Enough

[Rowan Hunt]

"I don't want to! I don't want to! I don't want to!" Poppy yells, trying to struggle away from me as I lead her by the hand up to the door.
I sigh slightly and knock lightly, not wanting to disturb anyone too much, although Poppy was doing that for the both of us.
"I don't want to! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!" She shrieks, hitting me repeatedly in an attempt to get away, "GO AWAY!"
I crouch down to her level, "That's enough. You behave yourself young lady or we turn around and leave right now." I warn her.
She quietens down, but still glares at me through her blurred teary eyes, tugging on my hand to try and get out of the grip.
I sigh and straighten up again, not looking at her, instead half-peering through the door as I waited for one of them to get it.
"Don't want to go." She mumbles tearfully by my side.
I ignore her, despite the fact my sub-conscious was heartily agreeing and would really rather not have to go into hiding at all. But we didn't have much of a choice. If we wanted to stay alive, we had to hide.
I'd just promised her, we could come and say goodbye to Uncle Ian and Aunt Maddie before we left, despite the fact I was seriously regretting agreeing to it now.

[Ian Hunt]

"Hey Rowan," I say tiredly as soon as I open the door, before looking down at Poppy, then back up at him, "Time to go already?"
I don't wait for an answer, not particularly needing one, before stooping slightly and picking her up, holding the door open fully to let him in properly.

[Rowan Hunt]

"Hey," I reply, heading inside and shutting the door behind me, "Yeah, already."
She wraps her arms round his neck, "Don't want to go. Don't want to go. Don't want to go. Don't let him take me...please...?"
"Come on, what did I say about guilting your Uncle? Leave him alone," I mutter.

[Ian Hunt]

"Hey hey," I hug her back, not really willing to let her go at all, "It'll be alright. If I could, I'd keep you here, but it's just gotta be like this for a while, okay Papillon?"

[Rowan Hunt]

"It's stupid, I don't want it to be that way. I don't want to play hide and seek anymore." She mumbles, burrying her head in his shoulder.
I sigh slightly, "Sorry, I know this isn't most helpful or anything."

[Ian Hunt]

I rub her back lightly, not entirely sure what to say, before looking back at Rowan.
"It's alright. Don't worry about it."

[Rowan Hunt]

"Man, this is stupid," I mutter, "Neither of us want to leave...remind me why it's so important again."

[Ian Hunt]

I raise an eyebrow in his direction, "Don't make me say it."

[Rowan Hunt]

"Sorry," I mumble, dropping my eyes guiltily for a moment before looking back up at him, "You know you should come to. Staying here..." I trail off with a glance at Poppy, but knowing he'd know what I meant, "It's not a good idea, Ian. You should be going into hiding with us."

[Ian Hunt]

I shake my head briefly, meeting his eyes even more briefly, "No, I'm staying."

[Rowan Hunt]

Even if it brings about your death?
I put a hand to the back of my neck in an awkwardly frustrated gesture.
"You belong with your family," I say quietly after a moment.
"Which is why he can't play, Daddy. He has to stay with Aunt Maddie and baby." Poppy mumbles into his shoulder.

[Ian Hunt]

"The lady raises a good point, Row," I incline my head slightly, feeling an unpleasant surge of guilt.

[Rowan Hunt]

"Yeah, I know," I mumble, with a slight sigh. "It's just...what if I get us into trouble?"

[Ian Hunt]

I smile reluctantly, "Come on Row. We're not kids anymore. You don't need your big brother to fight your battles for you anymore, surely?"

[Rowan Hunt]

I return the smile against my will, "I never did anyway. You're just insufferably protective."

[Ian Hunt]

"You would have got your ass kicked so many times if it weren't for me," I grin weakly.

[Rowan Hunt]

"I got my ass kicked anyway, good job you did!" I shake my head amusedly, then the smile slips off my face as the gravity of the situation returns with a big crash.

[Ian Hunt]

"Forgot for a minute there?" I guess, sighing slightly, "Me too."
I pause a minute, then put Poppy back down on the floor, putting a hand on the small of her back and giving her a very weak push down the hall, "Go find your Aunt Maddie, Papillon. Get the goodbye out the way, eh?"

[Rowan Hunt]

She doesn't reply, but starts walking down the hall in a wavy line. Probably counting steps or something.
I look back at him, "Look after yourself, okay?"

[Ian Hunt]

I nod numbly, "And you look after yourself. And her too," I incline my head very slightly down the hall behind me, "Or I will kill you," I add seriously.

[Rowan Hunt]

I smile faintly, "I know you will. Told you. I told you, didn't I? You're not an awful father after all."

[Ian Hunt]

I force a weak laugh, "You mean besides the fact I'm practically abandoning her?"

[Rowan Hunt]

"No, technically, we're abandoning you. Temporarily. And it's not proper abandonment, cos we'll write. Or I'll write anyway, she might add a scribble or something if you're lucky. You just got to promise to write back is all."

[Ian Hunt]

"Subtle differences save no lives," I mumble, "Yeah, I'll write back."

[Rowan Hunt]

"Bon homme," I mutter, pulling him into a brotherly hug not much caring how he hated that sort of thing.

[Ian Hunt]

I don't move for a moment, then hesitantly hug him back, "Gonna miss you Row," I mumble.

[Rowan Hunt]

"Gonna miss you too Chris," I reply, drawing away and clasping his shoulder lightly, "Even if you are a prick."

[Ian Hunt]

"What do you mean if?" I snort.

[Rowan Hunt]

I allow a strained grin, "I was trying to be polite."

[Ian Hunt]

"I didn't know you knew that word...funny that..."