"But if I would have to choose I wouldn't let you go
Just give it some more time and you will see our love will grow
Darling I know"

* * *

During the night, River experienced major discomfort which rippled through all of her body. She attempted to make herself as comfortable as possible but it was not as easy as she thought as her body was so weak from the seizure. She ached and groaned at any slight movement resulting in her calling Eros awake who slept in the bed next to hers.

It took a few attempts but he finally awoke and stumbled to help sit her up. "You need to sleep, Spud, I need to sleep too." He mumbled brushing back her hair.

She shook her head, "I don't think I'll be sleeping much tonight and this is a lot more comfortable. You go back to sleep." She nudged him away, thanking him again for helping her to which he flopped onto his bed and was out like a light as soon as his head hit the pillow.

She slipped a book off of the bedside table which Hermione had offered her to borrow it. As soon as she opened it, she closed it again with a sigh. River was never a fan of reading. She liked experiencing things in the real world and didn't think much of getting caught up in fictional utopias or realms. Why waste your breath on what isn't real when you could feel something real? Taste, touch, see, hear everything and not imagine it. The imagination is a dangerous place and she believes that sometimes people who spend too much time in their own heads are the least happiest people in the world. They get too attached to characters who could never hold them, comfort them, or kiss them in reality, so they're setting themselves up for heartbreak. What was enjoyable about that?

If Bill was a fictional character then she could understand. Everyone deserves a Bill, he is the sweetest, most loving, interesting man she had ever met and she was grateful to have him (unless Eros kills him that is). However, if Bill was fictional she would never had experienced him in anyway because she didn't read. So, thankfully, he was as real as real could be.

Picking at her nails, and closing her eyes River leaned her head against the headboard taking a deep breath. She should have been in Scotland by now. But Bill? Everything had grown more complicated since becoming a couple. She desperately wanted to spend all her time with him- because well, why not?- but at the same time she still wanted to experience the world.

"Someone is up late thinking." Her eyes darted to the door where Bill poked his head around. "I came to check on you, I presumed you'd be in a bit of pain."

River nodded her head and attempted to manoeuvre out of bed and hobbled over to Bill. He quickly took hold of her waist and helped her walk out of the room without questioning anything- the less risk of Eros slapping him the better. It took them a while to end up all the way down the stairs, a minor encounter with Kreacher delayed them further but eventually they ended up in the living room, River situated on Bill's lap, getting her back gently rubbed.

"Are you still planning to go to Scotland?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't think my parents would be too happy with me going off on my own at the moment, but then again, they are not exactly here all of the time so I doubt they'll notice-"

"Something you're not telling me?" Bill questioned as her tone seemed rather brisk and her face was rather not impressed. River shook her head but he knew her more than she quite realised. "Talk to me."

Chewing her top lip as if she was wasting away from hunger, River didn't quite know how to word it. It took her a few small moments to collect her thoughts together which were bouncing around her head like gas particles in a can. "Yesterday was the first time in ages that mam actually cared about me enough to not give a shit what her work says and come to my aid. I know that sounds pretentious but I've been hospitalised before and they didn't even try to get out of work. I know work is important but if it was Eros they would be there in a zap or whatever it is you guys do to teleport somewhere. Sometimes I feel as if they love Eros more and now I do even more now that I know he has magic and I don't."

"I'm sure you're overthinking things, Riv."

Rolling her eyes she didn't say a word in return. Alex, Lottie and Alexis all said the same thing when she eventually aired her feelings to them in confidence. All she ever did was push herself to excel in order to make her parents proud because she "didn't win the scholarship that Eros did" and all her friends had to do was get a D and their parents showered them with praise. Yes, she admits, she is jealous of them and her brother but she can't help it. Especially now she knows the truth of the situation, or at least she believes she does.

Bill squeezed her knee and pecked her cheek. "Does that mean you're going to Scotland then?"

"No." She said bluntly. An overreaction but she was salty and very stubborn.

"So you're staying here?"

"No."

He pulled her closer to him and rested his head in her shoulder. "Don't be mad, I just think you're seeing things in the wrong way. You've said it yourself, they lied to you, so you're probably thinking back to times and just fitting that into the equation if it seems to fit. It's like two puzzles being mixed together. Just because they are separate puzzles doesn't me some pieces wouldn't fit together.  Either way, you will always have me when you need anyone, you know that right?" He kissed her again to try and cheer her up. She squirmed away from him which ultimately resulted in her groaning from the aching of her bones.

"I'm going to go to America."

"What? That's a lot further than Scotland. How will I see you?"

"Do your zappy thingy?"

"Do you mean apparate?" Bill snickered.

"I dunno. Whatever it is that means you can travel. The thing that made me spill my guts everywhere?" Bill smirked with a nod of his head, "well, yeah then do that!"

"It's not that easy to go country to country, it takes a lot of time and energy." She frowned. "But I can try it every so often if that means I see you."

That made her grin from ear to ear, "sweet!"

"So where in America?"

"Not a clue."