Scars are tattoos with better stories -- TBD

I had no idea where Dean was.  I knew he was having a hard time coping with everything that happened with Lenni and his own injuries.  I went up to the Astronomy Tower where I indeed found my fiance.  I sighed and leaned against the wall as I watched him.  He was pushing himself just like his sister.  He was having issues with his arm... it was not as strong as it used to be.  I told him he just needed to be patient, but patience was not a virtue with the Black family apparently.  Dean was out here shirtless and sweaty... and there was a chill in teh air.  Now he was going to get himself sick to top it all off.  "Dean," I said, acting as if I had not been standing there for a few minutes watching him trying to change into his animagus form.  Only our core group of family members knew about him and I wished that he would register.  I hated dealing with the secrecy of it.  "I have been looking for you..." I walked over and grabbed his sweater that he had to try to force him to put it on.

I turned around to see my lovely lady walking towards me.  I smiled at her and gave her a kiss on the cheek, but did not take my sweater from her.  I knew that she would try to force it on me, but I didn't want it.  Right now the Astronomy Tower was off limits... and that was exactly why I was there.  I had been unable to change into my gorgeous husky form since I helped saved Elena.  I turned away from Addison and leaned my elbows against the railing of the edge of the tower, my back towards her.  I was glad that it was my right side that had the constant tingling sensation, the shooting pain from my fingertips to my shoulder if I moved it just the wrong way, less strenght... if it were my left hand I doubt I'd be able to handle it.  I needed my dominant hand.  I know everyone said that it would just take time to rebuild the strength -- especially after popping it back into place.  My abdomen hurt from the stab wound, but healed up pretty quick so there was no reason to complain about that.  "There is no reason to come searching for me," i said to her quietly.  I wished that they wouldn't worry about me so much.  There was no reason to.

I sighed and rolled my eyes.  I walked up on his right side, my hand lightly touching his scarred shoulder.  I felt him tense up slightly.  "Dean, you really should go see if all of that is normal," i said.  I was sure that I was the only one he told about how badly his arm still hurt him.  But of course he was the typical man and heaven forbid he would let anyone know about it.  "I think that the scar makes youlook like a tough guy... but getting sick out of stupidity, well... that will just lead to me teasing you," I told him, hoping he would at least put his sweater on.

Smirking slightly, I took my sweater from her and slipped it back over my head, the shooting pain just a lovely reminder that i was going to kill some Death Eaters for all the havoc they have wrought on my family.  I looked at her.  "Feel better now?" I asked, flashing her a playful smile before turning my attention back out to across the grounds.

I shook my head.  "Not exactly," I said, knowing that he was in pain, but definitely understanding why he did nothing about it.  "Dean... either take something for the pain or have one of your aunts look at your arm again, okay?  I'm tired of seeing you hurting."  I was expecting to receive a look after saying that, but it was true.  He needed to do something.  I would be by his side the entire time to make sure that he wouldn't do anything stupid about it.  He wouldn't be hiding what he was doing like he did when we broke up, when his father went into a coma... every other time he was stupid about it.  And this wasn't the same type of pain he was trying to reduce anyways, so I had confidence in him that he would be able to stay strong about it and not do what he has done in the past.

I could not believe that she just suggested that.  I had to bite my tongue for a second to make sure that I did not just start yelling at her.  I shook my head.  "Addie, we both know I can't do that.  I can have them look at it... but I'm not taking anything.  I don't trust myself to be able to handle it," I admitted, speaking in extremely soft tones.  She was the only person I would admit that to.  To anyone else, I'd act like it would not bother me one bit... but I couldn't with Addison.  She needed to know the truth.

I wrapped my arms around him and sighed.  "I know, babe... but just know that if you do end up needing something, I'm here for you.  I will help make sure you could handle it, okay?" I said, looking up at him, seeing the pain written all over his face.  I knew he was trying to hide it.. and to the untrained eye he would seem to look fine.  But I knew that look in his eyes, the slight crease of his brow, the fact that his lips were pulled taut by just a little bit.  I knew he was hurting.

I kissed the top of her head.  "I know," I said softly.  I just was not going to succumb to them again... There was no way that I trusted myself -- even with supervision -- to take anything.  That was just asking for trouble.  I knew that there was a small chance I would do what I feared I would do.  I could not take that chance.

I was not sure he did know, but I was not going to push the matter.  I smiled up at him.  "Why don't we go inside?  I can doctor you up a bit so hopefully just some tender, loving care will help make you feel better," I suggested, giving him a kiss.  I did not want him to get sick on top of everything else.

I wrapped my arms around her and sighed.  I bet she was getting chilly.  I was already completely numb, so the cold didn't bother me anymore anyways.  "I think that would be just fine," I said to her, trying to smile.  I was just extremely frustrated at myself for not being able to change back into my husky.  That was one thing I prided myself in was being an animagus... but why couldn't I change into it now?

I took hold of Dean's hand and led him back to teh inside of the castle.  "We could go to the Room of Requirement so that way we don't have to deal with prying eyes or questions or anything from someone in the common room," I suggested.  And then that way, all we had to do was to think of something and it would appear.  It would be a lot easier than to go hunting for it.

I nodded. "Yeah, that sounds like a pretty good idea," I said.  All I wanted to do was relax now... I was tired of trying to force myself to change.  I needed time to recuperate, right?  I followed Addison through the castle.  I figured getting pampered and taken care of would not hurt anything, etiher.  Perhaps it would be just what I needed to help me figure out why I could not change into my husky.

We got into the Room of Requirement and it was a nice soothing atmosphere.  I had Dean sit down.  "Here... let me rub your shoulders... it might help with the achy-ness there," I suggested.  I knew it was driving him nuts being injured and not healing instantly.  He was not a superhero, though he tried to be.  He needed to give his body time to heal despite how stubborn he was about it.  I would just have to make him.

I closed my eyes while Addison rubbed my shoulders. It hurt, but sort of in a good way sort of in a bad way. "You're the best," I said to her, looking up and smiling at her from over my shoulder. She gave me a kiss and continued rubbing my neck, too. I let myself relax the best that I could... I was going to figure out what was going on, end of discussion. I just needed to focus to figure out why it may not be working.

I knew exactly what Dean was doing and that was what we were trying to avoid doing while here.  "Dean, stop thinking," I said soothingly.  "You need to clear your mind... that will help you the most, babe."  I knew that would help him... and it would possibly cause him to fall asleep and get some rest - which he needed desperately as well.  He was just so difficult sometimes.