Oh that pout was just too cute for words. Women should not be allowed to pout like that. "I am not laughing at you Avalon, I find it amusing that you being the youngest just stood up to the oldest and most feared staff member here." He leaned over and nudged her shoulder with his.

"Yes I did" Marcus replied with a grin. "I only hope he did a good job, I'm not too sure he knew exactly what he was doing but you know I had to make him useful somehow." he leaned back one again in the chaise and placed his hands behind his head. "Nice place you got here Caroline."

She nudged back. "Can't help when I was born Lawson."

Caroline scrutinized the jar carefully. "Hmmm. Well it's about the right colour. Not quite as clear as I would normally like." She opened it and took a sniff. "Whew!"

Cari made a face and held the jar of yellow liquid away from her, capping it quickly, "Yeah that will do just fine," she said, eyes watering. "And then some."

Well he's making himself comfortable isn't he?

"I'm fond of it," she admitted, "except when lazy Defence Professors take up all of my nice comfy chaise and leave me to perch on the end."

"Good because if it wasn't right I would of made him do it again." And he so would have too. He eyed her out of the corner of his eye and grinned. Marcus could tell that it was just irking her the way he was sprawled across her chaise, which is precisely the reason why he was doing it.

"Aww come on Avalon, I make this chaise look good just admit it" he teased as he slowly slid over and made more room for her. "There is that better? I like your office it's a lot quieter in here than mine. I may need to come in here just to get away from the crazies for a while."

Caroline scrunched up her face; nope. Better to retreat to her desk. There was chocolate there.

She stood and placed the jar of murtlap on top of a pile of books on the corner of her desk. "Well, I suppose you bring out the feminine quality to my girly furniture," she teased.

"Fudge?" She picked up the same tin she had earlier offered to Jake. "If you get any on my chaise, I'll have to hurt you."

"Nice to know that I am good for something" he chuckled as he stretched back out against the chaise, very tempted to actually lay down on it. He wondered briefly what the old man wanted with him but he quickly shook the thoughts off, he would find out in his own good time.

Ah now she was talking, he never said no to sweets. "Don't mind if I do." He reached out and took a piece of fudge from her. Marcus looked up at her and grinned. "Now, now Miss Avalon that is like waving a red rag to a bull." Ha! He would like to see her try and hurt him...it would be amusing.

Cari slanted Marcus a look. "You have to get good scores in Defence Against Dark Arts to be a Healer, Professor Lawson," she reminded him, taking a seat in the chair visitors usually sit in when they come to her office. She popped a small piece of chocolate-lime fudge into her mouth and let it melt. Divine.

"And remember I said my sister was one of the only people who ever beat me in the duelling ring? I know my stuff." Probably not as well as an Auror, but she wasn't going to admit it. She was quick, agile, formidable in her own way. She had strategy and speed where most of her opponents had relied more on sheer aggressiveness.

Haha...he wasn't sure how he did it but it was fun watching her get all riled up. Marcus popped his own fudge into his mouth and sighed with contentment...it was bloody fantastic. he wondered if she had made it herself. Nope, Caroline did not look like the type to cook not saying that she couldn't more that he didn't think she could be bothered with that sort of stuff.

"Is that a challenge Miss Avalon?" Did she seriously think she could beat him in a duel? No way!! He was smart enough not to say that out loud though, he didn't particularly feel like having the jar of murtlaps thrown at his head.

Okay, this is not the smartest thing I have ever done. But what? Am I going to back down now?

"Maybe it is," she said raising her chin. "A perfectly friendly duel, our schedules permitting? Surely you aren't afraid of losing to a healer?" Shut up Cari, no need to egg him on.

"Of course if you're worried about your reputation, we can arrange to have it during Christmas break, we're both less busy then anyway." SHUT UP, Cari. "Or something like that"

She didn't? Oh yes she did! Caroline Avalon was challenging him to a duel and now he found himself in a predicament. Should he actually go through with it? Marcus wasn't one for losing but deep down he was also a gentleman. Crap!!! Bloody woman, what was she playing at?

Marcus ignored the taunts, he was used to taunts and they merely went over his head now. Gah!! He was going to regret this, he could see it now. "You're on Miss Avalon. A friendly duel...for practice. And I am ready whenever you are." He gazed at her for a moment with a look that said, 'Are you sure about this?'

Iiiiiiiii'm stupiiiiiid! A bright sing-song voice in her head trilled as she grinned brightly. If she lost, her pride would never sustain it. And if she won, well, what were the odds of that? Besides, that would be pretty hard on Marcus' ego wouldn't it?

"Great!" Just bloody peachy. "I'll have to get back to you with a time though. We never know, maybe Valon Kazimeriz plans on using your entrails for potions ingredients and this is all a moot point."

Marcus watched her carefully and she seemed to be rather keen on the idea of a duel. How much of that pickled murtlap did she sniff? Well he would just have to go easy on her and try to remember that it was a friendly duel.

"Thanks for the confidence Avalon" he drawled. "For saying that, how about we put a little wager on it?"

I've lost my mind. I've gone completely loony. Nuts. Barking mad.

"A what?" she asked, well, when he accidentally kills me, it won't matter what I owe him. "Sure why not? What did you have in mind? My collection of cauldrons or my encyclopedias?"

In truth, if she had to give up either, she'd be beside herself, but her point was, exactly what did he think she had to wager? The bookworm?

Marcus rose out of the chaise and walked towards her. "I'm sure I will think of something Miss Avalon." He gave her a wink and then turned on his heel and walked to the door. "I'm going to see the old man now Caroline, you never know you may get out of this duel yet." He gave a low chuckle as he made his exit.

Caroline froze. Marcus and his easy confidence was confusing and unsettling. It drove her insane.

Did. He. Just. Wink. At. Me?

"I certainly hope not, I'd be so terribly disappointed if I missed my chance to take a few shots at you!" she called after him.

Chocolate. Chocolate NOW! Caroline blindly grabbed for the largest piece of fudge in the tin and shoved it unceremoniously into her mouth. Bless you, little brother.

Marcus strolled casually into Caroline's office and he eyed her chaise for a moment before shaking his head. Don't even think about it Lawson, she will kill you if sit on that. Instead he perched himself on the edge of her desk and waited for the crazed woman to make her appearance, he ran his hand over his wand for a moment wondering if he was going to need it.

Cari marched into the room, a bundle of clothes in hand. "Courtesy of the houselves," she said, throwing it at him.

"I need to take your pulse, and you need to tell me about anything strange since you got out of that water," she said mater of factly.

Idiot.

Oh yes, she was still mad at him.

Uh-oh here she comes and she still looked rather peeved, which simply made him grin like an idiot at her. Honestly there was nothing wrong with him. He caught the clothes she threw at him with one hand and he raised an eyebrow at her. Marcus slowly put his hand forward so that she could take his pulse. "Now that you mention it, I have actually..."he gave her a lopsided grin..."noticed that you're worried about me."

Well, his reflexes haven't been compromised. Cari thought darkly.

Idiot.

She took his wrist and started counting his pulse. A little higher than normal, but most people had higher pulses when they were being taken.

Idi- What?

Marcus had noticed - oh no, he's going to die- wait. a. minute-

For a brief moment all kinds of fantasies fluttered through her brain; tightening her grip on his wrist and twisting his arm, or stepping on his foot, or kicking him in places that were unkind to kick, etc, but she was not supposed to do these things, she was supposed to be professional.

But one teeny tiny slap?

Yes I think so.

SMACK! Her palm connected with his cheek. Okay less tiny...

"Not Funny Marcus!" she bellowed, not foot from his face. "You could be contaminated. You could have DROWNED. You IDIOT!"

Marcus watched her face avidly, so many thoughts and emotions were flickering across her face. He saw the hand coming towards his face and honestly he could have moved out of the way but he didn't.

The slap stung but it didn't really hurt. But Marcus being the goof he was at times raised his hand to his cheek. "Ow Caroline, that hurt." Yep he was going to try and make her feel bad for slapping him.

He pushed off the desk and gave her a wounded look. "If you're done assaulting me now, I would like to get dressed so I can go back down to the dungeons." Marcus moved and took a step around her. "You know it would be nice if you and the others gave me a little credit. I can take care of myself you know." Oh he could probably give Zan, a run for his money in the acting department.

It worked beyond Marcus' wildest dreams. But then Caroline was determined to hide her emotions, -yeah, a little late there eh?- so she refused to burst into tears. Though apparently her face didn't have any problem draining of all colour.

Okay, so as a healer, she probably wasn't supposed to hit people. But as an Auror, he wasn't supposed to do stupid things that could get him killed! Okay, yes he was, but death by dark wizard? Yes, okay. Well, not okay, but occupational hazard. Death by drowning? No. NOT OKAY! Not EVER okay!

Cari closed her eyes and stood stock still for several seconds.

Dangerously approaching a minute.

"Famous last words Marcus," she whispered, turning on her heel and leaving the office quietly.

He was not going to feel bad for what he had just said. He was NOT!! Okay yes he was. Marcus watched as she walked out of the door and he sighed deeply, feeling total regret at her leaving.

He slowly discarded his contaminated clothes and put on the new ones she had brought him. Why? Why now? After all this time of only having to think of himself. Why did he have to care what others thought, no what she thought of him.

Marcus leaned back against her desk and rubbed his forehead. Caroline Avalon was going to be the death of him, he was sure of it. Ugh...now was not the time for this, he had to get back down to the dungeons. he strode over to the door and opened it.

And there she was standing there and he swallowed roughly. "I am so..."he was about to apologise he truly was but the words got stuck in his throat..."needing to get back to the dungeons. Am I all cleared to go?" His voice came out rougher than he had wanted but he couldn't stop himself. Standing in her doorway, he refused to meet her eyes.

Cari had totally been lost in her own head. Largely she was waffling between telling herself off for hitting him and still being utterly furious with him for being so incredibly stupid! Why did he have to play the hero? And it wasn't a respect issue, that was complete... well it was stupid. If he wanted respect he shouldn't be going charging into contaminated waters like an absolute fool.

So not surprisingly, she jumped when the door opened.

Oh wouldn't it set him right if she said he wasn't? Nope, can't go. Confined to the ward until I can be certain you're not a danger to yourself. When the prospect of seeing his face at being told that didn't even amuse her, she let the idea go.

"Go ahead and be a hero Marcus," she said wearily, "try not to get yourself killed. I have patients to see."

Whyyyyyyyyy did the look on her face and the sound of her voice make him want to stay exactly where he was? Marcus, opened his mouth to tell her that he wasn't trying to be a hero. He had reacted instinctively to the situation.

Oh he was so not going through this again. Annie, had been enough and he had promised himself never again. He wasn't going through that again. But she's not Annie a little voice in his screamed.

Marcus let out a low growl and pushed off the wall. "Then go see to your patients Caroline and I'll try not to get killed so you'll have less work to do." He stalked over to the exit of the hospital wing and was tempted to turn back and look at her. But he kept his resolve and walked out of the door, shaking his head at his own stupidity.

Technically if he died, she wouldn't have any more work to do either.

That thought didn't comfort her at all.

Caroline bit down on her lip, closed her eyes, and took several slow calming breaths while she ran her hands through her hair in a half hearted attempt to make herself look presentable.

She didn't look any more presentable and she didn't feel any more calm. And it didn't matter because her Hospital Wing was still full of patients, so she shut her office door and went back to work.

Constantine slipped into Avalon's office and plopped down into a chair. He preferably stole the one that was behind her desk since it looked the most comfy. He looked around the room, noticing that this had once been Ariana's office...