Alexa didn't press on about the last time they had spoken, Warren's face was as easy to read now as it had been before, but he kept most things at a professional level.
"Studying to become an auror and training to rid the world of evil" She said with a grin. He looked a little bitter at being forced back down to the bottom of the pecking order. Warren wasn't the type that liked to play kindergartener. He looked at her quizzically before motioning to his colleagues who had been watching the whole event with mingled curiousity and amusement.
"I'm Alexa, newbie in the Auror department. You?"

Warren smiled slightly, "I see I've rubbed off on you after all." He picked up his coffee and took another sip, and I'll have to be sharing an office with her? This should test your will power old man. He set down his cup. "Oh, I'm sorry guys. Yes, this is Alexa Black we...worked together." He looked at her willing her to realize that he didn't want to discuss things in front of them, at least not until I get to know them. "I...um...don't suppose Forrester has already given you a practice assignment yet has he?"

"No, I don't suppose he has, he'll probably get back to me tomorrow morning. "
He looked a little desperate. She half-smiled.
"Do you know where my desk is?" Alexa tried to look curious. As if she didn't know where her desk was. As if her parents had never taken her to work and showed her the way around the office. Until the day they had died and now still she had always wanted to be an auror. She waited to see if Warren got the message. She wanted to talk to him. It'd been ages

Warren smiled, "I could show you the way to the office and show you. Give me one second, I'm going to refill this. Hopefully it'll help get my brain jogging." He stood up, picked up his coffee and took it to the counter to refill it. He walked back and turned toward Nathan, Egypt, and Elwood, "It's been great meeting you guys. Nathan feel free to stop by, I'll show you some of those posters. Elwood I'll see you in the office." Warren offered his arm to Alexa and led her out of the breakroom.

He offered his arm, and she grinned.Just like old times.
"So where is this amazing desk of mine?" He chuckled before leading her out of the office.

Quote:

Originally Posted by H_Grainger1322

Warren winced slightly, "Ah, no. After I was out for three months and missed the beginning of the season, which meant I didn't get drafted as I had hoped, I never had the heart to try again. Not to mention I now have an aversion to things flying at my head." It was this aversion that had really kept Warren from playing again.

“Well I suppose that must be an advantage in your line of work.” Nathan replied with a smirk. With all those spells flying at your head all the time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tomasina Riddle

She smiled at he talked about dragons, he loved them so much. It was a shame he didn't get to work with them like he wanted to do. She leaned in and accepted his kiss on the cheek.

She sat and listened to them talk about quidditch. She was never played for her school, even though she was a good chaser. Her sisters were crazy about quidditch more than she was.

Egypt was being very quiet. He looked at her concern. Nate sometimes worried that he talked too much and pushed her into the background without meaning to. She was the talker in their relationship, but when it came to meeting new people, she tended to be pretty shy. He took her hand into his and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

Quote:

Originally Posted by H_Grainger1322

Warren glanced up as he saw Alexa walk toward him. "Alexa, haven't seen you in awhile. This here is Egypt, Nathan and Elwood." He smiled handsomely at Alexa, "What have you been up to lately?"

“Nice to meet you Alexa.” He said with a smile and a wink as she shook his hand. He watched as she and Warren talked. It seemed they knew each other from before they started work. He distracted himself with his coffee, not wanting to appear rude by eavesdropping on their conversation ...but it was difficult not to. It sounded like Warren had more battle scars than Nathan – But Nathan’s were mostly a symptom of growing up in a house full of rough boys - little gits they were. Either that or from stumbling into things after a few too many firewhiskeys.

Quote:

Originally Posted by H_Grainger1322

He walked back and turned toward Nathan, Egypt, and Elwood, "It's been great meeting you guys. Nathan feel free to stop by, I'll show you some of those posters. Elwood I'll see you in the office." Warren offered his arm to Alexa and led her out of the breakroom.

Nathan gave the man a polite nod. “Will do" Yeah right. "Thanks, mate. ...Good luck on that case.” He said to both Alexa and Warren. “Pleasure to have met you both.”

He gave Egypt a squeeze before resting his head on her shoulder. He felt bad for her - He knew now what she meant about blending into the background. Warren and Alexa had been to busy catching up to utter a word to her. He wanted her to make friends in the Ministry. He would be gutted if she left – she didn’t need the money, but just knowing that she wasn’t right down the corridor everyday would take some getting used to. “You ok?” he asked her still with his head on her shoulder. He would do anything in his power to make her happy.

Alexa opened the door walking into the breakroom. She didn't want to go home and the new Warren thing was slightly breath-taking for her. Alexa noticed someone she knew.
"Hello, it's Nathan right?" She remembered she hadn't been too polite to his partner while she reminisced with Warren.
"Egypt, I never really got the chance to introduce myself, I'm Alexa. I'm an Auror-you?"

Elwood nodded at Warren and smiled at Alexa, he was slightly put out seeing as he couldn't smoke, and in the absence of anyone to talk to, he removed himself from the break room and went to the HQ.

Nathan noticed Alexa re-enter the breakroom. Had he been sitting there that long? He glanced at his watch as she approached he and Egypt and pulled a face when he realised what time it was..

“Yeah, that’s right, love.” He replied to Alexa. He smiled as she introduced herself to Egypt properly. He drained his coffee and finished his stolen custard creme before standing up, already having outstayed his short break. “I better get back.” He said, bending down to peck Egypt on the lips. “I’ll see you at home, love.” He was still trying to get used to calling Egypt's place 'his home.'

He have Alexa a warm smile and made his way out of the breakroom. Now… to find out what fun task Nicoli had in store for him this afternoon.

She smiled over at Nathan when he gave her hand a squeeze. He was giving her a concerned look, she wasn't sure what was wrong. He put his head on her shoulder, "I'm fine," she said brightly. She was content to just be there. She just didn't jump into conversations like that, she wasn't as bold as her sisters in the area.


"Oh hello Alexa, Egypt Riddle," She said properly introducing herself. "Oh I'm a judge in the Wizengamot." she said, most people seemed to revere the judges, but she would have been happy being a hit wizard.

She looked at the time, she didn't really have anywhere in particular to be. Her and Shane were the only ones in the office today, and they were just reading dusty parchments all day long. She didn't want Nathan to go, but he actually had some work to do. "Ok. see you later at home," She pecked him back on the lips, and watched him walk back down the hall.

Alexa ran into the empty breakroom, mascara forming black rivers down her face.
"How much of an idiot am I!!" She yelled to herself. Calming down she attempted to wash the mascara off, but to no avail. Sighing she sat down in a chair facing the back wall and began muttering to herself.
"He comes back and I just.... urgh! I'm such a child!!!" She sat down and conjured up some tea and a notebook and quill.

Quote:

do i? don't I.....mission in the next few days. he's leaving again. wat can i say to that? It's not like I've learnt my lesson. maybe my heart need's to split into countless peices before it get's into my head. Get a hold of yourself. Calm Calm. Wedding next....Present? What should I get the bride...hmm....anyway. I s'pose I can't really go back in there. Not after what happened.

"Talking to yourself is the first sign of craziness" She smiled to herself. Placing the paper on the small table in front of her. She drank some tea, consenting herself that she would probably be alone for some time.

Warren walked into the break room after not finding Alexa anywhere with a slight frown. He walked up to the counter and filled a mug with coffee. Looking around the room he saw Alexa sitting in a chair facing a wall. "You know you shouldn't sit with you're back to the door." He smiled to himself as he recalled always having to remind her of that.

Alexa heard footsteps and sighed. Never a moments peace anywhere...
She heard Warren's voice. The one thing she longed and yet didn't want to hear at that moment.
"You know you should never let a lady down" She said, turning to face him.
"Your still smiling? Hmm.." She turned back and patted the seat next to her.
"You need to talk to me. Communication wasn't your strong point, so we're going to practise. So tell me what happened in Russia. For the first time explain it properly."

Again Warren felt like he had been punched in the gut. He would have never let her down if it hadn't been necessary. He sipped his coffee to hide his reaction. He headed toward her when she beckoned, and was half way over when she mentioned Russia. He stopped dead in his tracks and looked back at the door. You can't run for ever...you knew she would ask. Warren sighed, nodded and sat down next to her keeping a little space in between. "Which part?"

ooc: alright i'm going to bed

OoC: I'll see you in the morning.....

Alexa noticed his reaction and felt gutted. Maybe this never was going to work out. He walked towards her and sat next to her. She noted he left a distance inbetween them.I'm not going to lash out if that's what you think.
"Which part? The whole part." She looked into his eyes hoping that once and for all he'd stop running away.

Warren stared at the floor in concentration. The distance that he had left between them was killing him, he would have much rather gathered her up in his arms and...Focus. He shook his head slightly and looked at Alexa. He really didn't want to talk about Russia, especially because it would bring up those feelings that he had felt for her at the time. Maybe that's not so bad, eh. He took a breath, looked around one more time to make sure no one had entered. "I meant which part, before you came or after I left..." He winced as he said the last part.

"Oh Warren. Stop avoiding the question" She said in frustration.
"If your going to be like this, it's never going to work out. Just tell me what happened. Why you left? Why you were there. You never..." She sighed.
"Just tell me once and for all, please"

Warren looked at Alexa, the pain was surely visible in his eyes. "Alexa...I..." He really didn't want to talk about it, but he knew that she deserved an explanation for his actions. "I was working for the ministry at the time," he started in a whisper. "It was a few years after the incident with my father, as I'm sure you remember. I needed a break away from it all so I decided to travel and work for other Ministries. I arrived in Russia...I never thought you would be there...."

He swallowed and continued, "I arrived in Russia and went to work as an Auror in their Ministry. They put me on an undercover mission, illegal Dragon ring. I befriended the men and found out that it wasn't just an illegal Dragon ring it was something far worse. It was too late though, I had, under the guise of being one of them, commited acts that I now find atrocious. At the time I enjoyed it, the Darkness, the power of it all. When we had enough evidence to overtake them...I ran. Those that were left were after me. I had no choice. They would have killed everything I loved..."

Warren looked up, not noticing that during his speech he had started staring into the distance, into Alexa's eyes. There it's out. He had never told anyone that story and he hadn't told her the whole story but she didn't need to know those parts, she didn't need to know what exactly happened, not yet."I went to Germany. Got hired into their ministry because they remembered my father and what he had done for them."

"Warren, you left without a word. In the middle of the night. What the hell was I supposed to think!" Alexa rememberedthe night, closing her eyes a cold shiver passed through her.
"Is that it? Is that all that happened?" She said this in a whisper. She in actual fact was afraid there'd be something else.

Cassandra walked into the breakroom, she was tired and needed a cup of coffee. She walked over to the pot and poured her some, adding some milk and sugar to it and turned to her fellow aurors, one of whom looked worried, the other, her intern looked like he had just told a top secret, a past he wished not to bring up. "Hi, how are things going with you two." She asked them, not sure if she was interupting anything or not.

Warren struggled with how to respond to Alexa. "That's not exactly..." He stopped when he heard the door opened and inwardly sighed. Thank you. He turned around and saw Cassandra walk in. "Hi Cassandra, we were just...talking." He glanced at Alexa to see her reaction.

"Fine we were just talking" Alexa said, pushing her emotions to the back she smiled. Emitting a fake but perfect expression of normality.

"Not exactly it, is it?" She turned away and say Cassandra walk in. She smiled at Cassie, it's not like the woman had done anything wrong.

Warren grimaced but he was not about to tell her. Good idea, old man, push the one woman who actually like you and is not playing you away...bloody brilliant. Warren sighed and turned back toward Cassie. "What's going on in the HQ?"

"Has Piper finished with Bethe yet?" Alexa inquired hopefully trying to sound curious. She glanced at Warren and inwardly sighed.Are you ever going to learn? Just move on....but with what?. Alexa took teh mug off the table and began to sip it, carefully. Watching everyone over the rim of the cup. She liked her eyes, they were the only really mysterious and interesting thing on her. They were so dark. She saw part of her reflection in the liquid inside the cup and quickly composed herself.

Cassie looked at Alexa and smiled at her, she seemed a bit annoyed but decided not to press the matter. "Er, if it was important I..." She started but stopped when Warren spoke again. "I don't know, to be honest, I was getting pretty tired and decided to come in here for a cup of coffee. Getting ready for our mission that's coming up?"