This is where the healing begins

Jack watched, unable to do any of what was asked of her. All she could say was, "I'm not a lawman. I don't punish. I won't." She watched numbly, refusing to move. Politics were killing her. They were killing her. Her own alliances were much too strong for her to care. She knew who was good and who was bad, even if it manifested in a way so unlike traditional definitions. Jack would act when she knew to act.

But sudden;y, things were happening. Jack began to sink as she felt a lessening of spirit. The feelings that were not her own, the feelings that had invaded with her and she somehow recognized as Thaor, weakened. She sunk with them, and grabbed at Michael to pull herself up. "Hurry," she whispered. "HURRY," she urged Khaat.

Someone was saying it was too late, but Jack felt the feelings. Michael's arm gathered her but she shook her head madly. "No, no," she shook her head wildly, insisting, "They're still here, so he is too. Keep trying. Why are you all giving up. Keep going." Khaat was continuing, too. "Keep going," Jack encouraged her.

Khaat revealed it. He was still here. Jack swallowed. "I feel him too, Khaat," Jack informed her. She would never be able to explain Empathy, for she had no idea she had it, but she felt it. Her hand reached for Michael's arm to hold herself up. "Bring him back, Khaat!"

Thaor was surprised Jack could feel him there, he then 'spoke', if you could call it speaking, to her directly. Jack, I am here, and I am sorry you've had to see this. I don't know how to come back, I want to, so badly, but, I don't know.

Thaor again spoke to Khaat, Remus is here Khaat, It's been such a long time, I don't know if I truly want to come back. Please, tell your father and Michael I'll be watching over you all. You are all my family after all. Thaor said, backing away, and waiting for a reply.

A small voice entered Jack's skull, one she knew, but one she recognized did not come from the internal force that made her one with the emotions of others. This was someone else's power, not the work of her curse. Thaor spoke to her and she nodded her understanding. "Keep working, Khaat," Jack said. "Show him a way."

Khaat felt her father finally reach her. He laid his hand on hers, adding what energies he had directly to hers. He knew where she was going to need to go to do this.

"Thaor knew, Khaat," her father said. "Do what you need to do."

"I've never done this," she said softly. "Not like this."

"I know. I've got you. Go ahead," he said. Khaat closed her eyes and reduced her own energies to rechannel them to her seers powers. She felt Brian's and her father's energies compensating to keep Thaor alive. She was now very glad her father had showed them both the life support spell.

She knew where to find Remus. She always knew where to find him. It was her own out of body experiences that had shown her the way to find him. Now Thaor was trapped where she had been. And to find him, she had to let her seers abilities go yet again beyond the veil. To Remus. She didn't know if she could find Thaor, didn't know if she could see him. But she felt sure she could find Remus.

Robert felt Khaat's energies slipping into other magic. He recognized it. Khaat's mother was a seer, and he recognized the signs of those energies kicking in. But whether it would be enough to find Thaor and bring him back? He had no clue. For now, until either Khaat or Thaor came back, there would be nothing but silence between the two of them.

Khaat always seemed to find Remus in the same place. A clearing in the woods. He was always sitting on a large boulder, perched there, half standing, half sitting. Wearing that tweed blazer he was so fond of. And he always greeted her with a smile.

Tonight, he did not smile. It was a first. He was very serious.

"Remus? Is Thaor here?" she asked.

"Not entirely," Remus said. "He's got one foot in and one foot out. He'd rather be out than in, at this point. Like you were."

"Did you come for him?" she asked.

"No," Remus said. "I came for you. You want him back and he wants to be back. But you know how confused you were when you were in between. He doesn't want to be here as much as he thinks. He wanted to escape the madness within. I can understand that. Khaat, do you trust me?"

"What?" she frowned.

"Do you trust me?" he repeated, reaching for her hand with his right.

"Yes," she said, with no doubt. Remus never wanted her here. He never wanted her to stay. Remus knew how to do this, she was sure. She took his hand.

"Look to your right, Khaat," Remus said. He pointed to his left. She followed his finger and saw a fairly ordinary wooden door. "There it is. Direct Thaor through it if you want him back. You won't see him, but he's there. He should hear you. He needs to turn around and walk."

"Thaor!" she called. "Turn around. Behind you. Turn around and walk. Don't think. Just do what I tell you. Keep walking. If you listen, you'll hear the voices of the hearts of the people who love you. Focus on that and keep walking."

"When he gets through the door, his life signs will return but he will most likely continue to need life support until his strength returns," Remus said. "Just like you did."

Thaor heard Khaat's voice, and realized he was no longer in Hogsmeade, he was in a cave, just like the one he lived in for so long in the wilderness. There was a bright light at the end of the cave, which is where Khaat's voice came from. He walked towards it. 'the voices of the people who love you' he thought. He wasn't sure if he could be crying, but if it was possible, he definitely was.

Khaat, I don't know if I want to, I feel safe here, as I always have. This has been my place of solitude, place of peace, place of sanctuary. I don't want to go back to the madness, I just want to stay here. Mum and dad are here, I miss them. Thaor said, starting to cry even more.

Thaor's father appeared, Son, I know how hard it's been so far, but you've made it through it, I'm so proud of you, you've done great things, but I know you have much more to do before your time comes. Go on, go back through the door into the world where you belong. I'll still be here when your time finally does come.

Thaor started shaking and fell to his knees. I don't want to leave you! I think about you and mum everyday! Oh, how life would have been different with you two still around! I don't want to go back to the mess that is my life. Thaor said, being interrupted by his father.

Staying here, is a permanent solution, to a temporary problem. You know that. You have a family who loves you, Robert would give his life for you, and you'd do the same. However, the decision is ultimately yours, I must be going now, but know, what ever decision you make, we've always been there for you. Watching over you, and we support you no matter what. he said, walking away, before he vanished, he said Just know, it's time to stop running from your problems, and I love you.

Thaor knew what he must do, he got up, and walked towards the door, but did not cross to the other side, he simply gazed through it, and there stood Khaat. I don't know if I can do it Khaat, I've been too strong for too long.

(I forfeit my turn, since there's nothing for me to respond to yet. XD)

Remus had a much more serious look on his face now. Khaat saw it as she stood beside him.

"He needs to cross," Remus said seriously. "He has to go back. If you have ideas, now is the time." She looked at Remus. There was something he hadn't said. Something he wasnt going to reveal. And she understood why. It had to be Thaor's free choice.

"No," she looked at Remus. "He makes the choice free and clear."

"No matter what?" Remus looked deeply into her face. She hesitated for a long moment. "Don't offer it unless you're completely certain."

"I already did," she said to Remus softly. She layed her head on Remus's chest, and he wrapped his arms around her. It almost felt real.

"I swear, Thaor," Remus said softly, "If you dont' do the right thing here....I swear...I hope to hell that somebody back over on that side realizes how far south this can go if he tosses this all away. They don't dare let go."

"And if they hold on?"

"Then he can't simply choose to stay here. As long as there is a demand on his soul on the side of life, he can't cross completely. The most he can do is stay in limbo."

"And if they let go?" she looked at him. Remus looked at her, refusing to respond. But Thaor had no idea just how much his actions affected other people.

"You need to let me tell him," Remus said.

"Absolutely not," she said with iron firmness.

Thaor listened to Khaat, but he wasn't ready to go back, he could spend the rest of eternity with his parents once more, and all of his fallen friends. I'm not coming back. Not to that madness, I can't. Thaor said, walking back into the cave, away from the door. The decision is mine, and I'm staying here, you can't make me go back. He said, starting to cry.

Oh the things he'd miss, Robert and Michael, Jack, drinking, wandmaking, long walks, flying, dueling. It made it a hard decision for him, but he had nothing left to live for on the other side, he was washed up, haden't made any advances in the wandmaking industry in years, lost his job as Deputy Minister, and Robert would never step down as Minister as long as he was alive.

That's my final decision.

Jack could feel it all. Defeat. It was all too much. Defeat. Why should anyone try to continue on? Defeat. What purpose did one man serve after doing wrong and being wronged? Defeat. Why could rest only come with death? Defeat. If that was what rest was, was it selfish to desire it? Defeat. When did strength become a lie? Defeat. When was someone allowed to give up.

Jack hadn't given up. Jack wouldn't.

"Thaor," she called out, her eyes closed as she gripped Michael. She didn't know if he could hear her, but she trusted Khaat would communicate if she spoke. "Remember after the battle? At Hogwarts. What I saw? I never told anyone, and now you owe me. You have to come back, Thaor! You owe me!" Her voice raised to a lion's roar, compassion and strength in her voice.

"Oh, God," Khaat said, feeling her strength leave her. Remus attempted to grasp her but he couldn't grasp hold of her. Even there, she was becoming transparent the more Thaor dug in his heels about not coming back. She fell to her knees.

Her physical form fell limply across Thaor's Her father immediately began to check. He didn' say a word. But he knew. She was now dying. She had somehow bargained for his soul. If Thaor did not come back, Robert believed she could not either.

In rage, Robert pounded his fists on Thaor's chest.

"Damn you! Damn you! NOT my child! Don't you do this to my child! Remus! Take me instead! Let her go!"

"He doesnt know," Khaat said softly, weeping, at hearing her father's rare desperation. "He doesn't know its not his choice. Its not even mine anymore."