You're not a little cub anymore...(Ted)

Luna, after seeing Alchemy for the first time in a decade, thought more and more about Ted. It's been a long time since she had seen him and missed him dearly. Sitting in the middle of a field, she wrote a note for him to meet him there and tied it to her crow. ''You know who i want this to, Nero..'' She whispered softly and Nero flew off to find him. Leaning back, she smiled as the sun beat down on the field. Whilst she waited, she traced the dream catcher tattoo on her thigh and then shrugged off her leather jacket, to reveal both of her arms covered in tattoos. All had meaning and were to someone. On her forearm was a small bear cub and the words 'You'll always be my little cub'. It was recent and for Ted. ''Teddyyyyy Come out, come out wherever you are.'' She called out, knowing he was nearby.

Her outfit:

Ted had been pouring over some work in his office at home when a rapping on his window drew his attention. Getting up, he opened the window and let in a....crow holding a message in his beak. "Nero?" he asked, taking the messgae and stroking the bird's feather fondly. "It's been a long time old friend," he said opening the message he brought him. Ted's classic smile spread across his face at reading the message was from his dear friend and mentor. Giving Nero a treat for his troubles, he said, "Be there as fast as the crow flies." Winking at the bird, Nero seemed pleased with his response at took to flight back to Luna.

Letting Dromeda know he was heading out, he grabbed his black wool pea-coat and vanished with a pop to the field Luna was at. Not saying a word and moving with expert stealth that he had honed over these many years, Ted's leather boots didn't make a sound against the earth beneath them. The fabric of his black jeans and black coat didn't rustle as he moved. He was now the full-fledged, silent killer, Protector, Auror he had striven to be since he was a teenager. Once he reached Luna, standing only a foot or so behind his old friend. He said softly, "Been a long time, Looney."

Luna glanced up at Ted with a smile and stood up, wrapping her arms around him. ''Well i suppose now that you're an auror and protector...it's hard for you to keep track of old friends.'' She smirked before shaking her head. ''After all these years, you still call me that, little cub.'' She teased, feeling her dear Crow land on her shoulder as she pulled away from the hug. Tilting her head so Nero nestled into her neck, she smiled. ''I am glad you came...I've been thinking more about your family than usual.'' Luna admitted, not wishing to say Alchemy's name as she knew it upset Ted.

Holding Luna tightly, he breathed in the familiar scent that he grew to know as he trained with her. It was comforting to him. "Being a Protector and an Auror has kept me busy, but not too busy for old friends," he said, the rasp to his voice still there from when they were younger, just more a man's voice now. Letting her go, he stroked Nero's feathers. "Beat ya," he said with a chuckle. Hearing her call him his old nick name, he grinned, "And you are no better. Will I always be your cub, Loony?"

"I couldn't help but come," Ted said, a strain on his words. Luna was the next thing he had to a sister since Alchemy was gone. "And why is that?" he asked tucking his hands into his jacket pockets and tilting his head, like he so often did before. Ted's blue eyes were darker, sadder. A part of him was missing, and was likely to never be filled.

Luna smiled at Ted and rolled her eyes. ''What about your godson?'' She teased before laughing lightly at his comment to Nero. ''Well he is getting old..'' She commented, feeling Nero peck at her cheek. Watching the bird fly down to her jacket and curl up, she looked up at Ted smiling. ''Yes you will...I mean. I did get a tattoo saying this.'' She admitted, pointing to the small bear cub tattoo on her forearm.

Hearing the strain, she raised her hand and touched his cheek staring into his darker, sadder eyes. ''Because i wondered if we'd have seen each other more often if...she was still here.'' She admitted, her own eyes getting darker and sadder. Alchemy was the light in the Order and in their family. Oh how she wished she could tell Ted the truth. ''How is Andro?'' She asked.

"Ah, yes. Felix. How is he? A terror like his old man?" Ted teased, smiling brightly. He had never forgotten him. Not once. "He still gets the treasures I send him, doesn't he?" he asked, remembering the final piece of the jade Wizard Chess set he sent him for his last birthday. Felix now had the complete set after getting a piece for each birthday and Christmas. Maybe one day they would get to sit and play. "He's a good friend. Just had to show him that sooner or later, I'd beat him," Ted said with a wink and a smile at the bird. Taking Luna's arm in his strong but gentle hand, he admired the cub tattoo that was him. "Looks just like me. I got one, too," he said with a smirk. Slipping out of his pea-coat and pulling off his dark blue sweater, Ted's highly toned arms allowed the bottom of a tattoo on his right upper arm to be seen. Pulling the short sleeve of his shirt up, he revealed the bear print in black with a wolf print at the center showing his flesh against the black of the other print surrounding it. Crossed beneath it was a wand and a his tomahawk along with the flowing scrpit of Always ready....

When Luna hinted at Alchemy's name and perhaps seeing more of one another, his eyes fell as he redressed. "I think...." he began, a small hitch hin his voice. "I think we would, actually. But, I don't think.... I don't think her being gone is what has kept us apart, Luna," he said softly, the pain of the loss of his sister still apparent as he spoke, even after all this time. He just wished he would have gotten one more.... One more chance to hug her, one more chance to say he loved her, one more sparring match.... There were never enough....

When she switched the topic to Andromeda, a tender smile touched his lips. "She is well," he said with a sigh. "Busy as ever, you know her. But well. And, Kronos? This children calm him down a wee bit?" he joked as he buttoned his jacket and sat on a rock that was nearby.

''Felix is the devil in disguise as is his two sisters.'' Luna pointed out, smiling at the mention of her dear children. ''He is currently at hogwarts. Slytherin like Emrys.'' She says and nodded. ''He has them all and can't wait to play and possibly beat you.'' Luna teased, winking before smiling at Nero. Holding out her arm for Ted, she stared at the tattoo on his upper arm. Touching it softly, she smiled happily. ''Always ready...'' She whispered and looked up at Ted with almost watery eyes. ''We are family...She wouldn't want us to be like this.'' Luna mused, wiping her eyes quickly.

Grinning at his reaction to Andromeda, she smiled. ''She always was a busy bee...Tell her i said hello and we must go for a coffee some time to catch up.'' She told Ted before chuckling, remembering her husband and her children. ''More like make him more lively. Celeste,'' Her voice almost hitched like it did every time when she said Celeste's name as she remembered her mother. ''Is a little rascal. She adores Dragon and because of that Kronos tries to one up him and it makes my job as a mother much harder as i have to up them both.'' She laughed lightly, grinning.

Ted couldn't help but chuckle at her description of his godson. "Sounds about right. Really, I'm not surprised that they are both in Slythering. Not that there is anything wrong with that," he said with a sink to her. Thinking about the chess game that would go one between them make Ted laugh happily. "Beat me, huh? Well, we will just have to see about that. Have you seen much of Morgan?" he asked. Sure he had seen here now and then, the only healer he let fix him up when needed. "I will give her your message. I'd be willing to bet she's take you up on that offer in a heartbeat," he told her happily. Chuckling at her description of Kronos with children, he shook his head. "Is it even possible for him to be more lively?" he asked, but his smile softened as he heard the familiar break in her voice at the mention of her youngest daughter that shared a name with her mother. "I bet, no matter who ups the other, momma bear trumps all," he joked lightly, trying to lift her spirit.

While he tried to lift hers, his fell only slightly as he thought about what Luna said about what Alchemy would want and the saying on his arm, put there for them both. "You know, you and she taught me about that. About always being ready.... I thought it was fitting..." he said rubbing his hand over where the tattoo was now concealed buy his sweater and coat. "She woudn't want us sad. She's want us happy and living. But, damn it....." Ted said turning from Luna and looking up to the warm sun. "I miss her...." he said, his voice cracking, but no tears fell.

Luna chuckled lightly. ''Yes beat you...He is a very smart boy. Makes his own mother feel a bit dumb at times.'' She smiled, seems the motherly glow she had when she gave birth to him and his twin had never left. ''No i haven't...I do miss her.'' She admitted before laughing lightly at Ted's comment about Andromeda. She certainly was a gossip but one you couldn't help but love. ''Probably give her some time off from you.'' She teased, winking at her dear friend.

''Apparently so...Tires me out. I got my tattoo shop to take care of, the order and my mad family.'' Luna commented, shaking her head. ''Of course and with all the weapons im making lately, i top them instantly.'' She smiled brightly and took Ted's hand into hers. ''Yeah i know...Be ready for anything that comes your way. That way...you can beat it.'' She told Ted like she told him many years ago when she was training him. Hearing Ted's last comment, her heart slowly broke and she tugged on Ted's hand. ''I have something to show you at my place...we don't have to go now.'' She told him. Luna didn't care if Alchemy got annoyed and what she was planning. He needed to see her.

Ted chuckled at the joke of Andro needing a break from him. Really if she needed a break from anything, it was her crazy busy schedule. He made a mental note to make sure the next time he saw Morgan, for he knew there would be a next time, to tell her to contact Luna. He knew she was busy with a home, family, and the healing department at St. Mungo's, but surely she'd take time to see an old friend. He knew she would.

Feeling Luna tug on his hand, he turned his sad eyes back to her, letting his eyes meet hers. "Something to show me?" he asked, his brow furrowing, curious. When she said they didn't need to go now, he nodded. Ted was enjoying the peace and quiet here for now. Just being with his old friend and mentor was good enough at the moment. "So, sounds like you and Kronos are doing pretty well. Weapon smithing and a tattoo parlor? Busy bee, Miss Looney," he said lightly, teasing her. "I still have the ring of knives you made me for graduation, remember? They are a matching set to this one," he said pulling the dagger from his boot and holding it out to her. The handle was dark blue leather secured with slate grey ties in a cross cross fashion with a black double edged blade. The knives didn't have the leather handles like this one, but the blades and accents matched flawlessly. "I may not carry the ring everywhere, but this... This is always with me," he said with his crooked grin and a wink.

Luna smiled and nodded. ''Yes something to show you...'' That was all she said, grinning. Nodding slowly, she pulled out her own little dagger. The blade was engraved with obsidian which made it stronger. The handle used to be a dark red but now was simply black. ''Weapon smithing is hard...but a nice time away from the husband.'' She joked before putting it back in her sheath. ''And the tattoo parlor is now muggle and wizard. I found the spell that makes images move so at the back is where Wizards go and i put the spell on their tattoos. Recently, someone got a tattoo one and i was able to make it move.'' She admitted excitedly as if she was still a young girl. ''Ah yes..Graduation...Seems like only yesterday.'' Luna mused, remembering the day. ''I am glad you still protect yourself...'' She admitted.

Luna's answer to his question was enough for him to not ask further. He had learned how to tell the difference between it being alright to press for an answer and when to just let it be. This was one of the later cases. "Might be hard, but you are skilled with what you do create. Can never be too careful, can we?" Ted told her, that knowing glint in his eye. He might be a Protector and an Auror, as well as skilled in self-defense and any number of other things, but that didn't keep him from being on some's seek and destroy list. While his Protector status was hidden from the public, he still wasn't without enemies.

"Moving tattoos.... Well, if anyone could find a way, it was going to be you," he said thinking about what it would be like to have a moving picture on your body. He liked the idea of Luna having a shop that catered to both Muggles and Wizards alike. More business for her, and, well, kind of made a small brdge betweent he worlds that seem to get closer and closer each day. "Hard to believe it's been so long already...." he mused, remembering graduation. It was a time of both good and bad. "Celeste starts next year, right?" he asked, remembering that if the twins were in school now, she should be next in line to go.

Luna chuckled lightly. ''That is true...Always gotta be on the edge.'' She mused before glancing at Ted. ''Things will change soon. I have a meeting in Cambridgeshire with someone and our top enemies may become allies. That is if they listen to what our Order has to say.'' She told him with a slight sigh. She rubbed her temples. It was a stressful situation as she did not know how it would effect the people in the order.

''Yes, moving tattoos. I have to make a living somehow.'' Luna winked smiling before looking up at the sky. ''A decade...I have to admit i don't miss hogwarts as much as i though. Yeah Celeste is going next year...I'm quite nervous for her. She's a strong spirited child and once someone tells her off or tells her what to do, she will not react well. That is why she will not be the leader of our Order in the future if she does not change her ways..'' Luna told Ted with almost saddened eyes.

Ted nodded and sighed quietly. Having some king of alliance between enemies and them would be a welcome change. The more eyes on the world, the better. However, even though they could hope for good things to come out of this meeting, it was possible that it could have the opposite effect. "How are they figuring our enemies will become our allies?" he asked, even though he saw the stress it was putting on Luna. With Alchemy being gone, his position with the Order was much more important. He would stand by Luna no matter what the cost, as he always had, and to help make sure he could do that job, he needed to know.

Hearing her say she didn't miss Hogwarts as much as she thought she would, Ted couldn't help but chuckle. "I think we are all in the same boat. There are parts of Hogwarts I miss, and parts I don't. But what I do miss most of all, is seeing everyone. You know, everyone we used to hang out with all the time. I, however, do not miss the darkness that loomed over us while we were there..." he said glancing out across the field. War had tainted all of them in its own way. It would have been nice to not have had to go through that, but, then again, Ted wouldn't exchange that for the world. It made them who they are today. Perhaps the only thing he would change was the loss of his sister. "I'm sure Celeste will be just fine. Not like she'll be on her own there, and if she's anything like you, I'm sure she will find her way and not take out too many that would oppose her," he said looking back at Luna, his blue eyes smiling as he winked at her. "Besides, she'll have lots of others looking out for, right?" he added.

Luna smiled faintly. ''A treaty between both orders.'' She said, kicking at the floor slightly. ''A treaty to ensure no more fights. Meaning..no wars and no more burying our brothers and sisters. I've buried more people in my life than i care for.'' She said firmly, the flicker of sadness of losses showing in her rare blue eyes.

''I miss that too...Dark and light split us apart i suppose.'' Luna said sadly. ''Celeste is a stubborn girl but if she is like her father, she'll take down everyone that oppose her.'' She joked, shaking her head. ''She has a lot of people...lots of the Order are watching and her siblings will take good care of her. Artemis is very protective of Celeste so even better.'' She pointed out, grinning brightly. She was very proud of the four children, even Artemis who she treated as if she was hers.