Confused

[Cecily Rambolt]

Cecily hastily wiped away the tears that fell down her cheeks, lest any of the children hurrying to class saw. She was thankful that the lawn was mostly deserted and her path to her greenhouse was clear. Her thoughts spun around in her head, creating confusion and chaos.
She'd trusted Nicolas. She..she..really liked him! How could he have lied to her, knowing what he knew?

 

[Nicolas King]

Professor King rushed after Cecily, feeling horrible for what he had done, but there was no other way. "Cecily!" he yelled, running now to catch up to the woman. He got in front of her and stopped, "I'm sorry, I couldn't tell you, I wanted to, I even thought about it for a while, but I couldn't. I was to be undercover. I hope you understand. That's the only thing I wasn't able to tell you the truth about, everything else is me." he assured her, hoping desperately she would understand.

 

[Cecily Rambolt]

"How can I know that?" she cried out, looking up at him. Her green eyes were wet with her tears, a few fell from them on her cheeks.

 

[Nicolas King]

Professor King withdrew a fresh handkerchief and wiped a few tears from Cecily's eyes, "How would you like to be sure of it? Would you like to read my mind? See my thoughts? Know everything I've ever said or done? I'll do that if you want, if it will earn me back your trust."

 

[Cecily Rambolt]

Cecily stood still at his gentle touch. She searched his eyes, seeing only truth there. In her rational mind, she knew what he said was true and she understood his reasoning behind it. In her emotional state (haha a woman's mind), she felt hurt and betrayed. She didn't know if she could do this again. An Auror's life wasn't their own, as she well knew. She'd been married to one for years. But Bearse and Nicolas were two wholly different men...Bearse had always been cruel, secretive, never would he have offered up his memories to anyone, let alone a woman. For Nicolas to offer even that...she looked down at the ground and crossed her arms. She felt so confused.
She looked up at him and all the confusion she felt was there on her face. "I..I don't need that,"she said softly. "I don't know Nicolas...you know my past, you know who I was married to...,"she shook her head. "I just don't know what to think."

 

[Nicolas King]

Professor King put away the handkerchief and stared at Cecily a moment. He knew what she must be feeling, or he figured he knew. But he also knew what he had done had been for the right reasons, that he had no choice but to lie to her, no matter how much he knew it would hurt her, or him eventually. As Cecily spoke again Professor King's frown became more defined. "Cecily, we're not all Bearse's. I'm not him, I don't think what my occupation is should effect anything. How often have I neglected students because the ministry needed me to be elsewhere? I am not the man your husband was."

 

[Cecily Rambolt]

"I know that,"she insisted, putting her hand on her heart, her eyes locked with him. "You're nothing like him...you're kind, considerate, strong...you're everything he is not or could never be...and I care for you,"she ended softly. She sighed and looked away.

 

[Nicolas King]

"I care for you too." Professor King replied in a lower tone of voice then his previous words had been, "So what's the problem here?"

 

[Cecily Rambolt]

Cecily's breath caught at his words. "You do?"she whispered, searching his eyes.

 

[Nicolas King]

"Yes I do." Professor King began, quiet still than before, "Why would I have followed you out here otherwise?" He hoped Cecily wouldn't be too upset by the whole situation, though he could understand if she was. He could understand if she never wanted to see him again. He had lied about the thing in his life, which in his opinion, made him who he was.

 

[Cecily Rambolt]

Cecily's eyes watered again at his answer. "I'm sorry,"she whispered, wiping the tears away. "Nicolas, you've been there for me when I needed you most, you've been a good friend. I'm sorry for being so upset with you,"she said, her tone matching his. She let out a breath and stepped slightly closer to him, reaching for his hand. She held it within her own and looked up at him. "I don't want to lose your friendship."

 

[Nicolas King]

Professor King withdrew the handkerchief again with his free hand and did as he had done before. "Nor I yours Cecily, and you've no need to apologize, I do." he said, staring into Cecily's eyes, pleaing for forgiveness though still not weak. ((Is that possible? ))

 

[Cecily Rambolt]

Cecily smiled shakily through her tears. She felt them stop. "It's okay Nicolas...well, at first it wasn't, but now...I understand," she said, lightly sqeezing his hand. "What about you?"she asked after a moment. "How will this effect you?"

(I quite believe so. )

 

[Nicolas King]

"Well, I've received a letter from the Minister with my prophet today, so I'm not quite sure yet." Professor King answered honestly, "Though I'm hoping this certainly won't effect ... us." he continued with hesitance.

 

[Cecily Rambolt]

Her lips quirked. "No...I don't think it will. Unless...,"she was scarred to voice her thoughts, afraid to make them come true. She gathered her courage and went through it. "Unless they assign you elsewhere?"

 

[Nicolas King]

"I've already decided that if the Minister tells me that I am not to be positioned here any longer my reply will also be my resignation." Professor King assured Cecily, having thought that possibility over in the great hall.

 

[Cecily Rambolt]

Cecily had been worried that he would leave and she'd never see him again. That what was happening between them would never have a chance. "That's wonderful!" she cried out, flinging her arms around him. She was so happy, he wouldn't leave! Realizing what she'd done in her overzealous nature, she stepped back, her arms in front of her, her hands fidgeting together. Her cheeks were flushed. She cleared her throat. "But won't you regret resigning, if it comes to that?"

 

[Nicolas King]

"I thought so too." Professor King replied as he embraced Cecily before she pulled back again, "I'm not sure if I'll regret anything, I don't think I will right now, but nobody knows what the future holds for me." he stated figuring that though it may be more comforting to lie and assure her he would regret nothing but the time for lies had passed. "May I still escort you to dinner this weekend?" he then inquired, hoping it would not be called off.

 

[Cecily Rambolt]

"Absolutely,"she replied, smiling. She thought of that morning and the ups and downs already experience, without even teaching a single class yet! She hoped the students hadn't noticed her abrupt departure.
"I'd like to learn more about you Nicolas,"she said seriously. "Now that you can divulge that is,"she said impishly.

 

[Nicolas King]

"You can ask me all the questions you want on our date this weekend." Professor King replied, not paying attention to the exact words he had used. Right now his mind was too busy remembering what exactly was fact and what was fiction. He had hidden himself from everyone for so long that he had come to hide his true self from himself.

 

[Cecily Rambolt]

"I'll do that,"she nodded, her smile soft on her face. "I have a class in about an hour...I should go get the Mandrakes primed. I've warded them all with anti theft wards,"she said ruefully.

 

[Nicolas King]

"I'll do that,"she nodded, her smile soft on her face. "I have a class in about an hour...I should go get the Mandrakes primed. I've warded them all with anti theft wards,"she said ruefully.

"Okay, well see you then then." Professor King said with a smile as he turned to go back to the great hall and finish breakfast.

 

[Cecily Rambolt]

"See you,"she replied, feeling better. She walked briskly towards her greenhouse, hoping to grab a muffin before class began.