December 31st, 1892 - Dory's place, Bartonburg
Winnie felt like she sat in a tentative limbo in which she did not know exactly what was going to happen next. Whatever it was she and Dory had decided to do better on, was fragile at best and she felt like the bottom was going to drop out at any moment. There were some things that still went unspoken between them; the other woman he had been involved with, the ring itself and what was it they were doing exactly?
Her part of the agreement was to speak up more about how she was feeling, but she still hadn't figured out how best to do that when her most apparent feelings were terror and panic at the thought of getting married. The worst part was that it had nothing to strictly do with Dory either. Win had always figured she would end up a tried and true spinster and was content with that. Marriage had never been on her to do list, especially not to someone like Dory. He himself was wonderful, but he came with a huge extended family and responsibilities and expectations, and that was a bit too much for her. She didn't know how to deal with all of that and she definitely did not know how to express that to him.
Still, they had spent some time together, which was difficult, given the holidays. He celebrated Hanukkah and she and her family celebrated Christmas, so between the different gatherings and other family traditions, it hadn't been that much time, which gave her time to try and sort her feelings. However as New Year's had rolled around they decided to spend the night together at his house and she still didn't have anything figured out. Stepping out of his floo in little more than her slippers, negligée and housecoat, she had only the champagne and some chocolates in her hands. Her hair was loose and the soft brown waves fell down over her shoulders. "Well hello there," She greeted with an easy smile as she found him waiting.
After the momentary chaos and brief hospitalization that was his so-called Christmas celebration (he was still regretting attending any Christmas event at all) Dory was eager to have a quiet night at home. He had no desire to tempt fate with another angst filled run in; Merlin forbid he crash into some fireworks and require a mediwitch's assistance again. No, his shoulder, ribs and leg were still growing accustomed to the freshly grown skin. Dory could do without a rowdy festive evening.
Which worked out perfectly considering Winnie's suggestion of a quiet night in. They were decidedly trying to do better, but better admist all the holidays still saw them spending more time apart than together. Dory was afraid of overwhelming her with too much too soon as the ring had most certainly frightened her, so he couldn't comment much on the subject either. Slow and steady, that was how they had to play this game.
The fire turned green to signal her arrival, causing Dory to snap his book shut and discard it on the side table. "Evening, love. Don't you look beautiful tonight," he greeted with an easy smile.
Any other night would have saw Dory standing to embrace her and begin their festivities immediately. Her twirl would have had him reaching for her instantly, anything to belay his need for her. However, tonight he was feeling too introspective to switch into such a playful mood so quickly. He'd get there eventually (it was impossible not to with Winnie) but he needed some time yet. Instead, Dory gave her an appreciative look up and down along with a chuckle.
"It's nothing good - just a random one I picked up this week to pass the time." He commented, finally reaching for her to pull her into his lap. Whizzard's was packed with the Christmas rush so Dory hadn't spent much time browsing. He'd simply chosen the first title that appeared interesting and quickly made his escape. "You're welcome to it if you'd like. Maybe you'll like it more."
While Dory hadn't intentionally avoided telling Winnie about his hospitalization, her question had him regretting not mentioning it sooner. He'd thought to a few times in their brief letter exchanges, but the timing never seemed appropriate. How was he to explain the situation without mentioning Maple? (More importantly, why was he afraid to mention Maple? It wasn't as though anything had happened there since before Halloween!) Still, he should have told her, if for no reason other than making her aware of his still baby pink skin.
"It's been a long week," he eventually settled upon. "I had a brief stint in St. Mungo's on Christmas, tried to make myself into a chestnut."
Dory had just gotten comfortable with his head resting against her chest when she abruptly pulled away. "It's alright, I'm alright," he answered instead whilst attempting to draw her back in. He should've realized his cavalier approach to revealing his injuries would startle her; he was only trying to keep their evening calm and quiet. "I'm alright." Dory stated again, this time more firmly and with a small smile.
The burns hadn't hurt much until he sobered up, by which point he was more consumed with the guilt of seeing Maple than he was the pain of his injuries. It wasn't until he was released and at home did the stretching of the new skin appear to bother him. "I tripped and my jacket caught fire on Christmas. It was a joke, is all. A chestnut, like one of your Christmas traditions." Dory further explained.
"Next year I will." He chuckled before pressing a kiss to the top of her head. Then again, if they were to ever act on the small box he'd left on her bed then he'd have to celebrate Christmas again sooner or later. He hardly expected Winnie to convert and he most certainly wouldn't. Dory wasn't the most devout member of his family but he was attached to the traditions enough to not wish to abandon them.
He sat further back to allow her more room to explore. "My arm and leg got the worst of it. There was a particularly nasty patch on my ribs, too. It could've been worse though, I was lucky that the mediwitch was well trained." Dory explained. Calling Maple the mediwitch felt wrong on multiple levels, but that was all she was to him now. A mediwitch. Not someone he'd grown to care for in a short amount of time.
"It should," he easily answered despite the tension that seemingly began to settle in between them. Dory truly ought to have shared the news with her, should have allowed her the chance to support him while he was injured instead of allowing her to be caught unaware. But, if he had Dory might have began talking about Maple as a woman instead of the mediwitch, and Dory would be lying to himself if he believed Winnie wouldn't run.
After all, Dory couldn't think of an easier out for her than I loved another woman and nearly got her pregnant.' Knowing Winnie, she'd probably tell him to go get her back then. Her words wouldn't be malicious either, but ones of genuine sincerity. There was another woman that Dory would have married, one unafraid of the commitment that came with it. An easy out.
Was it lying then to not tell her of Maple? They both slept around so casually and shared the details only infrequently. Had his display with the ring changed the rules? Would she leave if she found out on her own? Sighing, Dory shifted beneath her and reached for her hand. She deserved the truth, especially when he considered how intensely jealous he'd been about Gus (how jealous he still was about Gus.) "I knew her, the mediwitch." Dory stated finally, his discomfort obvious.
There was a long pause during which Dory struggled to figure out how to launch into an explanation of who Maple was. He could say how he didn't expect to care for her as intensely as he had, or that he would have married her with or without the pregnancy. He could detail out how their friendship had so abruptly changed into more, but all of it felt invasive and uncomfortable to share. Dory didn't even know if he could say her name aloud without a twisting feeling of guilt.
He had to share something now that he'd brought the subject to light. Winnie had graciously allowed the subject to go unaddressed for months - if he were to turn and hide from it now she might have a second reason to run. Only, it wouldn't be running, it'd be Dory shoving her out the door due to his own issues. He had to tell her something.
"We were friends for a bit. It uh - it got complicated at the end." He eventually offered, his gaze glued to the floorboards.
He was stalling and the effects of it were weighing down the room heavier than it likely would have if he'd been honest all at once. His reluctance to share betrayed the significance of Maple whilst allowing Winnie to infer whatever random details she might have imagined. They never used to share details like this, it never used to matter. But everything had changed last year - or, fall of 1891 rather.
"She thought she was pregnant last summer," Dory confessed while Winnie's back was to him. "She wasn't, but for a few days I was caught up in the chaos of it all." He had to tell her he intended to marry Maple, had to betray the fact that would likely make her run.
He couldn't bring himself to say it. Not yet. "I didn't expect to see her again on Christmas, is all."
Dory took only a short sip of the champage before placing the glass gently on the table between them, using the change of position to sit forward with his elbows on his knees. Champagne was a celebratory drink, one she brought over with the intention of seeing in the New Year together. He couldn't bring himself to hold onto the glass knowing she was likely to leave in just a few minutes. Besides, a conversation like this called for something stronger — something to numb the pain and force courageous confessions. And yet, he sat staring at the bubbles instead and wishing he could cling to dishonesty forevermore.
"I know." He sighed, because he knew just as well as she how fragile the thing between them was now. Months — no, years — of miscommunication, confusion and frustration had led to them dancing along the edge of a cliff where one misstep would spell their doom. Perhaps it would be better to keep her in the dark, to not confess to nearly eloping with Maple, to not announcing that the ring (which was bought and intended for Winnie since the beginning) had briefly found a different owner. Perhaps the dishonesty was kinder in a sense, for some truths were just not meant to be shared.
"Do you want to know?" He asked, now looking up at her.