Hannah

58

Aspen had left in the early hours of the night. Moving on light silent feet. Using his magic sparingly. With a look back at the warm bed he was leaving. Heading out of the apartment, bringing blankets and pillows with him. Aspen knew that Caspian's dragon wasn't going to allow him much rest until after they figure out what to do next.  Aspen stopped in the kitchens and picked up some snacks, water, a thermos of coffee and another one of hot water for tea. Unsure what Caspian would prefer, but wanting to try and have anything Caspian might need.

Aspen was just finishing in the kitchen when he heard a step behind him. Almost panicking before he heard a voice he knew. "Easy there Aspen. Its just me." Holland called with a low voice. He had been watching silently from the door. First he had been upset that Aspen had snuck out, alone. Clearly it was less safe than Max had known, Aspen and Hannah had to be careful. Holland had forgotten how scared he had been when he saw what Aspen was doing in the kitchen, what he had brought from the apartment. 

Then Holland had watched him faintly smile as he went around the kitchen, clearly trying to pack a lunch for Caspian in the basement. Lugging around one of the shopping bags that he had packed with some pillows and blankets.

"I was just." Aspen started to explain. Terrified that he had done something wrong. He still hadn't learned what happened when you did something wrong here. There was always a punishment for doing something wrong. 

"No need friend," Holland wasn't upset, Aspen didn't understand. Looking at Holland with eyes that were just a little too wide in his narrow face."I just don't want anyone going anywhere alone right now. Not until we have a better handle on the situation." Holland said, inflecting his head, "Come on, let's go check on Caspian together." Picking up the heavy picnic basket Aspen had packed, leaving him to carry the much lighter blankets and pillows.

Caspian was indeed exhausted, Judy had raved and fought until her body fell into a troubled sleep. Caspian moved her to the bed with his air magic, trying to be gentle so she would stay asleep. It was much easier to manage the wards when she was asleep. He had been semi resting when Aspen and Holland joined him, bringing welcome supplies to the cold basement. Holland had dismissed the enforcers, telling them to go hand off their duty to fresh eyes. Giving his family some time alone.

"I'll take over maintaining everything Caspian, take a break and catch up with Holland." Aspen said. Sitting cross legged on the floor. Calling the spiders to add another layer of reinforcement to binding around the cell. Feeling for the wind magic and taking it over, a moment where his magic and Caspian's magic danced together in harmony around Judy, then the magic was only Aspen's as he took control.  

Aspen focused on the wards he had started. Extending the magic barriers farther. Aspen might try and ward the entire basement. He even had some spiders working on the ceiling in the cell. There had only been two when the room was sealed. They were doing their best, but it would take them time to set the webs inside the cell alone, they were also at risk of Judy crushing them or disrupting their work. The two brave spiders still wanted to do what they could. 

The corruption in Judy had to be contained. More spiders were at work in the hollow ceiling structure over head. Aspen could feel the good in this pack. It wasn't perfect, it was still worth protecting. If he could.

"Are we certain Hannah and I should continue with our plan to head back to pack up her apartment?" Holland asked. He did not like the idea of separating their family. Of leaving Max when he was so full of hurt.

Caspian nodded, he had been thinking about this a lot. "Positive, if Judy was just drunk and I used my magic to subdue her, it is a low level gossip story. We can watch and wait to see if any seem to be expecting more of a reaction." Caspian grinned at Holland. "Plus you and Hannah need to plan out some amazing gossip we can try and spread to however many Gossip Geese she has singled out. Would be better to do that far away from the pack in a place without any extra ears." For the sanctity of their unethical social experiment, Caspian raised a valid point. 

Holland gave Caspian the numbers for several of his siblings, then a few cousins who were already working to arrange the meeting with Blue Willow and the woman they were looking for. A rumour of a woman who had pulled a dark mark from her mate. It was the only hope Judy had. Caspian and Holland were going to do anything to try and see if that rumour had any legs.

The fresh enforcers arrived, looking sleepy and if they had just woken up. Physical muscle would be nearly useless against Judy. But extra eyes to make sure nothing out of the ordinary happened would be useful if nothing else. They were also linked to the alpha and could convey information quickly in a way neither Aspen nor Caspian could match. Begrudgingly the dragon had to admit that the extra wolves did have value.  Dragon honour and behaviour were a problem to figure out another day. 

Holland didn't love their current plan, but he didn't have a better suggestion on his own. Downplaying the actual danger in Judy's behaviour last night was probably for the best, if she could be saved one night of being thought of as a messy drunk was better than having been tainted by the Darkness. Caspian wanted to believe that the rumour of someone able to remove and bind dark taint from someone was true. 

Holland found himself optimistic that this could be undone. Even though the logical part of his mind was already pretty certain the only way Judy would ever have peace again was in death.

Tucking his dark thoughts away. Trying to focus on the bright optimism that there was a real solution. Holland excused himself to return upstairs and finish the travel arrangements for him and Hannah. Disappointed that Max wouldn't likely be coming with he and Hannah. Regardless, Holland wasn't going to take any choices away from Max right now, and booked matching travel arrangments for himself, Hannah and Max. Max would likely want to stay near his mom and would probably be staying with the pack, if he wanted to come on trip as originally planned he could.

Holland returned upstairs, Caspian was taking a nap and Aspen was doing his thing with the spiders. It was creepy he had admit. Holland certainly did not blame Hannah for getting the heebies around the arachnid army. In spite of everything that wasn't right. Holland smiled as he made his way back up stairs in the now starting to wake up pack house. He saw a few of the kitchen workers heading to start breakfast. Holland made sure he was clear that he had just helped a very hungover Judy get back to her home; That he was heading back to get Hannah ready to pack up her apartment and move home. 

Stressing that this was going to be their home with every single person who asked. Hannah and her mates were all here to stay. Hoping that perhaps a few could read between the lines and see how deeply he meant those words.