McConn Residence December, 30, 2027

Horatio nodded happily as he led Eglantine into the kitchen. "Things are fine. The twins are healthy and I finally solved that riddle Eglantine gave me last month." he jested, kissing the back of his wife's hand. She didn't respond, her eyes pinned to the window where Edan and Edwin could be seen playing in the back yard.

"Tell them to come inside." she whispered.

Ciaran went to respond to Kiara but stopped when Eglantine spoke. "Why, did you see something, Aunt?" he asked.

Kiara blinked in concern but did as Eglantine asked she had learned to trust Eglantines judgment, moving to the backdoor Kiara opened it and walked out on to the back patio.

Folding her arms together against the cold wind she called out.

"Edwin! Edan! Time to come inside now! Edwin mother and father are here as well!" she called out.

In her mind her worried that Eglantine knew something she didn't.

Both Edan and Edwin looked up from the snow they were rolling in.
"Okay, Mama!" Edan shouted, brushing the snow from his hair and picking his fallen hat from a nearby drift. Edwin shoved his over.
"Last one to the house has to do dishes!" he shouted. Edan scrambled up from the snow as ran.
He dived on top of Edwin and they rolled into a drift, causing snow to pile on top of them.

"Edwin Richard!" Eglantine shouted, her soft voice held an edge that rarely was used with her son. Horatio walked up behind Kiara in the door.

Kiara looked very concerned by Eglantines urgancey? "Eglantine what is wrong?" she asked but at the same time vanishing the snow from the two boys.

"Hurry up you two.... no dabling now" she said a bit of nervousness in her voice.

To be safe she foused on the wards of the house, strengthening them even though they seemed fine.

"I..." she trailed off, her vision fading as another mental attack assaulted her. The attacks had lessened over the years since her father's attack had triggered them, but she often experienced them with little or no warning. The warning usually was her heightened sense of concern or worry.

Her eyes rolled back in her head and she body stiffened as the hallucinations and cursed words began to assault her.

Both boys entered the kitchen, instantly sobering when they saw Kiara and Horatio's grave expressions.
"Kiara! A cold cloth!" Ciaran shouted, kneeling beside Eglantine as she began to shake violently.

Edwin quickly pulled Edan out of the room, as the younger boy's eyes were wide as plates.

Kiara sommoned a cold cloth almost without thinking, and ran to Eglantines side. dabbing it on her head. She oh so gently lifted in her arms, whispering words into her ears. offering any comfort she could.

"Horatio can she take the potion with the twins?" she asked worry and fear in her voice.

Horatio stood by looking almost unconcerned. His face was grave though, despite his posture. "The potion doesn't help anymore, Kiara." he muttered, sighing. "This is from cursed words, not the ash weave."

Eglantine opened her eyes as the attack passed and slowly took in a breath. Her shaking hands went to belly and her eyes widened before she relaxed. The visions had been of her death...

Kiara sighed sadly as she held Eglantine torso up, she conjured a goblet of water.

"It is water Eglantine" she said.

"How do you feel?" she asked in concern. Whilr moving the cold cloth around on her head.

Eglantine sipped from the goblet and attempted to sit up straight, her hands moving up to grip Kiara's arms.
"I'll be fine." she muttered. "Just a...a hallucination." But it was so much more. She could see in her mind Horatio and Kiara attempting to save her as she went into labour... the silence of her dead sons was already eating away at her. That could not happen...

Kiara helped Eglantine sit up, though worry was still clear in her eyes. She had the right to be, these attacks were not doing her any good. Especially since she was carrying twins now.

She silently stretched her magic to make sure the unborn children were alright, she heard to rapid heart beats going strong. She breathed out.

She sighed "Alright Eglantine, if you are sure you will be alright? Perhaps we should move to the living room. It will be more comfortable" she said moving to help Eglantine stand if she needed the assistance.

_______

Rossalyn's room

Rossalyn tossed and turned in her bed once again and she was crying in her sleep.

In her dream she sees both her parents screaming and dissapear in to a green light... and she feels so alone.

Tav and Edan aren't there... no one is...

She sat up quickly in her bed while screaming.

And the glass in her window broke with as shatter.

_____

Back in the Kitchen...

Kiara froze at the sound of her daughter scream with such grief, sadness ad fear. Then at the sound of the shattering glass her breath caught in her throat.

Eglantine allowed Kiara and Horatio to help her sit up and she sighed. The scream that pierced the air only moment later caused her eyes to open wide and she looked up.

Hearing his daughter, Ciaran motioned for Kiara to remain seated and dashed for the steps taking them three at a time.
Scooping his daughter up into his arms as he fell at his knees by her bed, Ciaran gently rocked Rossa.
"It was just a dream." he muttered, softly. And yet, he knew in his young daughter's mind, it was so much more.

---back in the kitchen---

"Kiara, tell Ciaran to bring her here." Eglantine whispered, her eyes trailing to the steps.

Kiara's heart was beating fast as she watched her husband race up the stares, to confort their daughter.

"Ciaran bring her out here dear" she called out wanting nothing more then to hold her baby girl.

___

Rossa's Room

Rossa clung to her father, "But....it..it sso real...I am scared Daddy.... they won't stop..." she cried into his shoulder.

"Don't make me go back to sleep"

Ciaran sighed, carefully picking Rossa up as he rose. "Hush, Linny." he muttered, tears coming to his eyes. "No one is gonna be making ya go back ta sleep." he kissed her hair and carried her toward the stairs. He patted her back as he descended the steps and stepped into the kitchen.

Immediately, Eglantine stretched her arms out for the child and Ciaran, not exactly certain whether or not to oblige her, mainly due to her own poor health, carefully set Rossa into her grandmother's arms.

Closing her eyes, Eglantine gently reached into her granddaughter's mind. In a complete gesture of absolute sincerity and love, she temporarily wiped the young girl's mind of the nightmares. A night of sleep would be helpful to the girl, although Eglantine wished she could do more.

"Die keine Angst vor, Kleine." ((Do not fear, little one)) she whispered, gently stroking the girl's hair.

Kiara smiled as she sat beside Eglantine and her daughter, of the years she had picked afew phrases. Eglantine was still so mothering.

Rossa managed to stop crying in her Grandmama's arms, though she still sniffed back tears.

She hugged her lightly, as she had been told her grandmama was carrying babies and to be carefull around her.

Turning her head she gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Before leaning her head in her shoulder again.

"Thank you" she whispered.

For some reason she got the feeling her Grandmama had done her a favor.

Eglantine sighed gently as Rossa stopped crying. Horatio and Ciaran both had smiles on their bearded faces as they carefully maneuvered around her to begin digging into the pancakes.
"Aren't you hungry, kleine?" she asked, wandlessly conjuring a handkerchief to wipe the girl's nose and eyes with.

Rossa thought for a moment, "Maybe a little Grandmama.." she said softly.

Kiara was already far a head as she rose and to get a plate for her daughter and also get the long awaited tea and hot chocolate ready.

She brought the plate of pancakes out to Rossa with orange juice, decafe tea for Eglantine, regualar tea for her and Ciaran and of course Hot Chocolate for Horatio... just the way he liked it.

Rossa ate her pancake quietly, unlike her brother and uncle she like to eat quietly.

Kiara chuckled Rossa was such a dainty litte thing, it was no wonder she had eveyone wraped around her little finger.

"Lovely." Eglantine whispered, kissing Rossa's cheek. Horatio reached out to pat the girl's cheek, before digging back into his pancakes and beaming at the sight of his hot chocolate.

"Now there is a good girl!" he commented. "You grow up to be like your mama, Rosy." Horatio commented. "Good cook and perfect timing." Ciaran chuckled, softly, as he reached out to pulled Kiara against him.

"Thank ya, love." he muttered, kissing her full on the mouth. Horatio made a face after drinking his cocoa and shuddered.

"Definitely needs something. Sugar most likely." he nodded. Holding out his cup toward Eglantine and Rossa, he smiled and cast a cooling charm on the cup. "Would both of you lovely young ladies mind sweetening my drink?" he asked, eyes twinkling. It was a family custom that Horatio used to remind the ladies closest to his heart, his wife, daughter, and granddaughter that they were sweeter than sugar in his eyes.

Rossa giggled sightly as she saw her parents kiss, "Mommy and Daddy are kissing." she announced.

Kiara smiled and kissed her husband a moment longer before placing her arms on his shoulders.

"Yes we are sweet heart, thank you for pointing it out" she said as she tickled her daughter in the side.

Rossa let out a squeal as her mother ticked her briefly...

Kiara laughed softly at the sound of Rossa's laughter, so much more joyful the her tears.

She smiled at Horatio's custom as she brought Ciaran warm up to her month and kissed it.

Rossa's eyes came a light with fasination, and she smiled as she timidly placed finger in the cup.

"Does that make it better Grandpapa?" she asked, her voice full of inncocents.

Horatio nodded, sipping from the cup. "Ah, much better." he exclaimed, chuckling as Eglantine wiped Rossa's finger clean along with her own.

"You silly, Greis." ((old man)) she whispered. Horatio picked up Rossa from Eglantine's lap and swung her around as he put her up on his shoulders.

"Kamikaze!" he shouted, mimicking a plane as he ran around the kitchen.

Ciaran chuckled, returning the kiss and then pulling Kiara into his lap.
"Lovely cakes, love." he complemented.

"Be careful!" Eglantine protested from her chair.

Rossa squeeled in laughter as Horatio swung her around the kitchen.

Kiara laughed as she sat contently on Ciarans lap.

'Don't worry Eglanrtine, they will be alright" she said. "I doubt Horatio will let her fall" she said.

"Besides this is the happiest I have seen her in days" she said watching her father and daughter while holding on to Ciarans hands.

Horatio laughed heartily as he twirled around his arms straight out at either side as if he truly was an airplane...
"Bogie at 2 o'clock! dat dat dat dat dat! May day! May day!" he rumbled. "Were going down! Hang onto your hats, ladies!" Diving toward the floor, he spun in mid air using magic and morphed into one of his animagus forms, a black labrador. With Rossa secured on his back he barked and headed for the table, licking both Ciaran and Kiara's faces, he then jumped back down to the floor.

"Down boy!" Ciaran chuckled, wiping the drool from his neck. Eglantine shrieked softly as Horatio nuzzled her neck by partially jumping up on the chair.
"Horatio, please. You know I dislike you as a dog!"

As if on cue, Edwin and Edan ran into the room both jumping on Horatio, knowing all to well that he was their father/grandfather Horatio.
"Hold on Rossa!" Edan shouted, climbing on behind her. Edwin stayed off of the dog's back but laughed loudly as his father drooled all over his forehead.

Kiara laughed at her seat with Ciaran as she watched the kids play and laugh with Horatio, laughter was music to her ears, so much more uplifting then cries of fear.

"Now this more like it" she said with a chuckle. Then that mother type look entered her eyes and she summond a camera and snapped a photo of the kids and Horatio.

"I want to keep this moment...... " she said with a smile.

"Edan careful honey don't want be to heavy for him" she said slight warning in her voice, but her smile still remaind on her face.

Rossa giggled happily as she patted and held on to the back of Horatio's neck.

"Come on Eglantine-mama you have to admit they look like they are having loads of fun" she said as on to her name a title she used when she wanted to make Eglantine smile.

Ciaran chuckled as his wife snapped a photo of the children playing. "I know ya do, Ara." he nodded. He'd be sure to frame that picture and put it on their dresser...

Horatio rolled over on his back, forcing both Rossa and Edan to topple over onto the floor. Edan helped Rossa up, his face shining with laughter.
The dog leapt up to stand on his back paws and walked backwards in a little circle. Edwin and Edan clapped as Horatio did a flip.
"Yay, Grandpapa!" Edan exclaimed.

Eglantine nodded. "They are having fun, aren't they darling..." she smiled softly.

Rossa laughed as her Grandpapa flipped in the air and she clapped and cheered with her brother.

Kiara smiled when she caught the smile on Eglantines face while looked at the children and her husband who though he was a child.

She brought the camera up and snaped the photogragh, living proof the Eglantine McKevin smiled.

"Yes they do, and I am glad for it. I was getting to glummy around here." she said.

Horatio morphed back into his human form mid flip and sighed as he scooped up both Rossa and Edan, twirling them around.

Eglantine rose to her feet, her cane assisting her in the endeavour. "Where is Tavish?" she asked Kiara, looking around for her oldest grandson.