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Published : 5 months, 3 weeks ago (Wed, 11 Jun 2008 12:15:39 PDT)
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She walked over to the table, moving away from him reluctantly. "It must not have been time. I mean, I *am* young and maybe with everything that's happened..." she glanced out the window at the shell of a world outside, "maybe children aren't meant to happen."
"Or maybe it was the stress." Harry tried to offer another answer,feeling weird talking about this subject. Why was he even trying to protect the dead baby? He warned her about it in the first place. But,something deep inside him wanted to have kids with her. And not only because she was the only woman alive.
Anna cast her eyes towards the pancakes, smiling a little more. "They look delicious...thank you." She looked back at him, her green eyes warm and vibrant despite what had happened only an hour previous. "So...h-how was Chicago?" she inquired hesitantly, unsure if she should even ask.
He walked over to table,sitting down beside her."As expected. Dead. The windows of my shop broken and everything fallen apart." Something in his voice signaled that the sight broke his heart. He spent years there and it was his only home.
She moved her hand so that it was covering his and gave it a gentle squeeze. "That's one of the reasons I don't want to leave here. I want to revel in my delusions. I don't want to see what's left of the other places I've seen and called home. I want to cling to *something*." She tightened her grip slightly as she emphasized the last word. "Honestly...I'm very saddened about losing the baby," she admitted, her eyes casting downwards towards the tabletop. "I don't know, I guess I just thought of it as being someone...someone innocent and a sign of hope that humanity could go on."
"Look,I don't want to sound like a pervert,but I didn't go sterile." He put his other hand above hers."Give it a few months, and when you're better and feel like it...we can try again." He always imagined this conversation to be saved for married couples. Well,they weren't married and they were not even officially a couple. Nah,details."I-I *had* to see what was left there...not just my shop. I went to the police station where Murphy used to work,then I went to the house of my partner and her twin. The poor guy had triplets..."Harry trailed off,the image of the three energetic werewolf pups filling him with sadness.
: "I started consulting the Covenant's records and texts while you were away," she began. "Read all about the prophecy concerning me and my mother. I found a couple of others, too, but nothing that pertains to this. I'm not through yet, though, there are still so many to look through." She stared at the wall in front of them, lost in her own thoughts. "Life, as we know it, is over. What if we're the last two people on Earth?"
"Then the probability of our offspring and their offspring to have magical powers will double..." He whispered,imagining the world inhabited by wizards and other magic users. "I don't understand one thing,though...why did we survive?"
She lifted her eyes to his, afraid to speak what she's known for the past four days. Anna didn't want to scare him, but she supposed right now it was best to know what she was capable of. The words almost dried up on her tongue, but she managed to get them out. "Because I willed it to be."
He blinked at her a couple of times, a confused smile arching his lips. "What? Willed like...'I don't want us to die' style?" And he thought he was the big wizard here to protect the young girl from harm. Hell,she just saved their asses from the Apocalypse!
She kept her eyes steady on his so he knew she was telling the genuine truth. "Willed as in, 'This isn't supposed to happen to us, we will survive.' When my conviction is strong enough, I have the tendency to be able to...change the course of things. What happens next is anyone's guess." She went silent after that, pensively waiting for him to either flip out on her or pass out. She couldn't picture the later and prayed the former wouldn't happen, either.
"So, why didn't you used that earlier,when you miscarried?" He arched an eyebrow at her,but still holding her hand with his. Suddenly,however, a voice whispered in the back of his mind,caressing his temper with its fiery words."She let us die. She let her own mother die..." Harry shook his head,his free hand grabbing the necklace and squeezing it forcefully. "You want me to save you? Then stop trying to make me lash out at her!!"He thought,smacking his mental door onto the voice.
She blinked at his strange outburst. "What?" she asked, confused, her eyes moving to where he held the pendant. An eerie feeling went through her spine, one she didn't like...at all.
"I don't think you'd believe me if I told you." He gave her a weak smile,trying to change the topic."Why haven't you,then?"
"Well, because...because I couldn't think straight when it happened, I sort of...fell apart. There was no time to process that it was happening, before it happened. And...it doesn't work all of the time, Harry, I can't change everything I want at will, it just...happens at strange times." She slid her hand out from between his and went around to get something to drink, she was parched. Then something occurred to her. "Do you blame me for not doing it?"
"She didn't want the kid,Dresden. And she'll fall out on you,as well."The voice came again,but this time it sounded exactly like its owner. Harry ignored it,knowing the demonic side was talking,the real person would have never said things like this,despite her raw nature."No. I think only a few women could keep control over their mind when something like this was happening." He pulled his hand back onto his lap,her frequenting actions to keep him at distance pushing him into a low mood.
She grabbed a glass and filled it with water from the pitcher in the fridge. "Did you..." she hesitated briefly before turning to face him, gripping the glass between her palms. "Did you...want that baby?"
"It was the first baby that ever got concieved..."He looked away from her,shrugging."I was the father of it. At that moment,when I saw it emptying out of you...I-I felt sad. I think I wanted it."
She offered him a gentle smile, going back over and sitting next to him. "I felt the same way," she agreed, resting her hand on his arm.
"Are you scared of me,Anna?" Harry looked back,deciding to put the question that has been upsetting him out there."Because,sometimes...you just pull away."
"I'm only scared when you act very much unlike that kind, gentle, sometimes sardonic man that I met on Main Street and got to know more...intimately at the Sanctum. We came here and something came over you and...what seemed like odd behavior to me *did* frighten me a little, yes," she nodded. "But overall afraid of you? No."
"Anna...I haven't told you the whole story about my partner. I didn't think it would be important,but...it's growing out to be one of the main things that stress me out." Unwillingly, his hand moved up to the necklace again,a golden shine running through it from his touch."I'm still here,Dresden..."The voice purred in the back of his mind,sending chills down his spine. The woman had more effect on his dead than alive. Damn it.
Anna just nodded, taking another drink. "Tell me whatever you'd like, Harry."
Harry took a deep breath,before pulling on the necklace so it would snap from his neck and lowered it onto the table."Her name was Aryss Reaper. She took another family name for personal reasons,but it wasn't just that. She wasn't the kind of person you wanted to mess with. If she had a grudge on you or hated you...you could order yourself a coffin. I had a friend in New York who offered me to give her a job and through that, I could get to know her other side.The one that does everything for her friends. When her first 6 months came,about one year ago,I gave her this..."He trailed off,and pointed at the round medallion with runes."It's meant to cast a protective bubble around the owner.Like a magical kevlar.Now,one more thing you have to know of her. She wasn't a normal pyrokinetic. She was half demonic. So,ever since I found her necklace on the floor and started wearing it...it was like I reacted to things as she did. Bob thinks the medallion sucked her soul in when her body died. Basically causing her to possess me..."
Anna shifted on the chair a bit, taking it all in. "Okay...my question to you is...do you want to be possessed by her?"
"Not if she let's her demonic side take over. If that possesses me,despite how weak it is or anything...That's trouble. However, if I can find her body,maybe I can heal it and send the soul back into it."
Anna listened to him openly, her eyes searching his face as he talked. "That would be interesting," she commented, unsure of where her line of thought was coming from. "Then it would be the last man on Earth and last two women." She ran her fingertips over the tabletop, casting her eyes away.
"Too bad I already chose my partner."He smiled,sliding his hand over hers."Or,I could just let her out in the form of a ghost,so Bob could have company." Harry joked,trying to ease the thickness of the story.
"Did you find any proof of bodies anywhere while you were out?" she asked, taking comfort in his hand over hers. She did not like the sound of this spirit, it made her extremely uneasy.
"No,there was no one."He shook his head, then looked at the dish with the rest of the tea on the counter and it started levitating towards them.
Anna nodded, looking unhappy at that news. "Okay...well...if you think she might cause problems...perhaps..." she hesitated before continuing with her suggestion, "...maybe you shouldn't *wear* the necklace."
Harry went silent for a moment,as if listening to something. Then,instead of getting another rage spike,a grin spread across his lips."She's saying she managed to move herself from the medallion into my brain. And she's already sick of watching my fantasies." Hearing a joke from the spirit was obviously a batter sign,than getting insults.
Anna was going to say something else when out of the vast silence of the house encasing them, a loud chime sounded. Anna's heart stopped mid-beat as she stared at the kitchen doorway. She'd never heard it in this house before, but there was no mistaking it...it was the doorbell. Someone was out there.
"What the hell?" Harry's face paled at the same time as his whole body stiffened. He slowly rose from his chair,looking down at Anna with the face that would go well in a horror movie,when something unexpected happens."Was that you?" He asked in a choking voice,praying it was only her pulling a joke on him.
"No," she managed to get out, slowly and very shakily getting to her feet herself. "That was *not* me...was it Bob?" Her heart thudded hard in her chest as she took two tentative steps around the table and towards the doorway.
"He doesn't have an effect on the psychical world. He's only my mentor and adviser."Harry admitted,tugging her behind him as they started inching towards the hall."Zombies don't ring,vampires need to be summoned into the house,as well as demons. Werewolves would have jumped us already." He ran every possible option that came into his mind,the nod in his stomach shrinking into an unbareble size.
The doorbell rang again, causing Anna to actually jump. She stopped, her hand clamping down on Harry's arm. "Wait...get behind me," she requested, staring at the front door which had just come into sight. "Girl or not, I can still take more than you can if it's vicious."
"I work for the police,Anna! And I'm 6 foot 3 inches tall. I'd rather it jump me than you. Besides,you bled a lot today."He whispered harshly,trying to keep up with her in the battle for the front door.
"*Please*, Harry," she beseeched in a more urgent tone. "Just listen to me this time, okay?" She was getting intense tingling sensations the closer they got to the door, ones she couldn't place, and wondered if Harry was experiencing the same thing.
"Fine,but I'm right behind you."He stopped in front of the door,giving her enough space to open it. His left wrist rose into the air,so he could deflict any attacks that might target Anna."Go for it..."He whispered,nervousness evident in his tone.
Anna put her hand on the doorknob, pausing a second and holding her breath before pulling the door open. As her eyes looked through the widening gap she was presenting, her gaze fell on the face of a teenage girl, who was staring back at her with eyes her mother's shade and hair the same shade as her own. As she stared the girl gave her a wry smirk, not making a move to come any closer from where she was propped up against the side of the house. "Hey, Mom."
"Who is it?" Harry asked,trying to lean in,so he could peek out the crack.
Anna just stared at her, her mouth slightly agape at her greeting. The girl just quirked a brow at her lack of response. "No hello? Nice to see you're not dead?" Anna drew in a ragged breath, slowly shaking her head. "I don't..." Then, an arm moved into the scene outside, gently pushing the girl back as a boy near the same age stepped halfway into view, giving the girl a harsh look. "Be nice," he scolded her before giving Anna an apologetic look. "Sorry about my sister...manners must not have come automatically with her."
Since he didn't get an answer,Harry grabbed the door from Anna's hand and pulled it open,the two teenagers coming into view. He blinked at them for a second,trying to tap if they were apparitions from beyond the grave."Can we help you?" That wasn't the best greeting for two other people who hadn't died,but nothing else came onto his lips.
The girl opened her mouth to speak before the boy nudged her gently. "Let me talk, okay?" She shrugged, looking completely indifferent as she let her eyes roam around the entryway past Harry and Anna. "May we come in?" he asked the two, looking from one to the other with dark eyes. Anna realized the longer she looked at him that he reminded her of Harry. She glanced up at the man before looking back at the boy. "Sure," she agreed cautiously, holding the door open more for them.
"Sure,invite them in..."Harry rolled his eyes,remembering the other species of monsters that needed invitation. He allowed them to go forward,following in their steps from behind to check for any unusual things. There was something strange about these kids,besides showing up in a state that's supposedly dead. They looked a lot like them.
The two teens walked inside, the girl walking right past Anna with her chin raised high and the boy following behind with a more relaxed stride. He gave Anna a sideways smile, almost sheepish as he followed the blond girl towards a room on the left, where she sat down on the couch and he just stood near her, looking ever vigilant, but still at ease. Anna looked at Harry with perplexed eyes as she followed along, completely confounded. She thought they were alone around here...she thought they were alone *period*.
"Anna..."Harry grabbed her gently by the arm,tugging her towards the corner."Will you just excuse us for a second,okay?" He flashed the teens a dazzling fake smile. When they got out of hearing distance,he leaned close to her,and whispered into her ears."Tell me I'm blind,but...that girl looks a hell lot like you." Giving the pair a sideways glance,he quickly looked back,feeling overwhelmed.
Anna glanced back at them before looking Harry back square in the eye. "I was going to say the same thing about the guy," she replied, her tone low. "We need to find out what's going on. They're real, flesh and blood, I can tell that much."
"I never thought seeing living people would scare me this much."He confessed,pressing a finger against his temple."Harry,is everything all right?" Bob came from the kitchen,but stopped in his tracks when he noticed the two new people sitting on the couch."Oh my..." He clapped a hand over his mouth,his eyes wide. Whaddya know, a surprised ghost.
Anna drew in her composure and turned back towards the teenagers who looked her age. She offered them a friendly smile as she approached them. "I thought there was no one left."
"Yeah and because of that, here we are," the girl dryly commented, getting another nudge from her brother. "What?"
"Would you care to explain?"Harry chimed in,before sitting down onto the coffee table in front of them and waving Bob to come in closer. He needed to hear this,as well,if they wanted to figure out what was going on.
"What she means to say," the boy interjected, "is that we're new here....really new. They sent us to you immediately." He glanced past Anna towards Harry and the new arrival, looking a bit spooked upon seeing Bob.
"I don't want to seem mean or anything,but please refrain from using 'they'. It would be easier with names."He smiled at them,then looked over at Bob who was still staring at the teens with wide eyes.
The girl gave Harry a sweet smile. "'They' don't have names. I think they're too old for them. They simply go by PTB." Anna's head snapped towards the direction of the girl as she fell down into the nearest seat. "What did you call them?" The girl didn't answer her, but the boy did. "I think you know who we're talking about, Mom. The Powers That Be." It was then when Anna's world started to spin.
"Mom?!"Harry and Bob asked at the same time,the picture starting to sharpen for the wizard."Oh God,that can't be...we miscar-..."He trailed off and stood,taking a few steps back from the teens. Suddenly,he started feeling very light headed.
"Great, we have fainters for parents," the girl grumbled, standing and moving over to support her wavering mother. The boy looked at his father with discerning eyes, trying to determine if he should approach him or not. "Are you going to be okay...?"
"I would advise you not to go close to Dresden,young man."Bob came into view,going through the chair while going towards Harry. How could this be? They miscarried this morning,there's no way...Or are they from another pregnancy? His brain was too foggy to think,all he knew that he had to hold Anna. Staggering over to them,he nudged the teenage girl out of the way and slid his arms around her waist."They're our...kids..."He whispered,pressing his forehead against hers.
Anna trembled lightly in his arms as she clung to him, only able to nod in response as her voice was lost to her at that moment. She reached out with her mind and Powers to make contact with the PTB, to try and understand, and she needed a grounding force- Harry.
The girl moved away a little, looking around with impressed eyes. "This place is cool," she vocalized to no one in particular. "I didn't know we came from rich folks."
When feeling steady on his feet,Harry reached down and scooped Anna up into his arms,turning and then making his way towards the couch."Bob,I need tea from the kitchen." The ghost gave him a curious look ,poking his hand through the chair he walked over a seconds earlier."Yes, like that's going to happen." Letting out a long sigh,Harry looked towards the kitchen,channeling his powers and seconds later the dish with four separate cups flew into the room. Might as well gave their kids something to drink.
"Is she going to be okay?" the boy asked, watching his parents with concerned eyes. His expression seemed to mirror his father's as he kept out of the way, grabbing a cup that blew by. "Thank you." His eyes gleamed as he added sugar to his tea before drinking it. The girl took her own cup and wrinkled her nose. "I don't care for tea, thanks anyway."
"She's going to be fine. It's just...a little shocking." He replied honestly,gesturing towards the teens to sit down. It was his first steps to accepting what he heard. Combing his fingers through Anna's hair,he looked down at her with a loving face, knowing that her dream of having kids became or will become true."I have a weird question for you...when were you guys born?"
"Actually...that's kind of a hard question to answer. We weren't sent with any answers," the boy admitted, setting his drink down on the table. He glanced at his mother, who was in a trance-like state on the couch, still clinging to Harry. "I think she's trying to get answers now."
"And I hope she will get some,because the mysteries are piling up." Harry sighed, giving her a light kiss on the face.
Ellie: The girl drummed her nails against the china cup, looking already bored by the scenario. "What's to find out? It's not like we were wanted or anything."
He looked at the girl,wondering from who she inherited her attitude from. He certainly hoped it wasn't Aryss that leaked into her through him. That would just be creepy."We miscarried our first baby today. A baby we both wanted,so whatever gave you that idea, I say you're wrong." When the words left his mouth,his eyes widened, surprised that he was the one saying such a thing.
"What gave me the idea?" she answered back. "You probably just wanted to hop into each other's pants more than anything else, damn the consequences, and then have to make up a good story when you do find out there were consequences." Her brother just glared at her frank attitude, willing her to be quiet before it was too late. It probably already was.
Harry's face darkened, as he felt his partner poke her head up inside him."You're letting her talk like that to you? You just found you you had kids,what...five minutes ago and she's already accusing you?" He couldn't help but agree,taking a deep breath before speaking out."And how would you know what happened when you got conceived? You want to tell yourself you're the unloved one of the family,fine. That's your business. But, keep us out of it. We're not interested in your self tearing crusade."
The girl's eyes flashed as she listened to her father, and her brother held his breath. She got to her feet, glancing at her still mother's form. "Fine. Just let me know when the word *love* is actually used in this family, okay?" With that she turned and left the room, leaving her brother to stare after her sadly before he looked back at his parents. "She shows signs of empathy...like mom's mom," he mentioned to Harry. "And please don't be too hard on her. This is coming as a shock to both of us, but especially her...she's...different."
"Is it true? What she said...?" He turned to the boy,biting his lower lip. He told the girl what he thought right now,but he couldn't predict the future.
"I don't know...she's going off of the emotions you two are putting off right now. She must not sense 'love' as an overlying emotion. That's her sensitivity, not mine." Anna blinked, sitting up immediately as she looked- startled- at her son and then Harry. "This is unbelievable."
Harry let the boy's comment slip. How could she look for love when he only met this girl days before. However, that didn't mean he wouldn't want the babies."What did you find out?" He looked down at Anna, who slid out of his lap.
She gathered herself before speaking slowly to make sure she relayed it all. "I was pregnant with twins." Her eyes moved to the boy before looking around for her now-absent blond daughter. "Where is she?" "Venting...go on," he nodded politely. Anna glanced at Harry before continuing. "I miscarried because...because my system, as infused with Power as it is, can't carry children. I guess it really wasn't a miscarriage, the children were still alive, just mystically...relocated. My body expelled the rest of their environment." She sighed, rubbing at her temple. "When it comes to the Powers That Be, anything is possible. The children finished developing in only a matter of an hour in our time, and then they were sent back here...to us."
Powers that Be. Something that was totally new to him. Were they a higher power like the High Council? This confused him to no end and it wasn't just the PTB. "They...developed into teenagers in only hours?"He asked,his voice full with disbelief.
Anna's eyes moved to him, full of apology for how overwhelming what she was saying- and would say- would be to him. "They're pretty much the end all and be all. You tick them off and you're screwed. They've been dictating my life since I was born, I just haven't taken part in much...until now. I-I guess I was meant to have children...I just couldn't by the normal means." She looked closely at the boy that looked so much like his father, slowly standing and walking over to him. "What do you know?" she asked him softly. He stared at her, a little shaken by the aura she was giving off. "We're not normal, neither are you. We pretty much don't know anything else," he admitted with a slight shrug.
That proved his hunch about their kids not being normal. But,how could they? He took a shaky breath and stood up,going towards the room where his daughter left. He found her staring out the window,her posture showing she was still mad. "I didn't know she was pregnant. I only found out this morning...when we thought we lost the baby."Harry spoke quietly,leaning against the door frame."You know what I felt when I realized I lost the first living human we created? I felt loss,because despite what happened ,I wanted to be a father. I'm sorry...I'm sorry if you think we didn't want you guys,but believe me...we did." His vision became blurry as he spoke and he never thought he'd be so emotional. Or have two teenage kids ,for that matter.
She crossed her arms in front of her, much like her mother. She didn't turn to look at him, not wanting him to see the broken emotion on her face. "Yeah, well...even if the baby is welcome, unplanned pregnancy between two people who are casual bed buddies happens all of the time, right?" Her throat swelled slightly, but she forced her voice to come out normal, but hushed. "What kind of parents are you going to be to us?"
He took a step closer,and ran a hand through his hair. He was so not used to this."I told her about the chances of pregnancy in my case. So,it wasn't a surprise. And what she told me then,it made me be at peace with the possibility of becoming a father. Your mother said she believes in faith and what happens is meant to happen. Look,you might not have been planned,but that doesn't mean you're not loved."
She gave him a wry smile. "Score one for us. I might be newer to everything here, but how many times have you seen kids living with parents who were just bed buddies?"
"We're not just bed buddies."Harry stated boldly,seeing perfectly though her mask."And with humanity on dying mode,we might start new trends."
She turned to face him then, throwing her arms up, a faint smirk still on her lips that accentuated her 'I don't know if I believe you' expression. "Whatever...guess we'll see what happens. But for the record...I'm not doing with my brother what you did to mom to keep humanity alive and kickin'." With that she walked past Harry, sauntering towards where the rest of her new family was located.
Caleb watched her leave, giving Harry a look. "You have your hands full," he noted, before disappearing.
He closed his eyes,the nerve from the conversation and the noises in the back of his head that didn't belong to him started driving him crazy."Shut up...shut up!" He whispered harshly, an amused giggle echoing in his head. When he opened his eyes,one of them were blue."Oh,front view." Came a voice from his throat,but it was a woman's."That's enough Aryss,I'm binding you!" Harry yelled and turned in his heels,marching through the sitting area towards the kitchen. He had an idea how to piss this ghost off.
Tyler appeared next to him as soon as he entered the kitchen. "What are you doing?" he inquired, easily noting the change in Harry since he last saw him. "You're not alone," he confirmed quietly.
"Hey cutie." Came the voice again from Harry's throat,that caused him to clap a hand over his mouth. Friend or not,he had to bind her to something to bump her identity back to normal. He quickly walked over to the toaster and took a knife out from the cabinet. As he started scratching different runes into the metal,while chanting the spell that would pull the ghost out of him."No,nooo..."Came the faint scream of a woman,followed by a puff of smoke and the runes on the toaster started glowing. Harry staggered back, feeling dizzy, the knife falling from his hand."Dresden...you just didn't do that!" The woman appeared out of the kitchen item,her black dress the same as it was on the magical phone call."Seems like I did." He smirked,knowing he just evened the accounts.
Tyler just watched with astounded eyes, never seeing anything like this. "I am totally missing something, aren't I?"
"You bint me to a goddamn toaster!?" The redhead exclaimed,pointing at her new home. "You're a pyro,now you can make hell fire burnt toast."He joked ,and looked over to Tyler."Long story,but here's the short version. Tyler,this is my partner Aryss,who will be a ghost until I figure out how to get her back to life." "Just suck someone's life energy away. You did it to Bob once. And how about the blond with attitude? I don't like her." Harry rolled his eyes and started walking back towards the rest of the group."You'd be surprised,you two have a lot in common. Keep her busy,will you? I don't have the nerve for rebel teenagers right now." Aryss arched an eyebrow at him,while following,her heels hitting the wooden floor. She was definitely more solid than Bob."You want me to babysit?"
Tyler just stared after them before shaking his head. "Oh, Lord...this is going to be interesting," he muttered before disappearing.
Anna was sitting back down on the couch, talking with her son while her daughter loitered nearby, trying not to seem too interested or affronted by anything going on. Anna had a soft smile on her face as she talked to the spitting image of Harry. She felt immediately connected to these teenagers, even if they looked pretty much her age.
"You've looked after your brothers triplets."Harry offered slight consolation to the new ghost,who didn't seem too happy by the idea."Yeah,and they were,what? 4 years old? There's a difference." As they reached the sitting area,Bob turned and saw both of them."Aryss?"He called out ,his eyes shining with surprise."You're here!" He hurried over and reached out in attempt to touch her, and amazingly he could."Wait a second,you can touch her?"Harry arched an eyebrow,knowing Bob always secretly followed the redhead."I can touch her!" The male ghost exclaimed happily,grabbing her with both hands.
Anna looked up from her son and stared at the new arrival behind Harry. She recognized her. "Harry...?" Tyler materialized at her side and whispered something in her ear, causing Harry and Anna's son to go from staring at the redhead to Tyler. "H-Hey...I know you."
"Anna,don't worry. I had to bind her before she went totally demonic inside me." Harry walked over to her and squeezed her shoulder reassuringly."Yea,and now I get touched by old pervo,here."Aryss rolled her eyes and inched away from Bob,who acted like he didn't even hear her comment.
Anna's mind worked faster to keep up with the different conversations and people around her. She hadn't seen that many people in the same room with her in a week, and while she should enjoy it, it was starting to overwhelm her a bit. She glanced at Aryss with slight scrutiny in her eyes. "Is she dangerous to us, Harry?" Anna and Harry's daughter glanced over at Aryss with narrowed eyes, looking unimpressed while her brother continued to analyze Tyler's spirit.
"Well,Dres,your new girl doesn't seem to like me. Just like Bianca,Laura,Tara..."she trailed off,listing a number of female names that had something intimate to do with Harry."No."He said firmly,looking from Anna to the redhead with meaningful eyes. The kind that said 'be nice.'
Anna slowly nodded, trusting Harry and secretly glad he wasn't going to have that inner turmoil anymore. "So she's like Tyler and Caleb?" she inquired, looking up at the man that had given her the two teenagers in the room.
"More solid and I think she can even use her telekinetic powers to some extent,but she's a player on our team. Despite the attitude. In fact, she saved my life more than I can count." Aryss smiled at him,looking a little flattered."You know,I'll just be in my..toaster. You guys have a family moment without us,right Bob?"She grabbed his hand and started dragging him towards the kitchen and left the newly found family members alone. Harry sat down next to Anna,then leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips."Things will work out."He smiled, looking into her eyes from close.
Her green eyes flickered briefly with uncertainty before returning to their calm, serene shade of jade. "I'm sure they will," she agreed, turning her head when she heard the slight snort coming from against the wall where their daughter was propped up. Then she remembered what their son had said and turned her attention to him. "What did you mean, you knew him?" she inquired, glancing at Tyler a moment. He looked a little sheepish as he straightened, starting to back away. "I'll be going, too, this is between you guys." He started to vanish before Anna spoke again more severely. "Uncle Tyler!" Tyler sighed, reappearing. "What did he mean?" she asked him again, her brow quirked. Tyler glanced at the younger male Dresden. "He might have seen me before he was released to your care."
Harry kept his eyes on his daughter and sighed. What could he do to make her fit in into rocky family. He tried to talk to her,that didn't work and even Anna is still being weird,keeping her distance from him. Could he even do this?Or should he just grab everything and 'port back to ruined Chicago? No,that couldn't be the answer. All he had in common with these three that two of them were from his blood,as well. But they all inherited Anna's powers.
"He *might* have seen you?" Anna exclaimed. "Tyler, what were *you* doing with the Powers?!" Her son shifted slightly on the couch next to her, looking up at the ghost himself and wondering if he got him into some kind of trouble.
Shifting slightly himself,Harry watched as another of drama episode unfolded.
Tyler looked uncomfortable. "I may have...Anna, you know I don't interfere..." "*But*...?" Anna persisted. "But," Tyler continued slowly, "I might have...petitioned to the Powers to save the children. They weren't going to let you have them at all initially." Anna's jaw dropped and she immediately wanted to strangle the PTB.
"And why's that?"Harry chimed in,furious that some can decide whether she could have a family or not."What,she's not worthy of being happy? Of having a family?"
Tyler looked at Harry. "I know enough to know they pride themselves on calling most of the shots where she's concerned. Do you think she came here completely of her own accord? She came here because they wanted her to come here. She's the way she is because it was foretold, and her father and his best friends died because they willed it to happen. You..." Tyler hesitated a moment, his jaw tense, "They didn't count on you. You were not in their plans, therefore, neither were the children. I sensed their scheming before Anna even began to miscarry, and so I managed to...'convince' them to let them live for you. It came with some drawbacks," he gestured towards the near-adulthood teens staring at him. "For example, they're not infants, you can't raise them from babies. You don't get to have those memories to treasure. This is all you get, but you still are blessed to have them. No one should lose children." Tyler went silent then, leaving his words hanging in their air like many sharp, painful daggers...but it was the truth, and she deserved that, they all did.
"Yes,we are blessed to have children,but by what cost? They think we didn't want them, that we don't love them."His voice faded as he tried to think up what he should do. All he knew,that he didn't want it this way. This wasn't his community. The high council might have been a pain in the ass,but at least,they didn't try to rule people's lives. Gradually,it came down to him realizing he was happy his circle of magic was so different. He slowly stood,giving Tyler an intense look,before speaking. "Guess,I'm never in the plans." Then he turned around and went for the kitchen to retrieve the toaster and the skull,the only things he really had. Anna had two young adults to accompany her,she didn't need someone who was so different from them. He left through the back door,not making a lot of noise.This wasn't a leaving with tantrum,it was a retreival through defeat. Chicago,however solitary it became, was his home.
Anna let her eyes close as she felt Harry leave, a part of her heart shattering in the process. He didn't belong there- he thought he didn't belong there, and that was where all of her history and heritage lay. He had given her two beautiful children- teenagers, but still children- who were now looking at her like they expected her do something. But Anna was at a complete loss, she felt torn down the middle and it was agonizing. The fates had been cruel when her uncles and father had died to save her and her mother, but this...this was a whole new level of cruelty. She didn't want to stop him from doing what he wanted to do, despite her heart screaming out at him to stop.
A choked laugh came from her daughter's throat a few moments later as she replied with part bitterness, part sadness. "This is just what I expected from a family."
"That was a short stay." Bob appeared on the passenger seat,looking sad at his friend who's face didn't show anything. However, he knew it was only a mask."What could I have done,huh? Stay there in complete rejection? I try to act like a father,I get kicks. I try to act like a boyfriend/husband figure, I get kicks. And all that about the so called PTB,I didn't know a thing about?They're so much different and I had enough coping with being the weirdo between humans. I don't need that from them,either." Harry kept his eyes on the road,but on the inside he was twisted up. This should have never happened. Ever.
As Harry's driving his engine sputters and completely dies, causing him to come to a hard stop on the road. A few seconds later, there's an explosion from the hood of the car as the engine catapults out of it and into the air, disappearing. Before Harry can even react to that, however, an arm shoots through the driver's side door and actually *grabs* him, yanking him full force against the door panel and then out through the now-hinge less door and on to the dirt road below. A shadow looms over him and the face of a young man- a very *pissed off* young man- is above him, his body standing and hovering over Harry's. "*Going* somewhere, asshole?!"
"Actually,yes I am."Harry answered,grabbing the young man's arm and twisting it to the side,shooting an energy ball out from his other,straight in his chest. Bob's eyes widened as he quickly retracted into his skull,giving place to the other ghost that was actually able to do something to help their friend out.
The figure went more translucent after the energy ball hit him before forming back up again. He reached down and with two hands grabbed Harry by the shirt and pulled him up, his eyes blazing (for a ghost, anyway). He glared at Harry as he pinned him against the side of his vehicle. "For the record, I didn't plan on coming back here in *this* way and having to deal with the guy who violated Anna. For that alone, I'm going to have to kick your ass," he stated matter-of-factly.
"Violated?!"Harry laughed bitterly,not caring that he was just threatened."My dear ghost,it was quite mutual." The shirt where the ghost was holding onto him started freezing,running up the attackers arm and freezing him in place. Swinging his hand under his,Harry aimed at his face and punched as hard as he could,giving his hit extra boost with magic. This,is another reason why he wasn't going back.
The ghost swore, disappearing before reappearing a few feet away, in a stance like he was ready for more fight, but eying Harry a little more warily now. "So that's it. You get my daughter pregnant and now you're taking off. You're a fuckin' pussy."
"Well,hello papa Parry." Harry straightened his shirt, and shook his arms to get the sensation of the impact out."I'm taking off because she has 2 teenagers with her not 2 goddamn babies."He swore,which was very unlike him."Besides,it's not like your daughter really wanted to be beside me,so why stick around and ruin her family moment when I don't match up?"
His eyes flashed, which was eerie when the body wasn't exactly solid. "What?" he seethed quietly, like it was the first time he had heard this. "They're still yours, aren't they? Do you think she knows what in the hell she's doing? She's just a baby for Christs Sake!"
"Wasn't a baby when I told her it's not good to get in my pants without a condom." Harry turned and went over to the front of the car to fix the engine.
Harry can feel the anger and tension rising behind him, but it's silent a moment...almost like the ghost was no longer there. "From the looks of things," he finally said, his tone a little more even and somber, "you're the man and she's the girl. Own up to that. I already hate you, but I'm actually asking you to please not leave her alone with this."
"Hating me won't get you far." Harry spoke out,reaching his hand in where the engine used to be,silver light lighting the space."But,if you attack me once more,you won't be fighting me alone. I'd like to see how you cope with a demon up your ass." As soon as a new engine appeared,he sat back into the Jeep and turned it around.Great,now he was stuck here for good.
Pogue watched him head back towards Caleb's family's house- now his daughter's home, his eyes sad as he realized he couldn't follow. He slowly evaporated into nothing.
Anna left the house through the back door after settling the twins into bedrooms that would be theirs. She had so much to think about. Everything in her mind was battling for domination, along with the emotions: pain, bitterness, fear, loss, anxiety...she was on her own now. Something told her not to ever expect to see Harry again, except in their son's face as he grew up. She didn't know how to raise children, but she'd do the best she could...she owed it to them, her family, and Harry. She clutched her arms to her as she strolled through the expansive gardens, ignorant of it's beauty as she let her thoughts linger. She missed him. She felt his absence so heavily already. Tears began to build in her eyes, and where she'd normally fight them back, she let them come...she was there alone anyway.
Aryss appeared in front of Anna as she was walking alone,an ironic smile arching her lips."He came back,thanks to your dad. My advice,you want him to stay,act more like you care. Don't just cry when he's not there seeing it." And then,she was gone. Harry grudgingly got out of the car and slammed the door behind himself. If things got that bad,he could 'port from the house,as well. But,he hoped he didn't need to.
Anna looked around dubiously, shed and unshed tears on her cheeks and in her eyes as she turned and started back towards the house, her heartbeat steadily going faster. Was he really back or was that ghost just messing with her?
Taking some of his bags, he went to the main door and pushed it in,dropping the luggage down onto the floor. He really had to pick a room out from himself,large enough for everything he owned. And also,where he could hide from everyone else.
She walked back into the house and through the kitchen? "Hello?" she called out hopefully, looking around.
"Yeah,hi." Harry bumped into Anna as she came from the kitchen. He felt like he should make up a good excuse to why he went,but he figured she knew,anyway."Did I miss anything?" He tried to give her a smile.
Her glistening eyes just searched his face and Anna only hesitated a beat before she threw her arms around him, burying her face against his chest and holding him tightly.
He waited a few seconds,before hugging her around the waist,letting Anna hold him as tightly he could. Guess she missed him."Look,we need to try hard if we want this to work."Harry mumbled into her blond hair,taking in her sweet scent
She turned her head so that she could talk more audibly, but didn't loosen her arms around him. "I may appear tough, but please...please don't leave again, Harry," she whispered in a voice thick with emotion. "I...I need you here."
"I don't feel like...I'm wanted here." He looked down at her, his arms going up to her back."I feel so out of place,Anna. Like I'm sticking out of the group."
She finally raised her head to look up at him. "How can you not feel wanted? I can't imagine you not being here and we...we have children now, Harry."
"Children that probably hate me. I saw the way they looked at you. They respect you more." There was a time when he didn't understand what it felt like to be unwanted. Humans might have thought he was a freak,but in the end ,they thought otherwise. However,now...he couldn't do anything.
She searched his face with her eyes. "Are you talking about her?" Anna swore to herself right then, as soon as she and Harry had talked, they were going to decide on names, she hated calling her daughter 'her' and 'she'.
"Yeah. I tried to talk to her,but..."He shrugged,sadness evident on his face."She blew me off."
"She isn't really talking to me, either. I think...I think how the PTB went about this has messed with her, Harry, but I can't be sure yet. She isn't adapting easily while her brother is just taking everything in." She paused, letting out a sigh. "We can't hope for everything to be easy."
"Can't we somehow...turn them into babies?" Harry asked,hoping it could be done. Having kids like this was fantastic,too. But,he wanted to raise them,as well.
"No...I don't think so. Doing that could do serious damage, or take them out of existence completely. Uncle Tyler said there were going to be prices to pay for their survival. She realized she hadn't thanked her Uncle for his interceding into the fates of her children. Without him, they would be dead. That thought clutched at her heart painfully. Could she be so attached so soon?
He gently tugged her a bit away from him and sighed."I've met your father." The memory of fighting Anna's father was still fresh and his back started aching at the thought of the hard ground. It wasn't the best start with his...father in law?
She just stared at him. "What?"
"He appeared to me when I was driving towards the Sanctum. He wasn't happy I was leaving." Not happy? Understatement of the year. He busted his car!
Anna just blinked, taking only a slight step backwards as she slowly shook her head. "That's...impossible. My father is gone- *gone*, he can't come back, in any way. He didn't have the magical capacity for it, Harry."
"He sure attacked me,though. And even threatened to kick my ass if I don't come back."
EAnna's eyes flickered beyond Harry and around here, like she was expecting to see someone that didn't belong there any second. "I...Are you sure it was *him*. You don't know what my father looks like, he has- had," she caught herself, her eyes tearing again at the memory of her father's face, "beautiful green eyes and a sharp chin, kind of long hair and always...*always* wore a black leather jacket..."
Aryss: "Well,I couldn't notice those beautiful eyes you were talking about,but he did had long hair and wore a leather jacket." Harry paused,remembering another detail."And he called you his daughter. Unless,I knocked up other daughters around here."
She quirked a brow at his last comment before kneading her forehead with her fingers. She couldn't understand it, how could it be possible? "Even if he was here, he couldn't touch you," she whispered, trying to figure it all out.
Harry snorted at that and walked to the couch."He busted my car and threw me out of it. Want to ask Bob?"He offered,in case she didn't believe him.
Ellie: "I believe you, Harry, I just don't understand it," she said as she slowly followed him. "Why isn't he here?" she asked, a speck of hurt in her eyes. She'd never met her father and had always felt the impact of that loss.
"I don't know." He admitted,sitting down onto the edge of the sofa. Her father appeared to him,but not to Anna? Why? "He was able to touch me. Something Caleb and Tyler can't do,so I figure he would have the juice." Harry stared in front of himself,trying to think up a solution to hook these two up for a meeting."Maybe we can try and invoke his spirit somehow,later on. But,for now...how about we think of some good child names." He looked up at her and smiled,knowing this topic would get her mind of dear old papa Parry for some time."I already have a good one for our daughter. Let's call her 'Grumpy'."
Anna had to smile, in spite of her confusion and hurt over her father. She sat down next to him and found his hand with hers, not wanting to lose physical contact with him for some reason. "Be nice. This is a serious decision, we'll have to give it a lot of thought...I-I was wondering about something, though," she added, her voice slightly hesitant as she glanced at him. "About our son."
"What about him?" He turned towards her,putting an arm around her waist,while the other held her hand. Despite that he almost left,feeling her close was a very comfortable feeling. Maybe he shouldn't look for a completely separate room.
"I was wondering..." she thought about her words before speaking them, hoping he didn't shoot them down too harshly, "if we could name him Nicolas...after my father." Her green eyes rose to meet his as she placed her slightly chilled hand over his. She reveled in the warmth of his skin and the nearness of his presence.
Harry held her hand between his,nudging a mild heat wave into it, to warm her up. This is why she was pulling such an unsure face? It was the least he could do. "It would be a great name for him." He smiled, and breathed a kiss onto her hand."What do you think of the name Jasmin?" The name was the first thing that popped into his mind when he saw his daughter.
She smiled in appreciation, relaxing much more at his agreement for their son's name. She hoped her father would be pleased...wherever he was. "It's kind of sassy...it should suit her. You know," she continued, tucking a strand of blond hair behind her ear. "We need to double check with them on these names, too. I can't see them accepting a name they can't stand."
"If she doesn't like the names, I still vote for 'Grumpy'." Harry chuckled,the weight of fatherhood starting to get to him. However, he would be a grandfather much faster.
"That would hardly endear her to us," Anna noted before pulling out of Harry's arms and standing, reaching out for his hand. "Let's go talk to them. Maybe one at a time won't be so...overwhelming?" Hope shined in her eyes, as well as anxiety. There were now children under that roof, and they weren't even *children*. What would the PTB come up with next?
"Yea,because she's so trying to love us."He muttered under his nose,but took her hand and stood himself. It amused him how his teenage children didn't have names yet. They could call the boy 'x' and the girl 'y' easily.
"Give her time," Anna whispered. "This isn't easy on any of us. Can you imagine all of a sudden *being* in this world at age sixteen? No birth, birthdays or memories and just existing? I think I'd find it unbearable," she admitted as she headed up the large staircase.
Harry thought about it for a second,but his line of thought was broken by the view of Anna's backside in front of his."Totally..." He cleared his throat,looking up to her head."How about we make a little detour?" By detour he meant checking into a room and... breaking in the bed.
Anna paused on the stairs, turning her head to look at Harry quizzically. "Why?"
A very naughty and macho like smirk crept upon his lips,something you couldn't see a lot. "Have I ever complimented how great these pants make you look?"
She blinked. "They're yours...I can't imagine they fit me the best." Finally, after picking up on the obvious glint of desire in his eyes she turned to face him. "Harry...we have children now...our libidos can't come first..."
He pouted,letting out a sigh."So,you're going into nun mode and set up a schedule for us?"
"No, of course not," she smiled, going down a step so she was only one away from him, leaning in closely and resting a hand on his chest suggestively. "But let's talk to the twins first...okay?" Anna got up on her tiptoes and kissed him deeply, exploring his mouth with her tongue before pulling back and continuing on up the stairs and towards their daughter's room.
Harry stared after her,taking his time to cool off a little. He knew if she would have done that again, they wouldn't have made it into their daughter's room. A good minute later, he shook his head and followed in Anna's steps towards the old maroon door.
Anna knocked twice on the door and heard shuffling behind it before it was opened and her daughter's skeptical eyes- mirroring her mother's- looked out at her. "Let me guess...family talk time? You don't waste any time."
"We know you'd like us to vanish,but sadly,that's not do-able."Harry appeared behind Anna,smiling at his daughter a little bitterly. Actually, it was achievable,but why give her the hope of making them disappear? They were trying to make this work.
Her eyes turned to her father, standing just behind Anna. "So you showed back up, huh? What happened, got a conscience?" Anna's eyes blazed as she pushed the door open and into their daughter, catching her off guard as she stumbled backwards slightly and kept moving back towards the bed as her mother advanced. The obstinance was gone from her eyes and in its place was the slightest bit of hesitant fear. "W-What are you going to do?" she asked uncertainly. Anna just stopped with a foot between them, her hands moving to her hips. "Nothing. I'll leave it to you to pull your attitude out of the mud and toss it along with those comments. Are you quite finished cutting into us, because I am!"
He froze in his place as he saw Anna move onto her like that in his protection. Taking in a deep breath,he walked over to the mother of his children and placed a hand on her shoulder. Then,he turned to the first female Dresden."Yea Grumpy, I came back,because running away from my spiced up,smart assed daughter won't fix a thing. And leaving Anna alone with you could drive her mad." He was not going to play the nice guy if she didn't even pay attention to it.
Their daughter just moved her eyes from Anna to Harry before crossing her arms in front of her protectively. "You obviously came here to say something, so say it." Anna just stared at her a moment before speaking in a calmer tone. "You're our daughter and despite the events that brought you here in this...way, we won't treat you any differently than if we had been able to raise you. I already feel a connection to you and I feel safe in saying that I love you. I'll do everything I can to keep you and your brother safe. We just need you to work with us, because this has all come as quite a shock to us, as well. And we're in this together...all of us." As she spoke the last statement, she hoped she was right. Feeling Harry behind her helped in that department.
"So in that spirit, we decided to give you guys a name. It's up to you if you like it or not." He paused,thinking whether the kids will be having Anna's or his last name. Since they weren't married, they will have to discuss that,as well. It would have been so easier if they were babies.
"And that name would be?" she asked, brushing her hair out of her face in almost the same manner as her mother, catching Anna's attention.
"Jasmin."Harry stated simply,then added."If you don't like it,you can pick yourself another one. You can also decide which family name you want to use,since Anna and I aren't married."
Anna looked at Harry, realizing they hadn't talked about the last name issue yet. Before she could say anything, though, their daughter spoke up in a dry tone of voice. "Fine. Jasmin. But I want her last name," she added at the exact same time Anna said, "No."
"No?" He looked from the now Jasmin to Anna, a little shocked that she's refusing her. Never he had a doubt that she would take her name up instead of his.
"No," Anna repeated more firmly, but still gentle. "He's your father and I'm a firm believer that unless we're estranged- which we're not- that your name should be his." Jasmin wrinkled her nose. "Jasmin Dresden? Where do I begin counting the problems with that?"
"It was my father's name."Harry began, a little edgy by the subject."Or,unless you want my mother's name,which I was supposed to use after my dad died,it's Morningway. But, if my name isn't posh enough for your taste, I won't mind if you use Parry."
"I don't want that," Anna protested, this time looking at Harry. "I want them to have your name, Harry...I can't explain it, it just seems the right thing to do, to me." Jasmin sighed, looking up at the ceiling as they discussed it. She thought she should stay out of this one for once.
"She obviously hates me. I don't want to give her another reason for it. As much as I want her to have my last name..."He trailed off,sighing in defeat. He always thought no matter how hard their children's teenager years will be, he could think back at the times when they were just kids and lighten his heart ache. There was no such enlightening now.
"Jasmin," Anna said, turning around again to face your daughter, who looked at her. "I know it's early, but I also know you have a lot of your father in you. Why don't you want to take his name?" Jasmin just looked down, scratching idly at her arm. "Because...because this doesn't *feel* like a family," she muttered, plopping down on the side of the bed.
Harry hesitated for a minute,before going over to her and sat down on the edge,as well."We're trying our best,believe me. But,we only found out we had children today. It's hard,it really is. Just...give us a chance." He looked at her,his eyes pleading."Please."
Jasmin looked from him to Anna and then away again, not saying anything. Anna sighed, feeling like her first venture as a parent was failing miserably. "I second that. Bare with us." Finally looking back up, she searched Harry's face a second before nodding noncommittally. "Fine...I'll try. Jasmin Dresden...good thing there aren't other teenagers around to tease me."
"Like they would dare to tease you."He smiled at her,but this time he meant it. They were off to a rocky start,but he had the feeling things eventually would work out.
Jasmin snorted at that. "Besides, I know he will want to take your name and I want my name to be the same as his. At least I feel an immediate connection to someone...no offense."
"None taken. Believe me, it's scary enough to suddenly have teenager kids."
"Yeah, well...it's a little intimidated being dropped down here with nothing but a twin and the knowledge that *you're* our parents. I could be more thrilled with the situation," Jasmin commented before looking at Anna. "What about clothes? All I have is this ensemble and it's really not me," she frowned, glancing at the t-shirt and slacks she wore. Anna just smiled at her, realizing if she was as sassy and stylish as she was acting, it would probably be a first in her family. "I'll take care of clothing, you just have to let me know what it is you like."
Hearing his daughter comment about her clothes, he was secretly glad no one was around to see them together,yet. He wasn't exactly the best dressed person. If he honestly had to judge himself, Harry would say he was one and a half points above a bum. Not a great start to being a father. Maybe it was time to clean himself up for the sake of his new life.
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