InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "You wish you were me."

So Maddock was feeling like shite that morning. The last few days had been a very strange up and down of emotions. He’d basically spent the whole day with Ellie yesterday either holled up with in the house or out with a blaring Bonfire to burn things. There were things that they’d talked about… that Maddock didn’t want to think about while he was alone. And right now, Ellie was gone to the big bad meeting to hopefully argue to keep her job and he was being supportive in spirit.

But on the other side of this issue… was Florrie who he promised to meet up with. Maddock hadn’t really told anyone that he’d moved out of his flat, but it was his until the end of the month anyway. It had always been kind of sparse but all of his essentials were gone and at An Nead now (to be fair, a lot of his things had been left behind at An Nead four years ago anyway).

Either way, his flat was private neutral ground to meet up with Florrie for breakfast. As soon as Ellie left with Owen that morning, Maddock got ready to go and meet Florrie, and apparated back to Montrose. At least there was still food there. And it was breakfast food.

Florrie arrived with a sack of breakfast-appropriate fruits in hand. A few oranges and a fresh tomato for grilling would be just the thing to add to whatever Doc had in his bachelor flat. She rapped on the door, and gave Doc a big hug when he let her in. She might be cross--upset--whatever she was with Ellie, but Doc was her friend and now her charge at Montrose. He'd done nothing but help.

"How are you holding up?" she asked when she let go of him, because he needed to be cared for as well, and Florrie suspected that few enough people knew what was going on, and almost nobody on the Montrose side of things.

Maddock was at the door and let Florrie in. He smiled and pulled her in for a big hug. He was always going to be on Ellie’s side, but he knew that Florrie had nothing to do with this. She was caught in the crossfire of issues that should have been recognized long before this.

“I don’t even know,” he said honestly. Maddock had been in this position before where he’d tried to be the tough one and supportive for Ellie because she needed him to be. But when he was on his own with his thoughts that’s when it would all spiral out through his head.

With his arm around Florrie’s shoulder, he led her into the kitchen where it was a lot warmer at the door. When did winter it decided to be winter out there anyway? “What about you? Are you okay?”

Florrie patted his arm. "I don't know how I am either, other than that the bruise has mostly healed up and it was awkward not to go to Christmas Eve. And my mum wants me to come by sometime in the next few days." Which had been ominous enough that she'd spent the rest of the Christmas Day visit hiding behind Merc and Gabi and the children and Georgi. "Let's put the kettle on and have breakfast and we'll see if a full stomach makes things a little better." Holding up the bag, she added, "I brought oranges, and some tomatoes, in case we needed to pretend we're being a little healthy."

“Flawless as always. It doesn’t even look like it was there,” Maddock offered with a smile even if really he would have avoided looking at the bruise anyway. “I’m sorry you didn’t get to go to Christmas Eve. We didn’t go. At least I didn’t get to add more awkward to that,” he said with a shrug. On top of everything else, Ellie and he probably didn’t need to explain what was going on with them to the whole family yet.

Maddock went over to fill the kettle up with water and put it on the stove. “Breakfast is my favourite meal, so I’m all for this. There should be some eggs, bacon, sausage and bread left over. You can help me clean out the kitchen,” he explained going to the fridge to see what Ellie had left behind from Sunday.

Florrie started to say something about how it hadn't really been because of Ellie that she hadn't gone to the MacFusty celebrations, but the last bit of Doc's speech confused her. "Clean out the kitchen? Are you moving house again?" she asked as she sat the sack down on the counter.

Maddock had already started taking things out of the fridge when he paused at Florrie’s question. “Ugh well… kind of technically already moved,” he said looking back at Florrie. “To An Nead… since Christmas Eve.”

"Oh," was all Florrie could come up to say to that. And then, after the first moment had passed, "Congratulations."

“Yup,” Maddock said with a nod and nervously reached up to brush his hand back through his hair. What could he say? Yeah sorry Florrie, I moved back in with Ellie AFTER she slapped you. “Thanks.” And then after a beat. “It wasn’t really as sudden as it sounds. I’ve basically been staying over there off and on for almost two months now. And most of my stuff was still there from before…” Was he selling this? Maybe not.

Florrie's face screwed up a little in confusion. Not that they were back together and formalising that; she'd figured that much out after the Fall Classic. But that still didn't explain--well, it wasn't any of her business anyroad. Montrose and Portree were full of unconventional people. It was the way of quidditchers. She smoothed her expression and said, "I'm happy for you both. You were good together and I know Ellie needs her friends, and more than ever just now." Because she was happy for them, if this was what they both wanted.

Yeah, Maddock would give Florrie that moment of confusion. Everyone else probably was going to as well (except maybe Jason because he seemed to see the writing on the wall). He was a little bit relieved at Florrie saying she was happy for them. Florrie was his friend and not just the medic for his team. Even if people didn’t understand it, he wanted them to know it was the right decision for them. “Thanks,” he said and put down the food from the fridge on the counter. And after a beat opened his arm for a side hug for Florrie because she really had the best hugs. “We were. We are. She needs me, but I need her.”

Florrie slid under his extended arm and wrapped both of hers around him again. "I'm glad you're going to have what you need, too." Because that was the only way it worked, in her experience, was if it was mutual for both sides. "And if this is what it took for you two to see that, then that's the silver lining. I'll take it."

After a moment, Maddock moved both arms around Florrie for a proper hug. Just maybe this time it was more for him. “I could lose her Florrie. And if nothing changed, I would have never known,” he said.

"You're not going to, now, all right? We'll sort it and get her the help she needs." Florrie squeezed Doc hard enough that he could feel it, so he'd know she meant it.

Maddock had gone all in even when things were getting rough. Even with Florrie’s reassurances, he needed a moment. The news that Ellie’s condition might be getting worse was still raw for him especially as he’d spent almost the whole day comforting her. Florrie was his comfort now as he hesitated from letting go, his face buried in her shoulder.

Finally, Maddock let go and turned away in an effort to wipe his eyes while pretending that Florrie couldn’t see. “Owen came to get her this morning. They’re at an emergency meeting right now to see what’s to be done,” he explained which was why he was even free right now anyway.

"What's to be done about what? Is she seeing a healer?" It was Boxing Day, but Florrie had been on shift on many a holiday during her years at Mungo's. If there was a medical emergency, though, she would have expected Doc to be there.

“No, it’s with the owners, admin and management,” Maddock explained. Of all the things, Maddock thought it was stupid that considering if Ellie had a job at the end of the day was the big concern here. But, he was biased when it came to Ellie. “You’re just the latest target, Florrie. Ellie has been having problems controlling her anger and emotions, so she’s been getting more aggressive with people.”

From things that Lorna and Meaghan had said, Florrie couldn't really be surprised, but hearing it laid out like that was still a shock. Moreso that Ellie might be losing her job over it. It would, Florrie thought, kill her a little to lose Portree. "Is there anyone in management who will stand up for her?" Because while she didn't know Gwen Miracle, her interactions with Gwen didn't seem to suggest a lot of sympathy for Ellie, and Ellie and Owen didn't really get on. Who else was there? Cav?

Maddock knew full well that losing Quidditch and Portree would be a hard blow for Ellie. He also knew that keeping her job wouldn’t mean much if she didn’t get help in healing physically and mentally too. “She had a long talk with Owen early yesterday morning, and then she met with Cav later in the day. Both of them seem to be on her side,” he offered. Which of course only reminded Maddock about seeing Florrie and Cav the other night… and thinking he was he was an arse for not even asking Florrie about that.

"That's good, at least. Would it help if I wrote an owl to the Urquharts in support of her? I mean obviously she needs help, but whyever she hit me, it's not worth her getting the sack." Florrie was still frowning, but a little less so now that it appeared Ellie at least had some allies going into the meeting.

“Honestly, I don’t think so,” Maddock said with a shrug to Florrie about her owling the Urquharts about her support to Ellie. If this was an admin meeting, one of the main issues was going to be how this affected the team and not just Ellie. “This has been going on at least since MacDonald got injured and they’re going to be concerned more about how this affects the team,” he shrugged. “It wouldn’t be a bad idea to write an owl to Ellie though. I know she feels bad.”

Florrie looked up at Doc. "I need to figure out what I need to say to her before I can do that. And not just because she hit me, either. It was--it brought up some things for me, too. Things from the war, when I was afraid all the time, and I worry that I overreacted." Florrie could admit that to him even if she wasn't ready to talk about it with Ellie.

“That’s fine. It can wait,” Maddock said when Florrie explained that she needed time. And well… the rest of her explanation made him offer Florrie another hug. All the hugs for this breakfast. He placed a kiss on top of her head too. “I’m sorry you feel that way Florrie,” he offered. There was regret sometimes that Maddock had fled the country during the war. He saw the ways his friends suffered, and he hadn’t been there to help. Still… if he had stayed, he might have ended up being put away and no help to anyone regardless.

"It's all right. It's just taking some time to work through." Florrie sighed. "As for Elsie, you can tell her I love her and I'm worried about her. I think that's what she needs to know, even if I'm not ready to talk to her myself.

"And," she added, changing the subject, "on that note let's get some breakfast going, because all this will seem a little easier if we're not starving. Who knows what we can do putting our heads together on a full stomach."

“I’ll tell her, I promise,” Maddock assured Florrie when she expressed her worry and love for Ellie. He did grin though when she changed the subject back to breakfast. “You’re always right, Florrie. Time for breakfast!”