Qaz went back to pack up her belongs when she realized how filthy her hands were. She loved playing in the dirt, the feel of it between her fingers, but there was always this price to pay. She wished thast she was better and wand work so she could just wave the dirt away, but she knew better than to try. Finding some water, she submerged her dirty hands and began to remove the soil. It was a soothing feeling...blocking out the chatter of the remaining students. Drying off her hands, she put her things back in her bag. She'd deal with her dirty nails later. She didn't hold much store in girlie stuff, but she hated dirty fingernails.

Qaz left the greenhouse, in search of her cat, HiJinx.

"It doesn't concern you," he lied, "so there is really nothing you can do. Slade and I just need to find something. Legend chasing, really." He gave her a wry smile. "Just another adventure like we haven't had for years."

Legend chasing? Oh, that sounds fun... She was curious, but sensed by his language that he didn't want her to pry further. "Alright.. I just want you to know that if there is anything I can do the offer stands. At the very least I'd be happy to maintain the gardens here while you're gone, and take care of the lab animals for Slade... and Chuck, of course. Would that be alright?" She wanted to be of use to them, after all they'd done for her.

"I'm sure Slade would be appreciative of you caring for all of them. Just... be careful with Chuck, please." He's... snarky today. Armand shook Slade's voice from his mind and looked back to her. "Though caring for both can be quite daunting. I would suggest having others help out in the care of the gardens and such. Cassandra, despite the incident in the greenhouses, has helped me several times."

She nodded. "Chuck's a big ball of love. I can handle him- even when he's snarky we get on just fine. I'll talk to Slade about it before you depart, then." She grinned. "And Dia has already been helping me to keep up the student gardens and greenhouses for you because of your hand injury, so I'm sure she and some others" she sighed inwardly "--including Trelawney-- would be happy to help. We won't let you down." She paused. "But.. please, be careful..." The worry was evident in her eyes. "Come back safe and soon, okay?" Spontaneously, she threw her arms around him and gave him a fierce hug. She didn't know when this trip was slated to begin but she knew she'd be worried until they returned. "I'm going to miss you both." she said softly.

She... she hugged him!

Ok... so it isn't her... She breathed a sigh of relief... It was probably the man with ice for eyes... she blushed again. She needed to stop thinking that...

He froze a moment as she wrapped her arms around him, then he tenatively hugged her back. He wanted to reassure her, but Slade wanted truth for her. Well, he wouldn't make any promises, at the very least. "We... will be careful."

Kayla watched in fascination the interaction between student and Professor. Okay so maybe I should leave now Kayla thought. But she couldn't seem to make herself move from the chair.

She nodded, then gently released her hug. "Good. When do you depart?"

"Soon. Very soon," he said quietly. "Everything's already packed. Once this class is done, I am officially 'on holiday.'" He sighed. "We are getting looks. You should probably continue on. And Xana... water that bloody plant in Slade's kitchen. It is not dead, but miraculously it is dying. I want to see the thing alive and at least nearly healthy when Slade gets home." He smirked. "With any luck, you might get there and see his reaction."

She smiled wryly and nodded. "I'll do so." She glanced around and noticed the other students watching, sighing inwardly. "Be well, and be safe... and I look forward to hearing about the adventure when you return. Perhaps over a firewhiskey? " She raised her eyebrow and grins, only half-joking. "Good luck, professor. I hope you find what you seek." She cast finite on her charm, picked up her supplies and left the room, lost in concerned thought.

He nodded to her and watched as she left. He looked over to Cassandra, who seemed to be rather dirtying her hands. Though... was that fertilizer? He was certain he was seeing the white specks of the plant nutrient in the same soil. Which meant that she was preoccupied. With a sigh he pushed away from the wall and approached her.

Finally... the buzzing was just horrible!

She smirked as she saw Xana leave. Her hands were burning a little, but she paid no attention to them. She started looked over to Erikson... He was looking at her... approaching her... oh dear.

She looked down to her plant, did she mess up? Or did he notice she was looking at him and Xana? "Am.. Am I doing it wrong?" she asked.

Alex crossed his arms over his chest, sighed, and leaned against the door frame as Armond walked over to Cassandra.

He sighed and pulled her hand up. "Fertilizer. Your plant looks fine. Have your boyfriend carry it and go wash up. You don't want the stuff to burn your hands." Softly, he said, "Really, piccola mia, you should know better. And Xana is concerned for Slade, who has been mentoring her. She has offered to keep his place. I have told her that in regards to my gardens, you are to help her."

Cassandra looked at her hands in his... Drat! Fertilizer... Way to show how good at Herbology you are Trelawney! So, Slade is his travel companion. Good.

"I will be happy to work WITH her." Cassandra corrected him. There was no way she was going to assist Xana... "Professor..." she said as she was wiping the white pellets off her skin. "Is there reason to be... concerned on this trip?" She asked... after all, Xana wasn't one to get worried easily...

Thanatos is her aunt, he reminded himself. As little information as possible. If either sister hadn't seen it already, that is. "Merely a necessary journey," he told her, though something about the way he said it was the same as Slade's secretive demeanor. His eyes were haunted in a way that he hadn't shown before. "Take care of my prize beauties, will you? They take a special fertilizer. It's unmarked, in the back of the shed. Mulch twice a month. I've taken care of that for today."

"Your... prize beauties?" She was flabbergasted! Xana wouldn't be taking care of them. She pulled her quill out and opened her notebook. "Unmarked... back of the shed... Mulch twice a month... start tomorrow." Cassandra said ignoring the burning on her hands.

Alex turned his head to look at his plant floating next to him. Catching his hair ont he door frame and remembered that it down. The pulled the leather thong from his pocket and tied it back at he nape of his neck.

He nodded. "Thank you. Now go on and wash up. It seems Alex is waiting for you."

"Who?" she looked at the door.

"Oh," she blushed, "Yes... you have fun on your trip... and... bring me something?" She winked at him and then turned to Alex with a please-help-me look...

Alex raised an eyebrow and wiggled his fingers at her like a wave.

He laughed, grateful to have the tension broken. "I just may. We'll see." He eyes seemed to sparkle slightly, looking at her. He walked away then, looking over the remaining students. That's right. He had Natasha and Damian to come back to, but that was only a piece of his life. The rest of it was his greenhouses, his gardens, his plants... and his students. He remembered the reason he turned down Slade's invitation to work in the ministry. Somehow, somewhere along the way, he realized he lived for the students.

Cassandra looked over at Alex... why the wave?

"Thank you Professor." She said with a smile. She picked up her plant, her hands now really red from the fertilizer... it slipped out of her hands and dropped on the pot on the table. "Sorry, I'll get it..." she said rubbing her hands trying to get the burning to end...

Alex caught the plant before it struck with a wave of his wand and floated it over to him to join his.