Who: Emmeline Vance & Caradoc Dearborn!
What: AHHH
When: This morning!


Emmeline did not feel like going to work today. She slumped down onto one of the benches in the waiting area of the Bristol train station and stared up at the times and track listings of the oncoming and incoming trains. It had taken some time for her to figure out, but over the past few months she’d become an expert at racing to the tracks and getting a nice window seat on her trips back and forth to London and home. Emmeline didn’t know what had possessed her to start taking the train at first, because there were definitely alternative methods that didn’t cost as much money and saved a lot more time (something wizards called apparation), but she soon realized that the reason the train rides had been compelling to her was the fact that she could escape the world she was currently living in.

When she was on the train, she could stare out at the countryside and the passing stations, watch the people get on and off, wonder where they were going and who they were going to meet. There was no concern about whether or not they were death eaters ready to attack her, or how she would manage to save that mother and child if something terrible were to happen. Emmeline knew it was nearly four hours out of her day that she could be spending doing something constructive, but to keep her sanity, she needed these long, soothing rides.

Emmeline squinted her eyes at the track board, managing to somehow block out the buzz and noise of the station as she tried to plan her day. She could sit for an extra fifteen minutes and make it to work on time...of course, she could always try apparating from the moving train, but something told her that wouldn’t go well. So she had fifteen minutes to board the next train to London, and with a sigh Emmeline dropped her gaze back to the crowd, ready to people watch. It was then that a familiar face caught her eye, and she jolted upright, her hands gripping the seat underneath her because she couldn’t be seeing who she thought---this was a muggle station, this was the last place she would ever see---

Her back pressed against the seat, her body unwilling to move or accept the fact that she could quite possibly be staring directly at Caradoc Dearborn.

Despite many people walking in and out between them, he no longer recognized them. Muggles, they were only muggles that knew nothing about--- anything. Caradoc’s face twisted painfully for a few moments, knowing that she had seen him and he couldn't stop looking at her. He couldn't go to her, he couldn’t ruin her life even more than he already had, it would be too dangerous too--- dangerous. But no matter how hard he tried to dissuade himself, he couldn’t turn away from her. Emmeline was mesmerizing.

Caradoc’s chest rose and fell quickly with the many shallow breaths he took, a sense of panic quickly overtaking him. He had to--- he had to--- hadn’t meant--- it had honestly been a mistake, he had never intended to reveal himself to her. It was a mistake, a slip up, the only reason he was here was because he was trailing a lead. And now--- now he was looking at Emmeline, unable to take his eyes off of her. He had known--- he had known there was a possibility of her being here, but--- not this.

At his side, his fingers twitched. He knees loosened and his feet suddenly felt as light as ever. His head felt full, extraordinarily full as his chest began to ache as it hadn’t in a long time. Up until that point, his face had stayed stoic with pure shock; now, the hints of an undemanding small smile hooked onto his face.

Never breaking their gaze, Caradoc found his feet moving his body nimbly toward hers. He at least had the air to move in a cautious manner, his empty hands palm up to her. She would never believe it was him--- he wouldn’t. He wouldn’t blame her.

He smiled at her. That was all it took for Emmeline to scramble up her belongings in her arms, and start toward him, ready to run or disapparate if this was some cruel, terrible trick. A smile from Caradoc Dearborn. If the death eaters had somehow managed to find some sampling of his hair to create a polyjuice potion, because that was the only way they could manage to recreate that face and those eyes and---if they had somehow finally realized what it would take to knock her dead and cold on the ground, they’d done it. Emmeline would have to give them credit, too, as she pushed her way through the crowd to reach him. She had every reason to believe that this was a trap and that he was going to strangle her after he seduced her, but---

---but oh, this would be the best way to be done with it all.

Emmeline tried to curb her morbid thoughts, but it was hard as she had seen his dead body, Alice had let her into the morgue of the ministry to let her say goodbye, so this was----oh, she could nearly touch him now. She stopped, clutching her bag and sweater (it got bloody cold on the train--) to her chest, just an arms length away from him. From him, from Caradoc! If it really was Caradoc. Emmeline felt like she was about to go into cardiac arrest and as she stared at him she realized this could all be one big lie and the end of her world was closing in on her.

But if she could kiss him, just one more time--she hadn’t kissed him goodbye, she’d always regretted that...

“How do I know it’s really you?” she let out, unable to look him in the eye anymore because her hand had managed to grab onto the wand that had been in the sweater pocket. Her heart was fighting for her to completely give in, but at least her mind was ready for what was surely the inevitable. Emmeline didn’t want to believe that this could end up horribly, and she shut her eyes in hopes that this was just a dream and she would wake up in the waiting area, happy as she’d ever been because this was the most realistic dream she’d ever had--- “Tell me something.”

Caradoc too began to slip between people as he walked, fluidly side-stepping them or shifting to the side to avoid them entirely. He continued to hold his empty hands up in front of him for her to see, keeping them close to his chest. Stopping a bit earlier than her, he watched as they finally approached each other in the middle of the waiting area.

At that moment, it felt like an out-of-body experience. This, right here--- an event Caradoc had never thought he would be able to experience. Living on borrowed time had had it’s downsides, so many downsides. He struggled with the outcome that had been decided outside of his control. But now--- his ears picked up as his smile spread a bit more while he took in her face close up, going over every detail, new and old. Never had he so much longed at that moment to hold her face in his hands again, take in her scent and skip this part of her questioning what was actually happening.

As she looked away, however, his new smile cracked. What was he expecting from her? As of the last year and a half, she along with the rest of the world, had come to the closing reality that he had been dead. Dumbledore had caught him relatively up on what had been happening here, so--no doubt she was holding her wand under her things. He would be angry with her if she wasn’t, actually. Caradoc’s face morphed, half guilty and half reassured she was asking him to prove himself.

He took in a small breath, never taking his eyes off of her. “My name is Caradoc Evan Dearborn,” he began, his throat dry. “I have a sister, Juliet Nott, who invited you over as a child to befriend and enhance her tormenting skills. The last time I saw you was a year and a half ago, in the Order House, which I helped locate and build with Fabian Prewett and Dorcas Meadows. I am a Legilimens and read your mind too many times when I shouldn’t have. My patronus is an octopus. I have an Order tattoo unwillingly forced upon me by James Potter located on the back of my neck, which you pointed out---”

The breath she was taking got stuck in her throat as he began to speak. His voice, it was his voice! Emmeline couldn’t keep her eyes off of him after hearing his voice. She’d nearly forgotten what it sounded like; there were times when she had dreams and all she’d get was a small sample, a fleeting memory of his voice and now---She watched his lips move and was surprised at her ability to comprehend what he was saying. Emmeline involuntarily nodded at each fact that passed his lips and she knew. With every passing piece of information she nodded and began to shake. How was this happening? How was Caradoc alive, standing here and staring at her as if she was the ghost?

Someone in the bustling crowd shoved her in the shoulder and she dropped everything in her hands. It all clattered to the floor but Emmeline couldn’t waste a second to look down at the ground. All her belongings would be scattered about the station, ripped and torn and she couldn’t care less. She could not care about anything other than the man in front of her. This was really happening, he was still talking, still trying to prove himself and she had already accepted the fact that Caradoc Dearborn was not dead, but had finally come back to her.

“Caradoc,” she let out loudly, nearly shocking herself as she attempted to interrupt him. Emmeline realized she hadn’t said his name in ages, everyone around her avoided the subject of her dead, death eater of a boyfriend, of course she hadn’t---Emmeline’s hands shot up, her fingertips pressing to the side of her face because with as much focus as she was laying upon Caradoc, the world around them was spinning off its axis and throwing everything she’d come to accept out into oblivion. She was nearly choking, unable to breathe, “Caradoc!”

It was strange; his ears were still unfamiliar to hearing his name being said out loud again. Caradoc’s brows rose as his mouth opened into a large smile. Despite wanting to convey seriousness, he let out a light laugh. A light laugh! That was only the beginning--- his entire body felt high, inhibited by nothing, his mind stretching to endlessness. He could do what he wanted; they could do what they wanted, because here, nothing would be in the way. A muggle train station. No death eater would be caught dead here. That thought alone was so relaxing that he let down his guard so much so that the driven-thoughts in his head from earlier faded away completely.

He grinned at her, also unable to peel his gaze away at the sound of her crashing belongings. Later--- later--- that all was trivial now in retrospective. Caradoc had been waiting so long for this moment, knowing the likelihood of it happening being less than so. Now he had her in his grasps, and the realization of that made it impossible for him to let go. Staying far away and leaving her alone to live her life was no longer possible. He had tried, tried very hard because it was for the best. But now, now, they would have to tear Emmeline away from him before he would leave her again.

Caradoc hovered for a few moments, then placed his hands, as he had many time before, on the sides of her face. Her skin felt hot, fantastically so, and smooth, just as he had remembered. Holding her, he took the few seconds to look her in the eyes, not missing a beat. “I’ve missed you,” Caradoc spoke in a low, raw tone, his head tilting slightly while speaking. “You have no idea.”

“You died,” she choked out, feeling as if she’d never smiled this wide in her life. Nothing had ever made her as happy as she was right in this instant. Emmeline reached out and grabbed his sides, pinching him to tease, pull herself closer, and make sure he was really there. He was and she bristled with excitement, “I think I have an idea.”

She wouldn’t allow her mind to drift and recall all the terrible nights she’d spent without him. Emmeline knew that questions needed to be asked and answered, where had he been, how had he escaped, why hadn’t he come sooner...but right now all she could do was beam up at him and revel in his touch. Emmeline was certain that during the entire course of their relationship they had never stood like this, mindlessly staring at each other like star crossed lovers with no care for the the absolute chaos and war around them. Oh, if Anneliese could only be a fly on this station’s wall.

Emmeline let out a happy sigh, feeling like she could actually breathe for the first time in nearly two years.

“You have a tan,” she sighed, wondering how they were ever going to move from this spot with how completely lackadaisical they both seemed to be. It made her blush to think that she had put Caradoc in such a trance, even after all this time and all their struggles, but Emmeline still felt her face heat up and she tightened her hold around him. “And a beard.”

His lips pressed together to form a funny kind of smile. And only because he was unaccustomed to it did he squirm slightly at her poking and squeezing grasp. But not enough that he felt the need to break from her, no no. Caradoc brushed both his thumbs lightly across the upper part of her cheeks, enjoying the fact that he had been able to live long enough for this to happen.

Was that--- did he feel fortunate? Actually grateful that Roderick had pulled him from Wilkes’ death grip to safety? Thankful that Dumbledore--- Dumbledore had been the one to send him away? All for this. It-- was--- difficult, to admit, having for so long harbored such a long-standing hatred for both men and their actions a year and a half ago. But--- her face made those feelings wash away almost completely. She had been worth it--- was worth it.

“Miss?”

Caradoc’s neck snapped to the left at the invasion of another human. It was a muggle man, holding up Emmeline’s sweater for her in such a docile way it was obvious he knew he was interrupting something. “You dropped--- everything, actually.” He and Caradoc blinked at each other for a few moments before Caradoc dropped his hands from Emmeline’s face to take it from him. Deciding it was best to collect the rest of her things while already distracted, he did. Once finished, he held most of it in one arm. Caradoc looked at her again, only after a passing glance at the departures board behind her.

An idea sparked, and his heart began to race. “Come,” he said calmly, grabbing her hand with his empty one and began to walk toward the platform area.

Emmeline felt a bit bad for glaring so hard at the helpful citizen, but had he not noticed that they were having a moment? That they hadn’t even kissed yet? Emmeline stared up at Caradoc with a pout of ‘how dare he?’ before he tugged her through the crowd. She had the sense to send a wave of thanks to the man before she tried to figure out what was going on. Was there danger? Had someone spotted him? He should probably give her back her wand if there was a problem...Emmeline’s thoughts lingered on the worry of being caught for only a second more because her fingers had slipped through Caradoc’s and suddenly she felt like a silly fourth year.

Her boyfriend was holdng her hand. Emmeline would let him drag her around the station three times, she was so happy in this moment. The blissfully ignorant of the world smile returned and she allowed her feet to take control of her as her mind had melted away with happiness. Merlin’s beard, she hoped this euphoria never died because Emmeline had never experienced such a feeling. She was senseless! There was not a worry in her soul and when was the last time she’d felt that way? When she was a child? She remembered hating her parents at the age of four, so how long had it been since she was honestly fine and okay with everything---

“Oohhh,” she let out as he pulled toward a ticket booth, her eyes scanning the board above. Did he have a plan? She hoped not, this was exciting, and invigorating, not knowing what was going on, what was happening next. Emmeline tightened her grasp on his hand and twisted her other arm around his as she pressed to his side. She watched as the times and tracks changed across the board and she wondered where they would end up. Anywhere, she would go--anywhere with this man, right now. Her eyes continued to scan the time as she leaned her face into his shoulder.

“You’re whisking me away and you haven’t even kissed me yet,” she said, her face burning red with anticipation.

After a quick flick of magic with Emmeline’s wand under the safety of her coat, Caradoc had produced enough pounds from the pockets of his jeans for their tickets. Originally he had been planning on going to Ireland today.... obviously there was zero desire to continue that. Instead they now had two fresh tickets to--- Amsterdam. More so than before, he had become accustomed to traveling light and in muggle disguise. As of right now, the only thing he had on him was his wand and muggle money (Sebastian’s utter surprise at his comprehensive understanding of muggle money was well worth the hassle of learning). He hadn’t even brought his invisibility cloak, deciding earlier he wouldn’t need it.

Perfect. It was perfect. They didn’t need things, they never had, or great sweeping romantic gestures (partly because he had refused them). Normally the way he was acting and feeling now would have sent him into a fit of uncomfortable denial, but--- right now was different. He had never seen Emmeline look the way she did, and he was sure he had never smiled this much and actually felt the emotion to support it. It was-- ridiculous. All he could do was think forward to what he could do to make this last. Nothing, nothing--- Amsterdam, Amsterdam--- no one would recognize them there. Just go and--- deal with whatever later.

Again he tugged Emmeline like a rag doll, looking down at her curiously once they were out of line. Immensely pleased at what he saw, Caradoc turned completely to face her, mouth still wide. His face and jaw were hurting. Unable to move one arm and unwilling to move the other, he moved closer to her, eventually pressing his forehead against hers. Inhaling slowly, he simply opened and closed his eyes for a few moments. “Sorry,” he breathed, his smile still evident.

Well. The lady had insisted. He certainly wasn’t going to object. And fuck, it was going to be the best damn snog either of them had ever experienced. Caradoc did not hold back once he kissed her.

He was kissing her, he was kissing her, he was kissing her. Emmeline let herself unravel from his arm only to slink her arms up and around his shoulders. Caradoc was kissing her, she was kissing him. She hadn’t kissed him in so long, they hadn’t been given the chance the last time they saw each other. This was it, this was it, she was never going to need anything else, ever again. They were going to Amsterdam and who knew what they’d do next? Maybe they’d never come back, or maybe they would find some way to fix this mess or maybe they would find somewhere else to go and be happy and be together. Together, they were together, she was with Caradoc again and as he kissed her, her body flush against his (she was sure her bag had been lost once again--) this great sense of urgency rushed through her.

It was hard to pull her lips away from his, and Emmeline couldn’t for at least another minute. Her hands had taken hold of his face, moving to his hair, it was the only way she’d be able to pull them apart long enough for her to let out what she needed to tell him. What she wanted him to know, for sure, after all this time. Her eyes darted around his face, trying to memorize every detail in case they were torn apart once again. She couldn’t lose him again, she wouldn’t, but if she did she needed to tell him---

“I love you,” she said quickly, trying not to cry. Emmeline didn’t want a scene, she wanted to state it, as a fact, “I’m sorry I never told you---” Emmeline kissed him again, unable to speak anymore as her arms tightened themselves around him. Maybe he would manage to hear her thoughts, that she loved him, that she had and would always love him, and that she had felt so terribly guilty that she hadn’t been brave enough to tell him (though she knew that he understood, that he knew) until it was too late. She loved him, she loved him, Emmeline loved Caradoc and she always had, and she’d never been so sure of anything in her life as she kissed him harder than ever before.

Caradoc had been enjoying himself, reveling in how happy he finally felt--- until a dark twist set in his chest. The way Emmeline was looking up at him, grasping him, what she had said... even now, after everything they had gone through, an unrealistic anxiety rose within him. It was as if everything had froze in that very moment; all Caradoc could focus on was Emmeline’s face, and his racing heart.

She would want to hear it from him. She needed to hear it from him, he knew that. And it was-- it was obvious, very obvious how he felt about her was; he had come back to her, they were together again, Dumbledore had dangled the prospect of seeing her again in front of him to get him to return. And yet--- Caradoc struggled. A deep fear set within him, as it had many times before concerning commitments like this, making it seem impossible to say those words to her.

He pulled back from her for a moment, not completely dislodging himself from her, but enough that he could shift his gaze to the ground. Taking deep breaths, he began to mentally will himself to speak. It was--- nothing, just words that conveyed how he truly felt. For someone who had spent his entire life hiding his inner thoughts, it shouldn’t have been a wonder as to why this had always been so difficult.

“I know,” Caradoc began jerkily, a slightly more anxious smile on his face now. Did it feel like the tighter she held onto him, the more it felt like she was choking him? No, no--- that was ridiculous, he was being ridiculous. Blinking slowly, he reached his hands up toward Emmeline (her belongings had once again found the floor), and brushed away her hair as he held her face.

Her eyes were so blue. Maintaining direct contact the entire time, he spoke in a small, hushed tone. “I do---- too. I love you too.”

She let out a happy laugh. Hearing those words after so long felt wonderful, and watching Caradoc’s face throughout it all was absolutely priceless. Emmeline quickly kissed him again before he fell to the floor in shock, quite proud of him. It amused her, how men didn’t seem to change all that much. She hadn’t actually expected him to reciprocate the words, and she’d been fine with that because she did know how he felt---it was her own guilt and being a coward about it before he had disappeared that had forced the words out of her now. But, it was still quite lovely to hear.

Now boarding, the 7:45 to Amsterdam---

Emmeline released an excited sound into Caradoc’s mouth before she pulled away. This was it, they were going to go away and be---together. Finally. She dropped down to pick up her purse and other things (this sweater was ruined, but it hadn’t been one of her favorites anyway--) before latching onto his arm. In the span of five, ten minutes, her entire world had flipped upside down and for the first time it was the greatest thing to ever happen to her.