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Post by Riley Neves on Mar 31, 2009 22:20:29 GMT -5
Riley was thankful that Angelique apparated the both of them. She didn't think she could have done it. She didn't think she could do much of anything.
Within seconds, they were outside the Ferrera home, where she had been a guest just a week before. "They're going to hate me," she murmured to no one in particular. There were still lights on inside, which meant they had stayed up for New Years. At least she wasn't waking them up.
The children would have been at the school, and Cyrus wasn't on good terms with his parents... so it was likely just going to be Cara and Mathieu. Not that it helped any. She didn't know that Judah and Suri were also there.
She took a long, deep breath, composing herself, and nodded. "I'll tell them. You don't have you," she said, wondering if Angelique would try anyway.
She stepped up to the door and knocked, her heart plummeting to her stomach.
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Post by Angelique St. Clare on Mar 31, 2009 22:27:23 GMT -5
Angelique glanced worriedly at Riley. How she was holding herself together and standing upright, Angelique had no idea. Even Angelique felt about ready to collapse. It had to be a thousand times worse for Riley.
"They're not going to hate you," she said reassuringly. "And if you need help, I'm here, OK? "
She'd never had to do this before. But she imagined moments like this would only become more commonplace as the war escalated.
War was hell. Why were people so eager to rush into it?
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Post by Riley Neves on Mar 31, 2009 22:31:02 GMT -5
"Please stop looking at me like that," Riley whispered, turning her head to Angelique. "You know I can do my job when I need to. This is no different."
But afterwards, when no one was around... Riley would fall to pieces.
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Post by Angelique St. Clare on Mar 31, 2009 22:34:25 GMT -5
Angelique had a tremendous amount ot respect for anyone who could hold herself upright under such circumstances. And Riley was showing herself to be unbelievably strong.
"No one would blame you if you fell apart," she said softly. "I'd understand. But the fact that you haven't... well, let's just say he'd be proud of you."
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Post by Hayden Ferrera on Mar 31, 2009 22:36:06 GMT -5
Hayden was sitting around with his parents along with Aunt Cara and Uncle Mathieu. He didn't want to be spending the New Year's alone in his apartment and he thought that he could talk to Roland a little bit since he didn't really get a good chance at Christmas. Right now, Judah and Suri were sitting on a couch as well as Cara and Mathieu. Hayden had opted to take a chair.
Just as the knock on the door was heard, Hayden was shaking his head and smiling light at something his father just said. "I'll get it," he said with a light smile on his face. Walking over to the door, he opened it.
Riley was the first person he saw, however his smile faded as he noticed Angelique there. What was she doing here? "Riley, Angelique," Hayden said greeting them with a slight confusion. A horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach grew as he really took notice of Riley's current state. Attempting to swallow the huge lump in his throat, Hayden stood out from the door. "Please, come in."
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Post by Riley Neves on Mar 31, 2009 22:40:12 GMT -5
Riley had been chewing nervously on the inside of her lip, and when Angelique said that Roland would be proud of her, she shot a glance at the woman. It wasn't exactly the thing to say to keep her from crying, but it was something she needed to hear.
Before she could say anything, Hayden opened the door, and if it was possible, her heart fell another four feet. "Hello, Hayden," she said, keeping her voice tight and refusing to cry. She stepped inside. "Mr. and Mrs. Ferrera are home, I take it?"
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Post by Cara Ferrera on Mar 31, 2009 22:43:12 GMT -5
From the living room, Cara couldn't see who was at the door, but considering the late hour, she assumed it was her son. Hopefully with Riley... wouldn't that be a cause for more champagne?
"Is that Roland, Hayden?" She called, smiling at Mathieu before she stood up to go investigate.
She met Hayden at the door just as Riley and Angelique were coming in, and she frowned. She was a little less cordial than Hayden had been when she asked, "Riley, Angelique... what are you doing here?"
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Post by Angelique St. Clare on Mar 31, 2009 22:44:09 GMT -5
Angelique stepped in behind Riley and said nothing. Riley wanted to do this--well, maybe "want" was too strong of a word. But she had said she would tell them, so Angelique would stand back and stay quiet unless she was needed.
Merlin, this was going to hurt...
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Post by Hayden Ferrera on Mar 31, 2009 22:47:17 GMT -5
His eyes wouldn't leave Riley. There was something wrong, and Hayden had to know what. He didn't have a good feeling at all. "Ye-yeah, they're here. They're in the there sitting talking with my parents," he said. "No, Aunt Cara," Hayden called just as she walked up.
He shut the door behind Angelique and put his hands in his pockets. "Why don't they sit down first?"
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Post by Riley Neves on Mar 31, 2009 22:49:55 GMT -5
"Mrs. Ferrera," Riley said, keeping that same, constricted and even tone. "If you have a few moments, I would like to talk to you and your husband... and your family," she added, glancing at Hayden. He meant that there were more people here. She wasn't sure if that made it easier or harder.
Cara finally nodded, similarly unable to take her eyes off Riley. She lead them both, as well as Hayden, into the sitting room, and went back to her husband. There were chairs available, but she didn't offer them.
Riley wouldn't have taken one anyway, and she felt very much put on the spot, and she wasn't sure that her legs wouldn't give out half way through what she had to say.
She took another deep breath. "I'm afraid I have some... bad news."
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Post by Mathieu Ferrera on Mar 31, 2009 23:01:11 GMT -5
Mathieu had broken into a smile upon seeing Riley. The afternoon with Roland was still fresh in his mind, and Mathieu couldn't help but smile at the sight of the woman that his son had professed to being in love with.
But Angelique was also there... and Riley looked a wreck. It was ominous, and Mathieu reached for his wife's hand.
"What's wrong?" he said, his breath catching in his throat.
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Post by Riley Neves on Mar 31, 2009 23:11:12 GMT -5
Riley felt like she couldn't breathe, and her eyes latched onto Mathieu reaching for Cara's hand. She desperately wanted someone to reach for her hand right now... but the person she wanted was gone. Forever.
She waited for them all to sit down, and then very carefully, measuring her words, she said, "Roland and I were attacked tonight, by Death Eaters. We were outnumbered, and outmatched. Roland... didn't make it."
They were going to want to know how, and a thousand other things, but she couldn't just lay it all out there at one shot.
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Post by Cara Ferrera on Mar 31, 2009 23:14:55 GMT -5
It didn't sink in right away. Surely she misheard, or misinterpretted. And how dare Riley imply what she was.
Her eyes hardened as she looked at the girl. "What do you mean he didn't make it?" She asked. "What exactly happened tonight, and where's my son?"
Her hand was gripping her husband's hard, as if holding on to him would make Riley and Angelique disappear.
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Post by Mathieu Ferrera on Mar 31, 2009 23:17:54 GMT -5
"Wh-what?" Mathieu repeated in disbelief. The bottom had dropped out of his stomach, and he stared hard at Riley, trying to wrap his mind around what he was hearing. No... no... it couldn't be. Not Roland. Not that.
"What do you mean, 'didn't make it'?" he said, hoping desperately he'd misunderstood. He was squeezing Cara's hand very tightly now.
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Post by Riley Neves on Mar 31, 2009 23:25:07 GMT -5
"Roland fell a few stories into an abandoned amunitions plant. There was a fire, and the building..." She closed her eyes for a second, but forced herself to continue. "Roland was caught in the fire. It was quick. He wouldn't have been in pain or even known what was happening." She imagined it was of litte consolation, but later... later, it would mean something.
She waited, unsure what else to say... she would let their questions direct what she said.
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Post by Cara Ferrera on Mar 31, 2009 23:33:07 GMT -5
Cara refused to believe. Who the hell did she think she was, coming into their home on New Years and saying something like that? She had just seen Roland earlier in the day, and he was fine and happy and why had they been out to get attacked anyway?
She was too angry to let herself admit that something had happened. Anger was easier to deal with.
"Get out."
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Post by Mathieu Ferrera on Mar 31, 2009 23:41:12 GMT -5
Mathieu, meanwhile, had just slipped into shock. His eyes had glazed over, and he was shaking. No... he wasn't hearing this... he couldn't be hearing this...
He squeezed his eyes shut, and all he could see was Roland's smiling face this afternoon at lunch. He was happy, he was in love... he couldn't be gone. No. He'd never been happier or more open that he'd been today....
"My Godric... Cara, he knew."
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Post by Cara Ferrera on Mar 31, 2009 23:46:36 GMT -5
"What?" Cara asked, almost snapping. "Mathieu, stop. He didn't know anything. He's just out working or... or something. He's fine. She's lying."
Cara knew it didn't make sense, that Riley would have absolutely no reason to lie about this, but Merlin, she wanted it to be a lie. She wanted to kick the girl out and tell her never to go near her son.
But Mathieu's words kicked in, and she sucked in a breath.
"Oh Merlin. He was saying goodbye."
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Post by Riley Neves on Mar 31, 2009 23:50:04 GMT -5
Riley was kind of thrown off. For one, she didn't expect Cara to nearly throw her out.
But Mathieu's words worried her. Had Roland told them he planned to go after Blake? How did they know? She couldn't let them blame him for this, and her brain was spinning.
She still couldn't breathe, and she was getting lightheaded.
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Suri Ferrera
Inactive Character
[M:10]
[ss:New Alternate]
Posts: 28
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Post by Suri Ferrera on Apr 1, 2009 0:00:48 GMT -5
Suri's eyes were wide. Roland? Her beautiful nephew? He was only 22. She had just seen him, and he had been so happy. Suri had smiled at him, still amazed that Roland grew into a giant so fast. He had been her first nephew, and therefore she had always had a special attachment, watching him from the toddler years to becoming an auror. A fantastic auror. He wasn't dead. He was in the hospital. That must be it.
Suri gave a small whimper unconsciencelessly. Roland. She buried her face into Judah's arm, clutching on to something as her stomach seemingly dropped from her body.Suri's knees felt wobbley, and she bit her tongue as hard as she could to stop from making noise. Cara, and Matheiu. This was terrible. How would everyone hold together? So soon after the Hogwarts attack with Cyrus and Jamie in the hospital? This was downright cruel.
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