Bring on the Wonder ~ Vivian & Rabastan

[VIVIAN HOPE BLACKWELL]

Vivian looked towards the door as Rabastan walked into the room. She hadn't heard him approach, and hadn't realised he was standing there. He was watching her carefully, and sat down on the bed, not seeming to care that he was still naked. Getting dressed didn't seem to be on his mind.

He told her to come to him, and Vivian went gladly. Rabastan's arms went around her as soon as she was close enough to him, and she settled onto the bed, her head resting on his chest, closing her eyes. He held her so securely it was impossible for her not to feel safe, but if anything it only made her think more of when she'd have to leave him. She wouldn't be safe, then.

Her nightmares scared her, and she felt frightened now; talking about how she couldn't just leave Hogwarts and come and live with Rabastan because of her parents reminded her that she was within their grasp. If they wanted her they only had to reach out and take her. And how did she know they wouldn't do just that?

"I don't want to leave," she said, quietly, burying her face in his chest to hide the tears that had filled her eyes. She didn't want to go back to that empty bed. "When I'm not with you, the nightmares come back. I can't... if I have to feel his hands on me one more time... and then... it hurts so much," Vivian's voice was quiet, and she fought to keep it steady. "It hurts so much it makes me think its real." The pain felt real to Vivian.

She held on to Rabastan, allowing herself to not be strong, to really feel like she just couldn't do it, at least for a little while.

[RABASTAN RORICK LESTRANGE]

Vivian came over from the window and Rabastan's arms enclosed around her the second they could, and everything else in the world felt right. Vivian looked to be very worried and upset about something, and it made Rabastan uncomfortable. He never wanted her to be anything but happy. And then she began speaking, and she buried herself in his chest, but he knew her well enough already to know that there were tears in her eyes. He frowned as she spoke of not wanting to leave and of the nightmares, the nightmares of her step-father. The memory of the man who touched her and the woman who hurt her made his blood boil.

"Shhh," he cooed into her hair as he kissed her hair before lifting her chin and kissing her once on the lips. "I know you don't want to leave, and you know you don't really have to. McGonagall could send out for as much help finding you as she wants, but they would never find you. No one ever would. You're safe here, and you always will be." His voice was as gentle as it could be for a man of his size and past, but it was quiet and soft. His voice would always sound like thunder, booming and somewhat threatening.

"I'm serious Vivian, you could stay, if you wanted. We would be safe here, away from prying eyes, away from the world," he said, looking at her, tightening his arms around her, and kissing her once, gently on the lips.

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[VIVIAN HOPE BLACKWELL]

Tears began to roll freely down Vivian's cheeks, and she knew there was no point in trying to hide them once Rabastan lifted her chin so he could kiss her. It wasn't that she was ashamed to be crying, or that she didn't feel close enough to him to let him see her cry. She knew that he wouldn't mind, that he would comfort her all the same. Vivian could tell him anything, show him anything... but she didn't want to be crying. She didn't want to ruin what should be a blissful couple of days. Rabastan kissed her gently, and Vivian kissed him back, feeling calmer.

Rabastan's grip on her was tight, and although her eyes still swam with tears Vivian's breathing was calm and steady. He told her that she didn't have to go, that McGonagall couldn't find her here, that if she really wanted to she could stay and live here with him. His voice was low and booming, but it still managed to be gentle. He spoke quietly, softly, calming her with his words.

It was so tempting, the offer to stay here. Rabastan kissed her again, and Vivian wrapped her arms around his neck. She thought of the life they could have together if she stayed. What did she care about finishing school? She wasn't going to get any grades worth her time there. She could stay, she knew she could... but...

"I can't," she said, though it wrenched at her to say it. She wiped the tears off her cheek fiercely, as though angry with them. "Its not McGonagall I'm worried about. They'd never let me go... he'd never let me go. He has contacts at the Ministry, money, you can't imagine..." John Woods had an obscene amount of gold, power and influence, more than enough to find her. The man hunt would be even greater than the one for Rabastan now. And although it would eventually lessen, Vivian would have to hide for the rest of her life... or until her parents died. And that wasn't likely to be soon, unless someone stepped in...

"I'd put you in danger, I'd lead them right to you, I could never leave this house." Vivian wanted so much to stay with Rabastan, and to stay in this house, but... it would be a cage. A beautiful, blissful, wonderful cage, but a cage non the less.

More than ever she wanted her parents dead. It was enough to want them dead just for the sake of killing them, but now she needed them dead if she were going to live the life she wanted. She would be completely free to do as she wanted. At eighteen years old she could leave school without questions. She would have her own money, more than she could possibly begin to know what to do with. She could support herself, and Rabastan, and money bought security.

[RABASTAN RORICK LESTRANGE]

Vivian began saying that she couldn't stay, and that it wasn't McGonagall she was worried about. It was Woods she was worried about. His eyes narrowed at the thought of the man, and when she began talking about his money and connections Rabastan let out a low growl of anger and frustration.

"Vivian I don't care what he has, he wouldn't be able to find you here," he tried to persuade the woman in his arms. But then she mentioned that she'd lead them right to him, and that she could never leave the house. Rabastan's heart sunk at the realization that she was right. Her step father may not have had enough connections to find the house, but Rabastan knew that the man had enough money and connections that the moment she went out in public she would be found. His arms tightened around her, as if the very thoughts in his head were threatening to pull her away from him. He didn't want her to go. He wanted her to be safe with him forever, but he'd not have her a prisoner in his house.

"I wouldn't want to keep you locked up here. That's not a life. This house would be like a prison... I know what prison is like. You would hate me for it eventually..." he frowned at his words, his voice soft. He kissed her once as his mind continued to try and conjure ways for the two of them to make this work. Make it so she'd never have to leave, but he came up with nothing no matter how hard he racked his brain.

"I could get rid of them for you, so you wouldn't have to worry about it. I'm not worried about being put in danger by you, love. I'm just... I just want you to be happy... and free."

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[VIVIAN HOPE BLACKWELL]

At first Rabastan seemed determined to stick to his guns, that he couldn't get to her, that she was safe here. He was angry, she could tell, but not at her. He was angry at him, at her family for keeping her from him. Vivian could tell that Rabastan was trying to persuade her, but then he seemed to realise that she was right.

She felt the realisation sink into him. Vivian knew exactly how he was feeling; a glimmer of hope had just gone out. It had been a possibility, technically it still was, but... not a workable one. Not something either of them could live with. For a moment that life had lain before them, a life where Vivian had stayed, but now it was gone. He was becoming resigned to that, as she was.

Rabastan's arms tightened around her, and Vivian squeezed him back, breathing him in. He still hadn't gotten dressed, but Vivian was wearing his t-shirt, and his scent was wrapped around her. It was so easy to feel at peace in his arms, despite everything. She already loved him so much it hurt. He kissed her, and she kissed him back. It was slow and deep, and she tried to show him with her kiss just how much she loved him, just how much he meant to her... and why she couldn't risk him being taken away, why she couldn't risk staying and leading people right to him.

"I could never hate you," she murmured, her face still close to his. "I love you."

And then he started talking about killing her parents.

Rabastan didn't say so explicitly, but they both knew what he meant. The thought was wonderful. It brought back that glimmer of hope. Ideally Vivian wanted to be the one to do it, but they both knew she may not be able to manage it. Rabastan could... but could he do it without getting caught? If it was found out that Rabastan Lestrange had murdered the Woods then he would be no more a wanted man than he was now, but it would link him to Vivian. Vivian would be questioned,watched, and could possibly lead them to Rabastan that way.

"If they were dead I'd inherit everything," she said, wanting him to understand just what it would mean for them. "No one would ever be able to touch us again." Apart from money buying security measures that would keep Rabastan safe, she could call in favours and have the man hunt for him significantly lessoned. The warrant out for Rabastan's arrest would exist only as a technicality, with Aurors occupied elsewhere...

"But what if you got caught?" She said, biting her lip. "What if someone knew it was you? I couldn't..." she thought for a moment about loosing him, about how awful that would feel, seeing him taken back to Azkaban, the place he hated, the place of his nightmares, knowing that she could never comfort him again.

Vivian kissed Rabastan desperately, her arms wrapping tightly around him, pressing against him, needing him, needing to know that he was here, and safe, and hers.

[RABASTAN RORICK LESTRANGE]

Vivian said she could never hate him, that she loved him, and Rabastan smiled at the thought. He couldn't have spoken truer words himself, but hate and resentment were two very different things, and if one didn't rear its head at first, eventually the other would. He couldn't keep Vivian trapped in his home like some kind of prisoner. He'd been a prisoner, for too many years he was locked up with nowhere to go. He would not put her through those kinds of constraints, no matter how different the circumstances may have been.

She said if her parents were dead that she would inherit everything, and that only made Rabastan's grin widen. If she inherited all of her step-father's money, all of his influence, all of his connections the pair of them could get away free, without ever worrying that someone would come after them. The thought felt almost like a dream, or at the very least another life. It was an idea so tantalizing, but so impossible. Well, nearly impossible.

"We could leave and never worry," he said, his arms tightening around her again, but then her words brought another possibility crashing down on top of the dream. What if he did get caught? He couldn't go back to that hell hole, he couldn't be taken away from Vivian and Theo. He couldn't put Vivian through all of that questioning. He wasn't sure what extremes the Ministry would go through if they thought she knew where he was. The thought of her being harmed in anyway made his blood run cold and hot at the same time with worry and rage.

"I wouldn't get caught, but you don't have to worry about that now. I'm not going anywhere, Vivian," he said, getting lost in her kiss as he closed his eyes. He pulled away from her and adjusted himself to get more comfortable. He'd forgotten all about the clothes he suggested so long ago.

"Let's try and get some sleep, love," he said, cradling her in his arms, and closing his eyes.Tonight would be a night full of dreaming, and no nightmares. Rabastan would make sure of that.

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[VIVIAN HOPE BLACKWELL]

Rabastan held her tightly, promised that he wasn't going to leave, that no one was going to take him away, and kissed her deeply. That was enough, at least for now, to calm Vivian's nerves. The aching panic at the thought of loosing him subsided, and she relaxed into his arms, kissing him back deeply.

That wasn't going to happen. He was here, and here was where he was going to stay. She wouldn't let anyone take him from her, and she wouldn't let anyone rip her from his arms any more than he would.

Vivian felt Rabastan pull away, and he shifted slightly, apparently getting comfortable. He suggested that they get some sleep, and Vivian smiled as he called her 'love'. The way he said it made it sound like he'd called her that for years, and would continue to do so. Like the two of them fell asleep together every night. Like they would fall asleep together every night from now on. Vivian wished that were so.

Rabastan was still undressed, and seemed to have given up on the idea of clothes. Vivian wasn't complaining, but still she removed his arms from around her, and stood up. She pulled off the clothing she was wearing, throwing Rabastan's t-shirt on the end of the bed. It had been comfortable, but if Rabastan wasn't going to be dressed then she didn't want to be, either. She'd much rather feel his skin against hers as they slept. She wanted to make the most of every moment; who knew how many they'd get. Still, the t-shirt had been comfortable, and it smelled of Rabastan. Vivian thought she might take it with her when she went back to Hogwarts. She could sleep in it, and breathe in his scent when she awoke from nightmares.

Vivian climbed back into the bed, and pulled the covers over the two of them. She wrapped her arm around Rabastan, pressing up against him, the bed quickly becoming warm and snug.
"Goodnight," she said, smiling as she kissed him once more. She couldn't help but smile. She wouldn't have any nightmares tonight, and every time she woke up he would be there. And then, in the morning, they wouldn't have to rush off like they did last time. It was the weekend, Vivian didn't have any classes. Maybe she could even stay another night. She could stay here, with Rabastan, at least for a little while.