(A/N): Soren and Cipicia are arguing again. I was going to add a disclaimer at the start of this chapter, addressing something that I think you guys might interpret a certain way throughout this chapter, but eventually I decided to just let you guys (-suffer-) speculate. Foreshadowing. Not entirely sure how obvious it is, but I thought I'd let you know ahead of time anyway. Depends how much you read into things, I guess.

Trigger Warning: Cipicia being Cipicia, AKA, abuse of power and child abuse. Nothing explicit (on the child abuse), but there are a lot of references that equate a particular person with a particular type of animal, which may or may not be a giant issue. There's also some mentions on Soren's side about him wanting to make Cipicia as uncomfortable as she makes everyone else, but not wanting to do it by using any fear she might have of his masculinity in order to do so. Pretty much just a reference to violence against women (doesn't happen, isn't even really a reference, more of an allusion, and it was pretty much exactly what I just said.) Typical Pureblood bullshit. References to death/dying. There's also some... tension, you might notice, that might make some people uncomfortable. I think it definitely straddles a line.

October 19th, 1967

Soren

"August 31st, 1962." Miasenna's answer came easily, even if her look of careful determination told me she was having a bit of trouble saying her birth month. Well, not trouble, exactly, but like she wanted to slow down over the word to be sure she was getting it right, but knew her mother would never allow such a thing. I felt the urge to make a joke- asking which parent's birthday or major holiday took place nine months prior- but quickly dismissed it; it would be a wildly inappropriate thing to say in front of a five year old, and even if Miasenna weren't here, Mrs Joannis was already clamoring for an excuse to get me fired. The last thing I wanted was to give her yet another reason, so I kept my big mouth shut.

"Wow, so close to your brother's!" Prue effused, probably out of habit, but while something like that usually would've worked on such a young patient, Miasenna merely stared at her with those hawk eyes. "Do you like being five, so far?"

She tilted her head at the Healer, staring at her like she was something quite odd. Or at the very least, doing something quite odd. "It's... fine, so far, I-" Her eyes darted to her mother briefly, and when they returned to Prue's face, they held an almost guilty gleam to them. "I suppose." Ah, right. The 'maybe', issue. She seemed to think for a second, and Prue took advantage of this pause to fill in the forms that didn't require her input. "Will Leo-nides's-" She didn't spare her mother a glance this time, as if maybe she thought if she didn't look at her, she couldn't get mad about about her slip up. "-leg be healed by Christmas?" Prue's writing slowed to a halt, and when she lifted her eyes from the parchment, she fixed the young girl with a soft look.

"It should be, yes. And even if he isn't one hundred percent- the way he used to be, he'll certainly be mobile again, by that point. You'll be able to exchange gifts just like any other year." Miasenna looked relieved- happy, even- until her mother scoffed, that is.

"We do not 'exchange gifts'," She snapped derisively. "Such a childish custom is far beneath even the youngest members of two of the most prestigious pureblood families in existence. I cannot believe you would even suggest-"

I cut her off, unable to stop myself from rolling my eyes so hard it almost made me dizzy. "What? That you treat your children like children? Merlin forbid you 'lower yourself' to that level." She angled toward me, face glowing red, and I was glad she didn't see the way the corner of her daughter's lips twitched upward, or the way her eyes sparkled with delight.

"When I want your opinion, Baby Healer, I will ask for it- I would not hold my breath, if I were you." I grinned down at her, and I could tell by the way I saw Prue watching me from the corner of my eye, that it must've been more than a little feral.

Before I spoke, I made my voice go low and silky the way I knew women tended to like to hear from me, just to get a reaction out of her. Any sort of reaction. "Careful there, Mrs Joannis- I could almost be convinced that you don't want to see me suffocate to death at your feet." I'd been hoping for a reaction, and I certainly got one.

Her nostrils flared and her cheeks pinkened prettily, but what was most interesting was the way her eyes flashed with rage- and maybe something else? Embarrassment? Shame? It was impossible to tell, but when I looked down- past her face- I saw her fingertips curled into the palm of her hands, like she was getting ready to lash out at me. She opened her mouth, but I cut her off again, keeping my voice in that same soothing tone. "That's not how you make a fist," She blinked up at me surprisingly owlishly, even if she still looked incredibly- agitated. "If you try to hit me like that, you're going to break a hand... and since I'm the one that would have to put you back together, I advise against it." Obviously, she scowled at me.

"I know how to throw a punch," She snapped, then seemed to realise what she'd just admitted to, and took a second to put herself back together. She drew herself up tall and straight, and let out a long breath through her nose that I suspected was supposed to be calming. "I meant- it doesn't matter, seeing as resorting to physical violence is-"

"Let me guess- beneath you?" She glowered at me, and I was glad that Prue's sudden thoughtful hum drowned out Miasenna's snort before her mother could hear it.

She crossed her arms over her chest, then seemed to realise that she wasn't supposed to do that because it was 'improper' for a woman of her status, and lowered them to her side somewhat stiffly. "So you are capable of listening," How condescending- it made my hackles raise even further. "Perhaps that means you can be trained," Like a- "Like a good dog." Oh. Somehow, I hadn't actually expected her to go there- my mistake, really.

I continued to stare her down- to stare down at her. I didn't step into her space; tried to make myself as unimposing as I could, physically at least. I wanted to make her as uncomfortable as she made me- as she made everyone- but I refused to do that by... using my masculinity to do so. At least, any fear she might have, pertaining to my masculinity. "Do you know what happens when a bad owner tries to train a 'good dog', Mrs Joannis?" There was a slight edge of wariness to her flinty blue eyes, and I saw the concern on Prue's face in my peripheral vision as the blonde reluctantly shook her head. This I did move closer for, but only my face, and only a few inches, as if I were letting her in on a secret. "They get bit."

Clearly, Prue was fed up with my antics, because as Cipicia Joannis shuddered delicately, she hooked Miasenna's chart to the end of her bed, and rose to her feet. "Soren," She intoned sternly. "That's enough." I stepped over to her side, and apparently Mrs Joannis had recovered enough to throw a smirk my way.

"Such a good little pup," Oh, she- she was insufferable, and she knew it. "Tell me, does the collar chafe, or are you used to it by now?" Soren, do not sink to her level!

"If you're quite done-" Prue started pointedly, only for the other woman to cut her off.

She looked rather pleased with herself, smirking that cat-that-got-the-canary smirk, and I both dreaded and thrilled at the prospect of whatever she was about to throw my way. "Just the one more, I'm afraid- at least for now," Which was a bit worrying, since she seemed to think it was a match-ender. "Did you neuter him yourself, or did you have someone else do it?"

...well. So much for keeping things 'appropriate'. Unfortunately, even as I bristled at the insult- more the fact that she'd addressed Prue with it than anything else, if I'm honest- I burned to provide some sort of snappy retort, and serve the ball back into her court... just to see what she'd do with it. Fortunately for me, Prue had fire enough for the both of us.

"As with most of the behavioral issues you may see crop up, I can safely say he was like that when I got him. Why, are you looking for recommendations?" It was a burn enough to quiet both Mrs Joannis and I, if only because she wasn't sure who to target anymore. She appeared begrudgingly impressed for a second, before she clearly made a considerable effort to recover, and gestured imperiously to her daughter.

"I believe," She said, completely disregarding the previous subject. "We came here for an analysis. If you would be so kind..." After a second, she narrowed her eyes at me as if she could hear my thoughts about the level of kindness I thought she deserved, and I merely gave her a- hopefully infuriating- shrug.

Prue's lips pursed at the thinly veiled order, but eventually, for Miasenna's sake, she caved. "Let's... get this over with, then, I guess."

(A/N): The chapter name is a reference to Bob Barker's classic closing line from 'The Price Is Right', urging people to spay or neuter their pets. I thought it was fitting for this chapter. Also, Soren said 'Merlin forbid' instead of 'God forbid' or anything else, because even though (as I've established) he isn't pureblood, and most likely didn't grow up exclusively around people who used it, he doesn't want to basically out himself to Cipicia.