Good News (Dare/Michael)

[Adara Snow]

It was all Adara could do to pull her gaze from Michael at the sound of the door, but somehow she did. "Cleo, I have found Michael!" she said, the words out without a thought to how obvious a statement it was. She turned back to Michael, looking up at him from her perch on the floor at his feet. "Cleo is my friend. She will help us."

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael was comforted by the hand on his back, though he couldn't help the tension that came over him when Cleo walked in. He realized how idiotic it was, though, considering, but it was still odd. He squeezed Dare's hand again for a moment to show he was alright, and then concentrated on speaking. "I know Cleo," he said, looking up at her.

[Cleo Frost]

Cleo nodded, acknowleding Michael. She looked down at the objects she had in her hands, relieved that she had taken a detour to drop off the quill. With that in her hands, a quill from Adara's father, it would have been obvious where she had been and who she had met with. She struggled to keep the grief and anger from her face, but it was swallowing her up. She went and sat near Adara, wishing that she could be anywhere but there.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare's hand had paused at the sound of the door opening, but before he had a chance to retreat, he'd felt the pressure of Michael's hand against his. He could feel the tension in Michael as well as his own, but if Michael needed the support that much, that he wouldn't pull away even in company, then Dare wouldn't take it from him. He'd been about to introduce himself, but apparently he'd been rendered obsolete, as Cleo paid no attention to him. Dare chose the better part of valor and kept his mouth shut.

[Adara Snow]

Adara turned to Cleo, wrapping her arms around the other girl, shaking as she struggled with herself. Her mind tried to pull away, to bring her somewhere safe, but she refused, despite it all, to let go. She had to know. Adara could not say a word, but cried silently, her slender shoulders tense with the effort.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael glanced over at Dare, his eyebrows creased in concern for Adara. He had a bad feeling, a very bad feeling, especially from the air coming from Cleo, something was wrong. He ran his thumb absently over the skin of Dare's hand, his tongue running nervously over his lips before he started chewing on his cheek, anxious for whatever was getting ready to happen.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare's eyes met Michael's, his brows creasing in mirror of Michael's own worried expression. He wanted to help, wanted to do something, but he knew all he could do was support Michael in whatever happened, and let Michael support Adara. He prayed that whatever Cleo had to say wasn't as bad as it felt like it was.

[Cleo Frost]

That contact with Adara was the spark that was needed to set the explosion. The tears slid down her cheeks, as the thoughts of Emilian and Adara, when she knew, came crashing down on her. She clung to Adara, feeling helpless and bewildered at her strange behaviour. She drew in a breath, gulping in the air as she tried to compose herself. She could not afford the tears, Adara would need her. "Adara" she began softly then stopped, how could she bring herself to tell her?

[Adara Snow]

Adara felt as though the strength had been sapped from her body, but at the soft sound of her name, she pulled back, fixing her dark eyes onto Cleo's face. Her cheeks were still stained with tears from her outburst, her hands still shook, but she focused, fighting against the desire to just give in and fade away. Her friends were here, supporting her, and she could only be grateful to them. Still, she could not seem to ask what Cleo wanted to say, though it was obvious that there was something. The thought terrified her.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

At the sight of Cleo's tears, Michael's hand tightened in Dare's and didn't let go, afraid that he had told Adara wrong. He didn't speak, but looked up at Cleo, silently urging her to continue. He had noticed her carrying something when she had walked in, though he hadn't gotten a good look at whatever it was and hadn't thought much on it, but now he wondered.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare's attention had been focused on Michael, and so he hadn't seen even a glimpse of what Cleo was holding. All he knew was that the tension in the room was suffocating, and he wished fruitlessly that something would break, so they could breathe again. He threaded his fingers through Michael's, ignoring the fact that there were other people in the room; nobody was going to notice.

[Cleo Frost]

Cleo's fingers unfurled from around the splintered wood and the brush that she was holding. She hadn't even questioned the fact that it was a brush she had been given by that women. She silently offered her palms to Adara, a stark contrast between them. One held the remains of a wand, the other an ordinary brush. Cleo's gae lingered on the objects for a minute before they rose to Adara's face. "I'm sorry" she whispered, her eyes searching the girls. "I'm so sorry, this was all I found," she said, referring to the broken remains of Emilian's wand. "well except for the brush. There was a fire and all is gone" she continued, her voice breaking but she continued. "I brought this because I thought you might want something that was his, I know it is a pitiful offering," Cleo finished, apologising for everything. She blinked her eyes shut, more tears seeping out from under her lids.

[Adara Snow]

Adara's gaze lowered, focused, and all at once, the world stopped. There was no air to breathe, and though she could feel her heart pounding in her head, she was certain she had died in that moment. The edges of her vision blackened and swam as, numb, she reached out one pale hand. It was shaking too badly to grip at first, as her head shook, denial gripping her. "No, no, no," she chanted like a mantra, and then she couldn't see anymore for the tears blinding her. Her hand gripped the charred and shattered wood, but she knew it as well by feel. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't think. Everything went black, and she slumped to the floor.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael didn't move, he couldn't feel anything other than Dare's hand firm in his. He would never have thought that the news would hit him so hard, but he and Emilian had just made amends. His eyes stared, unseeing, at the bits of wood he could see at the edges of Adara's hand, and his mouth opened slightly. He didn't follow Adara's lead, but he was in shock, barely even noticing that Adara had fallen. Memories flashed through his mind of time spent with Emilian and he couldn't imagine that he was just...gone.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare felt Michael's reaction, but still, he let go, moved to the floor in a heartbeat as Adara fell. His heart ached for Michael, even as he checked the pulse at Adara's wrist, trying to think how to revive her. His gaze rose to Michael's, apology written in his eyes that he wasn't sure Michael would even see. But he had to do something, so, as he patted at Adara's hand, he spoke to Cleo to draw out what information he could. "When did this happen? Where did you get those things?" She wasn't family of Emilian's, was she? He couldn't see the fire department handing over personal effects otherwise.