Mistaken Identities

Khaat saw Mari's clear disapproval, but Mari was also a beginning healer. And Khaat was, as she saw it, still the Director here.

"Not one more second of arguing," Khaat said with amazing fiercely for as badly as her head hurt. "Mari, enough. We have a murdered staff member and another missing. And, I am not on my feet, as you can see. Blaire is making sure I stay off my feet. But since I am still the Director and Rob is still my husband, I can take him into any part of St. Mungo's that I choose to take him into. I know that might not be openly approved of, but honestly, its no one's responsibility or choice but mine. "

Khaat was fuming. Even with the death of a collegue and the kidnapping of a friend, Mari could still find it in her to engage in pointless arguing. It was gaulling. Khaat cared enough about Phae and Sophia that she was in absolutely no mood for smartalek attitudes and excessive sarcasm. She was sick to pieces of it. Khaat had immense respect for strongwilled people but, there was a time and place for everything, and this was just too much. She was a bit glad that Mari had not showed her more dislikeable side in front of her father because that was something that Robert Lupin would not put up with right now. Not under the circumstances. Had Robert been witness to this, he might have well given Mari the rest of the night off without pay. He was hugely serious when it came to this, and he would not tolerate this. Well, if she tried this upstairs in the healer's lounge, it would give Mari a shorter shift in a heck of a hurry. Khaat did not want that to happen.

Bedazzling. Rob thought grimly. He could have spent the night trying to break into Lucius’ liquor cabinet but no he had to go to St. Mungo’s and find out what the bloody hell was going on. He hadn’t banked on getting a moody, hormonal teenager giving him lip and he wasn’t in the bloody mood for it. Granted his unhappiness with the current situation was irrational – he had kidnapped Phaedra after all – but to act in such a way you had to care about someone. She had spunk and she’d gotten the upper hand on him which had resulted in his arrest but he had admired her a great deal. Phaedra was a person he had cared about. She was not one of the disposables that he encountered day in and day out. She wasn’t one of the ones that could be thrown away. She stayed with you. She was precious. She simply, was and that’s how she would forever remain. In death she was constant. Like so many others before her.

“Look,” He said, putting his cigarette and matchbox into his blazer pocket for a moment. Rob put his hands together and brought his hands up, tapping the sides against the end of his nose and closing his eyes as he did so. He opened them again and dropped his hands down to his sides. “You go, little healer, and you find Andrian or Emmanuelle – no wait, she’s heavily pregnant so that’s out – just someone instead of yourself because I’m not putting up with the attitude. My life so far has been pretty sh*t, thank you very much, but I’m working on it. Yours will go the same way, love and I look forward to meeting you in hell but if you please, replace yourself with someone more qualified – someone with the people skills you’re so desperately lacking.”

Rob turned his attention back to his wife and smiled impishly at her. “You do hire some odd people, Khaat.” He descended a few steps and looked at Murray. “I’m willing to move this party along. Deal with Miss Priss over there if stubborn proves to be another streak of hers, would you? Good day to you all.” He wrapped his arm around Khaat’s waist and pulled her up, catching her legs with his other arm. “Ah, pleased to meet you by the way.” He said to either Diggory or Murray, probably both. “Robert Andrew Dent, M.D. I like to go by Rob but we’re not that close so just don’t address me. Thank-you. Let’s go sweetheart, I’d hate to have my mood turn sour. Jenifer’s feeling particularly hormonal today so irritation is something that’s afflicting her in double time. Off we go then.”

Rob ascended the set of stairs as fast as possible while carrying Khaat. She wasn’t heavy but it was a little bit awkward navigating stairs at a fast pace and carrying someone who you don’t particularly want to hurt by colliding with a pole or something. It has been known to happen. “Well, that’s not the first time I’ve impersonated a doctor.” He said, grinning again. Jen rolled her eyes from a little way in front of them and he looked down at Khaat. “Right, which way are we going because I haven’t a clue. If Miss Priss happens to be following us then there might just be a horrible accident that isn’t my fault.” He smirked.

Khaat laughed. It was very odd to find herself in Rob's arms again, and it put her in a heck of a predicament. She liked Blaire and, despite the necessity of it she had enjoyed being in his arms. But a part of her also really enjoyed being in Rob's arms again too, if even for a moment. Life was so complicated sometimes. She definitely did not want Blaire to leave. Not for one moment. "Go to your right when you get to the 5th floor," she told Rob quietly. "Rob, you don't have to defend yourself. Not to a beginning healer. Not to anybody. You're better than that. "

She guided him up to the top floor and navigated him to the right, to the healer's lounge. She saw her father and Matt there investigating. They were deeply engrossed in their work. Her father was checking Phae. She could see the traces on her father's face of how this bothered him. Robert was angry and upset. He took this very personally. He was acting professionally and he had, for professional purposes, put on an icy exterior in order to hold off how he truly felt. There weren't many people that Robert felt able to release that sort of personal pain with, and he certainly was not going to be openly emotional now. She presumed he was, right now, looking for anything whatsoever that would help to find her killer.

Khaat found herself clutching tightly to Rob, not because of any fear on her part, but because the sight of Phae lying dead on the floor tore at her heart. She saw the dead on a daily basis, but this was different. She liked Phae. She remembered, all too clearly, the night Phae had helped her family welcome Abbey into the world and how welcome her nurturing touch with Abbey had meant to Khaat. She turned her head into Rob's chest and hid her face, dry eyed but overwhelmed. She knew she had to resurrect her strength and authority from somewhere deep within, but the sight of Phae on the floor was too powerful for her, too painful, far and away too sickening. It struck her like she had been blindsided, even though she thought she had been prepared for what she would see, hitting her harder than the impact her head had taken when it had been hurled into the stone wall tonight. She wasn't telling Rob it made her already not-so-good head spin and rush. Her blood had turned to ice in her veins and her stomach sank. She'd never fainted in her life, and she wasn't about to start now. She wished to God that Rob could make all this go away, or maybe even drop her and in some impish little voice chant at her "You are so punked! Phae and I--we got you good!" And then maybe Phae would bounce up with some stupid grin on her face.

But that wasn't happening. No punking had occured. A million thoughts raced through her mind. She didn't know why this strange and hideously ugly woman wanted her. Khaat had never seen her before. She didn't have any idea what she wanted or what Khaat had ever done to her. But without a doubt, the woman had come here "gunning" for Khaat. Clearly. She had fired on Khaat first, without provocation or warning and with a lot of power and aggression. This weird woman had only turned to fire on Sophia when Sophia tried to defend Khaat. Khaat recalled seeing how whoever this was had been annoyed with Sophia's presence. Well, that had been a bloody stupid choice, now hadn't it? It gave Khaat all the motive she needed to track down this ruthless idiot and wipe her off the map of the wizarding world forever. Khaat could only conjecture that Phae was dead because she had simply been at the wrong place at the wrong time. Phae was dead because of Khaat. It was her fault and her's alone. She hid in Rob's neck, a cold sick feeling overcoming her in almost every respect. "It's my fault, Rob," she said so softly that only he could hear her. "I am so sorry. Its my fault entirely. I'll catch her--I promise. I'll catch this woman if it takes the last breath I have."

Robert was examining Phae but finding nothing that was helpful. He was deliberately separating himself from his feelings right now. He could not afford emotions at the moment. He felt like he and Matt were not alone, though, and he stood up and looked at the door. There was, of all people, Khaat--and she was in the arms of none other than Rob Dent. He narrowed his eyes at Khaat in unusual irritation with her.

"I do not remember of inviting you here. I thought I left you downstairs," he told her, trying to not be angry with her. The fact that she was clearly disobeying any instructions that either he or anyone else gave her did not surprise him. He was, however, not happy about it. Nor was he happy that his crime scene was going to now become contaminated--by yet more visitors. It seemed nothing was sacred here, not even poor Phae's murder. That angered Robert. He wanted to be sure than not even the slightest hair was missed. Any clue at all would help to bring Sophia back alive and to bring Phae's murderer to justice. And both was of critical importance to Robert tonight.

He saw Khaat return his glare, equally unmoved by his anger. He could intimidate almost anyone. Almost. Except for Khaat and Katherine. He never had mastered that. They just blew him off, and she was clearly doing that now. "This is a crime scene, Khaat," he told her.

"I know," she replied to him, undaunted. "And I was one of the victims, and it is in my hospital. You've had plenty of time. Rob and I are going to see Phae. We won't disturb anything else, I promise." He watched Khaat glare at both him and at Matt--suddenly clearly very protective over Rob. She was sending them blatant nonverbal "hands off" messages. He got the message loud and clear, and he knew Matt would not miss the nonverbal either, but he doubted Matt would be happy about the arrival of the Dents. He also knew that at moments like this, where Khaat went some entourage would undoubtedly follow. It always did. Curiosity made him wonder who would be coming upstairs with her this time.

It was a crime scene. That would have been obvious even if there hadn’t been a body present in the room. But that’s what the room would ever be. It was just a place that someone died. Everyone would remember that and some would be disturbed by it. They’d remember the room but the name would fade from existence. That was the saddest thing of all. But in some way, that was the brilliance of the human mind wasn’t it? People forgot. On the floor was the corpse that held the face and once had the name of a soul people knew well. But in years to come, that body will have decomposed and there would only be memories of the woman that once walked the halls of St. Mungo’s.

Ignoring his relatives’ bickering, Rob released his wife and stepped inside. His eyes were trained on the smashed window and he moved sideways, keeping his eyes on the same spot as he walked. He loved crime scenes but this was a poor excuse for one. He didn’t think he’d have to be part of one where a victim was someone he had known fairly well. It was also a bit thrilling to think that a woman had blown into the room, killed one woman, kidnapped another and given the last one concussion. Death was clearly intended for the latter. The fact that the Minister’s daughter was there was convenient. It wouldn’t be in their interest to kill her so they needed to get her out of the way, hence the kidnap. Phaedra was disposable, though, and would not be missed. She had not been thought about or even considered. She wasn’t meant to be in the equation so the woman panicked and killed her in cold blood.

“This may be a crime scene but it’s a poor excuse for one.” He said distractedly, purposely keeping his back to Phaedra and turned himself to the bookshelf. “It’s too boring to be a crime scene.” Someone died here Rob. Isn’t that enough? A voice in the back of his mind said irritably. You can’t brand something boring because you’re not content with the situation. “But it is boring!” He whispered to himself. His thoughts were better organised when he said things aloud. Things got far too muddled in his brain. “There’s nothing complicated about it.” He said loudly. “It’s in and out. Perfectly executed with so many flaws. She had no idea what she was doing or who she was looking for. I’m sure she saw a picture, most assassins have to know who they’re killing my appearances change. Burns are fine. Why not set things on fire because fire destroys everything its path – quick and easy. Perhaps she hadn’t thought about the killing curse until later. That’s the interesting bit. Why change what assassins do? I’d wager this was her first time. The killing curse was too quick. She wanted to enjoy it. I mean, that’s fine. Death is fun if it rids your life of someone else but this is a little bit too odd. Assassins kill; they don’t give their victims time to escape. Which suggests she’s not an assassin; just a trained killer that tried her luck at being one.”

Rob took a book off of one of the shelves and opened it up. He tapped the paper then spoke again. “Of course being a headstrong young woman and a Lestrange, Sophia didn’t back down. Now that wouldn’t do. Little baby was in the way so she had to be rid of. The Minister’s daughter isn’t worth a lot. A fair amount but I stress fair. She certainly wouldn’t be sold for millions. Quarter of a million would be your lot, maybe even half if you’ve got a good day and people want a young, innocent, virginal member of the English nobility. Of course that price depends on whether the latter is still in place. I think they just enjoy breaking the spirit of women. Strange things, men are. One-hundred grand would be the lower option with the five-hundred thousand if the latter was intact.” He closed the book with a snap and then placed it back on the shelf. “And then there’s Phaedra, just simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. She was easy to wipe out. Not even a lover to miss her. How sad.”

He walked over to the body and knelt down. Rob studied her and lowered his voice as he spoke. “But you couldn’t have known could you? You didn’t know there was someone that could end your life at the drop of a hat. Why would you? You were a child. A child not even a year out of the school you’d been confined to since you were eight-years-old. You were so bright, the top of your class. But not bright enough it seems.” He sighed and pushed a lock of white hair out of her closed eyes. “You were just in the way weren’t you? The woman had those words on her lips and you came in, you weren’t planned. Your last thoughts, your last words, were given to a woman you didn’t know outside of your profession. How selfless of you. Killed by a stranger, slaughtered without a second’s thought. Your dignity shattered. But she couldn’t kill again because someone found you. So she left. Her one goal was to kill one person ended up with the death and kidnap of two others, the death that wasn’t of the intended.”

Sighing, Rob took her hands in his own and kissed her knuckles before placing the hands on her abdomen. His eyes caught a glimmer of metal on her pale finger. A silver ring with no gems that sat on her thumb. Rob slid it off and placed it on the smallest finger of his right hand. He leaned forward and placed a kiss to her forward before murmuring against her skin, “I am sorry, Phaedra. But think of it this way, the Gods have more fun than us. We’re just too boring, too interested in killing each other to give a damn about anyone else. But if you see Aphrodite, do tell her that she’s full of bollocks will you?” he smirked a little and kissed each of her cheeks before standing up. He twisted the ring of his finger and looked thoughtful for a few moments before gesturing to the window. “Is no one going to clear this up? Air aids decomposition after all.”

Well, okay, Khaat thought. The Khaat and Rob reunion lovefest was clearly over now. She could not, in her wildest dreams, see him fawning over her own corpse like that if that had been her and not Phae. Nah. More than likely, he'd have been demanding her father to cough back his cash. She knew he was hurting, though. For some reason, he was crushing on his kidnap victim. And, from what she knew, it had happened because Phae was nice to him when he was such a prat the night Abbey was born. Oh, whatever! She sighed heavily.

Rob's observations about the crime scene were pretty much spot on. Almost totally correct from what she remembered. However, what interested her far more was who on earth was trying to kill her that she didn't know and why. And why were they desperate enough to want to just keep killing her staff in order to try to accomplish their means? Khaat was silent, but her mind was working at light speed. Did that mean in order to keep the staff safe she was going to have to go back into hiding? She did not want one more person to be hurt, or, God forbid, killed because Khaat had had the unfortunate ethics to show up for work.

"Phae is my responsibility, Rob," Khaat said quietly. "I will take good care of her. I promise. I will see to everything." She looked at her father who seemed to be almost reading her mind and sizing up that for some reason Khaat was owning full responsibility for someone else's actions. And Khaat was not about to let go of that easily. Khaat knew that Phae had not been rolling in cash. She presumed her family was not either. Khaat was going to have all the expenses paid for by St. Mungos usual policies and procedures and then was going to fully absorb the rest. She knew her father would not let her do that, but not everything in this world was his choice, was it? "Rob, you wanna come with me to notify her family? I do have to do that. I think we could get along that long, don't you?" She knew that would mean a trip to Greece, but it was her job. And she had had to break news about passings to family members before. This felt immensely different, though.

Blaire was somewhere else the whole time, his mind was busy thinking about different things. Once he had seen Rob he had almost gone into a trance, more or less of emotions then thoughts. Everyone's voices were pretty much buzzing right now, his mind was full of different things. Like what Robert was doing outside of Azkaban and what he would do now that he was. He was more or less afraid he'd lose Khaat. What if Robert would whoo her or something. But he knew Khaat wouldn't fall for it, she was much too unlike him really. Much too smart to fall for anything.

When he came out of his little trance he figured he should let Khaat go. So he let her out of his arms, luckily she could stay on her feet. But those heels didn't help her, and he blow to the head really was luck she survived. So it was going to be doing a number on her and anyone near her. He chuckled in his mind at this little joke. But his eyes were on Khaat and Robert who were talking to each other. And then that other healer but in, well she had been easily discarded of. Khaat took care of her like nothing. And then the party including Robert's sister began to ascend the stairs. Blaire followed, hesitantly. He didn't trust them , even if they were here on peace purposes.

They had to treck all the way up to the fifth floor where the body and crime scene was. It wasn't a long way for Blaire, but had he not been in his physical condition he'd be huffing and puffing. But luckily he kept his body in shape, but he needed to help the Matt and Robert, Khaats father. He hadn't said a word this whole time, in fact he barely paid attention. However when Rob had mentioned that it looked like someone tried to off Khaat, Blaire caught it. His face turned serious, but then returned to normal. Someone was going to pay, even thought they failed, they had tried. That was still a crime, attempted murder and against Khaat at that. He remained silent...until he would be spoken to. This was really, not his place in his own opinion.

Matt had been so wrapped up in thought had it not been for the loud talking of Robert coming up the stairs he'd never have known anyone was currently looking at the crime scene. He poked his head out of Khaat's office and saw a group of people standing near the healers lounge. He noticed one person quickly run down the hallway, he didn't catch their face but assumed Khaat had sent them off for something. He opened the door fully and exited her office, making his way over to the group. "Not to many people around the scene at once," he told Khaat. He then noticed the person next to her, and what the hell. "What in hells name are you doing here," he said angrily at Robert, his hand gripping his wand in his pocket.

"Doesn't anyone ever report breakouts to me?" he said angrily, more so to himself. And then he heard Robert speak before he had a chance to answer. He pulled his wand ever so slightly out of his pocket and had it aimed at Rob. "What's that about my daughter." he asked him, trying his hardest not to curse the man. He settled for simply stinging him with a small stinging hex. It wasn't enough, but he'd get his revenge. But how easily he and Rob had become enemies. But he messed with things that he shouldn't have, and well...alot can happen. However, his anger still building inside him needed away out. A painting on the wall shattered and fell to the ground, Matt not doing anything. His eyes closed, it was a magical leak in him. He rarely had one, but it happened to everyone.

Khaat raised her eyebrows slightly at Matt's obvious burst of accidental magic. Matt, of all people, should have known Rob's sense of sarcasm. He liked to use it when he was hurting, and right now Rob hurt. Maybe a bit misplaced, but still it was there.

"I can't imagine there is anything left for anyone to find that you haven't already found," Khaat told Matt. "It appears that all the physical evidence itself is going to be rather slender at best. It isn't going to be the same as a muggle crime scene where you have security cameras and gunpowder resideue and all that rot, and we all know that." Personally, Khaat had absolutely no desire to offer up any statements of any kind. She was furious that anyone had murdered one of her healers right under her nose. And she had already sworn that she was going to track this woman down and kill her.

"I'll be right back," she said quietly. She made a move to turn, and her head spun. She took a few steps and looked at Blaire. "Would you come with me so that I don't lose my balance, please?" She intended on going to her office and drawing out Phae's personnel file.

She stepped out into the hallway, having to be extremely careful with her steps, even in her barefeet. She got partway down the hallway when she picked up on a powerful seer's vision. She stopped dead in her tracks. This woman had not been alone. There had been someone else her. Right here where she now stood. And he had waited. She "watched" as the man lurked outside while Khaat and Sophia had fought and as Sophia had been taken. And then she saw him watch Phae go into the lounge--too soon. At the wrong time. She saw him walk in and simply blow the lifeforce right out of the young woman.

Khaat felt suddenly sick and numb. She took a moment to regain herself, not speaking. Not knowing how insightful Blaire was, but truly hoping that he was off his game tonight. She looked down at the carpet and didn't see a single clue. Not one. She took a deep breath to get her focus back and moved into her office. She sat down at her desk and opened a drawer in the credenza behind the desk and retrieved Phae's file.

Blaire nodded to Matt as he came along, he didn't take a second glance at the broken picture frame at all. He had actually been studying the crime scene, and was about to speak with Rob alone when Khaat interrupted him. He nodded when she asked whether he'd go with her and smiled. He knew Khaat just needed to feel like she could handle things. Sometimes it was just best to let people be. But other times were different, Khaat wasn't well at all. He noticed her stop, and he quickly moved up to her as if she was about to fall. She had ditched the heels but was still a little uneasy, or so it looked.

They finally made it to her office. She looked beat, "You know Khaat. You work too much, you need rest." he said softly looking at a few pictures on the wall. Normally, Blaire wouldn't bother trying to convince her. She could be a hardheaded woman when she wanted to. But as many times as it's been typed, she was doing too much this time. "Khaat, I think you need to just lay down and leave this to your father. He seems perfectly capable of handling this himself. He is after all, a Lupin..." he said thinking back to Remus. They had gone to school together, they hadn't of been the best friends. Nor were they in the same year, but they knew each other. Not enough for him to ever bring Remus up anyway. He mainly spoke about his family, which had once been so big.

He looked at Khaat, who was busy filling some papers out. She was pale, too pale for Blaire's liking. She looked like she was about to die, but he was debating whether he should really do something or leave her be. Khaat enjoyed her freedom, but she also needed her limitations. And she tried to do everything no matter what her condition is. It's too much for her, she's going to look 70 by the time she's 40. "You know, if you keep running yourself like this you're going to look much older than you are." he said. "Wanna know how I know? Too bad I'm going to tell you," he grinned. "I'm actually twenty four." he joked.