December 30, 2027

Viper sighed as she looked up from her position laying down on the couch at her two children Lara and Demyan running and laughing at the top of their lungs. They had spent th better part of the day chasing each other round and around the Manor and had now migrated to the lowest level's living room where Viper had previously been relaxing.

"Admit it!" Lara teased with laughter as she ran round and around the coffee table. "Admit that you sleep with your baby blankie!" she giggled, circling the table over and over again.

The youngest of the Kaminski children, Lynn, had unfortunately caught a rather nasty case of the flu so Viper had spent the better part of the previous night awake, right beside her and was at this point quite tired herself, in need of some time to sleep. Yet, despite her exhaustion, she couldn't help but smile at her childish antics.

"You're not one to talk, Cookie, regardless of your brother's answer. After all, you yourself still sleep right beside your stuffed animal army." Viper laughed and winked at her two children, making her way to them, kissing their foreheads affectionately before sitting beside them.

Rossa was clinging to her Grandmother, tears still streaked her face as they arived with a pop in solid ground.

She looked her around... This wasn't home.

She blinked curiously, where were they? "Where are we Grandmama?" she asked quietly, still shaking from the cold.

Eglantine turned around slowly, wondering why they had apparated so far from where she had intended. Excessum practically shook in her pocket and she cursed its very existence. Viper Manor... she recognized it from several unknown visits she had taken over the years...

"It will be fine, love." she assured her granddaughter. But her mounting fatigue now that she was in human form insisted nothing would be "all right".

Rossa bit her lip as she shivered, "Okay Grandmama" she said with a nod. Although she did wonder why they were here.

"Where are we going to go?" she asked.

Eglantine sighed softly, her body slowly lifting from the ground until she was levitated.
"You remember Uncle Sevastyan and Aunt Viper, do you not, Spatzi?" she asked, slowly moving toward the manor. Excessum would not have brought them there had there not been a reason... and that worried her.

Viper stiffened instinctively as she felt the wards surrounding the Manor activate by another's prescence. Slowly, as to not frighten her children, she rose from her sitting position to conjure a holographic image of the trespassser.

Confusion illuminated her eyes as the form of Professor Delanquar and a little girl Viper recognized as Kiara's daughter appeared in a small bubbled image. Granted, Professor Delanquar knew where the Manor was and able to at least apparate to itm considering Viper had informed her and a few others of the Manor's location shortly after Lara was born in case of an emergency, but still... While the years had provided the two witches to work together in courtesy with rare, real disargreements, their relationship was nowhere near to the point of visiting each other to have a heartfelt chit-chat or a bit of gossip over a cup of tea.

Nervousness and paranoia began to take form. Had something happened to Kiara and the others? Was that the reason for the Professor's visit?

"Sevastyan?" Viper called out for her husband, making her way towards the front door. "Professor Delanquar is outside..."

"I do not!" Demyan veritably shrieked with glee at being chased, laughing when his mother stated her piece. "That's right - you even named each and every one in that 'army,' too..." boyish giggles erupted from the boy as he too went round and round the coffee table, evading his older sister. Had the table been taller, he would've attempted to go under it. But alas - it would've taken too much time and effort to do so with a coffee table... but that didn't stop him from feigning to do so!

However, when his mother approached, Demyan immediately halted in running from his sister. He grinned at the affectionate gesture and, once Viper had sat down, climbed into snuggle close to her. It was only when she stood and was no longer watching that he gave Lara a playful little push on the shoulder.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Sevastyan and Praskovya Kaminski had just crept out of Lynn's bedroom and into the hallway when the former heard Amaranth call. They both had just gotten the child to restful slumber. Praskovya was going to whip up a family remedy that soothed the symptoms and was suitable for very young children to consume as well.

"Professor DeLanquar... vich vone of your friends vos that, again, Vas?" asked Praskovya.

"Transfiguration professor," he replied abruptly and nearly took the stairs three at a time. While they had had their ups and downs, Sevastyan considered Eglantine DeLanquar an acquaintance and friend. Not any really close friendship, but if she needed any assistance from him he would oblige. However, for her to show up alone, without her husband or even Kiara and her family for that matter, gave the Russian wizard cause for concern.

Had something happened? Was everyone all right?

"On my vay," he called to his wife. Approaching the front doors, Sevastyan conjured his thick bear's fur cloak from its usual place and practically flung it around his shoulders. The rest of him was dressed suitably for going out in the cold. Opening one of the doors, Sevastyan stepped out into the snowy but well-cleaned pathway to meet the unexpected but welcome guests. At least, so long as they were not purgers in disguise...

It only just occurred to him that these two may be under the effect of Polyjuice potion and not really Professor DeLanquar or Rossa, even though not many knew the location of Viper Manor. But yet, at the same time, he couldn't just keep them out here for any longer than was absolutely necessary. Not everyone enjoyed the icy chill nipping at one's skin...

"Good day, Professor..." he offered tentatively, before crouching down to Rossa's level. "...and to you as vell, Rossa."

Eglantine sighed wearily as she spied Sevastyan and Viper. Scooping Rossa into her arms, she held the little girl close, despite her trembling hands. Although she truly believed the couple she was approching were the Kaminskis... she had no desire to explain to them why she was there... It was such a complex reasoning...

She had not been able to tell Horatio and Kiara about what was too come. Excessum must have sensed danger about where she had fled and found Rossa. And now there they stood at Viper Manor. It was most confusing...

"Добрый день." ((good day)) she murmured in Russian. Rossa's weight, although not great, added to her own and the twins she carried. She wavered, blinking as the light dimmed about her.

Rossa blinked, yes she remembered Uncle Sevastyan and Aunt Viper, Uncle Sevastyan was her Godfather after all.

Still shivering she nodded; "Hello Uncle Sev..Sevastyan... Good day." she said quietly her small voice barely heard above the wind.

She hugged to her grandmother, and almost seemed to sense when something wasn't right, and her Grandmothers Balance wavered.

Holding tightly to her Grandmama she called out "grandmama!"

"Stay right here." Viper told her two children, gesturing to the living area. Considering the plethora of charms surrounding Viper Manor, including the Fidelius Charm, she was certain it truly was Professor Delanquar and Rossa, but she still preferred to air on the side of caution.

Conjuring her black dragon skin trench coat with the added warming charms, she followed her husband out the door, approaching the other two.

"Professor Delanquar, Rossa, hello." she greeted with a small smile, resting her hand gently on her husband's shoulder as he bent down to make eye contact with the child.

"What brings you here, Professor?" Viper inquired in a polite, gentle tone. It wasn't that the other two were unwelcome. Far from that, in fact. It was merely odd for them to venture all the way here with only the two of them. "Professor?" she asked with alarm as it seemed the Professor was beginning to waver.

She wondered briefly why she had left her cane by the table... but conjuring another was out of the question as her mind swam with random images from her memories and what she saw of the future.

The entire Kaminski family, dead with little fight and little trouble flashed before her eyes, and her breathing became erratic. Clutching Rossalyn even tighter, tears began to fall down her pale cheeks.
"No...no." she whispered. Finally falling to her knees, Eglantine saw Horatio battling a foe, whose face was hidden. In the darkness she saw him fall...and his life diminished to her horror.

She buried her face against her granddaughter and began to sob.

Rossa let out a scared yelp when her grandmother dropped to her knees.

She looked at her Grandmother, confusion, and fright in her eyes as Eglantine cried against her.

The combo of the cold, tiredness, fright and confusion led to her begin to sob as well. She didn't know what to do, she didn't no why they were here, she wanted to go home..

She glanced at her Aunt and Uncle, a look in her greenish blue eyes that she needed help.

The pressure of a hand upon his shoulder - his wife's hand - quelled any uneasiness that had begun to surface about the possibility of this being a trap. Viper Manor was in fact well-fortified, just like his family's manor. He was just being paranoid. It couldn't be helped: he was a protective man when it came to those he loved dearly.

Like Amaranth, Sevastyan too was curious as to the visit. They were more than welcome, of course, but for them to come by themselves and not have the rest of the clan with them was... well, it wasn't the usual type of occurrence. It wasn't like they just lived down the street, for that matter. So why would they travel all the way here? Sevastyan supposed that for now that fact was irrelevant. All that mattered was to get the pair inside where it was warm.

The wizard grew concerned as he noticed Professor DeLanquar waver, though Viper had beaten him to the one-word inquiry. Color began to drain from his face not out of cold but out of concern for the witch before he and his wife: the erratic breathing, the way she clutched onto Rossa, and the tears all were noticed. He had started to reach out for the pair of them when it seemed like Eglantine was falling, but was unable to prevent it from happening.

"Professor...?" he asked, striding over to stand beside the sobbing witch and little girl and placing a gentle hand upon the backs of both. "It vill be okay. ... Please, come inside - ve can get you varmth replenishing potions and votever else you need," Sevastyan offered and attempted to comfort at the same time, then glanced up at Amaranth. Though words could not be conveyed through the eyes, feelings could be. At this very moment Sevastyan's were calmly keeping fears of the worst and its subsequent denial at bay, and attempting to take inventory of his wife's feelings about this.

"Amaranth, let's just get them inside. Ve can ask qvestions later," he suggested, letting a small portion of his worry show before trying to soothe the child with quieted murmurings. "Professor... allow me to take Rossa - she vill be in good hands, I promise. It vill be all right..." This was directed toward Eglantine, made obvious by the contact of his hand upon the woman's forearm that held the girl.

Moments after Viper voiced her inquiry, she realized that, despite the effort to ask in a gentle, non accusatory manner her words could still be interpreted by the older witch. Mild worry plagued her up until Eglantine dropped to her knees with tears streaming down her face. By then, the confusion and concern took over. The Potions Mistress had enough sense to know it wasn't her words that had provoked such a reaction.

True she may have caused enticed such a reaction from a student on occassion, perhaps an old ECHO employee, but never in this magnitude... No, clearly she and Sevastyan were missing something. Something very important. All Viper could do was hope Professor Delanquar wouldn't play her usual hand of secrecy and hold nothing back.

She met Sevastyan's gaze, reading the emotions she conveyed in his gray orbs as easily as a potions book, and reflecting her own which she dare not voice: concern, confusion, bewilderment, and a very subtle whisper of fear. She nodded silently at Sevastyan's course of action, stepping closer to the older Professor slowly as to not cause her anymore distress.

"It'll be all right, Professor. I promise you, you're safe here..." she offered in a voice barely above a whisper, awkwardly holding out a hand, intending to aid Eglantine from her current position on the ground.

Eglantine heard Sevastyan and then Viper. She slowly loosened her tight hold on Rossa and her mind convinced her they were correct. As the young girl left her arms, she lost her last bit of energy and slumped forward.

Her body was shaking violently due to the magical energy Excessum was attempting to feed her. Her body was hardly strong enough to handle the intense power coursed pain up her back and into her head.

Unknown to her, her green eyes clouded almost to grey. One of the twins kicked within her, and she brought a trembling hand to her slightly swollen abdomen.

"Tod in den Tod"((Death within death))Eglantine whispered. "смерть в течение смерти" ((death for death)) she repeated several times...German, Russian, Spanish, French, Gaelic, it all mixed and became muddled, the words hardly making sense. Only a constant word...death.

Rossa eyes went wide with fear as she heard her grandmother mutter about death, the feeling it sent through her spine was the same as her nightmares.

"Grandmama?" she asked confused and very scared. Tears still coursed down her face.

She looked at her uncle, "I got lost, and...and she found me... and took me here. Will she be okay?" she blurted out and asked.

Eight years of marriage meant it was easy for the couple to read one-another, and thus Sevastyan was able to pinpoint all of the emotions he perceived in the emerald orbs. He stood nearby in case perhaps by grasping his elbow would lend Eglantine enough support to lift herself up with Amaranth's help. However, with the child in his arms, he couldn't do much without using magic. There was nothing wrong with that, no, but Sevastyan did not like the idea of using magic on an expectant mother unless it was absolutely necessary.

He was relieved when Professor DeLanquar released her hold on Rossa without question, though was feeling as though he was still missing something. Something... big. Because Sevastyan did not mind the cold too terribly, he held Rossa close to him from under the cloak and charmed it to accommodate the small girl yet keep the cold out. The bear fur was warmed by his own body heat and a warming charm. He held Rossa at the side of his hip. However, being a man and therefore not exactly curvy in that region, Sevastyan had to more or less stabilize her with one of his arms.

As he noticed Eglantine had fallen forward, Sevastyan immediately knelt to make sure she was okay. Upon noticing the professor's eyes cloud and change color, Sevastyan slowly hissed a curse of the non-magical variety out of surprise in a garbled mish-mash of Russian and Parseltongue. Remembering there was a child present, Sevastyan coaxed Rossa to turn her head so as not to see the strange happenings going on with her grandmother.

Stormy eyes widened at both muttered comments from Eglantine: 'death within death' and 'death for death'... in two different languages he was fluent in. He would have covered Rossalyn's ears as the Professor continued in various other languages but the initial message had been heard. "Inside..." he grunted and stood back up with the child still in his arms. "Can you?" Sevastyan asked Viper and gestured to the other witch. He had his hands full with Rossa at the moment.

Speaking of Rossa, Sevastyan's attention quickly switched to her, though he kept a corner of an eye on his wife as well. He nodded once at her tale, which explained some small part how they came to be here by themselves. "Я знаю не…" he whispered the sincerely uncertain confession in his mother tongue. Hoping she didn't know a lick of Russian, he said in English, "In time..." Then, realizing how this might be interpreted by a child's mind he added, "Of course she'll be fine." Rossa did not need anything more upsetting her right now.

Yet, the statements of death made him distinctly unnerved...

As Viper noticed the Transfiguration Mistress slump forward, quivering with energy, her eyes widened slightly as she too bent downwards to make eye contact with the older witch. Raven eyebrows contracted in confusion and puzzlement at the garbled speech cadencing out of the Professor. Thanks to her years married to Sevastyan, she had a handle on German and Russian as well as the other languages she managed to pick up, which greatly aided in her comprehension of said garble. Something she almost wished had not occured for it left an icy feeling within her that had nothing to do with her surroundings...

She cursed inwardly, not entirely sure what to do. Especially she wasn't even sure what to make of the situation. In any normal circumstance, Viper would have merely given Eglantine a sedative potion and send her to bed, but unfortunately tha wasn't quite an option in this scenario. Considering Eglantine was expecting at the moment, giving her a sedative spell or potion would be a rather reckless course of action, one Viper would not take unless it proved to be absolutely necessary to calm the witch down.

As much as Viper hated to admit it, being a Potions Mistress and former Head of a Lab, modern potions were lacking quite heavily when it came to accomodating pregnant women. Potions, aside from a few and prenatal ones, were designed for those capable of breathing and living on their own, away from the womb. The use of it on a smaller life form, well, let's just say an Investigation on the one responsible for such an event would be likely...

Viper pondered her courses of action availible, only breaking from her musings by the sound of her husband's voice. She nodded slowly, reassuring Sevastyan and the child he was holding. "She'll be fine, Rossa. Don't worry, dear." Viper told the girl gently before redirecting to her husband in parseltongue. "It's all right, I can manage. Perhaps we should ask the children to bring Rossa into the kitchens for a a snack or something? I don't want our children traumatized or for Rossa to be affected anymore than she already is..."

With that said, Viper transfigured a nearby snowball from the pile the children had made earlier during their snowball fight and transfigured it into a wheelchair, levitating it closer, beside Eglantine. She brought two fingers to her mouth and whistled loudly, but not enough to harm the eardrums of those around her, summoning two female house elves: Hilda and Zelda. Speaking in a low tone and rapidly, Viper filled them in on the current situation, informing them of their tasks of helping to bring the Professor inside. With a nod of comprehension from both creatures, they took their place on both sides of Eglantine to help steady her.

Once more, Viper extended her hand to Eglantine with the same hint of awkwardness, though the situation made it nearly impossible to think of such things now. "Professor?" she asked softly with a gentle, patient tone she often used with her own children. The last thing she wanted was to cause the older woman any more distress by appearing impatient and irritated.

Eglantine allowed the house elves to help her into the wheelchair at the same time, her trembling hand gently grasped Viper's offered hand. It was such a comforting gesture, that had she been thinking more clearly, she would have asked if Viper had been feeling well.

Sighing softly as she sunk down into the wheelchair, Eglantine closed her eyes, but did not let go of Viper's hand. Horatio and Kiara's faces, asking her questions, flashed before her mind and Excessum kicked into action, banishing the thought as she immediately saw their deaths as well.

Viper... the younger professor whom Eglantine loved dearly as one might a rebellious daughter that never saw eye to eye with you. Her broken bleeding body as an image wafted over Eglantine's senses. The cursed words were strengthened as she weakened. The entire future soon lay before her feet and Eglantine did the only left for her to do... she faded into unconsciousness.

Tears still coursed down Rossa's face and into the fur of her Uncle Sevastyan's coat, she didn't understand what was happening, it was all to much for her. Was this what her Mother and Grandfather meant when they said her Grandmother needed help?

When both her Uncle Sevastyan and Aunt Viper assured her that her Grandmother would be okay she wanted to believe them, more then anyrhing. But she was scared, and this had all happened so suddenly.

"You can help her? Mommy and Grandpapa said she needed it before she ran away" Rossa offered the information she had over heard behind the snow bank.

She sniffed back her tears as they ventured inside Viper Manor, praying very much like her mother was at that moment that her grandmother would indeed be alright.

Sevastyan nodded to Viper's statement in parseltongue. "My mother should be in the kitchen... I can get her to look after them there," he replied in kind. That was the benefit of Parseltongue, or had been until his son and daughter picked it up: Amaranth and he could hold highly-private conversations the children needn't or shouldn't know about - such as Christmas presents and their locations.

It felt as though someone were physically throttling his heart upon seeing Rossa's frightened face and hearing her words. He didn't mind the fact that the tears were soaking into his cloak: Merlin knows all three children had cried into the garment at one point or another. It wasn't like the tears damaged it any. "Ve vill try, Little Rose," he murmured and kissed the child's forehead as they ventured back up to the Manor.

The moment he entered, Demyan approached. Sevastyan was thankful that it seemed one of the two stayed indoors. "Demyan, I vant you and your sistra to sit vith Rossa and your babushka in the kitchen. Maybe if you ask nicely, babushka vill prepare a snack for all of you," he asked of the child that wasn't much older than the one in his arms.

"Can ve bring snacks in here?" Demyan asked, not really keen on the idea of being in the kitchen while his babushka worked on a nasty-tasting flu potion.

"Demyan... please, just do as I ask and stay in the kitchen vonce you're there. Da?" Sevastyan sighed with slight exasperation. They didn't have time to dilly-dally, not knowing what was wrong with Professor DeLanquar.

With a smile to Rossa, Sevastyan placed her into a standing position on the floor, then took off his cloak. A muttered spell caused said cloak to shrink to Rossa's size, and was seconds later draped over the girl's shoulders. "There. You can use that to varm up, okay?" he explained with a reassuring smile as Demyan, without a word, went in search for his sister. "Demyan and Lara vill show you the vay to the kitchen."

((I'm assuming the three head to the kitchen in order to go ahead w/ Sevastyan's next move...))

Once the children were well on their way to the kitchen, Sevastyan sighed. He had some information on the events leading up to now, but had no idea what was really going on. Normally the children, Viper, and he would all be in Russia right now visiting the Kaminski clan. Interesting how fate seemed to work in mysterious ways...

Sevastyan didn't take long reflecting on fate and similar concepts, and soon found himself having subconsciously made his way over to the fire place. He hadn't realized he'd been pacing there. The wizard eyed the ornate container full of floo powder intently. Should he? For all he knew they were out looking for these two... or, he feared, in no condition to look for them at all - to put it nicely. Sevastyan knew if it was his child out in this weather he'd want to know immediately that they were someplace safe no matter what.

And that was precisely why, after a barked spell caused a fire to spring forth, Sevastyan dipped a few fingers into the container and grabbed a decent amount of the powder within...

((Taking floo convo to McConn Residence, December 2027))

Rossa felt slightly calmer by her Uncles reassurance as he brought her inside the house and she started wipping the tears off her face as she nodded her head.

She looked over curiously when she saw Demyan come over to them, she didn't feel all that hungry but perhaps it would make her feel better. When her uncle put her down and put the warm cloak over her she nodded her head.

"Thank you Uncle Sevastyan" she said simply as she hugged the cloak aound herself.

She then looked shyly at Demyan and wipped the rest of her tears away from her face, she didn't want the boy her age to see her cry like a baby.

"Umm Hello..." she said not knowing what else to say to him as they want find Lara and then to the Kitchens.

While her parents had gone outside, Lara had ventured into the downstairs playroom, looking for her pet rabbit Cassiopeia in her arms. She had been further down the hall but had still managed to hear her father's instructions. While she wouldn't openly admit it, she felt a pang of jealousy at seeing her father carry Rossa. Despite having two younger siblings, Lara still tended to get a bit jealous whenever she saw her father dote on other children. Quickly, she crossed the remaining distance to her father, brother, and Rossa.

"You got it, daddy." she replied with a smile and nod, holding her black dwarf rabbit against her chest. "C'mon, Rossa." she said, indicating the direction of the kitchen with her head, dashing into it.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Viper's eyes widened as she visibly paled, unnerved and worried about Eglantine. "Professor? Professor, can you hear me?!?" she exclaimed, snapping her fingers in front of the older woman in an effort to rouse her, but to no avail. She swore loudly before commanding the house elves to follow her as she ran inside.

With a wave of her hand, she transfigured the black couch into a bed, instructing the house-elves to support Eglantine as she, very slowly and carefully, levitated Eglantine into the bed. She wondered absentmindedly where her husband was as she was still inside when he flooed to Kiara's home, before taking several deep breaths to help calm herself, summoning her basic potions first aid kit.

Viper cursed herself for her inability and lack of knowledge to do anything, having dropped the first-aid classes that were strongly recommended. Why, she wondered, was it the knowledge she had forsaken be what she required most?

With a shaky hand she cast a diagnostic spell to monitor Eglantine and the children she was carrying, before conjuring a lavender inscence, and lighting it. It was the safest way to go, she decided, relaxation wise, as lavender was not for its anti-stress properties and would not be dangerous or harmful in any way.

The diagnostic spell glowed a light crimson color as information started registering slowly, little by little. Viper conjured a cold cloth and rested it against Eglantine's forehead, looking up to see what information was availible. A small frown lit her face as she noticed a lack of nutrients in Eglantine's system. Knowing that vitamins were safe and highly recommended, especially for expecting women, Viper conjured a mild dose of nutrients potion and spelled it into an IV, gently connecting it into one of Eglantine's veins and charming it to flow slowly, as to not overwhelm her system.

Taking a few steps back, Viper crossed her fingers, hoping this would be enough to help Eglantine, for she wasn't entirely sure, nor did she ever want to be in the position, to decide what to do next if more aid was needed...

((lol... aww @ Lara getting jealous.))

"Hi," Demyan replied with a slight hint of a smile, obviously a bit miffed by the request to go to the kitchen and stay there. He half-followed the other two girls to the kitchen, considering he was showing Rossa the way as much as Lara was.

** ** ** ** **

Sevastyan emerged from the grate of the fireplace and cast a quick spell to get off any soot that collected on his person. He blinked at the sudden wave of lavender scent that reached his nose. It wasn't that he didn't like it, just that he wasn't expecting it. Especially since vanilla was more along his wife's venue of aromas. He stood still for a moment, watching her set up an IV of some sort of potion to Eglantine. Given the color, he would assume it was vitamins considering it looked rather a lot like the stuff Viper often concocted for the kids to make sure they had their daily intakes.

Laying down - cool cloth - and a diagnostic spell. Everything on the list of things Sevastyan was advised to provide had been taken care of. The smallest of smiles came to his face as he approached his wife, placing his hands gently upon her hips and resting his chin on her shoulder.

"I spoke vith Kiara - they are all fine. As for the Professor... vell, the only thing ve can do now is vait," he murmured quietly, warmly reassuring. "But by the looks of things, you've done excellently, любовь ((love))." Sevastyan added, lifting his head for to gently place a kiss at the middle of the stretch of Amaranth's neck that was nearest.

Eglantine slowly floated within her mind's protective shell. Several moments passed and the images passed along with the extreme weakness. Excessum all but forced her to leave her protection within the safe confines of her mind and she groaned softly, awake, but refusing to open her eyes.

The lavender in the air soothed her frazzled nerves and the feeling of the soft bed beneath her slowly assisted her in opening her eyes. Firstly she noted that Viper was there. It puzzled her until a flood of images, this time harmless ones washed over her and her pale features whitened even further.

"Amaranth?" she asked softly. Eglantine slowly forced herself to sit up, ignoring how cold she was and how the room spun slightly. Viper looked pale and worried; hardly holding the almost lofty untouchable exterior she had grown accustomed to seeing. Noting the IV, an eyebrow raised.
"Thank you..." she finally managed.