December 16,1988
Beth was puzzled when Sirius didn't call her that day. She couldn't wait to tell him that her mother had apologized and she wondered why he didn't call. But she had a busy day anyway with the monthly NATO talks. She didn't worry though because one, she was busy and two, she was tired she had stayed up way too late the night before to talk with her mother.
Maryanne Stevens went to the office she knew was used by Beth's security detail. "I would like to read the report your team has complied on my daughter's fiance." she told Radar.
She sat at one of the two desks in the room as he pulled the file from the drawer. She wanted to read the report because she trusted the security team to be objective in their assessment. Beth's track record with men spoke for itself. She skimmed Beth's account of her vacation already familiar with it because of the six hour talk she had had last night. She the read the ICW alert that had gone out in November 1981 judging him as highly dangerous.
She read the British trial transcripts from March 1982 and frowned. There was nothing until else in the ICW file until July of this year when there was a description of a workshop being taught by Sirius O. Black muggle police techniques and their practical application by aurors which was very curious by itself then she started the reports on what Indonesia had told them through general security reports and lastly the phone interview with Secretary of Security Budiono. "Can I get a copy of this."
Radar wasn't about to tell the first lady no; so he pulled out a stack of paper equivalent to the file and performed a duplication spell handing the new papers to her.
Maryanne left the office thinking. Wondering when she should confront her husband.
December 17, 1988 Bali Indonesia
Sirius hated this. Even though he was officially retired, because he was highest ranked officer and knew many of the victims he got recruited to do notifications this was in addition to making all the decisions about the belongings of Sri's entire family and making arrangements for the funeral. At least a mass funeral wasn't an unheard of thing in Bali.
It was 8 p.m. and he was just getting home. Harry had been alone almost all day and he probably shouldn't have been. But what was Sirius to do, everyone he would normally leave Harry with was dead. The only two people that weren't were working overtime like he himself was, trying to get things together in the aftermath of yesterday's tragedy. Crap he was so tired he was quoting the bloody news agencies. He found Harry sitting in the living room looking bewildered and sad.
"Hey kiddo."
"I didn't do anything today. I couldn't, I never do things by myself here it's always me and Hadi, with Liana telling us what to do."
Sirius pressed his lips together and blinked back the tears he'd been fighting all day. "Get ready for bed except your teeth I'll make soup and sandwiches. We'll eat and go to bed."
"Can I sleep in your room again?"
"Sure, I don't think I'm ready to be by myself yet either."
Sirius had pulled the first of the two grilled cheese sandwiches out of the skillet and the microwave beeped to say soup was hot when Sirius' cell phone rang. Exhausted he barely kept from snarling when he answered "Black."
"Sirius?" Beth's soothing voice reached through the phone to calm him. Beth didn't know why but Sirius' voice was so upset but something was obviously wrong.
"Beth, oh god . Tell me about your day or anything I need... I need you."
"Sirius you're scaring me, did something happen? Is Harry okay?"
"Merlin, what to say..." he inhaled sharply then blew out hard. "A drunk driver crashed his enhanced muscle car into the building that was being used for the party the other night. There was an explosion... seventy-five people died..." Sirius lost the fight and a sob broke free. "Harry is physically unharmed but neither of us is doing well at the moment."
Beth inhaled sharply. No wonder Sirius had been sharp when he answered. That party would have included all those that Sirius and Harry counted as family or close friends, seventy-five people dead. In that moment she made a decision. "How long would it take you and Harry to pack up lock stock and barrel have everything there squared away and get to Andersen Air Force Base in Guam?"
"Four maybe five days." Sirius took the second sandwich from the pan. and put it on a plate.
Harry trailed into the kitchen and sat at the counter Sirius gave him the second sandwich and a mug of tomato soup.
"Get started by the time you're there I'll have diplomatic papers naming you a courier and giving you permission to bypass customs."
"Do you want to talk to Harry?" Sirius asked.
"I'm not sure what to say but yes."
"Kiddo," Sirius nudged Harry then handed him the phone, "It's Beth."
A faint spark of life shot through his emerald eyes and he brought the phone to his ear.
"Hey Harry, Sirius told me what happened and I'm very sorry about it. I wanted to thank you for all the lovely pictures. Roy the head of my security detail thought they looked professional. And my mom loved the engagement location you picked as did my detail."
"I miss you Beth."
"I miss you too. I'm hoping to get everything worked out so you and Sirius can be here for Christmas but you have to do your part there okay?"
"Yes ma'am."
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