Title: Farewell
Rating: T
Part: Epilogue
Pairing: PercyXRon
Warnings: WeasleyCest, Slash
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and Co. belongs to the author, Joanne Rowling – aka JK Rowling

The pads of your fingers tap your knee, which bounces up and down. You are so tired, but must wait.

Wait…

It is hours until you stand up, the fatigue trying to bring you back down and failing. You quietly rush to the front door, your sleeping family still within your worried thoughts. The handle turns before you reach it and when it opens, a relieved sigh escapes through your chapped lips.

The one you care about most glances at you with dull, regretful eyes. He is holding up your dead-like brother who is staring out blankly, dried tears crusted on pale freckled cheeks. They are both drenched and coated in mud.

Your eyes begin to burn, but you refuse to cry. With an unnoticeable shiver, you help bring in the limp figure of George into the Burrow and inside his room. From there, he seems to gain some energy as he nods to you and shuts the door. It is only a second later when you hear muffled sobs.

A hand lands on your shoulder, leading you back down the stairs and sits you on one of the dinner chairs. You try to say something, anything to dismiss this never leaving silence. Yet, he shakes his head and talks instead. His voice is rough at first, not smoothing until he is nearly done. When he is finished, he closes his eyes.

Then the silence starts all over again.

You let your head fall into your hands. You should have known your brother had gone to Fred's gravestone. It was difficult to take in; the twins who had been practically glued to each other were gone. One was dead and the other was broken beyond repair. There would be no more twin laughs, twin smiles, finished sentences, or devious pranks.

It was all gone.

Your grief released, a flood of tears making their way down your cheeks and off your chin and jaw. You keep your face hidden, not wanting the brother in front of you to see. He had probably seen enough from everyone else.

However, the attempt was pointless. Cold shaking hands pulled away your own, squeezing them in a secure hold. You lift your head and look into your brother's gentle gaze. A clip of the past fills your mind, urging you. So you push your face in the crook of his neck, wrapping your arms around him. Happiness spreads throughout your body when he does not push you away.

"I am so sorry, Ronald."

You reply immediately, "All was forgiven the moment you helped the family. And I forgave you when I realized how you felt." You pull yourself back enough to look at him. "And now I know; everything you said was wrong."

Nothing else is said; you know he understood.

Especially when he smiles the first time in days.

And especially when he kisses you after two whole years.

I will never say any farewell to you… because…

I can never let you go…