Talia had never believed time heals all wounds. Such sort of things were usually reserved for those who wished upon better things and held hope too close. For her one thing was clear, time only manages to polish the pain one person feels, buffing it neatly onto the surface of the soul, making it a part of it forever. It was nothing complex or poetic, at all fancy in her opinion, pain was pain and nothing more. While it did help to shape a person, sometimes it had the oddest way of resurfacing or digging itself further into the soul.

However the worse was when it decided to tear back out with sharp claws and teeth.

Suddenly.

Without any previous warning.

Waking up, light shining through the half-opened curtains made Talia squint her eyes as she just pulled the covers over her head. The subtle headache trying to make its way into her temples eventually had her out of bed, feet hitting the floor as she sighed. She had a dream, saw herself running through streets that kept narrowing with each corner she turned. What she could not remember though was if she was alone or not, however her heart was still beating wildly in her chest, mind going through what could have been done in order to avoid such a situation.

All this running around and constant vigilance was now haunting her dreams, the already few hours of sleep starting to slowly become less and less. It did feel like she was being forced into a corner and she desperately needed to escape. In an odd sense she even wished for Voldermort to just return and take his men with him. Anything to give her a moment to breathe and form a new plan, one that did not involve running.

How she hated it.

They almost exhausted all options in France, however they had managed to hide out in a small village located in the northern part of the country and had been there for a good solid two months now. With summer just gracing the country, she felt more than exhausted after so many months and constant agitated state. They barely left the house they were staying in, always looking over their shoulders when they did.

For a moment, Talia even considered to flee to Japan or America however those were too far away from where she wanted to go. It felt as if, while she could isolate herself there, it was not the path she wanted to take. Felix was also against the idea. If anything she felt as if he was also trying to return, or at least wishing to do so, despite not voicing anything out loud.

Getting out of the bed, she felt a slight pain in her muscles still lingering from the previous night. Her and Felix enjoyed a nice dinner outside on the small terrace, having spent the rest of the hours dancing until their bodies could barely stand upright. They have discussed about everything and nothing, getting closer to one another, however not as close as Felix would have wished. While Talia was not as opposed to him touching her, sometimes even accepting a kiss or two, she still kept him for days on end at arm's length. She had this way of detaching herself, as if she wanted nothing to do with him, controlling the situation to her liking.

Exiting the bedroom, the small hut was drowned in silence, Felix nowhere to be found. As she made her way towards the kitchen in order to make some coffee for the both of them, she knocked at his door, no reply being provided "Come on sleepy head, you can't waste the entire day." Placing a gentle hand on the handle, she pressed down on it, revealing an empty room as she opened the door to look inside.

On top of the neatly made bed, a letter with her name on it managed to draw her attention. Picking it up, her eyes started reading the words written by Felix.

"My dear Talia,

I have put a lot of though into everything that had happened in the past months and despite your reassuring words, I know this is all my fault. If you would have just let them take me, you could have still been safe in Romania at the Sanctuary or possibly already back in England as I know you have every means to form a plan under pressure."

Her eyes widened as her hand slightly shook as she further continued to read the letter, running her free hand over her eyes as if she could not believe the words written on the paper.

"It pains me greatly to have to leave you, however by doing so I will perhaps give you the window of opportunity you so dearly crave. As much as I would have wished for our relationship to flourish into more, I know you still carry feelings for Talbott. I cannot tell you what choices to make, however I can only say one thing: a man that truly loves you would have done everything to protect you and be there with you. I know you will find it hard to believe, however I am doing the same. The only reason behind this is to protect you, like you have done for me all these months since we have left Romania."

She felts tears forming as he continued to explain how he would go find his uncle in Paris, stage getting hurt saying she did it. That he fled with her only to gain her trust about the ritual however she caught on and tried to kill him. How that would give her enough time to run away while the heat is off her back and how he would tell them she ran back to England, how that was her plan all along.

Her mind raced, different thoughts blending until almost nothing made sense. Would he have stayed if she had pretended? If she would have perhaps grown to care for him at least half of how he cared about her, maybe just maybe he would have not thought about such a reckless act. It was unlike him, so not something Felix would have done.

He was scared of them, despised that they represented and what they stood for and now he was going to risk his own life on a lie that probably was not even very well thought out in order to save her.

"Please take care Talia, you deserve to be happy, you deserve to live as there is so much good inside of you. You are not something vicious that people can use at the drop of a hat, you are not their weapon in the war to come. There is a fire inside of you, yes, however I have seen you use it to save people, to heal and provide warmth. Remember that. Remember you are loved, that I love you."

With those last words, a shaky scribble of his name ended the letter, Talia burning in to ashes. Looking around his chamber, she got up, running to her room, changing quickly as she grabbed from her bag the few pictures and letters she had brought with her as a reminder of better days. Ones she now regretted saving.

In them she could no longer see the faces of those she loved, she did not see Talbott as someone she cared for and who also carried feelings for her but instead someone who had abandoned her. And now, with Felix's recent departure the idea that she was never wanted, never truly someone people would be able to come near, etched itself deeper inside her soul.

Just like she was born only to be discarded after a short while as if she was nothing, as if she had no soul and her life meant nothing, such was the pain that exploded inside Talia's chest. Everything a constant reminder of how she cannot have someone near, how no one would stay.

Fire flooded the house in an instant, engulfing everything before her. No more letters, no more familiar faces, nothing but pain. All the suffering radiating from her heart, tearing through her muscles as her throat let out a scream, letting it echo trough the ragging flames "Come and fucking get me!" she continued to yell "I'm right here!" beating against her chest with her fist "You wanted Talia Crane? Well here I am!"

Gritting her teeth, she took a step, flames parting before her as she continued to walk through the devastation inflicted. Placing her hands on the ground, the fire continued to spread, wild and free in perfect chaos, engulfing everything, destroying anything it touched.

If this was the path carved out for her, she was willing to reply in full.

Back in Paris, Felix sported a fresh burn mark on his shoulder, clothes also burned in some areas, his uncle quick to help him inside his home. He was asked questions, interrogated, however when news of the devastating fire from the North of France reached their ears, they chose to believe him.

However everything had just started for Felix and as soon as he was bandaged and apparently feeling better, his first assignment came.

As he rose his wand in front of the obviously frightened wizard, Felix struggled to not tremble. Yet he knew if he did not cast the killing curse, he would meet that gruesome fate and there was no saving the man before him. But his eyes haunted him, he would forever remember the horrified look in them while he cried and pleaded. As his mouth pronounced the words, green light leaving his wand, a lifeless body falling to his feet, Felix felt as if a part of him also died, shattering to pieces.

As the month came to an end, he was back in England, dressed in dark robes as he listened to instructions on what needed to be done. Voldermort had once again returned and there was no going back. As he took the mask in his hand, a very pale Felix stared into the hollow eyes knowing that every story, every dark thing he had ever feared was now incorporated into him, a legacy he was not able to eventually outrun.

Placing the mask over his face, his thoughts drifted to Talia. He had to remain strong. If their paths were to ever cross again, he wanted to be able to look her in the eye and help. Felix Rosier vowed from the very beginning to become a Death Eater in order to help those opposing the Dark Lord.

The very Dark Lord that had just stepped inside of the room.