Unbelievably Bad News ((Maryn & Ciaran))

[Kia Brightstar]

Adam was definitely overdue in sending an owl. Kia shoved her hands in her jeans pockets, her blue eyes scanning the sky expectantly, waiting for the same owl which had failed to show for just over two weeks. Where was that grey owl with her letter? For a man who had, at one time, sent an owl everyday to see how she was managing Hogwarts without him there, Adam was being surprisingly lax in checking up on her. It unnerved her, made her think of terrible, unspeakable things that could have happened to him, to Kae or to her aunt and uncle. Kia made a sound that couldn't be taken as anything other than desperation, tearing her eyes away from the sky when the glare from the sun became too much for her sensitive eyes to handle. What would she do if something had happened to Adam? Kia fretted silently, pulling a hand through her blonde hair. He had always been there for her and the idea of a life without her cousin there to joke with her, tease her about Ciaran and help her out with Kaelyn when she was feeling too stressed to deal with her little sister...the idea of a life without Adam was something Kia really didn't want to think about anytime soon, if ever.

"Please let it arrive soon," Kia breathed quietly, turning her back to the lake and starting to move inside. She'd give anything to have the letter from Adam in her hand, teasing her about getting worried when he'd just been too busy partying and driving his mother wild that he hadn't had time to write. That wouldn't happen though. Kia dropped her shoulders, her eyes focused on the grassy ground. Adam had never been too busy for her. Even when he'd broken his wrist, he'd gotten a friend of his to write the letters to her for him. His friend had had a wicked sense of humour, Kia remembered with an almost smile. Maybe she'd see him over the summer again and he could help her with her revenge on Adam. Worrying her in such a way, when the only thing wrong was that he was probably too lazy to write to her. It didn't matter that Adam had never been too busy before, Kia told herself stubbornly. Her idiotic cousin was probably just out with a girl and had been focusing all his attention on her. Maybe he had even managed to get a date with Finn. This time, Kia did grin slightly, imagining Adam and Finn together. Unlikely, but amusing. Those two were too similar for a relationship to go very far.

"Luz!" Kia blinked in surprise when the grey owl landed on her shoulder, hooting at her gravely. No, not Luz, Kia corrected herself silently. Luz had darker eyes and slightly lighter feathers. Just a shade lighter than this owls feathers but...it still wasn't Luz. Still wasn't Adam's owl. "Well, who are you from then?" Kia demanded irritably, almost like she expected the owl to answer her in a way she could understand, before taking the letter and reading it. She was wrong, Kia observed when her eyes automatically dropped to the signature before she read the contents of the letter. It was from Adam. "Luz will be annoyed because you didn't use her," Kia grinned in relief at receiving a letter from Adam before starting to read the letter. It never crossed her mind to wonder exactly why Adam hadn't used his beloved owl to send the letter.

"What?" Kia paled abruptly, sliding to the floor slowly when her legs couldn't hold her up anymore and leaning against the wall bonelessly. It's a lie. It's a lie. It's a lie, her mind chanted hopefully as she scanned the letter for any signs that this was a joke on Adam's part - a considerably tasteless joke and one that she would have to scream at him for, but a joke nonetheless. No. This wasn't a joke. Kia saw a drop of water drip onto the parchment, not at all surprised when she touched her face and found that it was a tear; even less surprised when more drops joined that solitary tear. The idea that no one would see her crying since she had deliberately walked away from everyone while waiting for her cousins letter was of little comfort to her when the words from Adams letter were echoing in her mind. 'It's your dad...he's dead. Kae's...well, she's not too good. I'm sorry, kid. She's in a coma.'

((I know I kept you in suspense about the details of the plot you promised to help me with But hopefully, you're not too disappointed by what you're committed yourself to. Enjoy!))

[Maryn Livley]

Maryn smiled bright eyed at the shiny, black guitar case. Her face was full of joy as she opened it up and let her fingers glide on her new acoustic guitar. Maryn smiled as she pulled it from the case. True, she had no idea how to play her new friend. She had never played a musical instrument in her life. Feet didn’t count, did they? Nope, not hardly. Dancing used to be Maryn’s passion. But, a traumatic train attack experience and a brother going through chemo for his leukemia can change that. Maryn lost interest in ballet fast. No, strike that. She lost the heart for ballet. Most of her third year, Maryn’s life was full of pain and questions. Why did she have to get hurt on that train? Why did Nate have to have cancer? Maryn learned to hate questions. The pain came day by day. Maryn had the heart for too many other things that ballet took a back seat. Actually, it took no seat. It was shut out of her life. But, good things came of this. Maryn realized if she could get rid of something from her life so fast, then it wasn’t for her. Lately, Maryn had taken this same approach to Baz. She hadn’t fought for him, not really. She had pined for him, went after him a bit, but had she really fought for him? Not enough. Maryn was now convinced that since she let him go without am fight, he wasn’t the guy for her. This realization came with time, but Maryn had learned to live it with all her heart. And now, she was moving on to something that she actually had the heart for.

After minutes of staring at her new instrument, Maryn was bored. She sighed. Where was Kia? Kia was the one who suggested Maryn sing. Maryn laughed at the thought. But, she had decided to learn how to play the guitar and then maybe work on singing. She laughed again. True, now a days playing the guitar without singing didn’t mean much to people. But, oh well. Maryn had time to work on her voice. She loved music. Mainly, her favorite bands were American punk bands that her friend, Gracie had introduced her to. But, singing was that really her thing? Maryn decided that she would try maybe just to amuse Kia. But, could she promise anything? Not at all. Maryn smiled. She was decent at writing lyrics though, but that had always been a part time hobby for her. Well, actually it was Mercy’s hobby. Mercy was a very talented singer and piano player. She wrote amazing songs. Mercy had just influenced Maryn to try and write her own lyrics, but mostly, they just turned out to be poems. Maryn sighed as she eyed the window. She paused seeing a flash of blond hair. Kia. She thought instant. Maryn laughed and dashed out of her dorm.

As Maryn walked from her dorm, she felt lyrics floating in her head. She couldn’t exactly stop them, they were just coming out. Maryn smiled and stopped along a wall in the hall. She took her journal out of her crème messenger bag and quickly began to jot the lyrics now. Her head was also forming notes to go along with the lyrics. Maryn was getting these words from her head. They were all about Nate, she knew it. Lately, she had missed him a lot. True, he was better, but he wasn’t out of the woods. Maryn sighed. What would she do without him? How would she feel? How could she stay without him? These questions had been racing her mind for weeks. Now, she finally had a way to let them out. A way that didn’t cause harm to others like most of her crazy plans. As she finished, Maryn eyed her journal. A chorus. All she could come up with was a chorus. At first, Maryn was convinced that was pathetic. But, then she realized that she could always finish it later. Maryn smiled. Mercy could sing it. Yea, she was an excellent singer. Maryn just wanted to play guitar. She smiled. Maryn then left her spot by the wall and then headed out to the grounds to find Kia.

Maryn clutched her lyrics in her hand as she walked. Were they good enough? Were they good at all? Did it matter? Nope.

“Cause, I don’t know how I’d feel.
I don’t know what I do without you.
You have always been here.
And I don’t know where I’d go,
But I know I’d hit the road without you
Here to wipe my tears.
Without you,
I just don’t know.”

“Kia! Kia!” Maryn approached her. Kia was facing the opposite way as Maryn came up behind her. “Well, I kinda took your advice. I got my guitar, you gotta see it. I even wrote my own lyrics. I was thinking, Mercy could sing them and I could play guitar. Like a sister act, except that we’d never leave our room with it.” She laughed. It didn’t take long for Maryn to notice that something was wrong with Kia. She was on the ground and as Maryn walked around to face her, she knew that something terrible had happened. How could she not have seen this before? Maryn had never seen Kia cry before and the look on her face. Maryn never wanted to see that look again. Maryn went down to Kia’s level. “Kia. What is it?” She asked knowing that it had to be horrible for Kia to act like this. Maryn knew that Kia hadn’t gotten a letter from Adam in a while. Maryn had got to meet him before though in Hogsmeade. He was a cool, awesome guy just as Kia had said. Maryn clutched her lyrics in her hand, but she then eyed the letter Kia had. The contents of it were obviously the reason for her tears. Maryn wondered if Kia needed space, but she didn’t care. Maryn just wanted Kia to be better, to be okay. “What does it say Kia?” Maryn asked completely worried by her best friend’s expression. Maryn remembered herself looking this way when she read that Nate had cancer, but this was worse than that. Maryn could just tell.

((Aww poor Kia. Now, I'm just curious as to how it happened. Oh, by the way. The lyrics were written and usually sung and played on the guitar by...well..me. No laughter please. That was the first song I ever wrote that I actually liked..))

[Kia Brightstar]

It was impossible, Kia thought stubbornly. Her father - the man she had hated and loved with equal fervor for various reasons that not even Kae or Adam knew about - wasn't dead. Kae - her darling, beloved, adroable little sister - wasn't lying on some hospital bed, sleeping the peaceful rest of those who have the option of never waking up. No, he little sister wasn't in a coma. She couldn't be. Kaelyn just had too much life and energy within her small frame to be in such a condition. She wouldn't believe it; couldn't believe it. And yet the proof - all the evidence she needed - was lying in her hand. It was true. It was true and nothing could change that. She was an orphan. Kia blinked slowly, too numb to feel anything when that thought crossed her mind. Her mother was long dead and now her father had joined her. How had it happened? Kia wasn't entirely sure but she didn't want to look at the letter again just to find out the details behind the truth. What did it matter? What did reasons matter when she had just lost one of her family and another was balanced on edge of waking and eternal sleep.

Her dad was dead. Kia wasn't so numb that the idea didn't strike her deep in her heart. He had loved her and had always tried to be there for her at one time. Then he had left her to look after Kae in some vague hope of her acknowledging her sister and to make her stop blaming the innocent child for the death of her mother. It had worked too well. Her father had withdrawn from the family and thrown himself completely into his work. He had spent days with her over the summer - especially the summer just gone by. It was like he had been trying to make amends for forgetting about them to the extent he was never home during the day. Kia let out a stifled sob, curling into herself even more. Was that how it had happened? Kia questioned herself wildly, torturing herself even more by thinking up her own theories rather than looking in the letter - the letter stained with tears that had made the ink run in some places that were hard to read. Had her father finally put aside his own grudge toward his youngest child and taken her out for a day? They had to have been together. That, Kia knew for sure. It was too much of a coincidence for them have been in different places.

Kae was in a coma. That didn't strike her as hard as her fathers condition had. Kaelyn had, at least, the chance of recovery. People couldn't recover from death. Especially not in a muggle hospital. They wwere in so much a disadvantage in a muggle hospital. Why hadn't Aunt Amelia had them transerred to St Mungos? Maybe her dad wouldn't be dead, maybe Kae would be awake. "Daddy," Kia whispered brokenly, tears welling up in her eyes once more. He had been so distant from her since her mothers death but he was the only parent she had had left and that made it hard to hate him for burying himself into work as his way of coping with the loss of his wife. Had she even hugged him goodbye before she had left for Hogwarts? Kia couldn't remember but instinct told her that she hadn't. When was the last time she had hugged him or told him that she loved him and appreciated him or even that she didn't resent him being away from them so much? Had she said any of those things within the last two years? Kia crumpled the letter in her hand, staring at it and wanting nothing more than to rip it into pieces and pretend that it had never arrived, that her family wasn't even more broken than it had been before today.

Kia blinked wonderingly, hearing someone calling her. The voice sounded so far away and she couldn't take in a word that it was saying to her. "Maryn." Kia stared blankly, forcing the word out of her dry mouth. "What is it?" Kia repeated, adding a laugh that was almost bordering on hysterical. "Well, my Dad's dead and my sister's in a coma." Kia sniffled, dissolving into tears once more, and looked at Maryn with tear-filled eyes. "He's dead. She might as well be dead." Kia raised a hand to her mouth, stifling the next sob that tried to escape. "Why me? What did we do for this to happen to us?" Kia demanded irrationally, swinging between anger and sorrow for a few seconds before sorrow won and her tears took over, spilling down her face without stopping. Kia closed her eyes and dragged a hand through her hair. It hurt. It just hurt...so much. She was alone; completely alone, and it was the most painful feeling she had ever experienced.

((You'll find out how it happened soon enough. Kia has to read the letter properly after all. Me, laugh at you? Never! Besides, I like the lyrics. They're well-written and I can imagine hearing them on the radio.))

[Maryn Livley]

Maryn's mouth opened wide as Kia spoke. No, wait. She told herself. No, that's not true. It can't be. Maryn looked at Kia. What was she supposed to say. Maryn couldn't make this better, she couldn't make it go away. How was she supposed to help her best friend out of this one? Maryn herself was completely shocked. She eyed Kia. Maryn herself had never really faced a death in the family. Nate had become greatly ill with cancer and they weren't sure if he would make it for a while, but he bounced back. He was getting better. This was nothing like the Lively situation with Nate. This was about 20 times worse. Maryn was surprised that Kia wasn't going crazy by now. Maryn would by a ball of crazy energy by now running around and trashing everything in site. But, that was just her way to deal with pain. She did stupid and crazy things. When she found out about Nate, she jumped into the lake. And as she sat there at the very bottom, she pondered if she should come back up. Was Maryn the suicidal type? Not at all. But, people react to different situations differently. Maryn just looked at Kia with such a look of sorrow in her eyes. Her father had died after all. Her sister was in icoma. Nothing Maryn said would change that, but she wished it would. Why was this happening to Kia? She had never done anything to deserve it, but no one could change what was no matter how cruel it was to Kia.

Maryn shook her head. She hated seeing her friend like this. Just by looking at Kia, Maryn felt herself holding in tears as tightly as she could. Don't cry. Be strong for Kia for once. She told herself. Be strong. "Kia I.." Maryn rambled. Maryn didn't want to say sorry because from experience, Maryn was pretty sure that, that was the last thing that Kia needed to hear. She paused eying Kia's heart broken face. "Don't say that. Kae's strong she can make it through. Maryn watched Kia. She had never seen her friend like this. Kia had always been so strong, so in control, but this, she couldn't control. This she couldn't change. No one could. Maryn felt one tear come out as Kia asked why it had to happen to her. "You did nothing to deserve this Kia. Nothing. Don't tell yourself that you did." Maryn said strongly trying to say the right things and not make things worse. "I don't want to say these things happen, but they do." Maryn said looking toward the ground. "They just do." She repeated as she looked at Kia once again. Maryn would have never thought it a million years that this would happen to Kia. Because the truth was, she didn't do anything to deserve it.

[ciaran]

Ciaran eyed the pitch as he got off of her broom. It was weird seeing it entirely empty like this, but the school year was pretty much over.The weirdness of replacing the old Gryffindor Seeker, Harry Potter, had died down. And the plain shock that Ciaran Douglass, the Gryffindor mysterious boy was on Quidditch team was over. None of this bothered Ciaran. Well, he was a bit afraid of moving up into NEWTS classes. After all, if he wanted to become an Unspeakable, he would have to work extremely hard. But, he could do it. He had to do it. Becoming an Unspeakable was one of the only things Ciaran wanted in the world. But, then again, it wasn't the only thing. Ciaran's mind drifted to Kia. She was the coolest, amazing girl that Cia actually remembered. It wasn't too uncommon for girls to eye Ciaran, but he never really paid attention to any of them. They were too much like Finn, pushy and flirty. Kia was herself which made her completely unique. Then, again, Ciaran couldn't exactly ask her out or anything, could he? She had to have a boyfriend, right? Who wouldn't like Kia? Cia sighed. Time would only tell what would happen between the two. And Cia knew this. He shook his head, grabbed his broom, and left The Pitch.

Ciaran noticed two girls sitting down as he walked from through the grounds. As he got closer, he saw that it was Kia and Maryn. His face lit up instantly. Maryn was Kia's best friend and pretty much Kia's partner in crime as Ciaran knew they spent a good deal of time together. The two of them were crazy, cool girls. But, it was the confident, lovely Kia that caught Cia's attention. Ciaran smiled as he walked over. As he got closer he heard some of Maryn's words. "I don't want to say these things happen, but they do." He heard Maryn saw. What things happen? Cia thought to himself. What was wrong. As he was now right in front of them, he could see the looks on the girl's faces. Something incredibly bad had happened. Cia had never seen Kia cry. He had never seen that look on her face and it scared him. Maryn was trying to talk to her about it, but Ciaran doubted that it was helping. He noticed the crumpled up letter in Kia's hand. He looked at Kia was such a look of concern on her face. "Kia what wrong?" He asked trying not to be too pushy, but they way Kia looked, the heart broken look on her face, made Ciaran nervous. She looked as if she would never be better, as if her heart was truly broken. And maybe it was. "You can tell me anything.." He muttered sitting down next to the two girls trying to get some information out. He just wanted that look on her face to go away. He would give anything to make it go away.

((Sorry not soo long or great. But, I promise great replies when I get back.))

[Kia Brightstar]

Kia lifted her head from her hands, showing the tears that had dried on her cheeks and the tears still travelling a slow path down her face. "I don't understand. I just...don't." She choked out, forcing the words past the sobs caught in her throat that just waited to be released. "Why Kaelyn?" Kia demanded furiously. "She hasn't done anything to deserve this! She's just a kid, a child. She doesn't even know if she'll be accepted to Hogwarts yet! She doesn't know," Kia repeated quietly, not entirely sure exactly what she was referring to.There were a great many things that her little sister didn't know yet; things that, now, she might never know. Kae didn't know if she would be accepted to Hogwarts becayse she didn't yet know the wonderful feeling and the overwhleming relief that came with the first bout of accidental magic and the knowledge that you weren't a squib in an entirely pure-blooded family. Her aunt believed that Kae was a squib, even if she had never said it directly to Kia. No, instead, she had overheard it from behind a closed door.

Kia offered a weak smile to Maryns assurances that she had done nothing, absolutely nothing, to deserve this, even if she couldn't quite bring herself to believe it. Not when her mind was working its own magic; conjuring up various scenarios to explain her fathers death. But even that, accompanied by images of Kae's innocent, grinning face weren't enough to make her read through that letter once more and confirm that her family had completely broken apart. That what had started nine years ago, with her mothers death, was now complete. Kia didn't need a letter to know that her aunt would have crumpled at the news of her only brothers death, or to know that writing the letter to her would have taken all of Adams courage and will-power, almost breaking him.

"Ciaran." Kia trembled visibly, showing an even weaker smile than the one she had given Maryn a few moments before. He sat down next to them and it took all of Kia's self-will to not launch herself at him and curl up against him to cry and seek comfort. It was much the same reaction she had had when Maryn had approached; the ultimate, overpowering demand for comfort and safety almost overwhelming her already confused and fiercely in denial brain. It just didn't seem possible for her father and sister, two of the most important people she had left in her life, to not be there, always with her even if not literally by her side. Kae might technically still be alive, but it didn't seem that way to Kia. Not when her little sister had been reduced to lying on a hospital bed, unable to wake up. Kae should be skipping around and playing with her friends, not slipping away from life!

[Maryn Livley]

Maryn watched Kia with sad eyes. While Kia was asking all these questions, Maryn was asking her own inside her head. Why Kia? Why now? Kia and Maryn were almost fifth years. They were nearing their hardest year of school yet besides seventh year of course. Kia had never done anything to deserve this. Her mother had died years before and now her father? Maryn couldn't even imagine. She had only come close to loosing her brother once and he was doing so much better. All Kia had ever done was protect her sister. Maryn knew how much Kae meant to Kia and her father. After all, ever little girl had a tad of daddy's little girl syndrome stashed somewhere down in them. This was all happing so suddenly. Seriously, no one saw this coming. Maryn never would have guessed that her best friend would go from happy, crazy Kia to this. Sad Kia, disappointed and heart-broken. Who wouldn't be this way after they received news like that? Maryn didn't know how to help Kia. Well, actually, the truth was, she knew she couldn't. Maryn could only help Kia if she brought back her father and healed Kae. And that couldn't happen. Kia would always be scared from this. Maryn knew that fact too well. Like a piece of Maryn would always remember the train attack and Elizabeth's injury that led to one of her best friends at the time leaving Hogwarts for good. Maryn would never forget the glass that had covered her skin that day. She just wouldn't. Maryn sighed. Kia's situation was worse. So, much worse than Maryn's. So if one attack hurt Maryn so much, then this, had to hurt Kia forever.

Maryn just let Kia talk. She wanted to say something, but she found herself searching for the right words. She didn't want to make things worse. She couldn't make things worse for Kia. Finally, Maryn gulped some air and looked straight into Kia's tear filled eyes. Then, just as she was about to say something, Maryn just shook her head. She watched as Kia cried about Kaelyn saying how she didn't know if she had ever gotten into Hogwarts yet. Maryn understood. Mercy didn't know either, but the situations were totally different. Mercy was just a kid in a muggle family. Maryn had been the only witch until the birth of Tommy. Nate obviously, wasn't magical at all and Mercy was still unknown. She hadn't shown signs of magic ever, but if she wasn't magical she would just be a muggle. Just like Nate. This didn't bother Maryn, but she knew that it bothered Mercy. Maryn sighed. "Umm, no one really deserves something like this Kia. No one at all." She rambled sighing after a moment and then just give up her battle to find the right words to say. So she just stood there looking like a complete moron. Well at least she thought so. She watched as Kia read through the letter once more. "Hey." Maryn offered to Ciaran as he walked. Maryn thought about explaining the situation, but she decided to leave that up to Kia unless he asked Maryn to explain of course.

[Kia Brightstar]

"I want my mother," Kia burst out angrily, rubbing at her eyes and forcing away the tears, before letting out a laugh that was tinged with hysteria. "My mum. I haven't wanted her in just under ten years. Because I'm used to looking after me and Kae, it doesn't bother me anymore. I just told myself that it was good practise for the future, for when I have a child of my own." Kia paused before giggling, still hysterical with the shock. "I had rather hoped that I wouldn't be bringing up a child by myself, of course. But heck, Kae isn't my child. She's my sister." Kia smiled drily, a hint of angered sadness evident in her expression. "She didn't know that at first, you know? She called me mummy when she was growing up and it took years to explain to her that I was her sister. The first time she did it, I walked out. I was seven and I simply walked out on her. Adam found me a few hours later," Kia added, her words slurring slightly as the chaotic emotions inside her started to take a toll on her body. "He found me in a playground, the same one I met Ciaran in over the summer." She was rambling and letting out far more than she had ever wanted anyone to know. Kia had never wanted anyone to know that her family was so messed up that her sister had, for at least two years, called her 'mum' and her father hadn't even noticed because he was never around. She hadn't wanted anyone to know that she had actually walked out and just left Kaelyn alone with no one but the house elves for company and security for at least an hour, perhaps two. Kia pressed the heel of her hands against her eyes gently, letting out an exhausted sob. "I want my dad," Kia admitted in a whisper, not caring if Maryn heard or didn't hear. What did it matter anymore?

"It was a car crash." Kia stated blankly, her eyes glassy with tears that she refused to let fall. "She was due in her dance class, and was probably so excited because Dad was going to take her and watch her. They were rehearsing for a competition, I think. Or a show. Something like that. Merlin," Kia choked out, closing her eyes and tipping her head back weakly. "She was going to be one of the stars in their group and she was so excited and so proud because she'd petitioned them to push it back another week so that I would be home from Hogwarts and I could watch her. Even when Dad was showing her more attention and affection, she always wanted my attention, wanted to know that I was proud of her. Kae's smart; she knew that Aunt Amelia and our Uncle were thinking about the possibility of her being a squib. From the way she handled their suspicions, she'd come to terms with it a long time ago." Kia offered a slightly bitter smile. "Hard not to when Aunt is always pointing out that they knew I was magical by the time I was four." Kia took a deep breath, forcing her hand to release the letter and offer it to Maryn. It held no more information than what she had already told them but it was almost an outward symbol of what she had decided within her soul. She would force herself to come to terms with her fathers death - Merlin, how would she cope during the funeral when she couldn't even cope with the knowledge of his death? - and remain by Kae's side when she got home. She would make it through this, but she couldn't do it without help. Kia had always tried to rely on herself, but there was no way she could come through this with Maryn and Ciarans help.