The Mission From Hell
Chapter 8 Part II
"A Ring Upon a Finger''
By: Deep Shadows and EckoStalker
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Alexis woke feeling very warm, so warm it made her wonder if she was still in the heated hospital. She opened her eyes, and her vision was filled with blankets and a bare chest. She was wide awake then. She tensed, feeling what she knew to be Severus's head laying on her own.
You know what, I'm done asking. Cause when I do, that leads to even more questions that confuse me further, and I don't need that kind of stress anymore... Alexis thought to herself as she slowly and carefully pried herself away from Severus and sat up. She immediately shivered, looking down and realizing she was still in her sports bra.
"Nope, not going to ask..." Alexis grumbled, shaking her head as she felt Severus shifting, pulling the blankets closer around himself, still fast asleep. She rolled her eyes, stretching and smiling at the absence of pain. She sighed, moving the blankets off of her and scooting to the end of the bed to retrieve a shirt. She stopped though, looking behind her as Severus scooted after her.
Alexis smirked curiously, moving away a few more inches, watching Severus follow, still dead asleep. "Dude, he's like a magnet..." Alexis mused, shivering again. Don't blame him though; it was much warmer lying like that... I never thought I would think like this in my life... Alexis told herself mentally, shaking her head.
She jumped though as warm arms wrapped around her waist, and looked down in surprise, seeing Severus hugging her around her stomach. She felt herself pulled downwards towards him slightly, wondering what the hell he was doing and about to slap him away. But she noticed he was still dead asleep.
Alexis sighed, shaking her head as she crossed her arms, looking at Severus and grumbling. "Sometimes you freak me out..."
Well, I guess I can wait a little while longer for food... besides, he's warm... Alexis finally gave in, settling comfortably and pulling the blankets over her legs. She sat there for a little while longer, dozing slightly as the sun rose and lighted the room brighter. Alexis finally yawned after about an hour or so, muttering to herself. "Okay, I need to go to the bathroom..."
She tried to pull away from Severus, but he merely sighed in his sleep, hugging her tighter. Alexis looked at him with confusion, trying to pry his arms off her, but without any luck. She huffed with frustration, crossing her arms as she sat there, a scowl on her face. "This is ridiculous."
She shook his shoulder, and he slept on. She frowned, shoving him harder, but he merely shifted, hugging her tighter.
"Dude, come on!" Alexis grumbled, knocking him on the head. Severus wearily opened one eye, gazing up at her with confusion. She spoke sarcastically. "Well, good morning sleeping beauty. Would you mind letting me go so I can go to the bathroom?"
Severus stared at her with incomprehension for a minute, and then mumbled. "Oh... uh... sorry..." He then removed his arms, Alexis sighing. "Finally..."
She got up, shivering as she went and used the bathroom. Coming back out, she looked to Severus and saw him once again dead asleep and snoring softly.
"Okay, it's gotta be like ten in the morning... I want food..." She mumbled, going over and poking Severus in the shoulder. "Hey, I'm hungry. What's there to cook?"
She didn't get an answer, so she spoke a little louder. "Hey you. Food. Morning. Heeelllooo..."
Severus continued to snore. Alexis rolled her eyes, grumbling as she donned a sweatshirt. "Guess I'm on my own for now..."
Entering the Kitchen, she gazed around, wondering what she could make that wouldn't result in the Kitchen blowing up. She rummaged through a few cupboards, and then found the cereal boxes. She pulled one out from the back, squealing in delight as she recognized the Cocoa Puffs labels.
"I haven't had these in years... and Artimis never buys them when I ask her too..." Alexis mused, pouring herself a large bowl of the chocolately cereal. She smiled as the milk turned chocolately as well, going on a whim and pouring some chocolate syrup in the bowl as well. Putting the container back, she found a can of whip cream.
"Might as well..." She told herself as she put some on her cereal. She sat down with her spoon, digging into the almost sugar-coma-inducing meal. She finished it happily, downing a glass of chocolate milk she had poured. Then, she proceeded to make two more bowls of the same to try and satisfy her hunger.
She leaned back with a sigh after finishing the third bowl, now wide awake and with an urge to do something active. She looked around the Kitchen curiously, seeing a box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Shrugging, she grabbed it, dumping some out and proceeding to make puzzles with the cinnamon swirl cereal. She covered the table with a small mural of a pack of wolves, then part of the counter with a flying dragon.
Stepping back away from her masterpieces, now having no more cereal left to work with, she sighed, already feeling bored. She bounced into the living room, jumping onto the couch and bouncing a few times as she tried to think of something interesting to do. She grabbed the remote during one bounce, flicking on the television and bouncing as the afternoon cartoons came on. She bounced a little longer, wondering if there was a record for bouncing on couches as she watched the shows, when she heard a muffled crack and felt the couch sag under her. She stumbled in surprise, falling off of the couch and rolling twice.
Sitting up with slightly dizzy confusion, she saw the couch noticeably indented in the middle, realizing she must've broken the springs. She winced, knowing she was going to get reamed out for that.
"Oops... well, the damn company's fault for not making them stronger..." Alexis scolded, covering the seat of the couch with the pillows to hide it. Nodding in approval, she jumped on it once more, ignoring its new squeak, and hung upside down to watch some shows, flipping through the channels with growing boredom as the incident erased itself from her mind.
She eventually found a show that was airing a rock concert for one of her fave bands, System of A Down. She whooped gleefully, turning it up a bit louder. She began singing with it, not caring if Severus heard her. He needed to get up soon anyway; it was almost past lunch time.
Getting into it, she flipped right side up, standing on the couch as she sang with the band and head banged. On hyper impulse, she grabbed one of the desk lamps, spinning around in a circle and singing dramatically into the lamp.
She continued to act out the concert to the best of her abilities, and by the time it was over, she had migrated to standing on the coffee table, had ripped the lamp's cord out of the socket, and had busted the light bulb in it, totally oblivious to her destructiveness.
She stared at the slightly mangled lamp, and then shrugged, jumping off the table and setting the lamp on it, quickly straightening the lampshade and picking up the larger pieces of glass before heading towards the Kitchen once again, feeling ravenous from her hyperactive exploits.
She had left her murals of cereal where they had been created, so she grabbed a few pieces from the 'dragon's leg and popped them in her mouth as she rummaged through the fridge.
"I want... spaghettos... yeah..." Alexis thought to herself, finding a can. She set it on the table and stared at it, wondering where to start. She decided to open it first, and did so, then turned to the stove thing.
There were several pans on it, so she chose the nearest one, which happened to be a skillet, and poured the food in. She stopped, wondering what to do next. "I guess one of these buttons turn on the stove... I'll just turn them until one of them works..." Alexis thought to herself as she turned a few knobs, and then set the pan of food on one as she turned back to the fridge, looking for anything else she could cook.
"Hey look! Twizzlers!" Alexis exclaimed, taking some out of the bag while still standing in front of the fridge. She made a chain out of the Twizzlers sticks for the next five minutes, and then looped it over her head and sticking the loose end of the candy chain in her mouth. She stopped in confusion then, smelling something odd in the air. She turned around, her eyes widening at the sight of a smoke wafting from the pot of superheated spaghettos.
Before her eyes, a small lick of flame appeared in the pan of food and she yelped, leaping forward to pull the pan off of the stove. Her hand wrapped around the metal handle, and she recoiled back quickly as the hot metal burned her skin painfully. She held it to her, cursing under her breath as she glared at the stove.
She quickly filled a bowl with cold water, dumping part of it onto the bowl of spaghettos, managing to pull the pan off the stove with a towel. She then submerged her burned hand into the bowl of water, sighing as smoke filled the Kitchen in a light haze.
"You know, I think it's about time Sev got up..." Alexis mumbled, shaking her head at the predicament. She put the bowl down, walking into the bedroom, seeing Severus still passed out on the bed.
She yelled at him. "Hey! Get up!" He didn't stir.
She growled, jumping onto the bed hollered. "Are you dead or are you just ignoring me?"
After receiving no answer, she began jumping on the bed, jostling him around slightly, but he did no more than pull the covers tighter around him. She stopped, folding her arms across her chest, wincing slightly at her burned hand, then yelled once more. "Come on you lazy git! You've been sleeping all bloody day now!"
Severus sighed in his sleep, though still didn't acknowledge her. She was growing pretty fed up with him so she leaned down, poking him in the side and head. He didn't move, so she smirked and jabbed him in the back, his ticklish spot, but even with that, he didn't move an inch.
She stood up, cocking her head in confusion. She stepped forward and sat on his side, looking down at him with confusion. "Come on, I know you're not drugged, unless you did it to yourself... I'm bored and hungry Sev! Quit being a dork and wake up!"
Her reply was a very slight snore, and she huffed with frustration, jumping off him and off the bed, stomping back into the Kitchen. She grumbled to herself as she found a large baggie, then turning to the freezer. "Fine, you don't want to wake up on your own, I'll help you..."
She filled the bag full of ice, and then chuckled as she headed back to the room. She stood by the bed, hefting the ice pack and asked once more. "Are you sure you don't want to get up?"
No answer.
"Thought so." She confirmed. Then she slowly pulled the coves off of him, exposing his bare back. She grinned evilly, quickly swiping the cold bag over his back once quickly and jumping back. He shuddered slightly, hugging his pillow tighter, but didn't wake.
Alexis got a resolute look on her face as she stepped forward. "Two can play at that game..." She muttered as this time she pressed the ice cold bag into the middle of his bare back and held it there.
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Severus had been enjoying a peacefully lazy laid back morning, dozing in and out of consciousness, for once getting some sleep he desperately needed. Though before last night, he didn't know he needed it that bad. Alexis had awoken him a few times with her antics, but not enough for him to leave the warm comfort of the bed. He had successfully wrapped himself completely in the fleece wolf blanket and was hugging Alexis's pillow because she wasn't using it. He thought he heard Alexis yelling at him, but he pushed it aside for slumber's sake. The noise silenced and he once again passed out.
The next thing he knew he was screaming and falling out of the bed, still half wrapped in the blankets. Something wet and freezing had touched the center of his back. He struggled to unravel himself from his warm cocoon of fleece to see Alexis standing on the other side of the bed, holding an ice pack in her hands with an insane smirk on her face.
"Ah, you're awake. You dork. You've been sleeping all day." Alexis chided him and he sighed, crawling back up on the bed and plopping down on his back, rubbing his temples.
"Alexi- Lindsey, did you think that their might have been a reason for that?" He hissed at her and he took a deep breath though his nose. He would have been ecstatic that he could breathe completely if he hadn't inhaled a lungful of smoke. He sat up immediately.
"What did you try to cook!" He yelled as he dashed out of the bed, heading for the kitchen. He froze at what he saw.
It looked as if a troop of monkeys had attacked the kitchen. There was a smoking pan of burnt spaghetto's, how one manages that, he'd never know. He looked at Alexis with a glare, shaking his head. She shrugged at him and he turned around, marching to the sink as he began to clean up the mess.
"You are going to clean up your mess on the table. Scoop that mess into the garbage can." Severus told her in exasperation as he noticed the cereal 'mural'. Alexis pouted as she walked over, huffing to herself as she began to play basketball with the cereal.
"Three points!" She yelled and he grunted. He was too tired to argue with her, to tired to think of a withering retort, he was just plain tired. He got most of the spaghetto's out of the pan and then proceeded to make more in a pot instead of a frying pan. He turned to see Alexis making more of a mess all over the floor.
"Damnit, clean that mess up now." He snarled, storming to the living room. He noticed the lamp on the coffee table, but decided not to ask as he walked to the couch. He collapsed into it and jumped in surprise as it creaked and bent under him.
Damn it, can't I leave her to her own devices for one bloody moment... All I wanted was to sleep... Was that such a crime?... Severus groaned and then he recognized that his foot hurt. He lifted his bare foot to see a shard of glass protruding from his heel. He grabbed it and pulled it out, looking at it questioningly. He then looked at the lamp and realized that it did not only have a broken bulb, but it had been yanked out of the wall, the socket itself coming with the plug. There was plaster by where the plug had been ripped from the wall and there was a trail of glass from where the lamp used to sit.
"Damn it..." He hissed, looking at the living room. He got up and began to clean up the glass, snorting in anger as several of the pieces sliced his palm. He walked into the kitchen, throwing them away as he checked on the spaghettos. Alexis had now taken to playing hockey with the cereal, yelling in a mock-deepened voice.
"She skates down the rink, eyes on the target. She pauses, she aims..."
He had finally had enough. He reached into one of the drawers, pulling out a roll of duct tape with deadly calm.
"She scores! Woohoo! The Wolves have won the championships!"
Severus grabbed one of the chairs from the table and turned it around. He grabbed Alexis, to her confusion, and sat her in the chair, her bouncing as she looked at him with a wide grin and shining eyes.
"Musical chairs! Whoo hoo! ... Where's the music?" She asked and Severus ignored her, taping her to the wooden chair. She mildly fought him and almost bit him, so he taped her mouth first. Then he taped her arms to her sides and her midsection to the chair.
"I don't know what has gotten into you, but I want you to cut it out. Until then, you are going to sit like this." He growled at her and she glared at him, cursing him colorfully behind the silver tape. Her hands were flailing about and he noticed that her one hand was bright red. He knelt at her side, taking her hand and looking at it, recognizing it as at least a second degree burn.
"Damnit all to hell." He huffed as he got up and retrieved the salve. It was near empty and he was glad he had another bottle hidden away. Once reaching the Kitchen, took her hand and she flinched as he touched it, unable to voice her thoughts, which was a good thing. He opened the salve and rubbed it into her hand, making sure he got every part of the burn gently. He got up and replaced the salve in his drawer and he grabbed the gauze. He knelt once more at her side and wrapped her hand gently, seeing that it was secure. Burn and bruises healed differently and he knew her hand would need to be wrapped for the rest of the day. Alexis watched him curiously, not struggling as much at the moment.
Haven taken care of her and taping her arm back at her side, he proceeded to sweep the floor, cleaning up all of Alexis's mess. He was grateful that he could now move without a pain overtaking him, but that didn't mean he wanted to clean. He emptied the dustpan in the garbage pan and walked over to the stove.
The food was done and he made himself and Alexis a bowl. She had stopped struggling totally and had seemed as if she had calmed down a bit.
Severus untaped her arm and her mouth so she could eat by herself, for he didn't feel like feeding her and he sat across from her, enjoying his food and ignoring her rantings. He finished his meal and put his bowl in the sink, taking Alexis's once she was finished.
"Are you going to calm down now?" Severus asked her and she glared at him.
"Yeah, sure. This hurt ya know." She barked at him and he unwrapped her from the chair. The first thing she did was go to try and smack him across the face. He grabbed her wrist before she could and looked at her questioningly.
"Do you really want to piss me off this early in my day?" He asked her and she shook her head and he let her go. He walked to the bathroom and took his shower.
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Alexis, not really too keen on cleaning the mess she hadn't realized she had been making all day, decided she would make it interesting. She heard Severus grumbling to himself in the Living room, obviously still cranky from his way-too-long nap, and figured that while he was in there, she could go from playing basketball to hockey, since the rest of her cereal murals were on the floor.
A pity... I didn't even get any pictures... She thought to herself as she laid a can sideways on the floor, stepping back with the broom and taking a few practice shots, shooting cereal pieces to all corners of the room.
She then started sliding forward on her socks, grinning as she monologued to herself. "She skates down the rink, eyes on the target. She pauses, she aims..."
She ignored Severus, who had walked into the Kitchen looking like he was going to beat someone. Shrugging, she continued her commentary as she pulled back the broom, hitting a pile of cereal pieces into the wall, several making it into the goal-can. She raised her arms in victory, shouting happily. "She scores! Woohoo! The Wolves have won the championships!"
She stopped though as she felt hands lowering her arms, and was yanked backwards by Severus, who wasn't saying a word as he shoved her down into one of the chairs. Curious and still very hyped up, she exclaimed hopefully. "Musical chairs! Whoo hoo! ... Where's the music?"
But Severus didn't answer her as he suddenly began rolling duct tape around each leg, and moving to her midsection. It took her a moment to wonder what the hell he was doing, and whatever it was, she didn't like it, so she tried to grab the duct tape away from him, her legs already pinned tightly, and he shoved her hands away.
She growled, snapping at his hand, but he drew back quickly. What does this idiot think he's doing! Alexis thought with confusion as Severus hindered her speech with a long piece of duct tape over her mouth. Now this was going a bit far. She struggled violently as he held an arm down, beginning to duct tape that down to as he growled at her.
"I don't know what has gotten into you, but I want you to cut it out. Until then, you are going to sit like this."
She wanted to yell, what right do you have to demand that, but it came out more like a muffled growl. Growing desperate, she cursed him behind the sticky tape as she tried to punch him away with her free hand, the other one pinned by him a bit painfully. He surprised her though as he grabbed and stilled her punching hand, studying it with a frown. She stopped struggling slightly, wondering what he was going to do as he hissed something, got up, and disappeared from the room.
He's finally, truly, lost it... taping me to a chair... I can't believe this ass! She thought as she studied the situation she was in.
He returned carrying something and knelt once more by her side, grabbing her hand. She flinched as he touched it, cursing him as she realized it was her burnt hand he was studying.
He then carefully rubbed the salve into her hand, and she sighed, the pain she hadn't noticed really before lessening, now her hand just feeling tender as he left once again. She looked at her hand, wondering to herself. He's acting like he's going to kill me or something, then he goes and fixes my hand? He's the dude you put in a padded room and turn off the lights, then forget he ever existed...
He returned, once more taking her hand and wrapping it in gauze bandaged. She watched him, wondering if he was coming to his senses and would stop this, but that thought was nixed as he then taped that arm to her side. She glared at him hatefully the whole time he cleaned the kitchen, thinking of the many ways she could kill him. Once again, that knife he had taken from her before came into her thoughts...
Severus had finally finished the dinner, and she figured that if she seemed calm enough, he would let her eat. He set a bowl in front of her, and then warily untaped her arm and mouth, quickly moving out of her reach before she could slap him.
He sat across from her, eating as Alexis hollered at him. "What the hell is your problem! I understand yelling at me, I understand grounding me from television... sort of... but this! What kind of psycho are you man? This is downright degrading..."
She stopped; seething in silent rage as Severus pointedly ignored her. She growled, and then found herself cursing at him in a stream of German, not really knowing what she was saying, just knowing that it sounded bad.
She huffed with frustration as he continued to ignore her presence, angrily eating her spaghettos with her one free hand and silently fuming at this outrage. The food slightly calmed her, though she was still pissed, but she had stopped cursing and taken to sending him death in the form of stabbing glares.
He finished his meal, taking his and her bowl to the sink, and then finally looking at her with an indifferent stare. "Are you going to calm down now?" Severus asked her and she glared at him.
Hell no! You get duct taped to a chair and see how well you take it! She thought to say, but was crafty enough to reply instead with an angry tone. "Yeah, sure. This hurt ya know."
He then proceeded to remove the tape, and she stretched slightly, working out the stiffness. As soon as she knew she was alright, she turned and tried to slap Severus without really thinking about it.
He grabbed her hand almost immediately, looking at her intently as he spoke lowly. "Do you really want to piss me off this early in my day?"
Dude, he's fast.. And I actually almost slapped him... dude... Alexis thought with wonder, knowing that she shouldn't push him any farther after that and shook her head at his question. He didn't say anything as he then turned and left, probably to take a shower, leaving her there in her slightly calmer anger.
The ass... he seriously has problems...
She continued to tell herself as she walked into the living room, jumping on the couch and hanging upside down as she flipped through the channels on the television, though, the whole event sort of putting itself on the back burner as she absorbed herself in more cartoons.
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Severus heard a knock at the door as he was getting out of the shower and he pulled on some pants, walking to the door. Alexis was lying upside down on the broken couch, acting as if she had not heard the door. Severus had a towel in one hand, which was actually hiding his wand and he opened the door, seeing a winter-clad man in blue. He recognized him as the mail man and Severus took from him a letter and a small box with curious suspicion. After exchanging thanks, Severus closed the door, shivering as he was still shirtless and was wet from his shower.
"Hey Severus... What's up? What'd you get? Who was that? Was it Santa? Kinda early for Santa though... Wonder if I get a dragon for Christmas this year..." Alexis asked him a million questions at once and he tuned her out, seeing that the letter was from an 'Ocard Yoflam', which Severus knew was Draco Malfoy spelled backwards.
"Idiot. This better be good." Severus hissed and Alexis got up, looking at him with a cocked head.
"What is it? Can I read it? Please?" Alexis asked and Severus shook his head, pocketing the box in order to open the letter.
"After I read it." He told her and he opened the letter to see a blank piece of parchment. Severus shook his head and snorted.
"I solemnly swear I am up to no good." He mused and as he guessed that was the password for the letter. Had someone been a deatheater who knew Alexis, they would have known their orders in a matter of minutes. Draco's script covered the paper quickly, his handwriting looking as if it was written hastily.
"Dear Sev & Alexis..." Severus mumbled aloud, shaking his head as he sat down to read the letter. He finally made it to the final paragraph and his heart froze in his chest. His breathing stopped. He put the letter in his lap, rubbed his eyes and then picked the letter up again, sure as everything that he had not just read what he thought he had read.
But there it was, in Draco's handwriting, a direct order, a command, something he was obligated to follow while he was on this mission. There was no way around it. He wasn't asked, he wasn't consulted, he was told.
Alexis looked at him and noticed his discomfort.
"Let me read it!" He heard her say and he clutched the letter to him. If she knew they had told him to do this, oh, the field day she would have murdering the ministry... men, women and children.
How could they tell me to do this... Yes, I'm a spy, but that didn't mean I have to, well, do that... There was absolutely no mention of this earlier in the mission or else I would have flat out refused and thrown a fit... Damn them all to hell... Severus thought as Alexis looked at him, but he looked right through her. He couldn't, no, he wouldn't be able to, and he hadn't been able to before, what would change that now?
"Harry, let me read the letter." Alexis hissed and he stood up. She had a right to know, so she could object as well, not that it would do much good.
"Do not pick it up until I have gone to the bathroom." He told Alexis sternly as he set the folded letter on the table. He walked into the bathroom quickly and locked the door, leaning against it as he cursed the entire ministry of Magic, most especially Aaron Billord and Draco Malfoy. They would never see the end of his wrath from this...
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Alexis heard the knock on the door, but seeing as Severus was already standing, she decided he could get it. She sat up though, looking over the couch curiously as Severus studied an envelope, mumbling to himself.
Curious and still sugar happy, she rattled off a list of questions that randomly popped into her mind due to her peaked curiosity. "Hey Severus... What's up? What'd you get? Who was that? Was it Santa? Kinda early for Santa though... Wonder if I'll get a dragon for Christmas this year..."
Severus ignored her as he stood in the Kitchen doorframe, scanning the letter as he mumbled to himself.
Why would Sev get mail and not me? I bet it is for me but he's being an ass and wants to ruin it for me... dork... She thought as she flipped off the couch, walking towards him as she questioned. "What is it? Can I read it? Please?"
He answered as he pocketed a curious little package before she could snatch that. "After I read it." He mumbled, and pulled out his wand and chanted quickly. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good."
Now I know it's for me too... Alexis thought as she watched Severus read the letter, shifting her feet eagerly and waiting for her turn to read. She stopped though, seeing Severus gradually lose all color in his face, not that there was much in the first place, and watched his eyes grow wide with shock. He set down and picked up the letter twice, looking shell shocked and borderline furious.
The suspense was tearing Alexis apart and she whined. "Let me read it!"
Severus clutched the letter and looked at her almost frightfully, surprising Alexis further. She was starting to get a growing sense of dread, but she wanted to read that damn letter anyway!
"Harry, let me read the letter." Alexis hissed demandingly, not wanting to wait any longer. Severus seemed to be struggling with himself for a moment, but then stood shakily and set the letter on the table.
"Do not pick it up until I have gone to the bathroom."
He didn't wait for an answer as he hurriedly ran to the bedroom; Alexis watching him go with confusion. Oh well...
She skipped forward and eagerly took the letter, unfolding it and reading it over.
'Dear Sev and Alexis.
I hope everything is going well for you two, we don't have much of a way of finding out, so the most we can do is wish you luck. I know it is risky sending you any kind of information, but I had no choice with this one. And you'll probably hate me after reading this, but I could not prevent it. Believe me, Aaron and I fought to stop this one, but desperate circumstances call for desperate measures, I am sorry to say.
We have heard that your targets are suspicious to your presence there, and we are sure they will be getting pretty bold soon enough-'
"Kinda too late for that one..." Alexis muttered grimly, continuing the letter with growing angst.
'-So we have been told to give you this assignment, knowing that it will greatly put off your target's suspicions of you. A box was delivered with this letter, I believe. Well, in that box, is a ring. Severus, this ring is to go to Alexis. And you aren't just going to hand it to her; you're going to give it to her... on bended knee. I'm pretty sure that you get the idea from here. And yes Severus, you're going to have to say 'The Words'.
Listen, you MUST make this as believable as possible; your lives may depend on it. And if you're wondering why this letter isn't in my good handwriting, it's because I know it'll soon be in a million pieces, probably by Alexis. I am truly deeply sorry guys, but this is a direct order from the Ministry. It cannot be ignored.
Yours Truly,
D.M.'
Alexis stared at the letter with incomprehension for a moment, the words refusing to sink into her mind. She reread the letter very slowly once more, then really quickly. But the words didn't changed like she had hoped.
Suddenly, her nice sugar-induced cheerful mood just crashed, and a growing anger rose in her chest and she roared in furious unbelief. "They want me to do WHAT?"
She clenched the letter in fury, hands shaking slightly. "I'm already fucking MARRIED! Are they that bloody retarded! They seriously don't expect me to go for this, do they!"
She growled angrily, tearing the letter into a thousand little pieces and flinging them over her head. She then stared at the ground, fists clenched as she stared hard at her feet, trembling slightly. Breath... it's just a big joke... that's all... they can't ask us to do this, it's not protocol... they can't... can't... but, they DID!
"I'm going to kill them all! Every last one until there's no one to even carry out their bloodline!"
She shouted and spun around, grabbing the nearest thing, a wooden chair, and slamming it into the nearest wall, the back and a leg breaking off like toothpicks. Still not done venting her furiousness, she looked around quickly, seeing one of the couch cushions on the floor. She lunged at that like an animal, ripping it into shreds with gleeful rage and scattering the stuffing like snow throughout the living room. She stood, breathing heavily, and kicked the already broken lamp across the room for good measure, reveling in its shattering agony as it crashed into another wall.
She stumbled back, looking around the room for anything else to break, but the couch was a bit too heavy, and she wasn't insane enough to wreck the television. She grew dizzy and plopped in the middle of the floor, crossing her legs and staring at the ground, distractedly counting the paper pieces as she calmed her breathing, then joyfully thinking off in what way she could utterly demolish the Ministry of Magic. You want to pull this on me, then fine. Just know that your life is in my small, trigger-happy hand...
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The next night...
After much argument and breaking of furniture...
Severus sat in the only remaining chair in the kitchen, his nerves on edge as he tried to process how he was going to pull this off. His frustration was mirrored by Alexis, who was storming about in slacks and a nice shirt, grumbling in discontentment. Severus himself felt almost in his normal dress, with a buttoned up black shirt and slacks. He ran a hand through his hair, vowing that this injustice would be avenged, so help him the powers that be. He stood after a thought, quickly brewing a pot of hot tea. He discreetly pulled out a vial of Alexis's serum and poured it into one of the glasses of liquid. He knew it was still a bit early in the day, but why take any chances? He turned with his cup, looking at Alexis as she grumbled.
"Damnation. Lady Macbeth once said 'Fie my lord, Hell is murky'... Well hell is looking pretty crystal clear to me." Alexis hissed, taking the time to button the cuff buttons of her sleeve. Severus ignored her in favor of his own thoughts.
How in the world am I going to do this... I couldn't even propose to the woman I loved... How am I supposed to ask the woman I hate to marry me, even in jest... Severus thought as he stood stretching his arm above his head. Alexis had taken to pacing to and fro in the living room, making her own nervous rut in the carpet. Severus put his hands in his pockets to still their nervous actions and immediately yanked them out of their warm cave on feeling the box that held the bane of the moment. The ring. The gold banded, diamond studded, ring. The infernal cause of this great injustice, the forebringer of their doom. Oh how he hated the Ministry, he loathed it with all his being.
"'Perchance to dream-Ah there lies the rub-'" Alexis continued to quote Shakespeare, now having moved on to Hamlet. He sighed, picking up her tea and intending to give it to her soon.
"Alexis, do you think your melancholy is helping the situation?" He asked her in agitation. She looked at him and shook her head.
"It clears my mind ok. The man was a genius. I am thinking of that instead of you. And I'll have you know now, you are not kissing me!" She declared and Severus sighed, shaking his head at her.
"We've already covered that. It is a stage kiss, nothing more than an illusion to the eye." He replied and she pouted at him and he stalked toward her.
"Listen, I do not, in anyway, shape or form, want to do this. It is a direct order. Or else I would have found a way around this, trust me." He told her and she sighed at him, looking at him in anger, but he knew it was not at him.
"I know, but how could the ministry do this to me? Did they not notice that I am happily married to a Ministry worker? Did they even consider if he got word of this he would kill them? Did they think about how anybody feels about this? Now they just throw it at us, saying do it. Damnation." She growled, and Severus could tell that she was on the verge of tears.
"I know the feeling, trust me. But I must ask you as we do this, don't take me seriously. I am a good actor and I plan on acting my part, even to my own demise. So, please, anything said, is not meant." He stated and she looked at him in shock.
"Well big freaking duh. I mean, you act like I don't know this is a farce. I won't believe a word you say."
Alexis told him and he sighed in relief. He had known himself to charm almost anyone he so chose to and now he had to force himself to charm her, to make it seem as if his world revolved around her. Oh how much therapy he would need after this. Severus sighed, handing her the tea and speaking quietly. "Here. To calm your nerves."
Alexis scoffed, but took the tea and gulped it to his relief. After some more storming and Alexis retiring to the bathroom to 'apply her other face', they were ready to go. Severus just wanted to throw up. And at that thought, his stomach lurched and he shoved his way past Alexis to the bathroom, emptying the contents of his digestive system into the latrine. Alexis looked at him worriedly and he ignored her, grabbing his toothbrush. After getting rid of that awful taste in his mouth, he grudgingly led Alexis down to the car, opening the door for her and then getting in himself. He pulled out of the parking lot and bid the bile and grotesque feeling within him to fade back into the background.
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Alexis stalked in from the bedroom, trying to somehow steel herself for the event to come. Severus was sitting in the one chair that she had not managed to break, lost in his own melancholy and thoughts, no doubt trying to steel himself as well. Alexis on the other hand, couldn't bear to sit so still.
She paced nervously, scratchy with irritation at the blouse Artimis had made her pack in case she needed it. What did I do wrong... did I kill too many people or something? Set fire to the wrong place? If so I'm sorry and am willing to pay off any damage a hundred fold... this is the worst of bloody punishments man...
Staring hard at her feet as she paced, she growled to herself aloud in growing desperateness. "Damnation. Lady Macbeth once said 'Fie my lord, Hell is murky'... Well, hell is looking pretty crystal clear to me." She distractedly buttoned the cuff of her sleeves, cursing at them under her breath. She scratched at her arm, cursing at that as well. Glancing outside at the softly falling snow, she cursed every flake as they fell. She was just in a cursing mood tonight.
She paced the length of the living room, trying to find some reason why she was being forced to go through with this. She was pretty sure she hadn't angered any Ministry high official, and she had been a god little Auror over the years and destroyed all the bad guys as she was told. Why then did they damn her to this hell, and then expect her to feign becoming engaged to the man she wouldn't even smile at affectionately if he were the only man on this planet?
"This is similar to one of Shakespeare's tragedies... the dramatic irony... the continued remorse and curses cast upon the characters... the usual conclusion of either one or all of the main characters dying from extreme remorse or some sort of agony... I'm just waiting for the damn applause..." Alexis rambled to herself lowly, shaking her head as she breathed in deeply, trying her hardest to calm down enough to at least make it to the car.
Just take it one step at a time Alexis... yeah, and that one step will then send me careening off the edge of a cliff into a raging river below... Alexis thought morosely as she quoted another line from a play she knew quite well, the grammatically enhanced words soothing to her ears somehow. "'Perchance to dream-Ah there lies the rub-'"
She was pulled from her thoughts by Severus's low, agitated voice. "Alexis, do you think your melancholy is helping the situation?"
Alexis looked at him and shook her head. "It clears my mind ok. The man was a genius. I am thinking of that instead of you. And I'll have you know now, you are not kissing me!" She had to make that clear. If they were required to go that far, she would up and quit right there. No doubt about it.
"We've already covered that. It is a stage kiss, nothing more than an illusion to the eye." He replied, though the thought of him getting that close still unnerved her greatly as she looked at him apprehensively.
He walked up to her, speaking lowly and a bit more reassuringly. "Listen, I do not, in anyway, shape or form, want to do this. It is a direct order. Or else I would have found a way around this, trust me."
Alexis sighed, knowing that was true, but still angry nonetheless about the whole situation as she voiced some of her anguish to this man who felt at least somewhat the way she did.
"I know, but how could the ministry do this to me? Did they not notice that I am happily married to a Ministry worker? Did they even consider if he got word of this he would kill them? Did they think about how anybody feels about this? Now they just throw it at us, saying do it. Damnation." She growled more softly, so frustrated she felt she almost wanted to cry.
Severus actually, and smartly, didn't mock her, speaking sternly then. "I know the feeling, trust me. But I must ask you as we do this, don't take me seriously. I am a good actor and I plan on acting my part, even to my own demise. So, please, anything said, is not meant."
Alexis was a bit taken aback by this remark. He was actually worried that she would believe him when he would start this whole facade? Did he think her that dense?
"Well big freaking duh. I mean, you act like I don't know this is a farce. I won't believe a word you say." Alexis reassured him, and herself. She knew Severus had a huge ego and thought he could charm the ocean of its bloody fish. But... Alexis also knew how great an actor he could be, and in a way, that kind of worried her.
"Here. To calm your nerves." Severus spoke then, handing her a cup of hot tea. Nerves... is that what they call it? Alexis thought grimly as she took the cup and downed it, shivering as the warmth through her.
She then turned from him with a resigned sigh, heading to the bathroom to wash her face and brush her hair, and to look at herself in the mirror and hopefully put herself in a dense enough mind set to go through with this. She was finally leaving the bathroom when Severus, looking deathly pale, shoved past her and dove into the bathroom.
She stepped back with confusion, hearing retching noises and raising an eyebrow with surprise. Severus was seriously nervous enough that he was making himself sick? Whoa... this really sucks... he better brush his damn teeth if he plans on coming anywhere near me... Alexis thought, shaking her head as Severus exited the bathroom, looking a bit shaky but determined nonetheless. She sighed, following him out of the apartment. He opened the door to the car for her and she drew in a deep breath as she seated herself in it, knowing it was only to get worse and weirder from this point on. Hopefully I won't just say fuck it and attack these sons-of-bitches watching us... then I think we'd be in a bit of trouble... but I would feel so much better...
Severus apparently knew where they were going, for he didn't say a word concerning where they were, and drove a little ways into town. He parked in front of a small but cozy looking coffee house, a place that looked like it wouldn't hold a lot of people. Looking around and behind them, Alexis noticed a car that had been behind them park about ten spaces away, sitting there dark and silent.
Our audience... now begins Act I... and I already can't wait for the Interlude and Final Act... Alexis though grimly to herself, taking a deep breath and putting an automatic smile on her face as Severus came around and opened the door, holding out his hand expectantly. Alexis took it and stepped out of the car, Severus closing the door behind her and leading her into the coffee house.
Alexis was hit with an entrancing aromamatic wall of warm coffee smells and fresh baked sweets as soon as she walked in. She gazed around the shop, her body already warming in the comfortable atmosphere. Several two-seater round tables with an array of holiday centerpieces were spaced evenly through the middle of the shop, and at the back wall was set a high counter with decorative menus of coffees and lattes, cakes and muffins, sweets and cappuccinos, the works. Several fluffy couches and recliners were positioned in the corners near small tables with fanciful lights, and the whole room was only lit enough to make everything visible but still provide a calm and peaceful atmosphere.
Alexis sighed, though maintained a forced smile of pleased approval as Severus led her to a table near the back of the shop, as far away from the four or five other customers in the shop as they could. All Alexis could think as Severus took her coat from her was a defeated, Oh boy...
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Severus played his part to the 'T', leading Alexis into the shop holding her hand as if he had no qualm at all with it. He lead her back to one of the farthest away tables, his eyes spying two of the agents following in casually behind them as he took Alexis's coat, setting it in the seat next to her.
"I am getting some coffee, is there anything I can get for you dear?" Severus asked, making eye contact with Alexis. She forced her smile once again and nodded slightly.
"A chocolate cappuccino. Please dear." She replied to him and he nodded, walking up to the counter. He got himself a hot cup of strong coffee and Alexis her confounded chocolate confection. Though he knew that if he saw himself from the outside, it would look to the world as if he had no dream of being anyone else but here. Severus walked over to the table, setting Alexis's cup down softly.
"There you go sweetheart." He told her softly, sitting across from her. Alexis obviously was fighting to keep herself from hexing him. He spared a minor glance to their watchers, seeing that they were 'intent' upon their coffee and doughnuts.
"Lindsey, are you alright? You seem to be worried a bit. It's not about my unknown reasoning for bringing you here, is it?" He asked, though he knew it was. He was struggling to keep himself and her in check.
"No, not at all honey, I'm just a bit chilly that's all." She told him, looking to her jacket and he knew why she wanted it back. Thinking that he had not seen her, she had tucked her wand in the side pocket. No, besides, this was yet another opportunity to make him want to retch. He stood and took off his own jacket, putting it over her shoulders in a seemingly loving fashion.
"There you go dear. You should have told me. And why don't you drink some of your cappuccino, it should warm you up." Severus stated, gesturing to the steaming cup in front of her.
"Why thank you Harry, but without your jacket, you'll freeze. Why not let me wear my own?" She questioned, obviously eager to have her wand. He would not have her breaking apart on him when he was so close to saying screw it himself. His stomach was uneasy and he knew he was making himself sick.
"Well, dear, my jacket is already warm for you." He stated, taking a sip of his coffee to calm his own nerves. Alexis balled her fist on the table in agitation and in a quick cover up move; Severus quickly placed his own over it, unseeingly gripping her hand tightly.
"Why, Lindsey, your hands are freezing. Why not put your hands in the pockets, or hold on to your cup to warm them." He told her softly and she forced a smirk at him, and he knew she was really trying to control herself. Then Severus suddenly realized that the pockets he had just instructed Alexis to put her hands in had the box that the ring was in them. Aw Damnit... I can solve this... I can solve this... I don't want to have to hug her... Severus thought as Alexis slipped her hand out from under his and tucked them in the pockets. He saw the look of shock on her face and he knew she had found the box. She smirked at him and pulled her hand out slowly, holding the box in her palm.
"Harry, dear, what's this in your pocket?" She asked him and he gulped, knowing this was a moment to come closer to the final act of this charade.
"Oh damnation. I thought I had left that in the car. You weren't supposed to see it yet." Severus stated nervously, taking the box from her hand quickly and she looked at him in mock surprise.
"Harry, now you have intrigued me. Tell me, what's in that little box?" Alexis asked mockingly and Severus sighed, taking that as his cue.
I am ok... I am okay... I am not going to get sick... I am not going to choke up... I am going to do this professionally and I am going to get it over with... Severus told himself as he grabbed Alexis's hand, forcing a soft smile on his face. Instead of thinking of Alexis, he thought of someone else, sometime else, just something that was not Alexis. Alexis looked near as ill as him in the eyes but had a calm, confused look on her face.
"Lindsey, I was planning on doing this someplace that was not full of people, but alas you have caught me..." Severus stated, trying to hold back the bile rising in his throat.
"Harry?" She asked and he held a hand up to silence her.
"Lindsey, I should have asked you this long ago, before we came to America... But I figured, with a new scene and the hope of a new life, this would be a better suited time." Severus stated his mind clear except on the present task. Suddenly it went from Alexis to a delicate situation, to which Severus must figure out the perfect combination, the best way to solve the puzzle. Thinking of it like that calmed Severus. He, mildly nervously, dropped from his chair to one knee in front of Alexis, ignoring all the watching eyes as he opened the ring box.
"Lindsey, sweetheart, darling love of my life, will you marry me." Severus rushed out and Alexis looked at him in wonder for a moment, her emotions conflicting both outwardly and in her eyes. But the inner emotions seemed to be between rage and desolation while the outward ones were joy and caution.
"Har.. Harry... Yes, of course..." Alexis stammered out and Severus had to act relieved, though now he felt sicker. He slid the ring on her finger softly, and then he stood, making Alexis stand with him. He then carefully wrapped her in his arms, almost revolted as he leaned in and kissed her cheek, his hand coming up to the side of her face to make it seem as if her was kissing her full on the lips. Alexis's eyes were wild with contempt and Severus backed away, smiling and Alexis smiled back.
Well that's the hard part... Now we just have to act lovesick and get back to the apartment... Severus thought as Alexis smirked at him, almost reading his thoughts.
"Wow, darling. Oh we just have to go home now. I need to write my mother, and of course tell her that she was dreadfully wrong about you being a useless bum who would never want to marry me." Alexis spoke and Severus forced a chuckle, shaking his head.
"If you wish to go home, my sweet, them home we shall go." He stated, picking up his coffee and folding her jacket over one arm as he took her other hand. She looked at him nervously smiling and with that he led her out of the coffee house, hopefully so he could go home and drown himself.
I hate the ministry... Almost as much hate well, the ministry... Damn them to hell... Severus thought as he pulled out of the parking lot, realizing that their tails were a bit slower in following them.
Severus and Alexis rode home in silence, from time to time, Alexis taking long sips of her drink. They got to the house and Severus opened the front door for them. He looked out to the windows, seeing that their shadows were still watching the house.
"We're still being watched Whyte, so don't have that fit just yet." Severus told her and she snorted at him. He looked at the clock and then at her.
"Why don't we end this evening early and head to bed." Severus stated and Alexis nodded in reply, walking to the bathroom, oddly silent. Severus quickly changed form his clothes to his pajamas and laid down in the bed, trying hard to not think about anything but the soft comfort of the bed.
Alexis walked in and turned off the light, crawling into the bed automatically, a look that resembled a sort of mind numbed trance on her face. He moved so she could move closer to him and he relaxed as she curled up next to him, absorbing his warmth.
"Not one word." She hissed at him finally, as if she expected him to say something and they lay in silence until she fell into an uneasy but deep asleep. Severus on the other hand, was restless and his mind raced with the predicament they found themselves in.
I can't believe I did that... I asked her to marry me and now we are cuddling... Severus thought as he finally drifted off to sleep.
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Alexis watched Severus as he took her coat, silently cursing him for that move. My wand's in there Damnit... She thought as Severus asked in a sickeningly polite voice, looking her in the eyes. "I am getting some coffee, is there anything I can get for you dear?"
Alexis had to remember to smile as she replied, remembering her courtesies in the nick of time. "A chocolate cappuccino. Please dear."
She watched him get up and leave, and she stared at the table, shaking her head minusculely, still not believing she was actually going through with this.
"There you go sweetheart." His voice suddenly spoke right next to her, and she couldn't keep the fuming in her eyes, cringing internally at his 'beautiful' use of wordplay. God, I'm going to be sick...
"Lindsey, are you alright? You seem to be worried a bit. It's not about my unknown reasoning for bringing you here, is it?" He asked relentlessly, and she was starting to think he was deliberately mocking her. Does he want me to totally annihilate this shop from the face of the earth? Cause I'm very close to it... Alexis thought angrily as she instead replied with a calm voice. "No, not at all honey, I'm just a bit chilly that's all."
She smirked a bit, knowing he would have to give her back her jacket. Then maybe she can sneak it out enough to quickly take out the few agents before they knew what hit them...
But to her surprise, Severus stood, removing his own jacket and draping it over her shoulders as he smiled and spoke tenderly, making her want to gag. "There you go dear. You should have told me. And why don't you drink some of your cappuccino, it should warm you up."
Oohh, the little jerk... She thought as she tried to think up a way to get her jacket.
"Why thank you Harry, but without your jacket, you'll freeze. Why not let me wear my own?" He smiled at her, never betraying any of his internal feelings, knowing he was most likely considering using the wand himself. Instead, he pulled out one of the old tricks that actually sort of surprised her.
"Well, dear, my jacket is already warm for you."
She clenched her fist in growing frustration, finding it harder to maintain a carefree face in the midst of this act and his Severus's seeming mocking smirk. Apparently he felt she was getting to the point of cracking, for he covered her clenched hand with his own, and she felt him grip it. Looking into his coal black eyes, she saw an intent warning, and checked back her temper. Wouldn't be good to go up in flames right now... She thought as Severus covered up.
"Why, Lindsey, your hands are freezing. Why not put your hands in the pockets, or hold on to your cup to warm them?"
Alexis gave him a smirk, trying to keep her grim sarcasm out of it, and took her hand from his, shuddering slightly as she stuck them in her pockets to satisfy him. Her eyes then widened then in surprise, feeling the little ring box in the pocket. The dork screwed up... now I've got to think of a way out of this... I hope he catches on... Alexis thought a bit nervously, still not sure if she was ready to go through with this.
I've already done this once, and that was stressing enough... and I doing even like this guy... does anybody see the lack of motivation here? She thought, and then steeled herself, pushing aside most of her emotions as she pulled out the box, pulling on a feigned look of curious amusement.
"Harry, dear, what's this in your pocket?" She asked him, watching him intently and hoping he caught the cue.
"Oh damnation. I thought I had left that in the car. You weren't supposed to see it yet." Severus stated nervously as he took the box from her, and Alexis felt a small glimmer of relief that he had realized the cue. She pretended to look surprised when in all reality she wanted to look pissed and murderous.
"Harry, now you have intrigued me. Tell me, what's in that little box?" Alexis asked, trying to sound teasingly mocking, thinking it was time he got taunted a bit.
Severus impulsively grabbed her hand, and for a moment, she thought he was losing it, but he forced an almost pained smile on his face. Then his eyes seemed to blank, as if he were lost somewhere in his mind. He smiled a more genuine smile it seemed, making Alexis feel ill about how serious he was seeming to be. He's just a really good actor... none of this is real, or will ever be real... just keep remembering that... She thought, looking at him with calm confusion as he spoke tenderly.
"Lindsey, I was planning on doing this someplace that was not full of people, but alas you have caught me..."
Oh god... I, I don't know if I can actually do this, it's freaking me out... Alexis started to feel a bit panicked, and involuntarily spoke out, starting to almost protest.
"Harry?" She started, but he silenced her with a gesture, and she bit her lip sharply, tasting a bit of blood as he continued.
"Lindsey, I should have asked you this long ago, before we came to America... But I figured, with a new scene and the hope of a new life, this would be a better suited time."
God, he's seems good at this... it's scary... Alexis thought nervously, and she instinctively caught her breath as Severus moved from his seat.
Pretend it's not him... remember when Ron did this... it'll all be over soon... Alexis thought quickly as Severus kneeled in front of her, looking a bit nervous as he spoke out in a rush. "Lindsey, sweetheart, darling love of my life, will you marry me."
Alexis was taken aback for a moment, the shock seeping in that he had pulled it off and sounded sincere, and fought back being either sick or enraged at the moment. She struggled desperately for control, not believing the disgrace of this event as she yelled at herself.
It's you're turn dork! Say the damn words before you screw up! She shook herself and stammered out in a soft, seeming amazed voice. "Har.. Harry... Yes, of course..."
She dimly felt the ring slipped on her finger, and was smiling on instinct now as Severus almost had to pull her to her feet. She tensed as Severus closed in, but made herself stay in place as Severus's warm lips pressed almost right next to her own, and she closed her eyes so she wouldn't have to see this happening. She felt his hand on her cheek, then he pulled away, and she quickly forced a smile, staring at him as he smiled back.
She then looked at the clock distractedly, and Alexis was internally cheering as she stated on cue, trying to sound as ecstatic as possible. "Wow, darling. Oh we just have to go home now. I need to write my mother, and of course tell her that she was dreadfully wrong about you being a useless bum who would never want to marry me."
"If you wish to go home, my sweet, them home we shall go." He stated, taking his coffee in one hand as he took her arm in his other. She grabbed her coffee and from that point on, she was acting on autopilot to prevent herself from ding anything drastic, letting him lead her out of the shop to the car.
She stared out the window the whole way home, taking long drinks of her hot coffee, enjoying the burning sensations in her throat as they fleetingly masked the event that had just occurred. She entered the apartment as if in a trance, too exhausted from the stress of the day and emotion to act any different. She barely heard Severus state quietly as she stood there.
"We're still being watched Whyte, so don't have that fit just yet."
Oh yeah, a fit... I'm beyond a fit... She thought and agreed without argument to Severus's suggestion for bedtime. She went to the bathroom without a word to him, automatically changing and entering the room again, turning off the light and, like a zombie, crawling into bed beside Severus, who let her curl against him for warmth. It was so natural by now, she didn't care anymore. After this little event, she doubted much anything else could disturb her.
I never want to hear about this again in my life... EVER... Alexis thought, and just to make sure, she hissed at Severus with all the warning she could muster, the first words to him since leaving the coffee house. "Not one word."
He didn't answer, but knew that he would agree to that statement. It wasn't soon before she dozed off into a fitful sleep from her exhaustion, her dreams haunted throughout the long night.
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