Song for this chapter: All I Ask - Adele

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We landed in my front yard, and I wasted no time dragging Regulus up to the porch. I unlocked the front door and opened it, leading him inside. I closed the door behind us, setting my keys on the table in the foyer.

"You want to go upstairs?" I asked.

Regulus nodded and gave me a small smile.

He followed behind me as we went upstairs. I led him into my room and closed the door behind us.

I sat down on the edge of the bed and waited for Regulus to follow, but he didn't. He stood in the middle of my room, pacing back and forth.

"Regulus, what's wrong?" I asked again, more concerned this time.

When he didn't answer me, I pushed on.

"You've been acting off all night," I said. "Did something happen? With your parents-"

"Meredith."

The demanding tone of his voice caught me off guard, making me fall silent.

"I need you to listen to me, and I need you to listen very carefully," Regulus said, his voice softer this time.

I gulped, "Reg, you're scaring me."

Regulus ran his hands roughly through his hair before letting his hands drop to his sides in defeat.

"Do you remember what I said to you after Easter? In the Astronomy Tower?"

I shook my head. "You said a lot of things that night," I said softly.

"You asked me if I wanted out, and I told you that I was trying."

I nodded, "You said it was something that you don't want me involved with."

"I still don't want you involved with this," Regulus said. "But you deserve to know where I'm going, and why."

"Where you're going? What are you talking about?"

"Meredith," He says again, his voice making me go quiet.

I stared at him. He had stopped pacing, but now Regulus was standing in front of me, his eyes glossed over.

"I found a way out," Regulus said. "I found a way to get away from my family, to help Voldemort lose the war."

A million questions were running through my head, but I stayed silent.

"I have to go take care of a few things, so I have to go away for a while," Regulus explained.

I opened my mouth to protest, but Regulus cut me off.

"I can't tell you where. I'm not going to put you at risk like that. But you need to know that I'm going to do this because I need to be brave. I spent my whole life doing what was told of me, but this-, this is for me. I want to prove to everyone that I'm not a coward like everyone thinks, I want to help people, I want to feel like a good person."

His voice was beginning to break, and I could feel tears welling up in my eyes.

"So, I have to go away for a while, darling," Regulus said, stepping closer towards me.

"How long will you be gone?" I asked, my voice wavering.

Regulus shook his head. "I'm not sure," He said.

I was starting to piece things together, not wanting to accept what he was telling me.

"Regulus?"

He hummed in response.

"Is this going to get you killed?"

"I sure hope not," Regulus said softly. "I've still got to get you a dog."

A single tear rolled down my check, and Regulus wiped it away with his thumb.

"Please don't cry," He whispered.

I stood up from my bed and pushed his hand away, starting to get angry.

"Regulus-, you're going to fucking sacrifice yourself!" I said, my voice raised. "And you're telling me not to cry?"

I threw my hands up in desperation before balling them into fists at my sides.

"Why are you doing this? Why does it have to be you?" I asked, my voice cracking.

Regulus watched me, his bottom lip quivering.

"I need to do this, Meredith. I have to prove-"

"You don't have to prove anything!" I yelled. "Not if you're going to play the martyr and get yourself killed-, because I can't do that. I can't go to your funeral-, I can't do that. Please don't do this, please."

Tears were flowing freely down my cheeks at this point.

"I'm sorry, but I have to," Regulus said, his voice threatening to break.

"Please don't leave," I begged. "We can figure something out! I-, I can tell Dumbledore and he can take care of it, then you don't have to leave."

Regulus shook his head sadly.

"I'm afraid he can't help me, Meredith."

I stepped closer to him, gripping onto his shirt.

"Then I can help, please let me help."

"There's nothing you can do, angel."

I leaned my head against his chest, my tears soaking the thin material.

"Please, I'm begging you, Regulus," I sobbed.

Regulus held me against him, tearing rolling down his cheeks.

"Don't leave, you're going to get yourself killed."

Regulus ran his hand through my hair in an attempt to calm me down. But, it wasn't working. I felt like I was in physical pain at the moment.

"I'm going to come back for you, Meredith," He whispered. "I made a few promises that I have to uphold. And if this works, then we can actually have that future together that we talked about."

I dug my face into his chest, my entire body racked with sobs.

"I don't want to leave you, believe me. But I have to do this, because if I don't, then nobody will."

I pulled away and looked up at him, my vision blurry with tears. I cupped either side of his face with my hands.

"Please don't leave me," I pleaded. "I love you."

Regulus blinked through his tears, both of our faces wet with tears.

"I love you, but I have to leave," He said, his voice faltering.

"No, you're not allowed to say that you love me then leave to go get yourself killed!" I said, staring into his eyes. "You're not allowed to leave if you're not going to come back to me."

"I'm going to try my best, princess."

He brushed my hair out of my face and brought his lips against mine. This time it was different though.

It was a goodbye.

He kissed me with every amount of emotion he had. Millions of unspoken words passing between our lips. I could taste the salty tears on his lips.

When we finally broke apart, Regulus was staring at me sadly.

"I have to leave now," He whispered.

I shook my head. "Don't go, please."

"Meredith, you're just making this harder for the both of us," Regulus said, caressing my cheek with his thumb.

"Promise me that you'll come back?" I asked, staring up at him.

"I can't make that promise," He replied.

I wiped the tears off of my cheeks, only for them to be replaced with fresh tears.

"Promise me you'll try?"

"I promise you that I"ll try."

I nodded, starting to accept the fact that despite my begging and my pleas for him to stay, he's going to go anyway.

Regulus Black is going on a suicide mission.

"Please don't try to follow me, Meredith," Regulus said. "Promise me that you won't?"

"I promise," I whispered weakly, feeling completely drained and broken.

Regulus kissed me on the forehead, his hands lingering on either side of my face.

"I love you, Meredith," He said. "And I'm going to come back for you."

I stifled a sob, feeling like I couldn't breathe.

"I love you, Regulus," I said. "Please come back for me."

Regulus nodded, not saying anything. He pulled his hands away from my face and started heading towards the door.

He opened the door and turned around to look at me. His eyes were bloodshot and tears were still flooding his cheeks. Regulus didn't say anything as he left my bedroom, closing the door behind him.

I heard him go down the stairs, proceeded by the sound of the front door opening and closing.

I wanted to chase after him, but it was no use.

He was on a mission to die.

I heard the crack of apparition, and then complete silence.

My knees gave out, and I sat on my bedroom floor, my entire body racked with sobs.