treat, so dinner wasn't much. There is some leftover salad though." And before he could reach to stop her, she was on her feet. "Come on, you look like you need it."

Five minutes later, Azalea was entering the living room again with a tray balanced in her arms. Jake must have been too tired to move from his place on the armchair. Putting the try in front of him, she took her seat on the sofa, leaving him to try and make his way through the bowl of salad, a quickly cobbled together ham and cheese sandwich and a bottle of beer she'd found in the fridge.

"It can't be easy with everyone being away. These protests... well, does it look like they'll stop anytime soon?" Between her work at the castle and weekends isolated in Murray Manor, Azalea knew in only broad strokes what was going on in the outside world. But here was her connection to it, and the very real affects the times were having on other families.

But perhaps there was hope. Maybe this was all temporary and everything would go back to normal for Jake and the children. Or at least that was what they had to keep hoping for.

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The kids were alright, they were asleep. Jake managed to catch that much as Azalea spoke, and he nodded to show his understanding as another thank you left his lips. Almost as if that was all he could think of to say in that moment.

Then came the news of the kids going to McDonalds as a treat, and then the mention of food. Jake nodded his compliance with that much but Azalea had already gotten to her feet and was heading off. Too tired to get up from the chair, the man simply shifted his weight in order to be able to get his wallet from his pocket, and opened it as he spoke. "How much do I owe you for the McDonalds?" The man asked, but whether Azalea couldn't hear him, or chose not to hear him, he couldn't have said as he set his wallet on the arm of the chair.

How long the witch had left the room, Jake wouldn't have known, jolting perhaps awake when Azalea came back with a tray of food, or else coming back from a momentary lapse in concentration. "Thank you," the man said anew, taking in the food on his tray before tucking in to the cheese and ham toastie hungrily. The emptiness in his stomach complained with the first mouthful he devoured, but after the second and third the hunger pains subsided. The salad served as a kind reminder for a balanced diet, and perhaps it was just because another person had made it, but it tasted better than any of the food he'd conjured up in the last week, despite the simple nature of it all.

"It can't be easy with everyone being away. These protests... well, does it look like they'll stop anytime soon?"

Jake chewed thoughtfully on the lettuce leaf he'd just put in his mouth, trying to determine if he had an answer to that. Honestly? The man shook his head. "Too many people are too angry about the situation in America at the moment. Not just because of the rumours of the Americans putting up drafting notices in the not so distant future, but... well, a lot of business goes in and out of America, the shutting of borders is putting strains on businesses across the country, and the continent. The ICWW don't appear to be doing anything -- which I'm sure isn't true, but..." The man gave a shrug, he was no politician, and he never pretended to fully understand what was going on higher up in the Ministry, but he knew that people couldn't simply be sitting by idly whilst America did all this.

"I think it won't get better in the next month or so, worse, if anything." Jake admitted, spearing a cucumber wedge with his fork and bringing it up to his mouth. "But there's enough of us working to keep the peace." The last was added to reassure, he didn't want Azalea to worry about it, because it was only a handful of idiots.

At the moment.

Belatedly, Jake realised he'd been on a one way track with everything he'd said.

"Are... are you alright? I didn't cause too much of an inconvenience to you, did I?" He asked, his eyes moving to the pile of marking the witch had been working on. The gentle reminder he had his own piles of marking to get through niggling at the corner of his mind only a moment later.

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~ In a Relationship ~ 36 ~ Father ~ 6' ~ American Accent ~

"How much do I owe you for the McDonalds?"

The words floated up to her in the kitchen, making Azalea stop assembling the sandwich for a moment to ponder the query. In truth, the brunette had no idea how much it had cost. She had just given one of the many cards that appeared in her purse and the person at the drive through had given her the food. It had never occurred to the witch to check the receipt.

Not that it mattered of course, she would never ask him to repay a treat for the kids.

By the time she returned tot eh living room, Jake was lost in thought, jolting awake only when he heard her come in. With another mumble of a thank you, he began to eat, easing Azalea's mind slightly.

Between mouthfuls, the ministry official explained what was going on, and the possibility that it would get worse. He didn't say why his parents had left and Azalea did not probe. Parental betrayal was never a nice thing, she knew from experience.

"If.. if things don't improve, how are you going to cope with the kids?" she asked slowly, trying to understand what this meant for Ivan and Adrienne. "I mean, summer will be fine since Hogwarts will be closed but after...:" After when he had to go back to two very demanding jobs while being a single father simultaneously.

The brunette almost wanted to suggest calling in Victoria but she knew how busy the younger witch was. Besides, it might be best not to discus the lawyer with her brother. Azalea still wasn't sure if Victoria had told her family about her budding relationship with Jackson and if she hand't, the Potions TA certainly wasn't the right person to break the news.

"Are... are you alright? I didn't cause too much of an inconvenience to you, did I?"

"The kids can never be an inconvenience, not even if they try," Azalea smiled softly at his statement. "We had a lot of fun actually, though you might want to inform the school next time to put me on the list of people allowed to pick them up. We very nearly got away thanks to Adrienne's quick thinking today but i don't think they'll allow such a thing next time."

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The question came that Jake had been trying to answer himself for the last week and a half. He was not stupid enough to believe that he would be able to juggle everything on his own long term, but... well, the man didn't know what he was going to do. Placing his knife and fork down with only a small portion of the salad remaining untouched he considered for a moment.

"I... honestly don't know." Jake replied softly to her question, and it was clear that he had not only just come to this conclusion in the last couple of moments. It showed in the defeat of his shoulders, and the way his eyes didn't not move to meet Azalea's in that moment. "I'll... manage until school is finished. And then..."

Then the children would not have school, and he would have to find someone local who might be able to look after them during the day.

"I honestly didn't think I would be in a position where my mom wasn't around to help. And even as the final days came of them being here, I still didn't believe she would leave." He commented carefully. Jake loved his mom, there was never any doubt in that, but she had let him down when he needed her the most. "I've never had to look after them on my own."

The admittance was one that came with a glance up at the witch's face, to see if she would be able to understand, or whether she would judge him hard for never having looked after his own children on his own. What he hoped he would see, Jake would not be able to tell anyone, but just something that would be akin to an understanding would have been a start.

The news the children were no inconvenience brought a smile to Jake's features, the tension marginally releasing from his shoulders. He was not surprised to hear Adrienne had gotten them out of his lack of foresight of giving the school Azalea's name for the permission of being able to take the children out. Quite the opposite, the child rarely kept quiet when people were around. "I will update them tomorrow when I drop the children off." Jake promised, the tone once again holding the underlying apology for not having thought about that before.

Jake's mouth opened to ask a question before he closed it again.

A delay in the words forming from his brains instructions, and then a battle with the right question. Another attempt, and then a soft sigh as he tried not to overthink the scenario.

"I know I shouldn't ask you... but... would you, would you help me? Even if it's just once a week? I know you have your own things to do, and Josh. I shouldn't ask you, but it would help if I had someone to help if I'm stuck."

Yep, he told himself, completely messed that one up!

But what else was a man to do when he was drowning?

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~ In a Relationship ~ 36 ~ Father ~ 6' ~ American Accent ~

This wasn't the first time he had considered his option, Azalea figured as Jake sank further into his chair, pushing way his tray. Thankfully he had only left a little bit of food on it, enough to assure the witch he was at least fed if not well fed.

"I'll... manage until school is finished. And then..."

And then what? Professional help? A stay at home nanny for the kids? The idea almost instinctively made Azalea want to deflect it. Ivan and Adrienne had been through so much these past two years. Their mother's funeral, their grandparents leaving, their aunt so far away. Now they would have to contend with a stranger around their home because their father couldn't be there all he time.

The brunette didn't say that out loud though, letting Jake continue with how he felt upon his parents leaving. He would never say the words but he didn't have to. They were written clearly in the exhausted lines of his face.

The mixture of sadness and disappointment of finding out your hero didn't measure up to the standards you held them at.

Perhaps Azalea should have defended Alexis and Henry, but she couldn't in good conscious,. She and Jake had very little in common in this new normal they were slowly steering towards but the one thing they absolutely agreed on was that the children came first, all three of them. Alexis and Henry didn't appear to have the same concerns.

"I know I shouldn't ask you... but...

"Yes," Azalea responded as soon as his question was asked. She could see his discomfort. She was the last person Jake wanted to ask but as it was, she was literally the only one left whom he could go to. Whatever his private life was, the witch didn't know. She didn't want to. But if he didn't have a partner to help him through this, his children didn't have to suffer for that.

"Josh wouldn't mind at all, as long as I'm safely back in Wales for the weekend," she quipped, speaking on the blond's behalf even if she wasn't sure of his sentiment on the matter. Josh never said no to her anyway, so there as no point thinking about that.

"I can pick them up from school every day until the summer holidays. Like today, I can come back here, do the homework and dinner and such. Except on Mondays and Thursdays I have class until the evening so would it be alright if I brought them back to Hogwarts with me? They'll have a great time running around the castle as I finish up my classes, then I can drive them back here."

It wasn't much but at least it was something, and hopefully it will relive some of the stress the young Auror was clearly under.

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The acceptance came so quickly after the question that the shock registered on the Aurors features before he could even consider hiding it. And then, the relief flooded his system, knowing that he would have one day a week where he didn't have to worry about picking the children up, feeding them, getting their homework done and then getting them to bed.

"I can pick them up from school every day until the summer holidays.

Jake had only asked for one day of the witch's time, and she'd given him every day without a second thought on the matter. The Auror had been about ready to ask if Azalea was sure if she could really spare so much time for his children, but Azalea was already continuing on about how she would be happy to help him, and the children.

At least until the summer holidays.

That was enough time for him to get things in order, he believed.

"Of course, that's absolutely fine. Both of them would love to spend time up at the castle. They've been nagging me about going again ever since the Valentine's Day parties last year." Jake admitted, though that probably wasn't a surprise given how much fun all of their children had had that evening. "So long as you, and Josh, don't mind, I really would appreciate any help you can offer. Until the holidays, then I'll get something in place for the children during the summer."

Glancing down at his watch, Jake grimaced before looking back to the witch.

"It's getting late, would you like to stay here tonight? I can get the spare room made up for you." The man offered. "Or else, I can get you back to Hogwarts if you'd prefer?" Merlin knew Azalea had never learned the quickest method of transportation, but it was a small price to pay for all of the things she'd just offered to him that evening.

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~ In a Relationship ~ 36 ~ Father ~ 6' ~ American Accent ~

"Of course, that's absolutely fine."

The relief in his tone suggested that she could have almost said to leave the kids alone with spark plugs and open flames and he would have said yes. Though not really. Besides, Azalea could appreciate what he was going through, If she felt such guilt at being away from Ethan despite him having everything he needed back in Wales, the stress on Jake would be a hundred times worse for not knowing how to manage them on his own.

The witch made no comment on him getting someone for the summer. It was not an idea she liked but the brunette was also highly aware of it not being her place to say what was good for his children. At any rate, they would cross that bridge when they got there.

"It's getting late, would you like to stay here tonight? I can get the spare room made up for you." The man offered. "Or else, I can get you back to Hogwarts if you'd prefer?"

Azalea let out a small laugh at his offer, countering is with polite but amused logic.

"No offense but you don't look to be in safe apprating or room decorating condition," she pointed out not unkindly. "It's okay, I drove here, and I can drive myself back. I was just waiting until you got here so the kids wouldn't be alone." It was mostly true, she had waited fo the kids.

And not to see him back safely.

"Please finish up your food and then go get some rest. I'll gather up my stuff and see myself out. You'll need to be up bright and early again for the kid's school routine." And true to her word, Azalea began to pick up her papers, carefully separating the marked and unmarked piles. It too minute of locating to realize her pen was behind her ear but after she had found it, the witch proceeded to the hallway where her coat and keys lay.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow, after school." Heading towards the door, she stopped.

"Take care of yourself okay? You can't help Ivan and Adrienne if you pass out from exhaustion."

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Jake let out a soft laugh as Azalea pointed out he was hardly in the right state to be apparating or even trying to find the spare bedding from the cupboards. She was right, and he conceded that point without argument.

As Azalea made to collect her things, Jake stood from his seat, taking the tray through to the kitchen to tidy away the remains of the salad. Instead, the man reached for one of the kids snack bars, and tucked in to the soothing taste of the milk chocolate cereal bar quite happily. Sugar was always a good -- albeit temporary -- boost to anyone's energy reserves, and Jake needed one that would keep him going just long enough to shower and fall in to bed.

By the time he'd made it back through to the lounge, Azalea had done packing up her things, and was already heading to the door. The man half followed, and stopped as she did.

"Take care of yourself okay? You can't help Ivan and Adrienne if you pass out from exhaustion."

"You look after yourself too, they're going to need both of us." Jake replied, giving the witch a small smile to hopefully reassure her that he would try his very best to keep on top of things where he could.

From there, Jake saw the witch to her car, waiting on the doorstep until the car engine could be heard, and the quietly pull off. It was a stark change, Jake reflected as he watched the red lights on the back of the car light up more as the car stopped only momentarily before turning out on to the road, seeing Azalea in a minivan kind of car instead of the sports car she'd driven a lifetime ago.

But... somehow, this one seemed to suit her more.

Shaking the thought from his mind, Jake had closed and locked the door before climbing the stairs. His feet moved automatically to his children's rooms where he kissed each of them very gently on the forehead and tucked them back in to bed in Adrienne's case because she'd wriggled too much in her sleep.

One day at a time, that was all he had to manage.

And with Azalea's help, he'd managed for one more day.

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~ In a Relationship ~ 36 ~ Father ~ 6' ~ American Accent ~

» When you try your best but you don't succeed (Jazalea)
» Why Does It Always Rain on Me? (Jazalea)
» Now my bed sheets smell like you (Jazalea)
» I wish I could pretend I didn't need ya (Jazalea)
» Stay A Little Longer (Jazalea)