The Dreamwalker's Daughter

Chapter Nineteen St Michael's

"Was that the first time that you felt out of control?" Sarah sat on the floor in the large airy room with her head hung between her legs. She was wearing a long gray housecoat over top a pair of light blue pajamas and pink slippers. She didn't move or look up. She did manage to grunt. "I'll take that as a yes," said the man sitting across from her.

"That's not fair Kincaid, you won't allow the rest of us to answer with a grunt," complained the young man to sat closest to Sarah. He had black hair that was curly cropped around his ears and looked as though it hadn't been combed in weeks, and was dressed identical to Sarah right down to the pink slippers. The other two teenagers, both of who were boys also dressed in pajama prison garb, nodded in agreement.

The man in the front chuckled and rose from his chair, he walked over to a window, produced a cigarette from thin air, and took a puff. The long blond ponytail that he wore shown in the sunlight that poured through the window. He was a tall man, with sparkling green eyes and when he moved the sun reflected off the many earrings that pierced his left ear and the one in his tongue. The only indication that he was in charge of the occupants of this room was that he was the only one who wore actually clothing, this gentleman, Dr. Horatio Kincaid, had on blue jeans, a pullover shirt and a long white robe. Most definitely not, what you would expect from the wizarding world. This was by no means was an ordinary wizard. "Horatio," he said turning to the young man after some thought. The disgruntled young man looked up at him and grimaced.

"What?"

"Horatio. I've told you before Jakob, it's not Dr. Kincaid or Kincaid, it's Horatio," he corrected. Kincaid took another draw on his cigarette. "Sarah is new here and if all of you search back into your addled brains you'll remember a time when I granted you all a little leeway."

"She's not that new," scoffed the teen bitterly. "She's been here for almost a month now and you were seeing her at that school of hers before that."

Sarah didn't look up but spoke softly. "Shut up Jakob."

"Oooo, it speaks," he joked causing the other two boys to laugh. "She's just a whiny witch if you ask me."

Sarah raised her head; there was a fiery anger in her eyes. Before anyone knew, what was going on the chair that Kincaid had been sitting in was lifted from the floor, was sailing across the room, and heading toward the black haired boy. Horatio lifted his hand and the chair froze in midair. Sarah looked at the chair, then Kincaid, and ran from the room. The nurse who had been sitting quietly in the corner rose to go after her, but Kincaid shook his head. "I'll go after her. You see to this sorry lot." He looked at the black haired boy and sighed.

"Sorry Horatio," he said cowering.

"We'll talk about it later," answered Kincaid with a scowl. He turned and walked out of the room. He didn't have to go far to find her. She had once again ran to the end of the hallway and taken her frustrations out on the window. Horatio approached her slowly, surveyed the broken glass and blood that was flowing freely down Sarah's hand. He took her arm, although she resisted and pulled out his wand. "You know Miss Nettleton, if you're trying to hide the scars on the inside with ones on the outside it's not going to work." Sarah pulled her arm back as soon as the bandages had stopped wrapping themselves around her hands. She turned away and he repaired the window as well. "I don't know what you hope to accomplish by breaking the window once a week."

"Why don't you just let me go back to the school?" mumbled Sarah. "Or better yet, let me go home."

"We both know neither of those are an option," said Horatio Kincaid flatly.

Sarah did know this; she knew that she was a long way off from looking any one other than the other losers in this building and the tall man standing next to her in the face. It hadn't been that long ago that she couldn't look at them. She remembered when she had first waked in the infirmary, her head pounding so hard she couldn't see, and Killainka had been there with a tall blond stranger. "Sarah this is Dr. Horatio Kincaid, a former student and dear friend. He's come to help you."

"Go to hell, Dr. Kincaid!" spat Sarah, hiding in the corner of the infirmary.

"Go to hell Horatio, will be fine," he had replied in an even tone.

It had taken Sarah almost two weeks to get to the point where she trusted anyone enough to come out of the corner she had backed herself into, two weeks, a host of potions, and a lot of yelling and screaming between her and Horatio Kincaid. It had taken longer than that for her to be able to make it through an entire day without a headache and this wasn't an everyday occurrence.

Sarah looked up at Horatio. "Can I go back to my room or do I have to go back in there?" she asked gesturing toward the room at the end of the hall. Kincaid looked into her eyes and for a brief moment she allowed him to.

"I'm letting you go back to your room but this is the one and only time you get away with this," he scolded. Sarah nodded turning her eyes to the floor once more. She felt quite privileged that she was getting away with this and turned quickly. It wasn't long before she was in the comfort of her small sterile room.

She climbed back into her small hospital bed and was again grateful that she was no longer being held by her magical restraints and looked around at the small cold, gray room. She was thinking about the last question Horatio had asked her, the one that had stirred the current round of emotions in her. She felt a sharp pain in her right temple and tired to shake it off. "I need to remember," she said to her self quietly. "I'm never going to get out of this place if I don't."

When was the first time she felt like things we're out of control? Was it the day she ended up in the catacombs and didn't know how she got there? Or had it been long before that, back when she had lost those ten to twenty minutes at the Quidditch match? She thought a bit harder about it and found the pain in her head increasing. "Damn it!" she cursed out loud. She thought about calling for the nurse, she wanted the pain to go away but she didn't want to sleep and that was the only way to make it stop, unless. She thought about Professor Semiramise and found herself wishing for her and Professor Killainka. She hadn't seen either one of them in weeks. Sarah felt tears rolling down her cheeks now. She hadn't realized that she had started crying, she buried her face in her pillow and decided she'd just deal with the pain.

Sarah heard the sound of someone clearing their throat and for a second thought of ignoring it, but then she heard it again and the creaking of her door opening a bit wider. "Go away," she croaked quietly.

"I've got chocolate," the voice whispered a peace offering nervously. Sarah recognized the voice and without looking up responded again.

"Go away Jakob."

"Come on Sarah. I'm sorry I," he hesitated. "I was being an ass." Sarah couldn't help but smile through her pain. She looked up to see his head poking around the corner of her door.

"Get in here," said Sarah shaking her head. Jakob grinned, entered the room, and sat down in the chair next to Sarah's bed. He stuck out his hand and offered her some of the chocolate he had brought. Sarah took the chocolate, looked at it, and then laughed. "You know, I never thought there would come a time that I would get sick of chocolate." She laughed again and then ate the chocolate. Jakob chuckled and took a bit of the remaining piece. Sarah felt the warm feeling in the pit of her stomach that the chocolate brought and relaxed back into her pillow. "You know Horatio will have a cow if he finds you in here."

Jakob sighed. "Well he's pissed at me already. Jakob you've disrupted group too many times this month" he said imitating Horatio's voice and pretending to smoke a cigarette. Sarah giggled and then winced. "Your headaches back?"

"Yeah," admitted Sarah rubbing her brow.

"You should tell the nurse," he suggested.

"They'll just give me a sleeping potion and I really don't want that," admitted Sarah. Jakob nodded. "I just wish that could figure out exactly what triggers it, then maybe I could figure out how to make them stop."

"Well Horatio's theory is to open up and talk things out." He paused and then added. "I think we should open Horatio up," said Jakob laughing loudly. Sarah giggled. They sat quietly for a moment or too, Sarah still rubbing her temple.

"Jakob, I've never asked you but," Sarah stopped and looked at the black haired boy.

"Why am I here?" he finished. Sarah nodded squinting the pain in her head had suddenly increased. "Sarah, are you all right?" Sarah bent over and put her head in her hands she could no longer speak. "Shit, I'm getting the nurse."

It wasn't the worse nightmare Sarah had since she had been in at St. Michaels but it ranked right up there. It was obvious that the sleeping potions weren't working like they had in the past. She stared at the ceiling and tried to catch her breath. So much blood, she hated it when the nightmare was about the blood. Why could she remember blood all over her and not how it got there? The potion hadn't worked this time at all. Her headache wasn't gone and she could still see the blood even though she was awake. Sarah felt her skin crawling and then she heard a voice. It was her voice and it was laughing. "Stop it!" screamed Sarah. However, the laughter continued, and it was getting louder. "Stop it!" she screamed again. "Go away Michayla, I'm not listening to you anymore! Leave me alone!" Sarah lashed out into the air in front of her. At first, she was trying to push away the laughter and then she was trying to push away the blood. She let out one last scream and felt someone take her firmly by the arms.

"Sarah!" It was Horatio Kincaid. Sarah opened her eyes to find him standing over top of her. She was on the floor in her room and she was covered in blood.

***************

Kincaid stood in the hallway smoking a cigarette and staring out a window. "It's not your fault Horatio, you are doing the best you can." He didn't flinch he did however lower his head a bit.

"She should be making better progress," he said after exhaling a large puff of smoke. Killainka placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I have faith in you or I wouldn't have brought her to you," he said a sad smile on his lips.

Kincaid turned and faced the Professor. "Perhaps this time your trust has been misplaced. I'm afraid one of these times she is going to be successful."

Killainka shook his head. "She's not trying to kill herself Horatio, she's just trying to find herself."

Horatio scoffed. "For someone who's not trying to kill herself, she's doing a damn good job at almost succeeding." He paused and then continued. "Look Javier, I removed the restraints at your requests but if she keeps this up I'm going to have to put them back on her."

"Horatio, I'm asking you to trust her. She's not going to get through this is you don't. You've got to believe in her, as I believed in someone else once." Kincaid looked into Killainka's eyes as the Professor smiled. "Look how far you've gone. Not only have you made it but also you're a very successful Psychotherapist who runs his own clinic and you're not quite thirty years old." Killainka watched as Kincaid did his best not to blush. He took one last puff of his cigarette and made it disappear. "Now if I could just get you to stop smoking," he added chuckling.

Horatio's dimple appeared once more. "I'm afraid it's what keeps me from losing control of my own faculties." They both chuckled this time, then Kincaid sighed. "So you say she's the one?" Killainka nodded soberly. "I'm not sure I'm happy that you've laid this task at my feet." Killainka smiled.

"I couldn't have trusted any other." Horatio shook his head.

"She's taken an odd liking to Mr. Whitmore," he said.

Killainka's eyes widened. "Our Jakob is here again?"

"Perhaps still is a better word. He isn't gone more than a month before he's back again I am afraid. If I didn't know better I'd say he likes it here," added Horatio chuckling. Killainka smiled sadly.

"Jakob most likely falls into the old cliché category of bad parenting. We can't choose whom we have as parents. I was responsible for letting the dark forces get to Sarah, Jakob had no choice in the matter." It was Horatio's turn to comfort.

"Javier, you cannot blame yourself for Sarah's condition. You had no way of knowing that they were there and after her."

"That's not true. I was warned several times and there was the curse. I should have heeded the warning of the curse and taken extra precautions," he supposed.

"From what you and Perri have told me you were doing everything that you could. She was being taught everything that she was capable of learning." Horatio observed. "Now it's my turn," he said drawing a deep breath. "I'll reach her Javier, I promise." He put his arm around Killainka and smiled genuinely. "So are you going to see her this time?"

"No, I'm sure she'd be very upset if she thought I even knew what he had done last night." He paused and then continued. "Tell her that I sent an owl saying that I'll be coming soon to see her soon. Tell her that you got it before the incident. I don't want her suspecting that you contacted me." Horatio nodded. "I'll be back next week if nothing else comes up."

"Yes," he agreed. "And Javier don't worry."

Sarah sat on her bed in the dark and cried silently. She jumped nervously and hid her face when Horatio opened the door and entered the room. He shook his head, crossed the room to sit down next to her on the bed. "I've brought you a present, but I'm not giving it to you if you're going to hide." Sarah pulled the heavily bandaged arms away from her face and looked at Horatio through her swollen eyes.

"What is it?" she whispered looking at the small wooden box that he held in his hands.

"I heard you played chess," he answered pushing the box toward her. Sarah looked at the box and then Horatio and began to shake her head.

"But there's no one to play with," she again whispered.

"Well, I know how but I hear you're very good and I'm sure I wouldn't be a formidable opponent. I do however happen to know someone who is." Sarah looked at him curiously. She pulled a corner of her sheet up and wiped her eyes.

"Who?"

Horatio grinned. He was getting the reaction that he had hoped for. "Mr. Whitmore."

"Jakob?" said Sarah wrinkling up her face. "Oh Horatio you wouldn't make me play chess with Jakob?" whined Sarah. Kincaid stifled a laugh.

"Well, since you can't get along I've decided you should spend some more time together." He smiled and then watched Sarah's face run the gambit of emotions. It was true that her and Jakob were known to butt heads more often than not, however he had more than once been there for her already. Horatio was sure that they were bonding on some level and he was hoping to capitalize on that bond.

She looked at her bandaged arms and hands, and then looked at the wooden box. "Do you think I'm capable of playing Horatio?"

Kincaid looked at Sarah and pushed the sympathetic pangs he felt for her as far back as he could. "I think that you'll do what you want to do. I think you always have and that you need to find that again Sarah Nettleton," he said in a very even and insensitive tone.

Sarah looked at looked down and swallowed hard. "Alright, but I after I've beaten Jakob a few times, I get to kick your butt," she said grabbing the box from his hands and wincing from the pain it had caused her. Horatio's right dimple made a guest appearance as he rose from the bed.

"Well I did say that I was a lousy player." He looked at Sarah and donned his serious "doctor" face. "Group is in fifteen minutes. I expect you to be there." Sarah looked at the box, wiped her eyes on the corner of the sheet again, and nodded.

Sarah opted to sit on the couch today. She was determined that she was going to do her best to get through a group session without losing control. No one sat next to her however, they had all heard rumors about what had happened the night before, and of course, they had heard her screaming and seeing her bandaged arms and swollen face had served to bring that home. Jakob Whitmore had sat the closest. He had taken the chair that sat next to the couch and had smiled at her when he sat down. For the first time since they had been coming group, Sarah had smiled back. This did not go unnoticed.

Horatio looked at the small group of teens and preteens and shook his head. "Not one of you has made it through the week without an episode. What am I going to do with you?" he asked surveying their faces.

"Duct tape and crucio?" suggested Jakob causing the entire room to burst into laughter. Kincaid zeroed in on the young man with a cold stare and then cracked a smile.

"Perhaps," he said producing a cigarette and rising to go to the window. Sarah turned to Jakob who looked her way surprised that she was looking at him. He was feeling quite guilty having been the last person with her before she had had her headache and subsequent nightmare.

"Are you alright?" he mouthed silently. She nodded and held up her bandaged arms.

"It happened again," she confessed with a confused look on her face. Horatio turned in time to see the end of this exchange and grinned to himself.

"So, who wants to start?" he asked taking another puff of his cigarette. All three boys suddenly clamed up, but Sarah who shifted a bit uneasily her chair, raised one bandaged arm. Everyone was surprised including Horatio. "Excellent! Go ahead Sarah."

Sarah swallowed hard. She was about to change her mind when she saw Jakob wink at her out of the corner of her eye. She fought back a smile and drew a deep breath. "I don't really know what to say I, I'm just tired of this," she said holding up both her arms this time. Everyone winced.

"Do you want to explain what happened to the group Sarah?" asked Horatio. Tears were pooling in Sarah's eyes but she was determined to go on.

"I wish I could, but I haven't a clue. I know it starts with the headaches and I know that the headaches have something to do with her," explained Sarah. Tears were rolling down her cheeks now. One of the smaller boys leaned over with a box of tissues, which she took and thanked him for.

"Her?" asked the youngest boy looking confused.

"Michayla," answered Jakob, watching Sarah closely. "You weren't here when we found that out I guess."

Sarah sighed and nodded. Had it been that long since she had talked? She knew that she had made progress when she had first gotten to St Michael's only to have it all thrown away when part's of her memory had come back that she didn't wish to deal with. That's when the cutting had begun. Sarah started again. "It took me forever to figure out that she was causing them. I don't know why it took me so long I mean I should have figured it out. Sometimes just when I was near Dillon suddenly I couldn't see the pain was so bad and then it would go away." Sarah stopped and it was obvious to everyone why. Her head had started hurting again; she was wincing and had put her hand to her brow.

Horatio moved forward cautiously. "Sarah if you need to stop."

"No," she said looking up at Horatio and then over to Jakob who smiled encouragingly. Sarah felt the pain ease up and sat up straighter. She took a deep breath as she regained control of herself.

"All right if you're sure," said Kincaid looking at her one last time before turning and walking back to his position by the window. "Go on then, you said something about Dillon. You've mentioned him before, but you have a hard time continuing when you get to that point."

Sarah began to breath heavily she was having a hard time now. She couldn't even think of him, what he looked like, or who he was. "Who is he?" she thought to herself. Sarah "He's your friend stupid," she told herself. "You saved his life the first year of school." Then the voice in her head retaliated. "You tried to take it not too long ago."

Sarah felt the pain in her head returning three fold and she plunged head first into the floor. The nurse, who had been reading quietly in the back, dropped her book and ran forward, but Horatio intercepted her and the other group members, he knelt next to her on the floor. "Sarah, it's time to remember," he whispered next to her ear.

"I can't!" called out Sarah. She was tearing at the bandages on her arms that were already turning red.

He grabbed her hands and held them together. "You must!

Sarah looked up and into his sparkling green eyes, eyes that looked like Dillon's and then, they were Dillon's. She let out a scream as she was thrust into the darkness of the catacombs she looked down saw the dagger in her hand, and the blood everywhere. Then she heard Abydos' yelling "Expelliarmus!" Sarah stopped fighting Horatio and fell back onto the floor.

Kincaid looked up at the nurse and gestured for her to return to her position, which she reluctantly did, putting her wand back in her pale blue robes as walked. Horatio looked at the blood soaked bandages and sighed. Sarah was whimpering but she was thinking quite clearly. "Horatio, I remembered something," she whispered. Kincaid looked at her pale face, smiled, and nodded.

"Excellent. Now we have to work on doing it without the mess." The rest of the room grew extremely quiet at this remark, their faces shocked. Sarah sat there for a moment looking at him like he was mad and then she began to laugh loudly. They all looked at each other and then Sarah and soon they were all laughing loudly including Horatio who was now redoing Sarah's bandages.

Horatio allowed Sarah to remain quiet for the rest of the group session, which she was very happy to do, but he made her promise that she would relate to him what she had discovered in their next private session. Sarah didn't have a problem with this at all; she knew that if she was starting to remember with or without pain and blood loss, she was on the road to recovery and that's what she wanted, wasn't it?

She had said and thought about everything that had happened to her in the last few days and what had just happened to her the entire time that Davey McNeal had spilled his guts and hadn't even noticed that Jakob had been silent until Horatio brought it up near the end of session. "Well Mr. Whitmore? Nothing to say?" The black haired boy shook his head quietly. Sarah looked up and caught his eye.

"Jakob it wasn't you fault," she whispered. The boy looked at her curiously. How could she have known that he was blaming himself her episode?

"Jakob?" Horatio was not going to let him be.

"What?" he snapped looking back at Kincaid.

"Have you nothing to say?" pressed Horatio. Sarah cleared her throat to catch Jakob's attention again.

"Don't lose you temper," she whispered and then she added. "Please." He looked at her irritable and then his face softened into a smile.

"Yeah, I have something to say," he started turning to Kincaid. Horatio looked at Jakob and braced himself for the worse. "I'm hungry, what's for lunch?" Sarah and the other boys began to chuckle. Horatio rolled his eyes at Jakob who turned to Sarah and winked. Sarah let out a deep breath.

"All right off to lunch then," said Horatio shaking his head. He laughed and helped himself to another cigarette.

"You're cutting your life short with those you know," said Sarah approaching him as everyone started to leave.

"With any luck," he said chuckling. Sarah looked at him funny. "Did you want to say something Sarah?" he asked changing the subject.

"Oh yeah well, thanks." Horatio looked at her and shook his head.

"For?" However, Sarah didn't say what for she just kissed him on the cheek and walked off trying to catch up to Jakob. Kincaid stood there looking dumbfounded as the nurse walked over smiling.

"She's a odd one," she said looking after Sarah.

"Are you trying to say they all aren't?" he asked chuckling.

"You know what I mean. She's different from the rest. I mean they have teenage problems but she," the nurse stopped and shook her head.

"No one ever said this job was going to be easy Rachelle." Horatio put out his cigarette and touched his cheek. He was thinking about what Professor Killainka had said. "She's not trying to kill herself Horatio, she's just trying to find herself."

"Jakob wait up," called Sarah going down the hall. The tall black haired boy stopped and turned. Sarah slowed down and approached him smiling. "Hey."

He looked down at her and smiled oddly. "Hey."

"Listen, Horatio brought me a present this morning and ah, I can't use it without someone else."

"Oh?" he said smiling slyly. Sarah's eyes widened.

"Jakob!" she scolded, the boy chuckled. "It's a chess set."

"Cool."

"I was wondering if you'd like to play after lunch," asked Sarah who was now looking at the floor and quite red.

"Sure why not," answered Jakob as nonchalantly as possible. Sarah looked up and a grin spread across her red and swollen face. Jakob suddenly looked uncomfortable. "Ah, walk you to lunch then?" Sarah nodded and they started toward the clinic's common area.

*************************************

"How is she Javier?" Professor Chalipun stood next to the chair and watched him contemplate his hands.

"Horatio's worried but I'm not," he assured her not looking up.

"You're demeanor tells me otherwise," she said reaching over to lift his chin. She smiled warmly as his eyes met hers. "Second guessing ourselves won't change the circumstances."

"I know Priscilla," he said forcing a smile. He drew a deep breath and rose from his position by the empty fireplace. "School is nearly over. I was really hoping she would return before end of term."

"If it is to happen it will happen Javier, it is not for us to decide." Chalipun placed her arm around his shoulder attempting to comfort him. "Maybe it's best that she doesn't. I'm not sure how she's going to accept what has happened in her absence as it is and she will still be fragile when she returns no matter how well Horatio does."

Killainka nodded. "You're right of course. I suppose I just wish," he stopped and stared into the cold hearth.

"We cannot change the past Javier and we mustn't attempt to do so. She will survive this and be stronger for it." Killainka looked into her eyes and found the solace that at the moment he needed. "How is Mr. Ratcliff today?"

Chalipun smiled a sad smile. "He looked well in class. His grades have slipped a bit, but I noticed Mr. Turner has been keeping an eye on him, despite his own pain."

"Yes, I've been worried about him as well. I think we released him from the infirmary too soon, but Melissa assured me he was fine and Horatio told me that he could see problems down the road for Eric but that it was probably best to let him be right now. His sister is the one I'm concerned about. Alice told me that she hasn't been able to sleep, and her teacher's say she's not completing any of her assignments," reported Killainka.

"I know, I'm afraid I haven't seen an assignment from Miss Turner since Sarah's departure. I don't see how we can fail her, it just wouldn't be fare."

"I'll speak to her," said Killainka. "Perhaps it's time for her to visit Sarah." Chalipun's eyes widened.

"Do you think that's wise?"

"Maybe it's what they both need. I'll talk to Horatio see what he thinks."

"All right, but I expect to see you at dinner tonight. The school is never truly going to get back to normal until you do," she scolded. He smiled and nodded.

"You're right of course. I should be there, if for no other reason than to support Christine." There was a tear forming in corner of his eye and he suddenly moved forward and took Chalipun into a warm embrace, taking her quite by surprise. "I just want you to know that I would never let anything happen to any of you," he said as he pulled back.

Chalipun looked at him concerned and smiled. "I know Javier, we all know. Christine does not blame you for what happened to her or her son. Nor does she blame Sarah. The evil that caused the pain is gone and if we have it our way will not return. We have learned from our mistakes and we will not let it happen again." Killainka forced another smile and Chalipun held onto his hands for just another moment to reassure him then with a few more kinds words she took her leave.

Killainka turned to the fire and pulled out his wand. "Incindio," he instructed causing the flames to rise. He reached up into a jar and produced some powder, threw it into fire and put his head in the flames " St. Michael's Clinic, Los Angeles I need to speak to Dr. Kincaid please."

Zoe sighed deeply and stared at the empty spot that everyone in Bellarmine dorm had grown accustomed to leaving at the dinner table. She had put some food on her plate at the insistence of Megan but she merely pushed it around with her fork to make it look as though she were eating it. She was thinking about how last year about this time they were staring at a similar empty chair and how they had figured out how to right the solution. A tear slid down her cheek and she quickly pushed it away. "Zoe, you've got to eat." Eric sat down next to his sister and put his arm around her. "I know you're in no danger of blowing away but you really should." Zoe looked at her brother and forced a smile. "Starving yourself is not going to help Sarah."

"What is going to help Sarah?" whispered Zoe exasperated.

"Perhaps a visit from you Zoe." Zoe spun around and found Killainka standing behind her.

"What are you talking about Professor?" she asked confused.

"I'm talking about you and I taking a trip to see Sarah." Eric looked up at Killainka and opened his mouth to speak. "Eric, I'm sorry but I'm afraid only Zoe may come this time." However, Killainka had more than just Zoe and Eric's attention, he had most of their small groups attention now. Eric's face grew long and he sulked back onto his seat.

"I can go and see Sarah?" asked Zoe as additional tears rolled down her cheeks. Zoe was suddenly feeling a little apprehensive. She was remembering the last time she had looked into Sarah's eyes and what she had seen there.

"It's all right Zoe, I promise you," said Killainka looking into her eyes. Then he turned to Eric once more. "I promise when the time is right." Eric nodded sadly.

"Professor is Sarah okay?" asked Megan butting in.

"We're working on it Miss Adams," assured Killainka. William took Megan's hand under the table and tears appeared in both their eyes. All eyes in the small group now turned to the one person who had remained completely silent. The only person who sat slightly off from the group and looked more distant than the rest, Killainka turned his eyes to Dillon as well.

"Good evening Dillon." Dillon looked up and nodded.

"Professor."

Zoe and Eric turned their heads as Dillon looked their way and Killainka sensed the tension. Killainka looked from Dillon to Zoe and then his eyes rested on Eric. "So Mr. Turner I suppose your team is ready for the final match?" Eric's eyes grew the size of golf balls.

"Sir?"

"The final Quidditch match next Saturday, are they ready?" he pressed on. Dillon was looking quite shocked as well now and they now had the attention of the entire table.

"Professor, I just assumed that," started Eric stumbling around for words. "That the match would be cancelled."

Killainka drew a deep breath and continued. "Now you know that I can't possibly to that. It wouldn't be fare. I mean," he looked at their faces and sensed their pain but he was remembering Priscilla's words. "The school isn't going to get back to normal until you do." The school needed to get back to normal and Quidditch was the way to do it. "We all know that with your last loss to Parathion, Broughton has a shot at the cup and playing in the Inter Mural games. I can't deny them that shot." Eric looked at Killainka, then turned, and for the first time in weeks looked Dillon square in the eye.

"What do you think Dillon?" he asked his voice slightly shaky. Dillon looked at Eric and then Killainka, cleared his throat, and nodded. "All right Professor," said Eric turning back to Killainka. "Don't bet against us yet."

Killainka grinned widely and watched as the rest of the team now gathered around Eric and Dillon excitedly. Zoe pushed her plate away and stood up. "Professor, are we going now?"

Killainka had almost forgotten about his and Zoe's trip. He looked down at her and smiled. "Yes Zoe, come with me." Zoe rose from the table capturing everyone's attention again briefly and then followed him out of the Great Hall.

"Where are we going?" asked Zoe when they had gotten into the hallway.

Killainka smiled. "St. Michael's."

********************

Sarah giggled. "Check mate." Jakob looked at the board and his mangled queen and shook his head.

"I think your cheating," he said looking at her suspiciously.

"I'd say your letting me win," said Sarah giggling. "But that would imply that you have a heart."

"Ha ha!" The black haired boy shook his head at Sarah and tried not to look pleased with him self. "So want to beat me again?"

"Nay," answered Sarah picking up the disappointed pieces. "I'm a little tired. I didn't get much sleep last night," she confessed. Jakob nodded and hung his head slightly. "Why do you think that you have something to do with my episode?" asked Sarah putting down the box and interrupting her task.

He looked up at her and shook his head. "Well I was the last one with you before it happened," he confessed.

"That doesn't matter. Jakob you had nothing to do with my nightmare. It's just my memory coming back that's all," explained Sarah. He looked at her and her bandages and opened his mouth. However, he suddenly thought better of it and leaned back into his chair. "I'm not really sure what happened, that's why I'm here," replied Sarah picking up chess pieces once more.

Jakob looked up at her his face quite perplexed. "You know you're kind of scary." Sarah looked up at him and started to laugh.

"I'm doing it again aren't I?" she thought about what she had said to him and laughed some more. "You know it's actually a good thing. It means I'm beginning to focus." She had finished putting all the pieces in the box and she now sat back and contemplated what she just said. "It must have been what happened in group." She thought about what she had seen and shivered. "It was so real and so frightening."

"Sarah, what happened today? I mean you don't have to tell me if you don't want to," he added quickly. Sarah looked into his eyes, they were green eyes too, but there was something almost haunting about them. Sarah felt a cold chill and backed away slightly. She suddenly had no desire to make physical contact with him. She was afraid of what she might see. She smiled at him so he wouldn't sense her fear.

"No I, I don't mind," she said. Actually, she wanted to. She wanted to tell someone what she had seen and she wouldn't have her private session with Horatio until tomorrow afternoon. "I'm sure you've gathered from the things that have been said and the rumors that have been flying around since I've been here that I'm here because I tried to," she stopped and looked into those haunting eyes again. "I tried to kill someone," she finished in a whisper. Jakob nodded.

"I just can't imagine you doing that though," he added quickly. Sarah grinned.

"I don't remember most of it because I was sort of possessed," said Sarah wincing.

Jakob leaned forward. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, it just sounds stupid to say possessed," said Sarah giggling slightly. Jakob smiled.

"Well, yeah I suppose you're right." He chuckled.

"I guess I let powerful forces get the better of me, that's what Professor Killainka and Horatio say."

Jakob scoffed. "Killainka" He shook his head.

"You know the Professor?" Sarah asked curiously.

"Of course I know the Professor. I graduated from Dragon's Wood two years ago, fat lot of good it did me." Jakob rose from his chair and turned his back to Sarah. "It's not as though going back to that sorry excuse for parents," he stopped. For the first time since Sarah had been at St. Michael's she could feel his pain. She was just about to break her self-imposed rule and place a comforting hand on him when she heard a voice from behind her that stopped her.

"I thought pink fuzzy slippers were last season." Sarah turned around to find Zoe, Killainka, and Horatio standing behind her. She hesitated and then at the same time, her and Zoe both lunged for each other and hugged.