Ministry Ball Welcoming Fall ~August 29, 2025 ~

She felt pain for some reason, pain on the insides of her chest. Why was it so painful? So heavy?

"...."

Diana started muttering.

Darien blinked and couldn't stop himself glancing back at Diana.

Even though it hurt.

Averting his eyes again in a childish attempt to ward off the pain, he couldn't help but listen to the mutterings of his ex-wife...

"Mh..." Diana moaned. Her eyes shut tight. She seemed to be having a nightmare of some sort.

Darien hovered awkwardly. He should do something...she looked like she was in pain...

No! He ordered himself.

He turned away again.

He couldn't get involved. Not again.

"Mmm...." Diana turn her head in one direction sharply. "no---no...."

Darien's eyes flickered back to Diana.

Was she having a spasm?

...He hoped not.

"...Diana?"

She didn't wake from her distressed induced nightmare. If anything, it seemed to get worst.

"... No...sss.... nnnnn" Diana clutched her fist.

Darien glanced around for Nick.

He couldn't deal with this...

"...Diana? What's...Are you..." His voice faded. He was getting involved again.

A sound of woe as Diana started to sob.

Darien awkwardly touched her shoulder.

"...Diana? What's...What's wrong?"

Diana seemed to calm at Darien's voice.

"....wwwwhy did you leave?" She asked softly still in her stupor.

Darien jumped. "I...I...You...It..."

He sighed, turning away, a single tear falling down his cheek.

"It was for the best. I had to keep you safe."

Diana frowned at that slightly. A tear of her own racing out the edge of her eyes.

"... I've missed you....."

"...I've missed you too..." Darien whispered.

A tiny voice in his head nagged that he was becoming too involved. He'd left...He was just making it worse for himself...and Diana.

"... it hurts..." Diana sobbed slightly. "... so much..."

"...I...I know." Darien felt another tear slide down his nose.

"...I'm so sorry..."

Diana snuggled closer to him, and whispered, "Please come back..."

Darien had to force the words out. "I can't...I would ruin everything..."

He almost moved away, but couldn't bring himself to do so.

"It's Nick and you now..." His tone was resentful...and lugubrious. ((lol...gotta love that word ))

"..." Her stupor made her honest. "I don't love Nick..."

"...But...you..." Darien's heart leapt, but he remained stunned.

"But...your baby!"

((Dun dun dun! What will happen next? Will Diana reveal the truth? Will Diana and Darien get back together? And what of Celina?!?! Tune in to this mind blowing series to find out!))

But before Diana could answer, several footsteps were fast approaching. Nicolas came back, jogged back was more like it, with what can be presumed to be a healer, of the older sort with a greying temple, on his heels.

"She's over there," Nicolas said pointing at where Diana was. Second later, both healer and Nick were at Darien's side surrounding Diana.

"Can you tell me exactly what happened?" The Healer asked checking Diana's vital signs.

"She pretty much fainted."

"What happened before that?" The Healer asked checking Diana's temperature.

"We were..." Nicolas threw a dirty look at Darien's direction before answering. "... arguing."

"I see," The healer sat taking out his wand and did some sort of complicated wand movements that would probably familiar to a fellow healer but looked very weird indeed to non-healers. "And what trimester is she in?"

"Hm?" Nicolas said distracted, he was watching the the healer.

"How far into the pregnancy is she?" The Healer rephrased the question assuming Nicolas did not know what he meant. Well he didn't but that isn't important.

Nicolas scowled and hesitated. Considering Darien was there, he didn't think it wise to specify the exact date. Though he didn't think Darien was all to bright, he was pretty sure Darien could figure out that Diana'd been pregnant before Nicolas and Diana 'got' together. "I'm not quite sure," Nicolas lied. "I'm not very good with keeping up with this sort of thing..." Nicolas pretended to look sheepish.

"It doesn't matter," the Healer said removing his coat so he could move around better. "Do you have some mode of transport? I think we may need to admit her in St. Mungos."

"... yes but it only fits two." Nicolas responded. "Is it really that serious?"

"From what you've told me, your Healer said that she should be careful considering her pregnancy is at a critical condition isn't that correct?"

Nicolas nodded in the affirmative.

"That she'd been depressed and thus the 'baby had a bit trouble hanging in there'?"

Again a nod from Nicolas.

"And that you should make sure she didn't get into a situation that is too stressful?"

Another nod.

The Healer stopped and looked at Nicolas scoldingly. "Partaking in an argument is a highly stressful situation."

Now Nicolas was genuinely sheepish. When the Healer returned to fussing with Diana, Nicolas glared at Darien.

"Can't we simply apparate?"

"Not good for the baby," the Healer replied easily.

"My car only fits two," It was some sort of Muggle sports car, fast and pretty, it wasn't very roomie.

"Who are you?" The Healer asked Darien.

((Sorry got a little... carried away. A lot longer than I expected it to be.))

"D-" Darien closed his eyes. "I'm nobody."

He stood up. "I should be going."

((lol...who's gunna stop him? ))

The Healer stopped him. (lol like Nick was gona do it.)

"Can you apparate me to St. Mungos? I can't apparate myself, too long a story to explain."

Nicolas bend down and picked Diana carefully up in his arms as they awaited Darien's answer.

Darien stopped a sigh. "Sure."

He glanced at Nick. "Shall we get going then?"

"Yes," the Healer said as Nicolas, with Diana in his arms, ignored Darien and headed to his car.