The Splintered Dreams

stephen looked at her his sadness now plain to see "please, take me back" he said turning back to the window he could not even baer to look at teh file let alone what lay inside. He wanted to know but in his heart he did not want to know as he looked down at his ring it still shone like new in the sun. he finished his coffee and made the cup vanish "sorry, I guess, I'm not as hard as I make out to be" he looked at her his brown eyes now showing sorrow the sorrow he should have shown six months earlier at his family funeral.

She closed the file silently and tucked it under her arm and took him back. She helped him back to bed. She pulled a vial of potion out of her pocket and handed it to him. "It isn't the most pleasant tasting, but drink it anyway," she said, "It will help. My office is just down the hall. I won't be far. And I'll know if you need me. But right now you need rest."

Steven looked at it then back to her "what is it, not another sleeping draft, I don't need sleep right now" but he took it from her anyway and took it, handing back the empty vile he pulled a face at the taste "Dagnab It that was vile " he said asshe helpedhim back into bed he sighed feeling some what replaxed why he didn't know but he was his eys had become heavy once more "it was a sleeping draft you gave me" he said to her looknig cross at her but he knew she wouldn't do that yet he felt tired , so tired with his head resting on his pillow his eyes closed to the sight of ehr heading out of the door

Robert was coming in for the day and saw Khaat had been in early. He followed her to her office as she left Cordel's room. He glanced in and saw their new patient sleeping, and was glad to see it. The young man had a lot of Khaat's qualities, and she seemed to have earned his respect quickly. Robert was glad of that too. At least he didn't have to fight him to do what was good for him.

"Good morning, Daddy,"Khaat said, hearing him behind her. She sat down at her desk and was about to conjure another cup of coffee, when Robert raised his hand to stop her. "Don't you dare. How many cups is it already today, Khaat?" "Three or four," she replied.

"Abbey does not need your coffee, "he frowned, debating on becoming harsh with her. He went over and laid one hand on her forehead and one on her stomach. "Your constant diet of nothing but coffee is causing Abbey distress. If you don't stop, you will cause her permanent harm," he warned. "You're still not eating, either. You simply cannot wait until Rob gets his act together in order to start taking care of this baby, Khaat. And, damnit, you've lost more weight instead of gaining. I thought we talked about this before, but you're right on the verge of putting yourself and your child in an extremely dangerous position. If you were any other woman--besides my daughter--I'd have you admitted here until you were out of danger But if it gets any worse, I may well forget who you are and do the right thing.."

"We did talk aboutt it, Daddy," she said softly. "Daddy, promise me Abbey will be strong. That she won't need what I have had to do to survive. Promise me that."

"Khaat Karina!" He said to her almost sharply, but there was more tenderness and concern than sharpness in his voice. "You are a Lupin through and through, and you have every chance of having a perfectly normal child. You were a normal child. You can be normal again in time and not need all this. You have had a very excellent pregnancy so far," he said,," no side effects, no sick days, but you're heading for huge trouble if you don't start listening to me. I am now putting myself in charge of your diet until either you can do it or Rob decides to help reduce your stress." He held out his hand and two vials of potion appeared in it. She knew one was merely vitamins. She knew the vial well. She gave it out often herself. He conjured an herb tea and mixed both vials in her cup. "Drink it," he ordered.

"I have to work, " she frowned.

"You will, It won't harm you. Drink it." He ordered. He stayed to make sure she drank the full cup of tea. She began to feel a bit tired herself. "Did you trick me?" she frowned. "Certainly not!" he looked at her, frowning deeply. "That's nothing more than too much work, too little food or sleep. Plus a baby. Close your eyes just for a bit, Dear. I'll handle it."

"Oh, okay," she sighed. "I do have a terrible headache." He laid his hand on her forehead again. "A migraine. You haven't had one of those since you were a child. Far too much stress, Khaat. Stop trying to be everything you're not in order to keep Rob. You're a warrior, and a damned well trained one at that. He either wants you as you are or he doesn't. Here. Let me help.' He laid his hands on either side off her head and drew off the pain for her. It made her head spin viciously. She had completely forgotten how that felt when he did that. "Alright," he said quietly, "Now you rest. You just have to have some sleep. I'll run this for a bit."

"What would I do without you, Daddy?" she asked softly.

"Well, you don't have to wonder, my darling. I'm here," he kissed her forehead, "Try to sleep just a bit. That's my girl." He sat on the edge of her desk and soothed her to sleep like he did when she was small. He knew she would not sleep long, but she would be able to sleep for a bit and refresh her sagging energies. His overall deep concern for her life energies was still there. Only he and she knew what they had done to keep her alive without Rob's help.

Khaat woke later feeling better. She had a bad feeling. Her seer's sense had woken her, working overtime. She got up, feeling a strong sense of danger. She went out into the hallway and saw a young teen being brought in by a new auror. The young teen was in the midst of a transformation of some sort. It took a minute for Khaat's sleep deprived brain to kick in as to what the trouble reallly was. This young man was under a spell. He was being changed into some sort of vicious werewolf/almost gorilla haflbreed creature. This would not be at all easy to undo. Khaat saw the danger to her patients immediately, and the one who was in the most danger was Cordel. This young man was almost right outside Cordel's door. Khaat purposely positioned herself in front of this young man.

The transformation was happening way too fast, and the auror didn't know crap. He was too new. Khaat cast a binding spell that the creature threw off like paper. Then before she could cast another one, he reached out and took a swipe with one large pawlike hand that had long sharp claws. It struck Khaat along the side of her head, blood bursting everywhere, and he threw her into a wall with as much anger as he had. Khaat hit the wall like falling onto concrete. The blood spurted and smeared down the wall, unconscious immediately.

Robert's connection to Khaat sounded loudly and at great alarm. He had been in the lounge with a cup of tea. He set the tea on the table, and apparated to her at once. He saw her hit the hallway wall and crumple to the floor in a limp heap. He roared in absolute protective rage, shouting a binding spell this young man would never get out of, binding him in thick, magical chains from head to toe. He sent such a heavy stunning spell that even this horrible monster fell limp. Robert angrily shouted orders at staff about taking this "bastard" to the concrete and iron isolation cells. Robert had always prided himself in never showing how much power he really had, but he was just about to unleash it on this poor bewitched young man. When he was angry like this, people could see what true magical power was and how absolutely terrifying it could be, even in the hands of a white lighter like Robert. The staff immediately fell under his command, too terrified to do otherwise. And in the back of his mind, he knew his display of rage was not one he was proud of.

Robert went immediately over to Khaat, past the creature he really wanted to kill. It took all his will to not kill this young man. He was deeply relieved to find her still alive at all. He picked her up in his arms and carried her limp form, blood dripping in almost heavy streams to the floor, carried her into the room immediately across the hall from Cordell's and laid her on the bed. Healers ran now to help him to stop the bleeding and to check her for a serious head injury. Robert already was barking orders with all the presence and the snap of a field general, and he had his hands in her blood, trying to stop it. He was pure power and concentration, and he was pouring so much power into Khaat that his hands themselves were glowing a brilliant white light. The atmosphere in the room was terribly tense. Their fearless director was down. The staff was uneasy.

After several long tense moments, after he stopped the bleeding and had checked her thoroughly, he said, "She's going to be alright. But I have no idea how soon she'll wake up. And she'll have a massive headache. She's got a concussion. I want someone with her every moment until she wakes up. Am I very clear?" He was demanding, not asking. "And somebody clean up this mess. Now! I have a monster to deal with." He marched out, a directness in his step that he rarely allowed himself the privilege of using.

Cordel had woke to the commotion out side his door, his ranger instincts wanting to run and help but no sooner he had stood he fell back on to the bed , he smacked it hard in frustration curing himself for being so dam usless he watched in horror as Khaat was swiped by the creature , he took a step forward and to his suprise he stood un aided ,he took a second again he still stood but by now Robert had hold of her he managed to making it to the door before he had to rest "Sir, Is she hurt bad?" he said clinging to the frame "will she be all right?" he could feel his legs start to wobble under him but he ignored it , and the throb from his unused muscles in his legs he spoted a chair close by and took at step towards it and sat heavily down .

"She'll be fine, Cordell," Robert said, taking a deep breath to regain his composure. "For her, this is relatively minor. She'll wake, hopefully soon, and then I will try to reduce her headache for her. I am sorry you had to see that. Khaat is usually very capable to defending herself. My impression is that either she thought she could intervene or it happened too quickly. One or the other. It is good to see you on your feet again, though. A bit soon, but very promising. You're welcome to sit with her for a short time, so long as you do not tire yourself too much. But you might be more company when she wakes. If you want me to help you back, I'll be happy to do that."

Cordel looked at Khaat on the bed "i'll stay thank you" he said "and I'll be fine , sir" he said rubbing his legs as he sat not regretting for one minet of his walking "will that young man be all right, can you help him, looked to me like he was under some spell" he looked at how he ws dressed and sighed he was sat in his hopital gown "sir , you couldn't find me dressing gown, I don't really want to show my backside to the young female healers around here everytime i walk" he said smirking "you know what I mean" he looked up at him hoping he would, he looked back to Khaat on the bed still out cold, why did he worry about her, he sighed , because she was his freind , he reminded himself.

An assistant had allowed Cordel actual pajama pants and a blue terrycloth robe and slippers, per Robert's orders, and they had seen to it that he was comfortable.

Khaat woke slowly, with one of the worst headaches she'd had in years and years. It felt like her head was splitting in half. She was surprised to see she was laying actually in a room in her own hospital. She was not in the bed, but on it, covered with a blanket. She looked at the wall clock. Nearly 3 hours had gone by. She looked over and was surprised to see Cordell there, sitting beside the bed, having fallen into a light sleep from his own weakness. She had to think hard for a moment about how she perhaps had gotten here. And then she remembered the young man under that strange spell. She had obviously lost that round.

She tried to sit up, but it made the room spin viciously and her head felt like a knife was being driven through it. It made her groan softly before she could try to "suck it up" and not cry out. It just plain hurt.