Freedom in Death [open]

[Cain]

CRACK.

The sound echoed over the still village. It was a quiet afternoon, the kind of afternoon that encouraged people to stay inside by the fires and enjoy friendly company. A man appeared in the middle of the street, his hands briefly suspended over his head as if something held them there before he collapsed in a heap.

Cain shuddered violently, the wind blew chill, the cobblestones were as cold as death. He hardly stood out against the dirt and stone, he was just as grey and twice as dirty. His muscles twitched, attempting to warm themselves. Cain curled into a ball, too weak to move further. He couldn’t put a name to the town he had visualized, but that hardly mattered. He would rather freeze to death here than continue on operating the shadow-stealer. He closed his eyes, savouring the freedom the cold wind brought.

[Curse Kameren]

The lean, white form of Curse Kameren glowed like a ghost along the paths of the outskirts of Hogsmeade Village. He was coming from the Shrieking Shack; he delivered a wolfsbane potion to a student in need, a second year Ravenclaw who was using the Shack for its lesser-known purpose on this night. His deep green eyes stared passively forward; his mind was other places. He wanted to get back to Max, whom he had left sleeping alone to deliver the potion. Curse pulled his jacket closed as a chilly gust of wind pulled at him, his eyes closing as they teared up from the cold.

He walked for a while, moving slowly as he watched the Shack as the sun went down. He kept moving, his head turning every now and then to check on the hiding place of the poor student, his first night with a potion to control his primal urges. He continued more quickly once the sun went down, keeping an eye out in case there were any other wolves out.

But suddenly, the professor stopped. He had heard something; a rustling, but not caused by the wind. It was subtle; too large to be a bird or squirrel, but too small to be a centaur. Perhaps it was the student, putting the potion off a little too long? The Professor blinked, reopening his eyes with the slitted pupils of his cat form. He looked out in the dark for something that caused the sound; On a full moon near the Forbidden Forest, one could never be too careful.

Curse gasped when he discovered what had caused the noise, rushing towards a body curled up near the path. The man was nearly naked and covered in grime, shivering uncontrollably. Curse kneeled and put his arms around the man, muttering the words to a heating spell. His skin immediately began expelling intense heat. Curse took of his jacket & draped it over the man. "Hang on," He said into the jacket as he continued his warm embrace over him. "We'll get you help."

Curse sent out a patronous as he spoke, his words taking form into a silvery owl that immediately shot off towards town. "The Hell are you doing out here dressed like that anyways?" He smiled his half smile bitterly, trying to get any sort of response from the man. He didn't acknowledge the professor, but the trembling continued. "I need you to cooperate with me, I can't carry you to town without your help." His brow furrowed as he lightly pulled at the man's shoulder to get him to turn onto his back. Curse's strength was too far gone for him to carry a man this near his size very far. "Come on, work with me. Please." He pulled again, this time just rough enough.

Somewhere in Hogsmeade, Curse's owl dissolved into silver mist as he lost track of the spell in his surprise. He fell backwards, his emerald eyes round in fright.

"C-Cain?"

[Cain]

Something smotheringly heavy descended on the man, his mind was too far gone to comprehend it for what it was -- the concepts blanket and warmth were too far unfamiliar. His muscles shuddered, they knew what warmth was, if his mind didn’t, and they drank it in, still shivering in an attempt to keep warm. If his mind wanted and accepted death, his body did not. Such was the human instinct to live.

The voice assaulted his ears, but the sounds were scrambled, making little sense to Cain. He curled tighter around himself, trying to retreat. The wind was picking up, why wouldn’t it just leave him alone to die? The noise and pressure was irritating… what was pushing him? Finally the irritation got its way, rolling him over onto his back.

"C-Cain?"

One word finally pierced his consciousness-- so that was what those were, words-- one word. His name. His once piercing blue eyes opened, slowly focusing on the person in front of him. Someone immensely familiar, someone pale as moonlight and quite as sick as he was-- with his own cursed death sentence. His eyes closed and he rolled onto his side facing the man, curling back into the ball he had been in.

“W-why can’t youu l-l-lleave me to d-die?” his voice was hoarse and harsh from misuse and abuse, his words chattered with cold. “C-Curse? Why can’t you just let me die?” he begged, burying his face in shaking, skeletal hands. His shoulders shook with sobs, tears traced his cheeks. “L-let me die.” He whispered, haunted eyes now looking past his rescuer.

[Curse Kameren]

“W-why can’t youu l-l-lleave me to d-die?” Curse frowned as he looked up from Cain down the path. His patronous hadn't made it in time; no one was coming. He would have to carry Cain himself. “C-Curse? Why can’t you just let me die?”

"You don't know me very well at all, do you?" Curse grunted as he pulled Cain up over his back. He felt his knees buckle under the weight, but he shook it off and started moving, slowly, towards town. He could do this. He didn't have a choice, he had to be able to do this.

“L-let me die.” He whispered, haunted eyes now looking past his rescuer.

"Shut the Hell up, Cain," Curse grunted, his eyes focussing towards the faint lights of Hogsmeade as he moved. "Think back. A year a-and a half ago. I was the one being carried on y-your back. Alex needed to live with me to make sure I didn't t-try to k-kill myself..." Curse paused to take a breath, swaying dangerously in his steps. He caught himself and pressed on. "I-if it weren't for you, I would be d-dead. If it we-ren't for y-you, my s-son wouldn't have a f-father..." He pressed forward, ignoring any objections from over his shoulder. "...someday, you're going to look back at this and be glad someone was there to save you. I-i know I am--" Curse pushed Cain upward as he stumbled forward, landing face-first on the path with Cain on top of him.

Crk. "AGH," Curse yelled out when the impact of Cain falling with him cracked his back. He bit his lip to block out the pain as he pushed Cain off of him and got up again. "You're not going to die tonight Cain," He grunted in pain as he straightened his back to sit up, forcing himself to stand. He couldn't show weakness, or it would give Cain an excuse to. Might as well try for help again, He thought to himself as he sent out his owl patronous once again, this time in the other direction; the owl was headed toward London, toward Alex. "But I need you to help me get you help, or you might kill me in the process..."

[Cain]

"You don't know me very well at all, do you?"

A tear traced silently down Cain’s cheek, he let the auror lift him, making no move to help him. He did know the Kameren-- well enough to know he wouldn’t grant the betrayer this. He wouldn’t let him die, he wouldn’t give up. Stubborn lot, Kamerens. He shuddered, a crackling noise emanating from him-- it took him a while to realize what it was. Laughter.

"Shut the Hell up, Cain," Curse grunted, his eyes focussing towards the faint lights of Hogsmeade as he moved. "Think back. A year a-and a half ago. I was the one being carried on y-your back. Alex needed to live with me to make sure I didn't t-try to k-kill myself..." Curse paused to take a breath, swaying dangerously in his steps. He caught himself and pressed on. "I-if it weren't for you, I would be d-dead. If it we-ren't for y-you, my s-son wouldn't have a f-father..." He pressed forward, ignoring any objections from over his shoulder. "...someday, you're going to look back at this and be glad someone was there to save you. I-i know I am--"

"AGH,"

Cain flinched from the noise, winced. He was doing it again--causing pain. Destruction. Betrayal. He recognized the darkness in the man next to him, always had. But now it was more tangible, more real. A focused, leashed anger. Would he do it? Would he do it if he knew what Cain was now? Justice was all Cain had stood for, but now he didn’t know. Now he had not only turned his back, but completely destroyed every belief he ever had.

"You're not going to die tonight Cain," […] "But I need you to help me get you help, or you might kill me in the process..."

“…ah‘ready killed ever’one else…” Cain mumbled, making no effort to move from where he had been dropped. “Best t’die… before more do…” It tore him apart, he was only a fragmented shell put together for someone else’s purpose. What that was… he preferred not to think. He retreated again, closing his faded grey eyes, letting his muscles relax, melting into the street. Death was welcome-- an old friend. let me go…

[Curse Kameren]

“…ah‘ready killed ever’one else…” Cain mumbled, making no effort to move from where he had been dropped. “Best t’die… before more do…”

Curse rolled his eyes, leaning over and plucking a cigarette out of his jacket that Cain still wore. he popped it in his mouth, pulling a lighter out of his jeans and lighting it. "Y've come tr the wrng plarce fer pity," he said around the cigarette as he lit it. He breathed in deeply, exhaling the smoke into the open sky as he glanced over at his fallen friend. Curse didn't practice pity; he had been through Hell and back so many times and made it through, he didn't have patience for people who weren't willing to fight for life. If he had given up, he would have missed so many wonderful things; now, he didn't have a choice about whether he was going to die young. Someone who wanted to die before their time disgusted him.

"Hopefully someone will get my message and come help us," Curse trailed smoke form his mouth as he spoke, grimacing as he straightened his back again. His attempts at cracking his back into place seemed futile; his attempts were only succeeding in causing him more pain.

Curse gave Cain a tough look, his green eyes piercing through his friend before meeting his icy gaze. "Whatever happened, Cain, Whatever you've done. We can do something to make it better. I can do something. I can help you, if you let me." He took another puff of his cigarette, sighing and putting a hand on his chest as he blew the smoke up towards the full moon. His werewolf scratch was burning; must mean the werewolves were out...

[Alex Kameren]

The cold wind whistled in the narrow streets of London, an ominous and dreary sound that was the backdrop to winter in the old, twisty streets of England’s capital. All those sensible huddled indoors, especially at night.

Unfortunately, the Kamerens had never let sense get in the way of the things they saw as necessary. And Alecsander was no exception, he saw it as necessary that he keep hard at work. No matter the consequences. Things were terribly wrong in the world-- especially since it seemed it would be a Kameren who would help fix those things.

They simply weren’t known for such things.

The dark-headed man came to a complete halt in the middle of the street, earning a cussing out from a goblin whose way he blocked. Alex paid no attention, his attention riveted to the faint silvery owl flying up the street (it passed through a street vendor’s cart as he moved it across the cobblestones). The owl seemed to be having difficulties; it hung around no longer than the fourteen seconds it took for it to hover and deliver its message:

Come to Hogsmeade.

Before it turned into mere silver wisps that disappeared as the wind whisked it away. Alex scowled, such a faint message from his brother, yet one so obviously urgent. He clenched his fists, forcing himself to focus hard on his destination. While his magic was returning, it was at a slow pace to make even the most patient and devoted monks blaspheme-- let alone one easily frustrated, hotheaded young auror.

kkRR-Ackk! the sound was irregular, Alex landed in the middle of the street, where he nearly tripped over a form in the middle of the street.

[Curse Kameren]

kkRR-Ackk! Curse's head snapped up at the feeble sound of someone apparating, praying that his help wasn't going to splinch himself on his way. Next thing he knew, Alex Kameren was stumbling over top of him.

"Ale--Agh--" crk "AH fff--" Curse fell back on the ground as he tried to avoid his brother tripping over him. "Dammit, Alex," Curse swore as he threw down his cigarette and put his hands to his back. "You cracked my bac-- wait..." The professor arched a brow as he slowly sat up. "You cracked my back into place." He glanced up at Alex. "Thanks."

Curse cokced his head in Cain's direction, looking up at his brother as he slowly got to his feet. "Look who I found." He looked Cain up and down, his eyes flashing with pity for a moment before he looked back to his brother. "I can't use magic, I made a Wolfsbane Potion for a werewolf student and its effectiveness depends on the amount of magic I use tonight. There's an Emergency Portkey to Mungo's in town though, we just have to get him there." Curse looked at Cain again, worry falling across his face as he looked back to Alex. He spoke quieter, so Cain couldn't hear them. "We need to get him some help as soon as possible. I think Mungo's Mental Facility might be what he needs."

[Alex Kameren]

"Ale--Agh--" crk "AH fff--" Curse fell back on the ground as he tried to avoid his brother tripping over him. "Dammit, Alex,"

Alex was as little pleased with the situation as his brother, straightening up with a scowl. “You’re lucky I managed to get here at all.” He said, checking to be sure he hadn’t splinched himself. It had become a problem, but at least his magic was returning enough to let him apparate. Slowly.

"You cracked my bac-- wait..." The professor arched a brow as he slowly sat up. "You cracked my back into place." He glanced up at Alex. "Thanks."

“Always ready to help.” Alex answered drily, lifting a sardonic eyebrow. “Now, what’s with all the urgency? That was… some messenger you sent.” The slips and pauses in his speech were fewer and farther between, something he could only be grateful for. He scrutinized Curse before his gaze wandered to the form covered by his brother’s jacket. He was always checking on his brother’s health, a habit formed over the recent years he had spent with the former auror.

"Look who I found." He looked Cain up and down, his eyes flashing with pity for a moment before he looked back to his brother. "I can't use magic, I made a Wolfsbane Potion for a werewolf student and its effectiveness depends on the amount of magic I use tonight. There's an Emergency Portkey to Mungo's in town though, we just have to get him there."

Finally realizing who the individual was, Alex took a step back, going pale. His friend--his brother. Cain was dead, he’d been gone for more than a year, Cal had said he was dead, had died so she could escape… So why was he lying on the cold cobblestones, looking like Death’s warmed over bones?

“I don’t need to go to St. Mungo’s.” Cain said, breaking silence. He tilted his head to look up at the two taller men, making no other move to get off the ground. “Just tell me one thing, Curse. Did… did Cal…” He couldn’t seem to find the words, falling back into silence. “Did they really let Cal go?” There was a sort of desperate, mad light in his eyes as he waited for what he hoped-- and feared.

“You most certainly do!” Alex ground out, directing a glare at his old friend. He had no intentions of allowing yet another of his family to try and kill themselves. He had his hands full enough with Curse and his increasingly morose outlook on life--at least Max had helped with that. But Alex always feared that Curse would return to the frightening spiral of madness and depression. He had a short enough life as it was… Alex had no intention of letting his brother die any younger than he had to.

"We need to get him some help as soon as possible. I think Mungo's Mental Facility might be what he needs."

Alex sighed, breaking from his thoughts. “You’ve gotta stop getting into this situations.” He growled, leaning down to grab Cain-- Merlin, but he felt light as a sack of feathers. “Tired of m’family getting mauled an’ drugged an’ starved…” He muttered, hopefully too low for Curse to hear. “Where’s this portkey?” He said louder, turning to look at Curse. “Please don’t tell me you need carrying too.” He made a feeble attempt at a joke.

[Curse Kameren]

Curse stood back and let his brother interact with Cain; he knew how close the two were. They were like brothers, even more so than Alex and Curse were. That was why Curse knew Alex was the one to call; if there was anyone who could help get Cain better, it was Alex. He kept his eyes down as Cain once again pleaded for them to leave him, letting Alex deny him. Curse paid close attention to Cain's pleas, the look in his eyes, his tone of voice; this all seemed far too familiar.

"Alex," Curse stepped up over his brother's shoulder, speaking low so Cain couldn't hear them, "We need to get him some help as soon as possible. I think Mungo's Mental Facility might be what he needs."

“You’ve gotta stop getting into this situations.”

"I know," Curse shrugged, sighing and shrugging as he watched Alex pick up Cain. "I'm getting to old for this; I'm built more like an old man now days--" Curse stopped his chatter when he heard his brother's muttering. He didn't want to comment on what Alex said, because he had a point; The only real thing Curse had done for Alex since they met was make his life more difficult. Now he had an insane, dying brother to look after, but in a few years he may have to take more responsibility for his nephew than he should have to. Curse wondered if he was any use to his brother, or if he was really such a burden.

“Where’s this portkey?” Alex snapped Curse out of his existential thoughts, already a few steps ahead of him. “Please don’t tell me you need carrying too.”

Curse laughed sarcastically at Alex's comment, catching up with his brother. "Its up in the town center, a picture frame nailed to the side of the Three Broomsticks. You'll know it when you see it. I'll be right behind you, I just have to go check on Max." Curse broke off from the other two wizards, on a path towards Hogwarts. He had left him so long ago now; if Max had woken up he would be worried.

Curse's head was spinning with information on his walk back to Hogwarts. There was something eerily familiar about Cain's condition. It his insanity; Curse didn't identify with every mentally disturbed person he met, he was different. Cain wasn't prone to insanity, like the Kamerens were. It wasn't in his blood, he hadn't shown any prior symptoms before he went missing. If he had, Curse would have noticed them; Curse notices everything. No, this insanity wasn't Cain's doing: someone else had cracked his mind. Curse had seen it himself, after all. He had felt it himself.

Curse muttered his passwords to get through his spell systems around his and Max's home inside Hogwarts, his door key glowing light blue as he put it in the lock and twisted. He tried to stay quiet, so as not to wake--

"Where were you?" Max sat up in his bed, his young voice sick with worry as he looked up at his father.

"I had to go deliver a potion to a student, and something happened. I need to go meet Alex at St. Mungo's, will you be okay here?" Curse's eyebrows disappeared into his black-and-white hairline as he sat down at the foot of Max's bed. "I'm sorry I left you, I didn't mean for it to take that long."

"I want to come with you." Max crossed his arms, his round green eyes daring Curse to deny him. "You promised you wouldn't spend the night at the hospital without me again."

"Yes, but its not me, its a friend--"

"Dad."

"Fine," Curse sighed as Max scrambled out of bed and into his father's arms.

.. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

"Hello, Dr. Kameren," One of the nurses at St. Mungo's Mental ward recognized Curse as he materialized into the building via portkey. "Its a bit late for that check-up we've been asking you to come in for..."

"I'm looking for Cain Pierce, Alex brought him in earlier..." Curse spoke with a quiet voice; Max had already fallen asleep in his father's arms, his head leaning awkwardly on Curse's thin shoulder. Curse shrugged Max back up onto his shoulder; he was getting too big to hold.

The nurse nodded, beckoning the professor down the hall with her. "They were a half hour ahead of you. Cain is in a room on suicide watch right now, only family's allowed in. Last I saw, Mr. Kameren was waiting outside the door. We can roll a wheelchair over for Max, if you'd like." The Mungo's staff had taken a liking to Curse's son during his any trips to Mungo's, and the boy had spent multiple nights sleeping on spare gurneys in the hospital. Far too many nights, in Curse's opinion.

"Thanks, Rosie," Curse nodded to the nurse, following her down the hallway to where he saw the familiar tall figure of his brother pacing the hallway in front of one of the patients' rooms. "Hey," He mouthed at his brother. Max grunted when Curse set him down in a waiting chair opposite the room, but he didn't wake. "How is he? Any better?"

[Caleigh Pierce]

Cal Pierce hadn't been quite the same ever since having been released from captivity. She missed her brother, and when she wasn't working, she was worrying about him. The already quiet girl had curled up into her shell even more. Not only had her normally funny disposition dissolved, she'd just started to look like she'd given up; her blonde curls looked scraggly and the bags under her eyes never went away. She just couldn't find it in herself to sleep. She was always haunted at night. Although her body was considered fine, her mind still bore mental scars from her 'adventure' as a hostage.

It wasn't a surprise to find her sitting in her small living room with a book in her lap and Jasey curled up on the back of her chair. A small owl pecking forced her to look up, and slowly, cautiously she picked up her wand from the table, wondering who would owl so late at night. She crossed the room and opened the window quickly, pulling the bird in before closing it. She untied a note from its leg and walked into her kitchen reading it.

Cain found injured, in Mungo's on suicide watch.

She gasped and the note fluttered to the floor. In an instant, she'd apparated with a crack. Cal rushed to the front desk, she slammed her hands down and spit out as quickly as she could, "I'm here to see Cain Pierce, I'm his sister." She looked frantic, but the Rosie knew her well. Cal was familiar to the staff, always bringing in injured witches and wizards from accidents all over. At her nod, the young witch walked briskly to the ward, trying not to break into a run. She had to stay calm. Keep a level head.

Everything just faded away as she got closer and closer to the room that held her brother. She found the door, and as if in a trance, pushed it open, paying no mind to the faces who blurred by her. She rushed to her brother's side. He looked so sick and emaciated. He certainly wasn't the same Cain she'd gone Christmas shopping with, nor was he even the Cain that had been so wrapped up in the Dark Arts he'd put both her and Alex in harm. He was a shell of the man he once was.

It seemed like all the air was suddenly let out of Cal. She hated to see her brother like this. She made her way to his side in a daze, unable to discern if this was reality or a dream. She reached for his hand before withdrawing. She had to know what he was like before she even did anything. Looking down at her hand, she saw it shaking violently. She clenched it into a fist at her side, murmuring softly, "Blast it, Cain, what have you gotten yourself into?"

[Alex Kameren]

Alex had arrived in St Mungo’s, nearly staggering into a wall and dropping his charge before he gained his balance. It had been a long walk before the magical picture frame had whisked them far away to London, and though he liked to pretend it was so, Alex had not quite regained the strength he had had prior to the attack last year.

It was only a short time later that the doctors had taken their new patient into a solo room, barring entry to all but essential personnel -- and family. Despite his protests, the Kameren did not make this privileged list. He stalked down to the small Owlry the hospital kept and sent a small owl off. Perhaps the wording was harsh, but Alex had never been known to mince words.

"Hey," He mouthed at his brother. Max grunted when Curse set him down in a waiting chair opposite the room, but he didn't wake. "How is he? Any better?"

“If you mean, did he miraculously rouse and become sane, no, he did not.” Alex said, having just returned from his errand, softened his voice as he saw his young nephew sleeping in his brother’s arms. They stood there what seemed like forever, each lost in his own thoughts or dreams, in the case of the child who slumbered between them.

Sudden activity flourished down the hall, materializing as a blonde young woman, accompanied by a gaggle of nurses as she rushed towards them, past them, into the room. Alex made a move as if to stop her, but let his hand fall, falling back from the edge of the door. It was best to leave the two alone.

[Curse Kameren]

“If you mean, did he miraculously rouse and become sane, no, he did not.”

Curse rolled his eyes, annoyance at his brother evident in his hushed voice. "I meant did he realize this is where he needs to be, but your sarcasm is great. Thanks for that." The elder Kameren sighed as he paced the hallway, his eyes darting between Cain's door and Max sleeping in the chair. He was still lost in thought, trying to put together what happened. What was Curse noticing in Cain that he hadn't noticed in other mental patients? It wasn't Mosrael; if she was back, Curse would feel the frayed mental link in his consciousness repairing itself. If Mosrael was back there would be bigger problems than this.

Commotion suddenly started in the hall, snapping him out of his train of thought. Curse put a hand on Max's shoulder as the movement woke him, silently telling him not to get up. Max looked groggily up at his father, before resting his head on Curse's hand and closing his eyes once more. He watched silently as Cal rushed in and Alex hesitated. He didn't need to intervene on their family; this was Alex's life, not his. This was the family Alex had before they met.

He stayed silent and out of the way during the ordeal, leaning against the wall next to Max's chair. His emerald eyes stayed on the floor. He stayed quiet until the door closed behind Cal and the physicians. He had always liked Cal when he worked with her in the Ministry, and had noticed a stark change in her after her capture and Cain's disappearance. He supposed, if the same thing had happened to Alex, he would react the same. "We have to do something, Alex." He kept his voice low still, his hand still being held by sleeping Max. "This isn't natural insanity. Someone did this to him. We need to figure out how, why, and who." His emerald eyes flashed up at his brother, dead seriousness in his gaze. "And you may not want to bring this case up to the Ministry."

[Cain]

Cain felt sluggish, but at the same time as his body felt heavy and fuzzy, his mind was racing, thoughts at times coherent and at others merely a blur of slurred expression. He lay on the bed, restrained by the sedative potion they had given him. Blank grey eyes, once as blue as the sky, stared at the ceiling for the answers to the universe.

Suddenly a blonde head came into view, a face so heartbreakingly familiar he almost cried. He ignored the hallucination, looking past it to the bright white ceiling. They wanted him to live; he wanted to die. All he had to do was wait, wait and not eat or drink, and he’d get what he wanted. The world would be free, the demons and the deaths would stop and he’d stop seeing her, his other half, the better one: his twin would stop haunting his mind.

"Blast it, Cain, what have you gotten yourself into?"

A voice came, so very real, and the tears burst forth, stealing down his cheeks. His eyes found the hallucination, wishing that it was real as a sob caught in his chest. If only she were real. He shakily, slowly, lifted his closest hand, reaching out to touch the clenched fist. He didn’t want even the dream-Cal to be unhappy, so he reached out to her.

And stopped cold when his fingers touched solid, warm flesh.

[Caleigh Pierce]

Cal resisted reaching to wipe the tears off his cheeks. She longed to, every fiber of her being was screaming at her to reach out to her twin. She bit her lip, her fists still balled up into her side. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, but they snapped back open as his cold, clammy hand brushed her fist.

The results were instantaneous. Her whole body relaxed as she felt that touch. She took a cautious step forward, taking his hand in hers gently. She hated feeling him so fragile. It wasn't right. He was supposed to be the strong one who always defended her. With her free hand, she reached forward cautiously and wiped the tears from his gaunt face. This wasn't her Cain. There had to be a mistake.

Cal slowly tore her eyes away from Cain's emaciated form and her sad blue eyes found a nurse.

"Please let Alex Kameren in when you have a moment. He's family."

She said, her tone implying that they had better not protest. She knew they wouldn't like it, but Alex needed to be in here. She turned back to her brother, smiling at him softly as her eyes began to water, but she wasn't going to cry. No. Now was her time to be strong for him, like he had been all these years for her.

She took a deep breath, going into Auror mode as she knelt down next to his bed. "Now, what's this I hear about suicide? Hm?" She asked, her expression kind and hiding her worries. He didn't need to see her worried for him. That was something she could deal with herself and talk to Curse about. She almost needed Alex to get in here so she could go talk to the older Kameren. He would know what had happened.