undoing: frank & claire one shot
The energy was palpable in the air, a buzz surrounding the manor like that of the stones. A pulling at Claire’s desires. It was evident what she needed to do and that was to end her marriage with Frank Randall. A decision that had weighed heavily on her for some time had now been lifted at her declaration of wanting a new beginning with the immortal, Salazar. A beginning that did not involve the memory the past or the longing for the future. It was ever so present. And that present was a beautifully painted picture of what her life could be like with the wizard.
Would it be perfect by any means? Of course not. The picture would have dips and grooves that of an oil painting. So many layers that built and built upon one another to create a work of art. Mistakes covered, reborn. Beauty drawn from those errors. A knowledge that comes from such mistakes in an effort to avoid in the future. That was what Claire was most excited about. The opportunity to not be perfect, but rather perfectly imperfect. There was not a mold. A cookie cutter she was force to live in with Salazar, as Frank had so desired. It was messy and dangerous, rather than predictable and mundane.
Frank could not be at fault for this. He was a good man. A smart choice. Reliable. And at one point in time, Claire’s only love. Though it even pained her today to think it in her head, she was no longer in love with him. She would always love him and what he brought to her life--but it was so very different now.
She could have run away, have Salazar concoct some brew to rid him of these ill memories. But Claire owed her husband so much more than that.In a matter of moments, her marriage, her first true love--it would all be over.
“You needn’t bother with the social niceties, Claire. Your thoughts are shown clearly in your eyes,” Frank observed, lifting his amber filled glass to examine the contents. The parlor had ample alcohol, actually--all the rooms in the Slytherin manor was well stocked. Lucky for Frank.
“It isn’t that, Frank. Though it was silly of me to think you wouldn’t catch on,” sitting across from the man, knees pressed together even in the seated position to keep from shaking. If she felt this was right in her heart, why did it still feel as though her heart would leap from her chest at any second?
“Quite right. You two aren’t particularly quiet in your multitude of arguments. Has it always been like that? The fighting?” Although he put on a brave face, Frank was dipping deeper and deeper into his own misery, knowing how this conversation was to end.
Claire hesitated in response. He was asking for pain, the mechanics of her relationship with Salazar would only prove to hurt Frank further. “Frank...This isn’t really the place to--”
“Not the place for a wife to explain to her husband how a man she argues and bickers with every day could somehow have won her heart?” the edge cutting through the stillness of the room, glass clanking to the end table. He was letting frustration get the better of him and he knew no good would come from that. A deep breath to recenter and refocus his eyes on Claire. “Oddly enough, you don’t have to explain. You’ve always had a fire in you, Claire.”
A shifting in her seat, uncomfortable as she was being analyzed in her interactions with other men. Her eyes wandered towards his glass, curious if one drink would really affect the baby too terribly, yet she kept her hands in lap.
“I have seen that fire burn so bright that everything else will pale in comparison. Years ago, during the war--I could even hear it in your letters,” a soft smile, thinking of days past. It faded, as had the memories. “But I have never seen it burn so brightly as I have while you are here.”
Now it was Claire’s turn to smile, breathing a sigh of relief. Frank could see it. He could see her adoration for a man so alike and yet so different to himself--to Claire... Frank would understand!
“You must remember, that while fire is a necessity...,” reaching for his glass again. “Too much will incinerate everything in its path,” bringing his glass to his lips to punctuate the sentence.
“Frank, I don’t know how the theatrics will achieve anything here,” pushing away his truths. “I carry his child. It would not be fair to ask you to bear that burden of caring for another man’s child.”
“Do not paint me to be that selfish, Claire,” again with the bitterness that kept creeping into his words. “When you told me you were pregnant, I honestly believed it could have been mine. Casting all logic aside. I can’t remember a time when I have been happier,” a confession, for what did it matter? Claire’s silence prompted him to take another drink before speaking again. “But I stayed. I stayed because as long as we are together, as long as you carry that child, I could learn to love you both. Could you say Slytherin could do the same?”
“That isn’t fair. That’s an impossible situation with no means of measurement.” There was little Claire could say to counter his points. She was the adulterer, even if it was with a man she loved.
“Impossible? I’m living it, Claire!” Again, frustration getting the better of him. “He loves you, that much is certain. Any--how does he phrase it? Muggle? Any muggle could see that,” waving his hand about at the ludicrous nature of this conversation. “But I am asking you, will he love that child? Could you say he would love it no matter what? What if it was born without---powers? Would he love it then?”
Claire opened her mouth to retaliate. “Of course he would!” shooting up to start her pacing, to hide her uncertainty from Frank.
At Claire’s motions, Frank’s temperament intensified. “I am not begging you to stay, Claire. No one can convince you of anything once you have your mind set to something. I am urging you to ask yourself some questions,” luckily the contents of his glass had decreased so the gesturing of his hands did not slosh the amber liquid too terribly. “Would he support you in your goals? Your ambitions?”
“What would you know of my goals and ambitions, Frank? We married and went to war! The war ended and immediately you wanted a child!”
“I thought we both wanted that! A family! For the first time in your life, you could have had a family to come home to every day. An actual home! Not some archaeological dig site! I will not apologize for wanting my wife to desire starting a family with me, but I’m sure you view that as coddling,” scoffing as he could already hear her disdain for his ideals.
The term ‘coddling’ struck a nerve in Claire. A comment Salazar had made in one of their earlier fights. He had mentioned that all men wanted to be coddled and if they didn’t admit to it---it had something to do with their love than anything else. Was that true? Had Salazar been right about her before he ever set foot in her bedroom?
Her silence seemed to calm down Frank enough to regain some sense. A deep breath, “How are you to be sure that isn’t what Slytherin wants as well? You think him and I are so very different?” Again, silence on Claire’s part, afraid he was onto something. “From what it seems, the only difference in his desires and mine---,” Frank extended a hand in the direction of Claire’s abdomen, a sad smile forming on his lips. “He is actually capable of having what he wants.”
She should not have felt guilty for the child growing in her womb, one she had already grown to love despite trying not to. Despite trying not to grow attach. The fear of losing another babe was much too strong, especially now that she knew the Goddess, Danu, able to take any growing being from her womb at her command. Despite her worry, Claire did love this child. But it was now being used against her.
“Frank,” she whispered, her pacing stopping, coming to finally look at her husband. “It’s like electricity when I am with him. Electricity. Fire. Wind. A force so great that I could not fight it even if I wanted to. The stones pulled me to him,” she tried to explain. But how do you explain color to a blind man?
“But they also brought you back to me,” he added, just as softly, a hint of pleading.
“He was here too. He waited two hundred years for me. Two hundred years.”
It was Frank’s turn to be silent for a long, long moment, until finally he commented. “Now that is an impossible situation to be compared to when you know I would have waited just as long.”
The air was heavy between them both. Years between them. Love between them. A marriage between them. It had the feeling of it all coming to an end, like the feeling you get when you know the movie is almost over. They both opened their mouths to speak. Then gestured for the other one to go ahead first.
“I’ll have a lawyer draw-up the papers. I will be out of your way in the morning. I do believe I have overstayed my welcome,” a small smile, finishing his glass and setting it among the drink cart.
“Only if you feel up to leaving. I speak for Salazar in this case--you are free to stay as long as you need to,” and she was being honest.
“Ah. Three’s a crowd as they say. Four, I suppose,” another gesture to Claire’s abdomen. “Good night, Claire,” walking towards the door frame. He was halfway there before he paused, back to Claire. “Perhaps you both are the fire. You bring out the most powerful qualities in one another. But be careful, Claire. That fire, like I said, could destroy not only you, but him as well. Everything you wish to create here with him---your fire will be your undoing.”
