Ronan smiled faltered at the mention of his mother and any photographs of her. "Uh Pandora, I don't have any." he admitted to beside the young woman his hands going to his pockets. "And if there are any, my father has them somewhere." the young man added.

Ronan's smile return wider than before as Pandora came over to him, and placed his hand on her stomach. 'It's already happened.' he thought though he did not want to say so to Pandora who kept on insisting it hadn't.

"Do you wanna see the dining room?"

When Ronan said that he didn't have any photographs of his mother, fresh tears flowed down Pandora's cheeks. "That man does not deserve to know you! He's just a bitter old... git!" She said, her usual ease with words abandoning her.

"If we're lucky enough, I don't want him anywhere near our babies." She said this with steely determination. It was not a point she would compromise on.

Trying to lighten the mood she asked; "What did you think of the bathroom? You can change the colour if you like. I'd love see the dining room." She twined her hand with his.

Ronan kept silent as Pandora cried once more, his thumbs went to her cheeks rubbing away the tears. "It's alright Rose." he whispered wondering why Pandora was so distraught over the fact that he did not have pictures of his mother, most likely because of Owen Cavanaugh. "I have her right here." Ronan added pointing to his chest.

"Well he doesn't know where you live, and at least you have security charms around your home." The young man said with a brighter smile.

"I loved the bathroom." Ronan gushed. "I wouldn't want to change a thing." Leading Pandora by the hand, Ronan brought her along the hallway towards the dining room.

Pandora felt anger at Owen Cavanaugh flooding through her. How could a man deprive his son, his only child a photograph of his mother was completely beyond her comprehension. It was cruel, simply cruel. She covered the spot that Ronan indicated, above his heart, with her hand and reached up and kissed him.

" He won't find us. He doesn't deserve you." She murmured. And neither do I.

As he led her along the corridor, her heart pounded in her chest. "My home? I... I... sort of thought it was our home now." She said quietly.

She looked into the dining room and smiled. "It's lovely... and roses!" She smiled, "Thank you darling." She wanted to hug him but she was unsure. Would he want to leave his flat and live with her?

Ronan had to stop himself from continuing the kiss longer than Pandora wanted to. They would have time for such things later.

"I plan to make sure that he doesn't find us..ever." he whispered back. That would be sort of hard if what his father had said about being at the Ministry of Magic was true.

"Our home." Ronan repeated with a nod of his head. "Forgive me Rose, I meant our home." the young man apologized giving Pandora's hand a small squeeze.

He grinned widely at Pandora's positive reaction and replied, "You're welcome." in regards to her comment on the roses he had added as a finishing touch. Ronan leaned over and kissed Pandora's cheek tenderly and brought her into a tight hug. "It's our home." he repeated once more.

Pandora simply nodded when he said that his father would never find them. A plan was already forming in her mind...

When Ronan said "Our home." repeatedly, Pandora smiled and hugged him. "I love you." She said.

Pandora felt woozy, as though she might faint. "Darling", she said in a light voice so as not to panic him. "I think I'll go and have a rest while you cook, so that I can enjoy my meal." She didn't move away from him, but continued to hug him waiting for the sensation to pass.

Ronan smiled back and whispered, "I love you too Rose." He closed his eyes for a moment enjoying the moment.

'I think I'll go and have a rest while you cook, so that I can enjoy my meal.'

"Okay Pandora." the young man said quietly letting go of the young woman tentatively. Something seemed wrong, like she was falling ill again. "Just call me if you need me." he added kissing her forehead gently.

Ronan headed towards the kitchen to prepare a meal that consisted of ingredients that weren't on Pandora's 'what not to eat' list. He decided on chicken a mix of vegetables with absolutely no mushrooms.

Pandora regretfully watched her man walked into the kitchen. She decided to go and rest in the newly restored sitting room.

She lit a fire in the grate and stretched out on the sofa, pulling a blanket over herself.

Her eyes fluttered closed and she fell into a dream...

Sitting on the tyre swing with the little giggling girl in her arms, she swung them both backwards and forward gently.

"Who's that over there?" She asked.

The girl on her lap giggled hysterically. "Mummy you're so silly!" She managed to say.

"Who is it then?" Pandora tickled the girl a little.

"Stop it!" The child chortled. "That's my daddy and my Tan-tan! Silly mummy!"

Pandora saw Ronan turn towards her and smile, while the little boy waved madly...


Pandora stretched in her sleep as the dream faded away, a wide smile stretching on her over her face.

Ronan whistled a song he had heard in passing the London streets. It sounded like and oldie but a goodie as he continued along with making his and Pandora's dinner.

"Oh you make me smiiiiiiile." the young man belted as he got plates out from the cabinets.

Pandora stirred in her sleep, her eyes fluttering open. She could hear Ronan singing. Leaving the blanket on the sofa, she wrapped her arms around herself and made her way into the kitchen.

Leaning on the doorframe she watched him cooking and smiled. "I hope I'm not expected to sing for my supper, I don't think I'd earn any."

She went and sat at the table, still feeling woozy. "Darling, could you make my potion please."

"Don't know how I lived without you

Cuz everytime that I get around you

I see the best of me inside your eyes"

Ronan looked over surprised as Pandora spoke. His face flushed and he stopped singing. "How long have you been standing there?" he asked flustered.

'Darling, could you make my potion please.'

"Of course Rose." Ronan said quietly as he scooped out the vegetables from the pot and put them on two plates. The chicken had to cook for a little longer so the young man began on the potion quickly.

Soon everything was ready. Ronan took a few trips into the dining room first with the potion for Pandora which was in a tall glass of milk. He brought in a pitcher of ice cold water for both of them. Then he brought in the chicken and vegetables on two plates. Ronan smiled at all his hard efforts and then called out to Pandora. "Rose, everything's all set if you'd like to come join me."

With a resounding crack, Silas appeared just beyond the property line at Pandora's, small paper-wrapped package in hand. He thought to come check on her, since he hadn't seen her since she'd come by the house, and wouldn't be likely to see her now that he was no longer at the Ministry. He wondered if she even knew that. It had all happened so fast...

In any case, Silas conjured his coyote patronus and sent it up the path with a simple message. Pandora, It's Silas. May I come in?

Pandora laughed gently when he blushed. "Long enough to truly appreciate your talents." She told him with a wry smile.

She made her way in to the dining room and sat down, feeling a little uneasy. The past whispered to her in this room more than any other. She chided herself. She was supposed to be focusing on the future, not the past.

"This all looks wonderful, thank you." She smiled warmly.

She reached out and swallowed her potion as quickly as possible. "Urgh." She pulled a face. "That's revolting." She immediately felt guilty. She didn't want to upset Ronan, not when they were getting one so well.

A coyote patronus materialised infront of her. "Silas!" She looked at Ronan nervously. Had he and Silas seen each other since the accident? She wasn't sure. "I'll let him in."

She made her way to the to the front door and opened it. She saw her tall, slender friend and lifted the charms so that he could enter the property, waving at him to come down the path and into the house.

Silas raised a hand in greeting as the door opened and waited for the barriers to come down.

As she waved him in, Silas walked briskly down the path, smiling despite the chill in the air. As he reached the door, he held out a package to her. "Just a little something . Honey, with just the slightest bit of lavender. To make up for intruding on your evening."

Silas paused. "I... came to see how you were." He looked at his friend with quite a bit of concern. She'd helped him tremendously and he wondered if anything he did would make up for that.

Ronan felt his face flush even a deeper red as he busied himself still to get his mind off the situation.

"You're welcome Rose." he said quietly as he tucked into his own meal. The young man's nose scrunched when Pandora complained about the potion. "I expect it does." Ronan replied sympathetically, giving the girl an apologetic smile.

Just then, a coyote patronus came into their presence and Ronan's back stiffened when he realized that it was Silas' voice. He nodded solemnly to Pandora as she told him that she was going to let her friend in. Ronan's jaw clenched as he drummed his fingertips against the table gently.

When she saw is discomfort, Pandora gave Ronan a swift kiss to try and reassure him that every thing would he okay.

Pandora smiled widely, trying to hide her exhaustion with enthusiasm. "It's lovely to see you!"

Her engagement ring sparkling in the sunlight, she took the parcel from him smiling ruefully as she wondered why he bothered to wrap it if he was going to tell her what it was before she could open it. "That's lovely, thank you. You know I'm a honey-aholic." She reached up and kissed him lightly on the cheek. She flicked her wand and restored the protective spells around the cottage.

"Come on in, we were just sitting down to dinner. Would you like to join us?" She led him down the hallway, which still need to be repaired, and into the dining room. As she was slightly in front of him she could lie without him seeing her face. "I'm fine, I'm an oblivator now, I love it. There's so much to learn!"

"Darling," She addressed Ronan, "Silas came bearing a gift, isn't that lovely?"

She turned to Silas, "Would you like a drink?"

Silas smiled softly as Pandora took the package and kissed his cheek. A glimmer caught his eye and he glanced down, noticing the ring on her hand. Was that a...

Silas looked back to her face in surprise, just as she turned. He was about to say something when she called to Ronan. Of course he'd be here. Silas wasn't sure why he hadn't thought of that. He stiffened slightly as he responded to her earlier question. "No, no, I don't want to interrupt your dinner. Like I said, I just wanted to see how you were since I won't be running into you at the Ministry any more..."

Clearing his throat, he changed the subject. "Are there congratulations in order?" He looked to Pandora, raising his eyebrows as he once again glanced at her hand, and then back over to Ronan.

Ronan gave an almost forced smile as Pandora kissed him. He was nervous for the elder man's visit, wondering if Silas would be willing to trust him now.

When Pandora and Silas returned to the dining room, Ronan stood up and went to Pandora's side, a brighter grin coming to his face as the visit would appear to be a civil one. "That's lovely." he said looking at the parcel in the young woman's hands. "Thank you very much Silas." the young man said to their visitor warmly.

Ronan looked down at Pandora and then to Silas, and then to the ring that was on Pandora's left hand ring finger. "Why don't you tell him Rose." Ronan said quietly a secret smile appearing on his lips.

Pandora didn't notice Silas stiffen. "You're more than welcome. Ronan's cooked plenty of food, he's been looking after me, helping me build my strength up. Why won't I be seeing you at work? Has something happen?"

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack Mannequin

Ronan gave an almost forced smile as Pandora kissed him. He was nervous for the elder man's visit, wondering if Silas would be willing to trust him now.

When Pandora and Silas returned to the dining room, Ronan stood up and went to Pandora's side, a brighter grin coming to his face as the visit would appear to be a civil one. "That's lovely." he said looking at the parcel in the young woman's hands. "Thank you very much Silas." the young man said to their visitor warmly.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AmbiguouslyMe

Clearing his throat, he changed the subject. "Are there congratulations in order?" He looked to Pandora, raising his eyebrows as he once again glanced at her hand, and then back over to Ronan.

Pandora flushed with happiness. "Well, Ronan asked me to marry him a few weeks ago. We haven't made an official announcement because... well, we've been getting used to it ourselves." She beamed, her eyes sparkling with a happiness that she was sure Silas had never seen before. It temporarily lifted the exhaustion from her face.

"I resigned," Silas said simply. "I was working far too hard to be able to help take care of the twins once they come." He shrugged. "We're not ready for them, so now seemed a good time to step down."

It bothered him a little. Almost as if his father was right all along. That he'd never be a proper wizard, would never hold a proper wizard job.

Engaged? So soon after the... accident? incident? Silas didn't know what to think, but he saw the look of happiness on Pandora's face and couldn't help but feel happy for her. He thought back to their conversation at the Leaky and how much things had changed since then.

"That's wonderful news," he said sincerely, before realizing what this meant. Raising a hand to cover his eyes, he sighed. "My wife doesn't know, does she?" he asked rhetorically. "She's going to hex me if she finds out I knew first and didn't tell her." Silas dropped his hand. "Secrets and all..."

Secrets. Merlin. Pandora. and SECRETS. A look, not quite of panic, but of urgency entered his eyes as he looked to Pandora, hoping her mind had made the same jump. "Maybe I will stay for that drink..."

He had a feeling that a very awkward conversation was going to need to be had. And all he'd wanted to do was bring by some honey.

Ronan grinned proudly when Pandora explained to Silas that the pair were engaged. His arm wound around the young woman's waist, holding her fast to him. "Just seemed right." he added to the conversation seeing as he hadn't mentioned anything about it just yet to anyone really.

Ronan's brow furrowed when Silas mentioned that he resigned. It seemed rather uncharacteristic of the man but he stayed silent since it wasn't his place to say anything of the sort. 'Wonder if I'll have resign if me and Pandora have a child.' he thought to himself swallowing.

The young man's eyes bugged out when Silas said that Dora didn't know. He turned to Pandora and asked, "You didn't tell her yet?!" Knowing Dora, she would probably be slightly hurt that one of her close friends didn't tell her that she was engaged.

Pandora nodded. "Well, I'm sure that Chad will miss you, but those babies need a devoted daddy and they've got one in you." She thought back to the conversation that they had in the Leaky all those months ago. So much had changed, for both of them. "You'll be able to go back eventually, when everything settles down." She gave him a warm smile.

Pandora flushed with embarrassment. "I haven't been well enough to do much but go to work and sleep. I feel terrible that I haven't been to see her. I'll come and see her soon, you can tell her. I know that she hates secrets."

Secrets... She saw the expression on Silas' face. Oh MERLIN!! Her mind went to the box in the cellar...

Pandora glared at Ronan when he exclaimed that she hadn't told Dora. He was supposed to be supporting her and that just wasn't helpful. She squeezed the hand that had snaked around her waist.

"Darling, could you go and make a pot of tea? And bring the elf made wine out of the pantry?" Pandora had a feeling they were going to need it, even if she wasn't supposed to drink right now.

Ronan felt his face flush at the icy look on Pandora's face. When she asked for him to go get tea and the wine, he nodded calmly. 'She's not having a single drop.' he thought to himself unwrapping his arm from around her waist and passing by Silas to go into the kitchen.

Pandora did not miss the look on Ronan's face. She rolled her eyes. One small glass of wine was not going to hurt anything, it wasn't as though she was pregnant already...

When Ronan left the room, Pandora turned to Silas and in a low voice said, "I'm going to have to tell him Silas. He's going to move in here, we've been told it's okay for us to try and have a baby... we're going to be a family. I can't keep this from him."

She slumped into a chair, running a hand over her face. All she had wanted to do was eat her dinner and then go to bed, read or talk with Ronan for a while... She doubted that would happen now. She felt sick again.

She looked at Silas imploringly. "I trust him. After everything. I have to tell him."

"I wouldn't expect you to keep it from him." Silas too slumped into a chair, leaning his elbows on his knees and leaning his face in his hands.

"He should know. Though, I'd.. like the opportunity to explain it, though, after you tell him?" Silas sighed, wondering exactly what there was to explain that would actually make logical sense, but the fact remained that it had been months since the deal had been struck, and not a peep of trouble had some their way.

Silas absentmindedly brushed his fingers against the forearm where his wand was holstered. He certainly hoped he wouldn't need it.