Simner began jumping around in the crisp spring air. He breathed it in with a content sigh. He loved spring. The flowers, the butter flies, the rain and the air. He couldn't get enough of it after the cold winter.

*Melanie was walking along the grounds, with Mark in his baby carrier (she hated strollers. She thought they were pointless and refused to use one unless forced). She was obviously having a very long talk with him, because, as she came nearer to Simner, she made a conclusion that couldn't have been to anything short*
Melanie:"So this, Mark, is exactly what makes live great. Warm weather, being outside, sunshine- it's the best things in life. Winter is bad, but you always have the warm spring and summer to look forward to."

*She then stopped and noticed Simner*

Melanie:"SIM!" *she exclaimed. She would have run, but Mark might be hurt, so she didn't. She waited for him to come to her.*


~Mel

Simner, in one of those deep slow motion voices, yelled. "Melanie," and in slow motion got up and began to run to her. He got to her and snapped out of his 'trance'. He grinned. "Its nice to see you enjoying the spring, too." He gave her a quick hug and mark a kiss on the nose. "There is my little god son"

Melanie:"Who is getting BIG and can now talk! Mark, let Simner hear you say daddy." *she commanded excitedlty. Mark was her pride and joy, and she had to show off how smart he was. Mark looked at her, puzzled. Daddy wasn't there, what did she mean?*

Melanie:"Say daddy." *she repeated. Mark got it now*

Mark:"Daddy?" *he chirped in a questioning tone*




~Mel

"Well, Sir Mark, it seems you have taken your first step into becoming a man" Simner said in a deep and inportent sounding voice. "Can you say 'God daddy?'" he asked Mark in a baby voice.

Mark:"Daddy!" *Mark said, as if that was what Simner had wanted him to do.*

Melanie:"That's going to be a no." *she smiled*



~Mel

"Thats okay, just as long as Marky is happy" Simner lifted Mark out of his carrier and began to play some game with him absentmindedly. "So... nothing bad happened when Liam found you had run away... right?"




OOC:How long were they away... we only had one topic that never really got finished.

OOC: Yeah. I made it a week.


IC:

Melanie:"Well...." *she didn't know how to put it.*"Yeah." *She finally decided that that would be the best way to say it*



~Mel

"What... what happened? Was he mad?" Simner said urgently. He didn't want anything to go wrong between Mel and Liam.

Melanie:"I don't know what he was, Simner, but it wasn't good. He thought that Mark and I were never coming back so he went to the Fight Club and went against a guy who he had no chance of beating on purpose. He wanted to be hurt, he wanted it to end. And whenever I got back he broke up with me. He won't even talk to me now."


~Mel

"Oh, no...." Simner said, feeling very guilty. "and it's all my fault!!" Simner yelled turning away from her. Simner bent down clutching his head. Why had he asked her to come. He should have never done that. "Melanie... I am sorry...I can't believe I did this to you..."

Melanie:"No, Simner, it's not your fault." *she assured him softly*"I chose to go. I didn't have do, but I did. You weren't making me."



~Mel

"But I pressured you!! Ugh..." He said softly "How could I be so stupid?!" Simner turned away from her. It was his fault and that couldn't be changed.

Melanie:"You weren't being stupid, Simner." *she said as she went to hug him from behind*"And it is NOT your fault. You pressured me, but you didn't grab my arm and force me to go."



~Mel

Simner did nothing when she hugged him. "I shouldn't have pushed you." Simner said in a small voice. "If I hadn't you and Liam would be together still"

Melanie:"Nooo, don't say that. We weren't in such great shape anyway. Right before I left we'd had a big fight in the middle of Hogsmeade."



~Mel

"But you would have made it though if it weren't for me!" Simner turned away not wanting Melanie to see him cry. It WAS his fault. No getting past it.

Melanie:"A skill that I've gotten better at lately is persistence, and I'm not going to stop trying to convince you until you believe me. It's not your fault. What was going to happen between us was going to happen between us regardless of what you did or did not do. Even if it was your fault, I wouldn't care, because your still my best friend." *Melanie tried to hug him again. She looked up at him*"If you believe me I'll give you a chocolate-bar-of-gratitude."



~Mel

"Okay, I believe you" He said "But no chocolate bar is needed". Simner hugged her tightly, but without squishing Mark. "If anyone deserves a chocolate bar, its you." Simner still didn't believe it wasn't his fault. But he knew he couldn't win.

OOC: holy crap I forgot he was there! lol.

IC:

Melanie:"I'm too busy to sit down and enjoy chocolate." *she admitted*"I've been studying for the O.W.L.s all the time, even when I'm eating. I'm constantly thinking about them. Not to mention Mark and all of my homework and just- life. I feel like I'm slacking...I'm not doing as well as I should...."



~Mel

"Let me take Mark for a few days," He said "It will give you some time to rest ans study and all". He remembered what it was like doing the OWLs. It was the most stressful time of his life. Well until now when he had to study for his NEWTs. He didn't want to let Melanie know that he was stressed about them. She had a child. She deserved a few days off.

Melanie:"I don't want to do that to you. I would give him to Alex or Ian, but I feel like I'm living him with them too much. Kiley's busy and doesn't need more to deal with. You have your N.E.W.T.s! No, I'll figure out something. Maybe I can get a timeturner...."



~Mel

"I can handle it!" Simner assured her "Besides I don't get enough time with my godson". Melanie needed a day off and he knew it. He could handle it.

Melanie:"No, you need to study, Sim. I need to be responsible." *She protested, not wanting to admit that Mark was making things a little bit difficult for her at the moment. She didn't want to think that, and she wasn't going to let herself.*



~Mel

"No, I don't"" he pretested "Well... yes I do... but SO DO YOU!". Simner was going to make sure Melanie got her day. "Besides being with Mark could be my day off. So everyone wins!"

*Melanie sighed, not really knowing how to get her way*
Melanie:"I don't know. I feel like I'm always leaving him with someone, though. Like I'm being a bother. Sometimes I think that everyone is annoyed with me and they want me to take care of him on my own and leave them alone."



~Mel

"Melanie," Simner began "I am asking to take Mark for a few days". "I don't think you are a bother"

Melanie:"But I feel like....He's not your responsibiility."



~Mel

"Aren't the godparents suppose to be in charge of the spiritual upbringing of said child?" Simner asked

Melanie:"Spritiual, yes." *she replied*"What would any of this have to do with anything spiritual?"



~Mel

"I could teach him the ways of the world!" Simner replied, blankly "The ways of being spoiled by his godparents!" Simner began to laugh. "Why does Kiley get to hang out with the little man but not me?"

Melanie:"She doesn't get to as much anymore. I don't want to bother her."



~Mel

"C'mon, I wanna be a part of his life... remember for a while I was going to be his father!" Simner closed his eyes. he knew he shouldn't have gone that far. "I am sorry..."

*Melanie sighed*
Melanie:"It's fine, but you are a part of his life. I'm not saying I don't want you to be together more, it's just that I want you to do well on the exams. Even if you offered to take him, it doesn't matter. If I fail, that's my problem."




~Mel

"C'mon... you know I won't fail... we and a couple days won't matter." Simner assured her "and we can study togather. Simner pointed between him and Mark

Melanie:"Mark doesn't like to study. He enjoys closing the book for me and putting his hands over the pages so I can't." *she pointed out*"Or if I keep him somewhere else, he cries or does something that would make me stop." *Melanie then realized something*"I have no control over myself, Sim. He's never going to let go of me when he's older because he'll want me to do everything for him...."




~Mel

"Don't turn this into something!" he warned "It will only get you more stressed. Simner sighed "Okay, I will take Mark for a few days. You study, rest, or whatever you want to do" He declared. "Everything will be fine. I need a break from studying to. For me this is like a break"

Melanie:"Fine, but not today. You can get him tomorrow."




~Mel

"I will be holding you to that" he warned her. "So... wanna do somethings on this lovely day?"

Melanie:"Mmm, I was just taking a walk with Mark so he could learn to love the outdoors. I think I want to stay outside, too."




~Mel