Family Matters (Vixen)

Alchemy slid into a simple tight t-shirt and low hung jeans. Leaving her long blonde hair loose she kissed her daughter's head, "Look after her Meridith" she said to the nanny who helped her with her duties as the commanders wife and a mother. Slipping her leather jacket on she pulled up the hoodie to it and belted her blades to her inner arms her wand on her thigh. Leaving her chambers she strode down the halls to the gates "Lady Alchemy!" she turned to the sentry man a raised eyebrow "Can i help you?" "M'lady lord mars-" "yes i know i'm not supposed to leave nexus unescorted but i'm a big girl i can handle things on my own if anyone follows me i'll break all the bones in there bodies" she said sweetly.

Turning her boot crushed the snow as she held up her hands the doors flung open and she slipped out of the fortress and apparated in mid walk to czechia. Breathing in the sharp air she checked the location she had been given by those who served her. Sliding the paper into her jacket she walked up to the door and knocked twice.

Vixen, wrapped in a blanket as a new onset of fever held onto her slowly weakening frame, looked at the door when a knock sounded. Her house elf appeared with a pop and looked from the door to her mistress. "Shall I let them him, Miss?" the elf asked, concern filling her bright voice as she looked at Vixen. "No, no, Mimi. I'll get it. Go back to what you were doing," she told her, to which the elf vanished with a pop. Sitting up, Vixen winced at the wound she had sustained in a small confrontation with some of the old Death Eaters that demanded she rejoin them. When she refused, thinking of the safety of her son, well, sons, she paid the price. Looking down and pulling her shirt up, she looked at the deep cut that was angry and red, the veins nearest to the cut black as the slow working poison made its way through her body. The healers told her that there was no cure for this poison, and gave her only a matter of months to live. It was devastating news...

Getting up, she wiped the sheen of sweat from her face and took a few deep breaths to help get some color back in her face. She had been tracking her symptoms over the past couple of weeks, and already she was more prone to fever and had was seemed like permanent dark circles forming under her eyes. Opening the door, she was surprised to see a blonde woman with features that were somewhat familiar to her. "Can I help you?" she asked, searching her mind for where she knew this woman, if at all.

"Miss Lestrange" she said with a smile "I doubt you remember me, when we met it was well over a decade ago but..you know my husband Mars..my name is Alchemy Grimm" she said "may i come in?"

Hearing the woman's name, Vixen remembered. Not only has she met this woman, she knew her little brother that worked for the Aurors. At the mention of Mars, Vixen's eyes lit up slightly. The father of her twin boys... He had mentioned his wife when they spoke about the boys the last time they talked. "Of course, please come in," she said, opening the door and stepping aside for her to enter. "Can I take your jacket?" she offered before summoning Mimi. "Miss?" the elf asked when she appeared. "Please prepare some tea for myself and my guest," she instructed her. "Right away, Miss," the elf said and vanished into the kitchen.

Alchemy raised her hand taking her jacket off she hung it herself and walked with her her thumbs in her belt loops. "Last time i saw you, you were a little kid at hogwarts and i was running security detail for the tournament" she chuckled "life is insane how it works" shaking her head a bit "i'm glad i could come see you though mars doesn't know i'm here he doesnt trust my temper you see, he thinks i'm a live wire" she gave vixen one of those 'oh please' looks as they made there way to the living room. "How are you Vix?"

"That is where I know you. I was in school with your kid brother, too, right?" Vixen asked as Alchemy hung up her jacket and they moved to the living room. Chuckling at the idea of her husband not trusting her temper out and about. Guess he was still stuck in the old days where woman had to keep their emotions in check. Taking a seat in her chair, she motioned for Alchemy to make herself at home. At the woman's question of how she was, Vixen's smile faded slightly before returning. "I've been better, but I'm doing alright," she answered simply. She didn't want to think about her own mortality at the moment. Knowing her her time with her sons was now limited saddened her more than anything she had ever known before. "What about you?" she returned, politely.

"Right this moment i'm happy to be talking to you i didnt know if you'd let me in or not given our unique relationship" she smirked as they sat on the couch moving to face her she said "Whats ailing you, i can see your ill so whats fess up lady love"

Alchemy called her on her ailment almost immediately. She must have been looking sicker than she thought. Letting out a sigh, Vixen stood, moving to the blonde woman and lifted her shirt, pulling the waistband of her jeans down slightly so the three inch cut, now scarred over, was visible. "It happened about three weeks ago..." she said, somberly.

Alchemy touched the scarring wound gently feeling the slick skin "Merlin...vix.have you seen healers?" she said looking at her.

Righting her clothes, Vixen sat heavily on the footstool in front of Alchemy and ran a hand through her dark hair. "I have. I've seen the best of the best, and they all say the same thing. There is no cure..." she said, tears brimming in her dark eyes. Looking away, she flexed her jaw a few times before continuing, "Months... That's all I have left..."

Alchemy swallowed hard and then pulled vixen into a hug "Baby girl i'm so sorry..." she said her muscular arms holding her tight she knew the woman was the kind to be stony but she still consolled her. "Does mars know?"

Being pulled into a tight hug from this woman that she hardly knew, Vixen went rigid before relaxing into the hug and wrapping her arms around her. Letting a couple tears slip down her cheeks, Vixen shook her head at her question and sat back. Wiping her face, she said, "No. He doesn't. He only knows about..." Pausing, she looked at the woman, his wife, and sighed. "He only knows about the boys," she finished.

Alchemy nodded slowly processing the information "the boys wll come to us then.." she resolved "gods vixen.." she shook her head "i want to change this so badly.."

Raising her dark eyes to the woman before her, she felt her heart rise a little at hearing that the twins will go live with her and Mars. "You would do that for me?" she asked, hope shining in her eyes for the first time since the whole mess happened. "I wish it was different, too. But, there is nothing that can be done...." Vixen said matter of factly. She had hunted over and over for something, anything, that would fix her. But, there was nothing.

Alchemy nodded firmly "Of course. I wont let those two be around strangers for one second and i'll be damned if my daughters little brothers end up in some orphanage. No. they will be safe...they will grow up surrounded by your image i'll love them like my own and Nerio will be thrilled not to be an only child" she rubbed the woman's shoulders "if anything i can give you comfort knowing they will be safe.."

Vixen managed a smile knowing that the boys would have a loving home and that they would know her. They will be safe and grow up strong. "Thank you, Alchemy. Thank you so much," she said, feeling a little lighter knowing that now all three of her boys would be taken care of after she was gone. Swallowing past the lump in her throat, she asked, "Ummmm.... Would you.... Would you like to meet them?"

Alchemy nodded "I'd love to" she said summoning a patronus she sent word to her nanny to bring her daughter to meet vixen before smiling brightly "Show me the future trouble makers"

Getting up, Vixen motioned for Alchemy to follow her. Heading up the stairs to the second floor, she lead her past William's room and into the next room on the right. Inside were two dark red matching cribs with matching mobiles and matching blankets. The room really looked like a mirror image on the diagonal. Leading her in, they stopped so both boys could be seen. "Meet Jupiter and Julius," she said softly so as to not wake the sleeping babies. Beaming at them, she remembered when she stood for hours watching William sleep when he was a baby. Even though they only slept while she watched, some of her favorite memories were in just watching them.

Looking at the boys she covered her mouth "there beautiful" she said "gods vix they are perfect they will reflect the best of you"

Smiling as she stroked Julius' head gently, she said, "Thank you. I hope they will." Looking up at Alchemy she said, "Mars seemed proud that he had fathered them. I hope he will be happy they will go to live with you." While she didn't like to think about how that time was looming closer and closer on the horizon for her, she had some peace knowing that things were going to work out. "You know, looking at them and their brother, I wonder if my whole purpose in life was to have sons and then not get to see them grow up. I wonder why..." she said sadly.

"he will be thrilled to raise them" she said glancing at her she shook her head "I always beleived my only purpose was to be murdered to be worthless practically meat" she shrugged "Life has a way of helping us do what we are meant to, your children will be pinnacle in the future, for all we know one of your boys could save everyone you love from danger. either way your a wonderful mother and human being"

Putting her hand over Alchemy's as it rested on the rail of one of the cribs, Vixen gave it a squeeze. Smiling, she liked the idea that her sons, all three of them, would be destined for greatness. "Thank you. Guess I'll get to watch them and see what happens," she said a touch of happiness touching her features. "I'm glad they will have a mother like you to take care of them once I'm gone," Vixen added, glancing at the woman. "Shall we go back downstairs? Mimi should have the tea ready," she asked.

Smiling she nodded as they headed down stairs she saw the elf talking to Meridith, as she took the one year old from her Meridith promptly vanished back to nexus. TUrning to vixen she smiled as Nerio clung to her neck with her chubby little arms a small mop of black hair on her head tossled from sleeping. "Vixen this is my daughter Nerio" she said smiling

Smiling at the lovely child in her arms, Vixen moved to her and gently stroked her arm. "Hello there, Nerio. She's lovely, Alchemy. A nice blend of her father and you," she said happily. Nodding to Mimi to bring in the tea, she motioned for them to sit in the living room, once again. Her boys will have a big sister to care for and be cared for by. As Mimi brought in tea for the women and milk for Nerio, Vixen thanked her and sent her on her way. Pouring Alchemy a cup, she set it and the milk for her daughter near her on the coffee table before pouring herself a cup. "Tell me about your home, Alchemy, since I likely will not get to see it before the boys go there," she asked, curious about where the twins would end up. She already knew about the Black home where William would go to life with his aunt and his two cousins, but she knew nothing about Mars and his home.

"its far away and beautiful they will be safe" she said "i'd say more but..its not permitted" part of being the commanders wife she had to do as every blood nexian and protect the secret of nexus' location. "This is vixen" she said to nerio, the bafflied little baby girl looked at her still and giggled sputtering "ixy" she said and alchemy laughed "ixy ixy ixy!" "oh gods its her new favorite thing" "Ixy!"