Mozart and Memories (Aurelia/Kieran)

[Aurelia Krizova]

“I should have been suspicious,” Aurelia replied, laughing. “They looked like snails. How in the world can anything that small and slimy taste so good, anyway? Anyway, I forgave you. You also brought your éclairs… I would forgive you anything for those.”

It wasn’t as hard as she had expected it to be, telling him about old memories she had of him. At the very least, it was easiest to remember the times when they had laughed together. The other times, the more intimate times, well… she just hoped that it would come back to him as they got close again.

[Henri Gillet]

"They're not that bad, but of course I don't think they're something you want at every meal. They're okay every once in awhile." Henri laughed again. He could picture something like that, and the image he brought up in his head made him smile a little wider. "Well, I'll make sure I remember that and have éclairs on hand," he teased her.

Everything felt easy, even though part of him wondered if he should have been skeptical about the whole situation. The logic part of his brain was telling him that everything was okay, because after all he had been hit it a memory charm. However the most important parts of him, his heart and instincts, were telling him that this was okay.

"Did I ever make you a sandwich au fromage grillé? With the spicy mustard and swiss cheese?"

[Aurelia Krizova]

“A grilled cheese sandwich,” Aurelia said, smiling. “Yes… that was always your specialty. You always made the best grilled cheese… I always try to duplicate it and make it for Danica, but yours was always better. Dani doesn’t like the mustard yet, though… it’s too strong for her. I make hers with tomatoes… she loves it.”

She let out a sigh, but it was a happy sigh. She had missed him so much over the years. It was a relief to finally know that he hadn’t willingly abandoned her. “Since I’ve been in England, I’ve learned to cook a lot of different foods. But I still think your cooking is better than mine.”

[Henri Gillet]

"Maybe now with the weather getting warmer we could all go out on a pique-nique one weekend, or you could come over and I'll cook there." He wanted to include Danica in the whole thing whenever he could. Sure, he knew that he would see her at school but it would be a little different if the three of them were together.

Henri waved his hand. "I'm not that great of a cook," he said with a smile. "I think you probably cook just fine. I know Danica talked about how you make knedliky. Maybe you could make some for me? My mere makes some from time to time, but I'm sure that yours are the best."

[Aurelia Krizova]

Aurelia found herself leaning against him. It felt so right… like she was coming home again after a very long absence. She could just sit here with him, just listening to him talk forever. She almost forgot that she was actually sitting in the hospital.

“A picnic would be lovely,” she said. “Danica loves picnics… there is a lovely park in London with a big field of daffodils that are just starting to bloom. She loves to go and look at them… it would be perfect for a picnic. I can make the knedilky, if you want. And you can make grilled cheese and éclairs…”

It sounded perfect. Danica would be happy to be included, and they could be like a family. The image of it just made her feel warm all over.

[Kieran Michael Dawn]

At that moment, Kieran walked in, a brown glass bottle in one hand. Seeing the two of them sitting there together on the bed, he stopped in the doorway, feeling very uncomfortable. He didn’t entirely understand the nature of their relationship, and he hadn’t asked for details. It wasn’t his business. But being here now and seeing them together, he felt as if he were intruding. He also felt as though his heart was breaking all over again. It seemed that the whole world was pairing off, and he was now alone, without the woman that he loved.

He hesitated a moment, then cleared his throat. “Er… I have your potion,” he said, holding up the bottle.

[Henri Gillet]

As Aurelia leaned on him, Henri felt warm but it wasn't the embarrassed warmth. It felt natural for her to lean up against him. "That sounds perfect. Maybe we could do it next weekend, if the weather permits, and if you and Danica are free." Henri felt sure that he wouldn't have to really work next weekend. He would have to look at his schedule again, but he was more than sure he had next Saturday off.

"I can also make other little pastries too. There are a few recipes I can get from mere." The idea of going for a picnic with Aurelia and Danica made him smile. He knew that Danica would like the fact that she was included with them.

Henri looked toward the door as he heard Kieran clear his throat. He smiled to the man that helped them. "Merci," he said with a nod of his head. Seeing the look on Kieran's face made Henri feel even more horrible. He was sitting there laughing, smiling, talking, and sitting really close with Aurelia, while Kieran had lost the one that he loved. Henri felt slightly guilty because he knew that it probably made Kieran feel uncomfortable. He kept those thoughts to himself.

[Kieran Michael Dawn]

Kieran didn't really want to make anyone feel badly about being happy. They had a right to be happy... they had found each other after a very long time. And Aurelia had been through so much over the years, trying to take care of herself and her daughter all on her own. She deserved this. It had nothing to do with what happened to him. Sometimes bad things happened to good people, and there was no explanation for it. But somehow, knowing that didn't make it hurt any less.

He managed a weak smile and walked across the room to Henri, handing him the bottle. "Take two tablespoons full in the morning, and two at night before you go to bed. When the bottle is almost empty, make an appointment to come in and see me again, and I'll see if there's been any improvement."

[Henri Gillet]

"I can do that," he said as he took the bottle. Henri hoped that the potion would help, even if it was just a little. He wanted to fill in some of the blanks he had. "Thanks again Kieran."

Making a mental note to write an actual note to himself whenever he returned home, Henri turned to Aurelia. "Ready to go?" Part of him was itching to hear a few more things of what they used to do together and then start doing those things so he could actual remember something. Another part of him, the more rational side, said that it was best to take everything slow because he wouldn't want, nor need, a lot of things come rushing at him.

[Aurelia Krizova]

Kieran was turning to go, but Aurelia felt she needed to thank him properly. "Kieran, wait," she said, standing up and reaching out an arm to him.

"I really want to thank you for your help. And you know that if you need anything, I'll be more than happy to return the favor. Just... please, don't be a stranger."

And then, just because she thought he needed it, she wrapped her arms around him in a hug.

[Kieran Michael Dawn]

Kieran wasn't particularly comfortable with being thanked for simply doing his job. He never really had been. When he helped someone, he was "just doing his job," and yet, when he was unable to help someone, like Chelsea, he blamed himself for not doing enough. It just didn't seem fair that, with all their magic and knowledge, there were still people that they couldn't help. And in Henri's case, although Kieran had done everything he could, he still felt that it wasn't enough. He didn't have a magic cure. Just a potion that might not help at all.

He was about to protest and politely thank Aurelia for her generous offer to help him, when suddenly he was enfolded in a hug. He was surprised by it and he stood stiffly for a moment, unsure of how he was supposed to act. Oddly, it made him want to break down.

But instead, he just gave her a quick hug in return, then gently pulled away. "It's really not a big deal, Aurelia. I'm just doing my job. I really wish I could have helped more... But unfortunately, even with magic, we can only do so much."

[Aurelia Krizova]

"You did help," Aurelia insisted. "And we're very grateful."

She sighed lightly as she looked at him. She could honestly feel him slipping away even as he stood right in front of them. And even though he'd always been quiet, now it felt so much worse. Only Danica seemed able to be able to break through that wall.

"I hope we'll see you again soon, Kieran. Danica enjoys spending time with you. I'm sure she'd love to see you again."

[Henri Gillet]

He joined Aurelia's side after she hugged Kieran. Henri nodded in agreement with her. Even if he was doing his job, he did help them.

"We'll see you again soon," he spoke up. "And I'll be sure to owl you once the potion is almost gone." Henri held out his hand for Kieran to shake it. He hoped that whatever was going on with Kieran would turn out to be alright.

[Kieran Michael Dawn]

Kieran managed a slight smile. He still felt embarrassed by the attention, but it wouldn't do any good to argue with them about it. The little bit of good that he had been able to do for them was apparently good enough. He still wished it could have been more.

He took Henri's hand and shook it quickly. "It was nice to meet you, Henri," he said. "Aurelia, I'll see you soon. tell Dani I said hi."

Quietly, he turned and left.

[Aurelia Krizova]

Aurelia watched him go, a sad expression on her face. As much as she worried for Kieran, there wasn't anything they could do for him until he was ready to ask for it. She hoped for his sake that he would turn to someone soon. She could see him beginning to crack under the pressure of everything. She sighed slightly, then turned back to Henri. When she looked at him, her serious expression changed back into a smile.

"Well, I guess we should go now," she said. "I don't know about you, but I'm positively starving. Where was that place you wanted to go to again?"

[Henri Gillet]

"It's about about a block and a half from here," he said taking her hand again. Henri started to lead Aurelia out of the small room. He waved to the receptionist as they took their leave.

"I think that you'll like it. They'll make you sandwiches or crepes. It's a fairly decent variety for breakfast and lunch, and of course any time you just want something small to eat." Henri smiled as they reached the sunlight again. "It opened up not to long ago." As far as Henri knew, there were two places like that in London. One by the Ministry and the other one near the hospital. Of course there was also a nice French restaurant around too. He thought that maybe he would take her to the Italian place that he heard about before, but Henri wasn't going to throw that idea out just yet.

[Aurelia Krizova]

Aurelia had missed the feeling of her hand in his. Just that simple touch seemed to make her whole body shiver. It was amazing how they could be apart for so long and still have that same attraction, especially when one of them didn’t remember the first time around.

“It sounds perfect,” Aurelia said, giving his hand a squeeze. “Maybe another time we can bring Danica here. I always love taking her to new places… she’s so curious and her eyes always get so wide and excited. And of course she loves to ask questions.”

[Henri Gillet]

"That she does," he said with a laugh. Danica's questions didn't bother him. Henri was willing to answer any question she asked, as long as he could give her some kind of response. Another thing that Henri liked about Danica was her curiosity. She was a fearless little girl, with the exception of her fear of heights.

"Maybe we could do that one weekend. I'm sure Danica wouldn't mind slipping away from school." Henri smiled at Aurelia.

It was a fairly quick walk to the place. Small tables were sitting outside, with several people sitting down; inside there were a few people in line. The atmosphere of the place was calm with the soft blue painted walls. Henri noticed that someone had finally finished painting the wall that depicted Paris at night.

"Do you have any idea what you would like," he asked turning back to her.

[Aurelia Krizova]

Aurelia looked around at the little restaurant. It was cute, decorated like the cafes she remembered from her time in France. It brought back memories of the times she sat with Henri, talking and laughing and being in love. At that moment, she didn't really care what she had to eat. All that really matter was that she was here with him.

"It's beautiful," she said. "One year, I think it was our sixth year, we slipped out of school for a weekend and went to Paris. We just walked around, ate in cafes, and you showed me the sites all around Paris. I felt like I could have stayed there for years and not seen everything."

Suddenly, a thought occurred to her, and her eyes widened. "You know what? I think I might have pictures from that trip. I haven't taken them out in a long time.... Dani has never seen them. Maybe after lunch we could go back to my apartment and I could show them to you."

[Henri Gillet]

"That is Paris," he said smiling. "So much to see, you really have to be there for awhile to get a feel for everything." Henri liked hearing the stories they had, even if he couldn't remember. He could take her back to Paris if she wanted, in fact, Henri felt that he would do anything she asked of him. In a way it was strange, but then again it really wasn't.

"Really? I would love to see those." Maybe if he saw the pictures, it would make him remember something. "And we could do that. I'm free all day." Even though he was willing to gain as many memories as he could, he was more willing to make more.