Pandora watched Silas drop into a chair.

"I'm glad that you you said that Silas, because I just don't know where to start."

She saw him stoke his arm where she knew that his wand was stowed. "There'll be no need for that." She told him, "No need whatsoever. He's changed."

She looked to the doorway, waiting for Ronan to come back, nervously fiddling with the sleeve of her robes.

Ronan returned to the dining room with three mugs of tea and the bottle of elf wine that Pandora had described. He was levitating only two glasses along with them, and knowing that the pair would look at him curiously explained, "Rose, you've been feeling ill and I would really advise you not to drink anything...please."

He gave the young woman a pleading glance and then placed the hot beverage in front of both her and their guest. Ronan then joined the two at the table once more, sitting in silence, unsure of what the pair had been discussing, and not wanting to interrupt.

Pandora looked at Ronan and frown. "Darling, I'm fine, just a little tired, that's all."

She stood up and got a small glass from the dresser. She poured the wine out for each of them, passing the two men a larger glass each. She took a few forkfuls of her meal and then sipped her wine.

She looked at Silas and then at Ronan. "I've got to tell you something darling. Silas... I've been keeping something for Silas and Dora, and I'll keep it for as long as they need me to... Silas..."

She looked at her friend, "You tell him, please." She took another long sip of the wine and a forkful of her dinner, glancing between the two men.

Ronan stopped himself from saying anything to Pandora in front of Silas. He would have to say something to her after everything was all said and done with their visitor.

The mood in the room seemed to become tense and as Pandora spoke, Ronan looked from her to the man sitting near them and then back confused.

'Silas...you tell him please.'

Ronan turned his full attention to Silas wondering what sort of thing the two had been hiding together.

Silas graciously accepted the glass from Pandora and sat, running his thumb along the lip as she tried to speak. Looking between the two of them, Silas took a deep breath as he met Ronan's eye.

"There's... no good place to start except to say that Dora and I owe Pandora our lives. And the lives of our children." Silas paused and looked away, draining his glass in a single gulp. Glancing over at Pandora, he took a breath and continued, again rubbing his thumb along the edge of the glass.

"My father is a madman. And I don't mean that lightly. He has killed. He has tortured. And he despises me." Silas leaned forward. "I can explain more if you feel like you need to know, but really, all you need to know is this about my father and my brother. Ten years ago, they were responsible for the death of the woman who would have been my wife. And some months ago, they came for Dora."

Silas paused again, looking to Ronan, making sure that the desperateness of the situation had sunk in.

"The one thing that keeps us safe, that deters them from coming for us again, is in Pandora's basement."

Pandora allowed Silas to explain. Perhaps Ronan would make the connection to the name Druery on his own. After all, his father was a political animal, that name was often mentioned when talking about the worst kind of wizard. There had been no proof, no trial: Arsenius Druery was far too cunning for that. There had been rumours and stories; if only half of them were true, he was an evil man indeed.

She took another sip of wine and put her half full glass down on the table. "Silas is as different from his father as you are from yours. If I hadn't listened to his advice... I would never have let you into my heart." She stated it simply, it was the truth.

She looked at Silas and gave him a warm smile, squeezing his hand in a reassuring way.

"I agreed to do it because they are like my family." Dora was like my sister until... She shook herself, her other hand had spread protectively over her abdomen again. "They would do the same for me... Silas has done the same for me."

She turned back to Ronan, still grasping Silas' hand and tried to read his reaction.

'Ten years ago, they were responsible for the death of the woman who would have been my wife. And some months ago, they came for Dora.'

Ronan paused trying to think if ten years ago he remembered hearing anything of that. He furrowed his brow realizing that he must've already been in America by that time and forgetting his previous life because he didn't remember hearing about anyone going to Azkaban with the name of Druery in the papers. The young man stayed silent not wanting to interuppt Silas during his explanation.

'The one thing that keeps us safe, that deters them from coming for us again, is in Pandora's basement.'

Ronan looked from Silas to Pandora and back again. He finally spoke, "What is it then?" Now curious to understand more about the secret that seemed to establish the pair's friendship.

Ronan grinned respectfully at Silas for giving Pandora the advice. "Well I guess I have to thank you for that Silas." he said looking from him to Pandora. He would've been upset if Pandora had completely ignored his attentions.

Ronan did notice out of the corner of his eye that Pandora was still drinking the wine that she insisted on having. He reached out and took the glass away from the woman as if it were an every day occurence and went back to waiting for an explanation from Silas about what was in Pandora's home. His home.

He looked back and forth more out of confusion than anger which the pair seemed to be anticipating.

Silas squeezed Pandora's hand and looked at her with gratitude in his eyes. "You gave me some good advice as well," he said softly, before releasing her hand.

Flicking his wrist, he unholstered his wand and summoned the bottle of wine. Gripping it tightly, he poured himself another glass, which he also drank rapidly, before filling the glass a third time and placing the bottle down at his feet. He held the newly filled glass in his hand as he considered how to answer Ronan's question.

"Evidence," he said simply, his eyes focused intently on the liquid in the glass as he swirled it about. "If there's one thing my father wants more than to see me suffer, it is to stay out of prison. I do not turn him in because then we would be as good as dead." Silas stopped the swirling and sipped the wine, eyes still focused away from Ronan's face. "He does not kill us, because if he did, then the evidence would end up with the aurors."

Silas drained his glass again. "Mutually assured destruction," he said simply. "No one can know that Pandora has it. The entire arrangement rests on him not knowing, and thus not being able to eliminate, the person who would turn over the evidence if something were to happen to Dora and I."

Pandora chuckled. "It was worth half a bottle of spilled mead." She gave him a wink. They had both profited from that rather fraught conversation.

The conversation returned to the serious matter at hand. "Can you see why I couldn't tell you without Silas being here? After what happened, I needed to wait for Silas to see that you and I are serious, that we are forever." She said this with touch of asperity, adding "I actually haven't finished my drink darling." She reached out and took the glass back, taking a sip.

When Silas made it clear how dangerous a favour she was doing for him, she closed her eyes. She wished that he had not mentioned that, but the drink seemed to have loosened his tongue. She knew that Ronan would not like that there was a potential danger for them. She opened her eyes and looked at Ronan. "There's no way to track it, they can't find out that it is here unless they are told. It's sealed in the wall in the cellar. Dad used to transform down there so there are all kinds of spells protecting the door. The only way is if I lift the spells. Or if Malachi does, but he doesn't know that it's here." Oh she had really done it now. The M word. She could have kicked herself.

"Evidence." Ronan repeated the word. His confusion was strangely becoming anger. 'Why didn't she tell me this before?' he wondered turning his gaze to Pandora who had taken her drink back.

"So is there a chance that Pandora can be found out?" Ronan asked a little concerned that his fiancee may be in some sort of danger. If that was a case, Ronan had all the more reason to be upset with her for not telling him about this.

And yet the young woman seemed to be acting so carefree about the sitation. 'Was that a wink?' he asked himself, taking in a deep breath to calm himself.

"Pandora, please stop drinking that." Ronan said almost in a pleading manner. His assumption were still swirling around his head. He did not want her drinking any sort of alcohol if she was indeed with child. After all, it would be harmful to the fetus. Complications that would be difficult to deal with.

'Well I guess that answered my danger question.' Ronan thought as he nodded along to her explanation. But the name Malachi hit a snag. He was involved in this, in a minor way sure, but still involved. Ronan clenched his jaw using every fiber of his being not to say anything rude about the man in front of Silas.

Pandora could see how angry Ronan was getting but him going on about the wine was needling her. She took another sip and said, "Why? Why do you want me to stop? There's no good reason. It amounts to less than half a flippin' glass Ronan, it won't hurt anything."

She could see his jaw tense when she mentioned Malachi. The combination of nerves and the vague nausea she was feeling prompted her in to speech."Oh do grow up Ronan, he's the one who came up with the spells in the first place to protect me. You have nothing to be jealous of. If I'd wanted to marry him, I would have said yes when he asked me."

That had been cruel, she had found a sore spot and poked at it. At that moment she didn't really care.

Ronan stood up at that point, and cleared his throat. "I'm sorry Silas, but I believe that I've received enough information from you and Pandora to disclude myself from this conversation." he addressed the other man in a clear tone.

"Rose." Ronan said with a curt nod of his head and leaned in to kiss her cheek briefly.

"Goodbye to you both." he added with a fleeting grin before walking through the kitchen, towards and out the door and down the path before he could apparate back to Nevern Place.

Of all the things to find troubling about this evening, he picks the wine?? Silas looked up at Ronan quizzically as he and Pandora exchanged jabs.

"Look," he interupted. "Everyone's safe so long as everyone sticks to the plan. Which is simply... don't talk about it."

Silas looked up expecting confirmation, but he realized he'd been speaking to no one, as the two continued to verbally spar. And then quickly as it had started, it ended, with Ronan leaving abruptly. Standing, startled, Silas watched as the young man walked away.

"He'll keep quiet, right?" He looked down at Pandora, a look of worry crossing his face.

When Ronan 'discluded' himself from the conversation, Pandora narrowed her eyes at him. As he tried to kiss her cheek, she jerked her head away so that he couldn't.

"I can't believe that you're throwing your teddy out of the pram Ronan! We need to discuss this properly!" She called after him, annoyed.

She thought that she heard the door slam, which caused more chunks of the old plaster work to fall off the wall.

She looked at Silas in disbelief. "He drives me 'round the flippin' twist!" Her Yorkshire accent got strong due to how she was feeling. Her mask had truly slipped now.

"Oh he'll keep his mouth shut, when he calms down a bit he'll see that he's being ridiculous, he always does. It's my fault. I mentioned Malachi. He's jealous, when there's no need for him to be. Like I said, if I wanted to be married to Malachi I would be, he asked me to marry him just after my father died."

She rubbed her hands over her tired face. "I'm sorry to have to do this Silas, but I need to go and see him and sort this out. If I don't... it'll just fester."

She stood up and walked to the door, and turned in the doorway. "He's literally only just sorted this room. It was a wreck, just like most of this place and me. I love him Silas and he doesn't seem to understand that means no one else gets to have me."

Tears welled up in her eyes. "I-I just hope that we can sort this out. It's ridiculous."

Silas nodded understandingly as Pandora said she had to go. As she stood in the doorway, Silas approached and rested his hands on her shoulders in a sort of friendly, familial way.

"Go. And I know you can sort it. I can tell you love each other. If you didn't, you wouldn't drive each other nearly as crazy." He hazarded a small smile, thinking of his own wife. "Do you have any idea how many times Dora's stormed out on me like this? It'll be fine."

He dropped his hands from her shoulders. "Come on, I'll walk out with you so you can put the charms back up."

When Silas put his hands on her shoulders in an almost brotherly fashion, Pandora felt soothed. When she had first met him, she hadn't been sure about him but now... he was a great friend.

"Thanks," She said tearfully, "Can you tell Dora something for me? Tell her I miss her. I'll just get my bag."

She walked into the parlour and picked up her handbag. An idea struck her and she crossed to the small side table, unlocking the draw and taking out a small piece of rock. She slipped it into her handbag.

Walking back to Silas she said, "I'm ready." She remember his dislike of apparating and asked, "Do you want to Floo?"

Silas watched her sadly, nodding. "I'll tell her," he whispered as she walked away. He hated seeing people upset, and seeing as how this was mostly his fault, having brought Pandora into his mess, he felt almost responsible.

When she returned, he shook his head. "No no, I'll walk you out. I suppose you're still taking the bus?" He offered her his arm, just in case, as he headed toward the door.

Pandora saw the sadness in Silas' eyes. "Thank you." She said quietly.

She took his arm when he offered it, his gentlemanly action making her smile. "Yes, until otherwise instructed, I'm on the bus or the Floo and the flat isn't connected to the Floo." She pursed her lips, holding in the back the comment that was on the tip of her tongue. Instead she opened the door and allowed him to pass her. She locked the door and took Silas' arm again. Walking up the hill she felt a little lightheaded and sick but she had to go and find Ronan and sort this whole mess out.

She paused at the boundary, glancing down the lane to see if there were any of her muggle neighbours in the vicinity. She reset the security spell and then held out her wand for the Knight Bus and turned to Silas, kissing him lightly on the cheek. "Thank you. I'll see you later."

Silas walked up the path, trying his best to be a steady support for Pandora without actually physically holding her up. He walked in silence, eyes fixed on the path.

When they reached the boundary, he felt her release his arm, and he turned to her. "Anytime," he said softly, placing his hand on her shoulder again as she kissed his cheek. "Let me know if there's anything else I can do."

Watching as the purple monster of a bus pulled up, Silas stepped back from Pandora and raised his hand in farewell. Looking around again to make sure he wouldn't be seen, Silas turned on the spot and disappeared with a crack.

END OF SCENE

New Scene

Pandora was in the kitchen, listening to the wireless, and trying to make pastry. It wasn't exactly going well. She had cleaned the whole cottage that morning, doing the last minute fixes to the walls in the hall and preparing a surprise for Ronan.

Deciding to admit defeat with the pastry, she vanished the mess and felt very relived that she had been to the bakery.

Tajma pranced into his kitchen and wound himself around his mistresses ankles. He went to his favourite warm spot in front of the aga and curled up, purring happily.

Pandora smiled and checked the clock, looking down at her kneazle as she tapped the kettle with her wand. It quickly began to steam and she turn up the song that was playing, singing along in a distracted kind of way. "All I need is somewhere I can feel the grass beneath my feet... my joy will be complete."

The kettle began to whistle and she poured the water on to the fruit tea bag that she had. She put the kettle back on the stove and looked at the clock again.

Ronan apparated just down the pathway from Old Mill Cottage. He looked back and forth making sure that none of Pandora's Muggle neighbors were around him before taking out his wand, producing his eagle patronus and sent it up towards the house.

'Rose, it's me..I'm sorry if I'm late..' the patronus said as it appeared before Pandora.

Ronan waited silently at the end of the lane, waiting for the magical protective spells to be lifted so that he could go see his fiancee.

Pandora gasped when a silvery eagle glided through her kitchen door and spoke in Ronan's voice. She smiled widely, turned off the radio and made her way through the cottage opening the front door. She took out her wand and gave a few complicated movements, looking up at the gate where Ronan was standing. She waved to him to come down to meet her.

She shivered suddenly, realising that it was actually quite cold. Rubbing her arms, she smiled as she watched him get closer to her.

Ronan picked up the suitcase and Lancelot who let out a small meow from his cat carrier and walked up the pathway that lead to Pandora waiting for him patiently.

He finally came up to the door and smiled widely as he greeted Pandora with putting his belongings on the ground, pulling her back into a hug and kissing her firmly on the lips.

"Hello darling." Ronan said quietly kissing her gently just one more time before untangling his arms from around her frame and picking up his belongings again. "Guess we should go inside, it's a bit nippy out still."

When he pulled her into an enthusiastic kiss, she slipped her arms around his waist.

"Now that's what I call a proper hello! Do I get one of those everyday?" She asked, eyes twinkling. "It is still cold, your right. I've just boiled the kettle so you arrived at the right moment." She leaned forwards and lifted Lancelot's travelling cage up. He meowed loudly. "Hello sweetness, you can get out soon, I promise." She cooed to the little cat. She flicked her wand and reset the security spells.

She led Ronan down the hall saying, "I'll show you which ones I use later. I had to adapt a few over the years, what with one thing and another."

She walked into the kitchen and put Lancelot's cage down, opening the catch so that he could come out and explore. "The worktops and tables are charmed so that the kits can't climb on them. It's just not hygienic." She told Ronan, "Besides, there are plenty of trees for them to climb."

"How many more trips do you need to make?" She asked before turning to kiss him. "Sorry, I just couldn't not do that." She grinned.

"Oh of course Rose, though I expect the children may begin to complain sooner or later." Ronan said with a small chuckle, as he rested his hand on her stomach for a brief moment.

'Lemmeoutlemmeoutlemmeooooooooouuuuuuttttt!' Lancelot meowed as Pandora looked into his cage. However, he smelled the familiar smell of the scary kneazle he had to spend time with at the strange out. 'Daddy bring me hooooome!' he meowed again.

Ronan snaked an arm around Pandora's waist as they walked down the hallway. As the young woman opened the cage carrier door, Ronan tried to coax the animal out in a soft voice. "C'mon Lance, it's your new home, you're going to have to get used to it sometime."

Lancelot stepped outside of his carrier tentatively, looked around and smelled the air, hoping that the scary kneazle wouldn't bother him so soon after his arrival.

'How many more trips do you need to make?'

"None, everything's all right here." Ronan said holding up his suitcase with a proud smile. "I charmed the suitcase to have an endless bottom so all my things could fit inside." he explained just before Pandora kissed him again.

"I-i-i..." Ronan was speechless as he looked at Pandora with a goofy grin.