Death and All of His Friends (Open)

J. J. crept slowly around the edge of the lake. She hadn't been outside much in these past few months but... well the weather was finally becoming quite enjoyable, and she had loved being outside before... before. And now she was determined to do so again. She just needed to take it slowly.

Of course, as soon as she heard the sound behind her, she began to question the wisdom of coming out alone. She should have brought along, Dimitri or-or Vanna, or someone. Her breath hitched as she her spine straighted and she heard the sound again.

It was a grunt, almost horse-like. She froze and felt her panic rising again. Oh god, oh god -not again; she couldn't take such a thing again. Someone please just- just- just-

Slowly she turned around and froze all over again..

She had never seen the creature before, with its almost skeletal appearance, and yet, deep somewhere in her heart she knew what it was.

A Threstral.

She swallowed as tears sprung to her eyes. Cecile... she could see these now. These, these...

And so there the young girl stood, looking at the beast that so many feared, but she only saw sadness, and began to cry.

You shouldn't be outside, you know.

Hissing at the voice which never seemed to leave her alone, Savannah tried ignoring it. She was now convinced, someone has cursed her. It was the only explanation as to why she could here voices in her head.

But she had to admit, she shouldn't be outside. It was going to get her kidnapped again, but well, it was nice outside, and she needed fresh air.

Sighing, Savannah headed down to the lake, her eyes dragged towards it's surface. Merlin, how she hated water. Rubbing her arms, she glanced around and noticed a familiar brunette with a not-so-familiar animal.

Tilting her head, as she walked towards them, she took in the winged creature's appearance. Standing beside JJ, Savannah opened her mouth, still staring up at the creature, "What...what is that? It's cool."

Turning to JJ, she blinked, alarmed at the crying girl. Staring at her for a moment, she moved closer, hugging her, "JJ....c'mon, don't cry. It'll - it'll be alright."

J. J. didn't really hear Savannah come up at all. It must have said something, though, about her level of grief that she did not startle at all as the girl. She just glanced at her, hiccup, sobbed slightly, and shook her head.

She let the girl hug her, resting her head on her shoulder, as she continued to cry, soaking the shoulder of the girls clothes.

She shook her head, and hated that all though she was still crying rather steadily, the stupid magical robo-voice barely wavered, "Its not Vanna, its really not. She-she's dead... and- and what did I do?"

Rubbing circles on JJ's back with her hands, Savannah blinked rapidly as JJ spoke to her. That had been JJ, right? The annoying voice in her head didn't sound like that, so despite that sounding much like JJ, it was close enough for her to connect the dots and realize that she could speak again.

"You can talk now," Savannah said as she tried to focus on JJ's words over than the fact she'd spoken, "JJ, it's not your fault. You can't blame yourself for her death."

And you can?

But that's different, Savannah thought crossly, I could've saved him, but I didn't because I'm a failure as a person.

She hiccuped a bit and let out a shaky laugh, shaking her head.

"Only sort of," she answered, "Its not really my voice... just... magic. It sounds stupid and funny anyways."

She shook her head again, pulling away, and wipping at her face, to remove the tears which was pointless because more were just coming down.

"Yes, I can - I was there, Vanna. If I just, just did something, than maybe... maybe..." her shoulders sagged and looked at the girl, "If she's dead.... why aren't I as well? Why her but not me?"

Shrugging, Savannah smiled at her, "It's gotta be better than nothing though."

Watching her pull away, Savannah bit her lip. She should tell her. After all, she trusted JJ, and she deserved to know.

"JJ," She began, stepping towards her, "I'm going to tell you something. Something I've never told anyone else."

Pausing for a moment to compose herself, Savannah stared at JJ for a moment, "I know what you're going through. My -" Her voice faltering, Savannah looked down, tears already beginning to fill her eyes, "My dad died." And now the words were spilling out of her mouth and she had no control over them as tears ran down her cheeks, "We used to go camping all the time. In the Forest of Dean. You know, the place where Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley went to once when they were on the run. So one day, July 19th, we went there, by a lake. He was going to teach me the backstroke,"

Impulsively, she glanced over at the lake, "And then he just disappeared under the water. And I thought it was a joke," Spitting out the last word, she began pacing. "And when I realized that it wasn't and finally dove after him, it was - it was - there was a bloke there with a Bubble-head charm and he -" Hands rising to her throat, she shuddered, "He killed him and just Disapparates. I could've stopped him but I didn't because I'm an idiot who can't tell when someone's life is in danger. I could've saved my dad and I didn't. He shouldn't have died; it should've been me because I would've deserved it."

Flickering her gaze back to JJ, she stares at her, "I know you. You're smarter than me. You wouldn't have done something like that. Her death isn't your fault. But my dad's?" Pointing to herself, Savannah smiled grimly, "It's on my hands."

J. J. gave a light smile and nodded, "I guess you're right... though sometimes the differences just make me miss my own voice more."

J. J. nodded and then was silent as Savannah spoke. She listened with attention, not interupting.

"Savannah," she said softly, her eyes now dripping tears for both of them. "If its not my fault, than its not yours."

"And I'm not smart... I knew - I felt like there was something wrong with those girls, and yet..."

She glanced back at the threstral that hasn't moved since they arrived. It was almost as if it was watching over them.

"Its called a threstral. Only people who have seen someone die can see them."

Nodding, Savannah rubbed her wrists absentmindedly, "Yeah, like your new voice doesn't really have emotion,"

Rubbing tears off her face, she shook her head,"But - it is my fault. I could've saved him, and I didn't. I practically helped kill my dad."

Walking over to JJ briskly, she put her hands on her shoulders, gaze softening, "They attacked you. There's nothing you could've done. Unlike me of course," She added bitterly, "Who had the opportunity to save her father but did nothing."

Glancing up at the thestrals, she nodded, "That's cool. Glum, but cool."

J. J. nodded her head. That was the thing she hated most. Karma may have thought it was cool she sounded like a robot, but J. J. hated the way it echoed about in her head and everywhere else.

She just wanted to be normal - not more of a freak than ever.

"How old were you Vanna?" J. J. bit her lip. She figured if she was young enough... well then what could she do to help? She would not have been able to use magic, and to over power a grown man? "Savannah, even if you realized it wasn't a joke, I do not think there would have been anything you could have done... you probably would habe just gotten yourself hurt too."

"If I hadn't gone outside with them, hadn't let Cec go... then they wouldn't have been able to do anything."

"It was last summer," Savannah said while she rubbed her wrists, a nervous habit of hers, "So I was eleven, 'cause my birthday's in November and everything. But I could've at least tried. Maybe it's true that I couldn't have saved him, but I still didn't even try and I could've - I should've."

"You couldn't have known what they were going to do. Those girls are evil, JJ and you can't blame yourself for what they did."

J. J. gave a wry smile, "And neither can you blame yourself for your fathers... but you're still doing it aren't you?"

Slowly the girl sunk to the ground, and pulled her knees up the her chest, and gazing out at the water. She watched the way it flowed and ebbed, moving so freely, and then crashing into the shore.

It seemed so peaceful... like nothing bad could ever happen out there. She suddenly found herself wondering what would happen if she just let herself wade into the lake until she was hidden below its surface, and then just let...

She shook her head, bring her hand up to her mouth, and worrying the ring on her hand. Using her chin to spin it around.

She couldn't do that. There were people, and, and... Dimi wouldn't like that, if she just-just...

"But that's different," Savannah said with a shrug, "And besides, it's not all my fault. It's mostly that monster's fault." Scowling, she crossed her arms for a moment before her expression cleared, "I want to meet him one day. Ask him why he did it. Make him pay,"

Sitting down beside JJ, she glanced at her, finally noticing the ring on her finger. Grinning, she leaned towards her, "Nice ring. Did Dimitri give it to you?"

J. J. gave a wan smile, "But what happens if you don't like the answer?"

The girl stopped playing with the ring, startled for only a moment - she had sort of gotten to the point where she forgot it was there - and then smiled at the artifact.

"Yes... he did."

Opening her mouth to answer, Savannah frowned for a moment, closing it again. What would she do? It wasn't like she could blame someone for tellig her the truth. And what if they were lying? It's not like they had a good reason to tell her the truth. Shrugging, she answered JJ, "I don't know. I guess I'll just have to deal with it."

"You're so lucky to have someone like him." She grinned, "He must really love you."

J. J. nodded. She both understood and didn't Savannah's desire to find the man who killed her father. She could understand the desire for revenge or closer, or just... something...

But she had no desire to see those girls again. That was the last thing she wanted. She didn't want them to get away with what they did to Cecile - and she supposed herself too - she really didn't, but she also wanted to move on. She wanted to put them in the past, and she didn't think she could do that if she ever saw them again - bring them into the present just did not seem like a good idea.


J. J. blushed to the roots of her hair, and shook her head with a bashful smile growing onto her face.

"I don't know about that... I just know, being around him just seems to make everything better. Like some part of my brain thinks if I could just never leave him... everything would just be okay," she flashed a girl another smile and gave an embarrased little laugh, "I know that sounds so stupid, but..."

Giving JJ a pointed look, Savannah grinned, "That is not stupid. It's adorable." Sighing happily, she laid down on the grass, her dark hair billowing beneath her, "You two just sound so perfect together and amazing..."

She trailed off, grinning up at JJ. JJ was so lucky. She had a great family, an amazing boyfriend, and definitely had more friends than just her. But she'd gotten attacked, and that most certainly wasn't lucky.

But that only happened once you met her...

Ignoring the voice and shoving away it's dark thoughts even as they dug their way through her subconscious, Savannah sat back up, rubbing her wrists. It's not my fault she got attacked, Savannah argued.

I never said it was. But it is strange that her life went downhill as soon as she met you.

Shivering at the thought, Savannah looked back at JJ, faking a smile as she ignored the voice again, "I'm going to plan your wedding."

J. J. shook her head, "We're not that perfect... we're just people..." sort of. She was of course neglecting to point out that Dimitri did in fact rather prefer blood to food, and that there had been a moment where she quite possibly could have been dinner.

No they weren't perfect, but... lord did she love him... that was it, she loved him. She smiled goofily at the water as she let that thought wander through her head.

She let out a laugh, "I'm not even engaged, and yet everyone is trying to plan my wedding."

"You're just two people who are perfect," Savannah grinned at JJ, intent on ignoring that dreaded little voice in her head. He was lying to her. There was no way it was her fault that JJ had been attacked.

It was the fault of those girls, and the blame was squarely on their shoulders, not hers.

But your luck, your terrible terrible luck rubbed off on her and got her attacked.

My luck is not that bad, she thought crossly, rubbing her fingers through the grass underneath her.

You watched your father die. You've been crownapped. All that before your thirteenth birthday. Admit it Savannah, you're the personification of bad luck.

Biting her lip, she turned back to JJ, watching her smile for a moment. She was happy, the happiest she'd seen her in a while. Why would anyone want to attack her in the first place? Or maybe it was true...

Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes for a moment, she shook her head. It wasn't. It couldn't. Opening her eyes, she smiled weakly at JJ's comment, "That's because you two will be together forever. We know you'll get married one day."

J. J. shook her head and laughed, "I'm not going to change your mind on that am I? I'm sure I could find something to show you just how unperfect we both are."

"Forever?" J. J. repeated the word, thinking about it. She liked the sound of forever, but there was a small voice in the back of her head that was nattering a doubt at her. A doubt she didn't really want to deal with. Savannah didn't know how acurate that word could just be.

The young girl shook her head after a moment, brining herself away from such thoughts, and glanced at Savannah. The girl seemed... off suddenly. Perhaps she was thinking of her father, but...

"You okay there Vanna?"

"Really?" Savannah asked, raising an eyebrow in an attempt to be serious, though she couldn't hold back the laughter. Merlin, she hadn't laughed in so long. And it made her feel so much better. "Like what?" She asked once she finally caught her breath.

"Yep," She nodded, "Forever and ever," Good things should happen to good people and bad things to bad people. Why couldn't the world just be black and white without that annoying shade of grey ruining it all? Why did good things have to happen to bad people and vice versa? It was just the way the world worked, it didn't have anything to do with her. At least the voice had momentarily decided to leave her alone. But it'd cone back. It always did.

Blinking over at JJ, she froze for a second. She couldn't tell her. She'd think she was mental and get her carted off to St. Mungo's. And besides, she was fine. All that had happened was that she'd been cursed. But a part of her, the rational part of her, knew that wasn't true. But she wasn't going to admit that to herself, let alone JJ. So Savannah nodded and lied, "I'm fine. I'm just thinking."

J. J. shook her head and smiled at the girl laughed, "Little things really... for one thing I can't talk right now, and I trip over anything that's in my way... Dimi can be annoyingly brooding sometimes," she shook her head still smiling despite what she was talking about.

The girl hugged her knees as she leaned forward, smiling a bit more as she looked out to the water. Forever, and ever... she liked that. What had Dimitri said that one time?

"I'm going to be here for you, forever and possibly more, if you will take me," she mumbled to herself, repeating the memory outloud with out even realizing that she was doing it.

J. J. watched her sharply. She was lying, J. J. was pretty sure. She lied to keep people happy, or keep problems gone all the time, she knew the signs.

"Well, don't think too hard - if you ever feel like thinking allowed... I'll listen you know."

"He also has that odd obsession of messing up his hair. It's so weird." Shaking her head as she grinned, Savannah leaned closer to catch JJ's mumbled words. Her grin expanding, she pushed her softly, "See? That is proof of you two's perfect-ness."

Nodding rapidly, she added with a sly wink, "And who knows? Maybe I get to be Aunty Savvy one day. That does have a nice ring to it." She mused.

That is of course, if she lives long enough. With the amount of time she spends with someone like you....

Rubbing her wrists, she inhaled deeply. Please, stop it. I don't want to hear it. Just leave me alone.

But you don't want me to leave, not really. Because I've helped you, Savannah, and I can just as easily ruin you.

Hissing slightly and shaking her head to try and get that voice out, Savannah whimpered quietly, forgetting for a moment that she wasn't alone. Turning to JJ, she bit her lip, hands shaking as she answered. "I know. You - you'll always be here for me."

J. J. flushed as she was heard. She grinned a bit and shook her head, "Or its a sign that I was a mess, and Dimitri's a complete sap underneath all that 'I'm too dangerous to look at' crud he puts up."

She shook her head and laughed a bit, enjoying herself - right up until Savannah's next words. Then she ducked her head again, and blushed furiously.

"No," she said immediately, before blusshing even more - if that was even possible - and continued to stutter, "I mean, were not - obviously, but one day maybe- no, I mean..."

She shook her head and gave out an embarassed laugh.

"Lets try that again - maybe?"

J. J. looked sharply at Savannah as she let out a whimper. She bit her lip. She didn't want to be pushy but that was...

"That's right I will. Even if you want to get rid of me, too bad, you're stuck with me now."

"Of course he's a sap underneath," Savannah grinned, "He has you. When people are around you, they just become better people. Even I become nicer when I'm around you." She nodded to accentuate her point, and couldn't help but wonder if JJ had heard about the not so nice things she could say and do. Oh well, she shrugged, they deserved it.

Giggling at JJ as she began stammering, Savannah bumped her shoulder against hers, "Yeah, I think you should. I bet one day, you'll totally pay me back for this," Laughing harder, Savannah laid back down on the grass.

What was wrong with her? She needed to stop acting like this affected her so much. Rubbing her temples, she sighed. If I just ignore him, then maybe he'll go away. And she couldn't tell JJ or Rosie or even her own Mum because they'd all overreact and cart her away into a loony bin. Maybe it really was a curse or a hex. And only one person hates me enough to do this, she thought grimly, Kirsten. The girl still held a grudge, and if anyone would have a reason for this, it would be her. When she saw her again....

Pulling her fingers away from her temple before she smashed her own skull, she nodded up at JJ, smiling, "I'd never want to get rid of you,"

"I do all this huh?" she raised her eyebrows laughing slightly in disbelief. "I'm not that special, not really. You're all just," she smiled and shook her head. Sure she'd remember Dimitri saying something along the same lines in the past but she hadn't taken him seriously then, not really just as she wasn't really taking Savannah seriously right now.

"Its you people not me... I'm just normal, not special."

J. J. mocked glared at the girl before laugh, "Don't worry, I will."

She bit her lip as she looked at the girl. She was obviously still upset over something but, if she was not saying there was nothing J. J. could do and she would not bother pushing. What good would it do? She did not want to say, so that would just have to be acccepted.

"Good," she nodded, "Cause you are not going to. We are the dinamic duo or-or-or... any other corny names for two you can think of. You're stuck with me now Vanna - congrats."