Taken away

Chase laughed lightly. Fauve was sitting chatting wildly about what she and Calvin had done that day, as Chase brushed through her hair. "How many band-aid's did you go through?" She asked lightly, pulling the girl's hair into a pony and securing it with a hair tie and a ribbon. "Oh a ton! He kept tripping all over the place he was so excited! Then we went for ice cream, and it was awesome! Thierry even enjoyed it didn't you Thierry!" Fauve said and looked over at Thierry, who was sitting on the floor in the hallway with a book. "Yeah.. it was fun.." he muttered, and looked back down at the book that was in his lap. He would never admit to actually listening to them, but he had enjoyed it, and he was enjoying their conversation. He was a quiet kid who loved to read, and him and Reid got along quite well.

"Mama, I think Kitty is crying.." Fauve said suddenly and looked at the door. Chase listened hard, and then laughed. Fauve was always able to pick up when Kitty was crying, even across the house, over Calvin's voice, and Reid's video games. Chase nodded and moved to the bathroom door. "Alright, I'll go get her, stay here." She said smiling, she past the front room, where Calvin was out on the couch, snoring lightly. She passed Reid's room, where he was snoring from behind his door, to the room her and the kids shared, what was once Calvin's room, and was now made to hold Kitty's crib, and two extra beds. It was cramped, but it made for a great bed jumping party when it was raining out.

Chase went to Kitty's crib and picked her up gently. "Shh.. shhhh it's alright, what's wrong love? You've already eaten and you aren't stinky.." She said shaking her head and holding onto her baby. The product of love, well.. love wasn't really involved in this miracle, but she loved her like there had been. She had been an accident, and now her parents no longer talked.. but Katherine was loved all the same. Suddenly the doorbell rung. "Who could that be?" She asked softly, keeping Katherine in her arms, she left the room and went to the front door, opening it and smiling. "Hello.."

Khaat hated having to do this task. She deeply loved Chase. She had no desire to hurt her. She hadn't seen her since, perhaps, the holidays. Chase was about to be shocked by seeing Khaat being massively pregnant. Khaat hadn't told her. She felt bad about that., but she knew Chase had difficulties of her own and she had not wanted to burden her. And now, she regretted she had ever let that distance happen. If she were Chase, she would not believe, in the least, that she was still loved.

She had changed, deliberately, into black leggings and a beautiful crisp blue and white printed maternity tunic top, with some slide on flats. She was not going to go see Chase dressed in her work clothes designed to command respect. Chase was too much like her own daughter to not think about every detail of this. She was sorry that things had not worked out between Chase and Eli. She had so much wanted that to work for both of them. And Eli--she hadn't seen him for months. In every way, this hurt.

"Chase?" Khaat asked gently. There was no way...no way under creation...to break this sort of news gently or without causing her pain. "I...am sorry its been so long, but I really do need to talk to you. Its important."

Chase gasped upon seeing Khaat. "Oh! I... hi.." She said, shocked and confused all at the same time. Khaat was pregnant... wonderfully pregnant! Her stomach looked like she was nearly 7 months.. but.. that couldn't be.. she hadn't been when she had seen her last.. Chase bit her lower lip and opened the door a bit wider for Khaat to come in. "Sorry.. the place is a mess... and... the boys are sleeping.. boys as in Reid and Calvin.. here.. lets go into.. my room." She said and glanced into her room. "I erm.. so.. what do I owe this pleasure?" She asked unable to keep her eyes off of the mound that was Khaat's belly. Why hadn't she told her before? She did still like her didn't.. she had spent a long time at Khaat's house! Helped with the kids, been helped with her pregnancy.. and now.. it had been months.. and Khaat was pregnant, and Chase hadn't even known. Chase set Kitty down in her crib, deliberately turning her back on Khaat."You said it was important?" She asked, surprised at how hard her voice sounded as she tucked in Katherine.

Turning around she leaned on the edge of the crib, taking in the look of Khaat. She was dressed comfortably, as though she had just decided to pop in.. but Chase could sense that there was something really bad that was going to happen, it wasn't often that Katherine woke up for no reason after she had been put to bed, and usually it was right before something bad happened... Reid's tv died, something caught on fire in the kitchen.. Kitty was just able to tell when something bad was going to happen.. and it was always when she had been put to bed, or was sitting happily, and suddenly she would cry. Chase bit her lower lip and glanced around the room. It was crowded, and messy, clothes littered what little floor space you could see around the mattresses on the floor. Chase took out her wand, and waved it, causing the clothes to all fly into the hamper. She blushed hard. "We do our laundry tomorrow.. so it hasn't been cleaned up.. lately.." She said her eyes lowering.

Why did she feel as though she had done something really.. really bad...

"Your place is fine," she smiled. "That's what happens when you have a lot of people in the house. In this case, it looks like people having fun. Its all good." Khaat sat down, still not liking how awkward it was for her to sit. "I"m sorry I haven't told you about this before either, but believe it or not, we're not quite 5 months into this. We have another four months to go, if Daddy lets it go that long. Brian's being a little protective." She laughed. The truth was that Brian was a lot protective.

"Chase, I am so very sorry that it did not work out for you and Eli. Is that Kitty? She's so beautiful. What a treasure she is. There is no easy way to say this, but your adoption of Fauve and Thierry is not legal for a multitude of reasons. For now, we have to shift who has legal custody of them." She paused to let Chase take in what she was sayiing.

Chase nodded and looked at Khaat as she sat down, moving around her belly awkwardly, it was oddly big.. was she expecting more then one? "Five months? You've gotta be kidding me.. I didn't even get that big in my 9.." She said staring at her stomach. "Are you expecting twins?" She looked at Khaat, but felt like something was really going down.. "Oh yeah.. I forgot you never met her.. did you?" She asked and then picked up the sleeping form, sitting down next to Khaat. She held Kitty comfortably, finally used to holding her like she needed to be held, used to the way a mother held her child. Chase sat down and listened to Khaat say something about legalities. Chase frowned. "And? They are still staying here.." She said and looked back at Kitty. "They had no legal guardians on file.. and I adopted them.. they are mine.." She said without so much as a flinch. "In fact.. the person was really shocked because they couldn't dig up any documents on them.. probably because Elijah took them from the streets.. they wouldn't have any papers would they?" She asked shaking her head.

"No... they are mine alright, I've adopted them, and they are mine..." She nodded as though that settled the matter. Looking down at Kitty, she smiled and smoothed the hair from her head. It was growing in, redder by the day, a little fuzz on the top of her head, that was so soft, Kitty was soft everywhere, a baby was always soft, they smelt good too.. Even when she was stinky.. it wasn't that bad.. not as bad as people on the movies make it out to be.. They made it look like it smelt horrible. She leaned forward and laid a kiss on Kitty's head, inhaling deeply the soft scent of baby.

"Those were muggle courts," Khaat said softly. "You're a citizen of the wizarding world. That takes precedence. You have a guardian. You are not legally allowed to sign anything. And in the muggle world, you have to be 18 to be considered an adult. You could not have legally adopted in either world at the age you were. You could not adopt. You could not adopt without my permission. Neither adoption is legal. It never really was."

Then she had to drop the other shoe. "The ministry has had no choice. It has notified the muggle government of your situation. The adoptions have been overturned and nullified. Their guardianship has been given to me because I am already Eli's guardian. By wizarding law, that makes the children my responsibility too. Chase, you never had any legal right to them at all. I am so sorry. I know how much you love them. I don't know what happened between you and Eli, but I have no choice. I have to take Fauve and Thierry with me. I'm sorry."

Chase stared straight ahead, tears slowly filling her eyes. She was taking them away... but.. but Viktor.. Viktor had said she could keep them if he knew where they were! It was supposed to be all good! It was supposed to work out! Everything was supposed to work out! Small tears pearled in her eyes, and she stood up suddenly, putting Katherine in her crib. She stood there, holding onto the crib gate, staring down at her daughter. "Does that mean Katherine too?" She asked softly. "I won't let you take her.. I'll fight you for Katherine." She said softly, still not turning around, staring down at her child. She smoothed the soft hair on her head, and one hand clenched the crib gate so hard her fingers were turning white. Small tears dripped down onto the bed beside Katherine, and Chase didn't bother wiping them away.

"So what.. just because I have no legal rights.. means I have to give them up is that it? Legal rights.. who needs them?! Elijah breaks every law there is.. but I don't see you sending him to jail! He shouldn't even have those kids! But there he is... taking them from me when I only want what's best for them.. I want them away from HIM, away from his father.. away from them all! I want to help them! What does Elijah want with them? He wants them because that's just what he wants, and Elijah gets whatever he wants!" Chase slid down to the floor next to the crib, her hands clutching the bars above her, her face hidden from view.

"Money gets you anything they say... well I've decided that's wrong.. family gets you everything.. if you want something.. just complain to your father.. he'll get it for you just fine and dandy.." She gasped, and a small sob racked her body. They were taking them... taking them away from her.. away from her... she had saved them.. taught some important aspects to them... thought they were hers.. and then... they were taking them. That damn Krum family.

"No... don't.. don't talk to me.. just take them... just go.. leave this house Khaat, I may not have rights to those children, but this is my property as well! I do help with the food, and rent and I am partial owner.. get out." She whispered the last words, and turned her face away from Khaat, still on the floor by the crib, only her hands had moved to her lap, staring down at them, unable to move from her spot, knowing Khaat was going to take them. "GO!" She nearly shouted and pointed her wand at the closet, a suitcase filled with their clothes, and a teddy bear sprang up from behind a mattress, landing on top of the luggage. Another loud bang announced that the front door had been thrown open. "Leave..."

Khaat motioned the suitcase and the bear to follow her. She got up and went to the door of the bedroom. "I have no intention of taking Kitty. You're her mother. Eli has a right to Fauve and Thierry. He's their father. That does make a difference. Money has nothing to do with it. And, if you heard me, right now he doesn't have them either. I do. Lose your hatred, Chase. Hating the Krums won't bring back what you wish you could have had with Eli. You knew what he was when you got involved with him. I wish he could have changed for you too, but wishing doesn't make it so. I will leave, but the door to my house is still open to you. It always has been."

She left the room and found Fauve and Thierry in the living room. They both looked up at her, curious. "Thierry, take hold of the suitcase, please. Fauve, would you grab the bear?" They seemed to enjoy just plucking things out of the air. Khaat took each of them by the hand and apparated away with them before Chase could make a scene. She wished Chase would have been able to see beyond herself to at least say goodbye to them, but it was understandable. It broke Khaat's heart. For herself, she didn't have Eli, and she didn't have Chase either.

There was a crack and Chase knew they were gone. Khaat hadn't even told them why.. or where they were going, just left with them.. Chase felt the tears flow down her face. Khaat was right.. she hated them because she wanted Elijah back.. she wanted what they had before.. she wanted to go back in time.. and this time trust him when he said it was nothing. Listened to what had actually happened. It had just hurt so bad.. she had survived from near death... was slowly getting better, was happy for the first time in a LONG time. But then... that had happened.. and she over reacted.. and now... now she wished she could take it all back.. she wanted him back, and it broke her heart ten times over, worse then it broke when she had seen him where he was.

Calvin couldn't know... he couldn't.. he couldn't see her like this... Carefully, she picked herself up, and wiped her eyes. Katherine was still asleep, and she stroked her hair before she left the room. Calvin seemed to be still asleep, but she didn't want to take chances, she tiptoed into the bathroom, and started to gather up her bathroom supplies, the diapers, the clothes in here. She went into her room, and packed up her stuff in there.

She couldn't believe she was doing this.. she couldn't do it.. she stopped mid pack, and stared straight ahead. No.. she had to.. so she continued, and got Katherine's stuff packed up too. After one last look around the apartment, she quickly grabbed a pad of paper and wrote a note on it.

"Calvin,
They took the kids.... Fauve and Thierry....Khaat came and took them.. I can't.. I can't stay... I'm going to get a house on my own.. please don't hate me! I have to go... I'll send you my address when I have one."

She posted it on the fridge next to a picture Fauve had drawn of Calvin and Luigi. She wiped her eyes and grabbed her bag and left. Leaving out the front door, she closed it softly, and left the apartment building, heading out for the night with her baby, and things, no longer with a family, just her and her little baby.