A few days later, I was lying leisurely on the leather couch in my study. I still hadn't been sleeping well at night and the day's work exhausted me to the point that I collapsed on my couch when I arrived home from the Ministry. I was rubbing my temples, massaging a headache, while my eyes were locked tightly shut with tiredness.

At the Ministry, I completed paper work that confirmed and solidified my contract with the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. There was nothing I hated more then paper work—and nothing I found more boring and tiring. The Ministry had me read and sign at least one-hundred pages of documents outlining the regulations and rules of my position. There was also a 'no-fault' document that protected the Ministry from responsibility if I were to be seriously injured or killed in the line of duty because I was a self-contractor.

The farther I read into the documentation, the more I regretted my decision to return to work. Truly, I did not have to work. Between what my mother and grandfather left me when I was a teenager, there was no point of working except for individual pride. Working for the Ministry allowed me to keep busy.

But now that Carrigan had returned to us, my original motivations to be reinstated no longer existed. I planned to use the Ministry to find my daughter…but there was no longer a need for that. After signing the documents, I was a private contractor of the Ministry of Magic's Department of Magical Law Enforcement. I answered directly to the Head of the Department, Gabriel, and would work side-by-side with my liaison, Benjamin. Although…now I wasn't sure how much work I would really be doing since I had the option of turning down cases if I so desired.

"You should put your skills to good use," Gabriel had told me cheerfully as I prepared to leave his office and return home.

Now, as I lay on my couch in my office staring up at the wood panel ceiling, I wondered what sort of use I could be to the Ministry. Obviously, they felt I was an important asset against my father, but as my father had still not truly made any moves in his game of domination and magical cleansing, I wasn't sure how much help I could be. Voldemort needed to make a play.

I sat up abruptly as a thought penetrated my mind. I gripped the back of my leather couch and turned my head to the wall of books that were collected in the library. Gabriel had conjured most of the books to replace the ones that we had lost earlier in the year when our brownstone was destroyed.

Voldemort had made a play….he was interested in breaking me and the Order of the Phoenix. He attempted to do so by taking Carrigan and those other girls. That play had failed….but what about his morality? If there was one thing my father was always interested in besides his hatred for individuals born from non-magical parents and killing Harry Potter, it was his own survival; becoming immortal. What was he working on now in attempt to prolong his existence?

In the past, he had set up Cepheus, the magical experiments used on Haiden to test the ability to become immortal via magic. He had also attempted to steal the Sorcerer's Stone, lived off unicorn's blood, performed the Connecto Anima curse and blood bond on me. Voldemort was obsessed with immortality and his ability to live forever.

I stood up from the couch and made my way to the bookshelf. I pulled the step ladder over and climbed up it all the way. The book I thought would provide me the most perspective was on the top shelf, just below the ceiling. Just as I reached my hand out for it, the foundation of the house violently shook causing the floor of the study and walls surrounding me to tremble with echoing vibrations. I lost my footing and slipped off the ladder, tumbling down to the floor with a heavy hard crash on the wooden floor.

I groaned in pain as my back ached. As I sat up, my bones cracked uncomfortably, reminding me of my age. I was not as young as I used to be.

The floor continued to shake beneath me as I stood up. I assumed that Carrigan was experiencing some distress—enough to make her forget the control she had of her physical powers. The book that sat on the top shelf tumbled down onto the floor with other titles as the walls vibrated violently.

I quickly dashed for the door of the room, trying to maintain my footing and center of balance as the house still shook. The book that I was searching for lay uselessly on the floor under a pile of books, completely forgotten. It would have to wait. I had to figure out what was going on with Carrigan.

It felt as though a small earthquake was tearing through the house, causing the floorboards to tremble and clank against each other. The books on the shelf vibrated to the edge of the wooden shelves and began to slip off. I dodge the falling literature as I exited the office.

"Carrigan!?" I called as I marched down the hall. A small decorative table tumbled over, causing a glass lamp to shatter onto the floor. The broken pieces of glass continued to vibrate against the wooden floor of the hall, causing a cacophony of tinkling sounds.

Carrigan did not respond. I stumbled on the stairs and threw my body into the wall so not to fall. Once I regained my center of gravity, I advanced forward down the stairs.

I shouted her name louder as I reached the foyer. "Carrigan!"

The entire house was still shaking, though it had dulled to a rhythmic hum as opposed to the heavy vibrations of a stellar earthquake. It was easy to walk down the hall to the kitchen then it had been to come down the stairs.

When I arrived in the kitchen, I stopped short, shocked to see my daughter floating in the air in the center of the room. Her arms were spread out and head tilted back forming the shape of a capital 'T' with her body. She was hovering three feet off the ground, evenly spaced between the floor and ceiling, counter and refrigerator. I could see heavy clear waves emanating from her body, like heat waves rising off concrete on a sunny summer day. As I approached, I could feel the heat coming off her body.

I bit my bottom lip with apprehension. I had no idea what was going out, or what I should do. I stepped back from Carrigan, who was non-responsive when I called her name again, and pivoted to look around the house. Was there someone else here? The possibility was slim. Maybe she touched something that caused this bizarre reaction? As I looked around, I realized it would be impossible to tell what she could have touched to initiate this physical response. The kitchen was in disarray, because of the shaking—which had subsided. There were broken dishes and silverware lying all across the counter and floor, the chairs had fallen over, and the pantry door had swung open allowing cereal and other dry good to spill onto the wood floor.

Before I could consider what to do to help Carrigan, the doorbell at the front of the house chimed loudly announcing someone's arrival. I turned on my heel in surprise. Who would be visiting us? I looked from the hallway threshold, back to Carrigan with unsure eyes. The doorbell chimed again, forcing me to leave Carrigan hovering in the kitchen like a wrath and advance on the front door. I pulled my wand from my boot and gripped it tightly as I twisted the doorknob in my hand, ready to open it.

"Who is it?"

"Henry Thrett," replied the calm and collected voice.

My posture relaxed when I heard his voice. I had forgotten that Henry had rushed off to establish if there were any extended members of the Black family that may reside in France.

"Henry, when did I first meet you?"

"Christmas holiday last year," he replied. "You allowed me to stay with your family over the holiday."

"Correct."

"What did I find in the Lestrange's cellar?"

"A griffin charm and a fleur de lis in the dirt."

"Yes," he responded happily. I twisted the knob to pull open the door.

Henry Thrett gave me an excited smile when he strode into the foyer of the house. He was wearing a thin traveling cloak and had dark circles around his eyes, as if he hadn't slept in days. "You'll never believe what I've found."

I frowned. I truly should have been more forward about alerting people that Carrigan had been safely returned home. Henry was the second person who had kept looking for her even though she was already found. I had notified Dumbledore the day after she arrived. Carrigan wasn't ready to tell many more people. She was still adjusting to the idea that her experience had changed her, and therefore was going to change how people perceived her, even her closest friends.

Before I could stop Henry, he continued to speak in a rushed tone. "The Levette family are cousins of the Blacks. They live in France and I think I found one who reside here in England—Dorian Levette. But, he's dead! He just died a week ago. I went to France to search his residence for the girls, I found it. But no one was there. The place had been abandoned and half destroyed. Either someone destroyed it trying to escape or Voldemort is tying up his loose ends." He paused for a moment and stared at me, as if waiting for me to draw a conclusion from the facts he had just reported. "Cadence! Carrigan escaped! We have to find her before Voldemort does again! Why aren't you smiling? This is good news."

I gave him a weak smile and silently motioned for him to follow me into the kitchen.

"I should have sent word to you sooner," I said softly. "But in all the chaos in the last week, it slipped my mind. I hope you will forgive me."

"Chaos? What are you talking about?"

We arrived in the kitchen and Henry stopped dead next to me, his eyes falling on Carrigan who was still floating in the air.

"She saved me shortly after I killed Dorian Levette, about a week ago. She's been home since, but she's trying to mentally and emotionally prepare before seeing people again. The only other people who know she is back and safe is Gabriel and Benjamin, because they live here, and Dumbledore. She's not ready to tell anyone else yet."

"What is she doing?"

"I have no idea," I shrugged honestly. "I was upstairs, the house started shaking and I found her like this."

Henry strode forward and began to extend his hand out towards her. I jumped forward and grabbed his shoulder. "Don't touch her. She's emanating heat and I'm not sure what touching her will do."

"Well, you don't mean to just leave her up there!?" Henry looked at me with wide eyes.

A strong wind like force abruptly blew past our bodies. We both looked forward at Carrigan, who was now standing on the floor with straight posture and her eyes closed. It was as if her body had sucked all of the heat and air in the room toward her when she moved to the floor. The house was silent. Henry and I didn't even dare to breathe as we looked at her, standing motionless before us.

Her eyes opened, staring directly at us.

"If you had touched me I would have started shaking is all," she said flatly.

"What were you doing?"

"Meditating," she replied.

"Meditating?" I repeated in shock. "Carrigan, you almost brought the house down with you it was shaking so bad!"

"I was very focused," she shrugged. "I'm sorry if I startled you."

I sighed, unable to think of anything else to say. Carrigan turned her attention to Henry, and she immediately beamed.

"I'm sorry I didn't contact you sooner," she said as she stepped closer to him. "I hope you can forgive me."

Henry smiled and shrugged. "I suppose I can." He pulled her into a tight embrace and rested his chin on her shaved scalp. Carrigan embraced him tightly, squeezing him with comfort and relief. Henry kissed her forehead and stepped back to look at her.

"How do you feel?"

"Good," she smiled. "My Mom says you've been looking for me."

"I have," he was still smiling. He was holding her hands as he looked her up and down with careful, caring eyes. "I didn't have much else to do with my time."

"And what will you do with it now?"

Henry laughed. "I don't know…get ready for school, I suppose. I haven't gone to pick up my books or new robes."

"Me either," Carrigan replied. "Gabriel was going to take me in the morning. Why don't you join us?"

"I'd be happy to," Henry said. He glanced at me for a moment, then back at Carrigan who smiled pleasantly.

"Well," I sighed awkwardly. "I'll…just go back upstairs…you're sure you're okay?"

"Yes," Carrigan replied with a bow of her head to me.

"Alright. Do you think you can do something about the mess you made while you were meditating?" I motioned around the kitchen that was a disaster.

"Oh yea," Carrigan said quickly as she looked around at the mess she had made. She smiled wildly, with pure confidence, and closed her eyes for a moment. The destruction in the kitchen rewound in front of my eyes. Within a flash, everything that had fallen, broken and spilled returned to it's rightful place.

"Thank you."

I pivoted and exited the kitchen to leave Carrigan and Henry alone for a few moments. I wasn't sure where their relationship stood; a few months ago they were just friends, but both had matured a great deal. I bit my bottom lip, worried that someone was going to get their heart broken….

Just as I stepped onto the stairs to head back to my study the doorbell rang. I turned quickly to look at the door with surprise. Instinctively, I pulled my wand from my boot before gripping the handle of the door.

"Who is it?" Carrigan asked appearing in the hall. I was surprised she asked the question; she was so strong with her telekinesis, I thought she'd know the answer to the question. I looked at her with a stern glare and motioned for her to step back. Henry was behind her, he held her shoulders in a manner of protection. Carrigan rolled her eyes. "Death Eater's don't ring doorbells," she muttered.

"Who is it?"

"Albus Dumbledore," responded the voice on the opposite side of the door.

"Where did we first meet?" I asked.

"Your grandfather's house," he replied instantly.

"Correct."

"Where were we when I told you of the Potters' murder?"

I frowned and bit my bottom lip with discomfort. The question triggered unpleasant, painful memories for me. How I had rushed to Gordric's Hallow without hesitation; how my heart plummeted when I found James' body on the porch of the half destroyed house; how I had sobbed in sorrow as I held Lily's body when I found her in the nursery; and the fear I felt when I could not find Harry.

"The lift at the Ministry," I replied with grief.

"Yes," Dumbledore said solemnly. I turned the knob to open the door for him.

Albus Dumbledore stood on the porch in long sapphire blue robes that made his crystal blue eyes sparkle even more brightly. His eyes looked regretful and sad. Perhaps, asking that security question was just as grieving for him as it was for me. Beyond the sadness in his eyes, Dumbledore looked weak and even old. In all the years I had known him he had never struck me as old, despite his long white hair and beard. For the first time, he appeared to be elderly and it deeply concerned me. The war with my father was wearing him down and if we lost him, I don't know what we would do. Dumbledore was an essential force against Voldemort.

"Come in, Headmaster."

"Thank you," he said with a bow of his head as he entered the cool foyer. I closed the door on the hot summer air and pivoted to look at him. He gave me a reassuring smile. "I do apologize for not coming out here sooner." He turned away from me to look at Carrigan.

She stood up straight and stepped forward, pulling her shoulders from Henry's grasp.

"Hello, Headmaster," she said pleasantly.

"It is good to see you, Carrigan," Dumbledore returned the greeting. "Hello Mr. Thrett. It's nice to see you as well."

"Professor," Henry said with a bow of his head.

"Carrigan, would you mind if we talked about your experience?"

Dumbledore got straight to the point. Carrigan looked a little uncomfortable for a few moments. She folded her hands in front of her as she looked up at Dumbledore. I saw a glint of defensiveness in her eyes.

"There isn't much to speak about," she whispered. "Voldemort kidnapped me. He killed other girls in an attempt to trick me into using Dark Magic against him."

Dumbledore stood up straight with some surprise. "Cadence, could we have some tea, please?"

"Of course," I said quickly. "Let's just go in the kitchen…"

I stepped forward and looked down at Carrigan with calming eyes. I tapped her shoulders and ushered her and Henry down the hall back to the kitchen. They both took a seat at the table. Dumbledore was the last to enter the kitchen. He took a seat on the far side of the table while I moved to the stove to put on some tea.

"I understand why you do not want to discuss the matter," Dumbledore said sincerely.

"Forgive me, Professor," Carrigan interrupted before Dumbledore could continue. "But I don't think you do. There is no way you could understand what I went through unless you experienced it yourself."

"Try to help me understand, Carrigan," he whispered as he peered at her over his half-moon glasses.

"What do you want to know?" she said after a heavy sigh. I could still hear the defensive tone to her voice, but as I looked at Henry and Dumbledore, they both didn't seem to notice. I crossed my arms across my chest and leaned back against the counter. While I waited for the water to boil, Dumbledore asked his first question.

"How did you escape?"

"I killed the two Death Eaters that were transporting me to France. Voldemort was having me relocated to keep me protected from the Order," Carrigan whispered. I listened intently. She had not mentioned why she was moved to France before. "He knew that Henry was getting close."

"How did he know that?" Henry asked with surprise. Carrigan shrugged.

"I don't know, Bellatrix knew who you were by name," she replied. "They didn't say they were moving me because of you, but the day after I heard them talking about you they moved me. I had to assume you were the reason for me being moved."

"How did you kill the two Death Eaters?" Dumbledore asked seriously. He didn't seem concerned with the motivations behind Voldemort moving Carrigan.

Carrigan looked him straight in the eye.

"I know you already know," she whispered. A thin smile spread across Dumbledore's lips. He bowed his head.

"Yes," he said. "Thank you for letting me into your mind."

"It's easier to let you see it then speak about it," she shrugged.

The water began to boil behind me. I turned to remove the kettle from the heat and set it on a tea cozy to retrieve the tealeaves. I brought the kettle and tealeaves to the table and took a seat. Carefully, everyone took a cup from the center of the table and put leaves in it. Then we passed around the kettle of boiling water.

"Do you have anymore questions?" Carrigan asked once she had sipped her tea.

"Are you comfortable coming to an Order meeting?" Dumbledore questioned.

"Why would that be necessary?"

"I think your story is important to our cause."

"I trust you, my mother and Gabriel to be able to report my case to the Order. I have no desire to be at a meeting before I go back to school. Nor, do I wish to relive my experience for others to understand that I am not a Death Eater. They'll doubt me either way, Headmaster. I see no point in wasting time telling them that I'm not."

Dumbledore smiled at Carrigan. "Miss Coleman, you never cease to amaze me."

Carrigan smiled meekly. "You give me too much credit, Headmaster."

Henry looked between the two confused at what was being discussed. I understood. Carrigan and Dumbledore were also having a silent dialogue using Legilimency. Apparently, they were discussing whom Carrigan was loyal to—Voldemort or the Order of the Phoenix.

"Don't be silly," Dumbledore insisted. "You're a very intelligent and skilled young witch. There is a reason I placed in you a year ahead in school."

"Thank you."

Before Dumbledore could ask another question the front door could be heard opening. The sound of Gabriel's voice carried through the hall to the kitchen where we were seated. Dumbledore and I stood up immediately with our wands drawn, ready to strike if we needed.

"Honestly, the Minister just wants her employed so he can say that she is fighting with him against Voldemort—" Gabriel's voice cut off when he turned and faced down the hall. Benjamin Snow was standing behind him, his workbag in hand, with the front door closed behind him. Gabriel looked at me with a broad smile as I held my wand up at him.

I moved down the hall slowly while keeping my eyes on his. They were a gorgeous shade of dark velvet purple. I bit my bottom lip as I approached my husband who was looking at me with a lustful desire that light an animalistic sexual hunger deep within me. Only Gabriel could make me feel so primal and driven by bodily desires. I pressed my wand into his chest as I stared at him.

"What would we have named our son?"

"Caspian," he replied. "Who was my daughter's mother?"

"Anita."

"Ben is safe," Gabriel whispered as I lowered my wand.

"Hello," Benjamin said awkwardly as he squeezed by Gabriel and I in the hall. He disappeared into the kitchen. "Hello everyone. Professor, it is good to see you again."

"Please, Mr. Snow, I insist you call me Albus now," Dumbledore said.

"I'm afraid I cannot, sir."

I was only half listening to the conversation in the kitchen.

"You have something on your mind," I whispered as I looked up at Gabriel.

"I do," he nodded with a half cocked smile that made my insides melt. "But there are too many people in the house right now….what is Dumbledore doing here?"

"Came to speak to Carrigan," I replied as I bit my bottom lip. "Why are you two home so early? And why were you talking about me as you came in?"

"Benjamin was inquiring about his role as your liaison," Gabriel shrugged. "I was just explaining that you probably won't be doing that much work with us."

"And that Scrimgeour is just using me as the Ministry's poster girl."

"Has to keep the spirits of the people up somehow…ensure we're doing something that will protect them."

"I doubt the citizens of England will be comforted knowing that I am on the Ministry's bankroll."

"To answer your other question," Gabriel continued, ignoring my cheek. "I thought now would be the best time to take Carrigan to see Jeremiah. I spoke to him and he's available."

"Alright," I nodded.

"Cadence, Gabriel," said Dumbledore as he approached us. I turned to the headmaster with ease.

"Sorry, we're coming right now," I said as I stepped toward the kitchen.

"Actually," Dumbledore caught my arm before I could pass him. "I would like a word in private. Perhaps in your study?"

I raised my eyebrows in surprise, but obliged. Gabriel nodded his head and led the way upstairs to the study. I glanced back at the kitchen before mounting the steps to follow the two men. Carrigan was sitting at the table laughing lightly at something one of the boys said. She smiled and turned her head, catching my eye for a moment. She bit her bottom lip and gave me a weak smile. I returned the expression before moving up the stairs. Restlessness and discomfort pumped through my body. Why did Dumbledore want to talk somewhere private?

I closed the study door tightly behind me as Dumbledore walked along the wall of bookshelves, taking in the many titles that made up my collection. He smile as he looked at the ground, where books still lay in piles from the earth quake Carrigan had caused.

"How many times have you replaced these books?" he asked mildly while stepping over some hardcover titles.

"Too many times to count," I replied. I glanced at Gabriel with uneasy eyes. He shrugged and set his bag down while unbuttoning his waistcoat. "What is on your mind, Albus?"

Dumbledore turned to me when I addressed him by name. His robes billowed around him as he turned, creating a sense of drama and airiness to his appearance. "Carrigan is a great deal stronger now than she was when she was kidnapped at the end of May."

"Yes…"

"Have you been able to penetrate her mind at all?" Dumbledore directed this question at Gabriel.

"No," he replied.

"You've tried!?" I questioned crossly.

"I wasn't sure what or who we were dealing with," Gabriel shrugged indifferently. He looked to Dumbledore, ignoring the anger that was written all over my face. "But you were able to?"

"Only because she permitted me," Dumbledore sighed. "She only let me see what she wanted me to see."

My body temperature was rising with anger at what Dumbledore was suggesting.

"I'm afraid there was no point of going somewhere private for our conversation either, Professor," Gabriel said lightly. "Her telekinesis is beyond anything I've ever heard of. She can no doubt sense everything we're thinking right now."

"Why do you trust her?" Dumbledore asked. Again, his question was directed at Gabriel.

"Why don't you?" I interjected.

Dumbledore turned a chilling blue-eyed stare on me. I frowned as he gave me a small smile. "It's not that I don't trust Carrigan, Cadence. I want to. But I fear that she is hiding something. Whether she is withholding it because she has been instructed to or she is simply afraid to share it, I don't know. But there are many telling things about how one manages Legilimency and Occlumency."

"Like any form of communication, it has it's tells," Gabriel said to me. "If Carrigan was holding back, only letting Dumbledore see parts of what she experienced, it suggests that she is holding something back. She is hiding something."

"How can you tell that she was only letting you see parts? You don't know the whole picture, you can't tell what is missing."

"Because of the amount of control she has," Dumbledore said. "She was controlled and that's the point. If she was letting me see everything she would have been loose, uncontrolled and easy to read. She was difficult to read. I had to sort through the things she was allowing me to view."

"If you're so concerned about it," I said with a touchy tone. "What do you purpose we do?"

"Just keep an eye on her," he replied with a smile. "I do not think she is such a risk that we should prevent her from returning to Hogwarts, Cadence. I simply think we all need to be careful. Carrigan was gone for a long time and your father can be very persuasive—"

"Carrigan would never give into him," I snapped defensively.

"Would she to save you? To save Gabriel, Benjamin, Henry, Ginny or Harry?" Dumbledore asked.

"Of course not, she'd rather die—"

"I gave in to save you," Gabriel interrupted me with a devastatingly sad tone. "I gave in to save you and Sirius."

"That was different," I insisted. "You knew you had a way out. You weren't really doing anything for him. You were playing Voldemort." I turned to face Dumbledore straight on. "Carrigan is my daughter. As her mother, I know her better then anyone else would. And if I don't know her then I have no right calling myself her mother. She is many things, good, bad and in between, but I can guarantee she is no Death Eater."

"What of the mark on her arm?" Dumbledore asked matter-of-factly.

"It's just a mark."

"And words are just words, Cadence," Gabriel said. "Actions are the only thing that we can trust—"

"You spoke to her about this! You said your heart trusted her."

"But my mind doesn't," Gabriel replied looking at me with torn, sad eyes. "Logically, I can't trust her. We have never been able to trust anyone—"

"You should give her the benefit of the doubt!" I raged.

The conversation was over. I had enough from the both of them. I pivoted on my heel and marched out of the study, slamming the door loudly behind me. I'm sure that Gabriel was rolling his eyes at my actions, but I didn't care. I didn't want to hear what people thought about Carrigan and her loyalties…mostly because somewhere deep in the back of my mind their questions unearthed my deepest fears. I was afraid that Carrigan had been turned to dark magic. I was terrified that she really was a Death Eater and that I was being fooled again by someone I trusted deeply.

I stopped dead once the door slammed behind me and stared down the hall at Carrigan, who was standing on the top step of the staircase with her head cocked to the side. She was looking over her shoulder, as if she were trying to hear something behind her. I frowned deeply and pushed my long brown curls out of my face before advancing down the hall towards her.

"How much did you hear?" I asked.

She turned and looked at me with a weak smile. "Technically none of it," she replied. "But I know why he asked you to go up to the study."

I nodded in understanding.

"What are you doing then?"

"Benjamin asked me to go for a run," she whispered. "I was going to change…but now I'm ease dropping."

"Gabriel was going to take you to see Jeremiah. He's available to start—"

Carrigan cut me off with a quiet 'shh' as she placed her finger to her lips. I couldn't help but smile. Carrigan was so much like me, she could only be my daughter. She could have easily concentrated on Benjamin and Henry's thoughts, but instead she stood at the top of the stairs ease dropping like the teenager she was. I bit my bottom lip as I nodded.

"Why are you ease dropping?"

"Well, they're talking about me," she replied, still whispering. She glanced at me for a moment. "But I suppose everyone is."

"Only because we love you," I pinched her cheek with apologetic eyes.

"I know you're on my side," she said looking me straight in the eye. "But this is what I was afraid of Mom…convincing people I'm still the same."

"But you're not…"

"I may look different, and be different because of what I experienced, but I am still the same person underneath it all. I'm the same girl who wants a tattoo of a spear stabbing a snake, I want to become an Auror and I don't ever want to fall in love."

I smiled and pulled Carrigan into my arms right there on the steps. I kissed her bald head and clung to her as tears welled up in my eyes. "I know," I whispered. "We're going to get through this, Carrigan, even if we have to convince every one we know that you're good. We'll do it."

"I know," Carrigan smiled gently. She fell silent quickly and turned her head back to listen to Benjamin and Henry in the kitchen. I stood still next to her and listened too.

"She'll be fine," Benjamin said sounding calm.

"How can you say that?" Henry inquired sharply. "She saw her father die and then she was kidnapped and you didn't stop it—"

"Excuse me?"

I stood up straight in surprise. Carrigan looked at me with confusion and low eyebrows.

"You didn't protect her," Henry insisted. "You're the reason she was taken—"

"You weren't there, you can't possibly imagine what it was like."

"If I had been there, she would have been safe!"

"Carrigan doesn't need anyone to protect her," Benjamin retorted.

There was a terrible cracking sound that echoed from the kitchen. Carrigan looked up at me with wide eyes. It sounded as if wood had been cracked against a hard surface.

"Go," I motioned for her to go down the stairs. Together, we raced down the stairs into the foyer and quickly down the hall towards the kitchen. When we arrived, I was surprised to see Henry standing over Benjamin, who was lying on the floor kicking the remains of a broken kitchen chair off his body. He jumped up as Carrigan and I entered and pulled his wand, ready to strike back at Henry.

"What the bloody hell are you two idiots doing!?" I shouted angrily.

Carrigan squeezed by me into the kitchen. Her eyes fell on Benjamin, who was now standing. As soon as their eyes met, he dropped his wand to his side with an apologetic frown on his face. She lifted her hand and the pieces of the broken chair moved together, reforming the chair as if it had never been thrown at a person. Carrigan slowly turned her navy blue eyes to Henry, who looked ashamed, but angry just the same.

"What's going on?" Gabriel asked behind me.

He and Dumbledore had arrived. Before I could answer, Carrigan spoke.

"Henry was just leaving," she whispered coldly. "I'll walk you out."

Henry didn't need telling twice. He quickly moved passed all of us standing in the entrance of the kitchen. I looked at Carrigan with concern as she passed me.

It will be fine, she said to me mildly with Legilimency.

I nodded as if she had actually spoken aloud and moved farther into the kitchen to Benjamin. Once Carrigan and Henry were no longer in view, I looked at him sternly.

"Are you alright?"

"It would take more then a kitchen chair to hurt me," he retorted with annoyed aggression.

"Alright," I said.

"What happened exactly?" Gabriel asked.

"We had a disagreement," Benjamin said. "It's nothing to worry about."

"Well," Dumbledore said as he folded his hands in front of his body. "I think I shall be going as well. It is getting late. I think we have discussed everything of importance. Good evening to you all. Cadence," his crystal blue eyes fell on me for a moment. "Forgive me if I offended you."

"There is nothing to forgive, Albus," I replied. "I know you are concerned for her well being and that of the those we protect."

Dumbledore bowed his head sincerely.

"I'll show you out," Gabriel said.

As Gabriel and Dumbledore left the kitchen they passed Carrigan, who politely bid Dumbledore a good evening. When she stood in the doorframe of the kitchen, she crossed her arms tightly over her chest and peered at Benjamin with a delicate blue-eyed expression.

"You know I could have killed him," Benjamin said sharply.

"I'm thankful you restrained yourself," Carrigan said.

"What did you say to him?"

"That's none of your concern," her eyes flashed with a challenging glimmer. "Do you still wish to run?"

"Yes," Benjamin said instantly. "More so now than before."

"I still have to change."

"Me too," Benjamin said. "Excuse me." He moved out of the kitchen easily, looking at Carrigan with affectionate eyes as he passed her in the doorframe. I crossed my arms over my chest and raised my eyebrows at her once he was gone. When she turned her head to look at me her cheeks flushed pink rather quickly.

"What did you say to Henry?" I asked quietly.

"That I appreciated his defense, it was sweet, but not necessary," she shrugged.

"You should tread carefully," I advised.

"I said I never want to be in love," she replied quickly. "There is no reason to tread at a terrible gentile speed. Nothing is going to come of anything."

I nodded my head carefully as I moved towards her. I paused before leaving the kitchen. "Just because you don't want to be in love doesn't mean you won't be. Things like that happen when you least expect them."

As I looked up from her, my eyes fell on Gabriel who was standing at the end of the hall in the foyer. He had just closed the door behind Albus Dumbledore and turned to face me. He placed his big hands on his hips and smiled down at me with a crooked, half-cocked smile. My insides turned to mush instantly. I couldn't help but smile and bit my bottom lip with deep desire.

Carrigan looked at me with an awkward expression, as if she knew exactly what I was thinking and it made her uncomfortable. I remembered when she was younger and just learning Legilimency, she used to make me uncomfortable by verbally stating all of my secret desires for Gabriel. I smiled at her.

"Don't worry about such things, Carrigan, you're still young," I said as I pinched her cheek.

She rolled her eyes and moved away from me, heading for the stairs. "I don't think age has anything to do with it," she said wisely. She mounted the stairs without another word and disappeared quickly to get ready for her run with Benjamin.

Gabriel slowly advanced down the hall to me with a glimmer of intrigue in his eyes. When he reached me, he hooked his fingers in the belt loops of my pants and pulled me tightly against his body.

"I saw that lustful look in your eyes."

"So?" I smirked at him. Gabriel leaned down and kissed me fiercely on the lips. His kiss made me catch my breath. His hands wrapped around the back of my neck and brushed into my hair, becoming entangled. Hot passionate desire dripped from his mouth to mine and the only thing I could do was return the gesture. I stood on my toes as I wrapped my arms around his shoulders while kissing him just as hotly as he kissed me. He pulled away slowly, giving me a moment to catch my breath. His fingers traced along my jaw line as his tender eyes studied mine.

"What really happened in the kitchen?" he asked quietly.

"Henry threw a chair at Benjamin," I replied.

"What the hell for?" Gabriel asked angrily. He would get angrier when I answered his question.

"Benjamin challenged his honor and said Carrigan could take care of herself."

Gabriel stood up straight and nodded his head slowly. I could see the fire that was burning in his eyes. The idea that two men were fighting over his step-daughter enraged him and lit an over-protective fire within him.

I placed my hand delicately on his chest, hoping to draw his attention back to reality. He looked down at me with raised eyebrows.

"Don't do anything rash," I said smoothly. "Carrigan has it under control."

"How? Two grown men are fighting over her," he snapped back. "She's only fourteen!"

"Let it be, Gabriel," I said with a warning tone. "If you get involved you'll push her farther away. Remember what happened the last time she had a boyfriend? You light a tree on fire and the poor boy dumped her out of fear—"

"Well he was smart—"

"Gabriel Angelo Quintin," I said his full name quickly with a stern expression. Gabriel looked at me in surprise. Never, in the twenty plus years that we had known each other, had I ever addressed him by full name. "You leave her be."

We both fell silent as footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs. Carrigan appeared at the base of the staircase in her short, hot pink and orange running shorts and a long sleeve yellow shirt. Benjamin was right behind her in black pants and a white tee shirt.

"We'll be back within the hour," he said coolly as he opened the door. I looked up at Gabriel, who was glaring darkly down the hall at them. Carrigan paused to look at Gabriel with curious eyes. I smacked Gabriel's chest, hoping that he'd relax. Carrigan smirked as she approached us.

"You're the only man who has my heart, Gabe," she said throwing her arms around his shoulders affectionately. Immediately, his expression relaxed and he embraced her tightly. He kissed her head as he smiled.

"Good girl," he said grinning. "I'll take you to see Jeremiah when you get back."

"Alright, thanks."

She broke free of him and left the house with Benjamin who was still looking at Gabriel awkwardly. As soon as the door shut, Gabriel turned to me. "You didn't tell me he loved her."

"I'm surprised you didn't pick up on it sooner," I responded as I moved down the hall towards the staircase. "How'd you figure it out?"

"The way he looks at her." Gabriel followed me to the base of the stairs as I started to go up them. "Where are you going?"

I turned and looked at him with a glowing grin. "To the bedroom, Gabriel."

"Oh," Gabriel nodded with a smirk. "Going to bed early, aren't you?"

"I wasn't going to bed."

"Do you want me to join you?"

"That would be more enjoyable," I replied with a light laugh. "But I can manage on my own if necessary."

Gabriel closed his eyes for a moment and smiled, as if imagining what I could be doing on my own in the bedroom.

"I'll join you," he said quickly. He moved up the stairs and took my hand, leading me the rest of the way to the bedroom.

As I kicked the bedroom door shut behind me, Gabriel pulled me into his arms and kissed me deeply on the mouth. His hands clung to me and began to pull at the buttons of my pants. I laughed and threw my arms around him as we exchanged tender kisses.

My thoughts concerning my father and his attempts to achieve immortality were pushed from my mind completely. Gabriel was capable of making me forget my deepest fears and the reality around me. As we dived into the layers of sheets on the bed, my attention was absorbed by him; his memorizing body, loving hands and passionate mouth.

Down the hall, in the study, the book that I had been searching for was buried under a disheveled mess of pages and hardcover books, dusty and forgotten.