A/N: I know it has been so many years and likely no one still cares about this silly story, but I just realized I never finished uploading the chapters. I'll put up a few now, and the rest over the next few days. Sorry lovelies. Better late than never? :/

Chapter 28

Some Needed Company

George stepped into the busy waiting room of St. Mungo's the very next morning. Just because he wasn't allowed to see her, didn't mean he wasn't going to go back every morning and continue to ask them. It was before work anyways. However, as he moved through the door, he came face to face with Fallyn and Frank.

"Fallyn! Frank..." George smiled slightly.

"'lo, mate." Frank replied. George ran a hand through his hair.

"I assume that since you're leaving, we still can't see her..." George sighed, defeated before he had even tried.

"Yeah..." Frank sighed and Fallyn grabbed his hand.

"Well, I've already come this far. I may as well go inside and see for myself." Fallyn gave his arm a gentle rub and an encouraging smile.

"Let us know if you get any news." She told him softly and George nodded before stepping past them and into line at the reception desk. There was a man there already, but George was hopeful that he wouldn't be long. He was wrapped up in his own thoughts, not much concerned with conversation going on in front of him. That was until he heard Isabel's name mentioned. George's ears perked up immediately, catching what he could of what they were saying. The man was claiming to be Isabel's brother and was insisting on seeing her. The receptionist told him that she would speak with the Chief Healer and return with his answer.

"You're Iz's brother? Nigel?" George asked as the receptionist left. The man turned back towards him.

"I am. And you are..."

"George. George Weasley."

"Oh! Yes, Isabel's written me all about you." Nigel outstretched a roughened hand, which George shook. The man seemed to study George inquisitively in those few seconds, but George was studying him as well.

Nigel was several inches shorter than George and had a stockier build, he also had strong masculine features, dark hair which he wore a bit grown out and slightly unkempt, and stubble around his jaw. George could now see that Nigel had gotten most of the Irish traits of the two siblings, right down to his voice. He also had a more olive-toned complexion, while Isabel was fair and freckled. There was very little family resemblance between the two, except for their eyes. Nigel had the same stark blue eyes as his sister. Nigel was the spitting image of their father, an Irishman who hailed from the west coast, and Isabel resembled more to the like of her mother, an English woman from a small village near Bristol. From what Isabel had told him, Nigel worked in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures at the Ministry, which is why he traveled so much and wasn't often in town for weeks, sometimes months, at a time. George found his career rather fitting, as Nigel, who was just a year under him, was often associated with being Hagrid's right hand during school. Though, George probably wouldn't have remembered such things if Isabel hadn't reminded him recently.

"She's told me a lot about you, as well." George answered with a bit of a smile as they dropped their hands simultaneously.

"Hopefully some of them were good." Nigel joked slightly to ease the tension, not that there was much between them, but just in the situation in general.

"They were. For the most part." He joked back. He was feeling more hopeful that he would get some more straight-forward answers now that Isabel had some immediate family around. George was also hoping they would let Nigel back at least, because even if he couldn't go back himself, Isabel needed the company.

"Well it's nice to put a face to the name, in any case. Though too bad it wasn't under better circumstances." Nigel murmured the last part and George just nodded solemnly. He was just about to break the tense silence with questions about his job with the Ministry, when the healer whom George recognized as Leopold Latchworthy approached them.

"Mr. Flynn?"

"Nigel." The man answered automatically, and the healer shook his hand.

"Leopold. I'm your sister's boss, and head of the Emergency Department here at St. Mungo's." He introduced himself, before glancing a bit in George's direction. "Shall we speak alone?" Leopold tried to be sensitive in these situations, but he had to have permission from Nigel to say certain things to others, no matter how close they were to the patient in question. Nigel looked George's way. Even though he didn't know the man, he could tell that he cared for his sister, and it would be cruel to deny him this.

"No, you can tell us both." Nigel said decisively. George could have hugged the man, but he simply gave him a grateful look instead.

"Very well." Leopold began explaining what was going on with Isabel, all that they knew, didn't know, and were trying to find out. Most of which George was already aware of. They were making every effort to find out what was causing her strange symptoms and resistance to treatment, as well as develop stronger potions to manage the symptoms in the meantime. All of these things took time though, and they weren't even sure how much they had left. Then the healer began to say things that George did not know had been happening with her. In her episodes of hallucinations she was violent to the point of being a danger to others, they had to sedate her more than a few times, but it was not a permanent solution.

"Now," he began again after answering several questions. "I understand that you want to see her, and I cannot stop you from doing so during visiting hours, but if you would, heed my advice?" Leopold requested, sincerely only wanting what was best for Isabel and her loved ones. Nigel nodded for him to continue. "She has several periods of lucidness throughout the day, some are longer than others, but if you would be willing to wait out here until a healer gets you, I believe it will be better for everyone, Isabel included." Nigel thought it over for a minute, but then nodded with a sigh.

"That's agreeable. You just go fix my sister, doc."

"I will do my utmost." Leopold said reassuringly with a nod, then turned to head back.

"Wait, Leopold..." George stepped after him and trailed off as the healer turned back towards him. Leopold gave him a sympathetic look, the question showing clearly enough on the man's face.

"I am sorry George... we simply cannot risk anymore than allowing Nigel back at this point. I will keep you updated." George stepped back again with a solemn nod and allowed the healer to return to his duties.

"Sorry, mate. I'll make sure Izzy knows you've been wanting to see her, just can't yet." Nigel offered, though he knew it was only something small, it was all he could do.

"Thanks for that..." He was sincerely thankful, but was also rather disappointed. George glanced at his watch with a sigh.

"Gotta be somewhere?" It might have been a little more than innocent curiosity, but the man was dating his sister, Nigel figured he had some right to be nosy.

"Just work." George murmured. "But actually, if you don't mind the company, think I might hang around until you see her?"

"Course I don't mind. More time for me to interrogate you." Nigel laughed, though he wasn't entirely joking as the two of them sat across from each other in the waiting room. Conversation came and went between the two, sometimes fizzling out quickly and sometimes going on and on before gradually tapering off. Neither felt obligated to keep a constant stream of dialogue going and both were waiting anxiously for a healer to walk out of those double doors. Silence fell over the two of them as they were consumed by their own thoughts, which centered around Isabel; what had happened to her, all the things they didn't know, and all they wished they could do, but couldn't. It was definitely a hard pill to swallow- watching someone they both loved, dying, and not being able to do a thing about it. But just as George felt his mind slipping into a dark place, the doors opened and Leopold stood there. Immediately, Nigel and George stood. "I'll find out what I can." Nigel told George, actually quite glad that he would have someone to tell. Then George watched as the two men disappeared through the door and out of his vision.

oOoOoOoOo

Leopold led Nigel into the Emergency Department and just inside to the right where the doors which went into the private rooms were, hesitating a moment outside of one of them as he turned to Nigel. "She's agreed to allow you in there, but it took some prodding. Isabel knows all too well what's going on in her body against her will and she's afraid of hurting you, she's afraid of herself. So if she tells you to leave, you get out, alright?" Nigel only nodded in agreement, before pushing open the sterile-white door. He had been steeling himself, for what he wasn't sure, but he wasn't quite expecting what he did see. He had never seen his little sister so frail-looking, and it wrenched his heart in his chest.

Isabel felt cold, even though she was still sweating and her fever hadn't yet broken, she was shivering and pale, curled up with the thin hospital blanket. The chills that came with the fever were almost as bad as the smothering heat that took its place. She heard her door open, and turned her head slightly so she could see who she knew it was. Isabel wanted to smile, but her fatigued muscles didn't agree, so the corners of her lips simply twitched upwards slightly. "Nige..." Her voice was faint and weak, and his eyes were so concernedly focused on hers.

"Hullo Izzy..." Nigel answered softly as he moved to stand in her eyesight so she wouldn't have to strain at all to see him, coming to the side of her bed.

"Step back..." She tried to shift away from him and winced because everything hurt, but he took a step back just so she would stop trying to move.

"Hey, it's alright. Just me." He smiled gently at his sister, reaching out to touch her hand, but she flinched it away.

"But I'm not me..." Isabel answered, the slight trace of a smile that had been there all wiped away now.

"Rubbish. Who else would you be?" Nigel joked a bit, trying to cheer her up. "Besides, I tame wild animals daily, think I can handle my little sister." She had to laugh softly at that, and this time didn't protest when he moved closer, or even when he took a seat on the edge of her bed, turned to face her. He always had a way of making her feel safe even in the worst of moments. Isabel had missed him dearly.

"How'd you get off work?" She asked as she scooted up in bed, hoping that it would help her stay awake longer.

"You kidding? Told them I was taking a few days off as soon as I got the call from Mungo's and that was that."

"Gonna get yourself fired that way." Isabel scolded him.

"Oh don't act like you're not over the moon that I'm here." Nigel poked her side and she flinched and yelped softly.

"Don't tickle me, I'm sick." She stuck her tongue out at him.

"Laughter's the best medicine, right?" Nigel smiled and poked her side again. She flinched again this time with a squeal of laughter as she weakly pushed away his hand.

"Bugger off." Again she stuck out her tongue at him. Their relationship had always been a bit immature and rowdy, though that didn't make Nigel any less protective of his sister. With both of their parents gone she was all he had, and vice versa. He had been eighteen when their mother and father died in the Second Wizarding War. They had no family, none that would take them in at least, which left just the two of them. Nigel, just barely an adult, and Isabel, only in third year herself, they weren't left with many options. He made plenty of mistakes to be sure, but he was adamant to this day that he had done right by her. The Ministry had wanted to take her away from him, put her in a good proper home without him, because he was too old to be put in a home and too young to care for her. In the end though, the two of them had been able to remain together in their family home, which Nigel was certain had turned out better for the both of them.

"So I met that George bloke in the waiting room." He added in an off-hand sort of manner. Isabel's eyes widened slightly.

"You were nice. Tell me you were nice to him."

"Oi! I was very nice thank you. And I resent the insinuation."

"Oh whatever. Don't act like you're so well behaved." She wrinkled her nose at him and hit his shoulder with her fist. It was too weak to call a punch, but it was good to see that she still had her sense of humor. "How's he doing?"

"Not great... can't say that I blame him. The healers say only immediate family can see you right now. He's going mad with worry." Nigel answered honestly while telling her what George had requested. Isabel frowned at this, sighing softly. She wanted to see him so badly, but she didn't figure saying that would help George any.

"Just... tell him that I loved the flowers... and that I'll see him soon enough." Nigel nodded; he didn't mind being the messenger boy in this case, though his eyes instinctively glanced around the room.

"What flowers?"

"I broke the vases in... one of my episodes... but... they were quite lovely..." Isabel said as she frowned and looked down at her fingers. Nigel would recognize those signs anywhere. Despite her rather tough disposition, his sister was a sensitive thing. There was no doubt in his mind that she was very upset with herself for breaking them, as if it she could have helped it. He touched her hands gently.

"I'll be sure to tell him you thought so. Now, what'd dad always say?"

"'Stiffen that upper lip, lass'" Isabel mimicked her father; Irish accent, playful smile, and all.

"That's right." Nigel responded. His own accent, though distinctively Irish, wasn't as thick as their father's had been. He traveled a lot for his work, just recently spent multiple weeks across the pond in the states dealing with some rouge Re'em, but his permanent home was in Ireland. When he wasn't traveling for work, he was working there in his long-term assignment which included monitoring banshees, merrows, aethonans, leprechauns, and other magical creatures native to Ireland and keeping a lid on the muggle-sightings. Nigel also kept close tabs on the Dullahan, a headless ghost who was known to ride a horse and enjoyed tormenting unexpecting muggles. He had tried to convince Isabel to move there too on more than one occasion, and she probably would have, if Sarah and Frank hadn't both lived in London. Of course, she had recently moved to Scotland, a little cottage in Hogsmeade she told him, so she was getting closer. He would convince her someday.

"Tell George one more thing for me, Nige?" Isabel asked softly, and he simply nodded in agreement so she would continue. "Tell him that I'm gonna be alright... and that I love him."

"Stop the lights!" Nigel uttered, and the expression wasn't completely lost on Isabel. He was surprised. "Love? You didn't tell me the two 'a you were so serious."

"That's what happens when you don't visit for six months." She stuck her tongue out at him teasingly.

"You coulda came around to see me too, you know." He teased back, this time poking her thigh which was infinitely more ticklish than her side. Isabel squirmed around, and for the first time since before she had been admitted into Mungo's, she actually burst into uproarious laughter. Nigel laughed too. Despite the pangs of worry and sadness that had seized him on the inside ever since he'd heard his little sister was gravely ill, he was beyond relieved to hear her laughter.

"You are so awful," she said, though she was still laughing and hardly meant a word of it. "Tickling a poor, sickly girl."

"You are not poor, Isabel Flynn, and you might be sick, but you are hardly 'sickly'." Nigel challenged in return, lightly tickling her again just to hear her laugh. Isabel's laughter was more shortly lived this time though, as it was cut by a wave of dizziness and nausea. He saw the change almost immediately and stopped trying to tickle her. "All right, Izzy?" She sunk down in her bed, not looking so well and he softly touched her now wild, golden hair.

"Nige... you need to go..." She murmured, forcing her eyes to stay open as they grew heavier and heavier each passing moment. He remembered what the healer had told him about leaving at her first request, but he didn't want to. He didn't want to leave his little sister to deal with this all on her own. He was her big brother, he was supposed to protect her and help her through these things.

"But I only just got here... Iz I don't want to go." Nigel said with determination.

"Please... I feel so awful... Can't sleep with you here... please Nige..." She pleaded weakly, and though he still didn't want to, Nigel hesitantly nodded.

"I'll be around Izzy..." He pressed a soft, brotherly kiss to the top of her head before turning to leave.

"Nigel...?" He looked back at his sister and waited for her to continue. "Don't... don't forget my message." Isabel attempted a smile, though it didn't cover the weariness in her eyes.

"No worries." He returned her smile with one of his own which didn't quite cover his own worry. She nodded slightly as her eyes fell shut. Nigel watched his sister for a moment, rubbing the stubble of his jaw before turning and leaving the room. He stopped at the first healer he came to, telling them that she had fallen asleep and he would like to be notified as soon as he could see her again, and then he went back into the waiting room. George was on his feet the moment that Nigel came through the door. Knowing he would want a report, Nigel took a deep breath and approached George, motioning for him to sit again as he took the chair he had been sitting in before.

"So? How is she? How did she look? Did she get the flowers?"

"Slow down, slow down. One question at a time, mate." Nigel stopped him, though with a sympathetic look he began to answer each question. "She's all right... has a bad dose, looks right weary, but she was in good enough spirits. But yeah, she got the flowers, said they were lovely..." The way that Nigel trailed off there made George raise an eyebrow as he waited for the man to continue. "Well... she broke the vase... in one of her 'episodes', she called them..."

"Oh..."

"Yeah, she was rather upset about it too..." Nigel wasn't one to sugarcoat things, and figured George would wanna know anyway. George frowned and sighed, making a mental note to send more flowers as well as ensure that the vase was plastic when he did.

"That should be the last thing that she's upset about."

"Told her so in my own words, I did." Nigel nodded agreeingly. "She wasn't looking so great when I left, though, think she was needing some rest." George nodded, glad to hear that she wasn't actually drugged up or in a lot of pain. He still wanted to see her, but he was grateful for Nigel's words. George then wondered if Nigel even had a place to stay, or if his trip had been planned more at last minute.

"Well, speaking of rest, did you already have a place to stay?"

"Oh well... Thought I'd just grab a room at the Leaky Cauldron." Nigel answered, not having put much thought to it yet.

"Have you already got a room on reserve there?" George asked him, though he rather doubted it, by the way Nigel had answered.

"Not yet. Probably should though." George, a Weasley through and through, immediately shook his head.

"No, no, don't even worry about it, mate. You're Bell's brother. Stay with my brother, Fred, and I. We've got a shop in Diagon Alley with a roomy flat above."

"Couldn't put you out like that. Dunno how long I'll be in town." Nigel replied, not wanting to impose.

"Rubbish, you wouldn't be imposing in the least. Fred and I've got a nice guest room too. Never gets use except occasionally as an overstock room, and of course when we've got a guest." George chuckled. "Really, mate, it's no problem."

"Well alrighty, then, think I will take you up on that." Nigel conceded gratefully. It would be nice to get to know the man anyway, since it seemed his relationship with Isabel was so serious; which reminded him. "And erm... Izzy had something she wanted me to tell you."

"Oh? What did she say? Did they figure something out?" George asked him, incredibly interested, but hardly thinking that it would be about himself.

"No. She well... just said that she'll be alright. Doesn't want you worrying too much. And... that she loves you." Nigel was giving him a sort of inquisitive look, as if gauging his reaction. A great smile perked up the corners of George's mouth. It was probably the first time he had genuinely smiled since Isabel had been admitted.

"Merlin... if that's not good to hear..." He sighed contentedly. "Look, um... I rather doubt you'd enjoy playing owl between Bell and I, but... when you see her again, would you just... tell her that I love her too. I've said it before, both of us have, but I just think that she should hear it, at least second hand at this time." George just gently asked of Nigel. He wasn't blubbery or demanding, but he did want Isabel to know he reciprocated her love, and he wanted Nigel to know that he genuinely cared for his little sister. This wasn't a frivolous romance or friends with benefits, it was real love that was blooming. In fact, even as George contemplated this, he couldn't help thinking that perhaps some time, in the near future, when Isabel recovered, that marriage could be something to think about.

Nigel simply nodded his compliance, thinking mostly of his sister and how it would probably cheer her considerably to hear those words, but as for himself, he had several reservations. George seemed like a nice bloke. He seemed genuine with his feelings for Isabel. But the fact remained that he barely even knew the man, and Isabel herself couldn't have known him for more than six months or so. He had never once heard his sister mention love for a man in that sense. In fact, before this bloke, he was fairly certain that Isabel had never had a boyfriend before. And there was also the fact that George, being a year above Nigel at Hogwarts, had to be twenty-six, and Isabel, though actually twenty which was a big enough gap, could still pass as sixteen most of the time from her looks. He was more than willing to give George a chance, he just wasn't all in on the man's relationship with his sister just yet. Nigel was hoping that staying in George's flat would be a good chance to find out who this man was who had his little sister so smitten.

George smiled and nodded back, before leading the man out of Mungo's. The two talked some more. It was nice, because, although George felt a slight need to impress Isabel's brother, he didn't act on this, and found the man to be agreeable and interesting, by his own merits. He felt that, had he met Nigel without knowing he was Isabel's brother, the two probably would've become friends. In fact, George sort of hoped that they would become friends anyways.

George brought Nigel to his and Fred's favorite pizza joint. "I was thinking we could get a pizza to go and I could show you around the shop and flat. I know that Fred would like to meet you too." Although, George didn't feel any sort of need to mention the fact that Fred was dating Isabel's best friend. He figured that either Fred would tell him, or else he'd figure it out for himself before long. Nigel agreed to this plan and so, twenty-five minutes later, George and Nigel, with five steaming boxes of pizza, stepped through the doors of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.

"Pizza!" George announced promptly as the bells on the door jingled with their entrance. The shop wasn't exactly dead, and business would pick up in a few hours after lunch time, but it was still a bit early on a Sunday for many patrons to be browsing their shelves. Fred's head poked out from an aisle over on the other end of the shop, and Sarah just after him, as Harry finished ringing up one of their customers.

"Did you get one with just pepperoni, Geor-" Sarah began, knowing very well all the gross things the brothers like to put on a perfectly good pizza to ruin it. Like onions and mushrooms. But then she spotted Nigel and her words cut off. "Nigel!" A smile spread on her face as she went to him immediately, wrapping her arms around him in a hug. He laughed and hugged her back. "When did you get into town?"

"Just this morning, actually." Nigel answered and was about to ask what she was doing there, when someone else spoke first.

"And who's this?" Fred asked, a not all too happy look on his face at the sight of his girl hugging some random bloke. Sarah giggled softly at the look as she pulled away from Nigel and took a step back, standing at Fred's side.

"This is Nigel. Iz's brother, I've known him since first year." She answered with a poke to Fred's ribs.

"Oh... well it's nice to meet you, then." Fred chuckled slightly and stuck out his hand, which Nigel shook.

"And you must be Fred then?"

"That's me." Fred gave a confirming nod.

"And I'm Harry. I'm just here for the pizza." He greeted Nigel, as he relieved George of the two pizza boxes.

"Why is Harry Potter and Izzy's best mate in your shop?" Nigel looked a bit puzzled, almost like he'd just entered a strange dream. George laughed softly.

"Harry's our brother-in-law, he was helping out while I went to visit Bell."

"And Sarah's my girlfriend." Fred added, slipping an arm around her middle.

"Huh. It is a small world, isn't it?" Nigel remarked with a bit of amusement at the oddity of it all.

The five of them chatted some more over the delicious pizza that George had brought, but soon enough clients were beginning to make a steady trickle through the door and around the aisles. George gave Nigel the promised tour of the shop, talking animatedly about his and Fred's work, between helping customer's here and there. Talking about the shop was the easiest thing in the world for George, he always had something more to say about it. Not that bragging was his intention, but he loved what he did and was more than excited to share it with anyone willing to listen. Nigel was getting antsy though, ready to get back to the hospital, not wanting to miss an opportunity to see his sister. George more than understood, though he decided to stay at the shop, figuring he was of more use there than pacing away in the waiting room where he would just drive himself mad. Though he would be sure to stop by Mungo's after work to send more flowers.

Nigel promised an update as soon as he returned and went on his way, down the cobblestone road towards the Leaky Cauldron. It was only a few blocks walk to St. Mungo's, and it was rather frowned upon to apparate in barring an emergency. But Nigel hurried as fast as his feet would carry him, hoping to get there in time to visit Isabel.