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More Favours
Author: Phyllida
Date: 12-11-12 05:00
The tall, stately manor at the end of the twisting driveway met all of Phyllida's expectations of the Zabini family home; all haughty elegance and sneering pomp. A path of bleak cypresses bordered the winding drive that led to the grey stone steps flanked by serpents with curling tongues. An elegant, stone tracery window in the room she had been given looked over the neatly-trimmed grounds. The red-headed witch gazed over the scenery, her face pale and distant – once, her family had owned a manorial seat, not unlike this one. The perversities of fate had cheated her ancestors of their inheritance; she could only gaze longingly at the silvered décor and voluptuous drapery of the drawing room, and the polished furniture without a speck of dust or crumbled plaster in sight.
She fed her owl, Malvern, the remnants of the kippers the house-elf had brought up for breakfast. Last night, the dark barn owl had flown in her mother's scarcely legible reply her letter; the cramped, uneven hand explained in sputtering ink that she was proud of her only daughter was fighting for her father's freedom, and approved that Blaise Zabini was guiding her – surprisingly, she expressed no fears for her daughter's virtue. She had not, however, replied to Phyllida's question about how Ferne was putting up in her father's absence. Phyllida had considered writing her cousin a separate letter, but she trusted well enough that Ferne could entertain herself – no doubt she would throw herself into the maintenance of the neglected hothouse plants in her newfound spare time. Phyllida had more pressing and immediate concerns.
She descended the mahogany staircase, ruminating over their lack of success in locating the Ministry's sources.
Blaise was in one of the dining rooms, the smallest one that was perfect for informal dining. If he had his preferences, this would be the room used all of the time, but his mother would never stand for that. Thankfully, she was in residence at one of the properties she'd inherited from a later husband, likely plotting the capture of husband number eleven. When he heard Phyllida's tread on the stairs, he got up, stepping out into the hallway.
"Since the Ministry seems to be dragging their heels, bureaucracy in action and all, do you think we should go looking for the evidence ourselves? Mother suggested a trip to the Hebrides ourselves while she takes advantage of her newest conquest and his contacts to try and expedite things," he said, not bothering to hide the way his eyes traveled over her form as he leaned against the wall.
Colour sprang into Phyllida's cheeks as she noted the blatant admiration of his gaze. She coolly descended the last stair, stepping down to his level. "Given the deadlock we're facing in London, I suppose that isn't a bad idea," she replied, trying to keep her voice level. "We don't know which island this alleged facility was located on. Where will we begin our search?"
"I would think, given that this was a Ministry-supported location, that we should be able to find those records easily in the public records. Or we simply find one of the people who was there. The Resistance, and Order of the Phoenix did a lot of work liberating the camps, we could ask them, or well, I'm sure we can ask Pansy, or even Cloris Mockridge. If they don't know, they might know who would," Blaise suggested. Options were always a good thing, and they could even try all of the above if necessary, though he'd prefer to stick with the contacts he knew.
"The facility was a secret," replied Phyllida. "I don't think public records were made – with some digging around, we could find something, but that would require a great deal of access to the Ministry. And we still don't know where to look." Phyllida fell silent. "I remember my father mentioned meeting Pansy during a 'fishing holiday' to Loch Lomond. It was the same trip that I now realise was a cover for whatever he was doing in the Outer Hebdrides. Could Pansy have known more?"
"It's possible. We'll have to catch her at home to ask, she won't talk about it unless it's somewhere she knows is safe. I'll Owl her and we'll see when she's available," Blaise said. "I doubt I have anything in her files, mainly because we didn't want them adding charges." He pondered a moment before pushing off from the wall and heading for a closed door, entering his study but leaving the door open. "You can come in, if you want to." He didn't often invite others into his private space, but he did have that fondness for redheads.
Cautiously, Phyllida entered behind him. The chamber was spacious; its imposing walls were panelled in polished ebony, and so reflective that Phyllida could see a blurry spectre of her pale face, slipping like a ghost from one panel to the next. She touched the green leather that covered the dark wood of his desk, leaning against it. "I don't think she was directly involved, but Father might have trusted her and slipped something…"
"It's possible. Pans has a gift for getting information out of men, it's a valuable talent," Blaise said. Given their long acquaintance, he looked on Pansy rather like a sister, and since he was an only child, it worked out well, despite her protests that Arsenius was quite brother enough for her.
Phyllida looked over his shoulder as he addressed the note. "And you think she'll be willing to talk about it?"
"It might take a dent in my wallet, but I think she will," he said. He knew Pansy well enough to know he might have to cough up some jewelry or something else valuable, but she'd talk.
"Sounds like a certain Ms Zabini," she replied, with an arched brow of amusement.
"Mother is quite fond of her," Blaise admitted.
"I would imagine that is due to the similarities in their character." Phyllida perched on the edge of the desk. "My own mother is so materially-minded that I've often wondered if there was a goblin in her ancestry." There was a tang of irony to her smile. "As blasphemous as that is."
"More than likely. But it's useful in some ways, means we poor males can learn how to get what we want. And we keep the jewelers in business," hazel eyes watched her perching on his desk. It was odd, but he rather liked the picture she made there. "I think my father invested in a few, I know I certainly get better service in some shops compared to others."
"Oh?" She gave him a mocking smile. "I suppose it can be useful to have contacts in the right places, but I don't think people like you have any trouble getting what you want."
"Usually, no, I get exactly what I want," he agreed. "Though I am pretty sure there are some jewelers still depositing dividends into my Gringotts vault from old investments. I thought about going into the field myself, while I was in Hogwarts, but that was mainly because I could keep Mother and Pansy happy."
"Well, if it's going to take more bribes to make Pansy speak," she said, hardly believing she was saying the words, "it looks like I'm going to owe you more...favours."
Blaise smirked slightly. "It does look that way," he murmured, hazel eyes darkening slightly as he looked at her.
Embarrassed, she broke his gaze. What had gotten into her? She was nothing but a slight, pale creature perched awkwardly on Blaise Zabini's desk: little better than a gawky schoolgirl. "I better leave you to contact Pansy," she muttered feebly.
"Actually, if you give me a moment, I'll send the house elf to owl it off and then we can take a walk around the grounds," he offered. He tugged on a tasseled cord behind his chair, the elf appearing with a quiet pop.
"Owl this to Pansy, please."
Marlow Trying Out (Marlow)
Author: Aaron Miller
Date: 12-11-12 14:50
Marlow MacDougal, unlike her friends, classmates, and cousins Edin Jenkins and Heather Rabnott, is trying out for one of the four Quidditch teams, specifically Hufflepuff House's. She played chaser for her house during her second year and would like to continue on the team as a third year. Liannah says she's nuts wanting to be flying around chasing after a red ball, with constantly mussed up hair and in those unflattering practice and game outfits. But then, Liannah can be a bit of a priss and she can play a pretty fair game of Quidditch herself when she puts her mind to it.
Lauren, on the other hand, would have liked to have tried out today but decided she needs more time to get up to the level of play that being on a house team would require. Marlow told her to try out anyway just for the experience of it but Lauren chickened out. Marlow's starting to think Lauren is concerned with having her friends think she's made a right arse of herself. That, or Liannah got her alone for five minutes and convinced Lauren to wait until she's better at flying and has played some Quidditch for fun here at school with people other than relatives who don't necessarily play as cut throat at home with just the cousins.
Marlow was in Morgana Flowers's group this morning for warm ups and drills. Ms. Flowers is nice but she's also blunt and was very straight forward and no nonsense with those who didn't look like they could cut even doing the drills, making Marlow very glad she's got team experience. The only drill she'd done truly poorly on was blocking quaffle shots. She was only able to fully stop one quaffle and she simply doesn't understand why she was so awful at playing keeper. Being a chaser requires good reflexes and good coordination and, also, if she can dodge bludgers that means she's decent at both those things. Why none of that translated well to that particular keeper drill she doesn't know. She has shrugged it off as not that big of a deal since she did well on the other drills and she's trying for chaser, not keeper.
Marlow has been in a handful of scrimmages and another is just getting going. One of her fellow chasers, Edgar Steele, can't grab the quaffle on the tip off but he can bat it with one hand away from Mason Jeffers. The quaffle comes towards Marlow who is able to snatch it before her cousin Jasper Jenkins. The third chaser on Marlow's team this time is a first year from her own house Ollie Choate. He's done fairly well from what she's seen of him so far today but he's also got a long way to go before he's team ready in her opinion.
Now, Marlow looks to Ollie to take a pass, hoping that he's not so worn out from the long day that his inexperience is going to start showing more. She grins broadly when the pass is good, Ollie pulling the quaffle in close to his torso even as he had to roll a tiny bit on his broom as a bludger goes screaming by.
Jasper, along with the third opposing chaser, a girl whose name Marlow has been told three times today already but cannot for the life of her remember now - she feels so badly about that she has vowed to chat the girl up later and commit her name and a few details about her to memory - flank Ollie, trying to prevent him from handing off the quaffle if he needs. Marlow fixes that by coming up from below and letting Ollie pass the ball with a simple, straight downward drop. In possession of the quaffle once again, she leans low over her broom, increases her speed and takes off with Mason Jeffers attempting to keep pace.
At match's end, neither team has scored though both came close several times each. In need of something to drink, Marlow goes to retrieve some water as the same time that girl whose name she can't seem to remember is getting one as well. Smile in place, figuring this is as good a time as any for that chat, Marlow approaches. "Hi, great match, but don't you wish the scrimmages lasted longer?"
Ice breaker made, Marlow gets down to the business of figuring out how to once and for all remember this girl's name.
Slytherin Chaser Desired (Alexa)
Author: Aaron Miller
Date: 12-11-12 15:33
With the Quidditch trials for this school year nearly at an end, Alexa Wenlock believes she's made a good showing and will be named to the Slytherin team once again as a chaser. She wouldn't mind being named captain as well but, eyes cutting across to where Basil Wynbourne is pretending not to drool and stare at Aleydis Vanderbilt, she thinks someone else has a lock on that position.
In a few minutes Alexa will go join those she's on a team with for a scrimmage match. Until then, she plans to sit here being lazy, watching people in the stands and on the ground as much as she is the match currently taking place. A small body slips into vacant spot beside her. "Want to share?"
"Sure, thanks," she says accepting a couple of orange segments from her sister. "Still upset you couldn't try out?"
Amorica starts to give a nonchalant shrug, as if having to skip today isn't bothering her in the slightest. She starts to do that but ends up nodding instead, her face scrunching into a frown. "Yeah. I don't see why Madam Pomfrey said no."
"She said no because this time yesterday you had a cracked shoulder blade."
"So."
"So, even with Skele-Gro you need to give a bone time to rest."
"It was only a tiny crack and I would have been careful today."
"Shoulder blades don't normally get broken, you know, tiny or not. And you use your arms constantly in this game, no matter what position you play."
"What your saying is next time I have a fall down a flight of stairs I should break a toe or something that doesn't matter as much when playing Quidditch."
"Exactly," Alexa says, unable to keep from laughing a little. "Look at it this way. You have a better shot of actually making the team next year anyway because both Basil and I are graduating."
"That's hardly consolation. And what if I wanted to play on a team with Basil Wynbourne?"
"Fancy him do you?"
"He is rather lovely to look at."
"He'd never notice you, you know. You're way too young for him and that boy only has eyes for one person."
"It's really no fair you have so many beautiful lads near your age. Jack Emerson has such dreamy eyes."
Alexa laughs a little more. "Amorica, have you any insect bites?"
"Insect bites? Not that I know of, why?"
"Because, little sister, you sound like you were bit by the love bug."
"You can hardly blame me."
"Yes, well, there are some lovely lads your own age and they will only get lovelier every year."
"Boys my own age can be very immature."
"You're twelve, Amorica. Of course they are. Also, news flash, the blokes my age can be just as immature. Okay, need to get down to the pitch."
Alexa leaves Amorica frowning still over not being able to participate in today's trials and over all the "lovely lads" who are too old for her. One of those lads is on Alexa's squad this match, Jack Emerson. Olive Green rounds out the trio of chasers for their side. Basil Wynbourne is a beater as well this match but for the other team. That little cutie, or not so little as he's far taller than she is, Caerwyn Valentine, is one of her side's beaters as is a first year Ravenclaw girl Alexa wants to say is called Aderyn, sister of a boy who transferred last year into her cousins Hunter and Jill's house and year.
Straight off Olive gets the quaffle, quickly passing it in an underhand lob to Alexa as Basil gets a bludger off at her. Alexa shoots away, eyes scanning for Jack. Spotting him she goes to do a long forward pass but has to pull up her throw when her own cousin Alastor, the second beater playing as enemy this match, not only gets between Jack and her but is in the process of batting a bludger at her. Caerwyn darts in to halt the black balls progress as Olive flies into a position to be able to take that pass.
Hand off made, Alexa veers around Aderyn, staying well clear of the bat as the first year targets a bludger at other team chaser Ramona Mickle who's now trying to harass Olive to the point of making the quaffle vulnerable. Jack's got an opening now so Olive gets off a shot to him. The three of them continue working the quaffle to where opposing team keeper Gus van Tassle awaits. Alexa can't help but smile as she recalls Amorica referring to all the lovely lads. Sometimes referred to as the Slytherin Stud, Gus van Tassle definitely falls into the category.
Gus is able to block the first goal attempt, made by Jack. Alexa gets the quaffle on the rebound but as she's getting a shot off a bludger from Basil smacks her hard enough to screw up her throw. The quaffle doesn't even make it to Gus. Ramona scoops up the red ball and the action heads off in the other direction, Alexa right there in the thick of things.
Once the match is over Alexa resumes her seat where Amorica still sits trying not to visibly sulk. That was probably her last scrimmage. There's still time for a few more but she doubts she'll be in any, unless it's one of the very last of the day. She doesn't mind if that was her last. Alexa is tired after getting up earlier and having the day start off with exercises to warm them up, which were then followed by a number of drills, all of which required energy and intense concentration. At least she put intense concentration into her efforts when drilling. She has no idea how hard others tried but in her opinion, dodging bludgers being rapidly fired at you is not something a person should do while not paying much attention. The same goes for blocking quaffles or making goal shots. Even the drills involving hitting a moving target with either a bludger or a quaffle takes focus. And they all take energy. The adrenaline rush of warm ups and drills was followed by periodic game play throughout the day, each of which came with its own adrenaline rush. It can all be very wearing and Alexa is starting to feel it.
Accepting another piece of fruit from Amorica, Alexa kicks back and relaxes, listening to her sister extolling the virtues of more of the "lovely lads."
Staying For Dinner
Author: Zabrynna
Date: 12-11-12 17:43
Noting the time Zabrynna sets her near empty bottle of butterbeer down on the counter. "I should get going."
Mariposa looks up from the pot on the stove she's checking. "Go? Don't be silly. You're staying for supper. AJ and Declan should be along soon."
AJ had gone up to Hogwarts two or three times today to see how the Quidditch trials were going and to check on the students covering the day for the school newspaper. That Declan would meet up with AJ at some point comes as no surprise.
"No, I don't want to be a bother."
"Are you avoiding Declan again?"
Zabrynna lies. "Nooo, of course not."
Mariposa arches eyebrows, clearly not believing her sister. "Why? Did something happen?"
"I said I'm not avoiding him."
"You are so spill."
"Nothing happened."
"You had lunch with AJ and him at the castle not that long ago and since he didn't mention anything seeming to be wrong, it must have happened since then."
"Mariposa, listen to me. Nothing has happened since then."
"Okay, so before."
Zabrynna casts her eyes to the ceiling. "Can't you just accept what I've said."
"No, not when I know how you still feel about him and that you secretly enjoy having reasons to be around him, like supper here with AJ and me."
"Not so secret if you know that."
"Not secret to me. To Declan."
"Wait, does that mean AJ knows?"
"I don't know if he knows outright, but he suspects. Now that you and Declan had made amends and you are no longer his student, AJ supports the idea of you two getting together, just like I do."
Zabrynna knows Mariposa's take on the situation but wasn't aware of AJ's. "He does?"
"Declan and he have talked about the age difference. AJ keeps pointing out the one between him and me."
"That can't at all be awkward for Declan." Zabrynna's sarcasm is sharp enough to cut the beef tenderloin Mariposa's been cooking.
"You two have been on good terms. He saw you safely around St. Ermys as much as AJ and Dad did at end of term. You love Declan. Declan has feelings for you. You do know that, don't you? His actions are not just that of a friend or someone acting the big brother; plus, sometimes he gives you looks."
Noting the flush of color that has warmed Zabrynna's face Mariposa presses, "Tell me what happened to bring on this new bout of avoidance."
Zabrynna tightly presses her lips together as her older sister scrutinizes her with narrowed eyes.
"You had a fight."
"You've discovered you no longer have feelings for him and that's making you feel horrible all over again about what you did."
"Come on, give me something, a hint, anything."
Zabrynna shakes her head. "Nothing to tell."
Mariposa gives an eye roll then pops off with, "You kissed and I don't mean trapped under the mistletoe like at Christmas."
Zabrynna guesses her face got even redder because Mariposa's eyebrows arch up again and the sarcasm is dropped. "That's it! You kissed! When?"
Zabrynna loudly expels air, her back and shoulders slumping before admitting, "Yes, we kissed. At Emrys Fest."
"Declan Douglass and you snogged all the way back at Emrys Fest and you said nothing?"
"We have been pretending it didn't happen."
"You know, at Start of Term Feast I teased him about avoiding us the rest of summer. He claimed being busy with family visits but, now, I think I was right. He was busy but he made sure he was. With Hogwarts back in session and him around more often suddenly you have found reasons not to be here as often if he's over or you find reasons not to stay for very long."
She reaches over and bats Zabrynna on the arm. "You two are suck idiots! You finally have a real kiss and you decide to ignore it?" Mariposa switches from batting at Zabrynna to stabbing a finger at her. "You ARE staying for dinner. No argument."
"You can't say anything, Mariposa."
Her sister smiles sweetly. "So you'll stay?"
Now Zabrynna's the one with eyes narrowed in scrutiny. "What are you planning?"
"I'm not planning anything but if you don't stay, I might have a slip of the tongue."
Glaring, Zabrynna darkly replies, "Then I guess I will be staying."
The Means of Dreams (Driver)
Author: Arlington J Montgomery
Date: 12-11-12 22:44
It was midafternoon on Saturday and Driver was doing a few repairs around the bar. He was cleaning a few spots that had been overlooked in the past few weeks. At the moment he was up on a ladder, and dusted a light fixture all while not wearing a shirt. Someone knocked on the door.
"It's open, c'mon in."
Desi stepped inside, as Driver had expected her. Originally they had planned to meet just after she had been released from the hospital, but she hadn't been able to get away until now.
"Hey Des!" He hopped off the ladder and wiped his hands on the t-shirt that was tucked in a back pocket.
"Hey, Driver." She smiled up at him.
"I was hoping you would make it today. How are you feeling?"
"Uh, I'm feeling good as new. You?"
"You weren't checking me out, were you?" He smiled and motioned her over to a table. "I'm okay I suppose. I'm just getting ready for the Saturday night crowd."
Desi walked over to the table, after she watched him for a moment. "Are you always half naked when you clean?"
Driver couldn't help but grin at his friend's question as he pulled out a chair for her. "Yeah, I mean, why ruin perfectly good clothes? Besides, I don't usually have guests when I'm cleaning."
"Thanks." She took a seat, as Driver moved to sit across from her. "Maybe you should. Have guests, you might pick up some business earlier in the day. Especially if you're dressed like that!"
"Maybe, but I doubt it. I tried staying open all day once, but the afternoon was still dead."
"Oh. Well then, I guess you didn't advertise very well. I'm sure if you put out an ad of you shirtless, customers would come running."
"Maybe so, but it's nice to have quiet afternoons. Honestly, it's the only downtime I get during the week right now." He settled into the chair across from her. "I'm so glad you're okay, Desi."
"Thanks Drive. I'm glad you came to visit me while I was in the hospital."
"You're welcome; I wanted to make sure I got to be with you. I'm also sorry that I didn't warn you beforehand…"
Desi's gaze suddenly met Driver's. "Warn me? Warn me about what?"
"Look, don't think I'm weird okay?" He glanced down at the tabletop for a moment. "The day you got hurt, I had a dream about it. You were at St. Emrys and a professor hit you with a spell. You could have died Des…I know I should have told you about it, but with all the dreams I've been having about you lately, I didn't know what to do." He turned his gaze back up to meet her eyes.
Desi went silent for a moment again. "You've been having dreams about me? What kind of dreams?" She leaned in a little bit as she waited on his response.
"Well, I guess the only one that matters is the one where you got hurt. Obviously that one came true." He was a little afraid to go into detail about his dreams with her, afraid his visions would scare her off.
"Yeah that sorta matters…what about the other ones?"
"I guess they were just glimpses into the future. Or they could be." He sighed a little.
Desdemona studied the man across from her. "So, you didn't happen to have any dreams of a…personal nature…?"
A slight blush colored Driver's cheeks. "Yeah, I sure did."
"What kind of personal dreams?"
"Um, mostly about you and me in the future."
"Ok, we're going to come back to that part, but the future?"
"Like I said, they're still just dreams right? Little glimpses of the future hopefully. There were some several years down the road."
"Several years down the road?"
"Yep." He couldn't help but smile at the memory. "There was this little boy too, he had spikey brown and blue hair, and he had my eyes too."
Desi blinked. "Oh. Then you had the one about me getting hurt at the university?"
"Yeah."
"What exactly happened in you dream?"
"When you got hurt?"
"Yeah."
"Well you were going to see him…and some professor was talking in his classroom or something. You came in and he called you the devil, I think, then hit you with expulso."
"Wait, you had a dream that I was looking for Orion, and met a professor that tried to make me explode? How long before it actually happen did you have that dream?"
"I had the dream on Thursday; the day before it happened."
"Was that the first time this has happened? Have a dream with such detail that came true?"
"Honestly, I don't remember. I mean, I've always had dreams that I just attributed to deja vu or something. They got more intense and realistic after I met you."
"After you met me?"
"Yes. Des, after I met you it's like something clicked on in my brain. That sounds stupid, doesn't it?"
"No, Driver, it doesn't. I don't know why I would trigger something like that though. There's nothing special about me."
"I dunno. I guess we're just connected somehow or something."
"Am I the only subject of your dreams since we met?"
"Yep."
She thought for a moment. "So, why'd you want to talk to me about these dreams anyway?"
"Mainly to tell you I was sorry I didn't let you know about the one before your accident, and maybe help me make sense of them."
"You think I can help you make sense of them?"
He leaned back in his chair "Maybe. Have you ever had dreams like that? Is it normal?"
"Dreams... No. I have visions sorta like that though. Normally they're very vague and full of metaphors and very difficult to make heads or tails of before something happens. They also have a bad habit of happening while I am wide awake and standing."
"Hmm, that's interesting, sounds painful too…with the falling? So you're a seer then?" He laughed a little. "I guess I'm just weird, that's why I'm having these detailed dreams?"
"Yeah, I'm a seer. You could be too."
"Could be?"
"Well, yeah. If you have dreams that see the future, then yes. Hell, you may be more accurate than I am."
"If I'm not mistaken, then your dreams need to be reported…"
"All of them?"
"They should be. Why? Which ones would you want to keep a secret?"
"All the ones that DON'T involve someone getting hurt, or something bad happening." He frowned and propped his chin up on his hand, he elbow resting on the edge of the table.
"The ones with people getting hurt or something bad happening should be reported. What's with the others?"
"I mean, I guess I can report them all. It's just weird telling people about dreams of a certain type. Ya know?"
"Oh yeah, about that. What were these particular dreams about?"
"You know, dates and stuff…"
"Go on." Desi encouraged him to continue. Driver had a hard time speaking about personal aspects at times.
"I guess one of them was, well it felt, like a year in the future. You and me out on a date, and for some reason I have a limp in the future too."
"Hmm. Is that as personal as the dreams got between us?"
"Oh no, they got-very-personal." Driver blushed again.
"How personal?" She said with an edge in her voice, he needed to tell her.
Driver spoke quietly now. "Sex..."
Desi just blinked, "I really hope those were more regular fantasy type dreams."
Driver quirked an eyebrow. "Yeah, cause you wouldn't want to have sex with me ever." He stood up and sighed. "Look, I'm sorry Des; I won't bother you with them anymore."
"I never said that Driver! It's just sort of odd to think about someone dreaming about me like…that.
"Oh! Yeah, I guess it is."
They sat in silence for a few minutes, both of them playing over the conversation and the meanings of Driver's dreams.
"Do you want to know anything else about my dreams or visions?"
"Just how realistic were the... intimate dreams about us?"
"Oh my gosh, they were just as real as the one where you got attacked."
Desi shifted uncomfortably in her seat.
"So... you've seen... everything..." *thinks a moment* "That how you knew what to bring when you visited?"
He nodded, a smile spread across his lips. "Yeah and there were beautiful blue and purple hydrangeas everywhere in the dreams, I knew it was your favorite flower."
"That sounds pretty..."
"It was beautiful Des! I wish you could have seen it. Well I guess you may one day."
"Maybe... But I'm not sure I'm comfortable with your... visions... The personal ones at least."
"Yeah, I figured you might not be. I won't share the details unless you want me to, but you did ask."
"Yes, I did. It's nothing to do with you Driver. I don't even like looking at myself naked in a mirror."
Driver sighed. "Why not, you're beautiful Desi."
"I don't see it. I never have. Besides, you've never seen my sister. Everyone falls for her..."
"Arley told me about your sister and the issues you guys have had. Oh Desi, not everyone. You are who I fell for..."
"Yeah... Apparently so did Arley, until he decided to get with her. That's why he was sent over here, because they got caught."
"Well, hooking up with your sister actually did go well for Arley then. He discovered he was gay and met his partner."
Driver went quiet for a moment, before he continued. "Like I said, I fell for you Desi, not your sister, not anyone else. I want you to learn to see the amazing, beautiful person that you are."
"Like I said, you haven't met her yet. Everyone, and I mean everyone, who's ever liked me has fallen for her after they met Bianca."
"Desdemona." He reached a hand out to gently cup her chin, which made her gaze meet his. "Listen to me, please. I promise you, I would never do that to you. You've been hurt way too many times, and that's not the kind of person I am."
Desi had already started to tear up. "He said he wouldn't hurt me..." She turned her head away and stood up. "I need to go."
"Sweetie, who said that?" He stood up with her. "Please, talk to me?" He could tell she tried to be strong, tried not to break down.
"Never mind, just... talk to the Ministry about the dreams."
She started to walk out but stopped, and she didn't turn around. "The ones that aren't personal, I mean..."
He sighed a little, not wanting to push her. "Okay." He watched her walk off, not saying anything. She was hurting, and Driver had to find a way to help her.