I am sorry, but do I know you? ( Tag: Misery, Luke, Cazz)

Cazz had her coat wrapped around her tightly while looking up smiling softly, a light red tint to her cheeks because how cold it was outside as Ian wrapped the scarf around her neck once more shaking his head lightly.

"I told you it was going to be cold out and yet you still do not dress warmly enough. Your not three anymore you know, you'd think you know how to dress by now."

He gave her a small look before sighing as Cazz began to watch snow flakes fall around him no longer paying attention to his words before looking up at him a little clueless at the moment for the look before asking softly voice muffled by the scarf in front of her face.

"What?"

"Never mind, I am going to go into that store lets meet back here in an hour, please."

He gave her one last look while he let out another sigh shaking his head wondering how he raised such an absent minded child, she gave a small nod smiling still once more.

"Okay, I will make sure I am here. Don't worry go on now."

Quickly shooing him away laughing lightly while smile still before putting her hands back into her pockets as he smiled nodded leaving down the steps going into a small shop.

Opening a channel through which one was to look for a specific mind wasn't complicated, exactly. With a bit of proper training, most any vampire could do it. The only trick to it was having known the owner of the mind prior to the search. Of course, there were always ways to make it even simpler; be it by building a strong bond through friendship or sharing of blood, it was possible to individualise a specific note. This meant being able to look for the desired mind without submitting one's own mind to the first, loud and less organised channel.

It took Misery a moment to get used to the noise in her head. She'd gotten so used to focusing on familiar notes only that she'd forgotten how uncomfortable opening the bigger thing could be. It was necessary, however. Though she had known Cazz for a while, their relationship was not advanced enough to make the opening of an individual channel possible. As soon as she was able to focus, however, Misery found Cazz's note easily. Another moment and she was able to pinpoint her exact location.

Shadow-crossing passed as smoothly as ever since Misery's, ah, change. With her tummy at ease, the cross was swift and painless. The vampire melted in through the shadow of a building, sighting Cazz on the other side of the road. Late afternoon already had the sky darkened; enough so for Misery to be out comfortably. Now that she was there, though.. she was unsure how to proceed.

It was easy joking about with Xander, but would Cazz accept her coming instead of him? If Misery was only to check up on her, she could probably do that from a safe distance. After all, Xander hadn't specified any messages that required urgent delivery. Plus, there had been something strange about Cazz's note; while tracking it, Misery noticed repeating and skipping patterns, dislocated memories and parts that were either blocked or missing completely. Misery didn't know anything; she was completely out of the loop when it came to recent events. But if Cazz had indeed suffered from what strongly suggested loss of some memory, Misery hoped Xander would have at least remembered to warn her.

Cazz stared at the snow for a few moments falling down from the sky as the wind picked it up quickly taking it off to some other place right before it could hit the ground. Letting out a soft sigh happy smiling softly slowly looking down the street before walking starting to make foot prints in the snow laughing a little about nothing at all as if she was having a conversation with herself and laughing at her own jokes in her head.

Seeing as not many people were around not that she would remember them if she knew them at this point in time anyway. Looking down at her watch slowly letting out a sigh seeing as fifteen minuets had only went by before going over to a small bench wiping the snow off with her hand quickly before putting it back in her pocket and sitting down one leg crossed over the other in though while staring up at the sky.

So. Watching from a distance it is.

Though she supposed her earlier freak-out undoubtedly caused chuckles and then some, Misery hardly had the strength to go full-out psycho vampire on Cazz. Not that she wasn't already all psycho vampire creeping, hiding in the shadow of the building, lurking and all. But the jokes she could share with Xander just wouldn't feel the same with Cazz.

Besides, virgin Xander presented his situation quite clearly.

It wasn't even just the memory-block thing that had Misery keep her distance; no matter what, Cazz was still a seer. The seer. That was a pretty big deal from any vampire's point of view. If she could just approach casually, Misery would have done it already.

The snow kept falling. Nothing of spectacular interest happened. At some point, Misery just got bored. Which was as good a reason as any to go over and see if the young woman actually remembered her or not. Peeling away from the comfort of the shadow, Misery moved gracefully across the street and near the bench. Still keeping her distance; it was only out of respect, really.

Ah, screw formalities. If Cazz remembered her, she'd probably scold her for it anyway. Misery, given interest, settled for a simple "Hello."

Consumed in her thoughts for a few moments as scattered and random as they were she still liked to just sit in them some times letting anything come out to the forefront if it wanted to nothing that she wanted to think about to hard just liking the feeling of thinking... to have thoughts of your own for a while. Things began to jump out quickly throwing them like fireworks.

" Did I feed the dogs?"

" I wounder if I like one flavor of ice cream more?"

"Haven't seen Luke in a while, must be busy?"

"Ian seems more worried then ever. Wounder what that is about."

"Jelly beans."

" Why do all the plants I ever kill themselves?"

"I think I could blow it up if I try hard enough... with my mind!"

" What do you want for lunch? JUSTICE!!"

" Was I a bad person... was I such a bad person or was I just a huge dick to everyone in the past?"

Quickly looking up not seeing or hearing anyone she looked over the women in front of her smiling bright, carefree, happy. Something that wasn't what Cazz use to be like, scooting over on the bench looking up at Misery. "Hi!"

Cazz wondered quickly if she knew anything about the girl in front of her so she held out her warm hand slightly pink from the cold. "I am Cazz Valentine, nice to meet you."

Misery's lips tugged into a sad smile. Broken. All of them.

"I go by the name of Grace, and my given name is Misery." Some things never changed, at least. "Xan- ah, Luke sent me to see if everything is all right." Was it fine to say that? Misery hoped yes. "He should be a little late coming."

Pause. She was forgetting something. Ah, the message. Was that safe to mention? "Er, because.. he's been held back a bit. So, in response to your urgent message, I'm here to... take care of you," cue question marks, "..until he is able to come and see you."

Any time now, hopefully.

Awkward, thy name is Misery.

" Please please don't I should be the one introducing myself to you as such. You are too formal for me, save that for actually someone that matters." Looking over at her a bit concerned by the smile leaning a little closer turning her head to the left then the right.

" I am sorry... but do I know you? I have gotten a sever case of amnesia and I can't remember the last couple of years. Let alone anyone that I once knew which I must say is a bit of a bitch..." Laughing it off a little looking away a little embarrassed by the fact of it all smiling brightly none the less.

" Oh I am fine... Don't worry. I just want him to meet someone. It is sorta kinda urgent... well yes..." Putting both hands in her hair in thought shaking her head quickly.

" Oh god I confuse myself." Slowly turning back to Misery smiling a little brushing a hand threw her hair nervously as if she just remembered about the message she sent.

" So how did we meet? Are we good friends? Do we have a secret handshake? That would be really cool I love secret handshakes. Its really bad ass... Yeah.."

"Please pardon my offence. It is how I was raised to introduce myself to anyone."

It should have been a much more formal greeting than what Misery did, but dumping the whole Seer thing on Cazz right now did not seem like a good idea. Best keep it simple and speak of the more complicated matters later.

Misery offered a small smile, "We went to Hogwarts together. Different years, though, so we rarely had a chance to interact. Plus, I believe you had made your departure from the school one year early as well."

"A secret handshake? I'm afraid not. You had better friends than I in the past."

Laughing softly happily crossing one leg over the other leaning a little closer enjoying the things Misery nodding softly every once in a while before snapping her fingers letting out a soft sigh of sadness.

"Damn I do love secret handshakes. Well then how did we meet? Just by chance or a series of events? Friends of the family?"

Cazz checked the clock slightly ten minutes before her dad came out of the shop or where ever he was to come met her. Her eyes slowly glazed over while she looked at Misery, her breathing slowly down considerably as she stared off at Misery thought she seemed as if she was staring at someone else.

In Cazz's mind she was still sitting on the bench, a women with a child walked out of a shop, the little girl was crying pulling away from her mother, something about candy not being gotten at the store, as the mother tired to balance eggs and her child the child got away and so did the eggs. The eggs all fell to the ground in a big splat as making a mess over the side walk as the mother hurries grabbing the child out of the street as she did starting to yell at her about the eggs were on the ground.

Her eyes slowly became there regular gray as she smiled back at Misery for a few moments before looking up at the street quickly watching it for a few moment intently as if she was waiting for something.

"A bit of both, I think," Misery's lips tugged, sharing another smile, thoughts wandering to their first official meeting. Perhaps it had been chance, or perhaps Misery did in fact thought to seek Cazz out and finally meet the girl properly. That time in the alley, had she recognized her? She could not quite remember.

Shifting in her stance, the vampire made a motion forward, plopping down on the bench beside Cazz. Room enough between them for comfort, or so Misery thought. Her gaze followed Cazz's, down the street, eyes staying focused for a moment. "Are you waiting for someone else?" Other than Xander, perhaps?

Cazz smiled happily as Misery finely sat down, she hoped that met she was somewhat more comfortable with her. Giving a bright smile to her before looking at the street slowly seeing the women in the window of the store.

"More so something to happen at the moment." Running a hand threw her hair slowly a small blush on her face a little before saying softly almost under her breath still looking at the street for a few long moments needing to know what would happen and if it would.

"That women in the shop is going to come out, her child will be crying while she tries to balance some eggs in her hand... they will drop and the child will run off."

Just as she finished the door opened to the shop and Cazz quickly stood beginning to walk across the street, everything happening quickly as she goes to talk to a women another man, a five o-clock shadow sporting on his chin as he slowly started to exit a nicely press suit pushed against the glass of the window as the door opened slightly. Brown eyes staring at Cazz for a few more moments before fully exiting from the shop seeing that look upon Cazz's face once before he quickly reaches out and grabs her arm pulling her away from the women and the child before she could say a word of what was going to happen.

As Cazz predicted the eggs dropped to the ground and the kid ran not before the women could grab him by the arm and pull him out of the way of a carriage beginning to yell at the child for being so careless and Cazz looks up at Ian upset more then usual.

"Why did you stop me?" She looked more upset at the fact she could not help the women and the child, as Ian slowly walks pulling her along closely wrapping an arm over her shoulder whispering softly in Cazz's ear while walking back across the street.

"We have talked about this before... sometimes its okay to let things happen." He spoke as if he was speaking to an ill behaved child walking over to the bench where Misery was a kind smile on his face giving a nod as a hello.

Looking more confused then anything she looked up at him nodding lightly looking at Misery smiling happily once more.

Misery held her tongue; a Seer's ability to see the future so clearly always fascinated her, but it had never been her place to comment. She watched the events unroll before her, silent, merely acknowledging them with a slight rise of her brow. She made no attempt to stand when Cazz did, but remained seated in her silent observation.

Frozen, at the appearance of the man who shared a part of Cazz's aura; close kin, most likely. And a faded face from a distant memory.

Cazz slowly ducked under her fathers arm sitting down now closer to Misery still smiling brightly again bumping her shoulder before a shocked look came over her face as she quickly started to speak panicked almost. " Oh my gosh. I am so rude I forgot to introduce you too. I am really sorry. This is Ian Valentine. My father. Dad this is Misery Grace we use to know each other in school. But I am dumb and had Vanity push me off a cliff I guess." Rambling now looking away a little sighing.

Ian looked at her now realizing who she was bowing out of respect head down looking at the ground. " I am sorry, I did not realize it was one of the Grace's please excuse my informality. As my kin already said and we have met a few times in the past but, I go by the name of Valentine and my given name is Ian. I am very out of practice with these things. Been gone from the family too long." Slowly standing up from the bow a small smile on his face while he took out a pair of gloves handing them to Cazz. "Please put these on."

Sighing she rolled her eyes quickly opening up the gloves carefully taking them out of the package while Ian sat down next to Cazz smiling wrapping an arm around her shoulder while she slipped on the red gloves.

It was around four when he apparated to his home, knowing that the ladies would not congregate at his homestead, leaving the house all to himself. His thoughts turn to Misery, as he stepped into the shower to wash off the now dried blood of his body, thinking of more her well being instead of his. The smell of blood, or just a hint of it would not be conducive to her recovery, and he did not want to hinder it by showing up with blood stain bandages. As he dunked his head into the rain water shower head, letting the water trickle down his back, his anxiety increase as he pondered more and more of the situation surrounding him.

First it was Misery, not fragile but neither whole, like a Vase with a gash down a side, noticeable but hard to mend.

"Oh Crap!" Luke slammed his hand against the stone shower, he forgot that he did not inform Misery of Cazz's lapses in memory. So much was going on at the time that even he let that slip from his mind.

Cazz came next; a book with hundreds of thousands of pages of her life written in every knock and cranny, but also an unseen invisible hand erasing whole chapters of her life, rewriting and changing her story. It still pains Luke to ponder the memories that they once shared, now gone because of a cruel fate.

After ten minutes under the water, he finally moved his now cramp muscles, picking up a bar of soap and applying it to his chest. His fingers went lightly over the word that was forever scared on his chest, shifting his thoughts once more.

His professors, he once respected and trusted now were shadows of their former selves. Once great witches, now meager, weak, and struggling to get by. It pain him to watch them, let alone do nothing. If he had to be their Peeves, than he would gladly be that person, if that meant for them to get better.

After the shower, the re-bandage of his chest wound, and a fresh change of clothing he was off to Cazz house, but no one was home. He knocked for several minutes but no answered, so he teleported himself to Cazz's bar hoping she would be their. She was not, frankly the place look almost desolate in fact. He was off to several locations, until he decided to make his last stop Hogsmeade. Taking to the skys, for a bird eyes view, he sore among the treetops circling the main streets for a sign of them.

Spotting them near the grocery store, he landed quite a bit away from them in an alley to transform back from his eagle form to his human. The transformation was so natural so normal it felt like if Luke was changing his shirt. Now that he was human again, he proceeded up the street where the two...no three people were lingering. At first he thought it was a passing vendor, and thought nothing of it.

"Cazz! Misery!" he yelled out to them, waving one hand to signal he was there. When he got closer though he continued on, "I had a very long two days, lets just get wasted, Guys!" He normally did not drink alcohol but felt like this was one time he would make an exception.

Misery swallowed. Ian Valentine? No. No. Ian Valentine was dead. They were never given the details, but everyone knew that Valentines were dead. Well, except for Cazz, obviously. But even that wasn't widely known; heck, very few vampires, if not people, knew they even had a daughter.

But wait, hold up. Something was messed up here, and Misery didn't like it.

She didn't know Ian or his wife, not really, much less remembered their faces. She'd seen them once, maybe twice during meetings or - could they have been at the Festival? - somewhere. Anyway. She was young. Ian's really was a faded face. But the names, how could she forget?

"How? I-" aaand so much for a formal introduction from her side. "Wait- there's no reason to address me so formally.. not really. Erm-"

Timing his entrance perfectly, Xander saved her any more embarrassing acts. Misery closed her mouth, took a moment to think; sent a panicked thought to Sorrow at an alarming speed, yet managed to look composed while doing so, mind you. Were her body not refusing any of the finer substances, she may have even took Xander by his offer for a drink.

Gods knew she could have used one.

Cazz looked up quickly at the calling of her and Misery's name not very interested in formal introductions or anything like that of the sort she sorta kinda ignored it, smiling brightly as her heart thumped a little louder she looked over at Ian smiling softly, a nervous look crossed her face so suddenly she wasn't sure if she was ready for Alexander to meet her father. Quickly growing with panic.

Ian carefully turned around looking at Luke looking him over slowly watching how he was moving and nodding before looking to Cazz. Slipping both hands into his pockets slowly bringing out a watch to check the time seeing it was not that late in the day before looking back up at him studying him carefully as if it was some sort of test. "This is him?"

"I-yes, don't. Please?" Was the only thing she could manage to get out between words panic taking over a little stand up smiling at Luke coming over giving him a hug quickly before letting him go. Walking back over to the bench playing with the ring on her finger slightly looking at Misery.

Ian smiled or at least tired to, not being a very friendly man in general he stared at Luke for a very long time as if trying to read him before looking at Cazz looking for conformation on his name. " Alexander Luke Brown? This is him?"

Cazz nodded quickly smiling brightly at her father before looking between Misery and Luke . " I own a bar apparently... lets go there?" Laughing a little nervously smiling.

As both Cazz and himself hugged each other, quite awkwardly I may add, her tense nerves put Luke uneasy as well. That was small compared to what happen next. When the hug ended, a man with a deep aged voice spoke drawing his attention to the other member of the group. "Yes..this is I?" he said his voice breaking as if he was going through puberty a second time. He looked at the man, than to Cazz and Misery giving them a look of 'Who is he?' before returning his gaze back to this man. Just looking at him unsettled Luke as if hundreds of vipers were at the ready to strike in a moments notice. At this moment, he could not take another ounce of excitement at this moment, but had a sneaky suspicion that this day would not end so quickly.

Misery fell mute, rubbing her neck absently as she gazed in another direction, apparently finding something very interesting. She had felt out of place from the beginning, but now even more so. If Xander didn't know Cazz's father they surely had much to discuss. Misery, she just wanted to get to Sorrow and possibly freak out over the fact Ian Valentine was alive and kicking. Did the others know? Altair? Phantom? The Vampire Princes? Hadn't Ian's blood been stored in the Stone of Blood? If yes, how could he have possibly pulled off being dead?

Pulling a face, Misery felt ridiculous thinking it might all be some sort of conspiracy. But with the Princes involved? They had constant supervision over the Stone, so why was the word opposite of something clear in view?

So many questions and not a way to ask them.

" Um... well... funny thing... ya know... I was going to tell you before you came to my house but it seems... haha... Didn't want to spring this on anyone." Rubbing the back of her head lightly looking at the ground as if it had become the most interesting thing in the world while trying to work out what to say in her head while Ian stepped forward.

Ian stuck out his hand to him carefully, " I am Casandra's father, Ian Valentine, it is a pleasure to meet you, the man that I have been looking forward to seeing since my only child is getting married and I have not seen or herd you in the last three weeks I have been here. Only my child's fantastic words about all that you were most likely doing, at my home almost every second with my daughter of which I am very protective of and will stop at nothin-"

Cazz sighed looking up at him shaking her head quickly pushing his hand away. "Dad... stop. Please just stop. I am not little any more this is not like my first date with him... we are getting married.. Don't make this already so weird... everyone thought you were dead... just stop."

Ian let out a sigh looking at Alexander for a few moments trying to figure out who he really was before holding out his hand. "Hello Alexander, I am Cazz's father, Ian Valentine." Looking away from Alexander to Misery for a moment before back at Alexander.

Alexander was stone speechless, even his thoughts seem to slow down as if an information overload stalled his high brain functions. That did not stopped him from looking like a fool in front of Mr. Valentine though. His face turn stalk white, and his mouth a gap with the shocking news that his fiancee's father rose from the dead.

"Uh, Hi!" he said reaching out to shake the man's hand, forgetting to wipe his sweaty palms. "I...mean, Hello Mister...Mr. Valentine?" He follow Ian's gaze from looking straight at him, to where the two girls sat. Snapping his gaze back to Valentine. "Will you excuse us for a minute , please," he said not really thinking, before grabbing Cazz's arm and taking her with him up the street a bit. He was probably making an horrible impression on his "Father-in-law" but this was, how should Luke put it? A mind fucked, is what it was.

When Luke felt like he was a good distance away from Misery and Ian, he stopped and turn to Cazz. Not even giving her time to speak, he started to talk fast. Fast as a kid on crack, or Cazz with soda pop, and a bag full of candy. "Are you sure this man is your father? I mean...how do you know? I mean! I don't know. Isn't it strange that your father reappeared out of the blue all of a sudden. Have you ever thought he was an impostor?" Overlooking the fact that maybe one of the many abilities of Vampires was super hearing, and quite possibly hearing every word that Alexander just spill.

His mind was reeling over impostor scenarios in his mind. One that dealt with Polyjuice potion, a logical choice but in next it because the owner had to still be alive for this to work. Next had to deal with a metamorph who change it's appearance to look like Cazz's father. Plausible, but he was not limited to it. After that he thought if a Time Turner Scenario, but than that meant Ian was the real thing just from another era. His thoughts became more wilder and crazier as he went down the list. He even came up with an alien abduction theory. After that he simple gave up his crazy wacky theories, sounding more and more like Vanity by the minute.

Misery stepped back involuntarily as the two left her alone with Ian Valentine- gods, that was taking a while to settle in. She found herself in yet another awkward position, with not in mind what to say or how to act. She supposed it best if she suggested a meeting at a later date, possibly with Sorrow included, if not Phantom or her father.

She watched the snow fall, eager to look anywhere but at the man before her. When she finally did courage herself to look back at him, she'd managed to compose herself a bit, and voiced her suggestion almost calmly.

"This is- ah, an unexpected event. I must admit I was taken quite by surprise. But as my reason for coming here is unrelated to the matter, I believe it is time I take my leave," she glanced back to where Xander and Cazz were, leading a hushed, yet clear conversation if either Misery or Ian chose to listen to in. "There should be plenty for the three of you to talk about. Perhaps we should meet at a more convenient time."

(I'll be away for about two weeks, so I'll have Misery leave now, all right? She'll be requesting audience with Ian after I get back.)

Being pulled up slightly she looked at Luke wide eyed a little, " I sure?" Quickly following behind him trying not to trip over her feet while following him up the street and stopping sighing a little looking up at him fixing her jacket a little looking up a little worried up at Luke. Watching him closely eyes widening a little as he started to talk to fast. Slowly taking the sides of his face between her hands looking into his eyes smiling a little laughing a bit. "Luke... take a deep breath with me please." Smiling softly up looking up into his eyes.

Ian looked back at Misery a moment nodding lightly almost understand why she was so quick to leave here. It was getting to complicated to fast. Though he did not like this at all in the lest bit to say that much. He wasn't really expecting his daughter to be getting married. "Ah... see you soon then?" Ian's attention though was more on the conversation that two behind them where having.

Alexander took a deep breath, letting out slowly in the dead cold air. The prospect of Ian, Cazz's father, being alive made him worried than facing Tyler. His thoughts turn to all those Muggle romance movies about the father tormenting the boyfriend, the fiance. "Yes, of course."

(sorry crappy reply)

Slowly dropping her hands from his face still smiling. " I don't know the answer to all the things you say. I just don't know. But... I am pretty sure hes my dad Luke." Taking her hands in his carefully interlocking there fingers.

"Thats what I booked you about.... I didn't want you to freak out like this though I seemed to be impossible at the moment. " Giving a small laugh trying to figure it out what to say next.

He wanted to express himself some more, but when she gentle took his hand in hers, all that anxiety, and nerves slipped away. "I believe you," he said not wanting to continue like this. "What should we do?"he asked, seeing as the storm was getting heavier by the minute.