Point of Veiw

Bastian followed Calixta through the Patronus closely, though his mind was frantic, he wanted to think of something to fix this,, but her wasn't sure how. If he could undo what he had done he would, in a heart beat. But he couldn't.. He wanted her to forgive him, his way of thinking about the whole situation was different.. he kept work and personal life seperate, he may had disagreed with his case personally. But that was the whole thing with being a lawyer. He couldn't let he personal feelings get in the way. Cause they didn't matter.. he used the law and the truth of the case and tried to word them in his clients favor even if he didn't like him.

He remembered Calixta prasing him not few short days ago, he took it lightly let it slide off.. This was likely why he was single for so long.. the nature of his work in some cases was not the best.. He had been ever so foolish to assume Calixta already knew and understood.

It was not since his daughters death that Bastian had every felt so guilty before.

Bastian mentally shock his head, he felt like he was in the most important court of his career, and he had already lost.. Gulity as charged.. his only hope was that the judge was merciful in her sentencing.

Once they stepped outside the club, Calixta keep walking, straight across the sidewalk and the road and right up onto the little green from which Nightwalk Green got its name. There were a few trees, and flowers neatly planted around a pair of wooden benches. Old-fashioned lampposts stood at each of the four corners of the green, casting an odd, flickering blue light from their flames. As the benches were occupied, she instead headed for a strand of trees, setting herself down carefully on her dress and putting aside her heels. She buried her face in her hands as she tried to think of what on earth to say to Bastian. Every option before her was heart-breakingly painful, and it felt like there could be no way to come out of the situation feeling at all happy.

"I had no idea this is what you did," she finally said, raising her head. "I guess I kind of imagined that you were...I don't know, sticking up for the little guy, or something, you know? The way you went digging for information to help us after the attack...I thought you did that type of thing for a living. Not this. Not ever, would I have imagined..." she shook her head, trailing off.

"I guess, the shock of it...finding out that way, it's just...you have to understand. You think I'm holding up so well but I'm just barely making it. You're the only one who made me feel better, forget for a little while. Now I don't even have that." Calixta turned her eyes on Bastian; despair could clearly be seen in them.

"I can't....I, I don't want to..." She raked her fingers through her hair, sighing. "Do you understand? I can't bear it! I want nothing to do with him, nothing, and now you've to do with him. It feels like he's taken you from me. Once again, Hadrian Yaxley is here to ruin my happiness and break my heart. I never thought he'd have the power to do it twice."

Bastain shock his head, this wasn't entiery what he did, not by a long shot, just occasionally he only did a few of these.. and he was hired for all of them. He did and still did cases's like the Harpers Vulunteerily..

" Lass I don't always do Cases like Yaxley's, I owed his family a favor, they called it in for me to take his case. I don't like or agree with his way of life, perspnally he is a idiot, an over grown teenager to used to getting his own way. Calilixta.. if could undo it all I would, I am sorry, I have been seperating job from my personal life so much... I didn't think.." he said trying to take a step closer to her again, though not too close.

"I can go to the judge tomorrow, see if I can drop his case.. anything I will make sure I have nothing to do with him ever again" he said to her.. though he might contemplare curseing him into oblivion.. If only it hadn't been Yaxley, he didn't think it would have mattered to Calixta if it was a stranger he was defending.

"I want to fix this Lass, I don;'t want to loose ya, not after everything that we have been through, all becasue if this' he said, softly this time. And he was scared he would loose her, that was clearly in his eyes.

"I won't have anything to do with him. Anything." Calixta knew it was going to sound crazy, because it was that, and also a massive demand, but she couldn't help it. There was no way she would be able to stomach going out with Bastian anywhere, letting him spend money on her that he'd gotten by essentially defrauding a teenaged girl.

"I don't want to know him, I don't want to talk to him, and I certainly don't want anything to do with his gold. That money is tainted, cursed. I know it sounds dramatic but I don't care. If it's something you're not willing to do, then that's fine, I understand you've spent a lot of time working for it. But you can't have both. If it's gold you need, I have that and more. But I can't be with you if you take anything from them."

Bastain blinked, if giving up the money from this was what it took to earn her forgivness then fine. hands down head do it.. at this point he didn't care.

" Then I won't take his money" he said quickly not needing to think about it. he had more then enough money it didn't matter and he only got paid if he won anyway.. which at this point he didn't want to. It was a case he never liked from the start and hated right now.

"Merlin Calixta, I will do what ever ya wish" he said want nothing more then her forgivness..

"I will talk to the girls family again, try and help make sure she has a better life.. away from him" he said. he had talked to the Martins before, but they had been to angry with the whole situation to consider nagotiaction.

Calixta looked up into Bastian's eyes, surprised and relieved.

[color=darkblue]"Really?"[/I] she asked, wiping her eyes. She hadn't noticed her tears had finally overrun her. "You'll talk to her parents?" That he volunteered to go above and beyond what she'd even asked was what did it for Calixta. How could she stay angry at him? There was nothing further he could possibly do, except to turn back time.

Bastain nodded starting to feel relieved as well that Calixta liked his offer. "Already have, but they were very angry.. at her and him. But I will try again" he said heck he would even pay them the money he would have gotten from the case, weather he won or lost.

"I am sorry lass, you got to believe it. I do stupid things sometimes, I didn't know this would hurt you so" he said taking a risk in stepping closer to her and handing a clean hankerchife to her from his pocket.

Calixta and accepted the handkerchief, feeling a little silly now. It was fairly astounding how quickly things had turned around once she'd left the irritating presence of Hadrian Yaxley. She couldn't see anything but red in his presence, but now, here in the cool night breeeze, with Bastian's reassuring voice, her blood pressure returned to normal levels and she calmed down. Sighing, she wiped at her eyes and stood up, much shorter than usual as she was now barefoot in the grass.

"I do believe it. But is there anything else I ought to know? Anything at all...I think this coming as such a surprise did not help my reaction at all...I'm sorry."

Bastain sighed the last of his nervousness leaving him, he didn't blame her for her reaction at all. He supposed he deserved it.. He couldn't believe the cruel luck that he would happen to be defending the very person he should have been fighting against... he deicded then and there not to risk this again.. no more with these type of cases.

He thought for a moment if there was anything else she should know.. well there was the judgment day.. when the judge gave her vertict. if of course his appeal to drop the case was reacted.

"No Darlin you got nothing to be sorry for.. ya had every right.." he said patting a hand on her arm.

".. With his Case.. lass I will be honest, there is a chance my appeal to drop the case will be rejected. and there vertic will have to stand with me as his representive. I hope the jury doesen't side with him.." he said looking worried again.. but it was best not to hide it from her he supposed.

Calixta sighed again, worry clouding her face. "There's really nothing you can do? You can't just quit, have a mistrial declared?" She stood with her arms folded, back slightly hunched against the cold; the fabric of her dress was rather thin and ill-suited for windy weather.

"I guess, if there's nothing else that can be done..."

Bastian felt rather horrible right then, he removed his outter cloak and put it around her. he made the desicion right there to do what ever he could to get rid of this case. He wasn't sure what it would do to him career wise.. but he didn't want this to happen again

"I will do what ever it takes to get rid of him Lass, I am sorry" he siad for about the 10 times that since the whole thing started. Despite the fact Calixta was standing in the grass barefoot and he was wearing dress boots.. so essentaily towering over her.. he felt fairly small as well.

"I love ya you know that" he murmered.

Calixta smiled faintly as Bastian wrapped his cloak around her, keeping the chill out.

"Thank you," she murmured, looking up into his eyes. It was obvious he was still feeling horrible, which really hadn't been her intention. She blushed apologetically, and wrapped her arms around his waist in a comforting gesture.

"I do know that you love me, and that you'll do whatever it takes to fix this. I do. I'll get over it with time, I promise. You never meant to hurt me, and I'm sure it won't happen again." She tried unsuccessfully to give him a kiss, but as there was about a ten inch difference in height, only ended up hopping rather goofily.

"Hmmph! I should put my shoes back on..." she muttered, scooting them closer to her with one foot.

Bastian let out a small breath of relief at her words.. it felt like for the moment that she was going to dump him because of this.. he had just about panicked.

"I promise Lass this will never happen again.. will find someone else to deal with the Yaxleys else they will throw a tantrum" he said.

He couldn't help but chuckle at her issue with the height and getting her shoes. "Don't know how ya stand wearing those shoes Lass.. they look very uncomfortable" he said lightly, taking her hand and kissing it instead while she got her shoes on.

"That's because they are very uncomfortable," Calixta smirked, stepping into her shoes carefully and gaining nearly three inches instantly. "Cushioning Charm," she elaborated, taking advantage of her newly regained height and leaning upwards for a kiss.

"And I'm sure you will manage it somehow. You've ever let mw down before," she pointed out, with a slightly wistful tone. "But anyway -- do you want to go back in there? I never mentioned -- we came for Lainey, she made quidditch captain. We've got a private room up in the VIP, although I warn you, my mum and Julia are both there so prepare for Cougar town," she joked.

Bastain smiled "Very well Darlin.. if you want me ta go" he said kissing her back though he didn't want to intrube. It might be good for him to meet her mother and Aunt again.. get passed this bump in the road before figureing out what to do about his case with... that "man" for lack of a better word..

He took her hand glad they had worked this out rather quickly. He only hoped the rest of the evening was smooth sailing.

"I do," Calixta told him with a smile, lacing her fingers through his and leaning her head on her shoulder. "We barely just got here, I can't possibly leave already, and I want you by my side as often as I can have you before I go. Tomorrow's my last night, after all," she reminded him -- as if he needed any reminding. All she could think about was how much she dreaded leaving him, so she could only imagine he felt quite similarly.

"That reminds me, do we have any plans for tomorrow night?"

Bastain smiled now happy things smoothed them selves out, yet he nodded at the reminder she was leaving soon.. He would miss her of course, but it was her job, he knew that from the start.

"Ah Darlin other then wanting to be by your side for the evening no, no plans" he said wondering back towards the club.

He hoped they could avoid Hadrain and Neris, so he opened the door for them and looked straight a head to the lift up to the Vip rooms.

Calixta had a similar idea to Bastian's in wanting to avoid Hadrian and Neris, but then she caught a glimpse of them, both facing their direction as they passed. Trying to make the best of the moment, she pushed her arm around his waist and leaned against his shoulder, averting her face. She wouldn't have minded pissing the pair of them off by letting them see they'd made up, but not so much that she wanted to have to look at them one second longer than she had to.

In no time at all, they'd swept passed the crowd and onto the lift, where Calixta turned to face Bastian, arms still wrapped around him. She was so glad things had been resolved; for one frightening moment she thought she was going to lose her one greatest comfort. Fortunately she hadn't been wrong; Bastian was a good man, but even he made mistakes. Really that was a bit of a relief in a way since they hadn't had a single problem yet. Now that the other shoe had dropped, so to speak, and they had made it through, it felt a little more serious than before. They'd passed the first test.

The grilles opened and Calixta stepped out, looking for Adrian out of habit. Someone else was working the door tonight, but no matter -- they were on the list.

Bastain sighed as they walked passed Hadrain, he didn't care much for Neris.. but it was Hadrain that had nearly made him loose someone he loved... he suppoesed if he wanted to be fair it wasn't hadrains fault... directly anyway.. he hadn't ploted for this to happen.. But still. this was all because of Hadrain this unfolded... the catylyst that started the moment of fright.. He had unintentally hurt the one he loved, almost like that.. after everything he could have lost her that easily...

With a arm around her waist he walked with her to the VIP room, dispite her kidding he was still.. eager to know her family better this seemed a good time to do it.. much better atmosphere then in the hospital.

When they found then, Laeticia and Julia were chattering away and laughing at some joke that had been made before Calixta and Bastian's arrival. Both women looked pleased to see Bastian -- Calixta looked a little worried that combined, the two of them might be a little overwhelming, especially given the rather emotional moment that had just occurred.

"Bastian!" Laeticia called out in delight, standing up from her comfortable position on the couch to hug Bastian and give him a kiss. Behind them, Calixta cringed. "So good to see you -- Lix, you didn't tell us he was coming!" This time, Laeticia caught sight of the cringe, and patted Calixta on the cheek comfortingly.

"I'm sorry, it's habit! We called you that for so long, I still forget sometimes...Bastian, you met Julia."

"Yeah, where's my kiss?" Julia demanded jokingly.

Bastian nodded taking it all in stide as he usually did, he thought it best not to mention really what happened downstairs.. not unless she did.

"Yes Madma, we met downstairs, I.." he paused for a second..choosing his word carefully.

"Just Finished with a client" he said and it was true he and Yaxley were finished alright. Though he regreted to bring up again Hadrian was indeed still his client. He gave Calixta a discreet squeeze on her arm, now understanding her dislike of the name Lix.. recalling that was the name Yaxley liked to torment her over.

He much preferred his nicnames of course, more simple that way.

He chuckled at Julia shaking his head, what was with women and kisses he would never understand.

"I hope I am not intruding..." he added to Laeticia, Calixta had said he wouldn't be, but.. it always to make sure with the Mother first.. least that was his belief.

"Of course not, of course not! Come sit down," Laeticia replied, sitting back down herself and gesturing to the empty space beside her. Quickly, Calixta stepped forward and took the spot nearest her mother, hoping to be a human buffer of sorts.

"Where did Lainey go?" Julia asked, casting a side glance at her friend, Bex, who was sitting over in the corner looking very bored indeed.

"Oh! Erm, her and Aileen were still downstairs...Neris showed up," Calixta said by way of an explanation, grimacing. Laeticia raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Really? Ten to one that she only bumped into you lot by accident, and then figured she'd make the most of it by having you pay for her drinks." Calixta smirked, nodding.

"Pretty much," she confirmed, sliding a hand into Bastian's. The worst of the questions would be over now, and hopefully everyone could just breathe and relax and try to enjoy the remainder of the night. "Lainey's smart, she'll get away somehow. I'm sure she'll be right up soon enough."

"Everyone knows damn well that Neris was only invited as a courtesy to her mother. After what the girl did to you..." Laeticia dropped the thought at the frozen look on her daughter's face. "Anyway, so what are you two up to tomorrow? Last night in town, have you got any special plans?" Calixta blushed and her mother pretended not to notice, while Julia busied herself selecting two flutes of champagne and offering them to Calixta and Bastian. She accepted hers gratefully and hid herself behind the glass for a moment while waiting for Bastian's answer.

Ah his turn to answer, though he wasn't sure what to say, tipical last goodbye before she left. He hadn't really planned it out with her yet.

"Well I promised I would cook dinner, one day before she left, so tomorrow is a best time" he said looking at Calixta to see if she appoved of the idea.

He accpted the wine nodding his head and rised his glass to Julia in thanks, before taking a sip.

Calixta lowered her champagne and turned towards Bastian in surprise. She'd nearly forgotten that promise, but the idea sounded very appealing at the moment, given the semi-disaster that had become of her night out.

"Really? I'd love that!" she responded enthusiastically, prompting Julia and Laeticia to exchange a look and silent "Awww!"s which Calixta pretended not to notice.

"A handsome man who can cook? You have all the luck, Cali," Julia sighed, shaking her head. Calixta shot Bastian an embarrassed look and squeezed his hand again rather wishing that Lainey and Aileen would hurry up.

"James can't make anything more complicated than a ham sandwich," Laeticia agreed, making Calixta snort.

"It's not like you cook either, Mum! The house-elves do all the cooking!" she pointed out, but Laeticia only shrugged.

"Yes well, I could if I wanted to, and that's what's important. And I'll tell you what, you learned at my knee, little girl, so don't try and pretend otherwise!" Laeticia laughed, shaking her finger in her direction. "Oh yes, I taught my daughters as they ought to be, and they will make very pretty wives, I daresay." Calixta groaned and hid her blush behind her glass again, but Laeticia went on relentlessly.

"Have you ever had any of Cali's cooking, Bastian?" Poor Calixta could have died -- the leap in Laeticia's line of thought was far too obvious for her comfort.

Bastian blinked at all the question.. merlin the woman was good, with a side glance at Calixta he looked back at her mother and nodded smiling slightly, "Yes ma'am I have" he could tell Calixta was already embarressed by her mothers interigation.. So no need for him to be right?

"Returning the favor..." he said shortly as a expliantion of sorts for the promise he made to her. He wasn't about to admit right then, he hadn't cooked for two in years.. and he wasn't sure if it would turn out all that well.. He made a mental reminder to ask her if there was anything she really wanted or liked to eat..