Discoveries Solo

Rose flipped through the pages of the worn-out journal. When they had been moving out of her old house, Rose had gone through the attic, which had been much too dusty for anyone else to go up there voluntarily. She had found a box of journals, all outlining the life of someone with the initials of G.F.M. They only ever went by these initials as well as sometimes, Briel. It traced their life from when they were maybe twelve to when they were in their twenties, from what she had seen when she flipped ahead. She was reading through the one that went through their life when they were sixteen and seventeen. She was fairly sure that they were male, from the way they talked and the way they referred to all their friends as male. Rose was really curious to who Briel was. She knew it was probably an invasion of his privacy to go through his diaries and journals, but they intrigued her. There were poems in there, and writings. She hadn't told anyone about them, either, and kept them hidden in her bed, where she doubted anyone would check. Even Henry hadn't found them yet. She didn't know why she wanted to keep it a secret, but it just felt like they were something... something that was meant for her. She connected to Briel in so many ways. They were both writers, readers, and even redheads. They were introverted and calm, and kept to themselves a lot. Especially in the earlier journals that had been written in, Rose could relate to a lot of the stuff he said. Except that he was a muggle. He had never known about magic, though he always seemed to find magic in the ordinary things of life. She was pretty sure they belonged to whoever lived in the house before her mother and father had moved in.

"Let's go, guys!" Rose heard her mother shout. Rose closed the journal and slid it into its consecutive place in the box, putting the top on and a blanket over it. Still in her pajamas, Rose came out of her room and into the kitchen. Everyone else was ready by the front door. "What's wrong, Rose?" her mother asked, coming towards her.

The redhead shook her head. "I just don't feel that good," Rose said.

"You're sick?" Rose nodded, even though that wasn't true. Pearl put her hand on Rose's forehead. "Oh, okay, I'll stay home with you. See if I can get you something that'll help."

Pearl's daughter vigorously shook her head. No no no no no no no. Rose's mother had been planning this for weeks, a day out to have some fun. Rose wasn't going to ruin it for her now. "No, you go and have some fun. I think I just need to sleep it off. I can stay home alone." When she received a skeptical look from her mother, Rose added, "I'll be okay."

Pearl examined her daughter, but then gave in. "Oh, alright. I'll see you later, honey. Feel better. Take some medicine if you need to. You know where it is." She kissed Rose's forehead, and Rose escaped up to her room. She listened as they left, and then let out a sigh of relief. Rose had been so emotionally drained and overwhelmed the last few days, and she could just not handle a whole family outing. She felt a little guilty, disappointing her mother, but she would be okay. There was always another time, right? Rose climbed back up into her bed, grabbing the journal and continuing her reading. It was probably a solid ten minutes before the knock on her bedroom door came. She jumped so violently, she hit her head on the wood above her. Rose quickly hid the journal, and turned to face the door, rubbing the top of her head. There wasn't supposed to be anyone here!

Luke stood in the doorway. Her stepfather. "You startled me," Rose muttered bashfully. It was also an accusation, though, in the way she said it.

"Apologies," he said, though it didn't quite look like he was sorry. "Is your head alright?"

"...Yeah."

"Can I come in?"

"I guess so." What did he want from Rose? Luke took a couple of steps inside Rose's room, looking around. "Why are you still here?"

Luke made eye contact with Rose as he talked. It was actually making her just a little bit uncomfortable, and she glanced away from him for just a second. "I wanted to stay home with you."

"But everyone else-"

"What's the matter?" Luke had interrupted her, something Rose never liked people to do.

She shrugged, and tucked a stray lock that had escaped from her messy ponytail away from her face. "I don't feel good enough to go somewhere. I didn't want to get anyone else sick."

Luke smirked. "Don't you think I can tell when people fake that they are sick?" Rose blushed, giving away that he was right. Was it really that obvious? "I tried it a lot as a child, but I never quite got away with it. What is really the matter?"

"Nothing," Rose insisted. This was a lie, though. She was feeling drained and overwhelmed, and needed to find a way to rest and gather her thoughts and feelings. "I just have a headache, and I don't want to go anywhere today."

And, also, why the heck do you care?

It didn't seem smart to add that last part out loud.

"There isn't anywhere that you want to go today?" Luke raised an eyebrow. "Like ice cream, or the pool, or a lake or something?" Rose shook her head. All she really wanted to do was curl up in bed, and read Briel's journals. She wasn't two years old- he couldn't bribe her with that stuff. Luke sighed. "Okay. But tell me if you do."

He finally left her alone, and Rose huffed. Thank Merlin. Rose took out the journal again, and turned the page.

She was currently reading a part about him "moving house," as they said in the UK. He didn't really want to move, but he was willing to help his parents adjust. And then... an address!

An address was included in the journal of where he was moving to! Maybe she would be able to return the journals to the original owner. Maybe, just maybe, she could even meet him.

Rose grabbed her phone, and looked up the address. She thought about asking Scarlett's aunt, Fiona to take her if it was too far away, but the walk was only a half hour away. And Rose could walk fast. She grabbed a bag and stuffed her phone and the journal in there, as well as a couple of other things that she might end up needing, running down the stairs while pulling her shoes on, and opened the door, making sure to check that the spare key was still in its place, and then turned to close the door behind her.

"Going somewhere?"

Rose yelped in surprise. She exhaled slowly, then looked up at Luke. "I..."

"Where are you going?"

"Why-"

"My question first," Luke insisted, and Rose closed her mouth. "Where are you going? You told your mom you were sick."

"I- didn't say that," Rose retorted. Her story was becoming pretty twisted. "I just didn't feel like going out in public."

"So where are you going?"

"It's a long story."

Luke raised his eyebrows, looking around, and glancing up at the sky. "We've got all day."

Rose sighed, launching into an explanation. "I found some diaries in the attic at our old house. It... It was a strange feeling. I feel like we're so alike, and I want to meet him, or at least, give him the diaries back. There's an address, and I want to go see if he still lives there. I was going to walk there, it's not far. Okay, your turn."

"You've been reading some stranger's diaries?" he asked, surprised. "I thought that was more something your siblings would do."

Rose huffed. Get to the point, Luke.

"I was just planning to read a book and work, but apparently we're going on an adventure."

Rose looked up, in shock. "What? Really?" She was surprised. She smirked a little. "I thought that was more something your wife would do." Luke smiled back at her a little, and Rose gave an inward sigh. Okay, so he could take a joke. Good.

“But we’re gonna do some bonding first,” he said, with a smirk. “That’s my requirement. Then I’ll take you to wherever your heart desires to go.”

"Fine. Where are we going first?"

===

The first place they went was an ice cream shop. "Why are we getting ice cream?" she asked, looking up at him as they stood outside the door.

"I loved ice cream as a child. I never got it much, but when I did, it was a sweet treat," Luke said, smiling. He glanced down at her. "Plus, your mum said it was the best way to win you over."

Rose's mouth opened, in mock betrayal. "She did not." How dare her mother give away her secrets?

Luke just smirked, and then started to walk inside, and she followed him. They came into the ice cream shop. It was a small shop, and there wasn't a very long line. Luke ordered a scoop of mint chocolate chip and a scoop of chocolate in a bowl, and Rose ordered one scoop of strawberry, and one peach, on a cone. The both of them went back outside, sitting at one of the metal tables across from each other.

"You know," Luke started, breaking the silence. "You can tell a lot about a person by their ice cream order."

Rose raised her eyebrows, humoring him. "Really?"

"Really." Luke nodded.

"Like what? What can you tell from my ice cream choice?"

Luke took a second to think. "You like fruity flavors, and not flavors that taste too sugary."

Rose scoffed. "That's literally just a description of what I ordered."

"I'm not done yet! Um... you... are a very gentle person with a good sense of humor-"

"That's just things you know about me already!" Rose laughed a little. "If you're trying to be all fancy, it's not working."

"I told you, I'm not finished," Luke chuckled.

"If you tell me the strawberry means I have red hair, then-"

"I wasn't gonna say that," he laughed a little more. It was good to see him laugh. "Since you ordered a cone, you're quite young and... fun."

"Did you just call yourself old and boring?" Rose asked. Luke smiled, opened his mouth, and then shut it again, as if he was going to say something and then he didn't. "My mom orders cones."

"I know."

Rose raised her eyebrows at him. "Did you take her on a date for ice cream?"

Luke nodded. "I took her here for our first date. That's when she told me that her middle daughter, Rose- maybe you know her?-" Rose rolled her eyes, but couldn't help smiling anyway. "Loved ice cream. That's when she said the best way to win you over was to give you ice cream." He looked as if he was in thought. "I think she was trying to scare me away, now that I think of it. Like... testing me, to see if I'd be phased that she had kids. You know?"

Rose nodded. That sounded like something her mother would do. Her mother was definitely protective of her and her siblings, and if anybody had anything against her kids, she would break up with them in an instant. There was a pause in their conversation as they continued eating their ice cream.

"Is it... strange having a stepfather?" Luke asked, trying to make more conversation.

Rose wasn't sure how to respond to that. "Uh, asks my stepfather."

Luke looked a little bashful. "You don't have to answer that question. I apologize, that was rude."

"No, it's okay," Rose said. She hesitated, then looked down at her ice cream. "The concept of having a stepfather is weird. It's different than I've ever lived, you know? Like, it's weird saying 'my stepdad' or something. 'Cause I feel like stepfathers are so stereotypical to be... horrible people. And I don't think you're a horrible person, Luke."

"Thanks," Luke said. Rose looked back up at him. He looked grateful that she said that. "You know, if you want, you could..."

"I don't want to call you 'Dad,'" Rose blurted.

"I just want to be the father-"

"I never had?" she filled in again. She looked down at her ice cream, almost angrily. "Yeah, well I had a father, he just died. You're not him. You're just my stepfather."

He hesitated, not sure what to say. Rose took some more licks of her ice cream. "...Alright."

"I'd rather you not ask me that. If I want to call you... that, then I will."

Luke nodded.

===

"Where are we?" Rose tilted her head up to look at Luke.

Luke looked down at her and made eye contact, a warm smile on his face. "Lake Burnam."

The water stretched out a long way. It was such a peaceful place, with crystal-clear, shallow waters and trees hanging over them, providing shade for most of the pond. Leaves and flower petals floated on the surface daintily, and you could hear the faint sounds of the water against the dirt shore and the creatures that lived in it. There was a huge and smooth rock on the edge, hanging out over the water but accessible by land.

"Come on," Luke said, walking over to the rock. It was only as tall as Rose's waist, so it wasn't much of a problem for either of them to climb onto it, and there was plenty enough room for the two of them. Rose dangled her feet over the water, sitting on her thighs and looking at the lake and its placid waters. Rose sighed with a smile.

"This is such a peaceful place," she said quietly.

"Exactly. I thought it might be just what you needed."

Rose felt a rush of gratitude in that moment. She appreciated Luke's thoughtfulness of her. She knew he was trying his best to be a good stepfather. And his best... wasn't always too bad.

===

The journal in Rose's hand was shaking as she knocked on the door. She was completely sure this was the right address. Luke was standing behind her, as if he was skeptical of what was happening. The door opened, and Rose saw a woman in her sixties standing there. She had long hair that was braided behind down her back. It was a stunning white color, and was very pretty. The woman was worn with age- you could see it in her face and her gentle hands on the door. She looked like a woman who had smiled a lot during her life. She looked strangely familiar. Like Rose should know her or something. And those eyes. There was something so familiar about her eyes.

"How may I help you, dear?" she asked. Her voice was kind, but definitely British.

The redhead girl swallowed, and mustered up her courage to talk. "Hi, Miss. I'm Rose, and this is... Luke." She was about to say that he was her stepdad, but she held herself back. He didn't feel like her stepdad, even though he legally was. "I found some diaries and there was this address in the pages. I was wondering if you knew anything about the person who wrote in these diaries. Do you know of someone named Briel?"

"Well," the woman said, thinking. "I've lived in this house for the last thirty-five years. And I do know of a man who was called Briel. He was my son."

Rose's eyes lit up. She was finally going to be able to meet the person she had been reading about. "Would you like to come in?" Rose glanced to Luke, and he nodded.

"Yes, please." The woman let them in, and Rose walked inside. It looked like... a family home. It was so cozy.

The woman closed the door behind them, and then scoffed at herself. "Oh, please excuse my manners. I'm Amber. Come this way, to the sitting room." Amber led them to the left, which opened into a white-walled room with leather couches and an ancient red rug. There was a gray-haired man sitting in a recliner, watching the television. He looked around the same age as Amber, with some extra belly and a receding hairline. He looked kind of grumpy to see people, but his eyes sparked with interest as he scanned Rose. Rose felt Luke's vision burning into her, and she didn't have to look at him to know what he was thinking. Muggles. "Sit, sit. That's my husband, Al."

"I'm Rose," the redhead introduced herself with a small smile. She didn't sit down.

Amber called from the other room. "Can I get you something to drink? Something to eat?"

Rose shook her head, even though the woman wouldn't be able to see her. "No, thank you," she said in response. She looked next to the entrance of the sitting room. There was a picture of a young-looking woman with red hair. "Who's this?" Rose asked, looking to Al.

"Our daughter. Her name is Rose, too." Rose's eyebrows raised. She looked so familiar. "She's the big sister of Briel, but only by a couple of years. Those two were joined at the hip through their childhood." Amber came back in the sitting room with a plate of cookies anyway, and a book-looking thing in her hand.

"I just pulled some chocolate chip biscuits out of the oven," she explained, setting it down on the coffee table. "Please, take a seat."

"I'll stand, thank you," Luke said quietly. But Rose stepped forward and sat on the couch carefully.

"Help yourself, love," Amber urged Rose. Rose reached over to take a cookie from the plate, and took a small bite. They were delicious. Rose had to hold herself back from devouring it then and there. "Now, what did you want to know about my son?"

Rose paused, letting herself swallow first. "Where is he now?"

Amber's eyes softened. "Oh, love. He died."

"Ten years ago," Al added, reaching forward to grab a cookie and take a generous bite.

Rose's gaze fell. "Oh." This meant that she would not be meeting Briel, and she would not be asking him and talking to him about all his life and what was in the journals, and his poems, and his writings. She would just keep reading about him.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to disappoint you. Was there anything else you wanted to know?"

"I was wondering, also- did he ever get married?"

This time Amber nodded. "Yes, he did. He got married to a woman around his age. She was kind, but she was... strange. It's not something that's quite explainable."

Rose thought back to when Briel had written about a girl who he had a ginormous crush on. "Was her name Samantha?"

"No," Al shook his head, and his lips smacked as he finished his cookie. "Something different than that. Am doesn't like to say the name."

Rose nodded. The room was quiet for a second, and then Amber spoke up. She gestured to the book in her hands. "This is our family photo album. There are plenty of pictures in here of him, if you want me to show you."

"I would love that," Rose smiled. Amber opened up the book, turning through the weathered plastic sheets.

"Ah," she said, a memory written on her face. "We took this picture of us all together shortly before he died. We didn't know then that he was dying. If you turn the page, there's a portrait of just him." Rose was handed the photo album, and there was a picture. Rose fingered it, looking at Al and Amber in the picture first. They were both redheads. This was taken before their hair turned all the way white or gray, and you could see Al's dark hair and Amber's light amber hair. Much like Rose's, she noticed. And then, you could see...

Him. Briel. Except that wasn't just Briel. There were pictures of this man in her house. She could almost hear his voice now, calling her his nickname he always used to call her. Rose turned the page, and took the next picture out. It was him. It was definitely him. She turned the photo over, and read the back.

G.F.M.

Gabriel Franklin Moon.

"You're my grandparents!" Rose blurted in surprise.

That's why Amber and Al looked familiar. That's why Amber's bright green eyes looked familiar. Because they were her eyes. They were Rose's eyes. That's why the journals were in her attic at home. And that's why Rose's dad and Briel died around the same time. Because they were the same person and they did die at the same time. Briel was Rose's father.

Now she just wanted to talk to him more. She felt the connection between him and her. She wanted to talk for hours about everything under the sun, moon, and stars, and everything beyond those, too. But she couldn't. Briel was her father and her father was dead. How hadn't she put this together before? His first initial was G and he was nicknamed "Briel." Like Gabriel.

Rose looked up to the two people, trying to read their expressions. "What- what do you mean?" Amber asked.

"This is my father. This man in the picture is my father," Rose explained. "My name is Rose Amber Moon, and I think I'm named after... you." Amber blinked, as if she was unsure what Rose was talking about. "As well as my aunt in that picture there." Rose gestured towards the picture by the entrance of the sitting room, then looked back towards Amber. "My father is Gabriel Moon, and he died ten years ago, leaving my mother a single mom with five kids."

Amber paled. The friendliness drained from her face in realization. "You're one of those cursed freaks." Rose felt like she had been punched, and all the wind rushed out of her. What? She had just been connecting with her grandmother, who she never remembered meeting, eating her cookies, and the moment that Rose mentioned the truth of who she was, she was called some kind of sick name for a magical person? Rose's grandmother stood up shakily. "Stand. Up. And. Leave. My. House." Her voice was quiet and dangerous, but also terrified. Rose stood up obediently, but couldn't quite move after that.

Rose glanced to her grandfather. He looked conflicted. "Am..." Al started, but was soon interrupted anyway.

"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE RIGHT THIS MOMENT!" Amber screamed, startling Rose. Rose backed up a little, hurt in her eyes.

"I- I'm sorry, I didn't-" Rose backed up in shock, then reached out a hand, almost in a motion of calming a horse.

Amber backed away, horrified at the thought of Rose touching her, and "-OR I SWEAR TO GOD I'LL CALL FOR THE POLICE!" Amber was fuming. There wasn't much that the police could do against Luke, but it was the thought that counted. And, this time, not in a good way at all. Rose blinked away tears. She felt a hand on her shoulder, guiding her to back away slowly. Rose sniffed, letting it take her down the hall and out the door. She felt it click behind her. Rose gripped the journal so hard her knuckles turned white. She heard Amber yell from inside.

"I let her in! Gave her my cookies! Offered her a seat on my sofa! How could she have tricked me like that?! Why hadn't I known she was one of them?!"

Al's voice followed, calmer and less paranoid. "She's just a child. She was trying to-"

"Oh, you don't have to tell me what she was trying to do! Have you met those... those... witches?!" she spat out the word like it was painful to say. A disgrace to her to even say the word out loud. That wasn't something Rose would forget easily. "That woman and her... spawn are insane and dangerous, I tell you! Insane and dangerous!"

Rose looked down at her hands. Magic. Rose had loved magic all her life. But magic was the very thing that was tearing her away from her father's family. She could feel Luke's grip tighten on her shoulder as Rose's mother was mentioned.

"She's your granddaughter, Am."

"I do not freaking care whose granddaughter she happens to be!"

Rose choked back a dry sob. She was not going to cry. She was not going to cry. "Let's go," he said softly, rubbing her back.

===

Luke let himself inside, closing the door behind Rose as she came in behind him. He shook his head. "I'm sorry."

Rose was still in shock. She had been having a good time with Amber- with her grandmother- until it all was ruined. Just because she was magic. Just because she was a witch. "I... I didn't know it would go like that."

"Me either. You didn't tell me they were muggles."

"What do muggles have to do with anything?" Rose spat in defense. Luke raised an eyebrow. Oh, right. Absolutely everything. They were scared of magic because they were muggles. They were scared of magical people because they were muggles. They were scared of Rose because they were muggles. She looked away. "Sorry," she mumbled. "I just... I was so excited, and then... she reacted so differently than how I imagined it."

"How did you imagine it?"

Rose sighed. Nothing like how it went. Nothing like that. "I don't know... at first I thought I might be able to meet Briel, the guy who wrote in the journals. Turns out he's my dad and he died ten years ago. I won't be able to meet him ever again. Then I realize they're my grandparents, and I hope that they'll be excited, too. Maybe I can spend time with them, since... y'know, I never really got to." She looked down at the leather journal. "Didn't go at all like I hoped." Rose turned towards the stairs, but she stopped at the bottom. She turned around. "Thank you. For today." She was genuine about it. She didn't give him a chance to respond as she escaped upstairs.