Keep Running

[Zazuka Getathorn]

Zazuka woke up. She blinked twice then looked around to make sure that she was where she really thought she was. She looked at the room that she recognized but her herself had never been in and was alarmed. Why had Fate let her go? She was meant to rot inside her own mind until time ended but here she was, in the real world looking at solid things. She could still feel her own abilities working but she could not sense the darkness that had been embedded inside her. Zazuka could never lie about her intrentons that was a Fate thing. She had to leave this place now. What about Epiphany? Zazuka asked herself but she knew the answer to that one again. Epiphany was more there than here these days and spent most of her time with Luthor Silverback and she was going to school the next year. It's wouldn't be too much to leave her then come back for her once she herself was

Zuka had seen the change of her little sister over the time that she had been under Fate's control, she only hoped that there was a way to turn her back before things went too far. Zazuka found her wand, packed everything and left a note with "You'll understand" written on it. Zazuka felt horrible for what she was about to do but she saw know other way out she had to go. With two bags in her hands she left this flat. Where she was going to go she didn't know but she did know that it had to be away from here.

There where few known desperation spots in New Zealand, the closest one was in the Harbor but that was way too close to Bleak street for comfort. Instead she aimed for another place. Muggle New Zealand was one place that she never thought she would ever be travaling through again but it for once she felt safe here. Her father would not be coming back that much she knew but she was too troubled to look into the "what could happen" Sofly she sighed to herself as she tried to come up with a plan for herself.

 

[Brian Getathorn XIX]

Brian was supposed to be writing a Muggle Piece for the Daily Prophet, he had finally been made into a full fledged reporter and didn't want to let the Editor down. This often meant traveling in Muggle clothes into the Muggle world something that he often did anyways in order to meet with his parents in London. They never did understand the whole Magic thing but they did enjoy the fact that Brian didn't have to travel on any planes and was able to visit so often just by vanishing and reappearing. Brian was glad that it was enough to make them happy considering he was a grown adult that was constantly busy. He'd spent some time using his resources to find Andromeda and had discovered that his school friend was indeed doing okay.

He had also been trying to find out how Zazuka was doing, but unfortunately Zazuka had seemed to disappear from the face of the Earth. Brian had picked up a newspaper and coffee and read over the interesting things that were currently going on in the Muggle world. Brian had spent the last few days traveling across the globe and looking on the internet for other interesting stories. He walked down the street trying to get away from the people so he could make it back to the Prophet and turn in his info when something caught his eye. Brian was good with his eye for detail and despite looking a bit different he couldn't help but notice that the girl walking away from him was someone that he'd been looking for. Brian didn't know if he should call out for her and so instead decided to follow her. She was walking fast but Brian was able to catch up to her even though he was wearing a trench coat that slowed his movements. Finally Brian got close to her and was sure that it was indeed his friend from school "Z, where have you been?" Brian asked as he quickly moved in front of her.

 

[Zazuka Getathorn]

Zazuka had been lost in her own head, this time actually planning something instead of wondering around in there, when she felt someone grab her. She jumped and screamed looking around but when she saw who it was sighed. "B I haven't seen you in ages, who are you?" She asked with the widest smile she could. She couldn't let him know that she was now on the run from the Silverbacks, he didn't even know all the details of her involvement with them. Best keep it friendly and hope that she could get out of New Zealand fast. Maybe she could look up the Paremores and see if they couldn't help her.

"I've been out and around. Mainly living for my work in the library at the Harbor." Lies but she assumed Brian wasn't there much being able to afford his own books. Hopefully. "My senses tell me that... YOu still work for the Daily Prophet." She said putting her hands to her head as if to activate her seer powers. In reality she could see by the way he was dressed that he had gone up on the scale since she had last seen him. Brian was successful and she was happy for him. It was better than the horrible night when Fate showed her the vision of Andy dying. Zazuka knew that Andy had given herself over to the darkness but she hadn't known how bad it all had been.

 

[Brian Getathorn XIX]

Brian listened intently as Zazuka told her what she'd been doing something Brian instantly knew was a lie. She seemed to have forgotten that Brian's parents were lawyers and that Brian was able to tell when others were trying to lie to him. He had known Zazuka for more than half his life and while she had definitely gotten better at telling lies, this one was more than easy to see through. Brian could tell that she was shaken up by something and judging by the bags she had with her she was obviously on the run from something. Brian thought about letting her get away with what she was saying but knew better than to do that if his friend was in serious trouble. "I'm a reporter now and even made some pretty cool connections" Brian said though without a smile on his face.

"I've been looking for you for a while now and I know that you haven't been seen at the library for months now" Brian said in a serious tone. Brian didn't know why Zazuka would lie to him but he knew that they hadn't been as close as they once were since before they graduated. "Z, why don't you come to my place for a little bit?" Brian asked knowing that it would be difficult for whatever she was running from to find her at an old boyfriend's house, especially since they hadn't been together in years. "It's not to far from here and I have some food, it's not old I promise" Brian said with a smile. Zazuka looked as though she hadn't been eating much for a long time. Brian felt bad for her and didn't want to pry too much into her personal business but he did want her to know that she was able to count on him.

 

[Zazuka Getathorn]

Zazuka looked at him as if about to beg him to let her be and so she could run. Zazuka then allowed herself to think about what what would come of her going to Brian's house. Well no one would guess that she was there and the trick about Seers was that they could never really pinpoint where the other was so she had very little to fear from Eden. She never really did fear her anyway. Too much darkness was clouding the young girl's mind. Finally Zazuka nodded as she adjusted her bags around her arms so she could straighten up the collar of her black coat. "When did become a Seer?" She asked half joking. Zazuka had forgotten that he could be observant when he wanted to be.

Zazuka was thinner than she had been but not from malnourishment. The stress of having to share a mind with Fate had taken a physical toll on her. Why she didn't feel Fate's presence now was still a mystery for her but one she intended to figure out later. "Alright you aught me but I can't tell you out here what happened to me. The walls have ears and the wind can carry voices much further than anyone expects." She said looking down. "I can tell you that it makes me happy to see that at least one of us is still happy and whole after all this time." She said smiling up at him finally. Her eyes where solid black again but seemed to have lost their stars.

 

[Brian Getathorn XIX]

Brian smiled, relieved that the young woman was willing to go back to his place and talk with him. "Here let me get those" Brian said as he quickly took her bags from her and began walking down the street. "You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to" Brian said as she spoke about letting him in on what was going on with her. He was curious but didn't want to push her into anything at the moment, Zazuka needed a friend and that what he was going to be. Something wasn't right with her, it felt as though a piece of her was missing and that worried Brian more than anything else. He looked around at the people as they began walking all around them, he felt somewhat suspicious as though a Death Eater might just appear and attack at any moment. "It's not that far" Brian said as he quickly thought about the order of his flat.

Brian lived by himself and hadn't ever entertained visitor's before, he could be lazy some days but more often than not he kept his small apartment clean. Brian turned into an alley and took Zazuka's hand, within seconds they were outside his building in Obsidian Harbor near Ollivanders. He quickly led Zazuka inside and into the small two roomed flat, it contained a bedroom with the bathroom inside and in the living room/kitchen was a couch, a chair and an old television with some rabbit ears on top. Brian enjoyed watching Muggle television every now and then. The house was pretty clean with only a few dishes in the sink, "I only have one bed but you can use it and I will sleep on the couch" Brian said with a smile as he placed her bags in his bedroom. "Why don't you go clean yourself up a bit in the restroom while I fix you up something to eat" Brian said as he turned on the lights in his bedroom and walked back to the kitchen.

 

[Zazuka Getathorn]

It was all so alien to Zazuka now. There was someone actually showing her concern? She felt as if she had just gotten out of Willow's Rain again. Zazuka touched her face to feel if her coke bottle hadn't suddenly popped back up on her face. Not surprising there was nothing there having abandoned them after she had gotten out of school. Zazuka nodded when Brian told her to wash up but felt guilty about taking his bed. She took off the coat and placed it neatly on top of her bags which she had been to voiceless to tell Brian that she could take them herself then went into the bathroom. She caught a glimpse at herself as truly herself and started to cry. Why had she been released after all this time and where where her stars? The galaxies that she had always seen in the mirror where gone, replaced with ugly black holes. It was better than the vision of herself inside her head though. The woman with her eyes missing and perpetually dripping blood was gone but who was left?

Zazuka allowed her sorrow to bring her to the floor where she tucked herself in a corner. She didn't belong here. She didn't know how to act as herself anymore. Fate had taken everything that had made up herself and crushed it so that now all she wanted to do was go back into her own mind and never see anyone again. She was afraid of the world and how they would see her. There where a few in the darkest corners that would reconise her. Fate had been nothing if not a good time girl. The very thought of Fate's exploits in that area of life where enough to make her cringe. The very thought that that man had touched her, gods she wanted to tare off her own skin! Zazuka let her head fall to her knees as everything that she had been through hit her all at once more tears falling to her neat black stalkings.

 

[Brian Getathorn XIX]

Brian began cooking some food as he looked at the work that he'd left on his small table when he'd entered the apartment. He would have time to bring it into work the next day, today he wanted to spend his time with his friend. He looked up as he moved a dish over towards the sink and saw a picture he hadn't seen in a long time. He had it out with some of his other pictures but must've made it a point not to look at it since it tended to bring some bad thoughts and memories. It was a picture of three students that had just past their exams in their first year at Hogwarts. In the middle was a red head smiling as she pushed the young man to her right aside as a mousy looking girl simply smiled at him while nervously looking at the other two who had begun to fight. Brian himself couldn't help but smile as he picked up the picture frame and thought about all the times the three of them shared back then. It was hard to believe that eleven years had past since they'd taken the photo and that so much would've changed since then.

With the picture in hand he walked into his bedroom "Z, I think you might enjoy this" Brian said as he saw Zazuka sitting on the floor. Brian placed the picture on the bed as he walked over to her and sat down beside her. He placed an arm over her hoping that it would be able to bring some comfort when for so long he hadn't been there for her. "It's okay" Brian said gently as he held her close, he remembered the smell she used to always have when they were younger and noticed that it was not the same. Brian had tried to hope that Zazuka and Andromeda were doing fine but deep down he knew that the three children in the picture were no longer the same. "If you want to talk about it, you can tell me" Brian said as he tried to be comforting. He couldn't expect her to open up with him when they hadn't seen each other in long time but he did hope that she would see that he was generally concern for her well being.

 

[Zazuka Getathorn]

Zazuka buried her head against a new warmth that she felt beside her. It brought back other memories. Of a boy whom she had met not too long after she left her abusive home and helped her open up. Of a friend whom turned into more than that. Of her first crush and her first love. That sweetness calmed her down a bit. She looked up into the face of the man who had grown from that boy. "I have spent the last few years under the servitude of the Sliverback family B. But I think I let myself break before then. My father had come back one last time and sent me into the nether realm once more but this time when I came back I think, I think I brought something with me." She said now using her sleeve to wipe her tears. If she looked a mess before she would be even more so now.

Zazuka seemed to realize that she was on Brian's bathroom floor and shook her head. "I'm sorry. I must seem like a nut case crying for what seems like no reason." She said quickly getting up out of his grasp. She had to seem crazier than she already was. Maybe she had really gone off the deep end and everything that she lived through had been just a delusion. As she looked down at the brown shoes on her feet, much too expensive and not at all the style that she was used to, she knew that everything that she had lived was real and that Fate had ruined everything she had once been. "I am really so sorry." She said while wrapping her arms around herself.

 

[Brian Getathorn XIX]

Brian listened intently as Zazuka told him everything, it was nice to know that after all this time his old friend still trusted him with her secretes. He was shocked to discover that she had gotten involved with the Silverback family since they had almost been killed by Luxen Silverback and the way the family had treated Andromeda. Brian could now see why Zazuka would be afraid since the family had been known for long time as practitioner's in the Dark Arts. The problem of course was that there was never any hard evidence to support the claim though most in the wizarding world knew about the mysterious dark force that claimed to be Luxen after death killing people in Bleak Street. Brian's heart wrenched as Zazuka left his arms and began talking about how much of a nutcase she had to seem. Brian stood up and walked behind her, he knew that she needed a friend now more than ever.

"Z, I know you" Brian said as he placed his arms around her, the two of them had too much history together. "Your not crazy and you have absolutely nothing to be sorry about" Brian said as he turned so that he was facing her. He wrapped his arms again around her as he looked into her eyes, Brian knew that Zazuka was often self-conscious about the way she was seen by people she cared about but it was not time for her to be feeling down for herself. Brian released an arm as he grabbed the picture on his bed and showed it to her. "You are the girl inside this picture, she's not crazy and neither are you" Brian began as he pointed to Zazuka in the picture. He could see that she was starting feel a bit embarrassed by the attention as the Andromeda and Brian in the picture began hugging her. "Bad things have happened but you can find happiness again, you've done it before" Brian said as he handed her the picture.

 

[Zazuka Getathorn]

Zazuka allowed herself to smile when she looked at the picture. The young girl in the picture was tomato red because of the hug, after a year still not being used to physical contact that didn't bring pain. Zazuka made no move to get away from Brian's embrace this time. "I was loopy even then. I had forgotten that I used to make patch works. And that Andy's hair was had been so red and that you had been so short." She said laughing weakly. She was starting to get used to being back in her own skin. Zazuka passes a hand over Andromeda's image with a sigh.

"As bright as the summer's sun, companion the winter's moon. A smile that could light up a room but eyes that spoke of darkness. Though the path of life took you down the blackest road rest in peace my friend. Rest in peace my sister." She said to the image as if Andy could really hear her. She looked up at Brian knowing that the poem my have confused him. "The entity in my head, Fate, tortured me for a week with the news that Andy had died. I felt it too, Andy is in the hear after." She said hugging the picture to her chest. She wondered, not for the first time, what would have happened if Andy had never been bitten. It was about eleven years too late but it still made her think. Zazuka laid her head on Brian's shoulder. "Dinner is what I was brought here right?" She asked as brightly as she could. The gloom of her news settled on her heart.

 

[Brian Getathorn XIX]

Brian listened to the poem and what Zazuka told him, the news struck at the very cord of his heart as his mouth was left open. He had his sources track down Andromeda and they had tried to track down Zazuka, he had been told that Andromeda was fine and was living in America while Zazuka was not heard about. Brian had worried about Zazuka but now he felt as though he had been worried about the wrong one. He looked down at the picture of his close friend and tried not to let the news of her death get to him because he knew Zazuka needed him. He was unable to as the images of all the bad things he'd done to her filled deep inside his mind. He couldn't fight back the tears as they seemed to leak from him on their own, Erica had lied to him. He knew that she probably did it in order to protect him but the pain he felt was even worse than if she had simply told him the truth from the get go.

He looked at Zazuka as he wiped his eyes trying to wipe away the tears, he'd hurt his friends to often and now was suffering from the result. He held Zazuka closer in a tight embrace as he looked down into her eyes, they were different but were also as beautiful as they'd ever been. "I'm sorry" Brian said simply enough as he looked at the girl that had always been by his side. Once upon a time Brian had chosen Zazuka over Andromeda and that had nearly destroyed their friendship, he had ended his relationship with Zazuka because of something trivial that he couldn't even remember anymore. Now after hearing the news of Andromeda's death from the other person that meant so much to him and the pain Zazuka had gone through since their separation Brian couldn't hold back. He placed a hand over Zazuka's cheek and looked into her eyes "I'm sorry for everything and I'm sorry for what I'm about to do" Brian said as he leaned forward and kisses Zazuka more passionately than he'd ever before. He knew that it could seem as though he was taking advantage of Zazuka in her dark hour but he couldn't help wanting a moment where the constant pain would end. The only time he ever felt that was when he was with her and in her embrace.

 

[Zazuka Getathorn]

Surprise didn't even beguine to express who she felt the moment Brian kissed her. She had tried so hard to move on from what they had and had found it all fake and plastic, only things to pass the time. There had been a blink inside her mind from someone else but Fate got to him first. Fate had many lovers before she ended up with Alex who never let her out of the house. Jealous as he was cruel to Fate it seems. All of that seemed to fade into the background when she felt his lips on her's. She had missed Brian so much though she hadn't felt it as much as she did now. She kissed him back pouring everything in her heart into Brian.

Zazuka came up for air and saw that her hands had ended up on his chest. "Why did you apologize for a kiss?" She asked looking up at him. Brian seemed happy, well happier than she and Andy had been that was for sure, and whole. The way he had looked at her made heat rise up on her cheeks. In his eyes he saw who she had once been. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and nuzzled his neck. For once she wanted to feel warmth even if was just for a moment. She knew that it made her seem just like Fate but at the moment she didn't care. She needed to fee something solid.

 

[Brian Getathorn XIX]

Brian kissed Zazuka for what felt like a blissful eternity, he couldn't help but feel a passion rise inside of him that he hadn't felt in years. He knew that it was probably wrong but he continued to kiss her lips and feel her tongue without regret. It gave him little consolation to feel Zazuka kissing him back but he also knew that she was in a vulnerable place. Brian felt as though he was taking advantage of his innocent friend but knew that he too was in a bad place at the moment. The kiss ended as Brian looked down at Zazuka and smiled, he was happy to see a brief moment of the girl he'd fallen for so many years ago. She asked him a simple question at least it might've been a simple one except that it brought some bad thought's to Brian's mind at what he had just done and the thoughts that were currently in his head. "I shouldn't be kissing you when you are here for help" Brian said as he broke away for a moment. He was happy to feel her against his chest but he also couldn't help but feel guilty.

"I should go get the food on the stove" Brian said knowing that the stove had turned off on it's own after the timer ran out. Brian wanted to go check up on it but also couldn't feel anything more than Zazuka, "You know I care deeply for you right?" Brian asked as he looked down at the girl once more. It was not a lie that Brian had always had strong feelings for both of the girl's that had existed in his life. More than once had he felt romantic feelings for both of them and had regretted not being with the other. It was wrong for him to do this to the both of them and part of him had certainty felt that it was necessary to cut them both away for their protection. Andromeda's death however proved that he was wrong, if that was going to be the case than Brian couldn't be afraid to do things that were wrong and simply do what he felt was right. "I can get the food later though" Brian said as he lifted Zazuka up and placed her on the bed and began to kiss her while his hands moved across her body. He didn't know if this was something Zazuka wanted but did know that it was helping him in the moment, "I'm glad I found you today" Brian said in between passionate kisses. "I don't want to ever lose you again" Brian said as he continued to caress her and kiss her. He never wanted to lose another person he cared about, he had already made that mistake and it would cost him for the rest of his life.

 

[Zazuka Getathorn]

Zazuka could see the turmoil in Brian's eyes before and while kissed the breath out of her. She wrapped her legs around him when he picked her up and fell back when he placed her on his bed. Zazuka started to remember the fire that his touch always seemed to spread through out her body. "You know that I've always loved you B." She whispered in the gaps between kisses. He had been taken advantage for years now and that's not what she felt Brian was doing. Zazuka needed contact with someone, she needed to know someone cared for her and Brian was showing her that. "I'm happy you found me too . I would have been half way to the America's hadn't you found me." She whispered as her hands found their way up his shirt.

Red hot need flooded through her as her hands traveled down edge of his pants. Her skirt had already ridden up to her thighs. "I will stay with you for as long as you want me here." She mumbled against his lips before moving on to column of his neck. She wanted this as much as it seemed he wanted it. Brian Gatathorn had been her first and she was more than willing to make him her only him doing so much for her. He had been the first one to extend his hand in friendship when she first came into the world outside Willow's Rain. He remained her friend even when things got stormy with Andromeda knowing perfectly well that it would crush her to lose either one of them. Now it seemed that he had forgiven her for all the stupid things she did while trying to figure out her gift. If she had to sink into an abyss tonight she was more than content letting Brian lead her there.

 

[Brian Getathorn XIX]

Brian found himself getting lost as he continued to kiss Zazuka, first on the lips and then on her neck. He found his shirt being thrown to the floor as his hands began moving around Zazuka's body feeling the same gentleness and softness Brian had felt years before. Time had past and yet the feelings that Zazuka was able to stir up inside of him still remained as Brian could feel his heart beating faster inside his chest. Brian wanted nothing more than to be given a second chance with Zazuka and to be with her but as his heart continued to beat he also knew that what he was doing wasn't right. It may have felt as though they were doing the right thing and that it would all be okay but Brian also knew that after hearing what had happened to Zazuka that this would not help her in the long run.

Brian tried to say something, he tried to tell her that this wasn't right and that they should stop but he didn't have the strength. It wasn't just lust or the desire to bury the pain that kept him kissing Zazuka, it was something inside him that wanted to feel her love again. He did love Zazuka and didn't want her to leave his life again. He had made that mistake once and would not be able to live with himself if he made that mistake again. The picture of the three friends slowly began moving towards the edge of the bed as Brian and Zazuka began to share the blissful intimacy that had not been expected or anticipated. The picture moved as the bed moved and as body parts began to intertwine together in warmth and love. The time seemed to fly by in that instant as the picture fell with a loud thud though the glass hadn't broken and instead remained intact. Time would keep moving as the kids from the picture learned hard enough but at the moment in Brian's heart it felt as though the entire world had stopped and the only two that were left in motion was himself and Zazuka.

 

[Zazuka Getathorn]

Zazuka woke for the second time as herself. She wasn't alone this time nor she didn't feel cold and afraid. In fact for the first time in a long time she felt happy, truly happy and not the self centered contentment that had been purely Fate. Destiny it seemed had brought her to a place where she would feel safest, that place just happened to be in the arms on the man whom she hurt with her secrets and in turn broke her heart with his indifference. Brian loved her as she loved him of that much she was sure and it was through that love and though her former pain that she was willing to forgive as well as accept being forgiven. Still Zazuka turned towards him, the blankets covering her from eyes other than his, and ran her hand down the side of his face to make sure he was real and not a delusion that had been made as a marker that she had finally lost what mind she had left.

Brian was there and he was real. For the first time in what seemed like an eternity Zazuka smiled pure sunshine again. "Though I know in what way the world could end if it did so now there would be no regrets for has been done." She whispered to herself. She meant it. Even if it had been wrong, even if they had unintentionally used each other to escape the pain they felt Zazuka would not more regret sleeping with Brian than she regretted leaving Willow's Rain or taking her little sister from her father's grasp. She didn't even mind that, whether or not he had been paying attention, Brian had felt the burn scar that ran down her back. Though Fate hadn't cared about who saw that Zazuka had always felt ashamed of that blemish though she knew that there was no way to get rid of it, even through magic.