So tell me where to find you.

"And I walk in a field with wings. I walk to you. So tell me where to find you. Tell me where to go." Gwen Caldwell sang softly to her little daughter as she dropped her keys onto the counter and sat Faith in her highchair. Life was normal, Gwen was now the owner of Dervish and Banges and no longer the shopgirl. So she had a peaceful day. Evan was supposed to be home by now, he'd said he was going to visit an old friend, but it shouldn't be so late. He hadn't answered her patronus, so she was starting to get worried.

Kissing her daughters forehead gently she set her down to sleep and their loyal house elf watched over her. Then Mrs.Caldwell grabbed her wand and a broom. Casting a patronus she whispered, "Find him, bring me to him."
The silver panther nodded and bounded off, the witch speeding after her on her broom, wind ruffling her clothes.
"Evan..." she whispered as the Patronus brought her to Caldwell Manor.
Then she lost it, feeling that something was wrong. It felt like death. She could feel Death hanging around. Being a Huntress, Lady Vere worked closely with Death, she knew that usually Death only hung around if it hoped to claim another.
This knowledge made Gwen Caldwell desparate.
"BOMBARDA" she blasted the front entrance to smithereens and followed the Panther, followed Death.
"EVAN! EVAN!" she called out, tears running down her face as she kicked down the office door, gasping at the sight and running to his side. The panther patronus touched his shoulder and dissolved.
"Evan! Wake up, please wake up..." she held him up close to her and was unable to think, to act, to do anything.
"Please don't leave me...ennervate" she cast healing spell after healing spell, doing whatever she could, shaking all the while.

Please don't leave me, you asshole, you bastard, don't make me a single mom, don't do this to me, I can't lose you, wake up, I love you....please...
"Ev...wake up...ennervate, ennervate!"

outfit

Darkness. It surrounded every inch of me, my body, my mind. I thought back to all of the stories I had heard about death, how people had cheated it. I didn't see a white light, I didn't see much of anything but the dark abyss. Would I be one of those people? It certainly didn't feel like it. Maybe I was already dead, because I couldn't feel anything anymore. It was actually sort of peaceful, I decided. Better then the world of pain, destruction, and death I had just been apart of. Here, now, wherever I was, it was nice. I'd have to tell Gwen all about it. Gwen. Her name whispered across the blackness, a firework of light. It made me happy to see. Maybe I wasn't all alone? Faith's name was quick to appear as well, and I attempted to reach out and grab at the names. Except I couldn't move. I was paralyzed, rendered immobile. Why couldn't I open my eyes? Why couldn't I move any part of my body? I began to panic, but only internally, because my body seemed to be cemented to the spot. 'You'll regret this. You'll regret this.' A steady chant all around me. I wanted to scream, kick, cry, thrash, anything at all. But I couldn't do anything. I couldn't do a single damned thing. Where was I? What was happening? Oh god, now something was hovering over me. A dark, shaded figure. He was reaching out a long hand toward me, seemingly reaching for my soul, which was banging in the confinements of it's jail - of the shell of my body. Was I dying? Was I already dead? Was this it? I had stopped breathing, that I knew. I was basically only alive in my subconsciousness.

And then suddenly, the arm reaching out for me seemed to distance itself. I hadn't moved, hadn't done anything. What was happening? Seconds ticked by, and suddenly it wasn't so dark anymore. Wasn't quite so silent. What was that noise? That echoing? Now there were flashes of white, spots, more echoing.... and then excruciating pain. I was yanked out of the world of almost-death with a sudden jerk, gasping in large gulpfuls of air. Moments before, I knew I'd resembled the dead. I knew my skin had probably turned a sickly shade of purple, and I knew I was probably as battered as one could be while still clinging on to life. Had I died, if only for a few moments? I probably would have completely if it weren't for the person above me... shouting out things..... HOLY FUCKING PAIN. "Need.. need... help.... hospi........" That was my voice talking? But I couldn't do it. I was gone again, the darkness coaxing me back into it's hands with a wicked smile. It swallowed me whole.

I liked it better here. It hurt less. It was peaceful. It was... nice.

(ooc: EV IS CRACKING OMG. This post was sort of fun to write though. I figured in my next post I'll have him finally wake up in a hospital bed or something? I'll play out the doctor and such. My poor little heart, my Ev almost just died eeee.)

Gwen cried harder as she heard his soft whisper, not because of his words, but because she could feel Death pulling at him.
"DEATH. LEAVE HIM ALONE." Then Gwen did something that to Death would probably not be easily forgivable. She took the locket that held the life force and magic of her entire family, and channeled a tiny bit to Evan, to sustain him, to keep Death away. "It's okay baby, it's okay, I'll get you to the hospital, you're gonna be okay, I love you," she kised his forehead, "I love you."

Getting to the hospital with a loved one is hard, getting there with Death a few feet behind you is harder. But she made it. "Not today, Death. You've claimed one. That's enough." she whispered.
What most people tended to forget, was that Death was no terrible thing, no monster. Death was only doing its job. Death listened.

She could feel Death fading back as Healers took him from her, she could feel a pair of arms holding her back as she thrashed and screamed at those taking him away.

Hours later Gwen had sent a patronus home informing the elf and was now sitting directly next to her husbands bed, a blaanket draped around her shoulder. A dead expression on her face. Not because she felt nothing, but because she felt too much and she couldnt dare show it.

Then she heard an irregular beep, a faint rustle of sheets, a name. Her name.

"Evan, Evan? Babe, can you hear me? I love you..." she whispered, her fingers gently carressing his face, her eyes red from crying.

I didn't hear anything that was being said, had not even the slightest idea of what was being done, once more surrounded in the familiar darkness. The cloaked figure was hovering over me again I realized, and I was tempted to ask who he was. Ask what it was he wanted with me, why he kept reaching out for me. And why his hand kept falling just inches short of me. I couldn't see his face, I couldn't see much of anything actually. Just shadows and outlines..... what in the bloody hell was happening already?!

----------------

Healer's rushed forward and took his lifeless body from Gwen, as a group of nurses tried to calm the hysterical Gwen down. Shouts, horrified gasps, sounded collectively from each person who laid eyes on him. 'His heart isn't beating!' One healer shouted, and soon he was on a gurney. His tattered shirt was ripped off completely as they focused on-restarting his heart. Which thanks to the energy Gwen had been feeding him, wasn't as difficult as it would have been had she not gotten there and done all she had. They worked on him for what seemed like hours after they got his heart beating again. A weak heartbeat, they'd called it, but still one nonetheless. They'd tried to mend his bones, but they were still brittle, would be for a couple of days. His cuts were bandaged and he was finally stabilized. No one knew how long he'd be out. When the Healers finally talked to Gwen, they didn't ask what had happened. They only informed her of all his countless injuries, how they'd been taken care of, how long he'd have to be in recovery, and then finally allowing her in to see him. 'Lucky you got there and did all you did, Miss... I can't say he would have lasted otherwise.' One of the healers informed her as he left the room. Left them in peace.

---------------

Pain. Discomfort. Beeping. Faint, slow beeping, but still there. The sickening smell of clean. Where the hell was I? My eyelids felt like they were being weighted down by bricks, and I felt absolutely horrible. My body felt like it had been lit on fire, run over by a stampede of unicorns, dropped from the highest cliff, kicked and beaten like a personal punching bag. And it was so bloody hard to breathe. My lips felt like they were stuck together like glue as a groan tumbled past my lips. Then a name. Gwen's, my voice raw and barely audible. And then I heard someone's voice, coming from the side of me. What was being said? Those words...? I just wanted to know where I was. But I just couldn't open my eyes. I felt paralyzed. It took a few more minutes but finally I forced my lids opened, my vision blurry and everything cloaked in a haze. Unfamiliar surroundings...... I tried to focus on the face in front of me. And then all of a sudden, she was touching me. I flinched, expression dark. "Who.. what..." I rasped out, a collapsed lung being nursed back to it's regular health. "Whoareyou?" I managed, my eyes a bit crazed. I had no idea who she even was!

I stared at her, my eyes full of question, until all of a sudden my expression softened. "OhGwen." I said moments later, although my eyes were still a bit confused. What the hell was going on...

When he asked who she was she felt like she would faint.
"I'm your wife..." she managed shakily, before he said her name. Then she burst out crying. The Healers had left them to be alone, so she could say anything safely.
Ï told you not to leave me, ever, I told you to tell me when you'd get your father, why didn't you tell me, you almost died, Evan, how could you risk that? I could've lost you. Faith could've lost you."she kissed his cheek gingerly.

"What- What do you remember?"she asked her hand automatically finding his and very gently holding it.
"Why hadn't the Healers warned her of memory loss? It seemed to come and go, but...for how long?

Everything was suddenly much too bright for my taste, and my head was pounding, so I let my eyes slide back closed. I wasn't sleeping though, I was aware of everything - what Gwen was saying, and especially when she burst into tears. Right. My wife.. why hadn't I remembered that very significant detail? I could feel a frown appearing on my lips but I suddenly couldn't force my eyes back open, and so I had to resort to talking without looking at her. It made me feel worse, but at the moment it was about all I could do. "Gwen.. don't.. cry.." I murmured, giving the hand that was holding mine a squeeze. I hated the sound of it, it made me feel even more horrible then I already did, but I knew there wasn't really anything I could do. I was the cause of her being upset, and I would just have to deal with it until otherwise. And then what I had been practically waiting for, started. Her lecture, and inwardly I winced as I turned my head to the side. I was almost tempted to throw a pillow over my face to muffle her out. I knew what I had done was wrong, but hearing how much I effected her stabbed my heart a million times. "I know, Gwen... I know..." I tried, but then I heard the words you almost died Evan. Had I? Now it made more sense as to why she was quite so hysterical. Then I remembered. The darkness, the figure reaching out toward me. That place was so much different then the world I was currently apart of. "I'm.. I'm sorry........."

I knew that wouldn't make up for what I did, but I had to do it. When I had more breath in my lungs, I'd explain that to her. She'd have to understand. Regardless if my actions had been slightly foolish and I'd near well died, I hadn't. Thanks to her, but I still hadn't, and I'd still accomplished what I needed to without my family getting hurt. Physically, anyhow. When she asked what I remembered, I didn't say anything for a while. But finally, my lips formed the one word, the bitter tasting one, that I grimaced as I said it. "Death...." Both my fathers, and very nearly my own.

"Don't-" her voice broke as she squeezed his hand back, "Don't tell me not to cry, I almost lost my husband, not to mention the love of my life, don't- don't you dare-" she choked back a sob, everything fully sinking in.

"You know? You know? I don't think so, when I went on missions I told you where I was going, I told you when I'd be back, you just- you just left me..." Gwens voice was small as she sniffled the last sentence, "Don't ever leave me, again, Ev. Please." she whispered, her sobs becoming sniffles and hiccups.

At his apology she pressed her lips to his softly and sighed at his silence.
After his answer she closed her eyes, still gripping his hand.
"I know, I talked to Death. Told Him to leave. I think I shouted, honestly. I'll need to apologize." she shook her head, weary of apologizing to Death.

"Did you see Him?" she asked softly, having seen Him herself multiple times.
"Faith is with Twinky(?) by the way. You remember our baby girl? What did- what did your father do to you? What abou your mother, do you need- do you need me to take care of her? I could just relocate her, memory charm. If you want."

My face contorted into one similar to the one someone makes when in pain as she told me not to tell her to cry. The frown on my lips was deep, as were the creases in my forehead, and I finally forced my eyes to open, my sad blue eyes watching her. It was a sight that I never wanted to see, my wife sobbing and full of hurt because of something I'd done. I never wanted to hurt her, in fact it was the last thing I wanted to do. I'd done what I needed to in order to avoid hurting her, but it was apparent now that I'd failed miserably at that. "Gwen..." I pleaded, my eyes full of grief as I watched her. And even though I knew I shouldn't have, I struggled to sit upright, my entire body screaming in pain as I did so. I gasped and gritted my teeth together, my heart monitor beginning to beep even quicker, but I didn't care. "Babe, please..." I tried again as she began to rant. I just didn't want to hear her sobbing anymore, because it hurt more then any of the physical pain I was in. I knew I should have told her what I was planning on doing, I knew it all along, but I couldn't bring myself to inform her of it. She'd known the day would eventually come, but she was right. "I'm.. I'm.. sorry... I.. am..." I was beginning to get upset now, and it was showing. I didn't even bother trying to hide it like I wanted to, because I knew I wouldn't be able to hide anything from her.

"I'll.. explain later... please Gwen... I'm.. sor.. sorry..." I coughed weakly after the longer sentence, falling back against my pillows in exhaustion. This was bloody ridiculous, my body being this weak. Her kiss made me feel a degree better, but not much. She was still upset with me, and she had every reason to be I supposed. I was a bit curious when she said she'd spoken to death. I blinked a couple of times, processing what she was telling me, but all I did in the end was swallow and nod a bit. I didn't like the idea of her going anywhere near Death. What if it got angry with her for scaring it away from me? I tried not to think of it, ignoring the nauseating way my stomach flipped at the thought. I nodded almost blankly when she asked if I'd seen him. I didn't really want to talk much about it, but it was in fact all I seemed to remember. Besides all of the pain and blood.

My eyes slowly drifted closed again for a moment as she mentioned a name, and to hide the blankness I felt when hearing it. Faith. Why did that sound familiar? My eyebrows furrowed together as I desperately tried to remember, not wanting to upset her further. "Our baby girl?" My thoughts mirrored my words and I immediately wanted to smack myself. Wrong thing to say. And then a face slowly shifted into my mind. Big blue eyes, dark curly hair. My daughter. "Oh. Faith." I repeated, almost confused, but gave my head a couple of shakes to her next round of words. My mouth stubbornly remained shut.

Gwen bit her lip and hid her face behind her free hand, her sobs slowing as she regained control of herself.

"Lay down!" she gasped and reprimended, "Are you crazy, you're going to hurt yourself!" she cupped his face gently and met his gaze, she tried to stop crying completely, but couldn't yet, so a few tears still rolled down her cheeks as he fell back and she gave him a loving kiss on the lips. "Shhh, I know you are, I know you're sorry, don't worry about Death, Death and I go way back..." she took a deep breath, "He won't be mad, he does what he has to, it's not his fault, I'll apologize and ask forgiveness, it doesn't change anything, it's just polite." she explained to calm him down a bit.

Then her voice caught in her throat, "Y-yes, Faith Marie Caldwell, here," she got out her wallet and showed him a picture of the three of them sitting together in a park, Faith gurgling up happily at the camera, Photo Evan kissing the top of her head, holding Photo Gwens hand.

"Will your mother be a threat to us, baby? I need to know that, you know I do. She's going to find the body." she sighed.

I was tempted to make a face when she scolded me like I was some sort of small child, but I was much too tired to even attempt it. I merely nodded in response to her words to show that I understood what she was saying, although normally I would have had some sort of snarky remark to say. My almost blank gaze remained on her features when she cupped my face and kissed me. I could taste the saltiness from her tears on my lips as I kissed her back, almost not wanting to let her go. It was strange, even if my mind seemed to be wandering in and out of focus, but her kisses gave me these small ounces of strength that my body seemed to need to continue functioning while it healed. I didn't protest when she told me to hush, mostly because I wasn't sure I would be able to form much of a logical thought even if I tried. I could feel the exhaustion creeping into my body again, threatening to pull me back under. But I was struggling to keep it away from me, because I didn't want to slip back into the dark. Even if this dark was the one that would heal me instead of trying to steal me away. I watched her as she talked about Death, even if just hearing about it sent an eery creep up my spine. I didn't let the reaction show on my face though, because I didn't want her to notice it.

I nodded, my eyes drifting closed for a moment before I was encouraging them back open. I felt horrible, hearing her voice catch, and knowing it was because for that brief moment I hadn't remembered Faith. What was wrong with me, exactly? Why was I forgetting about the things that were most important to me? I just didn't understand it. I supposed the Healer's didn't either, because they hadn't mentioned it to Gwen. Had they? She wouldn't seem so surprised by my temporary mind blanks if they had... too much thinking. I swallowed, titling my head in the direction of the picture she was showing me. I remembered it, but I still stared at it for a while before nodding again. I felt like some kind of damn mute, not forming any words, but I couldn't help it. Unable to fight it anymore, I let my eyelids slide closed, hiding my eyes from Gwen as she spoke of my mother. I could feel my anxiety mounting again at the word body, and I tried to take a deep breath as my stomach sloshed nauseously. I managed to slide over on my bed, opening up a space next to me. Wordlessly I patted the mattress, wanting Gwen to lay beside me.

I knew she needed to know these things, but I couldn't bring myself to speak. Rather, I was much too spent to even try to think. I just needed one good nap and then hopefully... well then hopefully I could give her the explanations she craved.

Seeing the love of her life in that state was going to give her nightmares, not that she didn't already have nightmares, but those were the kind she had learned to deal with, this..this should wouldn't be able to hide from. The worst part was that no one seemed to know what was wrong. She was helpless. Which was a feeling she hated. So when he patted the mattress she curled up next to him and kissed him softly.

"You drive me crazy," she whispered, nestling her head against his shoulder, "I love you, but you drive me crazy. Don't leave me again, please." the young woman whispered, reaching over him to hold his hand.
"If we can't go home tomorrow, I'll have Faith brought, then she can see her daddy." she knew he needed to sleep, but the fear of losing him was so fresh on her mind, she almost couldn't bear to let him sleep.

"I love you." she whispered again, watching him fall asleep.
She didn't sleep a wink, knowing nightmares would come, fearing to miss something. So she stayed awake, stroking his hair, caressing his face to soothe him, holding his hand and just being there for him.

I could tell by the look on Gwen's face, that whatever was going on in her mind, wasn't a pleasant situation. Knowing I was the reason for her obvious distress and discomfort made it worse, but I was trying my best to think about it too much. I wanted to be out of this blasted hospital in record time, and if I wanted that to happen, that meant I needed to rest. I wanted to comfort Gwen, I wanted to make the imprint of pain disappear from her pretty features. I wanted to assure her that everything was going to be alright, but in reality, was it? I still couldn't understand why I was forgetting the things that were most important to me. I shouldn't have forgotten I was married to Gwen, or that I had a child with her. I supposed I shouldn't be too worried, seeing as I always remembered a couple of moments later, but the fact that I forgot at all was enough to put some chilling fear into me. My fathers words, they continued to cycle on repeat in my brain and I couldn't help but have a sick feeling that he had everything to do with the problems I was experiencing. I could only hope that I was wrong, because if I wasn't, that would only mean things would be getting worse before they got better.

Trying to chase off my thoughts I inhaled deeply when Gwen took my request and laid down beside me, I slung an arm around her before pulling her close toward my chest. My breathing was already slowing down as slumber threatened to steal me away, but I managed to hang on to reality for a couple of moments longer as she spoke. "Mmmm..." I found myself mumbling, the only way I was able to show her that I was listening. ".....Sorry...." Was another mumble as I shifted my arm again, causing our bodies to touch. All I wanted to do was cuddle, and I was sure that was being made obvious with my movements. I couldn't help it at this point. "L.. love.. love you... too.." I was struggling now, slipping under.

I knew Gwen needed me, my family needed me, and so I needed to quickly regain my strength. And while I was at it, I would have to figure out what was hindering me from remembering what I really needed to. There had to be away to get rid of it. I was soon in a world of blackness again, but this time it was peaceful as I slept. I was hardly aware of the way Gwen handled me, my body completely gone in a deep, deep slumber. I knew I wouldn't be awake for many hours to come.

Gwen laid next to her husband for hours, wide awake, knowing that she would not sleep without nightmares. And she didn't want to add to his stress. She'd drink a coffee later, she'd be fine. But would Evan be fine? And what was wrong with him? It was nothing the Healers detected, so she suspected it had something to do with his father. As for his mother, if he allowed, she'd perform a memory charm on her, make her nicer, make her think she worked in a charity in France, send her off to Paris and let her live her new life far away from them. She had the means to do so, it wouldn't be a problem. Training Evelyn was going rather well, she'd not be ready for a while though, but that shouldn't be a problem. She let her thoughts drift to her lovely daughter, who'd soon be nearing her nine month mark. Faith was such a little sunshine, she couldn't walk, yet, but she was crawling everywhere. All smiles, all dimples, all laughs, it would be impossible not to love her, not to adore the ground she crawled on. Gwen had tons of photos of every cute thing, and every funny things, their daughter did. Not to mention the family home videos. She had recently rewatched the first one with Evan, and it had been hilarious. Perhaps watching them would help him remembr constantly.

Whatever happened, she'd be there for him. She chuckled softly as she stroked his sleeping face, remembering the muggle film 'The Notebook' she had recently seen, and how they had thought that they resembled Noah and Allie in the way that while they loved each other, they fought like children and were huge pains in each others asses at times, but it just made them love each other more. And she just hoped that things would get better. No..she knew it. She was still a Cooper somewhere inside, and Coopers didn't hope, they knew.

I wasn't sure how long I was asleep, my body motionless next to Gwen's. I thought I might have had nightmares of the traumatic event that had placed me in the hospital in the first place, but I didn't. The world I was currently apart of, it was peaceful, it was nice. It wasn't confusing like the last dark place I'd been in, nor did I have a cloaked figure pulling me in directions I didn't want to go in. It was just a deep, solid slumber, a world of absolutely nothing. I was content with that though. And that was how it stayed.. until the very end at least. That was when the nightmares decided to strike.

I was running, running, running.. from what? I turned around, my eyes wide, only to see my father chasing after me. But his face, it was bloody. His clothes were blood-soaked. And he was screaming at me. 'Traitor! Traitor! How dare you!' And I was running, but I couldn't understand why. Since when did I run? I wasn't a coward. I wasn't a traitor, either. I had done what I needed to do. I had done it to protect my family. Yet I still felt this sense of fear I'd never quite experienced before. Why? 'YOU WILL PAY. YOU WILL. MARK MY WORDS!' He was still screaming, and I was still running. Not paying any attention to where I was going, and that was when I tripped. I came crashing down onto the ground, and suddenly he was on me, knife raised above my head. His fingers like cobra's around my neck. Squeezing, choking, leaving me struggling. He was smiling with malice. 'I think it's time you join me. Meet your demise.' Why couldn't I shake him off? Why did I feel like the strength had been sucked from my body? He was going to take me from Gwen, from Faith, rip my life away. I tried to scream out, but no sound left my parted lips. I couldn't breathe......'

"No.. No.. nononoNONONO!" I awoke with a start, panting heavily, my body soaked in a cold sweat. My eyes were wild as they swept around the room, my heart beating rapidly in my chest. "No. Get away from me. No." I kept repeating and chanting like a wild man, my breathing only increasing. Why couldn't I breathe? Was he really here, trying to take me? I tried to sit up but was met with a crashing pain, and I fell back onto my pillows with a whimper. I shrank back with fear, almost like a small child. Where was I? Why was I here? Why did my body hurt so much? And that was when I remembered the presence of someone next to me. I immediately gasped, jumping away from Gwen's body, huddling away from her as I stared at her. "Who.. who are you?" I asked, my brain completely blank in my panic. "Why .. why am I here? Why are you here?" And suddenly, I was freaking out again, trying to get up and wincing with pain. "You're here to take me away, aren't you? I had to do it! I had to kill him!" I was borderline hysterical now. The heart-monitor they'd set me up to was beating into an unhealthy over-drive. I was still sweating, my muscles quivering, my expression wild. "It's not my fault! I bloody swear I had to! I had to!"

"Ev..Evan!" Gwen sat up and shook hr head, tears in her eyes, "Shhh, it's okay, I know, shhh, shh. I'm Gwen, your wife, I'm your wife-" Healers came in and pulled her away only to be on the recieving end of a pretty good punch from the Huntress. "Don't touch me." she reprimended quietly, yet firmly. The Healer, who was now nursing a broken nose, nodded. The other healers were checking his heart and one managed to give him something to calm him.

"EVAN. Snap out of it! I'm your wife, your Gwen. Wende!" she held his gaze, "I know what you had to do, it wasn't your fault, it's okay. It's okay."

I heard my name being called out, but my mind was in such a frenzied state that I couldn't seem to focus on the single utterance. I continued to writhe against the constraints of all of the wires hooked up to my body, whimpering as the pain coursed throughout my body. It wasn't enough to stop me though, nothing was. I was on the verge of losing my mind. I heard her telling me she was my wife, but it was of no consolation to me. "Get away from me! Get away! I don't know you! You're going to take me away!" I kept insisting in a wail. She was soon being pulled away from me by healers but I was too oblivious to even care, ripping a couple of needles straight from my arm as I clawed at them. I was getting out of there. I didn't care what I had to do. I didn't want to spend another moment in that bed surrounded by people I didn't know. Their faces were swimming around me in different arrays of colors by that point. But their hands were all over me, pushing down on my chest and restraining me to the bed. I fought against them, swearing all of the while, but I was growing weaker. And all too soon I felt the tell-tale pinch of a needle being slid back through the skin of my arm, and almost instantly I was being calmed. My muscles relaxed and my eyes became cloudy, I was in a daze.

My name was firmly being stated again by that woman that wouldn't go away. She kept insisting I knew who she was, but I really had no idea! Didn't she get that? Didn't she see? A small whimper again bubbled up my throat, but this time it was more of a childish gesture as I drew away from her, blue eyes conflicted. How could I be married to someone I couldn't even recall just by looking at them? Why were these people lying to me? I just wanted to leave. I wanted to be out of there. The medicine was slowly beginning to work through the rest of my body, causing my eye-lids to droop. Not in the tired-sense, but just the sense where I was vaguely aware of what was going on and not able to do much else. I was just sentenced at least another few hours to this bed, much to my dismay.

Her name echoed around inside of my head as she comforted me, telling me she knew I'd had to do it. That it wasn't my fault. "What if they throw me into Azkaban?" I found myself whining, after all I had committed a murder. My muscles began to tremble again but the medication disallowed me from actually reacting as strongly as I wanted to. "I.. I just.." I exhaled heavily. "Idon'tknow." And I didn't know. I didn't know anything. I'd never felt so confused and alone in my entire life.

"Evan, I'm a Hunter, if they want to take you away then they'll do that over my dead body."
In hindsight, I'm pretty sure it wasn't a good way to put that. But i was never good at comfort under stress.
"They'll never find the body. There is no evidence, well there's nothing period. I put a memory charm on your mother and flew her to a nearby village. I mean, my memory charms aren't perfect. But adequete. And the body is hidden. I dropped it in a swamp. Don't worry about that now. What I'm worried about is why you don't remember your wife, which would be moi. And our daughter..."
I softly put my hand on his and squeezed gently.

She was saying my name again and I tried my best to comprehend what exactly it all meant. She was a hunter, whatever that entailed, and I supposed that was supposed to put me at ease. Did it? I exhaled slowly through my chapped lips. "I don't want another person dead," came my childish reply and I tried to struggle again, only my body was much too sedated to do so. I wasn't even certain how I was formulating words without them sounding completely slurred.

She was talking again but I wasn't looking at her, instead staring straight ahead at the white wall in front of us. The monitors beeped all around me, and her voice almost began blending in with them. This woman, the one who kept claiming to know me so well, though I had no recollection what so ever of who she was or why she kept bothering me. My mother.. memory charm.. body gone.. I probably should have been thankful for that. Thankful that this stranger was going through so much trouble for me when she didn't even know who I was.

Wait. Right, she was again saying she was my wife. And we bloody had a daughter? "I'm a father? A husband? What the bloody hell.." I could never in my life picture that happening. This woman had to be lying. There was just no other option. I frowned when she took my hand and squeezed it, trying to resist the urge of pulling away. "I.. I don't believe you..."

Biting back the pain when he said he didn't believe her she pulled her hand back and took a picture out of her wallet, their wedding picture, with Faith in her arms and Gwen herself in Evans arms, smiling and waving.
"Her name is Faith, Faith Marie Caldwell. And she has your eyes and my hair and is just handsdown the most gorgeous being in the world." she handed him the photograph.
"You and I met in sixth year briefly, then in seventh year we got wasted on the train to Hogwarts and made out playing truth or dare. We continued that session in the room of requirement and ended up just sleeping, innocently sleeping. After that we were constantly doing things like that, but never having a real title..." and so she told him, slowly and pausing when she thought he needed to process something a bit, about how they fell in love. About when she told him she loved him at the beach when she was blind. About telling him she was a Huntress and what that meant. About when they had christmas together and he told her he loved her after they had sex for their (and her) first time). How that had ended in pregnancy which had ended in Faith. About their little dates here and there. About their home videos (talking to gwens tummy which held faith, faith's first steps, first word, wedding tapes...) Then her stories slowed as she let him take it in, hoping something would jog his memory.

Evan figured he probably should have felt bad for how he was treating her, but he just couldn't seem to help it. Nothing about the situation was making sense to him. All he knew was, he'd committed a terrible, unforgivable crime and if there hadn't been so much medication swimming through his veins, he knew he would have been in an immense amount of pain. But he was sedated, if only for the time being, and his eyelids drooped, although he didn't fall asleep.

Instead, he listened to the hum of the woman's voice as she began to tell him stories. Ones that were so detailed and quite so vivid that he couldn't help but think she couldn't have just made them up. It was the pictures that seemed to cement it the most -- because he could see himself standing there, arms around this particular woman and with her holding a baby girl in her arms. A baby girl that looked just like the pair of them put together. His daughter. And this was his wife. The evidence was all there in the magical picture that was moving, showing each of their loving grins and excited waves.

He lowered the photographs and continued to listen, unsure of how long they sat there but knowing that it was a long, long while. "I.. guess you're right.." He said slowly, words tainted with tiredness. "So, you're my wife and I have a daughter.." He repeated, more to himself than anything else. Finally, his eyes closed, and he gave a slow shrug of his shoulders. The more detail she'd given and it all seemed familiar to him, but only like he'd seen it in a movie once or twice -- not like it was his actual life. "Sleep.. time.." He murmured, before drifting away into the land of slumber. Unaware of when he awoke, was when everything would fall back into place.

When he awoke Gwen was sleeping in a big armchair next to his bed, photoalbums stacked on a table near the bed, full of their memories and beside her, in a little crib, slept Faith, unconsciously reaching out in a dream and murmuring "daddy..."

Her mumbling woke Gwen up and she shook her curly head as she reached an arm in the crib without opening her eyes and let her daughter play with her fingers to calm down. The gesture was so familiar it was obvious that the scenario happened often.  Then she glanced up,
"oh, Honey, you're awake, how'dyou feel?" she looked groggy, yet pleased to see him.

Evan had not even the slightest clue of how long he was passed out in the land of very heavy slumber; however, when he did wake up, the first thing he noticed was the smell. It was strong, like bleach, and he winced although his eyes were still closed. It was silent, for the most part, except for these annoying beeping sounds that he couldn't quite figure out what they belonged to. He wasn't in pain, per say, but he didn't feel comfortable. He grunted as he began to shift around, but it wasn't until he heard the sound of a baby did his eyes finally shoot open.

Gaze shifted to the crib near his bedside, and then the woman seated in a chair beside the crib. And he saw photoalbums. Lots and lots of them. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he stared at everything, with the curly headed woman having her hand in the crib, to around the room in horror. It was only when she called him honey was when it all seemed to come snapping into place. "....Gwen?" It was obvious the degree of relief in his voice, though he still seemed just as confused as ever as he looked down at the needles in his arms. "W-what.. why.. what's happened?" His voice sounded like a child. He tried to remember, but he couldn't.

Everything seemed to blend together and he groaned in confusion. "I feel like something very bad did... and it was all my fault..."

When the witch heard her name she burst into tears, moving to hug him without hurting him, "oh my wizard-god, you remember my name-" she kissed him again and again and again, her hands now on his chest and hand. "Don't worry about that right now, all you need to know is that you saved your daughters life and nothing was your fault. You were badly injured, but are recovering and we can go over the unlovely details another time. I just need to make sure of something; Tell me who you think I am and what you know about me. Hmm...Do you remember the nickname you gave me in school, when I was still Gwen DeArbour?"

Evan found himself blinking again in complete and utter surprise when Gwen burst into tears just upon hearing her name. "What in Merlin's name.." He began in confusion, but was cut off when she was suddenly all over him. "Why wouldn't I remember your name..--" Again he was cut off when she began kissing him over and over and over again. While of course the wizard didn't object -- he was quick to return the pressure of each one -- he still couldn't seem to get a grasp on what exactly was happening. His heart monitor was beginning to beep a bit quicker than normal, but only because of the suddenness of all that was happening. He just needed to grasp it.

"Don't worry about it? But.." Another protest that seemed to be falling on deaf ears. Clearly, he was missing a big piece of the puzzle for Gwen to be so happy about him remembering her. Instinctively he reached up, wrinkling his nose in annoyance at the needles stuck into place before he brushed the tears away from her cheeks. "I saved Faith's life?" Instantly, a sense of horror seemed to settle in the pit of his stomach. After all, what could he have done that was so awful where he had to defend the life of his daughter? Brows furrowed when he seemed to realize Gwen wasn't about to give any details, and she was demanding he answer questions.

"I.. er.. Wende?" He said, wondering why in Godric's name he was being quizzed like they weren't married or something. "I know so much about you, Gwen, where do you want me to start? You were/are a Hunter.. in the process of giving that up to Evelyn.." His voice dropped at that before resuming at it's normal volume. "You were in Slytherin, like me, and there was a point when you went blind. Erm.. you used to have this best friend that you called your Pillow.. and you had a pet snake. We made out on the train ride to Hogwarts in a game of truth or dare. That was when I first noticed you. We broke up for a while when I found out you were pregnant, but it was then I realized I loved you.." He spoke of countless other occasions before breathing deeply. "Anything else?"

"No that's- that's perfect, honey. Perfect. God, I love you, don't ever leave me again, you hear me? If you ever get the idea you have to do something alone...you come straight to me." She kissed him deeply and pulled her chair closer to his bed to sit and carress his cheek softly.

"Long story short, you and your father fought and I was- I was almost too late. But we got you to Mungo's and stable and I went back and took care of the scene and we don't have to worry about your parents interfering and you STILL never told me what your father did for a living or why he wanted me and when you woke up here...you-" her voice broke as she fought emotion, "You didn't know who I was. So I've been trying to jog your memory, told you stories of us, showed you our home video, our photo albums...nothing helped. That's why I'm- I'm so happy you're back." she leaned her head on his shoulder lightly. "Nothing was your fault, honestly, honey, I swear."