Resurrection

Chase heard the Minister come in, and she would have jumped out of the bed in a second, had Elijah not been holding her so tightly. "Elijah.." She whispered, her face burning scarlet. "Elijah.. come on stop it.." She whispered trying to wiggle from his grasp. "Elijah listen to him please... come on.." She said mortification lacing her voice. The Minister of Magic was in the room, and Elijah wouldn't let her go! She wiggled more, and managed to get her clothes to cover up more of her body, but she was sure happy that the covers covered most of it. "Come on Elijah... let go please..." She said and finally managed to break loose, half falling out of the bed, her face scarlet as she adjusted her clothes.

"I'm sorry Minister." She said staring at the ground. "I only meant to help comfort him, and well..." She said unable to look him in the eye as she stood there, her eyes staring at the floor close to her shoes, her hands clasped in front of her, her face as red as her hair. She cast an annoyed look at Elijah and then looked back at her shoes, her body shaking. The Minister could very well tell her she was out of the intern program, and she would die from humiliation if that happened. She had to become a healer, she just had to. The room seemed to spin somewhat as she stood staring at the ground, completely mortified by what just almost happened in a hospital bed.

Thank Merlin for shamelessness. Chase was doing an awful lot of wiggling though and that was not helping the situation either. She continued to wiggle though much to his chagrin and she wriggled right out of his grasp and onto the floor. Elijah’s eyebrows shot to his hairline and he leant over the side of the bed to see if she was alright and all limbs were intact. But before he could peer over she’d jumped to her feet and was turning as read as a beef tomato. Elijah smirked and dropped his chin into his hand, propping himself up by his elbow. He looked at Robert and waited patiently for the man to speak, keeping one eye on Chase as he did so.

The prospect of being castrated for all intents and purposes was quite concerning for Elijah and he tugged the sheets up to his chest, knowing that it wasn’t exactly protecting the crown jewels but made him feel better anyway. “I’m alright thanks. Plus, it’s up to you who get’s sacked and who doesn’t isn’t it? Or is that Khaat? Either way it won’t happen,” Elijah smirked, “you know it won’t. You’re just moody because you haven’t had enough sleep,” Elijah poked his tongue out at Robert. “You should really take the day off. I’m sure Khaat won’t mind. I won’t. Chase, love, will you mind? I don’t think you will, will you? Everyone needs their day off and today’s yours, Robert. Castrating me will really do no one any good. I’m really quite attached to my balls. I’ll let you know if I ever want to lose them though, okay?”

Elijah smiled and rolled over, grabbing his tea off of the bedside table. He sipped it and made a face before promptly slamming it back down on the side and picking up the box of cat biscuits Pierre had left. He rolled back into his original position and turned the box over so he could read the back and find out exactly what was in it. A load of crap from what he could tell.

Elijah looked up when Robert spoke again and he tapped the box idly with his fingers. “You can’t do that though! I’m my own person. I don’t need to be coddled by the Ministry. How many times have they mucked up protection details? A fair few by all accounts. Yes, I took History of Magic for a while. Yes, I slept for most of it but I remember a lecture and a half. I don’t want luxury. I want to go home. If you really want me safe then put me in Sofia. The Krum Manor could be turned into a fortress in minutes, I’m telling you. I am not going to sit around and be your puppet while you try and fail to get Barker into custody. I’ll go walkies again and see what else I can break shall I? I’ll go looking for some stairs this time. I am not about to be controlled by politicians, Robert.” Elijah spat venomously.

"You really can be a little prat sometimes, can't you?" Robert asked smoothly. "You really are missing a few maturity points today, Lad. Get over yourself. This really is not about you. In point of fact, it has very little to do with you, really. You're being used in a much larger game that you could not possibly begin to understand. One that has killed far wiser wizards than you. You're a pawn. Nothing more. And right now, whether either of us likes it, it is my responsibility to be the chess player, not yours. Not just for your sake alone but for the sake of a lot of people. If you believe you're better off with Viktor and Marina and those halfwit Bulgarian healers over there, I'll certainly arrange it. You can have Marina doting on you by tea time. Its your choice. That hardly will change your legal status, though. It only places you back in Bulgaria.

"Do me a favor, would you please. While you're insistant on being self absorbed, do stay away from Khaat, please." He looked at Chase. "You are certainly welcome to visit any patient here, but we dont' allow that from anyone, and certainly not from healers or interns. Consider it fair warning. Next time, I won't be able to look the other way."

Eli truly had no clue. He believed he did. This was not History of Magic class, and not everything was in the textbooks. The most important bits, of course, never were.

Chase's cheeks were burning still as she nodded to the floor when the Minister spoke to her. She threw a look at Elijah and then sat down in a chair, feeling absolutely horrible. She should have seen that coming.. she should have! Then she looked up at the Minister, as though to say something about where Elijah wanted to go. But he was fighting for going elsewhere, something about his legal status. A bigger game to play.. Chase was confused, but was scared too, would Eli really want to go to Bulgaria? They were all being put until Ministry protection, which would mean that she might not be able to see Elijah until this whole mess was over.

Chase wanted to say something, but her mind had gone completely blank. "Don't be upset with Elijah Minister. "She said suddenly, standing up and looking at him. "He's just upset.. and... well you know.." She said blushing hard. "I just.." She straightened her back and looked up at the Minister. "I know he can be a real dickhead sometimes, but he has good intentions... I know what he was trying to do is wrong.. and I should have prevented it.. but please, don't get angry with him.. he didn't mean nothing by it." She said softly, her eyes on the Minister, her hand reaching back to gently touch Elijah on the shoulder, as though to say, 'shut up'

Good God. The tosser was playing Chess? Elijah understood now why Rob was so frustrated with the man 85% of the time. He was downright terrified of Wizard’s Chess. The last thing Elijah wanted to be was a part of the game. He didn’t want to play. He didn’t want to be involved. He wasn’t quite sure whether he was going to trade that safe option for his mother’s wrath and his father’s bollockless excuses as to why he didn’t stand up for his own son. Still, at present it sounded like a better option. Naively, Elijah forgot exactly how useless his parents actually were, confusing Micah and Stelladora wit Viktor and Marina.

“Fine then!” Elijah exclaimed, really not thinking things through. “Go and get them! Please yourself. You’ll have one less pawn to worry about that way. They’ll relieve you of unwanted baggage.”

Perhaps he should have been a Gryffindor. He was thick enough, stupid enough and rash enough. That would have probably infuriated Marina even more than she already was by that point though. He did know that if he was sent home then they’d bugger off back to Berlin leaving him with Stelladora and Micah for however long he was there to stay. Unless they’d moved on. Then he’d be alone with a two dozen house elves to keep him company. Deep, deep joy. Still, he’d be out of the way. Perhaps he’d enjoy the solitude.

“It’s not like I’m going to get up and have a wander. Not only can I not be bothered but it might hurt.” Elijah pushed himself up and laid his head down on the pillows. He brought his arms up and folded them behind his head as he began to count the tiles on the ceiling. “Better start fetching Viktor and Marina. You promised tea-time doting. I expect for you to deliver.”

Chase's hand on his shoulder didn't exactly compute. Her silent words didn't register either and by the time they got through to his brain, the words had already been said. Oops.

Robert looked at Eli. The boy still had far too much little boy in him for his own good. His pride kept him from being logical. If he wanted Viktor and Marina instead of the love and the homelike environment that Khaat offered him in favor of Viktor's distance and Marina's utter neglect, than so be it. Khaat was far better rid of him. if Eli were going to make him try to choose between them, Eli would lose. And he just made a truly foolish choice in his arrogance

"As you wish," He said to Eli. "But as a reminder, you are not your own. The ministry holds protective custody, and Khaat holds legal custody. That trumps biology, my boy, so Marina can give me all the venom and sarcasm she likes. It will gain her nothing whatsoever. As you may or may not have noticed, I don't rattle easily. If you feel so intent upon drawing upon her obnoxious mouth to be your weapon, then do so. Be my guest. You might however ask her to practice being brief. I do have a sadistic bastard and his cronies to catch in order to keep you and the people you love alive. If you don't think for one moment that Barker could still get to you again or some of the people that you do genuinely love, then you are sadly mistaken."

He paused and then remarked, "Oh, by the way, go ahead and be as self destructive as you like. Walk all you want. Try the stairs. Try to fly for all it will do you. All you do by doing that is to weaken your own case for your right to make your own decisions. If you really want to convince people you're capable, try growing up."

He turned and left, telling the auror at the door, "Do your best to keep him from being ridiculous, would you? And, until I say otherwise, there is to be no contact between him and Director Lupin. His parents will be coming. They are to see me first. Understood?"

"Yes, Sir," the auror replied. He went across the hall and told Blaire that the Krums were coming and that under no circumstances were they to get in to see her. Nor was Eli. Robert didn't believe Eli had any ability to have any compassion for Khaat at this point, so he wanted her insulated from him. Robert went upstairs then and sent a letter to Viktor and Marina Krum explaining that Eli was in the hospital and also explained that he was in protective custody of the Ministry and that there was also legal custody established. They were welcome to come and take Elijah home for a short term recovery, if it met Robert's conditions. He left only himself as the contact person for them.

Chase stared in disbelief at the Minister, as he simply walked away, saying that Eli would be taken to his parents. "No..." She whispered, her hands shaking now. She spun around and glared at Eli. "When will you ever learn to keep your mouth shut? Merlin.. you just say what you please don't you? Do what you want? Well now, we won't get to even SEE each other until Barker has been caught.. and maybe longer then that, because you decided you needed to go see your parents instead of just doing what they said.. you know where they were going to send you? To Khaats house! With me!" She said tears burning her vision, but she was upset. "I'm going to go talk to the Minister.. see if I can't fix this whole problem.. just because you are in their custody, doesn't make you their slave Krum." She said and spun on her heel marching towards the door.

Chase looked around quickly, and then saw The Minister's heels vanishing around a corner. She sped after him, following him up to his office, where she stood in the doorway to the room. "Minister, I'm sorry to bother you." She said lightly, before walking in and standing behind the chair on this side of the desk. "You aren't actually going to send him all the way there are you? Back to them? You.. you can't send him back there! He's gotten so much better.. and going back there.. it will just hurt him.." She said putting her hands on the back of the chair, staring at him. "Elijah... he has some bad ideas in his head.. but I think he's just afraid of other people taking control of his life.. because, well Barker took away all control didn't he? He wants that control back Minister.." She said her knuckles going white. "So please.. don't send him back there! It will hurt everything he's gained since I met him... he'll go right back to thinking of Alice.. and then he won't be a help to ANYONE." She pleaded, staring at the Minister beggingly.

Robert did feel for Chase. The poor girl was besotted with Eli, and on some level Eli probably did care for her. Chase, though, didn't seem to realize that Eli didn't truly know how to attach to anybody. He'd never gotten the chance to learn how. He didn't want Chase caught in Eli's egotism, much as there was at least some partial truth in Chase's words.

"Sit down, Chase," Robert invited quietly. "The owl has been sent to the Krums. I have no desire to send him home in order for him to open up all the old wounds from his childhood. He's angry with me, and he's taking it out on everyone around him. He's having a massively childish temper tantrum, but he does need to see that all his money and the Krum position in Bulgaria can't get him free of being restricted by international wizarding law, and right now he believes he's above it. That attitude could get him killed if he stays here--at least while Barker is on the loose.

"I dont disagree that he has been trying to move forward from those old things that hurt him. You're right. He has. But you need to stop being threatened by his ghosts of Alice. I don't foresee him drifting completely back to that. And just because I called them doesn't mean he'll end up actually going to Bulgaria." He looked at her for a moment and then asked thoughtfully. "Have you never played chess?"

Chase felt her knees nearly give way when he said that the owl had already been sent. She sat down heavily in the chair and stared at the edge of his desk as he spoke. A temper tantrum, he compared Elijah to a child, a whiny, brat of a child, and in some ways, he was right, but in others.. well Chase saw the good in him at least. This man seemed determined to think that Elijah was just some kid who needed a timeout, but Elijah was so much better then that. He was a good father, he did know how to attach himself to people, his problem was, was that he attached himself to to many people...

But you need to stop being threatened by his ghosts of Alice

Chase stiffened and looked up at him. How had he known? Every time Alice was brought up... every time someone named Alice came into her life, Chase would automatically register her as a threat, someone who was determined to make Elijah relapse into his state of sadness over Alice. She would steer Elijah away, talk to someone else, or ignore her completely. The Minister was right, she did feel threatened by his ghosts of Alice, and she felt like she could never truly be with Elijah until he managed to get over those ghosts.

Chase stared at her lap for a long moment, until he asked her if she had ever played Chess before. She glanced up and then shook her head no. "I was never taught how to play.. my parents were to busy to play boardgames with me.." She said softly, her eyes focused on a spot on the desk in front of her. "I just don't want to lose Elijah Minister... he's all that I have right now.. well, I mean now Khaat is saying that I'm apart of the family... but I don't know them all very well, I don't know.. anybody really.. I feel like he's the only one I can trust.. but.. his behavior was wrong.. I didn't mean for it to go that far.. and he wouldn't let me go.." She said and shuddered, her mind racing back to a time in a club called Satan's. She felt her eyes go dark for a second, before she cleared her thoughts and looked back up at the Minister.

"I'm sorry to have bothered you.." She said and slowly rose to her feet. "I just don't want to see Elijah get hurt because he's acting stupid.." She said carefully, and stood there, knowing that she should leave, but afraid to dismiss herself. There had to be some sort of rules against leaving the Minister's presence until he said so. Of course, she had never actually expected to be speaking of love to the Minister of Magic.. but that's what you get for having anything to do with Elijah Krum's life.