FLASH FORWARD [Open to anyone CLOSE to Alexandra]

Taken aback just a bit by the forcefulness in his tone, Misery gave a strict nod of her head. She had been absolutely right.

"This and that," she stood, deciding to retreat for the evening after all. Being out during the day certainly wasn't helping her health, and sleep was the only thing she craved as of then. Having drunk quite a bit of the liquor, she feared to do or say something out of turn. Therefore, offering a warm smile to the woman and calling a cold 'Goodnight' to the other, Misery moved towards the door, taking great care not to stumble in her step. She doubted either would try to stop her - Ena, because she would have understood, Alexander, because he simply had no more reason to care - and was perfectly content with that. At least, that's what she told herself.

"Good night Misery." she returned with a smile. Ever since work started to take over her life somewhat, Alexandra had come to value her friends more. It was clear that she felt her presence was unwelcome by Luke and was very courteously leaving. Despite Misery's parting with good grace, she made a note to check on her friend once Luke had gone to bed.

Once the Vampire had left, she turned to Luke with a slight frown. "I'm very sorry I've been trying to push you two together for a while and I see it won't work if I try to force it. For that I apologize... Even so, was it necessary to be rather uncivil to her?"

Hearing Misery's footsteps, and the door closing behind her, Alexander looked back. With the absent of Misery, left this living room cold, an uninviting. Weariness crept on him, like an unwanted disease. He needed time alone to himself. He always wanted to be alone of late.

Hearing Leoine Apologize, he waved it off like it was no big deal. Misery would not understand, anyways. he told himself, but in reality she would be the one more than most, even Leoine who would understand, but Alexander did not want to burden her, or anyone else for that matter. 'Ms. Leoine the tea was lovely," he said stepping away from the window, leaving the parcel behind. "I think I will be going on my next mission tonight. If you have any information please contact me." And he too slipped through the door, going to the opposite direction than Misery.

A mixture of surprise and barely concealed pain flashed across her face before disappearing behind a sad smile. Why was it that her friends refused to get along with one another on occasion as such? Surely Luke had gotten over most of his pain from parting with Cazz... It was six years ago after all. But recently, he had been growing further and further away and she didn't know why. Was she sacrificing her friendships for her work.

She stared at the abandoned parcel silently as he exited the room. Chewing the inside of her cheek, Alexandra brought along a few bottles of wine and headed to Misery's room. She really could do with a drink and wanted to check up on her friend.

A few minutes later, Alexandra was standing outside of her friend's door. She rapped it gently with her knuckles and waited for a reply.

Back inside her room, Misery moved towards the window to gaze outside, seating herself on the windowsill and breathing calmly against the chilly air that caressed her face. Naturally, when she finally should have been able to do so, she found herself unable to sleep. And not just because it would have been unnatural, herself being a nocturnal being in the first place.

It was lovely to see him again, certainly. And yet she hoped she had not, but rather continued her days as they were, with not a word or glimpse of him. Since last they parted their ways, Misery took care to look at the blue sand once. And she did not like what she saw.

The knock startled her, as she hadn't expected company just yet. Distracted as she was, it took a moment for her to get up and near the door, opening them for Ena to enter.
"He's gone?" she asked, knowing the answer well enough even before it was voiced.

Out on the other side of the front door, he took a few minutes to calm himself. Why am I acting this way? he asked himself, but no answer came. He liked her very much, but he kept her fare enough away so she did not get wrapped up in what he had to do.

He thought he ought to leave and give her space, but his feet felt like they where glue to the steps. He needed to at least amend for the way he was acting back their. With the flick of his wrist the wand slide down from his sleeve pocket. With the flick of his wrist, a necklace formed on the door handle. It was a simple black string with a ruby red tear drop stone hanging from it. A small note was attached to it.

Dear Misery,

Have fun

ALB

She simply nodded and walked into the room. Luke's farewell gestures had not exactly been very kind and at the moment she was not feeling very charitable towards him. She sat on a couch and put some the drinks on a near by counter. Pouring herself a generous amount of alcohol, she did the same for Misery and passed a full glass to her.

He started to slowly walk off, putting his hoody back over his face. Half way through the grounds, he looked back to see part of Misery in the window. Her blonde hair was distinguish in the moon light. Seeing her again brought up to many mix emotions, but he could not help smile remembering all the good fun they had together.

And with that, he turn in a blink of an eye into an Eagle and was gone.

Pushing the door close lazily, Misery followed after her friend, glass in hand as she plopped down onto the soft couch for the second time that evening. Leaning backwards and taking a sip of the strong drink, her nose scrunched up in disgust.

"Funny thing is... I never regretted risking my mind for all those meditations. Though a bit more sanity left in me would be nice. Or reason. Or whatever the correct word is. This drink is horrible."

The back of her throat burned from the strength of the alcohol. She coughed for a moment, not used to it. A few seconds later she had stopped coughing and took another gulp.
"I know it's bad. But it gets you drunk faster." her voice was more husky than before due to the dryness resulting from the drink. "Nnn... What meditations? Luke's parents you mean?" Already she was getting a bit tipsy. The fact that she had been drinking earlier made it worse.

Reaching over to the other, Misery took her glass away easily.
"Enough. You should call it a night," her lips held a small frown, her own glass half-empty and head a bit heavy.

"I should, too," she rubbed her temples, already warding off the upcoming - stronger than present - headache. Yes, the meditations. Were they not a reason for the ever present pain in her head as well? No? Chest, then?

"Nope." her lips popped, emphasizing the 'p'. "It's been too long since I last got drunk and I'll be damned if you or Luke stop me." she rather wanted to get drunk. It had been a long time since she'd even gone out or done something not work related. Alexandra needed to let lose for a while in the safety of her home and relax. The last thing she wanted was to end up like Michelle Christensen.
"Have another sip?" she conjured a new glass with ease and poured more wine into it then gulped it down before Misery could stop her. Admittedly, the glass was a rather odd shape, more like a margarita glass than a wine glass, but too hell with it.

Laying back with a sigh, Misery knew when it was pointless to argue. Her gaze travelled to the window again and she imagined the flap of wings she used to hear sometimes, but that was now a distant memory. Though her prior intention was to enjoy the liquor for the night as well, her glass was now left with an unchanging amount of liquid inside. It was a pointless thought.

"I need some air," she exclaimed suddenly, though quiet in voice. After giving a warning to her friend not to get too drunk before she came back, she slipped through the shadow and out to the front yard of the residence.

She gave a sigh and nodded, taking smaller more measured sips as she waited for her friend to return. Alexandra stood up unsteadily from the couch and sauntered over the window sill where she sat down again. Staring through the glass blankly, she got lost in her mind. Over the years she had over seen many changes including those in people. Madison had become more paranoid. Michelle gone insane. Luke grew colder and more awkward. Cazz was a mother but her child had yet to be corrupted. Evie and Lacetta had fallen in Love. As far as she knew Sorrow knew who Cazz was yet tolerated it. She had been keeping tabs on all her Hogwarts friends. Yet the only one who had not changed much at all was Misery. For that, she thanked whatever force for good was out there. It was difficult enough trying remain stable in a constantly changing world.

Taking another sip, she leaned her head against the window frame. Her red lips pressed together as if in concentration as her eyes fluttered shut. Alexandra was not asleep, just listening to whatever was around her. Rain began to splatter against the glass and she drank her wine.

The vampire returned much, much later, soaked to the bone but with a clearer head. Though the rain had started falling and stopped in the while she was out, Misery never noticed it. She had been seated on the front steps, completely lost in her thoughts. She hadn't done that in a while. It felt good.

On her way back up she had discovered the necklace hanging from the handle and soon discovered its use and purpose. Have fun, the note said. Honestly, she'd grown since such entertainment. Colour changing charms? Not quite as amusing as before. She loved the gift, though it felt strangely... final.

Slipping into the room and shuffling around for her wand, Misery thought to dry herself. She'd already left small puddles on her way up and hoped Ena wouldn't scold her for it. Misery would clean it up herself anyway. Catching glimpse of her friend, eyes closed and breathing slowed, she wondered whether the woman simply took to her silence, or had in fact fallen asleep in the long while she was gone.

(So sorry about earlier... my medicine kicked in and I was pretty much dead to the world through most of the day Dx)

It was late at night, more like earlier in the morning, when he crossed the grounds. It was pouring rain. The water droplets rolled of his cloak. Lightening flash in the distance, revealing the back drop of the mansion and ocean behind it.

He was weary, as he step through the door. The days became longer, and the nights became unbearable. With his wand already out, he stroll in deeper in the layer,using the vanishing charm to the track of water that follow behind him.

The hallways melted away, as he stroll in deeper, having no apparent destination, but after about ten minutes traveling the halls, he knew where he was. Two doors down, was the room he saw Misery in, looking through the Window.

The door opened to reveal the vampire sneaking out again - a bit drier than before, though still not completely, her fair hair still stuck to her face - closing the door behind her carefully, gently, juuuust in case. No amount of shadow-crossing would have gotten her out of this mess, as she turned slowly, raising her wand to clear the first puddle, nearest to the door. Misery made her first mistake when she lifted her gaze, expecting to see nothing but the dark, empty hall.

"Charna's-" she began in a half-hiss, half-cry, then did a motion of silent gestures, some of which included shaking her fists towards the wall and pouncing in place, but she managed to keep her tongue and not another louder noise escaped her. Finally, calming down, she fixed her eyes on the unexpected sight before her, cocking her head accusingly. "What are you doing?" her whisper, again, sounded more like a hiss, her panic mode far from completely gone.

(It's ok^^)

Hearing the door click open, she turned to see Misery soaking wet and frowned. Alexandra tried to get up but swayed slightly then forced herself to sit down again before she toppled over.
"I just hope Vampires can't catch colds." she tutted. The raven haired woman began to shake her head only to stop a few seconds later after getting dizzy. Taking another swig of her drink, she continued.
"Screw it. If I'm going to have a hang-over tomorrow, might as well get wasted."

Her movements, her reaction, so graceful, even in her weary state, looked like a threat, ready to attack. With a flick to the belt with his free hand, a second wand was in his hand. With wands in both hands, his stance that he moved to, he would not hesitate to attack, but no jinx came, no deadly curse. He relaxed just a bit. "I was just walking," he stated, knowing the both his and her temper has not cooled with the passing of the rain storm.

She held a hand up swiftly, shushing him from the distance and leaning slightly towards the door, trying to hear if any signs of life were apparent. There seemed to be none, at least, none that meant she was in trouble. Fixing her gaze on Xander again, Miser mouthed, "If you wake her, I'll kill you," barely letting any sound leave her.

Thankfully the vampire was still of cool head, the hours in the rain having helped it clear, so she remained more or less oblivious of his offensive/defensive stance, rather turning her attention on the puddles again, making them disappear in one swift motion of her wand.

"It wouldn't be the first time you killed me," he retorted, not scared at all by the serious threat Misery gave. He knew long ago what she was capable of. They had a fierce sparing matches on multiple occasions, each more challenging than next, as the battles got more deadly, more dangerous.

He could not help cast a smile under his hood, remembering something amusing. "The world has a sick sense of humor," he whisper to himself.

"Ha ha bloody ha," she offered him a thin-lipped smile. "Smartass."

Misery watched him silently for a while, a bit saddened by the ever-serious expression he seemed to wear nowadays.
"What happened to you?" she murmured, more to herself than actually addressing the question to the man before her.

"Once again a witless statement escapes those lips of yours," he said lowing his arm, but cautious none the same. His eyes lingered on Misery's face trying to read her, but no outward sign showed on her face of emotion. It was pale white, and just to cold to look at, but he did none the less.

Alexander did not outwardly spoke the answer she search, but intense images, and strong emotions flash through his mind, like a box full of photos cascading to the floor. They move quickly but you get glimpses of what happen the last 8 years.

"Oh this evening is just packed with insults - you must be on a roll," Misery shot back, eyes narrowing a bit. Her expression softened soon enough, though, as some of his thoughts reached her, offering images of memories. Some, she was already familiar with. Others, she did not ask about. Neither quite offered a reply to what she had in mind.

She wondered what happened to the Xander she used to know, who got up swiftly after every fall, and no matter how hard it was, never had a smile slip off his lips. That one, true smile that would always come back through time. She missed that smile.

"I... suppose I'll see you around," she said softly, hand reaching towards the handle. "Thank you for the... you know." The necklace lay stored in her inner pocket, waiting further use that was unlikely ever to come.

As memories flowed of Misery, Alexandra, Alexander;s parents, Ryo and finally Cazz, it was just to much. As if like lightning hitting the ground, brightening the world with memories, dangerous memories left buried, best left forgotten, to the creeping darkness of shutting them off, pushing them back where they belong.

For an instant, his eyes gleam, wet with tears almost breaking the surface. A frown, like no other, on his face. But like it never happen his expression became blank, as he slid one of the wands rightfully at the waist of his belt. "On second thought." Alexander stuck out his hand, his wand pointed just above it. "Return to wince it came, back to the sender to be regain," he said.

Misery's pocket started to glow brightly, before turning dark once more. But in Alexander's palm laid the necklace he had given her. "I think I'll keep this. Probably give it to someone who would appreciated it more."