Milo nursed Kiley's limp body as he followed Coldstone and Turnsley through the threshold of HQ. He lay her out on a bed that had once been a table in the centre of the room, Harshing had transfigured it. Turnsley started to play with his chemistry set. Coldstone went up to his room, no ounce of wonder of what would happen to Kiley at all. But Milo stayed, he stayed like she was part of him - what she felt, he felt. They shared the pain. Together. She began to come round.

*Kiley shifted her arms a little and groaned quietly. She opened her eyes slowly, wincing at the light. It took her a minute to figure out where she was: home. The pain had been reduced to a dull throb. Other than that, she could hardly feel anything at all. The potion that Turnsley had used to knock her out had numbed her all over. But it was starting to wear off and pretty soon she would once again feel the intense pain in her leg.* "Am I breathing?" *She murmered, her eyes closing again. She was fighting to come out of sleep and talk to whoever was there. Hopefully it was Milo, but she hadn't been able to keep her eyes open long enough to really know* "I.....I can't tell. I can't feel it..." *Kiley stupidly tried to move her legs and couldn't feel them moving. a stab of genuine fear pierced through her exaustion.* "Milo?" *She asked, the fear evident in her voice. She opened her eyes and looked around for someone, but she could hardly move*

Milo, who had recovered from his state slightly took her hand and kissed it. "Kiley... don't move. Senior Healer Zimmerman is concocting a pain draught for you - it will keep you conscious and ease the pain while we try and sort out your leg."

Milo stroked her cold hand then kissed her forehead. Her leg was bloody, an utter mess. Her bones mashed up like tea, the black ribbon still there. He hoped Zimmerman knew a way to heal it.

rogue entered what used to be the dinning area but as now looking like a surgery room. stopping half way between the stairs and where kiley laid murmuring. she saw milo kiss her hand. ignoring this show of affection or concern. rogue stepped over the thresh hold as her heart leaped into her throat. rushing over to kileys side. opposite milo. she looked at kiley. she was murmuring about not feeling something. finally taking in the whole picture. rogue saw kileys leg mashed up almost to the point of it being nothing but flesh and blood. she lookd up to milo.
"what happened to her? who did this? is she going to be alright?"
rogue asked frantic now as she could see kileys coloring was pale. her hands shaking afraid to touch her friend. thats when her eyes landed on the black ribbon on kileys leg.
"whats that?"

Milo looked at Rogue in utter distaste, he could not bring himself to explain the whole story. Tears leaked from his dreary eyes and dripped, like poison onto his cheeks. He ignored Rogue completely and isolated his mind so he could be with Kiley, alone - watching her, caring for her, loving her.

***

Zimmerman sighed then walked over to Rogue. "Kiley has been severely cursed on her leg. She may never walk again or get through this alive. Her muscles and bone have been smashed with dark magic," he gestured towards the ribbon. "Hans McArthur did this, he is in the cellars below - chained and wandless."

rogue wondered why milo looked at her like that. before she could say anything though, the man playing around the potions explained what had happened. bile rose in her throat as she studied kiley. the monster that did this to her friend was in the cellars down below. he was wandless. rogue assumed hans had tried attacking kiley here and they had caught him in the act.
"what can i do to help?"
rogue asked him. feeling helpless was not something she liked feeling.
"do you need anything?"

*Kiley took ina deep shuddering breath and let it out slowly. She whimpered slightly, trying to ignore the slowly returning pain in her leg. She was glad that Milo and Rogue were there, but what Zimmerman was saying scared her.* "I'm not taking any pain medicine." *Kiley said weakly, her eyes fluttering open for another moment to take in the scene that surrounded her. She was thirsty, but she didn't want any ice chips so she just stayed silent.*

"You are!" Milo told her she was having some before Zimmerman could say anything. This was no time for stubbornness, if she didnt take the potions then she would die of pain.

Zimmerman took a bottle and placed it to Kiley's lips. "Open Wide.."

rogue stepped forward and slipped her hand into kileys free one.
"c'mon ki take the medicine please...."
rogue asked her pleading with the girl.

"I can't risk it." *She said weakly* "I could get addicted. I have to stay clean." *She said, able to keep her eyes open for a little longer this time.* "I don't need it...it's a..a little better...." *She lied, looking from Rogue to Milo.* "I can't..."

rogue didn't know what to do. she looked from zimmerman to milo with a questioning look. getting ready to restrain kiley to the table.
if my friend dies because of this i vow to kill you both.
rogue thought.
and then i'll take pleasure in torturing hans.
she added on for measure.
she was about to restrain the girl when kiley began to protest. rogue knew of kileys drug addiction. but for kileys own good she had to take
the medicine.

*Ian had come up to the room because of all of the noise they were making. It was enough to make him worry and wonder. When he entered the room, it felt like all of the walls crashed down on him and everything just stopped. Kiley was hurt. She was really really really intensely hurt. Kiley meant everything to him right now, she was the closest thing to family and friends that he had and if she died....He tried as hard as he could to stop from crying and to keep his cool.*

Ian:"Fix her, now." *he demanded, obviously sounding completely distraught and almost manic.*"FIX HER!"


*He felt helpless. There wasn't anything he could do, he would just get in the way...as usual. Except now his friend's life was at stake. All he could do was sit there, watch, and be a nuisance.*



~Mel

*Kiley felt sick when heard the destress in Ian's voice* "Don't yell Ian..." *She said quietly, trying to lift her head slightly. It shot pain down her ciadic (sp) nerve into her leg, adding to the pain. She gasped and rested back down* "Don't worry...I'm going to be fine. It just...." *Kiley closed her eyes. She felt so hot and exausted she just wanted to go to bed and not wake up* "It hurts pretty bad." *she said weakly.* "I'm so thirsty...and hot....do I have a fever?" *She asked, feeling her forehead lightly with the back of her hand. It felt hot but she couldn't really tell*

rogue looked at ian and felt somewhat comforted by his presence. noffinh her head to her side she motioned for him to come closer. if kiley wouldn't take the medicine they would need the help to restrain her.
"ian take kileys hand."
she croaked out from behind the lump forming in her throat. she would kill the b*****d hans for this. her mind was racing. hans would know how to fix her. he wouldn't be willing to tell her though. she would need to make him see it would be for the best if she told. darting a look at milo and the others in the room. she stepped back.
"harshing was with you tonight..."
rogue demanded more than asked milo and kiley (if she could hear through her pained state).

Zimmerman sighed then smashed the medicine he was holding. "Everybody shut the f**k up!"

Milo turned to Zimmerman, stood and got his wand out. What ever the healer was thinking or saying was beyond him. It was totally random. "Make the medicine again," he ordered, through gritted teeth.

Zimmerman went red with anger then smashed his entire potions set. "Ha!"

Milo sent a stunner at him which knocked him out cold. "Retard." Milo quickly took out his own potions set and mixed up a simple pain reliever what he had taught a few days ago. He gave it to Kiley. "Drink it."

"Milo I can't!" *She said, turning her head to the side away from the potion* "Alright? I can't take it. Please try to understand." *She begged* "I'm not trying to play the hero or anything here, I just......I was addicted to herion before." *She looked at Milo straight in the eyes* "I can't become addicted to something again....you don't know what it was like....please don't make me do this..." *Nobody was listening to her. She was ravionously thirsty, burning up, and frusterated from having to explain to everyone that she couldn't take the potion. it wasn't that she didn't want to....she did....the pain she was in was unbelievable and unimaginable. But she couldn't risk the chance of addiction.*

rogue hated to do this. standing at the head of the table she placed a cool hand on kileys forehead.
"is there any chance of addiction?"
she asked as she placed a hand at each side of kileys head. if there was they would get through it. an addiction was better than dying at the moment. trying to hold kileys head as still as possible. the tears began to fall once more.

Milo sighed, blocking out Kileys voice. He pointed his wand at her face and tried to cast a spell to force her to take the potion - no words came. To force her would break her liberty. Kiley was a woman, if she didnt want it he could not force her. He cast a dark glance at her though, she could die from it - despair, annoyance and anger all congealed together to make him slam himself against the wall.

Before he left he chained Turnsley with a spell and dragged him to the cellar outside. He left the potion on the bedside and stormed from the room, upset and worrisome of the future.

*Kiley closed her eyes, relaxing back into her pillow. She opened her eyes and looked at Rogue and Ian. Her eyes were red from being close to tears.* "I'm not going to die...you should know me better than that. I'm stronger than that." *She said weakly* "I'm sorry....."

Ian:"Kiley, I don't care! You know you're not going to get addicted to it just at well as the rest of us. It's insane. Take the potion because it will help you and let you live, not kill you. We need you to do this because you need to get better. Rogue and I are counting on you."




~Mel

"It's not that simple." *SHe said quietly, knowing that someone who had never suffered an addiction like she had could possibly understand how scary it was to be faced with that possibility again* "Now, you can eaither help me or leave. I'm very thirsty, although nobody seems to notice. So if you don't want to help me, then you can go find milo." *He looked up at Ian, hoping he would help her*

*Ian was livid, but not because Kiley did anything wrong, just because of the stress of the situation. She wouldn't do what was (or at least what he thought was) best for her, he was ordering him around, she didn't realize that she was dying- she wasn't. He moved all of the energy that he was using to hold back from crying into being angry, because that was easier. Alex actually did seem to have a point....*

Ian:"I know it's not that simple. Everyone smokes. Everyone." *he grumbled before walking out of the room to get Kiley her water.


He couldn't believe it. She was dying and all she would let him do was get her water.*




~Mel

*Kiley sighed and rested her head back, closing her eyes* "Nobody's on my side...I'm hardly on my side....." *She reopened her eyes and looked at Rogue* "You understand, don't you? Don't you remember how terrible it was last time I had an addiction?"

Milo reentered, leaned against the wall and watched in sheer, undying pity at the girl he now had grown to love. Love? Was he capable of putting love before his errand and political motives? He had a task in the resistance and would need to follow it before getting emotionally involved. But rules were to be bent and if he was to risk the Resistance to save Kiley he would do so. Without question. He watched her skin undulate so delicately from time to time, observing her ever whim and motion - even the patterns in her voice. Like an animal he was vigilant.

"Milo?" *Kiley called weakly, trying to ignore the pain.* "Milo, I'm so sorry...." *She said quietly, reaching for him despite the agony that ripped her apart when she moved. She just wanted him near her.* "Please....." *She could feel the tears streaming downher face freely now.*

All his anger with her did not vanish. He was super-annoyed. His super-annoyance turned into super ignorance. If she was so stupid as to not take the medicine, so silly as to not listen to sense he would not touch her. He loved her too much to nurse her girlish little whim. Maybe the pain would teach her. He stood and looked at her hand, his eyes not portraying any emotion whatsoever.

*After a moment Kiley withdrew her hand and let it rest back at her side. She looked away from him, too hurt to even say anything.* "I thought that maybe you would at least try to understand why I'm doing this.....or even care." *She took a deep breath and tried to sit up. She groaned and shut her eyes, her face easily revealing the pain she was putting herself in*

"Ive tried Kiley, Ive thought and you are just being a baby girl. You are a fool. Addiction is worth your life." His temper was swelling. "you may as well kill yourself, you will never withstand the pain. You are so... Selfish!" He didnt move towards her but too turned away. It was all such a fantasy for him to sit and nurse her at the side of her bed. Life wasnt a fantasy. life was reality.

*Kiley cried out as she managed to sit herself up the whole way. She closed her eyes, resting before continuing. Her hand was gently resting on her knee* "I'm being selfish? Look at yourself Milo." *Kiley started to slowly swing her legs over the side of her bed, gritting her teeth and breath healily. Kiley lost her ballence and almost fell*

"I gave you an escape route - Turnsley's pain killer. You could have led a normal life. But you chose pain because you think no one else cares about you other than you God Damn Self." He turned at her, his face red with anger - his eyes crystalline with tears. He wanted to punch something, quickly. "Kiley, you are selfish. Not me. A selfish little girl."

"How high is the chance of addiction with that potion and my type of injury?" *She asked quietly, considering it for the first time. Kiley couldn't bring herself to look at Milo. She just bit her lip and looked at her leg, feeling the effects of defeat*

rogue stood by kileys side. the tears for her friend dried but she still felt the pain. it ripped her insides to see her like this. she wanted to do something not just stand by and watch these things happen. she knew she really couldn't do anything because in the end it was all up to kiley. she had to make the choice. no matter what rogue would stand by her and help her through the best she could. laying a hand on her friends shoulder rogue tried to sooth her.
"kiley no matter what we'll get through this.'
her eyes and voice were pleading with kiley but the girl would do what she thought was right.
"no matter what i'll be there to help you."

"Its addiction or death. Doesn't take a genius to choose one." He avoided the question, the potion was highly addictive, possibly rivaling heroin. He wasn't about to lose the argument on a silly thing such as "the truth." Truth was evil, it should be caged up and starved - to speak it was even more evil. Milo decided to be a saint by lying through his pretty little teeth: "No. Its not addictive at all."

*Kiley paused and let her head fall back. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, silently weighing her options. As much as she didn't want to, Kiley decided that she really didn't have much of a choice.* "Fine." *Kiley opened her eyes and looked up at the ceiling. They were red from crying.* "Make the potion." *Her voice broke as she spoke. She couldn't even bring herself to look at Milo. Instead she looked down at her mangled leg, staring at it accusingly*

He whipped up the potion and left it beside her, fed up with her little tantrum and girlish worries. He stood back and watched, his faced scrunched up in disgust. He still loved her though, he was just disgusted with her own selfishness. He cared for her, and she wasn't thinking about him really.

*Kiley turned and stared at the potion for a moment. She was thinking about what she was about to do. Kiley reached out with an unsteady hand and held the potion, bringing it closer to her face. She could smell the vapors rising from it and they called to her. She brought the potion to her lips and tilted it back, draining it in one go. Kiley felt the defeat pound over her in waves. That was all quickly forgotten in the fraction of a minute it took for the potion's effects to begin. The pain started to slowly ebb away and she felt drowsey. Kiley swayed on the spot and her eyes fluttered shut. She absently hoped that milo would catch her so she wouldn't fall from the bed to the floor, but she was so drugged that it didn't really matter much at all.*

He didn't catch her, he watched her fall with all the reasons he is a Slytherin alumni suddly rising up and filling his eyes with Menace. No, not evil, but not wisdom either. He love-hated Kiley. He loved her for who she was and hated her for her decisions. She had submitted eventually but this didnt make it all better. He wanted her to trust him, to...obey him out of love. It was....complex.

*Kiley's limp form, luckly, fell back agianst the ed instead of falling to the ground. She was in a weird state, stuck between sleeping and waiting. Whatever it was that milo had given her was quite strong. All her pain and worries and cares were gone. She was simply existing. Absently, Kiley realized that she was pretty high. But it didn't matter to her anymore.*