Well, I had planned on waiting a while before I added this chapter but I figured that you guys would appreciate it being up sooner rather than later. This is now 2 days of study vac well spent. Hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 37.

Alexis's POV

George flooed to my apartment about an hour after Charlie had left and found me curled up on the couch in tears.

"When I flooed here before bring Lucas it was to make sure he wouldn't be scared for life after seeing you and Charlie going at it, instead I find you all alone in tears. What happened Lex?" he asked, sitting beside me.

I snuggled into him as I told him what had happened with Charlie.

"So why did this happen Lex? You've loved him for ages."
"I'm scared that it's all a dream and he doesn't mean it and that when he goes back to Romania he'll forget all about me and move on and I'll get hurt again. I don't want to get hurt again George," I cried to him.

"I know Lexy, but I think after last time he doesn't want to get hurt either. He was really hurting when you left Lex, I've never seen him so upset or angry, it was scary. All he wanted to do was tell you that he loved you and he missed that chance. Now he's walked away so he doesn't have to see you walk away from him again. He loves you Lex."

"I can't move there with Lucas, he'd have to learn Romanian to go to school and I don't speak much Romanian."

"He said he'd move here for you."

"I don't want him to leave his dragons, he'd be unhappy."

"Lexy, he's happier with you than he is with his dragons. Even his dragons couldn't cheer him up after last time. He really loves you Lexy, he would never leave his dragons for anyone else, not even his own mother when she begged and pleaded and cried, only for you."

"I should go see him, shouldn't I?"

"Yes, and tell him everything you just told me. Don't worry, Fred and I will keep an eye on Lucas as long as you need."

"Thanks George," I said, hugging him before I stood up.

I wiped my eyes and took a deep breath before throwing a handful of floo powder into the fireplace and following Charlie.

I was disorientated when I fell out of the fire at the dragon reserve. A man helped me to my feet and said something in Romanian.

"Caut pentru Charlie Weasley." I told him, using some of the little Romanian I knew.

"Desi?" he asked.

"Eu nu vorbesc mult român, poţi vorbi limba engleză?"

"Yes, I do speak English," he responded with a smile. "Are you Alexis by any chance?"

"I am. Why?"
"You are just like Charlie described, I can see why he admires you. I'm Vali, by the way. I'll take you to Charlie's room, it's right beside mine."
"Thanks Vali."

He led me quickly through the twists and turns Charlie had led me through so long ago and stopped at Charlie's door. He knocked. There was no response. He knocked again, calling Charlie's name. Still nothing. He turned the handle and opened the door slowly. The room had barely changed since last time I had been here, the only real difference was the photos on display, there were more recent photos, as well as some of the older ones that I had seen here before. There was an empty bottle of firewhiskey sitting on the small dining table.

"This can't be good," Vali muttered, "I'll go and find him."
"I'm coming."
"I think it'd be better if you stayed here."

"I'm coming," I said again, more forcefully this time.

"Alright, if you insist. Charlie did say you were stubborn."
He hurried out of the room, not bothering to look back to see if I was keeping up. He led me past the baby dragon enclosures where I had come last time I had been here. There was no sign of Charlie. He continued path, he seemed to have an idea of where Charlie could be.

"Vali, where are we going?"

"To the horntails," he replied.

"Amber?" I asked.

"Yes. How did you know?"
"She's the one that scared me. He always talks about her."

We hurried on. A few minutes later we rounded a corner and I knew we had found Amber. Although I hadn't seen her since she was a baby, I knew it was her, she was big and beautiful and terrifying all at the same time.

"Charlie!" Vali called, as he spotted the red haired man just outside the enclosure.

Charlie turned at the sound of his name and shooed Vali away, turning back to the dragon.

I called his name as I ran towards him. He stared at me for a moment before once again turning back to the dragon. He started towards the gate. I ran as fast as I could, calling his name. Vali was shouting agt him in Romanian, gesturing wildly with his arms. Charlie paid no attention to either of us as he fumbled with the lock on Amber's enclosure. He unlocked the gate and pushed it open, just as I reached him. I grabbed his arm and he turned to look at me.

"Charles Weasley, don't you dare go in there."

"You've never called me Charles before," he commented, shaking me off and stepping into the enclosure.

"I've also never been this serious. Charlie, come on," I pleaded.

"Just go wait in my room, I'll be there soon," he said, turning to face Amber.

I went to stand with him in the dragon's enclosure, taking both his hands in mine, forcing him to turn towards me. I could see his face was tear stained and more threatened to fall. He refused to look me in the eye, preferring to stare at the ground instead.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"You said to come when I knew what I wanted. I know what I want now Char," I said quietly.

He finally looked at me, his blue eyes swimming with unshed tears. "What do you want Lex?"

I gasped as I saw movement over his shoulder, Amber's tail. She was swinging her huge deadly spiked tail at us. I don't know if I thought about what I did next or if it was instinct. I pushed Charlie backwards, into the dirt landing on top of him.

The last thing I remember is screaming in pain as Amber's tail shredded my back.

Charlie's POV

Alexis had pushed me to the ground, landing on top of me. I had no idea why she screamed until I saw the blood. It began to flow instantly, running from the new wounds on her back, dripping onto me. I managed to pick her up, while calling for Vali to get the mediwitches. He nodded once before apparating. I got Alexis outside the enclosure and sat, holding her in my arms. I had seen people die from less than this before, the amount of blood she was losing was incredible. She was drifting in and out of consciousness, whimpering in pain. Vali appeared in front of us, closely followed by five mediwitches.

"Put her on the stretcher Charlie," one instructed.

I did as instructed, carefully placing her on her stomach on the stretcher not letting go of her hand.

"Charlie?" she mumbled.

"I'm here Lexy; you're going to be okay. Don't talk now, you just rest and we'll talk when you're better."

The mediwitches were administering potions and waving their wands over her as she shook her head.

"I'm not stupid Char, I might not get better. I know what I want Charlie. I know now."

"Shhh, Lexy. It doesn't matter now. You will get better and we'll talk then," I told her, trying to convince myself as much as her.

"She's going to St. Mungo's," one of the witches told me, "her wounds are too extensive to be treated here."

I nodded, "Lexy, they're going to take you to St. Mungo's so you can get fixed up. I'll meet you there."

"Char, I know what I want now," she said again, opening her eyes, "Charles Weasley, I want you."

Her hand went limp and a mediwitch pulled it out of my grasp before they apparated her and the stretcher to St. Mungo's.

I hope you liked it. The next chapter is ready to go, the more reviews, the quicker it goes up. Sounds fair enough to me.

xoxox