June 13th 2025

Darien materialised in the fireplace.

Ana was waiting to meet him. She noticed he suddenly looked older...more like their father.

Maybe she'd tell him that when he got over his depression...

"Dad wants to talk to you when you're done...unpacking."

Darien merely nodded, and headed upstairs.

The same old room, from his schooldays. He could remember the joy of packing to leave...now faint as sorrow overcame him.

Reginald waited in the study, until Darien finally arrived, twenty minutes later.

"I want you to quit your job."

"What?" Darien blinked.

Reginald sighed. "You need to take an interest in the family if you wish to remain under my roof."

It showed how depressed and weak Darien was, that he conceded. "Fine."

Reginald watched his son leave, and sighed. The boy looked more like him that ever before...Not that there'd been much of a similarity to begin with.

Ana knocked on her brother's formerly locked door. "Darien?"
There was no response. She placed a palm on the door, then turned away.

Darien sank to the floor, back against the door. The lock clicked as the door was sealed shut.

He heard the whisper. He heard the retreating footsteps.

But he didn't want to return to the present...to what he'd done.

Releasing his control, he broke down into sobs.
Diving on the familiar childhood bedspread, he poured out his sorrows through his eyes.

The wind was unforgiving on Diana as she apparated in front of Vaight Manor. She grasped her coat tightly as she walked towards the door.

The only good thing about this weather was, people wouldn't be able to tell she was crying.

She knocked on the door.

Reginald opened the door...then stopped.

"What a ....pleasant surprise."

She hugged her coat tighter. "Is Darien here?" She was glad and she could actually speak. Her throat feel very tight.

"...In a manner of speaking." Reginald did not move or allow Diana to pass.

His son was finally doing what he said...fulfilling his destiny as heir. he would not let Diana jeapardise that.

Ana paused, one foot on the bottom step of the stairs. Diana...Her head whirled for a moment. Should she tell Darien?
...No.

Not yet. Sighing, she returned to her room.

"Please," she begged. "Let me talk to him."

Reginald shook his head. "I'm sorry, he's not ready to see you. He can't see you."

He began to shut the door.

"No please," Diana sobbed pushing against the door. "Please let me see him."

"I'm sorry." Reginald pushed back against the door.

"He doesn't need to do this..." Diana said hysterically, pushing with all her might at the door. "Please just tell him that for me? Please."

Reginald raised an eyebrow. "Very well. I will tell him...if you remove yourself from this doorway."

There was an illuminating light before the crisp crackle of thunder was heard.

"Can you tell him that I love him?" Diana asked like a lost little child, her emotions in as much turmoil as the weather.

Reginald sighed. "Very well. Now I would go home before you get soaked and pneumonia all in the space of five minutes."

Actually, pneumonia sounded like a good idea. Diana thought. No! What the... she wasn't suicidal... yet.

"I'll come back tomorrow," Diana informed Reg. "I hope he'll speak to me then."

And with that Diana apparated out realizing that she would be returning home to an empty house.

Reginald shut the door, and locked it with a tap of his wand.

He then headed to the living room and began to read the newspaper.

He was not going to jeapordise the future of his family for the plight of a deserted Diana. Darien would never know...