Checking out

Chase stared at the glass of water with a sick look on her face. "Potions... potions... I won't take it! I won't.." Chase whimpered loudly and stared at Angus, her whole body trembling. Chase reached up and started to scratch at her throat again. "Potions... potions... they hurt... burn... it hurts.." She whimpered, feeling the real pain of hunger gnawing at her stomach, while the imaginary pains of a liquid fire burnt down her throat. "Potions... they hurt.. he made him Angus, please don't make me take it.. please... I won't.. I won't take it." She covered her hands with her mouth, and stared at him, knowing it was bad, knowing that it was probably a good potion, but she couldn't take it. The imaginary pain was to much and she found herself standing up off the couch and going into the kitchen.

"I can't take that potion Angus.." She stood in the corner, arms around her stomach, staring at him like an animal trapped in a cage. "I can't take the potion... I can't... I can't.. I can't.." She shook her head, her arms wrapping around her stomach. "Last time I was given a potion in water... My stomach turned inside out! Fire burned through my veins for hours! I cannot take a potion like that again! I can't do it Angus!" She sobbed, tears filling her eyes. "Please... don't make me take it.. just... food.. I need food.. and time.. I need lots of time." She looked at him and whimpered, pushing herself into the corner to get as far from him as possible.

He quietly picked up the potions bottle and put it back in his bag.

"This is your home. Not mine," he said softly. "I can't stay where I'm not welcome, and if you're going to hide from me in your own home, then I've overstayed my welcome." He went to the kitchen and quietly cleaned up the pot of cocoa and whipped cream made the remnants disapparate. He tossed his own cup of cocoa down the drain, washed the dishes and put them away where they belonged. He wouldn't leave her a mess to deal with on top of it. He moved the glass of potion to the kitchen counter but didn't throw it out. He wanted to leave her an alternative, although he didn't believe there was any hope she'd actually do anything to help herself. Not really.

"Look," he said. "You're home. You're safe. Since you feel safer with Reid and Calvin than anyone else, and it sounds like you're confident they'll be home soon, I clearly do need to go. Take care of yourself, Chase. I told you how to find me and you're always welcome to do that...." As he spoke he heard the clear sound of thunder and the start of a serious thunderstorm. He picked up the bag and walked to the front door. "Good luck, Chase." He opened the door and saw that the heavens had seemed to open with one of the worst storms he had seen all season. "Damn," he sighed, looking out the front door.

Chase watched him stop, and put the potion away, and she stared at him as suddenly it started to storm outside. "I'm sorry, Angus... I'm sorry, I'm so scared... I'm so scared... Please don't leave.. please? I don't want to be left alone until they get here... please... don't leave me! Please.." Chase gasped and found herself stumbling towards him, grabbing his arm. When the thunder sounded she jumped so hard she nearly fell over. "Angus.. please..." She whispered, looking up at him. "I don't know what to do... what if I'm not ready yet? What if... what if I let everyone down? What if I let Khaat down.. and you down.. and Brian.. and Calvin.. and Reid.. and Katie.." Chase was near tears as she clung to his sleeve desperately.

"Angus.. I'm so scared.. please.." She whispered and her legs gave out, she fell down to the floor, and held onto his hand, tears falling down her cheeks. "Angus... I really just need someone right now... I know I'm really tense.. and I look like I won't change.. but... I'm trying.. it just scares me so much.. I'm fighting so hard to make you happy... I am.. I swear.." Chase whispered and looked up at him, jumping at another clap of thunder, before she sat back on her heels and broke down completely, hiding her face with her hands and sobbing softly.

He paused, hesitating. He was silently cursing himself for caring, for letting it really matter to him that she wasnt' sitting at home by herself curled up in a ball until the ones she believed were her family got there. As much as he didn't like being just a substitute, he really didn't know how to help her, and yet, he didn't feel like he could go either. He closed the door. "Alright. I'll stay awhile. I didn't bring my raincoat anyway. Pull yourself together. Try just going and sitting and doing something that redirects your thinking. A magazine. A book. Photographs. Play with the cat. Anything that keeps your thoughts off the negative stuff.

"What-if'fing yourself never will get you anywhere. That's merely fear of the future. That's fear of an illusion. Some concept you have in your head that isn't real yet. You just imagine that it will be. And that never is of any real use. 99% of the stuff we're afraid of in the future never happens, and since its out of our control, there's no point in being afraid of anything that we can do nothing about.

"No point in being afraid of the past because its come and gone and can't hurt you any longer. that's merely a concept in your head of a memory and how you think and feel about it. It can't hurt you unless you let it. And since that only leaves you the option of being afraid of those things you can change, I don't see much sense in being afraid of that either. I don't see much of a purpose in fear at all, actually.

"But I'm not the one you need to please. You only need to please yourself. Not me. Khaat and Brian aren't going to think less of you. You' aren't going to let them down. And I doubt you'll let down Reid or Katie or Calvin either. They sound like they're pretty dedicated to you.

"Need a hand up off the floor?" he asked her quietly, setting his bag back down again. He reached his hand down to her to help her up if she wanted it.

It had come as quite the surprise; receiving a message by owl, informing Calvin that Chase was to be escorted home by a brother that he had never known Chase had. In fact, it came as such a surprise to the young man, that his first assumption had been that Chase had been kidnapped once more, and that the letter was the doing of a particularly cruel Death Eater.

Calvin never had been one to suspect such pessimistic things – that had always been Reid’s mentality, not Calvin’s – but it was a well known fact that Chase and strangers did not mix well. And it was this truth that had led Calvin to think so negatively; to stray so far from his usual outlook.

As a result, it was with trembling fingers that Calvin pulled open the front door of his shared apartment. For all that Calvin knew of the situation – which was, admittedly, nothing at all; other than what little had been stated in the letter that he had been sent – an evil villain could very well have hidden within his home, and prepared to spring out from behind the door...

Calvin stepped inside the flat, and immediately, he screamed at the sight of an unfamiliar face.

Chase had just taken Angus's hand to stand up when suddenly there was a scream from the front door, and Chase flew to her feet, and spun around to face an extremely familiar face. "Calvin." She whispered, and suddenly tears sprung to her eyes again. "Calvin.... oh Calvin.. it's you!" She suddenly flung herself down the hallway, tripping on the folded carpet, and rushing him, her arms circling his ribcage, her face buried in his chest. "Calvin! It's me!! It's me! I'm home!" Chase gasped and held onto him tightly. Suddenly she pulled away and looked up at him. "OH! This is Angus.. he's not actually my brother.. he's.. well he's kinda my adopted brother.. he's like... a friend... " She said lamely before hugging him again.

"I've missed you so much Calvin... Where is Katie? Is Reid coming? I'm sorry I came home early... I know you had a surprise waiting.. and I'm.. I'm sorry, I just... I had some problems, at the Hospital.. waiting, and Angus showed up.. and took me home.. and.. Oh Calvin. "Chase said, her voice hoarse, and cracking, her body so think she felt like she could just fly away, her grip on him was weak, but the emotion was strong. She wasn't well, and she needed food, real food, in her, or she may just starve to death. Her own emotions had blasted away the hunger pains again, and now she stood there, clinging to Calvin for dear life like he was a rock she had to hold onto in the middle of a turbulent sea.

So startled the lad had been that his scream had lingered for a moment, even after Chase had wrapped him in a hug. With wide eyes, Calvin returned Chase’s affection, folding his gangly around her. He held her close as she explained who the intruder that he’d continued to eye suspiciously, was. And as the truth sank in – the fact that Chase was in no immediate danger – a brilliant shade of red crept across Calvin’s cheeks. Immediately, he felt as though he owed the fellow an apology for having jumped to such wild conclusions.

Calvin planted a gentle kiss atop Chase’s head before speaking. “Sorry, sir.” He regarded Angus hesitantly, as though he expected the man to lash out at him for his mistake.

“Katie is fine. Reid is with her,” he explained. Calvin took a step backward, and held her at an arm’s length so to meet her eyes. “You are OK, though, right?” he inquired, feeling concerned at the mention of having run into trouble at the hospital. No matter the festivities that Calvin had previously had in mind; there were things of far more importance. Such as Chase's well being, which had been the reason behind Calvin's plan from the start.

Chase looked at him when he held her at arm's length. Her hand wrapped around his arm, and she searched his face hungrily, taking in every detail, the color of his eyes, his lips, his cheekbones. Everything was there, he wasn't hurt, he was with her... he held her, and she looked up at him, wanting nothing more for him to take her into his arms again and never let go. "I'm okay." She whispered, and glanced back at Angus. "But I am not going to St. Mungos any time soon." She said frowning, and glancing down at herself. "Do we have any soup... or something... light that I can eat Calvin? I'm... starving." She picked the word carefully, and she couldn't help but realize that she actually was, and it brought back memories, memories that were from so long ago, and yet so fresh in her mind.

Kicked out of her home, living with a boyfriend, only this boyfriend was nothing like Calvin, oh no.. he was angry, and abusive. He had left her out to die in an alleyway, and a friend had found her to take her home. She was just about as skinny as she was now, only a lot worse, because she had bruises all of her body, her hair was a tangled, dirty mess, her eyes were sunken in, and she had been in the worst state of her life. But that feeling of hunger... it wasn't something you forgot easily.. her mind had blocked the feeling for the most part, pain you remember as being not as bad as it actually was. But it was still fresh, and now she felt it again, and she wanted nothing more then to stuff her face, but she had to take things slowly, so it wouldn't be to bad on her body. Chase moved into Calvin's arms again, standing on tip toe to kiss his cheek, as she smiled at him. "I'm home Calvin.." She whispered and rested her head on his chest, circling her arms around him and hugging him as hard as she dared.

"Its nice to meet you, Calvin," Angus said. He picked up his shoulder bag again. He was clearly the third wheel now. "I..work for Chase's family. That's how we met, anyway. But--Idon't want to overstay my welcome here. Chase, I'm glad I could see you home safely, but I really do need to get these medical supplies back to your mother now. Thank you for staying with me while Hannah bandaged me up. That was kind of you. Calvin, take good care of her. She knows now how to reach us. We're...on a holiday of sorts and we're not home. Chase knows how to reach us if she needs us. It might be nice if she shared that with you in case either of you need some additional help. I am sorry we werent' there for her like we should have been. We just honestly didn't know. At any rate, send an owl or let Chase show you how to reach us if you r she need our help." He stroked Chase's hair softly. "Take care of yourself. And stay in touch. And no matter what other people are going to say about us in the near future, dont believe them. You know we loe you. And you know what we stand for. Don't lose sight of that, huh? I really dont' want to lose you again out of my life."

“You too. Thank you for helping Chase,” Calvin replied. He smiled in Angus’ direction, so to express his gratitude towards the man, before addressing the question he’d been asked.

Calvin pulled Chase towards himself once more, and gave her another hug for good measure, as though he believed that she may disappear from view at any moment. “You're hungry? I don’t have any food here, unless you want pancakes. But I have to go get Reid and Katie anyway. You wanna come with me? I could get you something to eat? Or, if you wanna stay here,” Calvin offered. He had not yet decided whether or not he felt comfortable leaving Chase on her own, after everything that had occurred in the past – everything that she had been forced to go through. However, he was well aware of the fact that he was incapable of insisting that Chase do anything. She always had been the one in charge, after all.

Calvin inhaled slowly. His previous panic had left him feeling shaken, and he was having difficulty returning his heart rate to its usual pace. But as the flesh of his cheek was met with Chase’s gentle kiss, Calvin relaxed remarkably. “You're home…” he echoed quietly, his eyes locked with hers. His grin widened until the corners of his lips met with his ears. “Stay for a while this time, please,” he pleaded. As he spoke, Calvin’s eyebrows inched upward, and he tilted his head off to one side; telltale signs that he hadn’t been joking when he’d asked Chase to stick around. He was truly begging.

He met eyes with Angus, and nodded in agreement. “Sure! We will come to you if we need help.”

“Thank you, sir,” Calvin added.