A/N: This chapter might make you scream "FINALLY, LAN." But I have to make this story semi-believable. By the way, yes, Angel does get a little testy. But she hasn't been dealing well.

Finding His Kryptonite

Beep. Beep. Beep. Soft talking then filtered into his ears, causing him to groan softly. He hadn't felt this bad since his all-night torture session with the Dark Lord ten years earlier. He then felt a hand on his shoulder again followed by someone talking to him. However, he was extremely groggy. He tried to concentrate on the words, though.

"Aura," he said weakly, groaning again.

"Um … no," the voice replied with a soft nervous laugh. "I'm the woman you took a car for this afternoon." The hand then moved from his shoulder to the top of his hand. "Your girls are fine, by the way. They're sleeping in the chair next to you right now."

He nodded slowly, grimacing from the dull ache that resulted from that action. He then blinked his eyes rapidly as he attempted to see the woman talking to him. That voice was so familiar.

"The doctors are all amazed that you're still alive. What are you, Superman?" she said, laughing.

"Superman?" he repeated quietly.

"Uh, yeah, Clark Kent, you know, he looked a bit like a geek when he wasn't saving people and wore tights when he was," she explained. "Well, I guess not everyone watched it. He was a superhero, though. He typically saved damsels in distress. Sort of like you," she said with a soft laugh. "Well, only he didn't end up getting hit by a car and having to be brought here to the hospital."

He snorted, blinking some more. He could almost make out her face now. She was still blurry, but he saw that she had long dark straight hair. So it definitely was not his long-lost wife then.

"Your girls are beautiful. I can only imagine what your wife looks like."

He flinched at her words but remained silent. This Muggle couldn't have known about Aurora. And he didn't want to share that with some stranger either. So he inclined his head, ignoring the pain.

"You know, I always wanted girls." She then laughed again. "Ah, hell, whom am I kidding? I'd take whatever I'd get at this point." Her fingers then rubbed the back of his hand comfortingly. "Your wife is a very lucky woman."

Swallowing back bile, he closed his eyes. "She died a few years back."

"Oh, oh, god, I'm—oh, Ellie, some days you are an idiot," she whispered, scolding herself. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"Of course you didn't know," he replied quietly. He then glanced towards the woman, nearly choking when he saw her for the first time without a hint of blur. He'd know those eyes anywhere. He was speechless, staring at her.

"Are you all right? Do I need to get a doctor?"

"N-n-no," he stuttered. He watched the familiar warm brown eyes stare at him for a few moments before she smiled nervously.

"Easy there, cowboy," she drawled. "Those machines you're hooked up to are equipped to alert the medical staff if you get too excited. I doubt you want your girls waking up to that."

"Ellie?" he repeated, unsure of himself.

"That's what I'm called." She then laughed nervously again, running a hand through her straight dark hair. "Well, at least that's what I'm going by now. See, I honestly don't know what my real name is." Her eyes glanced away before she sighed. "I woke up in a hospital room just like this one a couple years back. At the time, my doctors told me that I had some sort of massive brain trauma or something. I had to relearn everything. They tried to find out who I really am but came up with nothing. So I got a new identity, Miss Ellie Dawson, forty, resident of Berkshire. But enough about me, though. What about you? Who are you?"

"Severus Snape, forty-one, resident of a small cottage near the Irish Sea," he answered.

"And your girls?" she asked, smiling.

"Angel's the oldest, and my little one, Roxi," he replied quietly.

"Well, they really are beautiful, Severus."

"They get that from their mother."

"Eh, I'd say their dad's not too bad looking either," she said with a soft smile. "That is if he shaved, I mean. You're getting a little scruffy there, Severus."

"Miss Dawson, are you flirting with me?" he asked, forcing his face to remain serious.

"Maybe just a touch," she replied, leaning towards him.

Without a thought given to his actions, he captured her lips, deepening their kiss instantly. He inhaled her smell, noticing that she didn't smell like raspberries or even strawberries. Instead, he smelled tangerines with a hint of passion fruit. However, the kiss, oh, that kiss was the same as always.

"Mr. Snape, do you always snog your damsels in front of your children?" she teased softly. "Well, I'll get the doctor and see how long you have to stay." Her warm eyes then narrowed on him.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, it's just odd. I mean, you were hit by a car, Severus. Not a lot of people wake up from that the same day it happens. And they most certainly aren't feeling well enough for that." She shook her head, still staring at him. "It's almost as if you're healing yourself. But that's absurd, isn't it?"

"Perhaps I am this Superman person then," he replied, locking his eyes with hers.

"Well, I'd be careful whom I told that to, Severus. You're likely to get locked up for that sort of thinking. As it is, the doctors are wondering about you. I wouldn't draw too much attention to myself if I were you. I'll be back in a moment." She then walked out, closing the door behind her.

"Well, I'll be damned."

"I didn't like it when your brothers said that, and I most certainly don't appreciate it when you say it, Angel," he replied, glancing towards his eldest.

"How'd you know, Dad?"

"I didn't."

"So you're telling us that you jumped in front of that contraption to save some strange woman, who didn't even have the foresight to look before she ran into the street?"

"Contraption, foresight?" he repeated, glancing towards his daughter. "You've been around me too long, my Angel."

"A little knowledge never hurt anyone, Dad," she replied with a sigh. "You know, she's right by the way. Healing yourself is going to draw unwarranted attention. Maybe you could leave a couple of broken bones or possibly stay being weak?"

"Or maybe you can stop being a little know-it-all?"

"She's coming back," Angel suddenly said, "and there's a doctor with her."

"Well, sit down, will you?"

"Why?"

"She'll know you were faking it then."

"Fine," Angel said with a loud sigh. The door then opened, allowing the two guests to walk back in. "Hello," she quietly said to the two.

"Sneaky little girl you have there, Severus," she said, glancing towards him.

"She gets that from her mother as well," he replied.

"Actually, I get that from both of you, Dad," Angel argued.

"Well, let's see how you're doing, Mr. Snape," announced the doctor, walking closer. The doctor then gently started to press around his stomach, taking note of any tenderness. "Hmm, well, that's strange." The man's blue eyes narrowed on him. "Are you feeling any pain, sir?"

"I have a very high tolerance of pain."

"So it would seem," the doctor replied, staring at him oddly. "Unfortunately, you're going to have to stay here for observation."

"How long?" asked Severus.

"That's to be determined. I have to make sure there isn't any internal—"

"I won't bring about any claims that you failed—"

"Fortunately, I don't listen to any patients that might have brain injuries." He then glanced towards the girls. "Do you have any family in the area?"

"Um, yes, I think," Angel answered. "I mean, I can talk to Uncle Remy and see where he is."

"Well, the phone's right there. Just hit '1' to dial out." The doctor then glanced back to Snape. "I'll be back in a bit to examine you." Whirling around, he quietly walked out of the room without another words said.

"Well, that was odd. Do you want some help with that?"

"Um, no," Angel said nervously. "What's his number, Dad?"

"Bring it here." His fingers then breezed over the number pad, typing in a long number. "There, he should pick it up." He caught his eldest daughter's eyes, attempting to convey the seriousness of the situation. That number was only to be used in emergencies.

"Uh, Uncle Remy, could you come and pick us up? We're, um…" She then glanced towards her dad. "I'm not actually sure where we are."

"You're at Saving Grace Hospital in Lancaster."

"Thanks, did you hear that, Uncle Remy? Yeah, yeah, we are around them. It might be good for Roxi if you brought Uncle Charlie with you. Yeah, um, so you're a few minutes away? Okay, well, Dad's under his name. Yeah, yeah, I know. See you soon." She then hung the phone back on the hook and glanced towards her dad. "He's on his way."

"So I heard."

"You must have a big family, Severus."

"My daughters tend to adopt anything that breathes," he replied with a thin smile. "They are not her true relatives, though." He then glanced towards Angel before sighing. That could have gone worse. Perhaps he'd make a Slytherin out of her yet.

A loud crash outside the door alerted him instantly that 'Uncle Remy' had arrived. He just barely hid back his grimace. He could only imagine what the two idiots would do now in a hospital full of Muggles. He glanced towards the door and groaned, hanging his head. Oh, he was lucky tonight. It wasn't just Uncle Remy and Uncle Charlie. Oh, no, Uncle Siri had to show up, too.

"Son of a bitch," he mumbled.

"Severus," scolded the woman standing beside him. "Your girls are right here in the room."

"As if that's the worst we've heard," Angel drawled. "Trust us. That's mild. If one gets him ranting, well, all sorts of interesting things come out of his mouth then."

"Angel," he said through grit teeth. "Enough."

"What the hell happened to you, Snape?" asked Sirius as he walked into the room.

"Dad versus car," Angel replied with a soft smile. "The car won."

"Honestly?"

"Oh, yeah, and he was trying to save her."

Sirius then glanced towards the woman. His mouth dropped instantly. He then whirled towards Remus and Charlie. They both wore a look of shock too.

"Aurora?" he said hesitantly.

"Why does everyone keep saying that?" she asked, glancing back at Severus.

"She doesn't remember?" asked Charlie in disbelief.

"Remember what?" she asked, glancing at each of the men. "What the hell is going on?"

"I apologize," Severus replied, inclining his head. He then glanced towards the three men. "It's time to go home, girls." Charlie, Remus, and Sirius nodded back in response to his silent question, blocking the windows and doors from prying eyes.

"What the hell is going on?" She then shrieked when the seemingly injured man lying on the cot grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her towards him. "Let me go! Let me go, you bastard!" His other arm then snaked around her, effectively pinning her to his chest. "Let go! Let go of me!" She then screamed louder. "HEL—!" A series of soft pops later, and Room 394 was empty.

Reappearing in the small cottage a moment later, Severus kept a firm grip on the struggling woman in his arms. He ignored the kicks to his shins the best he could. He noticed that the trio had appeared by his side with his daughters.

"POPPY!" he shouted, knowing that the mediwitch was there.

"Dear Merlin, Severus Snape, there's no need to—" A vial then shattered against the floor. "Where'd you find her?"

"She found him," Angel quipped.

"What?"

"She doesn't remember anything. For example, she ran out in front of a moving car without looking. Once my mother is my mother again, all will be well. Until then, we're stuck with her."

"That's not helping, Angel," Snape growled.

"Oh, please, just knock her out with a stunning spell already. Will you, Dad? It's not like she's going to put up much resistance."

"Let go of me, you bastard!"

"Stop fighting, dammit," he snarled, being slammed into one of the walls. "I'm not going to hurt you." He then hit the wall several more times as she continued to fight. "Dammit, Aurora, stop!"

"Stupefy," a voice said coldly. "There, that should take care of that. Now, can you please move the woman who supposedly is Mum over to the couch so we can get on with this? I do have things to be doing that don't concern Mum screaming in my ear all day."

"I'll contact Kingsley," muttered Charlie, staring at the eleven-year-old in disbelief.

"No need," Angel replied. She then snapped her wand across her leg, tossing it onto the floor. "See, all better, Uncle Charlie." Whirling around, she then headed towards the small kitchen. "Tea anyone?" she called over her shoulder.

"You know, that girl is getting scarier and scarier by the minute."

"I'll talk to her," said Remus, glancing at Severus. At the sounds of something crashing in the kitchen followed by glass breaking, the men winced.

"I'd recommend your strongest shield when you go in there, Moony."

"I doubt that'd protect me from her," he mumbled.

When a wine glass suddenly flew into the room, everyone ducked. The men then glanced towards Severus who just held Aurora in his arms with a pained look. They were all thinking it. Angel had her father's temper.

"Do you have any objections if we stunned her, Severus?"

"Several," he replied quietly, grimacing as more glass broke in the kitchen.

"But …"

He said nothing. He just gently placed Aurora on top of a sofa and calmly walked towards the kitchen, ducking when glassware was sent his way. He should have known Angel would take it this way. She had grown up, yes, but she was still a child. Hell, he had thrown a temper tantrum when his mother suddenly reappeared alive, and he was thirty-five at the time. He could relate. Hell, it only proved that she took after her dad a bit more.

"Angel, stop," he quietly said, ducking once more as a vase headed in his direction. "Angel, please," he said, grabbing her wrists.

His daughter's eyes glared at him as tears fell down her pale cheeks. He could feel her shake underneath his hands as he held her. However, he continued to hold her because that's all he could do at that point. He saw the fury in her eyes, but mostly he saw the heart wrenching pain that she attempted to hide from him. It was the pain and hurt that made him unable to speak. Words wouldn't help.

"You need to go out there and be with her," Angel briskly stated, lightly tugging her arms back.

"No, I am needed here," he argued, squeezing her wrists to prevent her from leaving.

"I'm fine, Dad," she responded, pulling her arms a bit harder from him.

"But I'm not," he replied quietly. He hoped his words would make her stop, which it did.

"What are you talking about? Mum's alive. You found her."

"I found her body, but you saw her, Angel. She doesn't remember who we are. She doesn't know that she's married or that she has children. All she knows right now is that some strange man kidnapped her with his daughters watching. She's a shell right now."

"Yeah, but Pomfrey and the others are going to help her remember. So all this, it doesn't matter."

"She'll still remember me kidnapping her, though." He then sighed. "It's been six years, Angel. We don't even know if she had a life as Ellie Dawson. She could be married with her own kids now. Am I right to force her to remember our life from before?"

"What does it matter?"

"It matters to us. Do you think it was right of me to bring her here?" He then watched his daughter's eyes glance away as she scoffed. "Or is my bringing her here just going to set us back?"

"Oh, please, we weren't living, Dad," Angel snapped. "You most certainly weren't. You'd go through the motions, but your heart wasn't in it. So I had to step up and be the strong one for us."

"I know. I know, Angel," he replied, shaking his head slowly. "That's why I'm asking you now. Because you've been the strong one for so long," he said. "Was it right of me to bring her here and force her to remember our life so we could be a family again?"

"It doesn't matter what I think."

"Why?"

"It just doesn't," she yelled.

"I don't believe that. Please, my Angel. Why doesn't it matter?"

"Because it's not going to make up for the years she wasn't here, Dad," Angel snarled. "She wasn't here to see Roxi's first steps. She wasn't here when Harry brought Dray home all bloodied when they were searching for those Horcrux things. She wasn't here to see Harry defeat Voldemort. And she sure as hell wasn't here to see you falling apart, unable to go on. She didn't see the tears we shed, the sacrifices we made, none of that."

"Should I have left her then, Angel?" he asked, staring at her as he held onto her wrists to keep her from running. He could see that natural instinct in her clear as day.

"No," the young child cried. "No, of course you shouldn't have left her there, Dad."

"Then I did the right thing by bringing her here?" He said nothing when Angel turned her head from him, crying softly. He waited patiently, feeling his heart breaking a bit more. He hated it when she cried, but she had kept all this emotion in for so long. And he, the stupid idiot he was, hadn't noticed it. He had been wallowing in his own grief for so long that he hadn't noticed that his eldest had been avoiding hers, just as he would have done long ago. Avoidance was a Snape trait. "Did I do the right thing by bringing her here, my Angel?" he quietly repeated.

"I—" Her sobs then increased as her body shook more. "I-I just don't know, Dad."

Sighing, he wrapped his arms around his little girl. He just held her, hugging her close to him. He wanted to take all of her pain, both of his girls in fact. He always had. He said nothing as he felt the tears soaking his shirt. He just held her, hoping that his actions would speak volumes to her and comfort his poor child. Even he wasn't sure if it was the right thing to do. But he needed Aurora. He did.