A few weeks after the attack

[Tabitha Trafford + Family]

It had been nearly a month since Dante's attack on the Slytherin Manor, and while most of those injured had since been released, Tabitha was still there. She had managed to make it through that first night, barely, but she did. She unfortunately had not improved much since then. She was on life support, a machine helping her to breathe instead of her own body. Most of the broken bones had healed, as well as the bruises. The only new thing was a scar down her arm, but it was uncertain if it would be a permanent scar. It seemed every time Tabitha was forced to come across dante, his attacks left a new scar each time.

Even though Tabitha was still in her comatose state, she always knew when Braeden or her children were there. Kyla was afraid of the machines, and Derek was just too little to understand what was wrong with his mother. The kids weren't there too often, maybe once a week or so. Tabitha also knew that every day the Doctors would ask for his permission to take her off life support, and he would always refuse. The doctors would constantly tell Braeden that Tabitha might not be the same when she woke up, if she ever did, but quickly grew frustrated when Braden would remain firm on his decision. Right at this particular moment, the only noise in the room was the beeping of the heart monitor, and the mechanical noises of the machine helping her to breathe.

[OOC: I'm not sure if i god-modded braeden, but i hope it's okay]

[BRAEDEN TRAFFORD]

Braeden sitting against the wall just outside Tabby's room. His legs were up and his head buried in his arm. He was so angry that this had happened to him. He couldn't understand why fate couldn't give him a break. Braeden had been raised by a vicious deatheater who brainwashed his brothers, and abused and neglected him and his sister. Braeden never wanted anything to do with deatheaters. He had tried to tap into his dark side to please his father, to obey his orders to try to get something positive from the man, to try and save his neck here and there when he screwed up. It was never worth it. He was never a good kid, he didn't always have kind thoughts or always have the best manners. It was hard to be that civil when you raised and treated as nothing more than a beast, a tool for someone else's gain. Braeden wasn't perfect but there was a lot of good in him. There was always still a glimmer of light even when it was pressured to be suffocated by the surround darkness. He couldn't always see it but luckily for him when he was still at Hogwarts he met a girl, Boa Slytherin.

Boa was a rough edged chick with more than a few sticks up that small ass of hers. She was far from the model citizen but she understood him. She could tell that he wanted to be good that he wanted to escape the evils of his life. Being attacked by deatheaters that were always after her because of her connections with Salazaar Slytherin XII, Voldemort and Lord Dante she had discovered that his father was a deatheater. She confronted him and found out how much he despised this ill fate of being born into this life. It wasn't long before she had convinced her parents to take him as a foster kid, to give his father's name to the ministry and to help him get protection from the retribution of the deatheaters.

The first time he had felt a mother's love or true care of a loving father was in the Slytherin household. The first time he dare dream of becoming something better was in the Slytherin household. He owed the Slytherin family a lot but when he got old enough to go on his own he went off trying to find what he lost. It wasn't until he came back to the Slytherins that he realized that happiness wasn't about finding or discovering oneself ... it was about building himself up. When he returned to aide his youngest sister in the Slytherin brood from escaping a life in Azkaban prison he had met Tabitha - a beautiful black haired witch that captured his heart more than all the sunsets, all the breath taking landscapes and all the glorious music he had encountered in his travels.

They were living in dark times but they had managed to find love together and to start a family. It was everything that Braeden had ever dreamed of and he finally felt that this one good card that fate had thrown his way could make up for all the terrible ones that kept hacking away at him. It seemed now that the fates were playing a cruel joke on him as they threatened to take away the woman he loved. He couldn't handle it. What would he say to his young children? How would he tell them their mommy wasn't going to wake up and come home? How was he going to tell her mother that her only child was done for? How was he going to keep himself together when the strings keeping him together had been cut?

He was all alone in the hallway. Her room was at the last corner end of the section for patients with this type of magical injury. He had gotten used to being alone. For the first few weeks someone had joined him for at least and hour or so of his sitting and waiting... but for this last week no one had been able to come. Everyone was busy, they had their own lives, their own problems their own struggles they were facing in this dark and dreadful time. He got that. He understood it but he couldn't help but again have that feeling of being that scared boy, standing in the corner in his father's presence hoping that today he'd be lucky and make it out with only a few sharp blows.


Just then someone wrapped their tiny arms around him. He turned his head and saw that it was Boa. A girl that had changed his life. A girl that had become like a sister to him, like a blood sister - their bond so close and sincere that he knew they'd always have each other in times like this.

Boa spoke "I wish there was something I could do". She had said this a million times to him since the big attack but it was truly how she felt. She didn't bother asking how Tabby was knowing that she was probably doing as horribly as ever and didn't want to upset him further.

Braeden broke down though. He couldn't help himself. "I'm so angry! Why does this have to happen to me? Why does it seem like someone up there is always playing a cruel joke on me?!" He got up, Boa wobbled a bit. He was now pacing the hall, a thump of anger in each step. Boa stood up, her hands covering her mouth, a pose that Lyra or Mora was more likely to give than herself. She hated to see Braeden like this. He was just as much a brother to her as Jack, Seth and Sol were. It made her stomach feel like an elevator falling down a long shaft to see this guy so distraught when she couldn't do anything but listen to him rant.


Boa wasn't sure if she was the best person to answer his question but gave it a go anyways "Maybe its because you can handle it. Maybe its because you can use this to make you stronger and become a better person because of it."

Braeden walked up to her, glaring at her with such anger that she was scared he was going to hit her. He barricaded her against the wall and whispered in a raspy breath "How is this going to make me stronger? It's tearing me apart" and he punched a hole in the wall right by her head.

Boa didn't want to cry. She didn't want to show her weakness. This was always a problem she had. It wouldn't have scared her or upset her if a stranger or a deatheater or someone who wasn't someone she loved did that. But it was someone she loved and it made her feel shaken and distraught. A single tear rolled down her peachy cheek that was now red as she tried to hold in her emotions.

Braeden knew he had gone to far. He wrapped his arms around her and said "I'm sorry Boa" and then he proceeded to cry like he'd never cried before. He'd never been this stricken with fear and pain and sheer terror as he was now... that he was about to lose the one he loved so much. Boa knew her brother was sorry and wiggled her arms from her side and out of his embrace to wrap them around him too. "I know" she whispered back.

He was sobbing and he tried to speak as he continued to hug her "I'm scared Boa. I don't want to lose Tabitha. I can't lose her. I can't". Boa's eyes were flooding with tears too but she wasn't sobbing. It was just the overwhelming emotion that at his moment didn't have the strength to pacify. She could only imagine the horror she would feel if Hunter was lying in that bed under these circumstances. She would be beside herself. She also knew that it could have easily been herself in Tabby's positioned. Dante wanted Tabby to suffer almost as much as he wanted Boa to suffer. Boa had just been lucky enough to escape when Tabby didn't. So much had been going on, so many emotions. It was hard for anyone in this large family to feel anything but pain these days.

Boa patted Braeden's back. "Let's go in the room? We can pour ourselves a drink of water alright". Braeden stepped back and wiped his eyes "Right" he said trying to gain some composure again. Braeden went to the door but first Boa turned to face the wall where Braeden had punched "repairo" she said with a swish of her wand. "Thanks" he muttered before they both walked in the room together.

There was silence, all except the irregular beeps of the heart monitor. On the side table by her bed was a picture of the Trafford family. They were all in their best dress. Derek looked only a few months in it as the family smiled happily at the photographer, Braeden and Tabby stealing a few kisses as they held and bounced their children gleefully for the photo. Boa's heart plummeted in her chest, her gut wrenching as she felt the severity of all of this... how there was a possibility that Tabby would never again awaken to see that photo.

Boa wanted to show her love for Tabby. She was about to make some flowers but figure Braeden might take it the wrong way... like she was giving flowers to the dead. Instead she pointed her wand at the window and made a long strand of purple flowers and pink ribbon drape over the curtain ring.

Braeden was already sitting at the bedside, leaning over Tabby's pale, limp frame. Boa went over to the water pitcher and filled two glasses. She handed one to Braeden and began to sip on the other. She stood there by the bed, her eyes jumping from the grieving figure of her brother, to the lifeless form of Tabby, to the happy family photo.

OOC: hahah I know its long. Kind of got carried away tonight.

[Tabitha Trafford + Family]

OOC: no worries Poor braeden, though

Back at the apartment, Elise was watching Derek and Kyla. They were both taking naps, and it wasn't long before Elise's mind began to wander, reflecting upon various events in her life. Elise had never worked in her adult life, wanting to settle down and raise a family of her own. She had dreams of raising a big family, but those dreams had been squashed when the doctor told her she probably wouldn't be able to have children. Obviously, due to that news, Elise was shocked when several years later, she was pregnant. Once she had Tabitha, she had high hopes for her precious daughter. She wanted Tabby to be able to do whatever she set her mind to. Eventually, that hope turned to dread when Tabitha ran off at the age of 13. When Tabitha had been returned to her parents, she had the dark mark, and Tabitha's father threw her out of the house immediately. It devastated Elise, even more so when she didn't hear from her daughter for several years. Experiences with her husband's family, who were mostly deatheaters, gave Elise anything she needed to know about how the deatheaters worked. Elise worried daily about her daughter during that time, hoping that her only child was still alive.

Several years later, she received a letter from Tabitha, wanting to talk to her parents. Elise was for it, but it took a lot of persuading to get Keith, her husband, to agree to talk with his daughter. Once the whole story was out, everything made sense, but Elise was still worried about Tabitha. The once happy child seemed...distant. It was as if her daughter was afraid of everything around her, except for two things. A man that she had met, and her daughter. Eventually Elise would meet both of those people, and then after that, a second child. Elise smiled to herself a little bit, reliving some of the happier moments, but there were still those thoughts in the back of her mind. What if Tabitha never woke up? What if she died? Elise knew as well as anyone that anything could happen. She could remember the several months her and Keith were in captivity from the deatheaters, and how traumatizing that was, not just for her, but for Tabitha, who tried for over a year to find them on her own.

Suddenly, Elise was brought back to reality by the sounds of her granddaughter's shuffling footsteps. Kyla climbed up onto the couch and snuggled up against her grandmother. "Is daddy at the hospital again?" she asked, her voice quiet. Kyla had been shy and quiet her entire life, but since the attack, she seemed to be even quieter, if that was at all possible. Derek seemed to be unaffected for the most part. Elise nodded at her, and Kyla gave a small sigh. "I miss mommy...I want her to come home soon. will she?" Kyla asked, looking up at her grandmother, trying to find out the answer. She didn't understand that her mother was in a coma, she just understood that her mother was hurt. Elise looked down, staring into Kyla's pale, grey eyes. She looked so much like Tabitha, but shared the same chestnut colored hair that her father had. How could Elise tell her the worst news possible? "I don't know, honey," was all she replied, and Kyla was quiet for a while. It seemed like an eternity passed before Kyla asked another question. "Can we go see mommy?" was all that she said, but Elise was taken by surprise. Kyla had never been in the room because the machines scared her as soon as she would be the doorway, she would run back out of the room. "Are you sure?" Elise replied, and Kyla nodded. "I guess we could. Go get your coat and boots on, and I'll go get Derek, okay?" she asked as she got Derek dressed for the winter weather. Spring was coming soon, but the snow outside seemed to be sticking around still.

Luckily the apartment was fairly close to the hospital, so they could walk. Derek had recently started walking, and liked to toddle around in the the snow, picking up clumps of snow and throwing them up in the air. It made the short walk take a while, but Elise didn't mind.

Once they made it to the hospital they took the elevator up to the floor Tabitha was on, and then made their way down the hallway to her room. Kyla paused in the doorway, still a bit leery of the machines. She noticed Braeden sitting next to the bed, and saw how sad her father looked. She quietly shuffled over to him, wrapping her tiny arms around him. "Hi daddy," she said quietly, having not noticed boa yet. Elise was hanging on to Derek, who squirmed to get down, and once he was set down, made his way over to boa. "Kyla wanted to come and see Tabby," Elise explained, knowing Braeden would probably be confused as to why they were there.

[BRAEDEN TRAFFORD]

Braeden had been so drenched in his own grief that at first he didn’t realize the door of the room opening and his children and mother and law entering. It wasn’t until he heard Kyla’s tiny voice say ‘hello daddy’ that he was aware of their presence. He knew his face was long, red and tired from the roller coaster of emotions he had been dealing with. He didn’t want his kids to see him like that. He didn’t want them to see his eyes, empty except with a feeling of hopeless longing. Braeden pulled his hand down his face to dry his eyes and stimulate his face. He put on his biggest smile and welcomed his small daughter with open arms “Hey sweetie”. He lifted her up on his knee so she could face her mother. He wasn’t sure he was happy that she was seeing her mother like this. It had been almost a good thing in his eyes that Kyla had been scared of the machines, at least he knew if his wife were to perish that these memories of her lying pale and cold in a hospital bed would not haunt her. Braeden gave a bit of a glaring look at Elise, wishing she would have kept the kids at home, away from this horrible scene. If he would have known that she walked them down, rather than taking them by floo or a safer more secure method he would have said a few unkind words. Braeden had made it clear to the family that he didn’t want his children out and about. He didn’t want this to happen to them. He knew dark forces were still out there and his kid’s safety were in more peril now than ever before. His obsession with keeping them safe continued to grow.

Boa felt Derek put a palm on her leg. She bent down and lifted him up. Boa held the child tight and kissed his little cheeks. He was such a cute little thing. She felt horrible for them with their mother in this horrible predicament. Boa knew how distraught her children would get when she or their father was away… this was far worse than that.

After a moment of silence Braeden responded to Elise “And what did you expect she would see when she got here?”. His voice was dry and a bit sharp. He then turned his attention back to Kyla on his lap. “Ok sweetie, give momma a kiss and then we will get you some cookies from the cafeteria and you, Derek and grandma can go back home.” Braeden supported Kyla as he let her lean forward to give her mother a kiss. Braeden then stood up with his daughter in his arms. He wished at that moment that like their friends Gwen and Oliver that he could channel his thoughts into someone else’s mind… or even the dark way that Boa had learned with legilemency because there were more than a few chide remarks he had for Elise but didn’t want the children to hear. Not fighting in front of the children was one thing he and Tabby were very strict on. Braeden tickled Kyla as he walked passed Elise, taking his child into the hallway towards the cafeteria. Before he left he gave Boa a look for her to follow, and one last shameful look at Elise. He thought it wasn’t wise to bring the children to see their mother in such a condition. It would only haunt them later he figured.

Boa still holding Derek walked up to Elise after Braeden left. “He is feeling a lot of pressure right now Elise. Don’t take it personally… you know he isn’t usually like this. I know this can’t be easy for you either. I’m sorry” she didn’t know what else to say. Boa was never good with these types of talks, or apologizing in any sense of the word. Boa held the door open but wondered if maybe Elise wanted a private moment with her daughter, rather than follow her angry son-in-law to the cafeteria.

[Tabitha Trafford + Family]

Elise looked at Braeden when he glared at her, a little taken back. She wasn't sure what kind of reaction she was expecting, but it wasn't that. Why was he so angry? It wasn't like she was completely oblivious to the situation. It was killing her inside to see her daughter in the state that she was, and all she wanted was a bit of normalcy for Kyla and Derek's sake. The more that Elise watched Braeden, the more it seemed like she wasn't wanted there. Derek was still fairly oblivious to the situation, giggling a little when Boa kissed his cheeks.

When Braeden asked Elise what she expected kyla would see, she gave a bit of a confused look. "I...just..." was all that Elise started to say, and then grew quiet. She was going to explain the situation to him, but what was the use? Instead, she just decided to remain quiet. Kyla could feel the tension in the room, but seemed to like the idea of going to get a cookie, and went with braeden after giving Tabby a kiss on the cheek.

Elise heard boa's comment, and sighed. "He's not the only one that's having a hard time with this, you know," she said quietly. "Kyla just wanted to see her mother. She asks every day if her mom is home yet...what am I supposed to say?" she added, and then sighed. It seemed all the sadness, worry, and pain she was experiencing could be heard in that sigh. She noticed Boa holding the door open for her, and shook her head. "Go on ahead, i'll be down there in a few minutes..." she said. After boa left, Elise quietly walked over to Tabitha's bedside, gently setting her hand on the edge of the bed. She didn't say anything, she just listened to the beeps of the machines, and watched the machine pump air in and out of tabitha's lungs. A few tears slipped out and ran down Elise's cheeks, and she brushed them away quickly. She remained there for several minutes, not saying a word, and then left the room to go down to the cafeteria. She was trying to keep her distance from Braeden, to avoid conflict.

Once they reached the cafeteria, Kyla was a few steps in front of braeden. "I want a chocolate cookie, daddy!" she said, looking back at him. Junk food was Kyla's weakness. It was very rarely in the house, as Tabitha didn't really want it there. Kyla could remember times when her mother would bring home leftover cupcakes or cookies from the shop, but most of the time, their snacks were fruits and vegetables. Kyla slowed down her walking pace, and looked over at boa with an inquisitive look. She waited until braeden was a little bit in front of her before asking her question, trying to get her answer without braeden knowing. "Aunt boa, how come daddy was so mean to gramma?" she asked, a sad look on her face.

[BRAEDEN TRAFFORD]

Boa's mouth scrunched and her eyebrows twitched as she looked and listened to Elise knowing how taken a back she must of felt with Braeden's behavior. He was usually able to control himself and not succumb to his emotions. Apparently it was all getting to him more than even he realized. Boa nodded gravely, "I know Elise. I know that Tabby and the kids are everything Braeden ever dreamed of ... a family that loves him. I know better than most what a horrible childhood he had, the pain he endured as a child, the betrayal, the hate, the torture. This happy life of his is something he feels he barely got a hold of and he can't bare to give it up. The nightmares of the past and the horrible things that could be have been haunting him. Don't take it personally. I'm sure he will even out soon enough. We all need to take it easy". She patted Elise on the back before she went to the door and then quietly shut it Elise wanted to sit with Tabby for a moment.

Braeden took Kyla down to the cafeteria to get some cookies. When he got there he saw that they were having a special on chocolate frogs. He smiled down at his daughter "Kyla, do you want chocolate frogs instead of cookies?" but she ran off just before he could ask. She had gone behind and was talking to Boa. While he waited for them to catch up he took a box of Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans.

He knew that he had been a jerk to Elise but he couldn't help it. He had been so full of rage, anxiety and stress that it all just came out wrong. He wanted to apologize but the knew this wasn't the moment, nor could he muster himself to put aside his pride to do so. It would have to wait. Braeden shook out of his mind drifting and back at his daughter for a response.

Boa had been standing back a bit, rocking Derek seemed to be getting cranky from needing sleep. Just then Kyla came up to her and asked a question with a sad look on her face. Boa frowned back at the girl and said "Kyla, daddy didn't mean it. He.. your daddy... well..." she was having a hard time deciding how to explain such a complicated situation to such a young child. "Your daddy is very sad and scared and so that is why he said things he didn't mean. You must promise me that you be happy and good girl for your daddy. That will help him be happy. Ok?" Then she smiled at Kyla and said "C'mon your daddy is waiting" as she started to walk, beckoning Kyla with her smile.

[Tabitha Trafford + Family]

Kyla looked back at Boa, confused. She didn't understand what was going on. "But I thought I was being good....?" she said, her voice trailing off. She really didn't have time to think about anything before she was walking with Boa back over to Braeden. She heard Braeden ask if she wanted a chocolate frog instead, and she couldn't help but be happy about that. She loved chocolate frogs! Kyla nodded her head excitedly in response to Braeden's question, and tried to look over the edge of the counter at the boxes. Derek was tired, and just wanted to go home, so he fussed and cried a little in Boa's arms. He quieted as soon as he saw the frogs and just watched the boxes, occasionally babbling the word "frog". Derek had barely spoken since the attack, so even the fact that he was babbling a word was an improvement.

Once they got their treats, they sat down at one of the tables. Both kids had a frog and some juice. Kyla had a cookie that she had managed to convince Braeden to get her, under the reasoning that she would "share" the cookie with her little brother. Everyone knew that Kyla was unlikely to share, but it was doubtful she would even be hungry enough for the cookie. Kyla took the frog out of the box and just watched it hop around the table. She had a chocolate frog card, a new one that she could add to her collection. It was of Godric Gryffindor, and kyla showed it to her father, no longer paying attention to the frog. Derek was watching the frog now, and reached out, trying to grab it. "Lookit daddy! Does he go to Hogwarts?" she asked braeden, curiously.

Elise had made her way down to the cafeteria for a cup of coffee. She was sitting at one of the tables away from where Braeden, Boa, and the kids sat, not wanting to cause anymore problems. She was trying to take her mind off of everything by working on a sudoku puzzle, something she did to relax. She could hear kyla excitedly showing off her new chocolate frog card, and she couldn't help but smile a little to herself. The children sounded happy, for the first time in a few days it seemed. It was nice.