((Did anyone else notice that in the fifth book, after Mr. Weasley was bitten by the snake, Charlie wasn't there? It kind of irritated me that he and Percy were the only Weasley's who didn't appear at St. Mungo's, so this does go against the books a little in that I put Charlie there. I just didn't think it would be something he would ignore. So pardon me that little revision, please. : )
There are probably going to be about five or six more chapters - keep the reading and reviews going...I appreciate every single one!))

The response to her letter didn't come until Shay had almost forgotten about it entirely.

My dear Miss. Morse, it began, I apologize for the fact that you perceived our lack of assignments as an oversight - I received information from Mr. Weasley not long after you both agreed to join The Order stating that you did not wish for outside assignments, as you would prefer to focus on your work with the Romanian reserve. Because you each cited the other as capable of passing on such information, we heeded the information in the letter. Regarding this flaw in communication (which is, of course, bound to happen sometimes) we will, of course, begin to include you in outside assignments. Your work regarding the gathering and decoding of certain information has, of course, been very useful. I do hope this letter finds you well.

Felicitations,

Albus Dumbledore.

After staring at the paper for several minutes, most of which she spent fuming, Shay let the paper flutter to the ground while outside it began to snow, adding to the layer that already covered the ground. Cad, as the dragon had affectionately come to be known, looked up with big eyes and made a noise somewhere between whimper and growl as he perceived her anger.

"It's not you, big guy," she told him, scooping the dragon up and putting him in the bag once more. Gathering her book and the various other things she'd left scattered around Charlie's cabin, she shoved her feet into her boots, threw her coat on, and stomped out into the snow. She was actually vaguely amazed that her temper didn't melt the snow down to mud - she felt angry enough to do it. As luck would have it, a shaggy head of bright-red hair was headed toward her - Charlie was coming back, trudging through the snow and grinning to see Shay headed toward him. He didn't see the scowl on her face until it was too late.

"Shay! I was just coming back to see if you..."

He was cut off by an envelope cutting through the air. It flipped against his chest and began to tumble to the snow - Charlie caught it just in time and glanced at Shay.
"You've been writing to Dumbledore?"

"Just read it," Shay snapped. Charlie looked at her, startled, but unfolded the letter from its envelope. She could see the realization as it crossed his face, and when he dropped his hand to his side to look at her, he met with an icy stare.

"Shay..."

"How. Dare. You."

"Shay, I..."

"No! You're not allowed to defend this, Charlie! How could you? I trusted you, I - "

"Shay, I think you're overreacting a..."

"Overreacting. Overreacting? No, Charlie, you - " she jabbed at his chest with a finger, "are the one overreacting! I'm not going to die -" another jab "Because of one mission!"

"You don't know that!"

He grabbed her wrist, his grip firm without ever hurting and tugging her closer a step or two. Shay resisted, jostling Cad in his bag. He squawked unhappily, diverting their attention. Shay recognized her opportunity and jerked her wrist away from Charlie. She turned sharply and continued on to her cabin.

"Shay, please...let me explain, at least!"

"I don't want to talk to you, Charlie!"

She shut the door behind her a bit more forcefully than she intended to, and smiled sheepishly at Claire and Ana's raised eyebrows.
"Sorry," she whispered.

"Trouble in paradise?" Ana asked, the first words she'd spoken to Shay in a long time.

"You could say that," Shay muttered, setting Cad free from the bag and taking a seat in one of the kitchen chairs. The baby dragon, suddenly shy, scuttled under the table and sat squarely on Shay's feet.

"Jumpy little thing, isn't he?" Ana commented, peering under the table. Cad attempted to growl and raised his good wing in what was supposed to be a threatening gesture. Ana snorted. "Nice try," she told him, nudging his chest gently with a booted foot. The dragon chick squawked unhappily and snapped at her toes. Even Shay had to laugh at this.

"What happened?" Claire asked, leaning forward to put her hand on top of Shay's.

"Charlie," Shay said, "is an ass."

"Alright," Claire said, surprised, "simple enough. Is there any more to this story?"

Shay huffed, staring down at the top of Cad's head as he gnawed happily at the toes of her magically-protected leather boots.
"He told someone something I didn't want told," she said, "And its caused quite a bit of trouble for me, to be honest, not to mention that he had no cause, whatsoever, to speak for me in this matter, and he's being overprotective and overbearing and..."
She was interrupted by a knock on the door. "Irritating," Shay finished with a huff, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at the door.

"Shay? Shay, I know you're in there. Talk to me. Please?"

Claire glanced at Shay, who was now staring resolutely out the window.
"Shay?" She asked, finally, what do you want me to tell him? We can't leave the poor boy sitting out in the cold all night."

Shay covered her face with her hands, then peered at Claire from between her fingers.
"I don't know," she mumbled. "I really, really don't know."

"Well," Claire said, steadying herself with a deep breath, "Are you upset enough to...end things?"

"What? No. No, I...no."

"Alright. That's all I need to know."

Claire walked to the door and opened it just enough to peer out.

"Claire. Claire, thank goodness. Please, is Shay...I need to talk to her."

"Charlie." Claire's voice was steady and steadying. She shifted to block Charlie's view into the kitchen. "She's here. She's fine, and she wanted me to tell you that while she has no intention of ending things..."

"Ending-!"

"She doesn't want to talk to you right now." Claire lowered her voice, having successfully drowned out Charlie's interruption. "Just give her time, Charlie. That's all."
Shay could hear lowered voices as they said goodbye (or, so she assumed) and then Claire very quietly let the door click closed.

"He's upset, Shay. He feels badly about it, you can just tell."

Shay closed her eyes and let her head fall back against the back of the chair.

"I mean, in the usual Charlie-Weasley manner of showing it, he is. Just about pulling his hair out without meaning to and all of that."

"Claire...I love you. But please shut up."

Claire fell silent for a moment. Then:
"It'll make it very awkward at work for the two of you, you know."

"Claire!"

"Sorry."

The Incident, as it became known, occurred on December Tenth. For four days, Charlie and Shay did not speak at all, though it was not for lack of trying on his part. On the fifth day, Shay offered a cool "hello", and on the night of the sixth day all hell broke loose.
It began as a peaceful night - after a day of speaking with the dragons that would cooperate, Shay had enjoyed a quiet dinner with Ana and Shay. Now, she and Cad were the only ones in the house awake, sitting in the warm kitchen by candlelight as she fed him yet another bottle of chicken's blood and brandy. Soon, she knew, she'd be able to wean him off of the stuff and begin with small strips of raw meat every three hours. But for now, the schedule remained the same. Dragons, especially Welsh Greens, grew rather slowly, and Cad was only slightly bigger now than he had been at the start. He made soft, contented little grunting noises as he ate, his eyelids swiftly becoming heavy.

"Silly thing," she murmured. "All we need to do is feed you and you go right to sleep?"

The knock that came next startled them both, like a very wrong note played in the midst of an otherwise beautiful song. Shay set the dragon chick down on the table, sending him a very clear message to stay where he was, and peered through the window next to the door. Familiar red hair contrasted starkly with the snow in the light of a wand. For a moment, Shay was irritated - whatever he had to say could surely wait until morning. But then, she saw the look on his face, the look of panic and pain that she couldn't ignore. Shay unlocked the door and eased it open. The look of relief that immediately passed over Charlie's face softened her - the fear that remained did the rest.

"Shay, I'm so sorry - I know it's late, or early, or...but it's an emergency, and I just...I need you, Shay, that's the truth of it, I..."

She'd never seen him this close to tears before, and it scared her.

"Charlie..." She reached up to touch his face, looking at him with clear concern. He leaned into her hand and closed his eyes. She could almost feel his panic, whatever it was about. "What's happened?"

"My dad...my dad's been attacked. I don't know all of the details, Mum just...they're taking him to St. Mungo's, and I..."

"Then what are you still doing here?"

"I...I have to leave..."

"I know."

"And I...Shay, come with me? Please. I know you're still mad at me, but..."

"Of course. Charlie, of course. Here...come in, let me get some things together."

Charlie nodded, dazed, and sat down in the chair Shay had vacated as she moved around the cabin, packing a bag and jotting down a note for Claire and Ana.

"What about Cad?" She asked finally. The dragon had taken up a perch on Charlie's knee, and was currently enjoying a good chin scratch. Charlie sighed.

"He's doing well enough," Charlie said, "We could take him to the nursery - we'll only be gone long enough to be sure Dad's okay."
Seeing this as the best possible option (she didn't particularly want to Apparate with a dragon), Shay packed Cad back into his bag and, with Charlie not far behind, headed toward the nursery.

"Will Henry still be here?" She asked. Charlie nodded, though he looked distracted, and Shay wasn't sure how accurate his responses would be under the circumstances. She knocked on the door before she entered, ensuring the immediate attention of whoever did happen to be working, this night. Thankfully, it was Henry - he looked a bit sleepy, understandably, and blinked when he saw her.

"Henry, something's come up - emergency at home, Charlie and I have to leave for a little while. Could you look after Cad until we get back? He's still on chicken's blood and brandy every hour, but he should fall right to sleep after this next feeding, he always does...I'll pick him right back up again when we return."

Henry nodded and mutely took the dragon-in-a-bag Shay held out to him.
"Thanks, Henry, I owe you." She said, all but running out of the door in her haste, knowing that if her father had recently been admitted to St. Mungo's, she'd be in a desperate rush to see him.
"Ready?" She asked Charlie gently, taking his hand. He already looked as if he'd been through a war zone. He nodded and squeezed her hand as they walked to the Apparition point, turned together, and disappeared with a snap into the night.

The streets were dark and quiet when they arrived, appearing out-of-plain-view in an alleyway a block from the Mungo's entrance. When they'd made it inside and stumbled to the desk it was to a suspicious look from the woman behind it. Truth be told, they did look rather strange - both still carrying overnight bags, windswept, and fatigued. Considering the circumstances around Arthur Weasley's injury, this did not alarm the visitors.

"Just a moment," she told them, and disappeared into a back room, returning moments later. Not long afterward, a very worried Mrs. Weasley appeared behind them.
"Yes, yes," she said, clearly annoyed, "That's my son, they're with us..." She led them down the hallway and turned a moment later, tears glimmering in her eyes. "Oh, Charlie, I'm so glad you came," she said. "I didn't think you'd be able..."

"Of course I came, Mum," Charlie said. "How could I not?"

Mrs. Weasley smiled and hugged her son, kissing his cheek before she released him.
"And Shay, dear, it's so good to see you again, I only wish it was under happier circumstances..."
Mrs. Weasley hugged Shay, too, then turned back to the hallway.
"Come on up," she said. "Your father is sleeping, now, but he'll be glad to see you when he wakes up."

"Is he alright?"

Mrs. Weasley nodded.
"Thanks to the Healers," she said with a grateful smile, "He's alive. In some pain, of course, but then again..."
She fell silent as if imagining the alternatives, and shuddered.

"Harry, Ron, Ginny and the twins are with Sirius," she said. "Bill's taking off work, he'll be here soon, and Percy..."
She looked shocked at her own mention of Percy's name, and hurriedly brushed it off. "...Well," she said, "I should go let them know he's alright, I'm sure they're worried sick. Do you mind staying with him, Charlie? At least until Bill gets here, of course."

"No, mum, of course I don't mind," Charlie said.

"We'll take good care of him," Shay assured her, which at least made Mrs. Weasley smile.

"I know you will," she replied. "I'll be back soon. This is his room, right here."

She led them into Mr. Weasley's ward and deposited them by the sleeping wizard's bedside.
"Poor Arthur," she murmured, and tenderly brushed her husband's hair with her fingers. She kissed his forehead softly, so as not to wake him, and then left. Alone in the darkened ward, Charlie and Shay took seats by Mr. Weasley's bedside. Charlie rested his elbows on his knees and let his head fall into his hands. Sitting next to him Shay reached up and put a hand on his back, the muscles tense beneath her palm.

"He's going to be okay," she reminded him gently, rubbing soothing circles on his back. She could feel the muscles beneath slowly losing their rigid tension, relaxing under her hand. She hadn't realized, until now, how much she'd missed him these past few days. It hadn't even been a week, and it was already a relief to just be near him again. The effect they had on each other, she thought, was amazing.

"I know," Charlie murmured, voice muffled by his hands. "It's just...it's really happening, you know? Just like last time..."

He fell silent, and Shay knew he must be thinking of the uncles he lost, of all of the people his parents must have cried over while he, just a child, wondered what was going on, unable to comprehend what war meant. Now, he knew, and it made the memories, those past experiences, take on meanings they'd never had before.

"It's real," Shay agreed. "But it can't last forever. He's okay, we're okay...that's all that matters."

"Are we?" Charlie's head emerged from his hands and he looked at her carefully. "Okay?"

"Of course, Charlie," Shay said, taking her hand from his back and entwining their fingers together. "Of course. I'm sorry I...I overreacted, I shouldn't have..."

"No," Charlie interrupted, "it's my fault, I never should have sent that letter to Dumbledore, I just wanted to protect you, but I know I..."

"Shh," Shay said. She stifled a yawn and rested her head on Charlie's shoulder. "It's alright. We both made mistakes, but it's over, and it doesn't matter right now. We can talk about it later, if we want to. Right now, all that matters is your Dad."

Charlie nodded again and they both fell silent, taking up their bedside vigil and waiting for Bill to arrive and Mrs. Weasley's return.