JuSt LiKe OlD tImEs ({[Drifton]})

[Katarin Saldago]

It had been a long time. A long time since she'd been back at Hogwarts, a long time since she'd seen him. It had been a long time since she had even thought about him. Walking through the halls of the ministry, she thought she saw him. No, she knew she saw him. Instantly she had forgot why she was in that particular hall, and turned around. She wasn't sure why she didn't want him to see her, or why her heart suddenly skipped a beat. I guess, she never really got over him. She had left him without really saying goodbye or giving him a real reason why. She still didn't really know why she left so long ago.

The glimpse, the fact that he was there, it made all the memories she had forced to the back of her mind come rushing back, as if the dam holding them back had disappeared completely. She found herself not able to focus on anything, her mind always going back to when they were still together, back to the day she left. She saw his face everywhere she looked. How could someone she gave up so long ago torture her so badly?

That would explain why she had come back. Why she was making her way up the stone steps of her past. Her dark brown eyes scanned the slightly different entrance hall. Yes, it had been a while. Her heavy combat boots echoed with every step, the red flames that danced across the toes disappeared underneath her baggy camoflage cargo pants. A black leather belt secured them to her hips, her wand stashed in one of the front pockets. A red tank top clung to her muscular torso, and a black zip-up hoody covered her bare arms. Her long black hair was pulled back in a sleek ponytail, a single thick piece left out of it falling back into her face.

Her eyes snapped to the stairs as a young looking student came down the stairs, besides the student, Kat was the only one in the hall. Leaning against the wall cooly, she watched the student as they came closer. "Hey chica," she called, crossing her arms across her chest as the student jumped in surprise. "Where's the headmaster?"

[Professor Drifton]

Ian followed the girl down the stairs a few seconds later, her suitcase in his hand. The headmaster looked up as a familiar voice caught his ear. He paused as he noticed Katarin, looking at her for a split-second too long before snapping out of the rush of memories she’d brought back. Shaking his head slightly as he simultaneously rid himself from the awkward moment, Ian continued to the student, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder and steering her to the door. “Come on, Miss Kelsey,

[/color]” he spoke kindly to the shook-up girl. “Your brother should be waiting outside.[/color]”

He spoke quickly to the man just outside the door—handing him the younger girl’s things, offering his condolences, and other such things—before turning back into the castle and shutting the door behind him. “Kat?[/color]” he asked softly, blue eyes meeting her brown ones. “What are you doing here?[/color]” The question was laced with confusion and … hope, perhaps?

Needless to say, Ian was shocked. He hadn’t seen Kat in God knows how long. When she’d left—or more accurately, disappeared—so long ago, hew as left hurt and confused, blaming himself for things he still couldn’t place a finger on. She had fallen off the face of the earth, for all he knew, and he hadn’t seen her since. Drifton brushed a hand through his hair; damn, he needed a vacation. And look at that, it was only October.
[/blockquote]
[[ playing with the girl as if she's the one talked about here ]][/size]

[Katarin Saldago]

Kat looked up as another person followed the young girl down the stairs. Her heart skipped a beat, leaping up into her throat as she instantly recognized Ian. So maybe showing up at Hogwarts wasn't such a good idea? Second thoughts burst into her mind within seconds, making her wonder if she had chosen to do the right thing. She could have sworn her composure was lost for a second, but she had caught it. She watched as the two walked by, though not comprehending what she was seeing. Her mind was back on the day she had left.

She was still trying to remember what had caused her to leave. All she knew was that she was scared. She wasn't ready to settle down with anyone. She was afraid of what she was feeling toward Drifton. So while he was gone, she packed up her things and left. She hadn't looked back either... until now.

Continuing to lean against the wall, her arms folded across her chest, his voice pulled her back from her memories, back to where she was, and still trying to figure out why exactly she had come back. It was awkward, her brown eyes locked with his, she could think. The same question she had been asking herself the entire way there had been verbalized by Drifton. What was she doing there? She couldn't find her voice, couldn't think of what to say. She didn't know why she was there. Shrugging, she dropped his gaze. "I figured we needed to talk," she said, her voice hiding most of the turbulence she was feeling inside. There was a long pause. Silence filled the empty hall. "So, how've you been?" she asked, dropping her arms to her sides and slipping her hands into her pockets.

[Professor Drifton]

Ian brushed a hand through his brown hair. It was nearing the middle of his neck, needing cut obviously. He’d kept it longer as a teen for random periods of time, but found the style more of a nuisance now. His blue eyes scanned the floor as he waited for her response, rising to her face as she spoke. “Half a decade later?” he challenged softly, confused. His tone was far from harsh, though he had a right to be angry; Ian had told himself that he’d never see Katarin again. Sure, he’d heard she was working for the Ministry now, but he’d never gone out of his way to see her, figuring they’d run into each other if fate wanted it so.

“Busy,” Ian admitted with a slight chuckle. He’d always been busy, a procrastinator at assignments with prefect and head boy duties on top of that. It was something Kat had always teased him about during school, and perhaps he’d brought it up in hopes of gaining that relationship back. The air was still awkward, however, his chuckle somewhat forced and lacking the sparkle it usually held. He cleared his throat softly, running a hand through his tousiled hair once more before speaking again. “You?” his light blue eyes were wide with a boyish innocence. As much as he hated to admit it, Ian wished Kat had missed him terribly almost as much as he wished she’d been great over the past few years.

Ian took a hesitant step forward before pausing and turning his head to the sound of hurried footsteps filling the entrance hall. He smiled softly at a young male student—a first year, by the look of lost confusion on his face—who rushed out of one hall, gazing wide-eyed and innocent at the two adults before dashing into another. Ian had an urge to follow the young boy, to help him find his way to class as he would have done any other day. But not today; no. Kat was here, and quite honestly, Drifton wanted to know what he’d done so long ago to … to lose her like he did.

[[ o.o nyaww ^^ ]]

[Katarin Saldago]

Kat watched as Ian brushed a hand through his hair. He looked good, it had been a long time. She didn't know what to say to his challenge, opening her mouth as if to say something before closing it and looking almost sadly to the floor near her feet. He was over her, he didn't want to see her, he was still angry about her leaving, she shouldn't have come. All these things rushed through her mind as she stood there refusing to look into his beautiful blue eyes. She thought about leaving, that it was a stupid thing for her to just show up, she should just move on, not think about it anymore, but it was as if her boots were glued to the stone floor. Glancing up at him hesitantly she found it hard to speak. "I'm sorry," she said quietly.

She had panicked that day so many years ago, she was afraid. She was scared of the feelings she felt for Drifton and she was afraid of settling down. She was afraid of leaving her heart exposed, knowing nothing but hurt and pain. Maybe she was right, the heartache was slowly starting to seep into her chest. It was as if a dark, depressing blanket had been tossed over her body, sucking all the warmth from her as they stood there in silence. She felt so exposed. And then he chuckled, well kinda. Hearing the lighter sound that escaped his vocal cords seemed to push the negative thoughts from her mind, remove the dark feelings from her chest. 'Busy' his single word seemed to echo through her mind.

She forced a smile, looking up at him longingly, the memories of them during school working their way back into her head. She was such a carefree personality, relaxed and always finding time to just do nothing. Drifton on the other hand was always procrastinating and with prefect and head boy duties never had time to just chill with. She had always picked on him about it, bringing up the fact that she had nothing to do, especially when she knew he was the busiest. His voice brought her back from the memories of the way things used to be, and the awkward air seemed to eat away at her again. She looked back at him with a bit of a shrug, not sure what to say. In all honestly, he had been the only thing on her mind for the past couple days, this confrontation playing out in her head so many different ways and still, she seemed so unprepared for it.

"I've been better," she offered, considering the inner turmoil she had been going through recently. Her heart seemed to skip a beat as she saw him take a step closer, her mind exploding with more positive thoughts this time. There was such a hope inside of her that they'd be able to pick things up again, that he could find it somewhere in his heart to forgive her. She knew it hurt him when she left, but she would never do something like that again. Her dark eyes looking up at him, an easy gate to the emotions she held inside of her, hurried footsteps filled her ears. Unwillingly, she pulled her gaze away from Drifton to notice a little boy rush from one hall to another. Drifton had always had a soft spot for the younger students, Kat on the other hand never understood why. She had always distanced herself from younger kids, finding them annoying if anything. Looking back at him, she could see that he wanted to help the young student, but he didn't.

She felt guilty for leaving him so long ago, her eyes dropping to the floor before returning to him. "It didn't have anything to do with you," she said, knowing that was what he was thinking about, wondering. "It wasn't you're fault, Ian," she offered in a voice just barely over a whisper.

[Professor Drifton]

As soon as the words had left his mouth, Ian was kicking himself for not biting his tongue. He shouldn’t have said it; he could see that in her reaction. Drifton had to keep himself from rushing out to her, from apologizing for his words as well as for whatever had driven her away. He dropped his gaze when Kat wouldn’t meet his eyes. Her voice was what brought him back from his regrets, blue eyes raising to look into her brown. “No… no,” Ian countered, shaking his head. “No, I shouldn’t have said that.

[/color]”

The day Kat had disappeared was the worst day Ian had lived. At first, he’d been frantic that something had happened to her, but when he’d noticed that her things were gone as well, he had snapped. Drifton had spent nothing short of hours, even days, in his thoughts, trying to figure out what he’d done wrong. Many times had Ian debated on whether or not he should go after her, but in the back of his mind, he’d always known Kat to need her space at times. He’d only broken out of his trance when his father had called, reprimanding Ian for being more focused on a girl than on his career. That was the first of many conversations over quite a few years leading up to Drifton becoming the Headmaster of Hogwarts.

The awkward silence that was starting to eat away at the two of them had inspired Ian to take on the more joking tone, but as the whole thing fell flat, he wondered if that had been the right decision. Ian smiled comforting, understandingly, as Katarin stated that she’d been better. A spark of hope lit inside of him, and again Drifton found himself hoping that things could go back at least somewhat to the way it had been.

Ian most definitely had it in him to forgive the woman before him. And not only that, he wanted to forgive her, wanted to hold her once more. But at the same time, Ian didn’t want to tie Kat down. He wanted her to be sure in her decisions. He didn’t want Kat to change her mind suddenly once again. Ian wasn’t all that fond of being left alone and confused; he wasn’t all that sure if he could live with losing Kat like he had once more.

His emotion-filled blue eyes were looking into Katarin’s deep brown ones; he was locked in her gaze in a way he’d only dreamed of for the past years. The student dashing through the hall had broken the moment, drawing Ian’s attention elsewhere. He’d always had a sort of “soft spot” for young kids--had always been able to work with them, to comfort them. It was an odd difference he and Kat shared. However, no matter how much that instinct pulled at Drifton to help the boy, he wanted more to stay where he was, with Kat.

Ian’s gaze dropped as he listened to the boy’s receding footsteps, lifting his eyes once more as her voice graced his ears. A weight lifted from Drifton’s shoulders when Kat admitted that her leaving wasn’t caused by something he’d done. He blinked, shocked yet relieved, before moving forward once more. He stopped a few feet from Katarin, an arm’s length away. Ian hesitantly lifted a hand, reaching out and tucking the loose piece of Kat’s hair behind her ear. HE couldn’t help but smile softly at the contact, dropping his hand and the grin before he spoke. “Then why did you?” Drifton’s voice was soft as well, waiting for some sort of explanation, if she would give him one.
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[Katarin Saldago]

Kat shook her head softly, returning her gentle gaze to the headmaster's handsome face. He had a right to be angry, she packed up and left without giving him a reason why, without letting him know anything. She was eighteen, stupid, immature and scared to death of what was happening. She was afraid of settling down, of what she was feeling toward Drifton, but what scared her the most was what she couldn't bring herself to tell him. "No... I deserved that," she forced a smile quietly, looking down at the floor again. She didn't understand why she felt so deprived of confidence, after all, she usually stood with her head high, not giving a crap what anyone thought. The truth was, she cared what Ian thought. She cared a lot.

Kat was eighteen, practically just out of Hogwarts. She wasn't ready to settle down with anyone, she wasn't the type of girl to just live quietly. She wanted to go out and have some fun first. Not like that was an option after she left anyway. She was afraid and had no choice but to run back to her dad, she couldn't handle things on her own and she was never able to tell Drifton exactly what was happening. She was afraid of his reaction, afraid of making the statement true, even though she ultimately knew it was. She wasn't ready to accept it though. There were times she wished Drifton would come after her, wished he'd prove just how much he cared for her. However, he never came for her, and she was forced to move on, though she was forced to live everyday with a constant reminder.

Later she had heard he had become the headmaster at Hogwarts, and as proud as she was of him, she couldn't help but feel her heart break as she came to the conclusion that he had moved on from her. He didn't care anymore, and she was determined to think the same way. It had worked too, until just a couple days ago. Looking back up at Ian, all she wanted to do was feel him wrap his arms around her, hold her close and tell her it was going to be okay. She wanted everything to go back to the way things were before she left. She had done a lot of growing up in the past five years, she was forced to.

All that Kat could think about for the past few days was being next to Ian again, the feeling of his warmth beside her as he held her in his arms. The safety she felt there, but that wasn't all of it. As much as this visit was for her own benefit, it wasn't the entire reason she had come back. If things went back to the way they were, she was positive she wouldn't back out again. She was ready to settle down this time, confidant in her actions and determined in the mindset she carried at the moment.

Her dark brown eyes met his blue ones as he stepped closer to her. Her heart fluttering as his hesitant hand brushed her skin, tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear. She couldn't help but smile lightly as her skin tingled even after the contact ended. She knew the question was coming, but she dreaded having to answer him. Fighting back sudden tears that threatened to slip down her face, she grew angry at herself. She was never the type of girl to cry, or at least let anyone see it. There was only one time she let Ian see her cry, and this wasn't going to be another one. Her eyes averting from his, she let out her breath, trying to think of the words she needed to say.

"I was eighteen, Ian," she started, glancing up at him, hoping he'd understand. "I was scared and panicked and confused and not ready to handle what was happening," she spoke the words she had been holding in for so long, dreaming of this day. A long pause seemed to draw on as her voice evaded her. Her eyes falling to the floor, she forced the words she couldn't say then. "Ian, I was pregnant," she whispered, her cheeks burned as she felt a single tear slide down her face.

[Professor Drifton]

Ian listened silently as Kat pointed out she’d deserved his words. He bit back his retort at first, thinking over her statement before opening his mouth. In the end, he came to the conclusion that, no, Kat didn’t deserve to be reprimanded. He missed her so much over the five years she’d been gone, and the shock of her visit combined with his confusion tamped down from so long ago had made him act without thinking. “No, you didn’t,” he argued, smiling in an attempt to brighten hers. She had a reason for leaving, and Ian knew that whether she told him or not. He frowned as she looked down again; the lack of her usual persona was starting to worry him. Kat was never quiet and shy; her easy-going confidence was something he’d always loved about her.

The both of them had been young when she disappeared. Kat had graduated not even a year before, and Ian had just settled down with a stable job. He was twenty, and knew about Katarin’s restlessness. Ian was prepared to sit back and have a less serious relationship than he ultimately wanted with her; he cared for her that much. In a way, he had always been somewhat shocked at how long their relationship had lasted. Some part of him had been expecting some sort of spur-of-the-moment reaction from her, but Ian had never been prepared for her to just pick up and leave. Drifton did care for Kat; he cared enough to respect her wishes. He’d chosen to let her go based on how she was before she left, as opposed to how she may have been feeling.

In the back of his mind, though, Ian had always regretted his decision to not follow her, even more so now that she was standing before him. He’d never really moved on. The headmaster position had been more-or-less forced upon him by his father, and once he’d returned to Hogwarts, everything became a reminder. They’d met here, he’d asked her out there. The only way he was able to stand such constant reminders was through a busy schedule—something that wasn’t hard for him to keep with everything that was going on. “I missed you,” he admitted softly, watching her face and hoping to meet her eyes once more.

Most males wouldn’t voice such a thing out loud, but Ian felt as if saying so was necessary. The last thing he wanted was for Kat to think he’d forgotten her—because he surely hadn’t. Ian grinned as she smiled; his fingertips set on fire at touching the girl he hadn’t seen for so long. His own heart skipped a beat as he grew caught up in her eyes, her smile. An expression of pure joy pulled at his own features; Ian had always been content to just be graced with Katarin’s presence. He was happy if she was happy, and Ian had always done what he could to keep a smile planted firmly on her face.

Only when he noticed the tears welling in her eyes did the headmaster’s expression fade into pure concern. “Kat?” he asked softly as she looked away, wishing she’d raise her gaze once more. Ian listened dutifully as Katarin started to explain; he nodded slightly when she glanced up at him. As understanding blue eyes met her vulnerable brown ones, his heart seemed to clench. Ian had never seen Kat act like she was; it was starting to worry him. He nodded again as she spoke about not being able to handle what had been happening, taking her words to mean their relationship. Ian almost withered in the moment of silence; the amount of tension in the air kept him from saying anything. And when the silence was finally broken by Kat’s soft voice, he felt his heart plummet.

She had been pregnant, pregnant with his child. The revelation hit the Ian like a stone wall at eighty miles-per-hour. His blue eyes were focused no longer on the woman before him, but on the memory of her days before she had left. He had a child, a child that he hadn’t known existed until just now. Part of him was flooded with disbelief while the rest of him was still dealing with the shock. “What?

[/color]” the question was barely uttered, and wasn’t meant to be answered. He stood in silence for a moment longer, brain that was usually so quick to react barely processing her words as he struggled to find his voice. Ian blinked, swallowing as he focused once more on Katarin’s face. “Kat …” he began, reaching out to gently tilt her chin up in order to meet her eyes. His thumb brushed at the lone tear trailing down her cheek. “Why didn’t you tell me?” His voice was almost husky, cracking as if he hadn’t spoken in a while; his whole body was numb, and ultimately, Ian had no idea what to feel. Disbelief that he had a child, confusion that he’d never met his son or daughter, and the hidden hurt that Kat hadn’t told him five years ago—they all shone in his eyes, amongst many more.
[/blockquote][/size]

[Katarin Saldago]

Katarin remained silent as Ian argued that she didn't deserve the comment. It was something she was almost expecting as she returned, however, that didn't mean she was prepared for it. It still hurt as the words still echoed in her ears. She lived with the regret of leaving every day of her life, but she forced herself to believe that he had moved on with his life, that he didn't care about her anymore. After all, she didn't really have the time to go searching for him. She had a child to take care of and a job to keep the money coming in. Looking up at him as he smiled, she could help but return it, loving the warmth that his smile seemed to cast.

She had had her confidence and laid back attitude up until her eyes landed on Drifton, and with that, it seemed to disappear. She felt like a little girl, scared and vulnerable. She knew leaving him like that was wrong, but it was a spur-of-the-moment thing and she couldn't help but go with it, even if it meant regret later. It was a decision she had to live with for five years, and it almost killed her.

Kat had been swimming through the many old memories, the feelings she held back then. The love she felt for Ian, the fear of what was going on, all of it seemed to flood back into her system as if she were eighteen again. Being back at Hogwarts for the first time since graduating didn't help either, I suppose. His soft words caught her off guard and she looked up at him, wondering if he had actually said them or if it was just her imagination caught up in the memories. Her eyes sparkled, whether it be from the tears that would soon make themselves evident, or the emotion that seemed to pulse through her. He did still care. He didn't forget about her. It had been just as hard on him as it had been her. Finding her voice hard to come by, she smiled lightly. "I missed you too," she answered in a voice just barely over a whisper, her eyes searching his face for something, anything to let her know it was okay.

Kat was starting to grow annoyed with herself, who was this that seemed to take over her body? It wasn't the real Kat, the one that stood up straight with enough strength to stand alone. The fully trained Auror and single mom that had been through hell and still managed to keep an attractive look about her. She was a complete tomboy and laid back in all of her actions. Spontaneous was something she did everyday, hell, that's how she ended up here.

As soon as she muttered those words it had taken her five years to finally say, she looked up into his eyes, searching for his reaction, hoping he would take it as well as she had always imagined. He was wonderful with kids, and that was part of the argument for actually saying it, and watching the beautiful child grow, it made her heart hurt. She knew what it was like not growing up with both parents. Her mother had passed away when she was quite young. No, she wasn't going to make her child go through the same thing, not when the dad was right here. The kid needed Ian, especially when he was so good with kids and the headmaster of Hogwarts. Forcing a small smile at his question, she wasn't sure how he was handling it. "You have a daughter," she offered, not really knowing what to do, what to say, her gaze lowering to the floor again.

Silence seemed to drag on, the tension and emotions tied to it nearly smothering Kat. Everything seemed to be cast into the shadows, as her mind jumped to the worst possible results. Ian's voice as he muttered her name seemed to draw her back, his touch lighting her skin on fire as he raised her chin up to look at him. The question, another question she knew she'd have to answer and yet the answer seemed to far away from her. Shrugging lightly, she tried to look away but those gentle blue eyes seemed to hold her captive. "I was scared, I wasn't ready to accept it myself. I didn't want to believe it, I couldn't bring myself to tell you. It would've meant it was real," she offered. It was confusing, looking back at it now, trying to explain it to Ian, but that was the way she felt. She was terrified, pregnant, and panicking, the only answer she could come up with was to run at the time. Run away from it. That was a mistake, and she had to live with it. She was back now, and all she wanted was for things to be normal, to be held in his protective embrace again.

[Professor Drifton]

Ian’s grin brightened when Katarin smiled; he’d always loved her smile, and a sense of accomplishment flooded through him when he caught sight of it. He had loved her when she left, and he still did. No longer did he care that she’d picked up and left so suddenly; she was here now, and that was all that mattered. Kat’s presence seemed to do such things to Ian’s mind. He could never stay mad at her, could never feel anything but bliss when she was around; and there was no difference now. Though he was still confused and concerned on the surface, Drifton was most definitely joyous upon seeing her face again.

A corner of his lips lifted in a soft smile when she answered. Ian couldn’t help but feel his hopes grow as she admitted to missing him as well, and in a way he suddenly knew everything would be alright. The mistakes they’d both made were in the past, now; and though there was little the two of them could do about what had happened years ago, Ian felt that there was no stopping things from going back to the way they had been before. His regrets were vanishing as he realized this, merry blue eyes sparkling slightly as he looked down at her. He wanted things to go back to the way they were before, wanted to hold her against him once more, and quite frankly Ian was growing more and more determined to have his way. Of course, he wouldn’t rush to her right then, but never again would he let her disappear from his life.

Ian’s brain was still trying to process the idea of having a child when Katarin stated he had a daughter. Ian seemed to hear her words far after they were said, and even then it took him a while to understand them. “A daughter?” he repeated softly, disbelief clouding his words. His gaze dropped to the floor as he grew quiet again, trying to piece everything together. A daughter; he had a daughter. Ian’s heartbeat seemed to grow louder in his ears as he finally began to understand her words.

His blue eyes were wide as he listened to Kat’s explanation, letting his touch linger before dropping his arm to his side once more. “You should have told me,” he muttered, his tone anything but condescending. No, if anything Ian was back to kicking himself. He should have gone after her, but because he didn’t… Ian swallowed once more, lifting a hand to rub at the back of his neck—a nervous habit of his. Because he hadn’t chased after Kat, his daughter—his daughter—didn’t know him. Ian was slowly starting to blame himself, starting to feel he was more of a jerk than he’d thought moments before. “I should have gone after you,” Ian admitted softly to himself.

Suddenly he felt like one of those fathers who ran when a child was on the way, and though Ian was surely nothing like that, he couldn’t help the conflict in his mind. His brain was starting to fill up with “I should have”s and “what if”s. His blue eyes connected with hers, expressing the sadness and self-conflict he was still sorting through. He wasn’t mad at Kat, that much was obvious. If anything, Ian was upset with himself. “God,” he barely uttered, dropping his gaze once more.

[[ >.> v.v ]]

[Katarin Saldago]

The grin that brightened Ian's face not only made him look that more attractive, but seemed to brighten Katarin inside and out. She loved Ian when she had laughed, whether she'd admit that to herself or not, the fact still remained. The truth was, she still loved him, loved everything about him. She hoped he would forgive her for leaving so many years ago, for keeping everything from him. She hoped that he would accept her now, standing before him, her heart ripped open and everything in the air. Her usually defensive, tough skinned attitude seemed to melt every time Ian came around. However, that didn't mean that she was always vulnerable and self conscious as she was now. He made her melt and grow warm inside, always finding a way to make her smile.

Watching his reaction at the words she'd been keeping to herself for a long time, not even admitting it to herself. She did miss him, a lot. It was only now, looking into his beautiful blue eyes that she accepted that, realized it. She hoped everything would be okay, that everything would be able to go back to normal, well, as normal as it could be. All the mistakes and things she regretted were slowly slipping from her mind. For the first time in years, she had actually done something right. She had come back to him, and as uneasy as that made her feel, she knew it was ultimately the right decision and everything would end up okay.

Kat felt guilty appearing out of nowhere and dropping the news that he had a daughter. She felt bad about not telling him when she found out and about leaving because of it. She felt guilty and was kicking herself for it completely. She shouldn't have just shown up like that. It was nice to see him again, and her heart seemed to pound with the possibility of things going back to the way they were, but still, she couldn't help but sink with guilt as she watched him suffer in confusion and disbelief. She nodded slowly as Ian repeated her words. He had a daughter. They had a daughter. She looked up at him, silently willing him to accept it, praying he would be okay with it.

Kat simply nodded, she knew she should have told him, it was something she regretted daily. She was afraid and stupid back then. She didn't know what she was doing, didn't want to admit the fact that she was pregnant. She watched as he rubbed at the back of his neck. She knew it was a habit, and she dropped her gaze. She felt terrible about causing so much confusion to the man before her. Not knowing how to respond to Ian's statement, she shrugged. "I'm sorry," she muttered, her gaze meeting his as so much emotion and sadness seemed to flow from his eyes. She felt as if her heart had been ripped from her chest. Her eyes fell, not knowing what to say, what to do to make him feel any better about this. She waited, not able to look up at him, waited to see what was to come of this. She wanted nothing more than to make everything better, go back and undo all the mistakes she made. She wanted to prevent all the confusion and sadness that she saw within Ian's eyes.

[Professor Drifton]

Ian raised his gaze; the information that Kat had given him was finally starting to sink in. There was still that hidden feeling of disbelief, but perhaps only meeting his daughter would rid him of that. He was still upset that he’d known nothing of his child for nearly five years, but Ian was never one to hold a grudge against just anyone, let alone Kat. As more seconds ticked by, he grew more and more able to sort through his own thoughts. Watching Kat silently for a few more moments, he was once again taken aback by the fact that she was there, standing in front of him.

Suddenly, Ian was unable to stand not embracing her. It had been years—nearly half a decade—since he’d held her in his arms; and though he was still upset about being kept in the dark, he couldn’t help but be happy that he had a daughter. Ian would be the last man to be angry he had a child. And so, taking that last step forward, Ian closed the space between them, wrapping his arms around Katarin and pulling her close to him. He held her gently, bending his upper back slightly so as to press the side of his head lightly against hers.

“A daughter,” he repeated once more, smiling softly as the words left his lips. Ian was accepting the fact that he had a child; he wanted to meet her, to see his little girl. “What’s she like?” he asked, curiosity getting the best of him. He wanted to know as much about her as he could take in. Needless to say, Ian was slightly nervous about meeting his child; sure she was only five, but he was still worried about her hating him for not being there. That was the last thing he wanted.

[Katarin Saldago]

Kat's gaze continued to remain on the floor in front of her. She was unable to look up at Drifton, the guilt she felt every time she saw the sadness and confusion there in his eyes was unbearable. She waited, listening for anything he had to say. She hoped - she prayed he would accept it, forgive her, let everything return to normal. She figured all he needed was some time to sort through his thoughts, make everything understandable again. He had always been one for thinking through things first, and she respected that. The silence, and the space between them, seemed increasingly unbearable. She still couldn't believe that she was there, standing in front of him with everything out in the open.

Stuck in her thoughts and the ever lingering guilt that seemed to pulse through her with each new breath, seemed to sit on her chest, making it hard to breath, and then there was Ian. Kat jumped lightly at the sudden embrace, wondering at first if it was again just her imagination, or whether this was real. She was tense, frozen, unable to do anything for a second before letting her body relax, shifting to fit against his body perfectly. Her heart seemed to stop and she forgot to breath as she slipped her arms gently around his mid section. Leaning her head against his chest, she felt home again. She felt all the guilt, all the sadness, everything seemed to leave. Her body was numb with happiness and the feeling of warmth.

Again, Kat heard him speak the words, only this time not as a question, not disbelieving or confused. She was almost certain he had accepted it this time, even a bit happy about it. A small smile graced her naturally tan features as she nodded against his chest. "She's got your brains, my attitude. Your eyes and my good looks," she spoke the truth, but her usual air was starting to return to her body. Her confidence was steadily growing back and she was back to normal before anything else could be said. She was still unsure what came over her for the majority of the conversation, the meeting, she may never find out, but one thing was for sure. The old Kat, the new, more mature Kat, the soft, loving Kat that Ian always seemed to awaken, they all came together in that instant. "Her name is Jacquelyn. Jacquelyn Ziza Drifton," she smiled, actually smiled for the first time since entering Hogwarts that day.

[Professor Drifton]

A warmth spread through Ian’s chest as he finally held Katarin in his arms again. The warm feeling slowly flooded his body; the skin that touched her tingled. A breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding left his lungs, and the tension that had kept such an iron grip on Ian’s chest earlier faded away quickly as he was finally able to think things through. He had a daughter. The more he repeated Kat’s words in his head, Ian’s mindset changed from pure shock to acceptance to a joy that was utterly unexplainable. The headmaster seemed to swell at the mere thought of having a child, and it wasn’t long before his blue eyes sparkled with a sense of delight he’d honestly never felt before.

And in the end, what Ian was feeling wasn’t all due to having a child. No, a fair portion of his emotion came from the woman he was holding, the girl he never though he’d see again. Ian pushed away slightly, not so that they were no longer embracing, but enough so he could look down into her beautiful face once more. “Kat…” he spoke softly, lifting one hand to brush tenderly against her cheek. He didn’t want the moment to end—didn’t plan on ending it any time soon. Though he hadn’t let it visibly affect him, Kat’s disappearance had been pure torture for Ian. He’d been forced to shove thoughts of her out of his mind multiple times each day, and now that she was standing before him again, he had no clue how he ad stood the past five years. Ian looked deep into Kat’s brown eyes, quickly becoming blissfully lost in her gaze. “I love you,” he spoke the admission softly. “I never stopped.” He wanted her to know that, to erase any doubt she may have had. Slowly, a smile took over his features.

Ian couldn’t help but chuckle as Katarin spoke about their daughter. “Yeah?” he muttered, smiling at the mere thought of the young girl. “She must be beautiful, then,” he guessed, referring to Kat’s comment about the girl receiving her good looks. Of course, Ian wouldn’t mind what the little girl looked like. Their child would always be exquisite in his eyes, just like Kat was. A small smile pulled at his features as Ian noticed Kat’s vulnerability fading away. Here was the woman he knew. “Jacquelin Ziza Drifton,

[/color]” he repeated, gently hugging Kat closer as he smiled. He’d already fallen in love with their daughter, despite having never met her. Ian was like that.
[/blockquote][/size]

[Katarin Saldago]

The numbing happiness that flooded Katarin's body seemed to be followed by a tingling sensation everywhere their skin met. It was a feeling she had only ever felt when with Ian, and it was something she missed during those long five years. She let out a long, slow breath, letting it draw out. Taking another breath, she also took in his smell, there were things about it that had changed, but underneath it all, it was still the same Ian she left. Looking back, it was a stupid decision and never should have been made. Letting her mind open to everything, and yet so closed to only let in them and what was happening at that moment. She was unbelievably happen she had made the choice to return to him, confront him about everything.

As much as Kat knew the embrace wouldn't last forever, she still hoped it would and when she felt Ian pull away, even if it was just slightly, she didn't want it to end. His soft voice, angelic in her mind, rang in her ears, if he only muttered her name. It was as if he said so much more with it, that that one single word held the secrets of the world. Her dark eyes looked up into his and her heart fluttered as she saw the sparkling joy there in their blue depths. She couldn't help the small smile as his hand brushed against her cheek, setting her skin on fire, the feeling remaining even after his touch moved away. Looking up into his eyes, she couldn't believe she had left him so long ago, how she had survived without him by her side for so long. His statement, those three powerful words seemed to strike her body like lightning, his voice, the words still banging in her head like thunder. Her heart felt like it was going to explode, like it was going to pull itself out of her chest. Her eyes sparkling with a new found happiness that she hadn't felt in God nows how long pulsed through her body. "I love you too," he hadn't stopped caring for her, he hadn't forgotten and he still loved her. What more could she possibly ask for? All she wanted to do was stay in his arms forever, just like this. There weren't enough words in the word to express how much she loved him, how much she adored everything there was about him. "I love you so much," she whispered, returning the smile that seemed to erupt over his features.

Kat nodded, a certain pride swelling within her chest as she spoke of the sweet little girl she had raised alone. No longer would she have to, she was certain Ian and Jacquie would click instantly. "How could she not be? She has you as a father," she smiled as Ian guessed about the girl's appearance. She was beautiful, there was nothing else to be said. There was something about him repeating their daughter's name that made it that more exquisite, giving it something it never had before and it seemed to ring in Kat's ears with a renewed value. As Ian held her closer, she rested her head on his chest, feeling his steady heartbeat against hers. It was like heaven on earth. She couldn't wait for Ian to meet his daughter, she knew everything would be fine. No, she was certain it would be more than fine.