Close My Eyes

James's senses were never better than when he was full of adrenalin and was more animal than human. He saw their reactions at being blocked. That was when they had been shocked. They had not been surprised that the werewolves were here. Well, at least they weren't total morons. Standing up to him, or trying to, did make James laugh. It amused him. They didn't honestly stand a prayer. Still, there was always great satisfaction in a good hunt.

He started to smell the fear, the panic in Khaat. Belby had no fear that James could detect. Belby was all adrenalin--a man trained to be a warrior, on automatic, thinking and not feeling when it came to combat. Both humans were quick. It had been Khaat who had been the first to fire. Birds? Seriously? He wasn't impressed. He was even less impressed when it had fooled one of his younger males.

"Petrificus Totalus!" Marcus fired at James. James was quick, though, watching their wands. He dodged the wand fire.

"You've got to be quicker than that," he laughed.

Marcus wanted to draw James' attention off, to himself, to give Hallie a chance to run. He raised his arm to fire again, when James' huge hand belted him hard, once across the side of Marcus's head, stunning him momentarily, and then striking him again, knocking the wand out of his hand. Marcus could hear his wand skittering off into the distance.

Marcus was hoping against hope that Hallie would fire some sort of charm that would momentarily blind or deafen the sensitive werewolves and buy Marcus some time. Marcus needed his wand. He felt a trickle of blood running down the side of his face. Meh...all in a day's work. But--a heightened smell of fresh blood here would get quickly to the werewolves' senses and would excite them even further. If all else failed, though, he did have a very muggle, very deadly gun in a shoulder holster, and a knife as a last resort. He had to help get Hallie out though and soon.

ooc: if james needs to, can he hit Hallie?

(ooc: sure, I quite like it when everyone get's a bit hurt, makes it more realistic, just as long as she doesn't die I kinda still want to RP with her haha!)

Hallie continued to run, not looking to see if Marcus' spell had mad an impact or not. From the shouting of James it alerted Hallie to the fact that he'd missed or the spell had been deflected. However Hallie soon became apparent to the fact that she could no longer hear Marcus casting or attempting to stop James at all.

The squarks of the birds was beginning to die down as, one by one, they were stunned or- a flash of green light. Hallie froze, her eyes wide and heart hammering once again. Slowly she revolved on the spot, feared that the killing curse of a pack member might not have been for one of the birds.

Marcus was lay on the floor. One of the birds comically fell with an empty expression on it's face. Phew. But Hallie couldn't sustain relief for long, the moment had passed, Marcus was in trouble. Of course their mission was to distract the werewolves and get them away from Khaat but Hallie had hoped both her and Marcus would be coming out of this alive.

'Shut you're eyes, Marcus!' Hallie cried, forgetting herself and that she was to remain silent. Pointing her wand directly to the band of werewolves Hallie narrowed her eyes, lips purse and ripple of wind coming through the catacombs whirled the cloak around her. Her face was still hidden but would Blood have noticed the voice beneath the hood didn't belong to Khaat?

'Lumos Solem!' Hallie spoke ominously with an eruption of blinding sunlight issued from the tip of her wand. The catacombs were illuminated, drawing light over the werewolves. James Blood's monstrous features imprinted on a white canvas. The spell would be enough to momentarily stun them, blind them, but it wasn't going to be effective alone.

'Petrificus Totalus, Stupefy, Conjunctivitis, Levicorpus!' Hallie thought, remembering that she needed to cast her spells non-verbally, she'd already faltered once it would cost too much to do so again. The sparks from each spell rocketed along the catacombs. One werewolf fell to the stunner, another now hoisted upside down by his ankles but the others missed, deflecting from the stone walls.

Incarcerous. Hallie thought, ejecting a set of ropes from her wand in hope to constrict Blood.

Good girl, Marcus thought, hearing her warning. He hid his face while reaching out his hand. He shouted the necessary Accio spell for his wand as she fired.

At that same instant he heard James howl in absolute rage. Oh, God. This wasn't good. Wasn't good at all.  He heard chaos erupt through all the werewolves.  Hallie fired an incarcerous spell towards James, and one of his followers slashed with his claws at the bonds to free him almost as soon as the bonds went around him. The werewolves seemed to be fighting or scrambling, and Marcus wasn't sure which.  He stumbled to his feet as the wand snapped back into his hand.

"Its not her!" James roared in utter outrage.  Oh, damn, Marcus thought. He's recognized the voice isn't hers.  "Belby!! Where is she!" He turned on Hallie. "I'll kill you!!  He backhanded the woman, hard.  Marcus winced. That was gonna hurt. Wasn't hard enough to kill her, but it sure was going to hurt. He needed now to get a way to get between James and Hallie. Make James try to kill him instead of Hallie.

"I'm right here," Khaat's voice came, quietly, calmly, from nearby.  Marcus's blood ran cold. She had come out of hiding in order to try to save Hallie by drawing James back again to herself.  "Come and get me," she said to him.  Marcus's only order had ever been to protect, no matter what cost. It wasn't on his agenda, though, to lose Hallie in the process. He had to figure out how they would all survive, and he was running out of time.

James turned away from Hallie and Marcus both and headed straight for Khaat.  Khaat hadn't come unarmed. She'd gotten a vial of acid from the potions stores, and had the bottle tightly in her hand.  If she were lucky, she could damage James. Maybe that would ward him off or give Hallie time to regain herself or Marcus time to fire. Khaat took the cork off the bottle and hurled the acid straight at James. His fur began to smoke. He began to howl, partly in pain, partly in rage. At that instant, she wasn't sure he was going to just take her this time. If he had his choice, this time, he would kill her, and she knew Marcus's thoughts were going to be exactly the same.'

Before Hallie could register exactly what Blood had said she felt a strength one could only imagine smack her right hard in the face knocking her entire body down. Luckily she managed to catch herself with her hands, landing front down and collapsing to her elbows.

Khaat's voice rang somewhere in the distance. Hallie wanted to respond, she needed to get up but the world around her was shaking. Her felt as though it had been thumped a thousand times by a hippogriff. The dim light was circling the drain, coming in and out of Hallie's vision whilst a searing pain distracted the auror from the danger Khaat was in.

It was her jaw, dislocated most likely. Hallie would have screamed, yelled as loud as she could but all the pain was leaving her breathless. She felt an eye-opening kick from her abdomen. Her baby. Was it a kick? Had the fall hurt her child in some way or was the little Rookwood in their just complaining for not receiving a warning before being whacked against a damp stone floor?

Reaching for the wand that slid from her fingertips during the fall Hallie tried to push herself up against the wall, pointing the wand at her jaw that was still causing her legs to jiggle and squirm fighting the pain. If only she'd decided to go into healing then she would have known exactly what to do for a dislocated jaw. There was episkey for minor injuries, would it work? Maybe not and Hallie didn't quite want to risk it.

subsisto poena. For now that would lessen her pain, allowing her time to fight for Khaat's life. If Hallie was certain about one outcome of this battle she'd definitely be going to St Mungos, inside a body bag or not.

Her eyes caught sight of James, he was roaring in anger - or was that pain? Hallie wasn't quite sure but she knew one thing and that was Khaat was in danger. It awoke her, alerted her from the pain that had momentarily stirred her.

Using the jagged walls to support her Hallie lifted herself from her resting position. There were about four werewolves still standing besides James, all of whom had their back to Hallie and were heading to Blood as backup.

Stupefy. One down. Three to go and then James was on his own.

Hallie managed to rally to fire a Stupefy.  Nice. She certainly had proven her worth more than once to Marcus, and, as much as he didn't like her hurt, he was glad she was there.  It was, though, time to wind this up.

"Avada Kedavra!" Marcus fired at one of the werewolves that had decided to go after Hallie.  The werewolf fell like a stone. "Let's finish this and go home!" Marcus shouted.

"James!" one of the werewolves called. "Its done. We need to go! Its over."  James was apparently trying to protest, but he was hurting too badly to go after Khaat.  He looked at Khaat who had leveled her wand at James's heart. When had she done that?  He looked at her.  She didn't have it in her. He knew the look in the eyes of someone willing to fire a killing curse.  In her face, he saw the pain and fear of all the past attacks, not the determination she needed to kill.  She was hesitating.  If she were going to kill him, she had missed her moment.  She'd frozen.

The larger of the werewolves that supported James forced his leader forward and up the stairs.  That left one still standing that froze for a moment, realizing he had been left behind.

"You can leave, or I'll kill you myself," Marcus said icily.  Marcus didn't want to kill him, really. He wanted the message to get back that James had been completely ineffective as a leader.  Again.

The one straggler took advantage and left, leaving the stunned werewolf on the catacombs floor.  Marcus went over and checked him.  

"Bloody good spell, that," Marcus said. "He's going to be out for quite a long time.  Rookwood, it looks like you need a bandaid--unless you'll let Khaat help you.  Khaat, you alright?"  Rookwood wasn't alright. Marcus knew that, and he wanted to make sure she was taken care of.

"Fine," Khaat said. She knew a large part of this bit had been her very poor timing. Had she been better in her timing, she'd have drawn James off them sooner by revealing herself earlier and drawing him back to her, and had perhaps saved Hallie at least from being hurt. She wasn't sure it would have spared Marcus, though.  

Her original thought was to have allowed them to escape. To draw James back to the potions lab to give them the time they needed to leave her.  She had calculated that they would have reached the street level for Knockturn before they recognized James was not behind them anymore. It had not gone at all according to her plans.  Marcus was going to be furious with her for even thinking it would work, for thinking either one of them would have ever left her to James.  

"He won't be back today," Marcus said. "He's got a bigger problem now. He's got Fenrir to face for all of this. We're safe for the moment--I think."

Her blue eyes widened, the colour drained from her face as she watched in horror the werewolf fall in a flash of green light. Her hands had covered in mouth and her whole body had stopped in its tracks to joining Marcus and Khaat. Marcus had killed a werewolf. Granted they were in a bad situation, a situation one could argue peril, but to kill? It was one of the many things that Hallie didn't agree with.

Finally finding it in her to make her way to Marcus and Khaat Hallie's eyes still wore a state of shock. She had believed Marcus to be a good man, heck he was Lupin's body guard for crying out loud, but he had killed. The man hadn't been innocent, heck the werewolf most likely would have killed them if Marcus hadn't, but to stoop to their level?

Taking her eyes from Hallie she focused her attention onto Khaat, glad to see that she was all okay and untouched by James Blood.

'Ahhh.' The auror gasped, her natural reflex to reach for her jaw. Her spell was wearing off and the pain beginning to come back. They needed to get out of here and Hallie needed a healer. Not for her jaw but to check everything was okay with her baby, she was sure there wouldn't be anything wrong but it would be the right thing to have everything checked out. Perhaps she was wrong in thinking she wouldn't need maternity leave.

'We 'eed 'oo gow' She said, her words not as clear as they once were owing to the fact her jaw wasn't fully functional.

Marcus had seen Hallie's look of shock and horror that was still on her face after his killing curse.  He did feel for her. That was never easy for a new auror. It always struck with the same disapproval.  He wished he wasn't getting used to the sudden rejection, but here it was again. Another very short lived alliance, he figured.

It was part of the reason his first marriage had dissolved. His work. And that same work had been his salvation from his second wife--The Harpy. It provided him the chance to provide exceptionally well for his children.  Provided him with travel, a luxurious lifestyle most of the time now--but the price was that his relationships never lasted long. It was the reason he never got attached anymore. First, his work didn't give him the luxury of being able to care, or at least that was what he told himself. Timing was everything, and, like always, this wasn't the time to care, or so it was easier to believe. Second, he had gotten used to working alone--or at least that was the second reason he told himself. He knew the sound of a fizzle when he heard one.

"Sorry you had to see that," he told her. He felt a bit of explanation was important this time. "But, you are an auror now.  Sometimes its a necessary part of the job.  I have very specific orders--including eliminating life threatening targets." That was a very dressed up way of trying to say that sometimes the greater good demanded such foul things. He was ordered and expected to kill whenever he determined the situation merited it.  

"I'm sorry," Khaat said to Hallie.  She walked up to Marcus, saw the blood on the side of his face and laid her hand on the wounds.  They closed to her touch.  "My father and I are so deeply involved in national and international security that it does require sometimes things that don't settle easily."  It was the truth. She and Robert knew too much. England couldn't risk losing them.  "I'm sorry I can't do much about the bruising," she told Marcus.  "Bruises just sometimes take time, I'm afraid."

"That's the least of my concerns," Marcus said.  Hallie had apparently forgotten Khaat was the director of the hospital and was a healer.  Either that, or she was going to distance herself now from them.  Either was understandable.  She was right, though. It was time to get out of here. "Can you walk, Rookwood?" he asked. "We can see to it that you get to St. Mungo's if you prefer."  

He motioned to Khaat and Rookwood that they needed to start up the stairs again.  The sooner they saw sunlight again, the better they would all feel.

It was funny. Hallie had become an auror because she wanted to bring justice, stop families having to go through the grieving process under horrible situations. To make a good difference in the world.

This ambition had ignited when she was a young girl. Her Father had been an auror, apparently the target of many death eaters due to the amount in Azkaban thanks to him. One day they came knocking, causing havoc in the village. He'd attempted to defend the village and his family but things had gone South. Amelia Cooper had grasped Toby and Hallie, took them into the closet with her and cast a disillusionment charm upon them. Leaving them hidden from the death eaters. Robert Cooper sacrificed himself that night Amelia protected the children. He'd died in the room besides them and Hallie heard it all. It was that moment that she knew she wanted to make a difference, not avenge her Father's death but continue his legacy.

Becoming an auror had been a difficult task. Not only had Hallie been required to boast exceptional NEWT results the interview process was grueling, the training rigorous but somehow she'd managed it. Her Father's daughter was her Mother's explanation. It made Hallie happy, brought a smile to her face even if working in the auror office had gotten dull with the amount of marriage law work that had been loaded onto them as there weren't enough law enforcement employees to administrate it.

In spite of that Hallie had never regretted her decision to becoming an auror. Not until today. Marcus had told her: you are an auror now. Sometimes its a necessary part of the job. Maybe, depending on what your values were, but Hallie believed there were ways of dealing with a situation besides stooping to the low levels of the dark criminals aurors were attempting to overthrow. There was nothing flashy, nothing acceptable about dark magic. That werewolf had been a criminal, almost cost her life, her baby's life, Marcus' life and even Khaat's life. Death wasn't a punishment for that. The werewolf knew nothing, he'd gone, his soul vanished. Perhaps his legacy would live on and it was a dent into Blood's army but the man that lay sprawled on the floor wouldn't ever have to suffer the way the wizarding world would had Khaat been slaughtered. To Hallie, death was never an answer.

She didn't object, it was understandable that Belby would think that given his title. He was a bodyguard and they have to do whatever it takes to protect their clients. Khaat had been in danger and he'd done his job. Perhaps that is why Hallie wasn't a bodyguard, an auror instead. Naturally Hallie preferred the hands on activity of a hit wizard, loved the rush during a duel - it certainly outruled the investigative work of an auror - but Hallie knew she never wanted to become a hitwizard. Being an auror was how she would be able to make a difference. That was, until today.

'Can you fix my 'aw, p'ease?' Hallie asked - she wasn't in pain thanks to her spell but the amount of discomfort was rather annoying. Moreover she'd be able to have a better conversation with the two being able to move her mouth and form words properly.

Once her jaw was fixed she'd walk with Khaat and Marcus, make sure they reached the surface before falling under more attack, then apparate to St Mungo's. Her jaw would be fix but Hallie wanted to get everything checked out, make sure there had been no damage to her baby during the fall. If there was... Right now Hallie wasn't thinking about 'if there was'.

Khaat saw, in the discussion, that there seemed to be some sort of deep emotional shift happening in the catacombs. She wasn't sure whose it was.  Was it Marcus having to deal with yet more rejection? Was it Hallie not being able to deal with the whole business that had just transpired? Or was it her own?  

She felt anger rising towards Hallie suddenly--anger she didn't want. Rookwood was young, and not someone that her father would have yet set loose on her own as an auror.  That was Pierce's doing. Her father would have, at least, paired her with someone and not set her going about alone. Rookwood could not be blamed for her own innocence and naiveté.

By the same token, though, she hated those who stood in prejudicial judgment of what they thought she should or should not do.  Marcus, as he worked for her, was an extension of her.

It made Khaat wonder what the hell Hallie would have done had she actually been in her shoes? If she had actually lived through the crap that Khaat had lived through.  Sure, Hallie had been through some things too, but at the moment, Khaat was tempted to want to play a bit of bitter one-up-manship.  

She felt bitter that she and her father were always having to live up to the myth that her uncle had become.  The poor, misunderstood, martyr that others had distorted him as, the pedestal set so high that his family was never able to live up to the sainthood that his legend made him out to be.

Remus had never been a white knight of any sort. He had spent his entire life living in the gray, in the shadows.  How quickly the wizarding world had forgotten how much rejection he'd lived through! No Lupin ever vied for sainthood, never wanted to. How dare she stand in as judge, jury, and executioner of what it took for Khaat to just survive!

She resisted the need to respond to the powerful body language around her, reeling it all in immediately.  Instead, she found she liked her father's way of coping far more than she ever thought she would.  She had learned it well over the last couple of years. Her father became more and more stonefaced in direct comparison with the amount of pressure applied to him.  Emotion was not something he showed, not easily anyway.

She adopted the same stonefaced expression that was, again, all business. She felt herself shift behind "professional" walls. She became, again, the Director of the hospital, the Chief Warlock.  She left all the rest behind.  

"Pain control first," she told her, touching her cheek to cast the spell to stop the pain by touch.  It was definitely a dislocated jaw.  "This will make a crunch," she said.  She laid her hand on the joint of Hallie's jaw and used touch to draw the joint back into alignment with a loud crunch.  "It may bruise. Ice may help for a bit," she told her, double checking the alignment to be sure it was correct.  "But, do, please, have yourself double checked by someone you feel more comfortable with."  

She turned to Marcus. "I think we're done here," she said quietly.  "Fresh air will do us all good." He nodded, motioning her to go ahead up the stairs towards the street.