Rising Shadows

Emily didn't know what was happening to her life. She couldn't understand how everything had crumbled around her so suddenly, and now she felt trapped in a nightmare even during her every waking moment. She spent more and more time in her lab, working late and just sitting at her desk when she had nothing left to do because she dreaded going home.

Percy showed up for work sporadically over the two weeks following his drinking binge. Emily said nothing when he walked in, just watched him warily out of the corner of her eye as he started rummaging through his tools and scattered machine parts. She was still shaken from his recent behavior; especially him flinging the protection charm out the window. She didn't know what could be causing his bizarre attitude as of late, and she had an almost paralyzing fear that he was regretting ever marrying her. Maybe he resented her for it.

Emily rose from her desk and went upstairs to Percy's old apartment over the lab. She'd been storing some things there now that he lived with her. She was looking for some small clockwork gears when the door banged open loudly behind her, making her jump. She whirled to see Percy standing in the doorway, eyes dark.

"What are you doing in here?" he demanded.

"I'm looking for some parts I kept in a drawer here. Percy, for God's sake. What's gotten into you?"

"Get out of here," he said flatly. "This was my room and I don't want you snooping around."

Emily recoiled slightly but felt an angry flush rise in her cheeks. "I will not," she said. "This is part of my lab. I'll leave when I find the parts."

"You shouldn't even be here, working as an inventor." He looked mildly disgusted and Emily felt like she'd been punched in the chest.

"You should be at home, acting like a woman and a wife and not pretending to be something you're not."

"How dare you," Emily said, her voice a choked whisper. She didn't know whether she wanted to cry or throw things at him. What was happening to him? This wasn't her Percy at all. He would never say something so horrible to her.

"If you don't like it then just go home and let me work in peace," she said around the lump in her throat.

"I'll go home when I'm ready to go home," Percy spat. "I don't take orders from you." He spun on his heel and marched back down the stairs. She heard the door of the lab slam shut and then she sank to her knees and burst into tears. She had tried to chalk Percy's behavior up to a bad mood or not sleeping well but she knew it had to be something else. It was like he was becoming a completely different person. Even when she had first met him aboard the Silver Spirit and he had been a stranger and a fearsome pirate he had never been truly cruel to her, and she had never been frightened of him. Like she had told him before, she had sensed goodness in him.

Now it was like everything that made him Percy was vanishing. He wasn't the shy, sweet man she had fallen in love with. He was like a stranger, and Emily had never felt so helpless in her entire life. She wound up crying herself to sleep on the floor of the apartment and night had started to fall when she awoke. She dragged herself wearily to her feet, her neck and shoulders stiff. As she descended the stairs she heard someone knocking at the door. She quickly wiped the tear tracks off her face and smoothed her rumpled dress before opening the door.

"Cat?" She blinked in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to ask if everything was all right. Percy has been at the tavern for a little while. He doesn't seem to be getting completely buggered but it still worries me. I know we're not exactly the best of friends, but we women need to look out for each other. So, are you okay?"

"Of course I am." The lie came out automatically and she was glad her voice didn't waver and give her away. Cat looked skeptical though.

"I told Percy to go relax. I had a lot of work left to do that he can't really help me with, so there was no point in him staying here all night," Emily said smoothly.

"I see. Well, glad to hear you're okay. If you ever need our help, Luke and I will do what we can. Good night, Emily."

"Cat?" Emily called as Cat turned away.

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

Cat gave her a small smile before striding briskly up the street. Emily closed the door and leaned against it, massaging her temples. Cat and Luke were bound to notice something was off about Percy, but until Emily figured out what was going on she didn't feel like discussing it with anyone. She arrived home around midnight, feeling relieved that Percy wasn't in the kitchen or parlor. Then she felt like crying all over again, because she was relieved her husband wasn't home. She went up to the bedroom, curling up in the chair beside the window instead of climbing into the empty bed.

Percy came home sometime later, falling into bed without a word to her. Unable to get much sleep, Emily rose long before him and told Nora and Francine that after they helped her get ready for dinner with her family that night, they could take a few paid days off. They watched her with worried eyes.

"Is this about Mr. Everett?" Nora whispered. "I've noticed he hasn't exactly been acting like himself."

"Please don't tell anyone," Emily said. "Mr. Everett is not well right now."

"Are you going to be all right, Miss Emily? Here alone for a few days?"

"Yes, I'll be fine. Don't worry about me. You've both been working so hard lately, you deserve some time off."

Nora cinched up her corset and did her hair before bidding Emily good night and thanking her for the time off. Emily was startled to see her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes looked dull and hollow. She looked haunted, which she supposed was fitting. Nora and Francine still shot her worried looks as they left, but Emily gave them both a reassuring smile. She passed the parlor on her way out, where Percy was sitting on the couch.

"Where are you going?" he asked, standing and leaning in the doorframe with his arms folded. He didn't even sound like himself anymore. His voice had taken on a cold, hard edge.

"I'm having dinner with the family at Edmund's house. You were invited too."

"They're your family," he snorted. "You have dinner with them."

"They're your family now too, Percy," she said quietly. He said nothing, just stared at her expressionlessly. Emily supposed with the way he'd been acting, it was probably best to keep him away from her brothers anyway.

"Goodnight," she whispered. She hesitated and then meekly added, "I love you."

Percy just turned away and went back into the parlor. Stung, Emily stepped out into the warm summer evening and walked to the Triggs house instead of taking a cab so she had time to clear her head and plaster on a fake smile. She was grateful her family was so large and made a huge, talkative crowd around the dining table so that she could refrain from talking much. She had told them Percy was feeling under the weather but sent his love.

When everyone retired to the parlor for games an sipping wine, Emily wandered the house and found herself in the library. She sank into the couch below the portrait of Veronica Triggs and buried her face in her hands. Eventually her family was going to realize something was wrong, and she feared what would happen if any of them confronted Percy.

"Aunt Emmie sad."

Emily raised her head, wiping her eyes. Gigi was toddling toward her in her little lavender dress. She placed her tiny hands on Emily's knee and stared up at her solemnly.

"Why Aunt Emmie sad?"

"Oh, little Gigi." Emily scooped her up and set Gigi on her lap. "Sometimes grown ups get sad for complicated reasons," she explained.

"Aunt Emmie no cry," Gigi said firmly, touching Emily's face in an effort to wipe her tears away. Emily managed a real smile this time. She bounced Gigi on her knees, making her giggle.

"Pretty lady," Gigi said suddenly, pointing.

"That's your Grandma Veronica," Emily said, looking up at the portrait again. Then she realized Gigi wasn't pointing at the portrait. She was pointing to the window seat against the far wall.

"Pretty lady," Gigi said again. "She friend."

"You see a pretty lady right now?" Emily asked.

Gigi nodded excitedly. "Pretty lady friend. She play with me."

Emily squinted towards the window seat, and if she turned her head just the right way she could almost see a shape there. That would explain why Gigi always wanted to play in the library. It wasn't the portrait she talked to. Despite her own recent ghost problems, Emily was fascinated. She'd have to come back with her spirit lenses and see if Veronica's ghost really was in the house. Gigi wriggled down from Emily's lap and bounded out of the library. She returned a few moments later with two dolls, shoving a red haired one into Emily's hands.

"Aunt Emmie play!" she declared. "Aunt Emmie not be sad."

Emily slid off the couch and sat on the floor with Gigi playing dolls and listening to Gigi jabber nonsensically. Ben found them later both curled up on the couch, sound asleep with Gigi in Emily's lap and her little head resting on her shoulder.

"Em," he said, shaking her gently.

"Hummph?" Emily lifted her head groggily.

"You should go home and go to bed," he said, amused. "Do you want me to walk you home?"

"No," she said quickly. "Just go put Gigi to bed. I'll be okay."

"Nigh nigh, Aunt Emmie," Gigi murmured sleepily as she cuddled against Ben. Ben held her in one arm and hugged Emily with the other.

"Good night, sweet Gigi." Emily kissed her forehead as Ben carried her off to bed.

"Night, Em."

"Love you, Ben." Emily glanced back toward the portrait and then at the window seat once he was gone. "Good night, Veronica," she added softly.