Gwendolyn Malfoy's Residence ~FF~ June 2044

"Are you sure you want to do this?" The tall blonde woman asked, her voice thick with emotion.
Horatio sighed.
"Yes, I need to do this." he murmured, his voice sounding hollow even to his own ears. "I need to move on..." he laid back in his sloped seat, closing his eyes.

"Fine... then go and I'll cover for you." Gwen whispered, her eyes filling with tears. "But you're going to break her heart you now..." she added, not looking at her friend. Horatio just nodded. Did he really not seem to care? She knew he did... he just needed a break from reality for a moment. Of course she had suggested he take Eglantine with him... but he had insisted they needed time apart.

"What do you want me to tell her?" she asked, folding her arms. The older man didn't answer and she repeated the question.
"I don't care." he whispered. What? He didn't care what she said? Or... say he didn't care...? the second option froze her blood. What had happened to her friend?

"You don't care?!" she repeated, her eyes blazing. "She's your wife! Sweet Merlin, Horatio, You've been married for some twenty years. You have five children! You love her, don't you!?" She wanted to take and shake him; to get those deep blue eyes to flame even if it was with anger. The hollow uncaring man before her was not her friend, he was just a shell...

"I know, Gwen." he muttered, sounding terribly tired. "Just...stop." And Gwen did, only because she knew he wasn't listening.
"Fine... I'll cover, just like you said. But don't blame me if you get divorce papers in by owl tomorrow." she whispered. Horatio nodded.
"I wont."

He stood, picking up his bag from her floor and went to the portkey he had set on her mantle.
"Good bye, Gwen." he sighed. She remained silent.
There was the pop of his departing and then nothing.

Slowly she went to the window and rested her forehead against it... how the hell was she going to tell Eglantine McKevin what had happened? Much less Horatio's children. Circe, how had she ended up in this position.