Here We Go Around Again ((Dixie))

[Clay Daniels]

With his wand, Clay levitated the last of the boxes past the kitchen and through the living room to the front door. There, he landed them onto the pile of other boxes that contained all of his belongings. It was a small pile, considering that everything he owned was packed there. As well, almost half of what was there was the stuff that he and Dixie had recently bought for when Madeline arrived. The past few weeks with Dixie and Madeline had went by so quickly, and Clay was momentarily caught up in the thoughts of how much of a family they had seemed to be together. Getting back to the present, he carefully cast a shrinking spell on the pile of boxes and then gathered the handful of miniature cubes in his hand, carefully tucking them in his pocket. This time, he was careful to pack everything in such a way that it wouldn't be broken when he returned it to its original size and unpacked it. When he had moved to Paris, he wasn't as careful, and when he unpacked he ended up spending much of his time mending the things that broke along the way.

With a tired sigh he turned and faced the living room. Madeline was sitting on the floor, playing with the frayed ends of the fluffy pink blanket that Dixie had picked out for her the first day she was brought by the social worker. Ever since that day, Madeline quickly fell in love with the blanket. Eventually, she lovingly bestowed the name Buzzy onto the piece of fabric that quickly became her best friend. Only the relationships she had so readily formed with Clay and Dixie rivaled that of the bond between Madeline and Buzzy. Thinking of how much he had grown to love his daughter in such a short time, Clay smiled as he walked over and scooped her into his arms. As Buzzy fell to the ground, Madeline let out a slight squeal of protest before Clay bent back down and picked up the blanket. "Don't worry Maddy, Buzzy is coming with us too." He turned with Madeline in his arms heading back into the kitchen where Dixie was waiting, a pile of her own things heaped behind her.

"Ixie!" Madeline shouted, holding her arms out toward her. Clay put Madeline back down and then kneeled down to her level. "Why don't you go find Dapper for me while Dixie and I finish packing," he said, taking his hand and patting her head before kissing her on the cheek. With that, Madeline's little legs carried her as fast as they could around the corner and down the hall, a pink blur acting as a tail behind her. Clay smiled as he stood back up and looked at Dixie. "You know you don't have to go. I mean, I want you to and all, but you've done so much for me and Madeline already. It's just that..." he paused. The past few months of Dixie's staying with him seemed all but a vapor now. Her arrival had been so unexpected, but her stay was more than welcomed by Clay. If she only knew how much her being there had helped him, especially when Madeline arrived, then Dixie would have surely realized that she had done him a favor and not the other way around. "It's just that I know you came to Paris to get away from things, Dixie." he continued. "I know that you went through a lot, and I didn't want you thinking that you had to come back to London just for me. If you want to stay, I know I can't offer you my place anymore, but I would be more than happy to help you find a place." He gave her a considerate smile before pausing again. Even though he knew it really wasn't a goodbye, it sure felt like it for Clay. The relationship that he and Dixie had in Paris, whatever that relationship was, he knew that it would stay in Paris. London would be different, with or without Dixie.

"Come here," he said, holding out his arms and then hugging Dixie. "Just remember that no matter where you are or what you do, I'll always be there for you, Dix." At that, the sound of scampering came from down the hall, followed by the tiny squeals of "Dappa! Dappa! Dappa!" Before long, Dapper was scurrying around the kitchen, his little paws scratching at the feet of Adam and Dixie. Madeline followed Dapper's lead as she stood at the foot of her father with her arms reaching up toward him. "You'll always have these two as well," he said with a chuckled as he took Madeline into his arms again. "I guess it's time to go then," he added, a sad stare on his face. "So are you sure London is ready for you again, Dixie," he asked, half of him hoping that she would say yes and the other half of him just wanting the best for Dixie whether that was Paris or not.

[Dixie Holden-Greene]

This was it. Dixie had left the place, she had dropped out of school with the idea that it was the best, and now she was returning. Everyone in her year would’ve graduated and Dixie would be labeled a drop out. Was returning to England a good idea at all? Dixie sighed slightly, taping up the next box she had just finished packing. This box contained her shoes. Her hundreds or what seemed like hundreds of shoes. It seemed that her shoe collection had grown since she moved to Paris. Which really wasn’t all that surprising. She shrunk the box after labeling it, putting it in the large hand bag she was using. There were a lot of boxes. Dixie had already shrunk her bed and her big furniture, putting that in the bottom of her hand bag. Now all she had to pack were clothes, make up, and other things like that. There was one box she wasn’t sure if she wanted to shrink, though, or to just take out its contents and put them in her handbag. Dixie looked at the shoebox that contained her letters to Adam. There were 82 in all. 82 letters that he would never read. Dixie took the letters out of the box, making sure they were grouped together by the rubber band, and then put them in her handbag. Adam would never read those letters.

Just the thought of Adam reading those letters made Dixie sick. Oh, God. Adam. For the twentieth time that day, Dixie closed her eyes and groaned. Could she stay away from him once she was back in England? It was easy now because she was in Paris; a completely different city in a completely different country. But how could Dixie deal when she was back in England? She would have to deal with it once she got there. Who even knew if she would have any desire to see Adam once she was back? Dixie would just… she’d deal with that later. All later. Besides… Dixie headed into the kitchen, carrying some normal sized boxes and setting them on the floor, looking into the living room at Clay and Madeline… recently Dixie had felt like she could do anything. Clay and Maddy had taught her quite a bit without realizing they had done it. She smiled at the sight of them, happy that Clay had someone he could love unconditionally and happy that Maddy was going to grow up with an amazing father. Dixie turned and looked at her boxes for a moment, shoving back tears. When she heard Maddy call her name, she turned around again and smiled at the little girl.

She looked down at her hands when Clay started talking. She had thought about all of it and she had come to the decision that returning to England was best. She would’ve had to do it sooner or later. Dixie looked up at him, tears in her eyes, and she smiled lightly; “You can’t run from things forever, no one can; not even me. Clay…” Dixie trailed off, looking down at her hands again. When he pulled her into a hug, she didn’t pull away, she hugged him back; hiding her face. His words comforted her, more than they should. She started to say something more when Maddy and Dapper returned. Dixie laughed lightly and peered down at Maddy, stepping away from Clay. She turned around and shrunk the rest of the boxes and put them in her handbag. It was when Clay said it was time to go that Dixie felt her heart pound. She took in a deep breath and turned back around, pulling her bag onto her arm. “Whether or not it’s ready, I’m coming. I just don’t know if I’m completely ready for London.”

The one thing that Dixie was happy about this trip was the fact that they weren’t taking a plane. They were arriving by floo from the Paris ministry to the England ministry. Dixie leaned down and clipped Dapper’s leash onto his collar, starting toward the door, “You think she’s ready for her first floo trip, Clay? I mean, I didn’t take mine until I was five and even then it was… a bit traumatizing… and you better hold onto Buzzy. She might lose it if she held onto it.” Dixie smiled at Clay as they stepped outside and then she frowned, “I’m doing it again, I’m sorry. I don’t know why I sound so motherly.”

[Clay Daniels]

Her voice held great ambivalence, but Clay understood. Just trying to imagine what Dixie was going to return to made Clay admire her strength that much more. She was right though. Nobody can run forever. As much as Clay remembered missing Stephanie after she left, he also remembered the feeling inside of him that felt like running away of even the thought of her. And then... then Maddy came. Clay couldn't run from that. Eventually, the last thing he wanted to do was run though. He figured Dixie had reached that point now. Or, at least in some way she had realized that running would only take her farther into the storm called life.

Clay smiled at Dixie's words of caution. Even if she thought her constant worrying sounded too motherly, Clay welcomed it. She cared, and it showed through her comments. Clay liked that she cared. "I'm sure Madeline will be fine. She's been through a lot you know. I think she'll handle her first floo trip all right. As for Buzzy, I'll be sure to keep a good grip on him too. Actually, I'm more worried about you," he smiled. "You've got Dapper to worry about. We both know how much of a scaredy cat he can be." Together, with Maddy in his arms and Dapper trailing behind Dixie, the four of them made their way to the ministry, leaving the memories of Paris to remain only in their minds. "So, when you first return home, are you going to your house? I'm sure mom would be more than willing to house you in the guest bedroom if you need a place to stay. Either that, or Devon's room always has an extra bunk. Maddy might not take your leaving well. Even Dap for that matter might be sad to see you go," Clay finished with a grin. Deep down, he knew that his own heart was a little heavy at the thought of Dixie no longer being a part of his everyday life. She deserved happiness though, and it was the thing Clay wanted most for her. Wherever she found happiness was where he wanted her to be.

[Dixie Holden-Greene]

Dixie laughed lightly, running her fingers through her hair loosely and holding onto Dapper’s leash a bit tighter. Clay was right. Dap was going to be a handful through the trip, but she could deal with it. Besides, Dapper was just a big ball of fluff anyway and all Dixie would have to do is hold the puppy tight to her and he’d busy himself with her hair. Soon enough the trip would be over and Dapper wouldn’t have realized it had even happened. “I’ll manage, love. Besides, Dapper’s not that big of a scaredy cat. He’s just an adorable little wolf in training. Aren’t you?” Dapper yipped in reply while running circles around them as they walked. Dixie looked up at Clay with a smile, “See? Maddy’s been training him well. Right, Maddy-baby?” Maddy giggled and held onto Buzzy tighter, burying her face in Clay’s neck. Dixie smiled lovingly at the tiny tot. She really did love the little girl and she was feeling terrible about leaving her. She was going to miss Clay, but Maddy was something completely different. “Hey… hey Clay? When I return home… I can still come and visit Maddy right? I mean, I know you said you’d always be there – but if I showed up out of nowhere… you’d be okay with that? I just don’t think I can deal with being away from that cute little button nose for too dreadfully long,” Dixie smiled as she wiggled her finger at Maddy’s nose who giggled again.

She listened to Clay’s question and then bit her lip. She hadn’t told Clay about her parents’ divorce yet, because there had been so much going on. But now… “Actually, love, um… my mum and step-dad are getting a divorce. My mum’s staying with some relatives in Yorkshire at this point, so technically I was just going to camp out in a hotel room for a while. I have the money. And you know I don’t like to impose, but if your mum would be okay with it… I’d not object to staying.” She smiled over at Clay brightly. There was a pang in her heart, but she shoved it down. Leaving Clay was something that was going to happen eventually. Dixie knew it and Clay knew it, too. “I see, well then Clayton Daniels. If only Maddy and Dap are going to miss me, I don’t know how I feel about missing you. I mean, here I was… getting all sad because our time is limited now, and you’re only worried about Maddy and Dap.” She was teasing him completely, but she was really trying to get him to say he’d miss her.

Dixie led the way toward the ministry building, looking behind her at Dapper who was skipping and prancing around, looking at Paris with his tongue hanging out. It was like he knew that he would never see the place again. Well, he might, but not any time soon. It hit her that this was her last moment in Paris. Paris had become her haven. Now she was returning to her hell. Dixie stopped walking and looked around, taking in the sights, remembering every memory that she had. The Louvre. All of it. It all seemed like a dream. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, “Let’s get this over with,” she told Clay before opening her eyes and then pulling open the door to the ministry building for Clay and Maddy.

[Clay Daniels]

"A wolf in training. That's a good one," Clay replied with a chuckle. He then welcomed Maddy's tight embrace as Dixie teased her playfully. The moment of laughter died down as Dixie continued in a more serious tone... "Of course," Clay said quickly, as though Dixie had no need to even ask if her presence was welcome. "You'd always be welcome wherever I am," he added with a nod. Again, Dixie and Maddy began to giggle, putting another smile on Clay's face as they kept walking.

When Dixie answered his question about where she'd be staying, it caught Clay off guard a bit. He hadn't expected to hear such drastic news. "Oh, I'm sorry," he said, not knowing if this divorce really affected Dixie that much. After all, it was her step-father, meaning she had already went through one divorce most likely. Clay then realized he hadn't asked Dixie much about her family in the short time they had spent together. Her reply though made him feel a bit better. "It's no trouble at all, Dix. Really, we'd love you to stay." After another of her comments, Clay grinned and rephrased his last statement. "I'd love you to stay."

With that, the foursome had finally arrived at their location. Dixie kindly opened the door for Clay and Maddy, and they stepped into the building where Clay had spent the majority of his time in Paris. He would miss it, that was certain. Clay loved his job. However, he knew his life was changing now. And, at least he had some new things in his life that he loved just as much. Thinking about Dixie and Maddy, Clay couldn't have wished to leave Paris any other way. He had come with just himself and Dapper, and now, he was leaving with two people that meant a lot to him. He was sad to go, but happy with the way things ended in Paris. No matter what London had in store upon his arrival, he could always go back to his memory of Paris.

"London it is," he said to Dixie after seeing the sad look in her eyes. He led them to the grand, marble fireplace where he watched many important ministry workers arrive and leave by floo powder in the past. It was his turn now. Taking the small urn from the mantle, Clay poured a bit of the powder into Dixie's hand and then some into his own. "Hold on tight," he said to Maddy. Then, he looked to see if Dixie had a good grip on Dapper. Satisfied, he took one last look. It was goodbye, but not forever. Clay knew that someday he would return, even if for just a visit. Tossing the powder into the flames, Clay clearly shouted, "LONDON MINISTRY!" and disappeared into the emerald flames.