Take time to stop and gaze at the stars

[REGAN CLEO ROSS]

Another day and night spent on an errand mission. It seemed lately that Regan was being shunned toward the regularly scheduled duties. Just a few days ago she had been teamed up with Cav showing the new trainees the ropes to the auror life. Now she had been told to do the rounds at Hogwarts for the next few days and nights. Not to sound ungrateful but Regan just wanted and needed to be on a real mission. The usually chipper persona Regan had seemed a bit dimmed lately. After running into Archer at the pub and dealing with his bullsh*t Regan needed an outlet for her frustration before it seeped out through her mouth. The unpredictable nature of a dangerous task, especially if successful, always put Regan back to her normal self if she had been feeling a little off. The only plus side to tonight was that she was paired with her old mentor Kaelan although it would be a little rare for them to cross paths. Usually aurors patrolled the school on their own terms, covering more ground that way, so it was possible they wouldn't see each other until morning or if some incident happened.

Regan had been working her way up from the bottom floor to the top now needing to examine the tower for safety. She walked up the many stairs until she reached the door that lead to the outside for the astronomy tower. Opening it, a chilly breeze rustled the few strands of hair that had fallen for her bun, she walked onto the platform. She glanced around for any movement but the tower seemed rather empty. Before she would turn around and leave to continue her patrol Regan looked to the sky for any signs of entry. Some aurors forgot about an air break in. Regan liked to check all avenues to make sure her job was done to the strictest of perfection. Her goal was to rise up through the ranks and make a lasting name for herself so she didn't choose to slack of. However, with the mood she was sort of in, she wasn't up to performing at her 100% level. Perhaps it had something to do with the stars that caught her attention. The sky was painting with small bright dots that could take anyone's breath away. In the city, one was not able to see such a natural beauty, but out here tonight there was nothing to take away with it. The door slipped closed behind her as she walked toward a bench. She decided to sit for a few minutes. "Its not like I could get caught." Regan said quietly to herself. Her areas had been checked so it wasn't as if she couldn't have a small break. "Its so beautiful out, I need to get a place in the country, so my nights could be spent like this." She said, fantasizing a little. "Maybe I'll get a dog and have a porch swing so we can swing together and enjoy the stars at night or even the summer evenings or the storms. Yes. The storms would be marvelous out in the country." Talking to herself, as she sometimes did as if someone else was in the room, she was unaware of a person opening the door to the tower catching her sitting down on the job quite literally.

words: 565
tagged: Kaelan Marik Bramwell
notes:

[Kaelan Marik Bramwell]

Kaelan was used to these by now and didn't much mind that he had to spend the night patrolling Hogwarts. He had been on a particularly risky mission the other night and pulled it off, so tonight's easier pace was welcomed. Usually Kaelan did these kind of things alone and was more than fine with that as well, except for tonight. Tonight was a rare chance to work with his favorite person in the whole of the Order. Regan. He had taken a shine to his old apprentice of sorts and was pleased to know she was roaming the castle some place. As he made his way up the stairs to lead to the tower he stopped and took a check out one of the multitudinous windows and looked skyward, checking quickly for an air raid. Seeing none he mounted the stairs and started his journey to the top of the tower.

The man knew he more than likely wouldn't see Reagan until shifts end, little did he know how wrong he was. The stairs seemed to go on forever and he gave a slow sigh, taking a pause. Not because he was old, no, due to the fact that there was no need to rush at the moment. His mind wandered to the days he had trained Regan a bit, guiding her to where she was today and a proud smile lit his face. He could always count on her to do a thorough job. He was pleased with how meticulous she could get and continued walking again. The stairs finally rounded another bend, one of the last he hoped and grinned as he came to the door. Gently the older man pushed the door and walked out into the brisk night air.

He did not see her at first, but when he did, he scowled. "Regan! What is it you're doing?" Had she been speaking to herself? Wait, why was he surprised? That was something he had caught her doing before. Stay on track, Kaelan! he scolded himself and leaned against the wall of the edge of the tower and made a face at her. "We're supposed to be working, not thinking about taking a cuppa." He sounded mad, but he wasn't. He hoped she'd know him well enough by now to know as much. Sighing he shoved himself off the wall and walked over, leaning against the other wall, closer to her. "Can't blame you though, it's gorgeous tonight." Kaelan looked down to her and grinned. "Quit going mad, it'll be done soon enough." He knew her too well, he knew this was boring for her, where it was pleasant for him. His blue eyes danced as he watched her even though his stance was tense and closed off, his eyes always betrayed him.

Words: 467
Tagged: REGAN CLEO ROSS

[REGAN CLEO ROSS]

Wrapped up in her own possible future plans the sound of the door opening didn't withdrawl Regan from her mind. However, the sudden sound of a voice not belonging to herself did especially due to the tone. "Regan! What is it you're doing?" Made her jump up quickly, feeling guilty. If she had been caught by anyone else she wouldn't have felt so bad but considering it was the man who trained her into the Auror she was today made it worse. She felt as if it was a direct reflection on him with how she preformed and Regan being caught sitting down on the job was not how Kaelan had trained her. "Ummm.." She hesitated not knowing what to say. Regan wasn't a lair so making up an excuse for her actions wasn't a path she would take. Being honest was the only way she really knew how to be. "I got bored. I feel as if I've some how failed because I'm getting these mundane tasks instead of something exciting. I don't mean to speak ill about my job or anything but I just need some action I guess." Regan told Kaelan, not really meeting his eyes. She felt sort of like a child in his presence. He wasn't being overly harsh she just didn't want to disappoint him. "I'm sorry Kaelan." Regan said finally looking up at him. She could tell in his eyes he wasn't truly mad, if she hadn't been trained to really study people she would not have noticed the small give away.

A small smile finally broke her sullen face as he noted the beautiful night. Which set her off into another frenzy of words. "Yes it is, it sort of distracted me at first. We don't get to see such a view too often since most of our job requires us to be in the city. I came up here to check the area to make sure it was secure but I was just pulled in by the many lights. I couldn't help myself. I could probably stare at this all night." She stopped to catch her breath which didn't stop her for long. "I never really studied the constellations while at Hogwarts, I hardly know them. I wish I would have studied them more. Perhaps I'll get a book on them. They aren't really important to being an Auror, I guess that's why I didn't strive to learn more about the subject." Regan, although intelligent, wished she would expand her knowledge a bit further. One never knew when a piece of information would be of assistance. She turned to look at Kaelan, perhaps he might know. "Do you know anything about astronomy?" She asked. Regan became slightly distracted by the shine of his blue eyes. She had always found him handsome but tried to respect his space due to the fact they worked together as well as the passing of his wife. Even though it happened before they met she never wanted to over step any boundaries. Plus, Regan never would believe someone like him would be interested in her in such a way.

words: 523
tagged: Kaelan Marik Bramwell
notes: ^-^

[Kaelan Marik Bramwell]

Ah, now that made sense and was very much like Regan. "No worries, you haven't, you know that." He moved and sat down beside her. He was glad it was her he was working with tonight and smiled as she started to chatter on at him. If anyone else did that they might get an eye roll and him walking away, but not Regan. He suddenly registered she had apologized and blinked. "No no, I'm not mad, you should know that. We can take a small break, but nothing longer than ten minutes, yeah?" She leaned back on the bench and put his arm across the back of it, making sure not to touch her deliberately, he found her attractive, but he wasn't sure about the age gap. It was something he had chided himself on, since his wife had been younger than himself, but not that large of a gap.

Astronomy. He should have known she would ask something like that. "No, not too much, probably about as much as you." She looked skyward again and gave a contented sigh. "I study Defense Against the Dark Arts into the floor, I'd been wanting to do this sort of thing my whole life, I knew what I wanted." He looked back to her. "It made everything else seem...obsolete." Another shrug and the older man looked about them again. "The worst I can see happening tonight is a student out of bed. It's been quiet for a while, but that's no reason to get complacent." She smiled at Regan and stood slowly.

"Come on, let's get back to work, We can walk about for a bit together. As long as we're moving, it should be fine, for a short bit." His smile was bright and he relished spending the time with her. Once she had decided to move he opened the door for her and headed down the stairs, taking them quickly. "Why is it if you're not risking your ever loving life Regan you feel like you've failed?" He watched her once he hit the bottom, his blue eyes bright. "Take pleasure in the easier jobs, like this one, because sooner or later you'll come to that mission that nearly kills you and you'll be grateful to walk away in one piece." His voice was soft, but he was in mentor mode again. He knew how to mentor without sounding like he was treating her like a child. "This will become a welcome task after that, oh sure, you'll still itch for the chase, for battle, but this won't seem like such a chore in the end. " He watched around them as they walked, giving her fleeting glances. He never worked with anyone else this closely. Sure, he knew how to work in a team, he knew how to deal with his colleagues, but he didn't attach to them like he had attached to Regan.

The castle was quiet as they walked and the halls glowed from the sconces and he was content with this for the moment. "I personally like wandering the place I lived for seven years, it's homey." His shoes made little noise he traversed the halls. "I can remember causing havoc, I can remember the teachers going between loving me and hating me from one beat to the next." He laughed and rounded a corner. "Some of the best days of my life were in this castle." He meant it and it was there in his voice and his eyes sparkled as he reminisced.

Words: 589
Tagged: REGAN CLEO ROSS

[REGAN CLEO ROSS]

Assurance was something that Regan needed from time to time. She always acted was just a strong individual that she often forgot about her own internal battles occasionally. Kaelan had always proven to be a good support system when Regan did feel a bit unsure of how things were planning out in her life. He told her that she had not done anything, that she wasn't being punished for any fault of hers. In the back of her head Regan had already known this but sometimes a person couldn't help looking for an outside source for their issue, even if it was one that involved her. "I know. Sometimes a person just needs to have a reason that isn't given because it doesn't seem sufficient enough." She said with a small shrug. "I have never been the type to just take the answer I've been given without mulling over all possibilities. That would be like accepting someone saying the sky is orange without looking up myself." Regan stated. It also didn't help that Regan tended to be a perfectionist and was constantly worried about her performance at her job. She smiled at him when he said they could rest for a few. "Ten minutes sounds good to me." She stated as she leaned back on the bench feeling a warm spot lightly across her shoulders. She hadn't realized Kaelan placed his arm on the back of the bench, she almost jerked up quickly but didn't want him to get offended because that reaction would have even the most careless person concerned. Instead she relaxed and relished the innocent touch of his arm.

Nodding she understood she would not be getting an astronomy lesson tonight. "Maybe we should both get a couple books and maybe take a night and see what we can learn." She said almost without thinking. Sometimes she didn't really have a filter or even aware of how things sounded as she said them but she suddenly became aware of the context that suggestion could hold. "If you are interested that is...in astronomy." She added trying to recover. "It was pretty much the same for me. Studying Defense Against the Dark Arts, Potions, and the other core classes. I knew from an early age I wanted to be an Auror. I was cut from the cloth." She said with a light hearted smile. Actually, she wanted to become an Auror due to her being bullied a lot in Hogwarts. It made her want to put an end to even the simplest of evils in the world. In a way she owed her career choice a lot to Archer but she didn't want to think about him right now. "Students are always out of bed. Its so hard for me to send a student back to bed when we were all rule breakers under this roof." Regan said. "I mean, I was more of the goody-two-shoes type but even I had a few nights here and there doing things I shouldn't have been. Don't tell on me though, Kaelan." She said jokingly, a big grin spreading across her face.

The ten minutes had passed and Kaelan suggested they continue their patrol. She stood up and followed his lead. He held the door open for her just as a gentlemen would. His smile caught her attention and she almost stumbled down the first step. Luckily she caught herself otherwise that would have been a long tumble down to the bottom floor. "Oops" Her cheeks flushed red but being that it was sort of dark in the tower's stairwell it was sort of hard to see. "Thank you for holding the door." She said before continuing her way down the stairwell. Suddenly the conversation took another direction. Kaelan was questioning her about her need to be in the action. There was only way she knew how to answer it. "I just don't feel like I'm doing my job if I'm holed up here, tonight is an exception seeing as I always like spending time with my mentor, but I joined to put a stop to the wickedness in the world. This world we love so much needs to feel safe and I don't feel like I'm contributing enough patrolling hallways." She said, her brown eyes meeting Kaelan's blue ones. Both sets of eyes held a different version of intensity but Regan felt something surge through her in that moment, almost gut wrenching in a pleasant way. She blinked and doused the flame that seemed to be rising within her.

They began to walk down the hall and Kaelan was reminiscing about his school days. She smiled lightly at the vision of a younger Kaelan wrecking havoc within the castle. He seemed to look back on his days with happiness. His eyes sparkled a bit and Regan loved that look to him. "My days were a bit different. My experience made me into the person I am now, but I wouldn't want to go back. I can't look back with happiness as much as you can." She said a bit quietly. Her days were filled with torment between a few good times. She had been broken down and rebuilt during her stay within the castle walls. Regan was grateful for her time here but it wasn't anything she wanted to experience again in her lifetime.

words: 893
tagged: Kaelan Marik Bramwell
notes: ^-^

[Kaelan Marik Bramwell]

"I know. Sometimes a person just needs to have a reason that isn't given because it doesn't seem sufficient enough." Kaelan could understand that and nodded. "Understandable, Regan." He sighed and looked to her understanding completely. "I used to be the same way." His eyes danced as he watched her and the wind tugged at his hair. He could also understand her need to check things over for herself, she was nothing if not thorough. "Glad to see you took some of my teachings to heart, good to see you still needing to check everything twice." His smile was affectionate and he didn't miss the moment when she realized his arm was there and he smirked. She didn't jump, interesting. Maybe he'd have Persephone drop her a note one of these times, have her meet him in Hogsmeade for a drink or two. The thought smacked him and he recoiled for a moment before ignoring the fright and excitement the thought of dating brought again. He knew his long lost wife wouldn't want him alone or to wallow in her memory, but for some reason the idea of getting back out there didn't sit so well with him, but he didn't want to die alone either/ What a mess.

He snapped back out of it, realizing she was talking again and caught the tail end of the conversation. Hmmm, learning Astronomy together might not be a bad idea. "Sure, I think we could both enjoy that on our off time." He looked back to the stairs and once they were ready to go back in he turned, hearing her 'oops' and was more than ready to catch her. He moved quickly and had the back of her shirt as she righted herself and it caused him to almost tug her back into him. Thankfully he balanced them both back out and released her shirt. "Be careful, Regan." His chiding was gentle and held a lot of affection as he followed her down. The last thing he wanted was to watch her tumble down the stairs. What had she ended up distracted by? He hadn't the slightest idea.

"No worries, anytime." He smiled as she headed down the stairs and did his best to keep his eyes from her rear as she walked. No, no. She's so much younger than you. Get a hold of yourself, man. She was attractive and he wasn't dead, so of course he noticed the small things but missed that she had gotten lost in his smile and that was what had almost tipped her down the stairs. He was like any man and missed things like that. When she explained why she always had to be in the line of fire he nodded, completely understanding. "Ah, but see, you are doing some good here. If something happens, we are this place's first line of defense." His smile was warm and welcoming as they walked and he looked out another window. "We will always be doing good in the world, no matter how big or how small, every little bit counts, Regan." He looked back to her and laid a hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently. "We do not always need to be risking our lives to be making a difference in our world." He needed her to know that. She was one of those people to him that if he lost her, his whole world would crumble. That realization cinched it for him and he decided to ignore her age and ask her out for drinks one night, via Owl.

When she related her days here had not been all good, he frowned sympathetically. "I am very sorry to hear that, Regan." He meant it and his shoes made very little sound on the marble below them. His experiences had made him who he was today, so he got that too. "Isn't that usually the way of it? Don't our lives and the happenings within them make us who are meant to be?" He was damned sure that was the case and he peered around a corner, hearing a noise and watched as a student shuffled down the hallway, sneaking might have been a better word, but the Auror shrugged and smirked at Regan. "They act like we're their keepers and we'll send them back to bed." He chuckled a little and then sighed. "I don't think I will, as long as the child is not in danger." She stopped and leaned against the wall for a moment, watching her. "I am sorry your time here was not what it should have been, but for record, you turned out splendidly and you have always been a joy to train and work with. Just feel you should know." His expression was kind, affectionate and sincere. She was one of his favorites and he didn't see much of anything changing that.

Words: 815
Tagged: REGAN CLEO ROSS

[REGAN CLEO ROSS]

If there was one trait that Regan could truly appreciate in Kaelan was his ability to understand. Regan consistently felt understood whenever she spoke with Kaelan about her problems. No matter how alien they might of seemed to him, Regan always felt better after venting. Perhaps it was just his amazing mentor skills that allowed Kaelan to be able to connect to those who differed from him. Whatever it was Regan was pleased to have had Kaelan guide her through the journey of becoming an Auror. "I've taken all your teachings to heart. You've been the best mentor anyone could have hoped for. And I will pass on the same set of skills that you have gifted me with onto whoever I eventually mentor." She stated, her voice filled with gratitude. She remembered when she first began and she was assigned under Mr. Bramwell's wing. Many talked saying that he was a miserable man who couldn't seem to move passed the death of his wife. Regan felt those people were cruel. A person who lost a loved one had a right to be bitter if they felt like it. Who were they to say how quickly someone should get through the grieving process? Regan had still felt apprehensive because she knew some mentors could be brutal, that was their teaching style, and coming off of seven years of torment she wasn't sure she would last through the first round. However, Kaelan proved to be different once Regan broke through his shell. It took a while before Kaelan seemed to appreciate Regan and her quirks. Years later it led to a great friendship that Regan cherished.

Regan filled with glee when Kaelan said he would be interested in studying astronomy on their off time. "Great. I really can't wait. I enjoy learning new things, as you know, and it would just be a nice relaxing night to sit back and see what we can find in the stars. Maybe I'll even practice some predictions." She said with a laugh at the last bit. Regan had no talent in seeing the future however she thought it would be entertaining to see what the stars said or what she thought they did. "Sort of like the muggles due with their astronomy as well." She stated. Regan being halfblood knew plenty about the muggle world. She never distanced herself from that side of her like some did. She embraced both worlds as her home. Although she could admit she enjoy the magical one quite a lot. "We shall plan it out soon." She added. She couldn't wait to spend a long night with Kaelan. She paused and cursed herself inwardly. Those were not thoughts she was suppose to be having about her mentor. Regan glanced over at him and realized she really couldn't help herself. She liked Kaelan but would respect his boundaries.

A hand on the back of her shirt help steady her as Regan almost took a tumble down the stairs. It would have been quite a long one however, Kaelan had saved her from such a fate. "Thank you." She said, blushing slightly due to her embarrassment. "Sorry, I'll try. I was distracted." She mumbled. Although it was strange she sort of liked how Kaelan chided her for certain things. A part of her enjoyed that he cared and was protective in a fatherly way, or so it seemed to her. Kaelan then began to continue with a small talk about how even the smallest of protection was vital. She knew he was speaking the truth, it was a value he had taught her early on. "You are right Kaelan. I just need to be reminded every so often that all actions matter. Even these nights patrolling the halls. If we weren't here when something happened I would feel guilty and I don't want to feel that way. I guess I just need to get out some aggression. I'm feeling a bit pent up and I need to stretch my legs if that makes sense." Regan said, not wanting to reveal too much. Honestly, she really just wanted a good battle. Although Regan was the sweet type sometimes she needed the adrenaline rush that battles gave her in order to release some of her more deadly emotions that she liked to keep locked up. An encounter with Archer earlier this week had Regan reexamining herself. He had called her a hypocrite and selfish, two words Regan would have never describe herself as. Was he right? Regan was now trying to figure that out. She stopped, looking at Kaelan seriously. "Kaelan, would you ever consider me a hypocrite or selfish?" She inquired. "I want a completely honest answer. Don't worry about hurting my feelings." She added because sometimes friends couldn't be honest when it came to topics such as this.

Kaelan leaned against a wall and Regan remained where she stood. He offered his sympathies for her time here in Hogwarts. "Exactly, I'm proud of who I am despite the trouble I had to go through. I am thankful for my experiences here so please don't say you are sorry. I wouldn't be here with you tonight if they hadn't occurred. She said, looking up at Kaelan sincerely. She couldn't help but beam at his compliments toward her. "Thank you, I really don't know what to say." She stared a him a moment, cherishing the look he was giving her. She knew there was something more between them, but was it really right for them to act on it? "That's a first isn't it." She laughed, joking about her not having anything to say.

words: 942
tagged: Kaelan Marik Bramwell
notes: I think I messed up the flow but I was just writing and the idea came to my head about her hinting at something more bothering her causing her pent up anger.

[Kaelan Marik Bramwell]

Kaelan smiled when she informed him that she had taken all of his teachings to heart and it was honestly one of the reasons he adored the woman before him. That's when it finally struck him, she was a woman and not just his trainee. The realization helped him to make his decision in the long run and decided he would indeed ask her out for drinks and see what she said. His cheeks blazed pink as she praised him and his blue eyes danced and he almost wanted to hug her for her words. “Thank you, Regan.” His voice carried the wealth of affection he had for her and was unaware more than the little he wanted to convey showed through for a brief moment. He had been unsure when she was assigned to him, as he wasn't one for younger people, but she had turned out to be a good amount of fun and just what he had needed.

“You saved a piece of me, Regan. You were just the balm I needed to soothe my broken soul.” He smiled at her and the grin widened as she seemed excited to start learning about Astronomy with him. Truthfully the stars had always been a wonder for the man, and hell, it would be more time to spend with her. He was a pure blood, true, but she wasn't mentioning anything he didn't know. His wife had read the Astrology section every morning and basically took it to heart. He chuckled remembering it would set her pace for the day. “That we will.” He watched her, smiling and followed her as she walked.

“Distracted is fine, generally, but on the stairs, not so much.” He joked. She really was a balm for his soul and he was surprised at how true the words had been. He stopped though once they hit the bottom and she spoke the words. He beamed and nodded. “Aren't I usually right?” He was kidding again as they walked, close together, but not too close that they touched. “These children will rule our world one day and they need to be able to have that chance, hence why we're here.” His blue eyes sparkled as he looked her over and then around the castle again. “They need to be given every chance to have that happen, for them to feel safe to make those choice and mistakes as they need to.” He nodded again, fully understanding.

“We all need to be reminded every once in a while. It's human nature.” He also understood being pent up. “Mmmm, that feeling I know all too well, Regan.” He watched her and worried about losing her one day. That was a hazard though that came with the job. “Makes perfect sense, I get that way too sometimes.” He cut his blue eyes sideways to watch her and hoped that she would not go looking for trouble. “Promise me you will not go looking for a fight though.” The worry was clear in his voice as he addressed her. He adored her and really did not want to be notified that she had gone to do something crazy and had ended up dead. He wasn't sure he'd handle that well at all. Scratch that, he knew he wouldn't. He was sure it would be the last straw.

Her question took him by surprise and he eyed her. Regan? Selfish and Hypocritical? “No. Now who in the world put that in your head?” The pair had been in some close calls and she had saved his arrogant ass more than once. “If you were selfish, in those battles we shared, you would not have saved me Regan, you would have run and saved yourself.” It was stated matter of fact and he needed her to know that. “As far as hypocrisy goes, it's another thing I have no seen in you.” He wanted to growl it out at the thought that someone had to of put that into her head. He would make a reminder to question whoever had and let them know just what he thought of them and their messing with Regan. Kaelan was a protective sort of those he loved and cared for and he realized Regan was becoming part of both categories.

He stopped seething as she switched the topic and he eyed her again. “Good, I'm glad and I won't then. I forget that we're all made by choices and the like.” He smiled gently and looked out the window again, deciding now was the time to ask her. He felt she needed it as much as he did. “How about a yes to coming out with me for a few drinks?” He asked when she stated that she didn't know what to say and his smile was brilliant. “It just might be a first as I do not tell a lot of people that, you're one of the few I have no walls around.” Another truth and he watched her. “We could both use the drinks and the time away. What do you say?” His blue eyes locked on hers and he waited, his heart racing, knowing in his own mind he had just asked her out on a date.

Words:879
Tagged: REGAN CLEO ROSS