Who is....Padme? ((Jack))

[Padme Rendel S2]

Padme stood up from her position on the bench. It had been stiff sitting there and lonely. Her legs refused to walk for a few steps until the blood started rushing back into them. Padme wasn't sure exactly how long she had been sitting there, but it felt like an eternity. She ran a hand through her brown hair that was down; a very unusual sight for Padme. She had wanted to look normal today instead of the usual perfect appearance. The park she was in was empty today, but considering it was only five in the morning, Padme wasn't surprised. Her owl, whom she had taken along for the trip, hooted happily when Padme called to him. "Cleigg!" she called as the brown owl flew over to her. He landed obligingly on her outstretched arm, sticking his leg out. Padme had always been awed by the fact that owls had perfect balance and this was no different. Padme smiled at him and tied the letter she had written to Jack on his leg. She was surprised that she was actually doing this, but she felt like she needed her older brother's company. She had been feeling rather lonely this summer and very unlike herself. She hated this: she wasn't sure what to do about it. Once the letter was attached to her dear Cleigg, he took off. Padme had heard the Jack was staying in London with his father in some fancy hotel that was near the park she was in. Otherwise, she wouldn't have bothered contacting him for he lived far off in Scotland. Padme walked over to the swings and sat down heavily in one of them. Kicking her legs off the ground, she swung. Back and forth. Back and forth. The jean shorts she had put on today proved much more comfortable then the skirt. Padme hadn't gotten over it yet; she kept on reaching down to smooth it only to find that she couldn't. It brought a quirk of a smile to her lips but that instantly vanished into a frown. Why was she acting so foreign to herself? The question had been brought up recently and many times by herself. She wasn't sure who she was anymore except that she wished to be a Slytherin and a good one at that. The faded blue t-shirt she had put on rippled in the wind that was suddenly swirling around her, engulfing her, swallowing Padme in her own confusion.

[Jack Rendel S5]

Jack saw the brown owl coming before it actually landed on his window sill. Lucky for him, Roger was sleeping like a baby. He grinned and jumped out of the rather lumpy bed in the hotel to open the window for the owl he knew belonged to his sister. Cleigg hopped in and lifted his leg as all owls do. Jack responded by taking the letter from the owl. He offered him a cornflake from his cereal which the owl took with a happy hoot of thanks. Jack smiled as it hoped off his bed and flew out the window, probably back to it's owner. Turning his attention back to the note in his hand, Jack unfolded it carefully, wondering why Padme had contacted him. That being unusual...Did the girl know what time it was? His alarm clock read 5:30 a.m. Jack smiled, knowing that Padme probably didn't care what time it was as long as she got her way with things. Yep, that was Padme. The letter was rather short and written rather sloppy for Padme.

Jack,
Would it be alright if you meet me at the closest Park to the hotel you're staying in? I'm not sure what the street is but nor do I care. You're smart enough to figure it out, I hope. Meet me there as soon as possible. I must speak to you. Please hurry.

Padme

Jack raised an eyebrow at the letter as if doubting what it read. It was there, sure, but was it written by the Padme he knew? He didn't understand, mostly the part about please hurry. Since when did Padme say please? He thought back on all the times he had seen her and couldn't remember that word ever coming from her mouth. He looked back doubtfully at the letter. It didn't say to write back but he felt as though he should so Padme would know he was coming. Grabbing a piece of parchment, Jack rummaged in the dresser to find a quill and a feather. Once that done, he turned back to the parchment.

Padme,
I'm coming right away. As soon as Roger will let me leave, anyway. I might need some time finding the park of yours, however, for London is a very big place as I'm sure you know. Also, I don't live here so don't expect me to be able to find things easily. The latest I'll be there is seven, I think.

Jack Rendel

There. He looked around for Cleigg to bring this letter back to Padme when he realized that the owl had already left. Maybe she wasn't expecting a reply after all... He sighed but with a weary smile, for he had a back-up this time. His owl, Klaus, would be able to deliver this message for him. "Kl-" Jack started to call out but realized that Roger would awake. Jack made haste to the door, but when he reached it, Klaus swept in. He must have heard Jack's half-call. He chuckled slightly at his owl before tying the letter to his leg. "Bring it to Padme." he told Klaus clearly, who blinked his understanding. Jack nodded, pleased, and Klaus took off through the window that was still open. Closing it, Jack wondered out of his door to eat breakfast. It was unusual for Roger to sleep in so late, but Jack took this as a blessing. As he walked over to the counter, he saw a note laying there. Picking it up, Jack glanced over it and smirked. So, Roger hadn't slept in after all. He had gone for breakfast at a restaurant. Jack put the letter back down and turned it over. On the back, he wrote his own note describing where he was going and that he wasn't going to be long. Positive that he had explained everything, Jack moved away from the counter and found that he wasn't hungry anymore.

The sun was peaking out over the horizon by the time Jack got out of the hotel. The clouds had turned a pinkish color. It was just the right temperature; a beautiful morning. Jack had thrown on a spare white t-shirt and some jeans before going out the door. Now, he could be found wondering the vast streets of London, looking for the Park which Padme had spoken about. He found it about a quarter of a mile away from the hotel and he could distantly see a lone figure swinging there. Jack supposed that this must be Padme. Quickening his pace, he reached her in a good three minutes. Sitting down at the swing beside her, he pushed off. Padme hadn't even noticed him yet...It looked like she was thinking about something and was clearly not 'down on the Earth.' Jack frowned but kept his tone light. "Hello Padme. You wanted to meet me?"

[Padme Rendel S2]

Padme looked up to see her older brother standing there. She gave him a look before returning to her swinging. She didn't even care to say hello. It wasn't like she wasn't happy to see him, it was just she felt like she couldn't be....Padme. She scraped her feet against the gravel rocks that were under her feet, causing some to catch in her shoe. She shook her foot angrily as she gripped the chain, trying to get the darn rock out. Sighing, she pulled her swing to a stop and took off her shoe, letting the pebble fall out to join its fellows. Slipping her shoe back on, she glanced over at Jack to see what he was doing. He was looking at her rather curiously and yet she sensed some confusion in his eyes. How could he not be confused when his sister was actually quiet? How could he feel welcome when Padme doesn't even greet him after inviting him? Padme looked down at her feet once again and pushed off to get the swing going. She was oblivious to the air rushing through her hair. She just couldn't pay any attention to what was happening to herself or anything around her. Finally, she looked up at her brother and took a deep breath.

"I don't feel good," Padme declared, surprised that her voice was still strong and arrogant. She saw Jack cast an odd look her direction. She hadn't meant to say that but it was exactly what she felt. She blinked a few times and moved in the swing. "I mean...I don't feel normal. I want to...do something normal for me but how can I do that when I don't feel like me?" she sighed, knowing that she hadn't made any sense to him. She kicked the rocks around before glancing back up at him. She was angry, so angry that she couldn't even talk right. Why was she acting so...strange? Padme snarled in contempt. She looked up and down the street. The Park was slowly filling and the two of them were catching a few glances. Padme took a deep breath before standing up suddenly and pulling on her hair. "Let's go for a walk." she ordered, pulling Jack up to his feet.

[Jack Rendel S5]

Jack watched Padme closely. She didn't look very well. Her hair wasn't up in the usual bun he was used to but down and rather ratty looking. She had put on a muggle attire that didn't fit her attitude and pureblooded will. He frowned and continued to watch her as she struggled mentally to find an answer to his question. She just didn't look healthy and in Jack's opinion, that was horrid. He hadn't seen Padme look so blasted except for the Diagon Alley attack were she had broken her whole hand and fingers and had a bruised hip. Jack sent a small smile her way before starting up the swinging motion. He let his feet hang loosely down so he ended up with quite a few rocks in his shoe. He ignored them and continued to watch Padme for any more odd signs. When she spoke, Jack raised an eyebrow but not out of sarcasm but out of being frightened. Her voice sounded the same, but what had happened to her unique choosing of words? It was like she was letting it all lay on the table in a simple way but Jack just couldn't devour it.

"There's a trash can over there," Jack said, attempting to put some humor on Padme's words. It would have been funny if she hadn't looked so pale. She was usually tan, just like Jack. Her honey-brown eyes that always sparkled and shone seemed dead. Jack let his eyebrows connect worriedly and glanced at Padme yet again. He hadn't understood a word of her sentence but decided that he wasn't about to mention it to her. Instead, he nodded his understanding and pulled her up by the hand. She seemed lighter too, or maybe it was just his imagination. Padme nodded her head too and stepped away from him. He noticed that her walk didn't have the usual flounce either. What the hell was going on? Jack followed her closely and glanced away from her to only look at their surroundings. He would let Padme decide where they were going.

[Padme Rendel S2]

Padme swallowed and shook her head with no amusement visible. "I don't need a trash can!" she said calmly even though she felt like screaming at Jack. He hadn't understood! He was the only person she could depend on and he just couldn't get her problem through his small brain. She felt like hitting him, shaking him, making him understand. Instead, she glared and walked away from him, after a curt nod. She found that Jack was going to let her pick where they were going, which made her feel slightly better. She was rather mad when she noticed how close Jack was following her, however.

"I'm not going to faint on the spot!" she told him with a tint of fury. "I don't need your help! I'm perfectly fine!" she picked up her walk and only stopped to look at the shop nearest. It was a bar that children could go into. It didn't just have beer and that was probably why; it had kid stuff too. Padme had never been in it before but she decided to give it a chance. Opening the door, she stepped in before Jack and didn't bother to hold the door for him. It closed behind her with a snap and opened again. Padme smirked, knowing that Jack had followed. She sat down in the nearest seat but didn't order anything to follow. Crossing her legs, Padme looked down at her hands just as Jack sat down at their table. "About time," she muttered before looking up to see him. He looked worried about her, which only made Padme angrier. He gave her a questioning glance which meant to her that she had to tell him the full story now. She sighed before starting up, keeping her voice as steady as possible.

"It's nothing to do with how I'm feeling. It's...mother." Padme glared at him to see if he had gotten her hint. She did catch his attention but he still looked just as confused. Padme shook her head in despair; how thick was Jack? "Mother divorced Cameron...because of...me! Cameron wasn't taking care of me properly and Tessa just up and got rid of him. But....that was bad because Cameron had a job that brought in lots of money. Tessa was only a waitress at this one place! That means that we're low on money and with no Cameron to support us...it'll be the streets next!" her voice came out in a wail as Padme blinked to keep the tears away. Her family was falling apart and it was all her fault!

[Jack Rendel S5]

Jack followed at a distance once Padme had screeched at him about how she wasn't going to faint. Why was it that she was always this arrogant? He smirked and shook his head but didn't let Padme see. Once they entered the shop, the door had almost closed on Jack's foot, making him yelp in surprise. Opening the door, Jack let it slam against the wall opposite him. The owner looked angry and aggressive, something he noticed right the moment when he stepped inside. Ignoring him, he went over to where Padme was sitting and sat down, crossing his arms over his chest. Padme seemed to want to tell him something but every time she tried it just made Mack even more confused. He struggled to keep up and once Padme had gotten it all out, he just gaped at her stupidly.

"You mean that you're...poor?" Jack asked before he could stop himself. He knew that was what Padme had meant. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, letting his mind replay all that Padme had said. It sounded like she needed help. Much help. He wasn't sure who could help them though; he really wanted to do something for them but what could a thirteen year old do to stop what was inevitable? Ever since Roger had thrown Tessa out it had been clear that he wouldn't do anything to help them or even think of them. Jack swallowed hard and found it painful to breathe. It was just going to be Padme who could help her family. What made it horrible though was the fact that Padme was putting all the blame on herself. It was Rogers' doing in the first place! Not hers'! Jack nodded and let his head rest on his arms propped on the table.

"It's not your fault Padme." he started softly and slowly. "It's our fathers' fault, not yours. I can help you if you want. I will help you. I'll do anything I can to help you. I won't let you down Padme. You're my family too and we'll make it out of here alive and well, I promise you." Jack nodded and looked Padme straight in the eye. It was the truth; he would do anything possible to help his sister out of this big hole they were in. He sighed and pushed all possible consequences out of his mind, making it as blank as the wall opposite him. He just wanted to help...No. He needed to help.

[Padme Rendel S2]

Padme felt her small hands ball up into fists. How stupid was he? She glared at him with so much anger she felt her eyes burn. "Yes, Jack! Poor! Must I spell it out for you? P-O-O-R!" she screeched, her voice rising into a shrill loud scream. Several people turned their heads and watched with disapproval as Padme breathed in between her clenched jaw, causing a whistling sound. She wouldn't have been surprised if steam had come from her ears. She was angry. Angrier then she had been in a long time. She slammed her fist on the table causing the ketchup bottle to fall in Jack's lap. She watched him replace it with a look of apprehension on his face. That made her even worse. She listened with half a ear when he said he would do everything he could to help. Her anger made her tremble in her seat. Her hands shook roughly. Finally, she could take no more. Slamming her tiny fist on the table, Padme stood up, knocking her chair to the ground in the process.

"Don't make promises you can't keep, Brother, dear!" she said before exploding. "I don't need your filthy help or anyone else's! I can help myself, you know! Years and years of not knowing family secrets made me grow up beyond my years! I know what to do and I can help myself! You just stay away, you hear? Leave me alone!" Padme was literally shouting and she glared at him once more before turning to leave. She opened the door just as she heard the bartender say something about her that she couldn't rightly hear in her state. She was trembling from head to foot and as she opened the door she let it slam into the wall, causing the glass to shatter. That caused an uproar in the small food place but Padme didn't heed it. She was leaving. She didn't even look back as she walked away from Jack and to her house, full of rage.