Consequence (Theo, Ryan, PM to Join)

[Minister Jack Harkness]

The hospital room was quiet, the only sounds were the rustles and beeps as spells and machines tracked the patient’s health. There wasn’t very much wrong with the man, aside from a lingering concussion, he seemed to be suffering from dehydration and high stress levels. The man had ulcers. He was showing the signs of having lived through a long period of high stress.

Not completely unexpected, as he was the Minister of Magic.

There were other concerns, less obvious. Spell remnants and strange readings from his brain. The healers weren’t sure if this was a side effect of the blow to his head or not. They were still mainly in the dark about the happenings prior to the tattered remnants of the Watch appearing in their emergency room, including how the Minister happened to get tangled in. But there were rumours.

Jack was laying awake in his hospital bed, staring at the ceiling. A noise at the door had him turn quietly and look.

[Ryan Harkness]

The hospital had quieted since the initial rush of the Watch's presence when Ryan finally arrived. He had been informed by the staff that Bowre wasn't present, but it had taken quite a bit of work convincing the staff to tell him that his father was even in the hospital. Eventually they caved, leading him to his father's room, a large suite in a secret wing of the hospital. Only the best for the Minister for Magic.

It unnerved Ryan from the moment he entered, though, to see that something very serious had happened. He had walked past a young boy and his family, a woman he only assumed was his mother holding him and sobbing. All around even amongst the staff there was a sober silence that came after a disaster had struck. This was the aftermath of... something. He was here to find out what.

Ryan knocked lightly on the hospital door, pulling off his jacket before slowly opening it. "Dad?" He asked quietly. For a moment, the 20-year-old man was a young boy again, quiet and curious as he looked to his father for answers.

It pained him to see his father this way. The staff had told him he had only minor injuries, but the sight of Jack Harkness in a hospital bed still shook him. Ryan sat next to him, staying quiet as he met his father's gaze. "Dad, what's happened?"

[Minister Jack Harkness]

"Dad?"

He was surprised but unreservedly relieved to see his oldest son enter the room. He had been unable to get a straight answer out of Theo about what had happened to his children. After extracting that vow from his brother, he had abandoned his post and tracked Jack down, precisely what Jack had tried to avoid from the start. He didn’t want anyone else in his family sucked into the hole he had made for himself.

He searched Ryan’s face for signs that anything had happened to his other children. The young man’s face was worn and tired, but the shock of having survived a horrible experience wasn’t there. It gave Jack hope that his family still survived.

“Are Georgie and the girls ok?” George hated being called Georgie, but Jack called parental privilege and did so anyway at times.

"Dad, what's happened?"

There was silence as Jack sat up, coming face to face with his taller son. He reached for Ryan’s hand. “Very bad things lad, very bad things…”

[Ryan Harkness]

“Are Georgie and the girls ok?”

Ryan nodded. "Tom was there when Matt and I first got home. Now Matt is staying with everyone. Everything's been quiet. Where's Theo?" Ryan was growing increasingly afraid of what the truth was of his father's involvement. What were they doing that could cause such backlash on the family? Why were all these precautions and safeties needed, beyond what they usually had as the Minister's children? His dad was acting strange. He had never seen fear like this in him before.

"Dad, what's happened?"

“Very bad things lad, very bad things…”

Ryan swallowed, holding his father's hand strongly and holding his father's gaze. It was time to take his place among the Harkness men, doing all he could to keep the family together. Even at a young age, he saw how Jack Harkness was the pivot point of the entire family. Whatever was happening, he needed to stand by his dad. And Theo.

"Tell me."

[Minister Jack Harkness]

Ryan nodded. "Tom was there when Matt and I first got home. Now Matt is staying with everyone. Everything's been quiet. Where's Theo?"

Jack closed his eyes in undisguised relief. They were safe. His Mistress hadn’t struck out against them, they were whole and alive. He felt a tightness ease in his chest at Ryan’s words. His family was safe.

"Tell me."

Jack looked at Ryan, feeling the way he held his hand in a firm grip. Merlin, they grew up so fast. It didn’t seem so long ago that Ryan had been tussling with Kendra. That was before either of them had been Hogwarts age. The Minister sighed, his shoulders slumping as he looked at his hands, tugging the one free from his son’s grip.

“It’s a long story lad, and I’m not free to tell all of it…” He began an edited version of events. He hadn’t seen the end of the battle, he didn’t know his Mistress’s fate. He knew nothing beyond lifting his wand to Kameren’s back, and he shied away from that memory, ashamed. He was still talking in a low voice when the door opened again.

[Theo Bowre]

(Continues from The Harkness Contingency)

Jack's hospital room door opened slowly, Tom's head peeking in to the mutedly-lit room with a quick glance at father and son. The retired hitwizard eased himself inside and was followed very closely by Ralph Harkness, who went first to Ryan - offering a steady hand upon his shoulder - and then to his son. Ralph saw a lot of Jack in Ryan. He saw a lot of himself too. For a brief moment, the three generations shared a silence. Theo was the last to enter and he quietly stepped back in to the corner. The air of the room felt heavy to him but he was without the option to escape it.

"You had us so worried, son." Ralph eased himself in to a chair beside the bed, reaching for Jack's hand. "There's a lot we need to talk about it and I'm hoping you're feeling up to that tonight. I've asked Tom to join us.."

Tom nodded at the Minister, offering his younger friend a kind smile before indicating Ryan.

"You've got a good kid there, Jack. He's got a level head." Tom approached the bed, sitting on its corner as he eyed the Minister carefully. "Ryan has been a rock for your family throughout this thing. He's taken care of Annie and George...did, did you know they were sick? Yeah. Colds. And he's been ensuring that visitors to your home mind their own business." The retired lawman was referring in no short order to Travert Salt, who seemingly had no intention of leaving the estate without Jack. Tom, Ryan and Matt had shared glances across the study as the Ministerial Assistant spoke of his loyalty to the House Harkness. None of them bought it. "I can see why you're so proud."

Tom paused on Ryan's face, hoping he would understand the line of questioning he was about to unleash on his father.

"So how are you feeling, Jack? I understand from the healers that you had quite a blow. Against a wall, was it? Do you remember the attack against you? Do you remember what you were doing there in the first place?"

[Minister Jack Harkness]

"You've got a good kid there, Jack. He's got a level head." Tom approached the bed, sitting on its corner as he eyed the Minister carefully. "Ryan has been a rock for your family throughout this thing. He's taken care of Annie and George...did, did you know they were sick? Yeah. Colds. And he's been ensuring that visitors to your home mind their own business."

“The flu.” Jack leaned against the headboard (such as it was) as he gently corrected his father’s friend. He allowed his father to hold his hand, although it felt slightly awkward. He was, after all, a man of fifty. Long past the times when he used to hold his father’s hand as a child.

“Don’t mind Salt,” He continued, trying to find words to describe his assistant. Words didn’t come. Eventually he shrugged, his hand slipping from Ralph’s with the motion as Jack moved to be more comfortable as people crowded around the bed. “He means well.” It was all there was to be said. Even Jack was hard-put to describe Travert’s motives. There was one thing of which he was absolutely sure, however.

Travert Salt had absolutely no ill will towards the Harkness family.

"I can see why you're so proud."

“I did my best, and he does me proud.” Jack admitted. Ryan was the sturdy rock of the siblings, he knew early on who he was and what he wanted. And despite pressure otherwise, he ignored his father’s footsteps and went after his own dream.

"So how are you feeling, Jack? I understand from the healers that you had quite a blow. Against a wall, was it? Do you remember the attack against you? Do you remember what you were doing there in the first place?"

“It wasn’t an attack.” That much was true. He knew what he had been about to do-- shoot an unprepared opponent in the back. He was ashamed of it, but his memories were not clouded. Not of the fight at Mosrael’s castle, and not in the year prior to it. He’d been working with her months before Theo visited him that one time in his office and noticed something awry.

“I know the consequences, Tom.” He met the man’s eyes honestly. “I’m not going to fight them.” He caught Theo’s movement from the corner. “And you will obey my wish in this, Theodore. You squeaked by the Vow’s parameters but its not over yet.” His voice grew stern, the quietness falling away. He wanted himself to be fully understood in this.

[Theo Bowre]

Jack's voice beckoned Theo's attention, which he offered slowly but assuredly from the dark corner of the room. Tom and Ralph followed Jack's gaze, but it was clear that the conversation was now between the brothers. Their eyes danced dangerously in the subdued amber light.

"I'm afraid I don't know what you mean," Theo replied evenly, without the confusion he suggested. "I did precisely as I promised and I will continue to do precisely as I promised." The beater straightened slightly, his heart bristling at Jack's insistence he obey. Jack wasn't his Mosrael and in no way was he the Minister's puppet. But if Jack wanted formalities..."Sir."

Ralph stared perplexedly at his adopted son and then back to Jack.

"What's going on?"

"Jack," Tom interceded, "what exactly are these consequences that you're not going to fight? I'll assume you're alluding to some trouble. I can help you if you help me to understand what this is. What all this is. All I have to go on is some cruddy Daily Prophet articles, a full critical care ward, demons, a battered Minister, and sibling disobedience. Now, you have to help us. Your dad and I have chatted a bit with Theo but something tells me I'm not getting the full story. Your brother is fiercely protective of you, Jack. I get it. But I need you to fill in the blanks. Okay? Okay, Jack? Now I want you to think about Ryan. I want you to think about Annie, George, Kendra...your mom and dad. Your brothers and sisters. Your actions impact all of them and if you want to face your consequences so be it, but don't take them all down with you. Now, what the hell happened in Scotland?"

[Ryan Harkness]

Ryan was already a bit overwhelmed by the time his grandfather and Tom arrived in the hospital room. His father, Jack Ryan Harkness, his namesake, was involved in dark magic. He was serving the Dark Lady. He had never, ever expected this. How could his dad be involved in something like this, and Ryan never noticed? And for so long? How could he be doing this, with Annie and George still living at home? Also, how did he play into this thing with the Kameren family? Did his dad help kidnap this poor kid?

Pushing his many questions aside, Ryan focussed on the conversation at hand. He smiled a bit sheepishly as Tom praised him; he didn't need to be congratulated for helping his siblings, it was his job as an elder sibling. It was his family, he was obligated to help. More than obligation, he wanted to help them.

The conversation turned quickly from the family to Jack. Ryan listened quietly as Tom interrogated his father about the attack that led them here, to the hospital. Ryan's eyes wandered over to his uncle, a bit curious. Ryan knew his uncle; Theo's habit of falling into trouble with his friends was notorious among the Harkness family, and Ryan wouldn't be surprised that if Theo had found out about this, he would help Jack through it. What kind of trouble were they in, then?

"So how are you feeling, Jack? I understand from the healers that you had quite a blow. Against a wall, was it? Do you remember the attack against you? Do you remember what you were doing there in the first place?"

“It wasn’t an attack. I know the consequences, Tom.” Ryan's dark eyes flashed back to his father. What did he mean, 'consequences'? Was this going to come back round to get him? If so, what would happen to Annie and George? Ryan and Kendra were out of the house, they could avoid whatever might happen more easily than his younger siblings could. “I’m not going to fight them.”

"Dad - " Ryan was about to ask his father what the consequences might be, but he was cut off by Jack's scolding of Theo. Ryan stayed quiet; he may be an adult now, but he still knew his place. He was a Harkness and would do his part to help the family, but he would not step in where he wasn't needed. He wouldn't step on his father's or on Theo's toes.

"What's going on?"

"What Vow?" Ryan echoed his grandfather, looking perplexed between his uncle and his father. This was something very serious indeed, if they had done and Unbreakable Vow over it. But what had Theo vowed? The more that was revealed to Ryan, the more questions he had. He was astonished by the secrets his father held.

"Jack," Tom interceded, "what exactly are these consequences that you're not going to fight? I'll assume you're alluding to some trouble. I can help you if you help me to understand what this is. What all this is. All I have to go on is some cruddy Daily Prophet articles, a full critical care ward, demons, a battered Minister... But I need you to fill in the blanks. Okay? Okay, Jack? Now I want you to think about Ryan. I want you to think about Annie, George, Kendra...your mom and dad. Your brothers and sisters."

Ryan nodded, eyeing his father as he agreed with Tom's resolute monologue. Whatever it was that happened from here on out, it could turn public and affect the kids, especially Annie and George. And, as much as moving out may have helped, Ryan still wasn't free of his father's influence, or his reputation for that matter. He wouldn't have Matt put into a difficult situation because of this either.

"Now, what the hell happened in Scotland?"

[Minister Jack Harkness]

"I'm afraid I don't know what you mean," Theo replied evenly, without the confusion he suggested. "I did precisely as I promised and I will continue to do precisely as I promised."

Jack met his brother’s eyes, too tired to posture. He spoke plainly and honestly, Tom’s words fading into the back of his mind, flowing into his ears but not being processed by his brain.

“I don’t want you to die, Theo. I don’t want harm to come to anyone in our family. I asked you to take the vow not only to keep you from following me but to protect my children, this family. So you have any idea how afraid I was to see you? I didn’t know her plans. All…. All I knew is you were there and not with Annie and George and Kendra and Ryan.” His gaze wavered, his eyes dropping. “And I hurt you, Theo. Even worse is what I tried to do.” His fingers twitched, his hand touching his throat briefly in memory of four days prior, when Theo had confronted him in his home. His mind shied away from the memory of trying to destroy his brother during the battle.

“It hurts more than you know to leave my family, but listen to yourselves!” He addressed the room at a whole. “Are you suggesting that I hold myself more important than the system? Am I better because I have a family? Because I am the Minister? You’re asking me to find loopholes and cracks in the law that weren’t meant to be there. If we do that, where do we draw the line? The murderer who won’t see jail because she’s a mother? The man who holds a high position in the ministry can’t go to Azkaban, because he’s too good?/I]”

"Now, what the hell happened in Scotland?"

“Theo can answer that. Some of the details are a little fuzzy for me.” Jack admitted-- and omitted. He eyed his brother shrewdly.

“I love you all dearly--” He squeezed Ryan’s hand. “but I cannot escape the law. Trying would only lead to more scandal and upheaval.”

[Theo Bowre]

"Don't pretend to know whether I abandoned your children, Jack Harkness. Don't you dare judge my actions as an uncle, as your brother. Your mind's danced so dangerously between the light and the dark - you weren't the only one I was protecting from yourself. If you could turn so easily on family...in your own home...what if little Annie had walked in to the study instead of me? I was your leash. Don't you dare judge me." Theo's voice was barely above a whisper, it's hoarseness threatening to betray the shield he projected. His eyes remained on the floor and he quietly moved for the door.

"Theo..." Ralph Harkness started to rise but a gesture from his adopted son told him stay. Ralph hovered above his seat, captured between mending two hearts.

"People are going to demand answers. I'll head for the house and begin taking the appropriate measures to secure it. We should consider whether it would be best to withdraw the children from Hogwarts. We still have some faculty on retainer and it's possible to homeschool them the first semester." Bowre's statements were direct, emotionless and tactical; Jack's decision to turn himself in, and Theo's realization he could do nothing to stop it, had been a light switch on the beater's sense of purpose. If Jack wouldn't have him by his side, he'd do the only other thing he knew how. Defend. "Mom is likely with Ralin. Ryan, if you could work with Dad and Tom to ensure they're taken care of. Ralin's room should be kept on a need to know basis; keep it off the books."

Theo turned the door handle, pausing in the entrance. He glanced across his sunken shoulders, eying his older brother carefully. Part of him knew he wouldn't see Jack for a very long time and the truth of it burned as a cold ache in his heart. He considered telling him again how much he loved him, but they were words that were lost on Jack on all previous attempts. Jack either didn't hear them or he didn't care.

"God and light protect you, Jack."

As Theo exited the room and the door closed, the beater rested his forehead upon the wall. His body screamed.

"Jack," Tom cut in front of the Minister's field of view and commanded his attention. Jack had made his decision. If he was indeed prepared to face the consequences of his actions, then they'd have to play by the rulebook. He was now a suspect and was to be treated as such. "You're doing the right thing and for what it's worth, I wouldn't expect anything less from the Harkness kids. You have a choice on how you want to handle this and at the very least we can give you that. It's not special attention; every witch and wizard has the option to turn themselves in. I no longer have the authority to make an arrest, Jack, but if you wish I will take you in. Alternatively, I can call in the cavalry and we can do it right here." Tom glanced over at Ryan, his heart as much with Jack's son. It wasn't a place for a child - even an adult child - and he wondered whether there was any chance of getting Ryan out of the room. Let him remember his dad in another light. He didn't need to see this.

"Ryan, could I impose upon you to notify your mum? So she's not caught unaware. I believe Theo is correct in his assumption: she's likely with Ralin and I suspect they're in Intensive Care. I'll be looking to you for input on whether or not we should move Ralin and how. I don't know his condition. Would you be okay with that, son, or did you want to stay with your dad?"

[Exit Theo]