Star Crossed

Chapter 41- The darkness is lurking

Stood beside Lazarus was a young woman wearing an old 18th century ballgown. She had a strange glow emanating off of her, her hand still outstretched to where it had been holding onto Lazarus, her grey face stared up at him with a vacant expression. Lazarus stared back at her shock and disgust upon his face as he stroked his hand protectively.
"Do you mind?" he said still gaping at her in disbelief  after looking a little offended the ghostly woman glided away back into the crowd, Lazarus shivered. 

"I can tell you five things better than hanging around dead people. No, you know what? Ten things. Twenty. Thirty."
"Are you going to keep increasing that number until we leave?" I asked raising an eyebrow at him. 
"Yes." Lazarus replied bluntly causing me to roll my eyes at him.
"I'm going to go and try to find some water," I said standing on my tip toes and looking around the dark room. 
"I admire your bravery just don't touch the red stuff..." Lazarus replied with a scoff. 
"Don't worry Wiglaf I wont leave you baby sitting for long," I whispered to Wiglaf with a grin who gave me a dreaded expression. 
I chuckled to myself as I weaved my way throughout the various spirits. I caught sight of Nearly Headless Nick chatting amicably to the Bloody Baren yet I could not spot the Fat Frier or the Grey Lady (or as Tom had called her 'Helena'). I squinted through the gloom until I saw a long banquet table draped in black dusty fabric, I was starting to reconsider my intention to drink a beverage here even if it was only water as I stood looking over the odd confectionery laid out across the table on old cracked silver platters. A hand caught me around my wrist causing me to jump, it was certainly a solid hand, a  human hand. I spun around to see Tom stood behind me his face displaying a twisted smirk. 
"I am surprised you did not follow me Grisha or is that why you are wondering the room alone." he whispered leaning his head down to mine his mouth only inches away from my ear, so that I could feel his breath. 
"And why would I care to follow you?" I asked raising an eyebrow and moving myself away from him creating a more comfortable space between us, he straightened up still smirking. 
"Forgive me I should explain myself more clearly to you," I frowned at his subtle insinuations. 
"You followed me the other night why?" He asked tilting his head to the side as he stared at me with eyes that blazed with a deep set fire. 
"I did not follow you." I replied firmly, his grip around my wrist tightened. 
"You know," Tom smiled using his grip on me to pull me closer to him, I tensed, "I really hope you wouldn't lie to me." his breath tickling my hair. 

"I never lie because I don't fear anyone. You only lie when you are afraid." I replied as I tried to snatch back my hand but he still held me fast yet his grip was not threatening. 
"I wonder which will kill you faster- your recklessness or your stubbornness?"  
"I wonder which will kill you faster- your ego or your pride?" I countered.
"Fight it, or accept it. Fear it, or control it." he continued to smirk at me his blue eyes glistening with sparks of light like fireworks were being lit within them, I furrowed my brow at his words trying to decipher their meaning.
"There they are," I heard Wiglaf call from a few feet away both me and Tom. We reluctantly averted our eyes from one another and looked over to our right as Tom smiled and released my wrist. 
"Where? I can't see them." Lazarus called back. 
"Lazarus they are the only ones who are not transparent." Wiglaf drawled appearing now within the crowd and pointing across to us.  
"Oh," Lazarus smiled appearing at his side, I smiled and waved them over. 
"Did you find some water then?" Lazarus grinned. 
"Erm no, no I didn't," I replied suddenly being reminded at why I had set out across the room in the first place. Suddenly Tom held out an empty goblet towards me, he brushed his hand over it silently and it began to fill to the brim with crystal clear water. I hesitated looking down at it reluctantly impressed. 
"What? I'm not going to poison you Grisha," Tom chuckled darkly. I took the goblet slowly and took a small sip from it, it was ice cold and refreshing on my lips. I opened my eyes not realising I had closed them in relief to find Tom smiling at me smugly, our eyes locked upon each others again before I felt another pair of blue eyes upon me. I turned to see Wiglaf staring me before flicking his eyes behind him indicating for me to follow him. I slipped myself around the spectral crowd as I followed him further away from Tom and Lazarus, I looked at him expectantly, confused. 
"What is going on Grisha?" he asked sternly.
"I'm sorry?" I questioned, Wiglaf however looked maddened at my confusion. 
"You and Tom," He replied gravely.
"Me and Tom?" I asked crossing my arms across myself defensively. 
"Grisha please I want to protect you." Wiglaf pleaded, his eyes filled with desperation I stood dumbfounded for a moment before I felt a rage of pride bubble inside of me.
"Protect me? From what!? I do not need your protection Wiglaf I can protect myself should I need to." I hissed trying to keep my voice little more than a whisper. 
"He may be charming, intelligent, powerful even but he is also cunning he will do whatever it takes to survive people like him always do. Do not forget that Grisha. You can use a spear as a walking stick, but that will not change its nature." he replied staring at me intensely, my insides whirled making me feel nauseous.  
"Then if you do not trust his loyalty then why have you befriended him?" I asked indignantly. 
"Because he is like a brother to me, we are the Heirs as weak as we are divided and unfortunately family do not always see eye to eye." he replied solemnly. I frowned as the truth of those words resonated with me. "but as much as Tom is a brother you are a sister and I will not see you get hurt." 
"Wiglaf..." I started but Wiglaf held up a hand, "I know you can protect yourself Grisha but that does not stop me caring," I felt a warmth within my chest as I looked up at him, regardless of his strictness and firm rulings he truly was my brother that I had never had. I felt an overwhelming sense of love for Wiglaf in this moment as I looked on at the affection and fatherly concern that I had missed these last years, I swung my arms around him and pulled him into a hug. 
"Tom just needs someone to trust." I whispered into his ear before I pulled away.
"You really believe in him don't you? Believe that you can fix what is broken?" Wiglaf sighed.
"Not broken just damaged," I replied I looked back through the bodies of the dancing spirits to look at Tom, he was leaning casually against the table his arms folded watching in amusement as Lazarus batted something away with his arms, looking as if he was performing some sort of strange dance to the music of the haunted quartet. I shared a look with Wiglaf before we walked back over to them to discover what was happening. 
"Peeves I swear in a moment I'll-" Lazarus spat angrily. 
"You'll what!? Huff a puffle a me!" The deranged poltergeist cackled attempting to position a cake above Lazarus's head precociously.  
"Peeves I demand you stop your tormenting at once or I will be forced to call upon the Bloody Baron." Wiglaf called firmly, only for Peeves to stick his tongue at him.
"Pooooo'y!" he wailed continuing to hold the rotten confectionery above Lazarus's head. Lazarus had already pulled out his wand and was shooting spells up at Peeves causing him to laugh uncontrollably as he rolled and dodged the shots in the air, Tom rolled his eyes. 
"Lazarus you are going to-" it was as if Tom had already saw the future as before Tom could even finish his sentence one of Lazarus's spells hit the cake square in the middle causing it to explode. Myself, Wiglaf and Tom threw up our own shield charms in an act of quick thinking to deflect the stray splatters of decaying cream and sponge from covering us. Being the closest to Lazarus I lucky enough (or at least Lazarus was) to be able to extend mine to also protect him. 
"Hit the cake," Tom smirked, completing his sentence. 
"That cake was disgusting anyway." Lazarus huffed stowing his wand within his inside blazer pocket as Peeves rolled around in the air holding his stomach as he laughed hysterically. 
"So you wanted to make it explode?" I smirked.
"Oh don't you start Grisha," Lazarus grumbled causing me to laugh lightly. 
"Peeves." Tom suddenly said giving the incorporeal  being a look that would have killed him had he been alive. Surprisingly he stopped his laughing instantly and departed with a pop and resentful look towards Tom. Did Tom hold control over everyone both living and dead within this castle? No. He certainly did not hold it over me at least nevermind Wiglaf, Lazarus or Professor Dumbledore. 

"You could have made him go away all this time!?" Lazarus exclaimed his mouth hanging open. 
"I could have." Tom replied smugly. 
"You are the worst human being on the face of the planet, do you know that?" Lazarus hissed. 
"Thank you. I love you too Laz." Tom smiled widely, causing Lazarus to flick a strand of cobweb he had picked off his jacket at Tom.
"Git," he muttered. 

The party had not long after drawn to a close as we took our leave and entered the dark corridor I bit my lip and decided to take my best shot as it were. 
"Tom," I called causing Tom to stop and turn his head around to face me, when I did not elaborate he turned his whole body to face me and walked the few meters to stand in front of me. Wiglaf and Lazarus had also stopped a few feet ahead but I nodded to them to walk on without us. Wiglaf shot me a knowing 'don't forget what I said' look as he hurried Lazarus along who was looking a little off side about the situation. 
"Grisha are we going to spend all night stood in this corridor in silence or was there something that you actually wished to say?" His voice broke my train of thought and I felt my cheeks heat up as I realised I had not yet spoken. 
"I do not follow you." I confirmed, "but yet I have come across you at times were I believe you did not intend to be seen or heard." 
"Grisha we have discussed this." he cut me off bluntly. 
"No, you have discussed this." I replied quickly. "Why do you hide things from us? From me?" I asked desperately. "I thought... I thought we the Heirs were more than that, how can we go forward if their are secrets and lies?" Tom averted his eyes briefly to the floor before sighing and bringing them back up to meet mine. 
"There are no lies Grisha, I have no need for lies. As for secrets they are not secrets they are things that I choose to keep private of which does not affect the plans of the Heirs." he replied, his face and body completely relaxed. 
"I can tell something is not right Tom do not play me for a fool." I replied, "Take your mask off and actually talk to me." I implored.
"I do not believe you to be a fool Grisha, I do not consort with fools. I believe strongly in self-preservation I pray that you will do the same." He replied and turned to leave, I growled in frustration. 
"Self-preservation! Tom who are you protecting yourself from? Us? Me?" I threw my hands up into the air in desperation, he stopped but did not turn around. 
"The world Grisha. The world is a dangerous place the sooner you realise that the better." he breathed quietly before walking ahead down the corridor, his black silhouette disappearing into the darkness. It was then that I decided that I would invest myself in this man, this man that was damaged from his mysterious past so much so that he would allow no one close that hid a darkness within himself. The man that not afraid of anything yet was at the same time terrified of everything. Everything good that the world had to offer, I wanted to show him that I was right that self-preservation didn't mean that he had to shut everyone out. He was now my everything and I would put my heart and soul into him... the only problem was that I had no guarantee that I would ever get it back.