He wouldn't they would be?... Well wasn't that just a bleak outlook on things. Emily was about to reassure him that he would most definitely qualify to have his salary reviewed once things settled down, but it seemed he had other thoughts on his mind. Leaning casually against one of the fixed shelving units, Emily listened, politely nodding to indicate her understanding.

Niece and nephew... that would be rough. She knew of others in similar situations, with children, but there was only so much she could do in the current situation. "I realise your circumstances are rather difficult at the moment, and I'm sorry for that... perhaps..." perhaps she could figure something out. Review the budget again. Make cuts elsewhere. One ply toilet paper anyone? Thin third grade parchment? Watered down ink? Even worse coffee?

She'd been about to say as much. That she would see what she could do to ease the burden of his situation.. and then he started on the topic of loving his job, and how amazing she was? Where was Gavin? He had to hear this!... but, no. Emily tilted her head to the side, already making assumptions on what he was going to say.

Australia.

Australia were poaching him from her? Circe!Emily pushed away from the shelving unit, hard. She couldn't sit back, lay back, whatever on this matter...
"Skander, please, I'm sure we can come to some arrangement. You belong here." Didn't he? She clearly thought he did.

Skander leaned back against the shelving as Emily talked. He could see where this was going now. It seemed that this conversation wasn't going to be a complete disaster. Although it wasn't going to be easy either. His boss wasn't going to make it easy. Paired with the fact that he really didn't want to go he almost found himself agreeing with her.

He'd made his home here for over a decade. He'd been born here even. Australia, when he went back every year was great, but he no longer associated the place with home. Although he loved it dearly. He grew up there, still had his friends and family there. But to his new wards it was home.

"I'm glad you think so," he told Emily when she unknowingly emulated his own thoughts. It was nice to think his boss liked him enough to want him to stick around. "But as much as I may belong here the kids don't really. They've visited a few times, and they love London. But the rest of my immediate family is based in Sydney. They've been staying with my parents, and will do so until the Ministry closes. I'd figured it would be best to leave them there until I had the time to be with them and help them settle in," he'd even been house hunting and had put an offer in on a place. It hadn't gone through yet, and it wouldn't now as he'd be withdrawing it. No final contracts had been signed, and even if they had been Skander could have figured it out.

"I'd turned it down originally because it was in Games and Sports, for only 100 galleons more." he was aware that when he said only Emily would probably realise that if he had only himself to think about he wouldn't even consider taking the job. "You weren't here when I first started here but I was originally assigned there. Vindictus convinced me to move here and become the Division Head for Quidditch," he added with a wry smile. How appropriate that the Ministry he'd been poached from was now attempting to poach him back.

"They wrote again yesterday. The Department Head for the MLE is apparently retiring and I'm old friends with the man stepping in to take his place. He was the Director of Prosecutions, and his spot will be vacant in a few weeks time..." He'd gone to school to become a lawyer and he thought he did a great job at it. This would be a promotion and a good opportunity for him. It was another step up the ladder. He was only sorry he was going to have to move to make it.

If there was to be a saving grace, it was the fact that Skander felt he belonged here too. Thank Merlin. She wasn't exactly a people person but she thought she'd at least been professional enough to make people feel welcome on level two. Minus those that clearly did not belong and had poor attitudes. Mmhhmm. But Skander, he'd been a permanent fixture to the department since she got here, and in that sense, it was strange to think of the place without him. "I do," she confirmed, her tone insisting that he stay.

It seemed though that her opinion wasn't enough to convince him when stacked against family. That was something she never really understood, it was never something she'd had to consider before. Making decisions around family instead of her career. Three guesses which guided her through life?
"I see," she said simply, her features softening slightly. All his talk of Games and Sports sounded familiar, not because he'd told her before but because she'd read his file. So even if she didn't associate the department with the stellar prosecutor, she was aware of his past. Still, she could appreciate him telling her. "I suppose this is rather ironic then," she noted, though she still wasn't thrilled about the idea. She had a feeling Vic and Emma wouldn't be thrilled either. Quite the unit they were together.

Her brows arched a bit at the mention of them writing again yesterday. "A promotion too.." she added, managing a small grin. That was something she couldn't promise him, simply because that position here was filled and he didn't quite fit the bill for Aurorship or Security. Shame. That might have been an incentive for him to stay. "Look, I can't argue with your logic... and being the exceptional prosecutor that you are I wouldn't want to try," she paused here to inhale a moderate breath and release a light sigh before continuing. "But that's an opportunity you can't pass down, and I wouldn't want you to... that being said, don't think I'm happy to let you go. I expect an official letter of resignation with notice on my desk after you've thought about it some more... and you need to know that I will be tracking you progress." Simply because she wasn't the type to give in easy, and because she could, plus she wanted to see what she was going to be missing out on. What the department would be missing out on. "Who knows, maybe one day I can poach you back?"

Skander gave Emily a sad smile at her insistence that she really did think he should stay. If circumstances were different not even this promotion would get him to leave. There were reasons he'd decided to leave Australia after all. Reasons that were still valid. But alas, the circumstances that would force him back towards the life he'd been content leaving behind were now there.

"I suppose it is," but then Skander had always appreciated the irony of life. He was slightly glad that Emily appreciated the fact that he couldn't turn down a promotion. One he wasn't likely to get for quite a few years if he stayed. He hadn't even applied for the promotion when he could have, and he was honestly glad for Vic when he got it. Lord knew that the man had deserved it, was probably better qualified for the position as well. He also knew that there was no other way for him to really advance in the MLE here. If he played his cards right in Australia then he could progress further. The new Head wasn't young either, and would probably retire in another few years.

"Thank-you," Skander said, straightening his back. He was glad for all the time he spent masking his true emotions in order to succeed in his chosen profession. He was also glad that Emily wasn't the emotional type. If she was he couldn't guarantee that he'd keep a tight lid on his emotions and he'd never really liked mixing too much of his personal life in with work. How many of his colleagues even knew he had siblings? Probably none of them, except those who had access to his file. "You'll have the letter by the end of the week," he assured her. Much as he wanted to change his mind he couldn't. "I wont take up the position until the Ministry closes over the break so I'm willing to continue my position up until then," which was only fair since there'd be no-one to fill his position until afterwards. "I should probably tell Vic and Emma as well," he mused. Thinking that his colleagues, those he worked with regularly should be informed before they found that someone else had simply taken his place.

"Who knows. I might be writing to you within a year begging you to take me back," he joked. Although, he wasn't ruling out the possibility. If what drove him here the first time was still as bad as it had been then he'd definitely be looking for work again. He wasn't even selling his apartment here, just renting it out. Although he had to leave he wasn't going to make it so that he couldn't come back if that became an option.

There wasn't all that much to be said, considering his mind seemed to be made up. That, and she didn't have any right to question his decisions. This was most definitely a first for her, a resignation... but to offset the fact that they were losing a valuable employee she could only hope they would gain many more. Hope. Now there was something she didn't take stock in very often.

"Thank you... and I'm sure your colleagues will want to hear it from you," she agreed, as opposed to it coming from the rumour mill, or worse, the last day when he cleared out his things.

Emily extended her hand to shake, it felt appropriate to acknowledge end of this impromptu meeting with a sign of respect, never mind that it felt like a preemptive farewell. "Please, write any time... you're always welcome to return."

It was all said and done. He'd resigned and he should be glad to have gotten it over with, rather than have the fact that he needed to talk to Emily sitting over his head like a rain cloud. Only there was no relief. After all he was quitting a job he loved, in a place he came to think of as home. He'd lived in London for over a decade now and he knew he was going to miss it. Still there was a time for every purpose under the sun, maybe it really was time for him to leave England. He had to convince himself of that or he'd likely be miserable when he left.

Skander grasped Emily's hand firmly as she offered it to him. It felt final. Which was strange because he knew he wouldn't be leaving straight away. But perhaps the finality was appropriate as it showed his decision was made and it was one that couldn't be changed.

"Thank-you, and I will," he promised as he let go of her hand. "I suppose I should go and attempt to make myself useful now," and attempt to find the others in his Division to let them know of the decision that had been reached. Now that Emily knew it was alright to tell them the news. Although he wondered if that conversation would be harder than the one he'd just had. He hadn't known them as long as he knew of Emily but he'd worked more closely with them.

Giving her one last boyish grin, one which lacked his normal mask of professionalism, he turned and began to make his way out of the room. It felt somewhat symbolic to be walking away from his boss now.

She'd smiled as they shook hands, despite not being pleased with losing one of her top prosecutors. At the end of the day, she knew this was bound to happen sooner or later. She knew that faces would come and go, and she had to manage that. Emily nodded in response to Skander's departing comment, letting her arm drop to her side. "Moderately useful would be appreciated, or I might have to let you go," she joked. Or was it too soon for those? She couldn't tell. Either way, she was only messing.

After confirming that she had what she needed, and that everything was accounted for on the register, Emily followed Skander's lead and closed the evidence room behind her. Ensuring it was well enough secured. Now... perhaps she ought to put an ad out for a new prosecutor.