Each day became a struggle in itself. An internal expanding and never-ending struggle. Talbott understood more after Moody's visit, he finally had a clear picture painted in front of his eyes, Talia was Hell bent on creating distance for the sake of protecting. It has nothing to do with her feelings for him changing, it had zero to do with their relationship, how he was, none of those. She just had to protect him. She would not allow for a third attempt at his life.

And it was clear to him she had the upper hand. He had no knowledge of her location, both being separated and looked after by different people. He loathed the idea of eyes on him, feeling as if someone had clipped his wings and he was no longer able to fly.

Like a caged bird, he fought daily to escape the steel bars, with no avail. He was not strong enough, never fast enough. He could not see the lock nor the door to the cage, everything circled him the same, jailing him in, suffocating.

However the biggest prison still remained his own mind. Thoughts were organized daily, ideas free to roam and created other scenarios, none of which held a happy ending. No matter how he tried to shape the information he held a firm grasp of, everything just ended. Escape became a foreign concept, she was having none of it, so soon the only true questions burning in his mind remained the following: When will it happen? When would Constantine decide to strike?

Every day Talbott would wait inside the Ministry, every morning sharp eyes searched for bright auburn hair to come into view. As long as her steps brought her back for training, she was safe, concealed behind the thick walls, alive to fight another day.

Moody on the other hand stole a page from Constantine's playbook, confusing the enemy with the help of Tonks and Pollyjuice potion. It ensured at least a couple of replicas would leave at the same time, making it hard to flesh her out without kidnapping or attacking. Talia did not agree to the plan, fought against it, however he won in the end.

They had to fight back in a way, they could not just offer her up for grabs and that was the end of it, a direct order, one she accepted with a death glare directed at everyone. At the trainers, at the volunteers, she was mad, yet submitted.

Or so she gave the impression since none knew what was actually going through her head.

Yet she fought harder, trained more, finally showing Finnemore the skills she had figured she possessed. The same went for Talbott. In a mere month he surpassed himself. Being forced to hide his anger, he put it to good use. In each move, spell cast, sparring session, he struck back tenfold.

Never to be caught off guard.

Never to be incapacitated.

He would fight with all his might.

On a day that held no specific meaning to it, Talbott leaned against a wall, eyes watching as Talia and her replicas were leaving the Ministry of Magic. Inside the pocket of his coat, he was fiddling with a small note she slipped him. It was the way he still knew if she was indeed alright or not. It was beyond the façade she kept up for everyone's sake. Yet in front of him, she still let her guard down, still showed him her true colors.

And she was scared, firstly for him, then for the ones impersonating her and lastly for herself "Somedays I feel as if life is punishing me for having survived until this very moment. It feels as if I am being ripped away from everything I care for, stolen away from you, yet part of it is my fault. You are far more important than me and will always remain so."

Closing his eyes, the paper crumpled inside his tight fist.

There was no fight or flight with her, just fight, one aspect he could not wrap his head around. The situation was not just dangerous, it was the ultimate danger, everyone following Constantine Crane ready to see her dead, willing to help in fulfilling that mission.

"Talbott." At the sound of his name being spoken, he opened his eyes to look over at the source of the voice, thoughts being reduced to whispers as he looked over at Bill Weasley waving from a few feet away. He just provided him a curt nod, glare focusing on Lazlo as his feet brought him near the two men.

"What are you doing here?" Bill's hand quickly pressed against Talbott's chest, pushing the imposing male away from his colleague.

"Don't do this, he came here to report that Karol had contacted him."

Lazlo chuckled seeing Bill step up to defend him despite him being smaller in size than him or Talbott "Leave him, I can take him on if needed. What's with that shocked expression, did you actually believe I was here to hurt her?" that was a solid "yes" inside Talbott's head, yet he kept his opinion for himself "Good call. Too bad I wasn't here when they attacked, would have loved to put my brother down in a duel."

Bill slowly removed his hand understanding that Talbott was not going to jump Lazlo any time soon while inside the ministry, yet he still did not like his attitude for the majority of the time. Not when it came to Talia, not when it came to his brother once he realized there was no turning back for him "I'll see you tomorrow Lazlo, go over our findings from the last mission." With a short lived goodbye between them, Bill and Talbott remained all alone, the redhead turning his full attention back to his friend "Care for a drink?"

"I do hope you have more than one to offer."

As the alcohol started to properly hit his system, Talbott found himself relaxing against the chair inside Bill's kitchen, despite them talking about the attack that went on in Diagon Alley. It was a familiar setting, a familiar face, the only things that helped ease him a fraction. He had run everything through his head so many times that it felt as if the nightmare of that day latched onto his soul, carved out a piece of him and was now living inside his heart.

He tried to appear unaffected, but Bill knew him better than what he gave him credit for. He even allowed for him to change the subject, circling back to Lazlo "Moody is going to try and use him as a mean to get closer to Constantine Crane." At the mention of that name, an involuntary glare lit up Talbott's eyes "He's not counting on it, but he's willing to use whatever he can get his hands on." Pushing the glass against his lips, his brows lifted at Talbott's question.

"And what if Lazlo decides to betray Talia as well? If you are to actually look at it, it's a decision between a woman he hates and his actual blood."

"No." Bill quickly answered shaking his head "Look, I don't like how he speak about her, he's very…opinionated let's say. But he is extremely set on seeing justice prevail. He wanted to be an Auror, yet failed his training."

At that last piece of information related, Talbott just scoffed, draining the alcohol from his own glass "Well let's just hope we are able to do something before Talia's stubbornness gets the better of her." Sighing, he lifted his eyes when Bill came closer in order to pour more fire whiskey. Pain darkened his features, his soul breaking at the seams "She won't run Bill." He needed a familiar face to confide in, someone to help even if it was just lending an ear and listen to him "I don't know what to do to convince her she isn't safe here, not anymore." And as more days passed, the more he felt as if she was swaying further away.

Bill nodded along to what Talbott was saying, a hand lifting to rub his chin, eyes focusing on the ceiling for a few seconds "Are you willing to go with her?"

Talbott felt as if he had just opened the Pandora box of his soul, especially when the first thought and word that left his mouth was "No. I have a duty, I need to be here and ensure I protect those who need protecting."

"Well then my friend, how do you expect for her to just go?"

It was not an answer Talbott could provide him with. Yet he still tried to justify everything in a sense. It did not need to be permanent, just a few months, time in which he would work harder, double his efforts in order to find Constantine. He was willing to do anything just to get her away for a bit so he could focus properly. So he would not have to fear on a daily basis that she might be captured and tortured by her father.

"Am I bad person for wanting to remain? For not being able to run with her?"

Shaking his head, Bill smiled "No, you're both using the same method actually. She is staying because she believes she needs to fight and you are staying because this is what you built yourself to be, an Auror, a seeker of justice, not a lover. But you deserve to be loved Talbott, don't let yourself forget that."

Exhaling softly through parted lips, he rested his head against the cool wall, letting the lower temperature clear his alcohol infused thoughts. Bill was right, he had spent his entire life vowing to become an Auror. He let so few people near him, chose them so carefully. How did he manage to mess up so much with Talia? He felt as if he never actually stood a chance in front of the power she possessed.

She was far more stubborn than he was. She was built on sheer determination, forced herself to never look back and right then she believed running away would be just that. A way of looking behind into her past. He however always looked behind, analyzed far more than it was needed, he used his past to further cement inside his head and heart the reasons behind every decision made.

Cognac colored eyes snapped open, focusing on Bill as he spoke "What if we can twist her arm into accepting?"

"I'm not following you." He replied leaning into his chair.

It was certain Talia would not leave the country, unless forced by certain circumstances. So when Bill started running his mouth about Charlie and the Romanian dragon sanctuary the idea started forming inside Talbott's head as well. What better fit than a remote place, hundred of kilometers away from England, guarded by magic and actual dragons? One would have to be insane to even attempt trying to enter it in order to made a threat on her life.

He could make arrangements if needed, at least as a second option which indeed made sense. Even if it was not possible or she could not be convinced for the very life of hers, they had to at least try, a question could not hurt.

Because at the end of the day once thing remained certain. If Talia somehow managed to bring her father down or survive by a miracle a second ritual, she still would not be safe. While the pool of people who knew about the barbaric magic performed and what her heart could do was getting smaller, there was still no telling how many were out there, how vast Constantine's web of manic ideas spread. She would not be safe, even after he was brought back to justice in order to answer for a second time for the crimes committed.