outside sparks

Jen bristled and picked up her bag that she'd put down with her coat. She mentally counted what she had inside and wished she didn't bring Muggle weapons as a precaution. She never really did see herself turning a gun on a wizard but where the Lupins were concerned she didn't care. They were snobby and didn't know their place at the bottom of the food chain with the half-breeds. They were pitiful excuses for purebloods and didn't deserve the time of day from any self-respecting pureblood. Rob had gotten unlikely -- that was all.

She had fragile emotions and the man was ripping her apart like her... no. He wouldn't have done. She wouldn't have even been in the state she was in if it wasn't for her mother. Jen closed her kohl rimmed eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose once more. She needed to find Rob -- he was more important than getting worked up by the brother of a common dog.

"This was not my fault." Jen said finally. "Your precious daughter should have waited to hear what Rob had to say. He blew up and stormed out because of what you said, not me. He knew I wasn't being serious and for your information, this is not my forecourt. I am not going to waste my time with trivial things like marriage. Rob was a fool for thinking that love was binding forever. It does not work for our family whether you are male or female - the curse still applies. He never should have met, Khaat. This wouldn't be a problem if he hadn't have met her. I didn't intend for this to happen and neither did he. It's the work of a higher power, not us mere mortals. Love is non-existent but attachment is and that will be Rob's downfall as will it be mine and Leroy's. Do not speak where you opinion is not warranted because you know nothing about my family and you certainly never will!" she finished as tears lined her eyes. That was it, the ball was in his court now. He could either regard her as an equal or tear her down. She expected the latter and she just hoped she could handle it.

Robert knew better than to overuse his power. He could have wiped up the floor with her shattered emotions that she apparently always carried, but there was no point in that. Except that it might make him feel better for an instant. But she really was such a child and so out of her league. "Go hone, Jenifer,"Robert said quietly. He wanted to tell her that she was wrong. And that was her whole problem. She knew nothing about love, so she had no evidence that it existed. Someday, he hoped she would find that, in the end, love was all there ever was. But as much as she wanted to be powerful, she would never truly have it until she had love. She could merely be pitiful. There was no in between. People could be pitiful or powerful. But never both. It always resulted in destruction. And he did not want that for her.

She couldn’t go home. Not now. She pinched the bridge of her nose once more and fumbled around in her pockets for the packet of cigarettes she’d purchased the day prior. She flipped the lid open and took on of them out. She held it between her lips and put the packet back in her pocket, exchanging it for a lighter that she used to light the cigarette. She dropped the lighter back in her pocket and inhaled, taking in some of the smoke. She took the cigarette from her mouth and held it by her side before putting her other hand on her forehead. It had gotten way out of hand and it was time to do what both siblings did best - drink the day away. The difference was that Jen preferred wine and she’d actually travel for it where as Rob would go anywhere that sold a pint of beer or Firewhisky. “Later.” she said finally. “I have important things to do.” Tomorrow. She added mentally.

"Your brother's animagus scent took him down Diagon Alley," Robert said. "He really should wash that Labrador fur once in awhile The only thing of interest to him in that direction is the Leaky Cauldron. I presume you'll find him kneedeep in firewhiskey by now. Tell him I expect him to be here in the morning running the bistro as usual. His daughter may depend on the wage he can earn. He still has a job here. If he doesn't want it, he needs to let me know. Otherwise I expect him here tomorrow. That pitiful excuse he has in his kitchen can only manage by herself for so long."

"I'm not telling him anything." Jen told him. "He knows he has to run the place in Khaat's ... absence." she sighed and stubbed her cigarette out on the bottom of her shoe. She couldn't even smoke properly. "I'll come in. I can cook pretty well. Not as good as Rob of course but well enough to hold my own against him in one of those Muggle cooking contests. Granted I couldn’t win against him but I could give it a go. Rob will sleep through the day and not even Gibbs will be able to wake him. No, I’ll come in and take over for the day and let him sleep. I’ll make sure he’s in the day after though. I know he has to man up and Merlin knows I’ve screwed up as well but I’m not the type of person that’s ready to admit that, y’know?” she grinned at him and shook her head. “They’ll sort themselves out... hopefully. As much as it annoys me, he does love her and his anger is usually irrational. However I am worried that this will be the last you’ll see of him. Khaat... she’s good for him. She keeps him alive but that drives him insane. I just want to know when he’ll grow up... and when I’ll grow up with him.” The last bit was a whisper. She didn’t want Robert to hear that bit but it wasn’t extremely important. A broken family, broken siblings and broken parents. This wasn’t the family any child would want to be brought into. All knowing Lupins or not, Jen didn’t want her niece in this kind of environment.

"Thank you, Jenifer," Robert said. "I think you're taking a step towards that growing up already. As for your brother, he's growing up too, he's just doing it by kicking and screaming all the way. As much as he wants this, he doesn't want to let go of what he knows. Something will jar him back to his senses. Very well. You can take over Sparks in his absence. And you are resourceful enough that you can find me if you need something, I am very sure."

She blinked a few times and put the cigarette but behind her ear. He'd heard that? Bloody brilliant. She pinched the bridge of her nose again and scowled at her hand. She was creating another habit and cutting her hand off wouldn’t solve a lot - she'd just use the other hand. "It'll be okay. As long as the mini-chef wannabe comes in then I think we're covered. Rob will get to grips with himself eventually." She smiled but it soon faded and turned into a scowl. "He always was late at doing most things. I wonder how long this will take." Years probably. The prick was too damn stubborn to admit he was wrong. In a drunken state he could probably apologize and/or beg for forgiveness but now when he was sober - there was just no way.

"I know. His stubborn streak is a mile wide. And the thought of a wife and a family scares any man who has an allergy to commitment. He'll get over it. At some point, I"m sure. I'm hoping I can talk Khaat into some sense at some point. That just isn't going to be today. She needs some space at the moment, much for the same reason you aren't running down to that bloody pub like most of you wants to do, I"m sure."

"Men in our family don't commit." Jen told Robert, feeling a little stronger. "It's always been like that. As soon as the female produces children they hop it pretty sharpish. My father was the exception, until Rob was conceived. After that everything was the same. We weren't the unique part of the family, we were like all the rest - failures. In theory I should hate Rob but I don't. I never have. At the end of the day he's my baby brother and I can see our father in him. That's probably one of the reasons why I've stayed with him. The last link to my dad." Jen gathered herself up and glanced at the door. It was time for her to take her leave. "I'll go and see him tomorrow afternoon and see if he's risen from whatever piece of furniture Gibbs is going to dump him on. If he doesn't want to do anything, which seems likely, then I have no choice but to support him. Gibbs will probably try and chuck him in the right direction but I don't see much coming from it." Jen sighed and ran her hands through her chocolate curls. "I suppose we'll just have to see what the morning brings."

"That, my dear Jenifer, is no curse. That is a repeated pattern of poor behavior. One woman or man back donw the line in your family tree experienced a bad relationship, so the children learned only what they saw. So, because that was all they knew they repeated it over and over for generations. The fact of the matter is that Rob can have love in his life--good, honest, lasting love--if he wants it. And so can you. Its all about the choices that you and he make, If you choose to do what your family has always done, then you will get what your family has always gotten. It's pretty simple really." He could sense her hopelessness so deeply it bothered him, and he knew she was wrong. He wanted her to know there was more. More to life, and that love was not some mythical thing she could never attain.