He sat in the dark of his cell waiting. He couldn’t see the clock unless he stood with his face pressed against the bars of his cell, since it hung further down the hallway. So he had absolutely no idea what time it was. All he really knew was that if felt as though he had been waiting for an eternity. The first week or so had been slow and painfully dull, but they were nothing compared to the anticipation he now felt, knowing that he was going to escape this dratted little cell in a matter of minutes? Hours? It felt more like years. Certainly, it had to be well past the time that he had specified to Sofia. Perhaps she had changed her mind, and decided it was too risky. Perhaps she had just been toying with him, as she was wont to do. He couldn’t get up to check the clock, he’d be doing it every five minutes, and that would surely alert the guard that something was amiss with their prisoner.

The only consolation he had was that the guard hadn’t taken his customary break yet. And he always took it at the exact same time. Stupid bugger. So she hadn’t missed their appointment, at least not yet. He had always been under the assumption that the ministry frowned upon cruel and unusual punishment, including torture. But this dreadful waiting and uncertainty had to be worse than any physical torment they could inflict upon him. He tried counting the ceiling tiles, but he had exhausted that activity within the first two days of his imprisonment. Napping was not an option, and scratching his name into the stone wall like one of the previous occupants just seemed pointless and silly. He briefly contemplated carving WD + SR in a little heart just to see what her reaction would be, but something told him she wouldn’t find it as humorous as he did given the current situation.

Suddenly, there was movement down the corridor. The guard was getting up; he would stroll once up and down the cellblock before heading off for his usual late night trip to the snack machine. It was nearly time. Wendell forced himself to lay back on his cot, looking as nonchalant and bored as possible. Not as though he were anxiously awaiting someone to come bust him out of prison. The guard stopped outside his cell, and peered in.

“How’s it hanging Wendell?”

“Oh you know how it goes, Bob. Just erm, rethinking my choices in life, and all that.” He replied grinning apologetically.

“Haha, wondering if you should have gone after red heads instead of brunette’s then?”

“That’s the ticket!”

The guard laughed appreciatively as he strode away, everything was quiet in the Wizengamot. The man had a good sense of humor. Wonder how he’d react to losing a prisoner?

Just as Wendell had predicted the guard strode past his desk and away down the hallway. No doubt in search of some cauldron cakes to munch on. Now it was just a matter of time before Sofia showed up and he would be free of this ungodly little cell. As the weeks had worn on, it had become increasingly difficult even for Wendell to pretend he was still enjoying it as a ‘well deserved vacation.’ The minutes ticked by even more slowly than before, and he once more began to despair that Sofia had changed her mind. He was going to be forced to stay in this wretched cage for the rest of his life.

And then he heard it. A sound more beautiful than anything he had experienced so far in his twenty-six years of life. It was the sound of heels clacking against the stone floor.

It was time.

Sofia stirred from her slumped position over a pile of half filled reports and blinked away the sleep from her eyes. A cup of tepid tea that hadn't been there earlier was reseting within arm's reach. The curtain of hair was pushed back and into a bun as she surveyed the office.

Empty.

Her plan had worked. Whoever had locked up for the evening had likely decided to let the sleeping woman be and had even left her a cup of tea. Either someone in her department suddenly developed a kind bone in their body or Will had just though she would need a bit of caffeine before dealing with her task for the night.

Will is an amazing man. If we get through this make note to buy him some coffee.

A rueful look was sent at the little cup of tea. It would not contain five days of nonstop work worth of energy in it which is what she really needed. In order to make it plausible to find one Miss. Sofia Robards sleeping at work there was only one excuse - overexertion.

A quick warming spell ad an instant energy potion packet later Sofia was feeling much more alive, awake, alert, and ready to go break some criminal butt out of jail. Or so she kept chanting to herself as she began the arduous task of watching the clock while juiced up on energy packets. Easier said than done.

By the time she was supposed to go down and just walk Wendell out of the ministry Sofia was looking more suited for a Saturday night date. Alone in the office and unable to do anything but wait and play with the random bits of makeup she had in her desk had not done any many things to the frazzled woman's psyche but had given her plenty to focus on other than the whole she was so loosing her job factor of the night.

Getting down to level nine was no challenge at all. No one questioned her, she looked hassled and official - like a woman who's Saturday had been ruined by some incompetent idiot. Her heels clacked against the stone floors, her heart rate accelerating with every step. If the guard was there she was doomed. Head held high she neared the guard station and to her immense relief she found that her faith in Wendell had not been misplaced... yet. After a quick search she located the set of keys she had grown familiar to seeing and slipped them in her pocket.

Glad to know the security of our prisoners is so intense...

Walking with renewed speed and cursing her irrational choice to wear heels on the night of a breakout she made her way to cell 12b - to Wendell. With a quieting glare directed at Wendell she opened the door, and threw a set of unremarkable business robes at him. "Quick - We don't have much time." She whispered, averting her eyes from the man to allow him to change.

I will not peek. I will not peek. I will not... heck its not like he can do anything if I do.

She appeared outside his cell with a silencing look of warning on her face. She pulled out a key ring (no doubt pilfured from the guard station), and quickly unlocked his cell door. It was different than any other time his cell had been opened in the past couple weeks to take him to an interrogation or for a brief walk around the exercise room. It was like a rush of freedom flowed in from the open doorway, surrounding him with its glorious fragrance.

"Quick - We don't have much time."

She tossed him a set of business robes, which his friends would have found utterly boring, but Wendell had never been particularly finicky about that sort of thing. He shot her an amused glanced as she made no move to step outside the cell, or even really turn around while he changed. As if sensing he was about to make a wise crack she quickly averted her gaze. Realizing that now was really not the most opportune moment to tease her about checking him out, he quickly stripped out of the bright orange prison garb and pulled on the clothes she had given him.

They didn't fit perfectly, but it was close enough to be getting on with. In a few moments he was dressed and ready to go. His face sporting a rather cocky grin after having momentarily caught her peeking at him while he changed, But fearing she would slam the door shut in his face, he refrained from actually saying something about it. For now.

He turned back to his uncomfortable cot and balled up his prison wear and the pillow to make it appear as if there was something lying underneath the blanket on his cot. Hopefully, it would fool the guard (when he returned) at least long enough to see Wendell safely clear of the ministry. If he was really lucky they wouldn't discover his absence until the next morning. But one could never count on these things. He stepped outside the cell, closing it quietly behind them.

"Let's go then," He whispered as they set off down the cellblock. "Did you remember to get my wand?"

She should have worn her hair down or worn some of that anti-blush cream. Sofia's cheeks felt like they were on fire. The blush would not go down. He had to have seen her looking - they made eye contact. She had seen his rather fit psyche and was simultaneously trying to stop blushing and fantasying and focus on the task at hand. Once those thoughts were pushed from her mind Sofia felt better able to focus. It helped greatly that Wendell had chosen not to comment on his state of undress when they made eye contact.

"Of course I brought your wand." She whispered back, her tone oddly subdued for someone who did not take someone questioning her intelligence. "You however do not get it back till we are past a chance of someone recognizing you."

Thus they continued to walk the steady click click click of her heels against the stone floors and the off tempo tap tap tap of Wendell's pilfered dress shoes. How hardly any noise was managing to keep her on edge was a mystery but Sofia was ready to curse and kill any noise other than the few they were making. Luckily for the family of mice living in the back corner of Cell 2A she did not hear them else Wendell would have been exposed to the less sane side of Sofia. A side he had only briefly tangoed with before.

The tension began to leave her shoulders as the guard station drew near. "Be back in a second." She whispered, holding up the keys to let him know of her intent. Within seconds they were back in place, looking as though they had never moved and clean of any trace of her magical signature. One could never be to careful. A sigh of relief in her throat she turned back towards Wendell, and head it.

Scuffle. Shuffle. Click.

Neither she nor Wendell were moving. That left one option. Panic in her eyes, shoes off in a flash, Sofia ran to Wendell praying he wouldn't say anything cocky. Her mind raced though the maps she had seen. Which door which door? Supply closet! Between cells 1A and B.

Grabbing Wendell's hand she tugged him to the safe door and pulled it open, not stopping to check if anyone was coming. He could handle that bit she hoped. A silencing spell and a Weasley extendable ear later the closet was secure. Granted Sofia's foot was in a bucket that to her stockinged feet felt rather mushy, her face was a mere inch from Wendell's, and she was using his shoulders as a brace to keep from falling into some mops. Nothing usual for the Auror or the criminal though neither had ever had the pleasure of sharing their hiding space with the other.

With panting breath and half a mind to start a petition come tomorrow morning to get janitors more space she whispered. "Clear. I spelled the closet so we can hear out but he can't hear in." Only four seconds had lapsed between the solitary set of footsteps and her securing a hide out. Her new personal record.

She had just finished replacing the keys behind the guard's desk when the sound of footsteps was heard echoing down the corridor. There was maybe a split second from when Sofia shot him a panicked look (which he returned), till he felt an almighty tug on his arm and he was suddenly inside a dark closet. He wasn't even entirely sure how it had happened. Clearly her Auror training had kicked in with a vengeance, something that he wasn’t upset about at all, as he heard the guard’s footsteps come even closer, and settle somewhere around his station. Why in heaven’s name was he back so soon? He was always gone for at least a quarter of an hour. Not just a scant seven minutes!

"Clear. I spelled the closet so we can hear out but he can't hear in."

He nodded slightly relieved. They were safe, at least until someone discovered his cell was empty, or a janitor decided that he needed to mop something.

"Who knew you were so fast?" He whispered.

It seemed unnatural to speak in anything but a whisper, even if the guard couldn't hear them. In the middle of a break out, hiding in a dark closet, in very close quarters, one simply couldn't speak very loudly. Although Sofia might have chosen the closest most easily accessible hiding place for the two of them, it certainly wasn't the largest. He was jammed up against one side of the closet with a rather uncomfortable broom handle poking him in the back. However, despite these inconveniences he was certain that he would never have been quite so content in a larger broom cupboard. After all, if there had been more room Sofia wouldn't have had to hold on to him to keep from falling over into a pile of cleaning supplies.

It was like some twisted school-aged fantasy playing out. Boy + girl + broom cupboard = <3 Of course that simple scenario didn't take into account the fact that they were hiding from a prison guard, and if caught could potentially face years in prison. It was just his luck, he finally had her where he wanted her (metaphorically speaking...he didn't go around imagining her specifically in a closet) and he couldn't do a single thing!

Okay, so maybe that was sort of a lie. This is Wendell we're talking about after all. He settled for placing one arm around her waist (for steadying purposes only, of course!), the other was busy trying to shove the broom handle out of the way so he could brace himself against the wall.

Her entire body stiffened as an arm snaked around her waist. The tension was only an instinctual reaction, people did not willingly go about touching Sofia Robards and she followed their lead and didn't touch others. Not that Wendell's arm was unwelcome - far from it. It was rather comforting once she got past the rush of hormones that suddenly had awakened and the years (was it really years now?) worth of built up sexual tension.

Lust.

That was all she felt for Wendell. Pure clean and simple lust that was mutual on both sides. But then how was it lust that led her to hiding in a closet hoping that who ever it was on duty was as incompetent as their minister of magic? No sane person would let lust take them that far. Something was very wrong with her logic when Wendell was around but now was not the time to delve into it.

No rather now was the time to revel in just being held by him. They never did such a simple thing. Any and all physical contact was in someway violent or sexual - or violently sexual. Just being held felt... nice.

Sofia clasped her hands together behind his neck, hoisting herself closer to his face by default, completing what would have been a very awkward hug had it not been in the broom cupboard of level ten. "Fast really has nothing to do with it. I had five packets of instant energy potion coursing though my veins and I think I may have just used the last spark of energy I had. I haven't slept in five days."

Something band, informative, and carefully worded to not let any innuendo slip in. Hopefully those simple words would counter act the forces that were already at work. Like her accelerated heart beat, the effect the very smell of him was having on her ability to think properly, and the way her body was already leaning into him. Hopefully Wendell was missing the signs her body was giving.

Must distract myself and Wendell. Her mind so bent on things other than the dangerous situation they were in Sofia had completely lost track of the guard's movements outside the door. That could only lead to their situation getting worse. "I think I lost track of the footsteps. Can you hear anything?" She whispered, her voice more breathless than worried. So much for acting as if she wasn't attracted to him.

((occ: and you thought I would never get around to it! Oh ye of little faith!))

The smell of her floral perfume was starting to make his head cloudy. It was that or the feeling of her arms wrapped around his neck, and her breath against his skin. The heady combination was sending him spiraling into a deep pool of lust. Her body pressed against his and he unconsciously tightened his hold on her. Damn this situation! The only thing keeping him from deflowering her right there and then was the knowledge that there was a guard on the other side of that door who was bound to find out he was missing sooner or later. It would be a pretty thing for them to be caught only yards from his cell having sex in a closet. Forget the legal ramifications of such a scenario, they would go down in history as the couple who couldn’t keep their hands off each other long enough to escape the prison. But even this knowledge wasn’t enough to break the spell she had over him.

"I think I lost track of the footsteps. Can you hear anything?"

Footsteps? Was she mad? Did she honestly think he had enough self-control to be worrying about footsteps when she had herself pressed against him like this? This iota of restraint was taking every ounce of his concentration as it was.

His voice came out in at best a hoarse whisper, “I uh, can’t tell. Maybe he s-sat down.”

Part of his brain was saying something along the lines of ‘Way to sound completely pathetic Wendell. She’ll probably be laughing her arse off at you!’ And this just made him rather angry, at himself, at the guard, and even a little at Sofia. His frustration was mounting at only a slightly slower pace than the sexual tension had. And even though Wendell prided himself on keeping a bright outlook at the worst of times, the feeling of having her in his arms but unable to do anything but stand around in the dark until they were discovered was quickly fraying his usually nonexistent temper.

“This is just fecking perfect!”

How had this seemingly simple plan gotten so far out of control so quickly? His head was spinning in circles. He needed to clear it, to focus. He needed both the feel of her lips on his, and to have some serious distance placed between them. He needed to figure out how to get out of this closet without being seen. He needed to think. He just wanted to forget.

Things were getting out of hand. She shouldn’t have chosen the closet as a hiding spot. Then again how was she to know that their barely restrained attraction for one another would spontaneously rear its ugly head and make such close quarters unbearable? She was slowly going mad, each second’s passing causing a trickle of sanity to disappear, as her body pressed its self closer to his.

Wendell was of the same sentiment if his outburst was anything to go by. Echoing his feelings seemed redundant and a waste of breath. She only allowed herself the slight satisfaction of knowing she had gotten under his skin before dwelling on the inevitable. How to get out of the closet?

As appealing as having wild passionate sex in a broom closet was it would not make the guard go away any faster. Rather she needed to distract him and get Wendell onto another floor – heck into another chamber in the Wizengamot would work equally as well.

“I can’t hold out much longer.” She breathed into his ear, nose softly brushing against his face. Why was now such a wrong moment to want to kiss him and confess to thoughts she hadn’t even analyzed yet? Stupid guard. His time at the ministry would be short if she, or the Ballantine for that matter, had anything to do with his career.

“We need to get out of here now.” Was that the faint tinge of desperation marring the longing that filled her voice? Was it really so terrible she was contemplating how to make her newfound closet fantasy become a reality? Sofia was not in the mood for all these questions. She had an objective and needed to complete it.

“I’m going to clear the area. Do not leave this spot till I come back for you or you hear a loud Irish accent guiding someone away.” With renewed focus she managed to flip around in Wendell’s arms, and cast a quick illusion spell, her chosen victim being none other than Ivy Ballantine. With great resistance she resisted the silly urge to give Wendell a peck for luck and slipped out the closet, the door slipping closed behind her.

A quick survey of the area told her that their closet episode had been for naught. She located the guard with ease, napping in his station. Slipping Wendell’s wand out of her pocket she cast a quick charm that would ensure the guard would sleep though a stamped of elephants. Throwing aside her disguise she returned to closet hell and tapped on the door. “Clear. Exit quietly and follow me, we need to get to the elevator before anyone else appears.”

”I can’t hold out much longer.”

You and me both…

His breathing had grown progressively more ragged. Things were not going well at all. Resolve can only hold out for so long in the face of overwhelming temptation. And Wendell had never claimed to have particularly strong resolve.

We need to get out of here now.”

He nodded in agreement, not trusting himself enough to actually speak. Spending the rest of his days in Azkaban was sounding like more of a treat than being holed up in this closet a moment longer. Though he had already decided that one-day he was going to get her back in a closet without the interference of a guard.

“I’m going to clear the area. Do not leave this spot till I come back for you or you hear a loud Irish accent guiding someone away.”

If she could have seen his face she would have taken note of the confusion written all over it. What on Earth did she plan on doing? But as it was, she turned around and cast a quick illusion over herself. Ivy Ballantine? If things hadn’t been so serious he might have laughed at the irony. At least now he could say that he had had both Sofia Robards and Ivy Ballantine in a closet, at the same time no less.

And then she was gone, like a dream that slowly dissipates as you wake, and you’re only half-sure that it was ever there to begin with. He instantly mourned the loss of her body pressed against his own, the feel of her hot breath on his cheek. Damn. Now would be a great time for one of those cold showers he’d been subjected to for the past couple weeks.

“Clear. Exit quietly and follow me, we need to get to the elevator before anyone else appears.”

He peeked his head out the door; the guard was still there at his station seemingly fast asleep. He hesitated only momentarily, it wasn’t as though Sofia was going to get him caught now. Outside the closet and back into the thick of danger, the oppressive tension let up, at least momentarily. They quickly rushed down the corridor to the elevator, and freedom waiting at the end. He punched the elevator button with his thumb, glancing anxiously back over his shoulder to the guard down at the end of the hallway. Still asleep.

He glanced back at the elevator, the call button was not lighting up. There was no sound of the pulling system grating. In fact, it was utterly silent.

“Sofia…” He turned to her hesitatingly. “The elevator isn’t coming. Why isn’t it coming?”

Silence. Complete and utter silence. Then one of the few ordinances from Harry Potter's More Secure Ministry Plan floated past the panic that had only increased with Wendell's and had and instant chilling effect. The elevator stopped working after midnight unless they were authorized personnel. Somehow she had failed to register for tonight's activities. Something about illegal jail break didn't sit right on a clearance form.

"We need clearance." She responded shortly, mind racing for another route that would take them to the atrium. Stairs! There were some (created for the more activity inclined worker) over to the extreme left of the wall they were currently facing. But first she needed to arm Wendell.

She slipped his wand out of her pocket and handed it over. "You might be needing this. If anyone sees us together react as you see best." Best in her world being a quick attack on her from behind so it would at least look like he had met with some resistance. "I won't defend myself from an attack from you." she added.

Grabbing ahold of Wendell's hand she led him once again past the guard as idle thoughts raced through her head. What if they met someone on the stairs? That would be a hard one to explain. Why yes Mr. Fletcher I was just taking the prisoner out for a romantic midnight torture session. Care to join? Sounded more like an invite for a threesome than an excuse. There was also the slight problem that her face was rather well known at the ministry. People would instantly be able to place her as the girl that was holding Wendell's hand. Speaking of which was it really necessary for her to be holding it? He didn't seem to mind and she liked the physical connection. The hand holding would remain for a while longer. There one of the easier decisions.

Moments later without any mishap other than running into a chair in their haste they were standing in front of a little doorless nook with more stairs than she cared to count. "I hope you are ready for a climb. Maybe this time I'll be more inclined to believe your claims that I leave you breathless."

"We need clearance."

"And you're only realizing this now?" He hissed angrily. However, she ignored his irritated comments and pulled out his wand, which she had been guarding in case they should be spotted. It was something that seemed to be growing more and more likely instead of less and less. His seemingly foolproof plan had encountered more trouble than he cared to admit. It was as they say 'unraveling at the seams.'

"You might be needing this. If anyone sees us together react as you see best. I won't defend myself from an attack from you."

He stared at her incredulously for a moment. She wanted him to hex her if they were seen. Admittedly, it was a rather good idea. At least that way they wouldn't think she had been part of the conspiracy. Though he felt it rather poor payment on his part to send her to St. Mungo's after she had done so much to help him. A stunning spell would probably be best, legitimate but particularly life threatening. He nodded his assent to the plan. And then let her drag him across the darkened hall to a set of stairs. The irony of the situation struck him as rather humerous. Normal people went on dates and held hands walking down the street, the closest thing he got was her pulling on his to get him to move faster as she tried to break him out of prison.

"I hope you are ready for a climb. Maybe this time I'll be more inclined to believe your claims that I leave you breathless."

He groaned.

"Ten stories? We have to run up...Ten stories. Why couldn't the ministry have been built upwards like a normal building! Then we'd be running downstairs."

Nevertheless...

"Race you!" He exclaimed with little warning and then dropping her hand he sprinted up the first flight of stairs. He maintained a decent pace up the first couple flights but by the time he got somewhere around level five he was panting too hard to continue and he sat down on the stairs to wait for Sofia to catch up (she clearly had realized the folly of such an endevor and had followed at a more reasonable pace).

When she caught up with him, she was sporting a superior sort of look which clearly said something along the lines of "Idiot." At least the wheezing had mostly subsided by the time she caught him up.

Sofia got a rather perverse sense of satisfaction as Wendell bolted up the stairs. Only he would propose running up ten flights of stairs. Though now that he was running she did see the sense in the idea... why if she had taken off up the stairs she was pretty sure Wendell would have lagged behind to watch, as she was currently doing. Not to mention running up stairs in heels was a talent, while in her possession, she didn't feel necessary to utilize.

So as Wendell gave it his all and ran upwards, Sofia managed a leisurely pace behind him, not to far back to loose him from her sight and close enough to encourage him should he decide to stop. It was a lovely compromise if she didn't say so herself. So lovely in fact that it didn't take her long to catch up with a winded Wendell at level four and give him a look that he was well acquainted with, though the message might have been lost as she fought back the urge to giggle.

He looked so cute and proud sitting there... and as thought he were about to die if the wheezing was any indicator. Oh dear. She had best let him catch his breath a tiny bit longer before they climbed those last few flights.

"That was quite impressive. A true testament of masculinity." A giggle might have escaped.

There enough time. If he could make a comment back then he had more than enough air to breath, and by default climb the stairs. "Shall we continue on?" That wasn't so much a question but a statement for Sofia was already up a flight of stairs before he could give any answer in the negative. The climb from here on was rather silent, Wendell somehow having gotten the better view this time around, and both auror and criminal focusing on breathing.

At last they came to the magical door, the door to freedom, to the atrium. "Here we are..." With that she pushed open the door and came across what was quite frankly pure and utter madness. People seemed popping in and out of the ministry like crazy. Where had they all come from? Was in international break into and out of the ministry day? She was so getting caught. "Wendell quick run! To the side exit - the one I broke you leg at that one time." With that they ran into the madness.