She sat in a corner of the owlery, staring out of the window, obviously a thousand miles away. No words could describe how she felt at that time- she'd lost her baby and been threatened with expulsion. She didn'tknow what to do, how to handle it. She wanted to curl in a ball and cry silently, or scream across the grounds, releasing her pain. Either way, there was no way anyone in the world could know how she felt. Or so she thought.

*Melanie had gone to the owlery to send out another job application for the summer. Maybe she would actually get a job she liked this time around....

When Mel noticed Flame, she was sent straight into paranoia mode. She stopped in the doorway for a few seconds before deciding that she shouldn't hold how much of a b*stard Flame's father was against her....Regardless of how much she wanted to. There was a nagging feeling that Flame was conspiring against her with Harshing, and no matter what she told herself, she couldn't get it to leave.

Nervously, Melanie walked over to a tawny owl that one of her friends had let her borrow and began tying the letter to it. She had purposefully let her hair fall around her face like a curtain so that she could avoid looking at Flame if possible...or maybe Flame wouldn't recognize her.*



~Mel

Flame heard someone and her head turned to see Mel. Her eyes narrowed. She knew little of Mel's relationship with her father, but part of her needed someone to blame for her child being snatched and Mel seemed like a good person. But then... Didn't Mel seem upset to? Flame walked over and placed a hand on the girl'd shoulder, softer than intended. "Mel?" she asked. "What's wrong?" she turned and stared across the grounds again. "I know what's wrong with me... that b*stard took my child!"

*Even though Flame was being kind to her, Melanie jumped and went into defensive mode. She was not going to be tricked into anything...she would not be a used as a toy ever again.*

Melanie:"Don't you ever touch me!' *she screamed at Flame, louder than she had intended*"You're trying to confuse me...to make me think you care about me, when really all you want to do is mess me up again! You want to ruin me just like him and I've had it. I will not...let you. You won't get anywhere close to hurting me or Mark or anyone that I care about."


*She started at Flame, waiting to be attacked right then and there, or to be screamed at, or killed, or for 'daddy dearest' to pop up right there. She was close to insane....*




~Mel

Flame stared at Mel and bit her lip to stop the torrent of abuse which so-close-to escped her. Her eyes were wide, her breathing heavy. For anyone sane, it was bvious Flame was putting a lot of concetration into staying calm. She felt she was being accused of something she knew nothing about, that Mel was attacking her for something she hadn't done.

"Why would I do that, Mel? I have enough fun messing my own life up with him, don't I? You're just lashing out at an innocent bystander, who did nothing wrong except get in your way. I'm sorry for thinking you looked like you needed help, I'll think better of it next time. I thought after you helped me through labour we could put the past behind us, but obviously I was wrong. I'm sorry for trying."

*Melanie considered what she had said for a moment...maybe she was being too harsh-*

Melanie:"NO! You're trying to trick me into something...so that you can take me to him again and he'll hurt me again or take someone else that I love. And more importantly- you will not make anyone else that I love watch me go through that ever again. I don't care what he tells you to do, he will never get his hands on me again. He won't...." *Mood changing quickly, Melanie was now holding back tears. She sat down on the floor of the Owlery, not caring what else was there already.*'He did something to Mark. He changed him and then he hurt him."




~Mel

Flame felt bad fr Mel, for how things were going for her. Her father was a cruel, cruel man who had, on more than one occasion, used Mel as a toy for his own pleasure. He had always been like that- a bully- he chose those that had less power to fight back, that wuldn't cause much of a challenge. Like her before the power showed up, back when she'd been a fragile, normal young witch.

"Mel... Where are they? He has my baby... He took him..."

*Melanie stared at Flame for a moment, surprised by her lack of an angry response.*

Melanie:"I don't know where I was, but it looked like a house somewhere. I didn't...see a lot of what was around me, but I did see another baby there. He was alright...at least...from what I saw. He was asleep so....don't worry because...he didn't have to see any of it." *she told her, calming down a little now and trying to do the same for Flame. Just because she was calmer, though, did not, by any means, mean that she wasn't scared anymore.8



~Mel

She ran a hand through her hair, obviously worried, hating the feeling of not knowing where her beloved child was. She wanted to cry, to scream, to rip apart the world, but prevented herself from doing such, instead she withdrew to her seat on the windowsill, watching over the forest.

"Who knows what he will do to my poor, poor son? He has a heart of stone. I would be suprosed if he has even the smallest amount of care for his grandson." She bit her lip. "I only worry he will be my father's next victim."