A/N: As always,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Wish it was mine, but it's not...at least not the parts that aren't. The rest is mine.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE: A LITTLE BED-REST CAN BE A GOOD THING

The next morning Orion set a large tray over Katlin's lap on the bed.

"This is overkill." She stated blandly.

"This is doctor's orders, Love. You are to stay in bed today."

"I'm not staying in this blessed bed all day, Orion. I'll get bored!"

Orion wiggled his eyebrows at her. "I took the day off work. I could stay up here and keep it interesting for you."

Katlin narrowed her eyes at him. "I want to see the prescription for that." She stated.

"I've already turned it in to the pharmacy with the others Richards wrote for you."

Katlin raised her eyebrows. "I'm sure they had an interesting time trying to fill that order."

"Well, I tried. But actually they said I was on my own with that one."

"I'll just bet."

Orion nudged at the tray. "Come on. Eat something. Doctor's orders. Made the eggs myself."

Katlin dutifully took a muffin and layered some scrambled eggs over it with a few strips of bacon.

"How is Thomas this morning?" She ask.

"Pretty certained that I'm being mean and not letting him see you is just my way of punishing him."

"And your take on that?" She asked quizzically.

"I'm being mean and not letting him see you is just my way of punishing him."

Katlin sighed quietly. "Well, I hope one of you grows up soon."

"Katlin, the boy ran away, got himself captured by Deatheaters, and nearly got you killed. I am not currently handing out awards for that particular behavior."

"And so you're going to do what? Keep him in his room for the rest of his life?"

"No. But I'll think of something. And his not being allowed to see you, for your information, is for both your goods. Him, because he needs to be getting some sleep. And you, because you need to be getting some sleep."

"So, where is he?"

"Sleeping last time I checked on him. But that's only been for about the past hour or so."

Katlin nodded slightly as she took another bite of her breakfast.

Orion watched her for a few moments, then picked up one of the biscuits on the tray and layered it with a good helping of butter.

"Thomas said you were attacked in the lair." He commented after a few moments.

But Katlin heard the underlying warning all too clearly. She wondered how long it was going to take him to get to this, and he had actually held off with any questions longer than she had expected him too. But knowing her husband's temper, and his feelings on certain matters, she wasn't about to give him what he wanted. So instead she simply nodded in response.

"He said it was a group of Elite." Orion went on, filling in the facts for himself.

Katlin turned slowly to him. "How would a fourteen year old boy know what a group of Elite Deatheaters looks like, Orion?" She ask.

"Lucky guess."

"So after all this happens, Thomas comes running up to you and says, 'Oh, by the way, we were attacked by a group of Elite at the lair.'? Not a 'group of Deatheaters'?"

"I told you, lucky guess on his part."

"Fishing for information is more like it." She replied flatly. "Why don't you maker this easier on both of us and just tell me what is it you really want?"

Orion turned to her. "Thomas said the Elite that hit you with that last spell was Johnathan Treaks."

Katlin turned back to her muffin. "That's business, Orion."

"That is not 'business', Katlin. That is a man who tried to kill my wife."

"You don't know that for a fact."

"Thomas said he heard you call the man 'Johnathan'. And his description of the man could not have been anyone else equally as ugly as Treaks."

"Johnathan is not ugly." Katlin replied matter-of-factly. "If you'll recall, I was going to marry him."

"You were never going to marry that piece of scum. You were being mated to him by your beloved dark lord. Or even better, traded off."

"Voldemort had very little to do with that matter. That was all Johnathan's doing. I've told you that a hundred times. Johnathan saw no other way to usurp my power in the lair than by placing himself as much as my equal as he could. Which to him, meant a marriage between us. He didn't want me, Orion, he wanted my position. I was just part of the package to him."

"And for the hundredth time," Orion answered her with a slow, soft smile, "the man is an utter fool to have overlook the best part of the bargain."

Katlin returned his smile and allowed him a slow, gentle kiss as he leaned over her.

But as he pulled back, she offered him another sweet smile. "I'm still not going to tell you what you want to know." She said in a voice that matched her smile.

Orion pulled back, taking another bite of his biscuit. "Doesn't matter." He commented, getting off the bed. "I decided to kill him a long time ago based solely on principle."

Katlin glanced up at him. "And what principle would that be?"

"He's a prick."

"You're certainly taking your time with it. We've been married nearly ten years."

"Because I want to really enjoy it. Now be a good girl and eat your eggs." He told her.

Katlin looked over the plate of eggs again. But this time something about the way Orion had directed her towards them waved a red flag. Looking up at him, she watched as he happily chewed away on his biscuit.

"Why aren't you having any?" She ask suspiciously. "You usually love scrambled eggs."

Orion shook his head. "I usually do. But I really hate it when people mix potions in with them. Puts me right off them."

Katlin's eyes narrowed dangerously as she frowned up at him. "Potion?"

"Just a little something to make sure you're a good girl and follow your doctor's orders to get some rest." He replied, kissing her lightly on the nose. "Now finish your breakfast and I'll come clear things away later."

Katlin watched him walk to the door. "Orion."

Orion turned back to her.

"Leave Treaks alone. He's my problem."

Orion shook his head once. "No, Love. He's 'our' problem. Have a nice nap."

Katlin shook her head as she sighed to herself, watching him leave the room. She knew when the conversation turned towards Johnathan Treaks she was more or less talking to herself. Orion never listened to her on this one matter, and she was afraid he seriously underestimated just how dangerous Johnathan could be.

--

Katlin woke up with no clear idea of exactly what time it was. But by the sun's rays shining in the bedroom window, she reasoned it had to be early afternoon.

Rolling over, she turned to look at the clock by the bed when a figure standing silently halfway in the doorway caught her attention.

With his hand raised to tap again on the doorframe, Thomas peered into the room.

"Did I wake you up?" He asked quietly.

Katlin pulled herself around and sat up in the bed, pulling the covers into her lap. The tray from earlier was gone, so Orion must have come and taken it after she fell asleep.

Shaking her head, she offered the teenager a small smile. "No. I was just laying here, really."

"You were snoring." Thomas added.

Katlin pulled herself up with an indignant air. "I do not snore!" She stated empirically.

The comment earned her a small smile in return. "Then you breath really loud." The smile faded, followed by a small, awkward silence.

"Well, if you did wake me up, and I'm not saying you did," Katlin pointed out, "I would hope there was a reason."

Thomas glanced up at her. "I wanted to see how you were. If you were OK, or if you needed anything." He said quietly, his voice fading with each word until Katlin could hardly hear him at all.

"Thomas," she replied gently, "you're either going to have to speak up or come closer."

The boy took a cautious few steps into the room, which is exactly what Katlin had hoped he would do, although she had little doubt which option he would take. Raising his voice might alert Orion to where he was. Something she was pretty sure he had no desire to do at all.

With one quick motion Katlin pulled out her wand and the door quickly shut behind him.

"Now," Katlin said, folding her arms in front of her, "would you care to repeat that a little louder, now that we have some privacy?"

Katlin gave the boy credit. He stood his ground after the door closed behind him instead of putting his back to it or trying to force it open.

Thomas paused for a few moments as though he was considering his options before turning a solid stare to the woman in the bed. "So, am I going to get my punishment now?"

"You know, Thomas, you have a real thing about punishment." Katlin replied. "You're either waiting for the axe to fall, or you're so blessed eager for it, you run around asking people when they're going to give it to you. And just so we're all on the same page this time, might I ask exactly what it is we're punishing you for this time?"

Thomas gave her a questioning stare. "Because I caused all this."

"All this?" Katlin asked.

"I ran away, I got captured, you almost got killed...all that was my fault. I mean, if you guys didn't want me before, you sure don't now."

Katlin folded her arms across her chest again. "I'd like to be left at least partly in that decision making process if it's all the same to you."

The teenager gave her brief stare, then turned to the floor. "Suit yourself."

"Thank you. I will." Katlin replied casually. "And actually, Thomas, I'll make a deal with you."

The boy looked up again.

"I'm willing to forego all punishment...totally wipe the slate clean, if you'll do one thing for me."

Thomas considered the offer for a few moments. "What thing?"

Katlin softened her tone slightly. "Tell me why." She said. "Why did you run away to begin with?"

Thomas stuffed his hands deep in his pocket as he stared hard at the ground. "I was just trying to make it easier for everyone." He stated quietly.

"Easier?" Katlin fanned her arms out. "You call this making things easier?"

"I didn't plan for things to go the way they did." Thomas replied, still staring hard at the carpet. "I was trying to make things easier for you and Orion...and for myself...and the others."

Katlin frowned at the statement. "Easier how?" She ask.

Thomas shrugged back at her. "You and Orion have what you want. Four kids."

"The last time I counted there were five of you." Katlin quickly pointed out.

"Four and the trouble maker." Thomas replied.

"Yes, well, we tend to get use to Bo and his antics." She replied flatly.

"I'm not referring to Bo."

Katlin stared down at the boy. "Well, then I'm afraid you've lost me."

Thomas looked up at her. "I called the Ministry on you, Katlin." The teenager stated in exasperation. "And I heard what Orion said when I ask him what was going to happen to me. He said you two would have to 'talk about it'."

Katlin raised an eyebrow. "And from that you figured out what exactly?"

Thomas paused as he studied the woman in front of him. "That you two figured you would be a lot happier if you didn't have me."

"You!?" Katlin asked, her own exasperation showing in her voice. "You think you have the sole monopoly on causing problems in this group? Well, I have some very sad news for you, young man. First off, you are no where even near what havoc a certain boggart can cause when he puts his mind to it and is given just half a chance. Orion has already had to call off the magic reversal squad on Justin, I don't think whatever Lucy brewed in my best cooking pot is ever going to come out, and Vincent rewrote half the spells in one of my favorite books...in ink...because he insisted they could be better if I tried them his way."

"Probably will. He's real good with spells."

"My point, Thomas," Katlin stated a bit firmer, "is that you are not the only one of this family that will ever do anything wrong in your life. It's called 'growing up'. You try things. Sometimes they're good things, sometimes they're not so good. The only thing Orion and I can hope for is that you learn from your mistakes."

Thomas looked up at her again. "Just like you learned from yours?"

"Mine?"

"You're a Deatheater, but you say they're not good people. That some of them are really bad and they do a lot of bad things. And yet you stay with them."

Katlin gave an exasperated sigh. "I'm not perfect, Thomas. I never said I was. And yes, I have made some horrible errors in judgment in my life. But I have tried to learn from them and do better the next time. But whether or not one of those errors was becoming and staying a Deatheater has yet to be seen."

"But you're still a Deatheater." The boy stated in a flat, emotionless voice.

Katlin could already see where he was going. "Yes, I am."

"Then you haven't learned anything." He stated in the same level tone.

"And sometimes what we learn isn't always printed in black and white, Thomas."

Q&A

MasterLupine:

Well I must say a lot has happened since the last time I had time to read. Thomas' connection to Bo is interesting, I see a lot of plot potential there. Also with Thomas' realization that he is a family where he is loved and wanted even though it might not have been obvious at the time. I think that this event will be a turning point for Thomas continuing development, over the next few days I would think that Thomas' will do nothing but ponder what this new relationship means.

Indeed, Dear, there is a great deal of potential there. And Orion may soon find himself facing the very decision his own father had to make so many years ago where his sons were concerned, as well as learn a few new, possibly not so pleasant facts, about his boggart.

Thomas is still having a bit of trouble with the whole 'family' thing. He stills sees himself as the guarder/protector of his family, and views his siblings and Orion and Katlin in the 'us' and 'them' scenario.

He indeed has a lot of thinking to do. And his resolve to stay and fight to protect Katlin was a large turning point in that relationship. Even though Katlin is a Deatheater, and an Elite, she still chose to stand against her own people to protect him. That meant a lot to Thomas, and helped solidify in his mind where her ultimate loyalties lie. His current problem is he can't justify in his mind exactly why she is still with the Deatheaters, since she doesn't seem, in her actions, to support them anymore.

ilovesiriusblack:

If I were Johnathon I would not like to meat Orion in a dark alley any time soon. I predict their chances of making Katlin stay in bed are zero. Orion really is very lucky to know Dr Richards and be able to call on him for help with the line of work he's in, the man must be some kind of saint.
Why does Thomas find it so hard to believe that someone loves him, it's not as if he's had an unhappy childhood?
Looking forward to the next chapter.

Treaks would never put himself in the position of ever meeting up with Orion where he didn't have back-up. He knows too darned well the outcome. Treaks has seen what the Unspeakable is capable of when he's angry (Remember the lair?) and has no desire to see that type of power directed at him in a negative way.

Well, if they were left to their own devices, probably so. Katlin is an active lady and hates just laying about...unless her husband is with her. But drugs are sometimes wonderful things in getting us to do things we don't like to do, but are necessary.

Dr. Richards actually has a very long history with Orion. And not a very good one. He first showed up in The Bonds That Tie, and again in Enemies. If you did not read either of those stories, here's some background; Aaron Richards is, in fact, a werewolf, much as Lupin is. The difference is, Dr. Richards is a great deal more active within the werewolf community than Lupin. Not only does he not fear or detest what he is, he works with it, using his enhanced skills to be a better doctor. He also runs a type of 'underground railroad' for werewolves who run amuck of the Ministry and need to be protected or relocated. He also works in educating those recently afflicted with lycanthropy, and helps them understand their new situation and how to live with it safely.

Saint? Well..., that's up for debate. But over all, he's an all right sort of guy. And Katlin likes him.

No, Thomas did not have an unhappy childhood. At least not until recently. But the boy did just lose both of his parents in a horrible tragedy, and suddenly found himself caretaker to four younger siblings. Past that, no sooner is he getting a grip on one new situation, than he's thrust into another one. One that seems to be veritably riddled with people who are keeping secrets. For Thomas, nothing is very stable right now, and so the safest place is to pull back from everything and just wait for all the pieces to settle before making any decisions.

All reviews are as of 05/11/2008.

And remember;

A very happy Mothers Day to all the mothers out there, especially my own. Happy Mothers Day, Mom! Lots of love from your youngest.