Did you forget about us?

[Irene Finch]

With the smell of gingerbread in the air, Irene used her wand to shut the stove as she made her way back into the living room. The muted sounds of classical Christmas music flowed softly from the wizarding radio that was in the room. Irene settled herself onto a chaise lounge and picked up the magazine that had been thrown on the arm. Flipping through it, Irene was enjoying the brief moment alone, knowing all too well that it would be shattered shortly.

As if on cue, Irene heard a noise coming from upstairs, and she lifted her head, freezing for a moment. When the sound didn't continue, Irene relaxed, taking a glance at the tiny tree she'd put up the night before. Her brother and Eric had sent plenty of presents for her to put under the tree, most for Melina and a few for Irene. It was a nice gesture and one that she appreciated even though she had more than enough money for gifts. Her thoughts darkened as she recalled the gifts that she had given up hope would arrive. Lukyan had made so many promises to her about being there for Melina but, as she had known he would, had failed to keep any of them. He hadn't even sent his daughter a Christmas present for Merlin's sake. Irene heard her daughter stir again, which broke her from the dark thoughts she'd been having. This time the distinct noise of a child waking up could be heard and as Irene headed for the stairs, she could hear Melina's babbles. That girl was going to be a talker. "Mama's coming Lina" she called out as she began to climb the stairs.

 

[Lukyan Kozlov]

The Holiday's quickly fell right after November finish, leaving no time for those busy to relax. Christmas always had been ridiculously busy, to anyone who had a home and family to go too. Lukyan had a family, he also had a daughter who he hadn't clearly seen in a while since she was just a few months old. His broken promise to stay around were impossible to be fix. He had no chance with Irene to fix them. She made be imperious to his wishes, that did not stop the man from wanting to see his daughter now. She can throw many daggers, curse, whatever, Melina deserve to see him. He had plenty of years to make up passive time. She will learn in due time he had higher priorities to deal with. A covenant and than some back in his old school. Writing school related subject and advance magic for the dark arts school of Drumstrang delayed the man being a father.

Carrying a bag charm in his left pocket, he hurried past the world around, weaving into the inner community of the wizarding world in New Zealand. He waited the right to apparating without muggels noticing his movements. He pick the right time and appearing in the right room when he shifted place to place,Melina's room, his daughter nursery were abounded of her mother, just a small body laying in her crib. She saw the man, her eyes meeting of her father dress in a less cheerful attire, Lukyan smile greeting his little one. She has grown very much since he last laid his eyes on her.

 

[Irene Finch]

As Irene made her way up the steps, she was surprised to hear the familiar crack of someone apparating into the place and she realized she'd forgotten to set up the non-apparation charm that was usually in place around the house. She'd undone the charm earlier in the week when her brother had come over with his family. She had visitors so infrequently that she'd forgotten to put it back up. Rushing into the room with determination, Irene's wand was out and ready to aim a curse to defend her daughter. Her bright blue eyes narrowed even more when she discovered who it was in the room. In truth, a kidnapper would likely receive better treatment than the man standing before her.

"You!" she hissed after making sure that Melina was alright. The little girl was holding her hands up, wanting someone to pick her up out of her crib. She would have to wait though. Irene had a few things to get off of her chest. "How dare you come to my house and not have the courtesy to knock" she complained, her wand waving around as her hands moved. Lukyan had not been around for months. Months! And, now he thought he could simply apparate into her home like everything was ok. And on Christmas of all days! "You've got some nerve showing up here on Christmas, Lukyan Kozlov" she continued in a seething tone, her icy blue eyes giving the man a look that she wished could kill him. It could not, but she knew he'd get the message that she was not happy with him and that he should tread carefully.

Out of Character: OMG!

I your spoiler

 

[Lukyan Kozlov]

Little Melina gaze at her father, making the connection of where she seen that man before. Her little eyes wonder, yet she still fussed about why her attentive mother wasn't around to notice her. That man notice her, he notice her a lot with a smile, warming to feel some source of emotions between them. Thus briefly the connection was broken by her mother's interruption and harsh words. If she could identify the emotions her mother was feeling, she'd be curious to know what has gotten the young brunette so hot and bother. Incapable of knowing, she fuss a little more.

"Do you have to scream like that? Sheesh woman, don't act like you didn't agree to me being the keeper of this house" he said accusingly at her. That's how he was able to apparate without her knowing, he was the one that put of the charms before Melina arrived in this world. he can set any other charm down, because he was set known keeper of Irene's home. "Plus did your brother not contacted you through owl that I was busy with work in Drumstrang? It's a commitment I couldn't break, if you want an apology, than I'm sorry" he said coolly taking his time with a good excuse of why he wasn't around. All of it wasn't a lie, some of it was actually true. She'll believe him, he had allies to prove he was in fact working. Though, half the other kinda work was private, he won't be saying much about that.

Out of Character: LOL

I know

 

[Irene Finch]

"Only because I actually thought you'd be around" she retorted, her voice still filled with venom. Her brother was the one who'd persuaded her to agree to such a thing. For whatever reason, he seemed to be on Lukyan's side in most things. She knew they'd been friends back in school but she had no idea what sort of relationship they'd kept up since then. "Otherwise, believe me. I never would have agreed to such a thing." She'd lowered her wand though and after another tense moment where she'd quickly judged and dismissed the merits of hexing him, she'd stowed it away so she could pick up Melina, who was beginning to fuss a bit. She patted the baby's back, rocking back and forth a bit so the young girl could settle down.

Irene listened to Lukyan speak and when he'd finished she shrugged her shoulders. "Yea, he sent me an owl. But, I don't need excuses. If I do, I'll just head to the muggle-worthy excuse department. I'm sure their excuses are better." She looked away from him then because Melina had begun her usual babbling and it was directed at the man before her. The words 'I'm sorry' made her eyes shoot up to his again though she didn't keep his gaze. Lukyan was part veela after all and Irene had always been afraid that some of his veelaness was in his eyes. "Whatever Lukyan" she sighed as she turned towards the door. "Excuse me, but it's time for Melina to eat. Follow if you want." The little girl's gaze had been rooted on the man the entire time and even as Irene made her way out of the room, Melina wriggled in her mother's arms to see him.

 

[Lukyan Kozlov]

" What difference does it make if I'm here or not Irene? It's not like you welcome my company when I am around either way. Your not exactly the kind of company I enjoyed on the regular basics" he said striding right after her. He had a light jacket on, and took it off. The weather outside was humid and mile, like New Zealand weather should be around Christmas time, He dislike the weather, though learn to deal since his sisters move over here and now had parents duty when an ungrateful Romanian woman. If it were up to the man he stayed in Russian, where he truly belong. Away from these muggels and his own private home he had up there that was faraway from any muggel in sight from the man. Its luxury, where many of his company where like him and not like the wizards and witches down here.

"Is that the department you work for at the ministry?" he raise an eyebrow while they headed for the downstairs. "I knew you work for the ministry but nothing beneath your status Irene?" he was acting a tad hypocrite after telling her she wasn't worthy company. "Never mind about your silly job, let me hold Melina for a while, its been a few months since I last saw her" he hang his coat where a pole hanger took it from his hand and hang it neatly on a hook. Least she not living like a muggel. He took out the charm bag from his deep pockets, inside were a new pram from her, some clothes (hand made by elfs), and a few toys crafted by the best wizards up north. He took out a handmade teddy from the bag and gave it to Melina. "I got her an house elf too, so he can help you too" he said it more to Irene but he was looking at Melina when he said it.

 

[Irene Finch]

Irene rolled her eyes as Lukyan trailed behind and spoke. "You didn't seem to mind my company that much before" she muttered as she reached the first floor. When she and Lukyan were laid out on the floor in this room, he seemed to be quite thrilled with her actually. It was true that she found Lukyan to be annoying, she wouldn't deny that one bit, but it was his own fault. There was just something about him that rubbed her the wrong way sometimes, like two pieces of sandpaper against each other. They were always going tit for tat, comment for comment and although she tried to deny it to herself, deep down Irene enjoyed it. She would never admit it to Lukyan though. It would blow up his oversized ego and make him even more difficult to deal with.

Turning quickly as he incorrectly assumed that she worked for the muggle worthy excuse committee, Irene's back straightened. She was a proud woman and her father and mother had raised her having little to do with muggles. "No" she began haughtily as she handed over his daughter, "I work for the Department of Transportation." She hated being spoken down to. What did he care anyway? She obviously was making enough money to be in this nice house and to keep herself and her daughter clothed in expensive clothing. "Do you want to feed her?" she asked, placing her hand on her hip as she turned to regard him after she'd used her wand to summon a bottle for Melina. Lukyan hadn't been involved in any of that before so Irene had no idea if he even knew how or if he would want to. She softened her stance a bit when she realized he had at least remembered to bring Melina something for Christmas and as he mentioned that he'd brought a house elf, Irene's eyes widened a bit with surprise. "Why...thank you Lukyan. That was very...thoughtful of you" she said slowly. She was at a bit of a loss as to how to respond.

 

[Lukyan Kozlov]

Lukyan smirk. Her reaction about his assumption were she held a career, brought a snicker to his parted lips. His eyes smiles when he smirk, you could tell he love to pull her chains all the time. The moment lasted than past like the ticking of time. He was expecting to put up a fight when he ask to hold his daughter. He stood ready to defend himself. already finding the right words to counter the argument to her. It was a shock, really seeing her give up Melina. She just seem the overly protective type to Lukyan. He was beginning to think, he was too quick to judge her and allow himself to feel humble. Maybe...or maybe not...He took Melina, his fingers protecting her small body with the lift of his forearms, he held the young one close to his chest.

"Thanks and your welcome" he said, his eyes moving back to Melina, he rock her a little while he feed her the formula milk. Melina had a hold on the pink teddy around her small chubby little fingers. She pressed the bear against her small chest, her eyes like Irene, oceanic blue stared back at his hazel green. She had her mother's eyes but a glint in them when the light touched the outside of the pupil. He smile at Melina, she was so beautiful. The most beautifulest creature ever made, it frighten him a little how small she was. It also got him thinking his entire world now revolved around this tiny human. Not the world were there were hidden secrets and lies with a mixture of dark magic involved. It was her world, the one where he promise to be there.That will change, he said in silence.

"So how's life besides me not being here? Who does she stay with,when your at work?" he ask Irene. He sat down on a chair, still assisting his daughter with the bottle. She was almost half way through it. She was hungry than...

 

[Irene Finch]

With her hand on her hip, Irene watched Lukyan for a moment through narrowed eyes. She wasn't used to such kindness coming from him, not towards her anyway. After a moment, once she realized he wasn't going to drop Melina and seemed to know what he was doing, Irene settled herself onto the sofa across from the father and daughter. As he continued to look over his little girl, a feeling stole over Irene and once she realized what that feeling was, she stowed it away. That is so not happening, she thought as she reminded herself of all of the pain and heartache he'd caused her. He'd been gone more than he'd been present and there was no way she was letting him off the hook that easily, house elf or not.

She was so engrossed in her thoughts and of watching as Melina ate that it took her a moment to realize what Lukyan had said. When she did, a grimace crossed her face. Was he questioning her to see how good of a mother she was? "Life has been the same as usual without you. It's not as if I've gotten used to you being around. You're gone more than you're here" she said in a matter-of-fact way. "And Melina comes to work with me. I've been on maternity leave from the Ministry and no one at my Dinette is going to tell me I can't bring my daughter in." She actually hadn't thought of who would babysit Melina once she did go back to work at the Ministry after the holidays.

"I suppose this house elf you've brought over can take care of Lina when I have Ministry work" she mused. She didn't know how she was going to feel, having to leave her baby in the care of someone else. After regretting the pregnancy, Irene had grown to be quite fond of the baby. She still could do without the crying all night and the smelly diapers, but things were getting easier to deal with, especially now that Melina was sleeping through most of the night.

 

[Lukyan Kozlov]

"And I'll say it again I have been working at Drumstrang. Translating some books and writing a few is not that easy Irene. I could have done here but I had other important matters to take care" he gave her that look, the one that said hold it before you say anything look. "It's away of providing for when I'm not here, I know I made a promise and all but I had to do it" not just that, he was a sub for whenever a professor was out from teaching. Half the time he did it because the professors leave the school. Some couldn't take teaching a school that taught dark arts. They were to weak minded to handle it, now how you think he felt when he had to learn it growing up. it wasn't no piece of cake for him, but like the rest of his school mate, he graduated well enough. He felt like the bad guy sometimes, which ironically he was. Yet he didn't feel like it, he knew why he was doing that other kind of teaching. His positions with the death eater was to teach and apply what's right in their world, so that the young follower could understand their art of work. He was proud of his positions, he just wasn't a loud death eater like the rest of them, he showed his trust in them silently. He always been like that, so they couldn't say he was loyal.

"Yeah or maybe I could stay here now that my sessions are done up there? I finished what I had to do with writing, my next few books can be written here" and when he meant here, he was speaking of his dear sister's house. He would bring all his material there and work from their home. He will miss being up north and his private home away from the muggel, but it's worth it all to be here for Melina. If she grew without knowing her father, that will not be accepted by him. Out of wedlock or not, he had his duties here. Melina was done with her bottle, she kept her eyes at her father. However, after drinking the entire bottle, she felt stuff. Her stomach was full with baby formula and what mommy gave her just two hours ago, baby fruit and cereal. She fussed a little in his arms, Lukyan look at her. "The bottle emptied what should I do next?"Lukyan always forget that baby need to burp out their gas by patting them on their back. Can't blame him, it's been more than a decade since he handle his nephew and niece.

 

[Irene Finch]

Irene waved his explanation away. She'd heard it once already and she didn't need to hear it again. Frankly, she didn't care what he'd been doing. "Fine, Lukyan. I know your reasons, but you asked how my life was" she said with a lazy shrug. She certainly wasn't going to apologize for bringing it up again because she knew that she planned on doing it again and again and again. She would continue to bring up how he'd been shirking his parental responsibilities until he actually stepped up for longer than a couple of hours.

With another wave of her wand, a plate of cooled cookies made their way out of the kitchen and settled onto the coffee table she had. She reached down as she listened to Lukyan, her hand freezing before she could pick up a cookie. He's not saying what I think he's saying she assured herself as she continued to reach for the cookie and picked it up. Looking up at Lukyan, Irene gave him a strange expression but remained silent until she had settled herself into the sofa. "Here? As in where, Lukyan? You don't mean this house, right?" she said, her blue eyes narrowing as she waited for his reply. That was a bad, bad idea for a million reasons. She and Lukyan simply didn't get along very well. They never had and Irene was beginning to think they never would. And, Irene didn't even think he remembered how to take care of a baby. She knew he had a niece and nephew, but she didn't know how involved Lukyan had been in taking care of them. His question proved her point, and she rolled her eyes at him. "You burp her, Lukyan. And, you think you can take care of her for a whole day while I'm working?" she asked incredulously.

 

[Lukyan Kozlov]

"No not here, I'm staying with my sisters. They live in the village so it wouldn't be much of a distant" Lukyan masking away his true reaction. He saw how she quickly reacted and the way she said it made him a bit annoyed she was still behaving that way. He wanted to voice how her mature levels seems out of whack. Like come on how long will she hate him for no reason? She had a baby by him, big deal? He hated when a woman acted so proud of themselves, like if their pride was let down they will be cast away from the world for it. Lukyan was proud, on many things he was. But right now he was just proud being a father, everything else he could careless about. But if he did he wouldn't know how to provide for his daughter, if he didn't make funds for his books and teaching. He did what he did for a reason and now it was for Melina. Except being a death eater, that was all him.


"What I forgot that part" he took his daughter by the side and started to pat her back. She burp a few times and felt comfortable now. "I think I'm experience enough to handle my daughter while you work. I hope that's not a problem with you" he said arching an brow, to show how much she can be so difficult without even trying. "My sisters will be there if anything, they had my nephew and Dymetris came out find"like everyone had doubt he would, both Kolova woman had prove them wrong. A boy can be raise by two females, he was that more special either way with no male in their household but Dymetris. The rest he learn from Lukyan too, Lukyan taught his nephew as much as he needed to know before he went off to Hogwarts a couple years back.

 

[Irene Finch]

Irene had forgotten that Lukyan had sisters who lived in New Zealand. She nodded her head, glad that he hadn't been suggesting moving in with her. She enjoyed having her own space, and having Lukyan around all of the time would really bother her. She wouldn't mind his help though and part of Irene hoped he was serious about his offer. It was so hard to tell with him though. He often said one thing and then did another. Shaking her head, she replied to him. "No, it shouldn't be a problem." She sat back on the couch, "Unless something else comes up for you..."

As she settled herself into the sofa, Irene watched as Melina's eyes darted across Lukyan's face as if she were studying him. It was fascinating to watch. Shaking herself out of it, Irene pointed to the area on the floor where a blanket and some toys were settled. It was obvious that this was Melina's play area. "I start work again right after the holidays" Irene informed him in as friendly a voice as she could muster. "Shall I bring Melina to your sister's house or will you pick her up? The healer says we shouldn't apparate with her until she is a year old." She even added a smile, though it was a very brief one, to show Lukyan that she could in fact play nice when she wanted to. She could play nice for as long as he stayed on her good side anyway.

 

[Lukyan Kozlov]

"Please don't ruin this night. I don't want to be reminded that I'm not perfect, you know not everyone can be as perfect as you" he pointed that out. He felt every part of his face tense up, the way she spoke to Lukyan all the time irritated him. "Everything will be figured out later, right now let's enjoy the bit of night left for Melina" he said getting up to rock his daughter to bed. She kept rubbing at her eyes, yawning every minute or so, Melina fighting her sleep wasn't going well. The milk had warm her small belly and made her full to the point she fell drowsy. Rocking in her father's arm, she slowly started to drift asleep. Lukyan smile, he was just glad to actually witness her fall asleep in his arms. Ignoring Irene half the night made it bearable to be here.

After two hours have passed, Lukyan felt he been here long enough for his daughter tonight. Gathering his coat from the coat hook, he pulled it over himself, leaving all the gifts he had Melina right underneath the tree for her. "I will send you an owl? If that's okay with you? I won't be far, so you can guarantee me answering right back" his jacket cladded his lean torso, he step towards the door and turn swiftly to look at Irene. "Will you be needing anything else? Before I go..? he asked her.

 

[Irene Finch]

Irene opened her mouth to spit out a retort and then shut it just as quickly. Was that what he thought? That she was so egotistical that she thought she was perfect? She didn't and she was bewildered as to why he thought that. Only the fact that Melina was beginning to fall asleep again kept her quiet for good. Irene watched in astonishment as the baby fell asleep rather quickly. Even after a meal, it usually took Irene at least thirty minutes to get Melina to fall back asleep and here Lukyan had accomplished the task in mere minutes. Since she annoyed him so much as he did to her, Irene got up and left for the kitchen without another word. She remained in there for most of the two hours, continuing to bake. She was going to her brother's house the next day and wanted to take over some gingerbread cookies for her niece and nephew.

After a few hours, Irene peeked through the doorway, which she had been doing every few minutes, and she saw that Lukyan was up, gathering his coat. A sense of relief passed through Irene. Having Lukyan in the house made her feel tense and uncomfortable. She wiped her hand on a dishcloth as she walked over to him. "That sounds fine" she replied as she paused halfway between the kitchen and him. As he turned again, Irene's heart hammered slightly in her chest. She looked at him for a moment, her blue eyes trying to get a read on him and then she shrugged. "What would I need? I'm fine" she replied, unsure of what he expected her to say.

 

[Lukyan Kozlov]

"Good. Send me a letter if Melina has problems of anything, I'll be at my sisters" he look at her briefly. His eyes narrowing to almost a glare and serious look. He watch her enough, tearing his eyes away from her. There was nothing left to do but leave for the evening. "Night" he expressed an one word. Leaving her house, he waited till he was by her second step to apparated away. He had a long night of her, but with Melina added to the mix all wasn't bad.