Second Glances, Second Chances

Robert followed David into the next room where Khaat was. He went over and checked her. She had fainted. Emotional shock. She'd been attacked by werewolves before. There was something different behind it. He sat beside her on the edge of the sofa.

"David," Robert looked up at him. "This is 2025. I do know about tweeting and social networking and internets and cell phones and television and computers. I do not live in the 1700's. As for the real world,..." he flicked his finger and shattered a glass figurine right next to David. "Is that real enough for you? I guarantee you that I could cast a spell that would make one of us bleed real blood.

"Now--I told you your electronics were not a bloody issue. We've had safeguards in place to prevent that in place for at least 25 years. Every time you lot make some stinking 'improvement', we upgrade like you do. Now settle yourself. No one expects a muggle to take care of a magical matter. How do you think I got here on a Sunday afternoon, dressed for business, with every employee I have already working on it, before you even knew that there was a problem? Believe me, it took longer to abide by your ridiculous scanners to get from the entrance to this office. I could well have been here before you knew if I had simply 'popped' in, but I do remember how you hate that. As I recall, the last time that happened, it scared the shit out of you."

He turned his attention to his daughter. He woke her. She was numb. Quiet. Not what he expected. He sat her up slowly.

"How did you find him?" he asked her.

"Our tracers. It was easy," she said flatly. "He wanted me to go inside."

"If you had, you would not have gotten out alive."

"But its all gone!..."

"Stop," he cut her off. "No. It isn't. That's why I'm Minister and you're not. We're on it. Its always a possibility. Its no less a possibility than if some student casts a spell in front of a traffic camera."

He noticed something out the window. A patronus--designed to be seen by those with magical energies and not by muggles. And then he saw a second and a third. "Some of the districts sending notices already. Its not spreading anymore, and they're starting to clean up the problem in Blackburn's neighborhood. It...looks like we might have secured Blackburn's body for transport to our own morgue."

He looked at David. "If you like, we will wait here with you so that you get every piece of news as we get it. This should not take more than a few more minutes. Our methods are not subject to your laws of science. This will be much quicker than you expect. Oh, and I can mend the figurine if you like or replace it. Your choice. Although, repairing it is a lot more fun."

David watched the two in silence after he had been scolded by the other Minister. It made him feel like a child, one reason he sometimes didn't like him coming around, especially in times of emergency. Any other time he came around, things were fine, easy, and he actually enjoyed learning about the world that the Minister lived in, but other times, he felt like a child being scolded by his father, and he had assumed he had enough of that when he left his house and pursued his Government career track.

Obviously things were more handled then he assumed, and it made him slightly more relaxed. He was at least able to not jump too badly when Robert had smashed the figurine. When Robert finally turned back to him, David nodded. "Sure thing. I would appreciate that. And yes.. please fix that figurine, it was a present..." He smiled at Robert and turned to leave the room.

---

Faith was screaming again, and her body temperature was decreasing rapidly. Which was strange because before it had spiked so sharply, and now she was shivering, her face as pale as snow. She was still unconscious and nothing they did seemed to wake her up for more then a few seconds before she was pulled back under again.

Her heart rate was slowly decreasing, and her voice was now hoarse from all of the screaming. It was like something was trying to desperately pull her into the underworld as well, but she was fighting still, with the help of Brian's healing hand, and the help of some others, including Abbey, who had at one point taken hold of her hand, like she knew the situation was grave. Moving Faith wasn't much of an option at this point either, seeing as every time she tried, Faith became deadly still, and at one point had completely stopped breathing until they had sat her down again, and then she carried on as before.

"I need Khaat here" Brian said.

"What do you need?" Angus asked.

"I need a bloody seer!" Brian barked.

"I presume I might do?" Kate came in calmly. "You need to know what holds her."

"Yes."

"I'll get my pensieve," she said, going to the room they kept in Brian's house. She brought it back out and poured water into the silver bowl and began to stir the waters with a ring she took from Khaat's jewelry box. It took her a moment but then, in response to her spell, she began to see a forest taking shape. A clearing. A figure walked out of the dark of the trees and sat on a large rock. She was a bit surprised for the spell to take her there of all places, but she smiled, trying to unravel her confusion at the unexpected vision in front of her.

"Wait..You're not Khaat," the figure spoke to her, equally confused.

"Very good," she smiled. "Its good to know that eyesight over there isn't diminished."

"What do you need?"

"I'm looking for a werewolf."

"Besides me?"

"For me to end up with you, he must be over there."

"What's his name?"

"Blackburn. I was looking for a reason for his daughter to be bewitched, but if I was brought to you, he must be there with you."

"I need a little time."

"She doesn't have long if I don't find a way to release her." The figure nodded and walked back into the trees and was gone. The vision of the forest faded again and all she saw was the water in the silver bowl again.

A summons..

He had only just got there when he was called for to talk to someone from the other side, a seer. Ted stretched and looked around him, he had always been more comfortable in his werewolf form, so here he was, a werewolf, sprawled on the ground, happy and content. But the summons was nagging on him. "Grrrr... Alright already! I'm coming.. I'm coming.." He stood up, stretched and trotted off, no idea where he was going, just going where the summons told him to go. After a while, he ran into a man, who led him the rest of the way to where he was needed. As he got closer however, he felt a strange pull, and he grinned, nearly evilly, but grinned none-the-less. His daughter was near.. and she was close to death. Good.. pain was good for her, and he understood then the reason for the summons.

--

Faith could feel the pain boiling up in her stomach, sending wave after crashing wave of mind shattering torture. Every scar ever inflicted on her hurt, every bruise ached, every painful memory resurfaced and replayed over and over in her unconscious state. It was obvious that she was holding on, but by how much was impossible to tell, especially when she started screaming again, often thrashing around on the couch, only to huddle up into a ball again and sob like a child that had had the worst possible thing taken from them, and most likely would never recover.

Kate could hear him calling her. She hadn't expected it, not this soon. She stirred the waters again and ended up back in the forest. And Remus had a..wait...a werewolf with him. More of the Fenrir philosophy, she decided.

"Is that him?" she asked.

"Yes," Remus said, feeling disgusted. Blackburn's dark energies revolted him.

"Blackburn," Kate said, "let her go. It will do you no good. It will all end up in vain. You don't understand how this works. You kept her captive in life, but in death, you cannot keep her. The fabric of the veil itself does not allow it. "

"Since you're new, let me give you the basics of how this works, "he looked directly at Blackburn. "You might succeed in keeping a hold on her mind enough that it physically kills her," he continued. "But...her body does you no good here. Relationships...they don't work like that here. That part of life is over when you lose your physical body. And if she dies, whatever you've done to hold onto her mind, she's freed from that because whatever you've done affects her physical form. At best, all you'll do is drive her insane. And when she gets here and realizes what you did to her her entire life, she'll hate you for all of eternity. And---here's the upside to it," he paused and looked at him. "She'll get ot pursue you for all of eternity because you won't have any power over her anymore for the first time in her entire existance. How do you think she'll react to knowing you duped her every moment she breathed? Think about it. Eternity is an awfully long time."

Ted was laughing, though it was an odd laugh, a wolf's laugh, he was laughing. "You honestly believe I would kill my daughter? No.. she will not die from this.. she might go insane.. but I planned on her being stronger then that.. She will survive.. if just barely." he smirked and sat down, looking up at the face of Kate feeling rather small, but not showing it. "Eternity is a long time.. but remember.. she thinks I am the picture of a perfect dad.. she does not know any better... she is in pain.. yes. but it will pass.. leave her alone, and keep pleasant thoughts of me in her head.. do not let her know how horrible I am.. and she will live without pain for the rest of her life." He laughed again.

"Tell her what a bad man I was.. tell her how truly evil I am.. and the pain will come back.. in fact.. with each time the pain comes back.. it will hurt worse then before.. if in a shorter time.. do not let her know of my evil.. and she will be pain free for the rest of her life." Ted stood back up. "I've been feeding her potions, and putting spells on her since the day she was born. She heals slowly, so watch out for any nicks or cuts on her.. treat them well, for no matter how much you heal them, they reopen.. You get Miss Pretty Healer lady, and even all of the spells you do.. the pain will last, I've spent my whole life figuring out how to do that.. so enjoy it. She has 15 years of layer upon layer of spells and potions on her.. it's so much apart of her that even though she won't be getting the potions anymore, and the spells won't be renewed, it will last until the day she dies."

Ted laughed again. "Have fun with her... don't let her know I am evil.. and watch her injuries closely.. I'd look at that cigarette burn by the way.. I can smell it from here.. and it's going to get infected if you don't treat it again.. she's forgot its there.. but it's there, it'll resurface tomorrow night." He laughed again, and shook his head. "Do not try to tell her.. and do not try to break the spells.. because that WILL kill her.. I've made sure of that.. a slow, painful death, where she will make sure you know it was HER Fault for doing it.. let her live in peace, with happy images of me in her head.. and all will be well."

Ted smiled again, turned on his heel, and trotted off back into the woods.

He watched Blackburn walk back into the woods. He looked at Kate. There was silence between them for a long moment.

"Is there a chance?" Kate asked.

"I don't know of one," he said to her softly. "Not over there."

"Oh,, surely not!" Kate said softly.

"Consult with Robert if you like," he said. "It will turn out the same, I think. I would do it quickly if I were you. What else can you do?"

"I don't know," she sighed.

"Go," he nodded. The vision faded. She looked at Brian and at Faith. Brian looked up at Kate. No words passed between them. Blackburn was only giving them one way to free her of him. Whatever he had told Kate kept her prisoner to him. If she lived. If there was only one way to free her from him, then so be it. But he wasn't prepared to do it. And it didn't look like Kate was either. Not yet. He would not do anything more until he talked with Robert.

Faith let out yet another howl of pain from the couch, and she was gasping, her fingers pulling hard at her clothes over her stomach. "Make it stop... please.." Faith slowly opened her eyes and looked over at Brian. "Please.. it hurts.. it hurts.." She whimpered. She was awake now, and the pain intensified, her body was rigid, her fingers pulling at her stomach over and over again. At one point, she even tore her shirt, and left long scratch marks against her skin. She hadn't been conscious for long, and hadn't heard what her father had said, which was lucky, because it may have killed her.

"He's dead.. he's dead.. they killed my poor father..." She whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks, before another fresh wave of pain flung through her body, making her go rigid, and eventually she passed out again, her head laid down against the arm of the couch, her fingers still working at her skin, making the tear in her shirt larger as she scratched, blood springing up beneath her fingertips. The world of pain she felt was to unbearable, and she drifted in and out of being, her mind trying to shut out the pain, while she fought for a hold of her body. Her teeth were gritted, and then, just as suddenly as she passed out before, she went completely limp, a small smile flitted onto her face, and she collapsed against the pillows, swearing, her body temperature rising to above normal, and sweat springing up on her forehead. "Papa.." She whispered, and curled up, completely exhausted, and fell into a deep, deep sleep.

They took some distance from her, letting her sleep. They were debating what to do when Robert brought Khaat home. Robert seemed to have resolved whatever emergency that had superceded everything else. But Khaat---she didn't even seem to be quite 'home.' She looked dull, glazed over. Not herself. Brian looked at Robert.

"Tell me about Faith," Robert asked. Kate and Brian slowly updated him.

"You have two solutions," Khaat said in a dull monotone. "Oblivate her. And then there is the last resort if the obliviate does not work."

"And," Robert said, "there is a third. Just let her go. Let her mind tell her whatever little fantasy she likes for now."

"And how does that work?" Kate frowned.

"I have no idea," he said. "But sometimes the best thing to do is nothing. But if it does come to the last resort, we will do our best to make sure there is not any pain or fear as best we can manage."

"Khaat?" Brian asked, knowing she was the legal custodian as much as he was.

"I have no idea," Khaat said, unable to deal, unable to choose to 'kill Chase again.' She was quickly resolving she would not ask to be a guardian of one more child, not one more time. All it did was bring death on the children she tried to help. She turned and simply walked away and went upstairs in numbed silence.

Faith found herself waking up to the sound of people talking. She had fallen into a deep sleep for only a few moments, and then she was up again. Her eyes opened to the site of Khaat walking up the stairs, and she slowly sat up, sitting on the couch, cradling her head for a moment, she took a few deep breaths. "What happened?" She asked, her voice hoarse, weak, and dry. She coughed once, and then winced heavily, her hand going to her shoulder. She pulled down her shirt and saw a cigarette burn there, resting as it had on her shoulder. Apart of her knew it would come back, but she had still hoped it would go away. Her injuries had always come back before, why should it be different now?

Faith looked around and saw Robert, Kate, and Brian. Though she didn't recognized Kate. "I'm sorry.." She said, looking wide eyed and confused. "I erm.. did I fall asleep or something?" She didn't remember the pain, but she did remember one thing.. "Papa is dead.. isn't he?" She looked at them all helplessly, knowing she was a wreck, her shirt was pulled down over her shoulder to reveal the bruises and scars that spells and makeup covered on the visible parts of her body. There was an obvious tear in her shirt over her stomach, which showed even worse scars, ones that looked like they had been inflicted by a knife, allowed to get infected, and then healed so it left a mark. She also had long scratch marks that were bleeding slightly that crossed over these old scars.

"I don't mean to cause any trouble.." She said, her eyes filling up with tears, before she stood up, and looked around at them all, her eyes darting around the room, her hands trembling. "Did I do something wrong?"