There was only one way to alleviate the twinge of guilt Sofia had been feeling since she ran out of her lunch date with Artemis Sinstra two days ago – she had to go and apologize. It was only polite and it would allow her the opportunity to reschedule and if she happened upon Arty’s twin and was allowed the opportunity to question him so much the better. If he didn’t know a likely spot to find Wendell’s body then he could at least point her in the general direction of some of Wendell’s other acquaintances.

Sofia had chosen the youngest of the Sinistra twins to begin her investigation of Wendell’s past friends simply because she was not yet ready to face Will after he had oh so kindly suggested psychiatric help, and she was not ready for her mother to hear that she had willingly walked into one Mr. Jasper Christi’s shop. That would only cause some sort of unhappy happening to occur, like having to have dinner with the eligible pureblood and his mother. After that her list of persons seen constantly with Wendell Darrow began to taper off.

Will, Apollo, Jasper.

Three men, all connected by Darrow? Or was there some other glue that held the odd lot together? She didn’t know but she intended to find out what they knew about his death and the whereabouts of his body. Maybe Apollo would offer her some insight? Artemis did always talk of him as though he were some sort of mad social genius butterfly crossbred so he might know something more that Will or Jasper. Sofia had not formally met Apollo and had only a vague recollection of black hair and dashes of color from school and the funeral. But honestly how odd could he be?

Sofia pushed open the shop door, which read closed but rarely seemed to be locked, and crossed the threshold into utter chaos much more comfortably than she had a mere month ago. Artemis was not to be seen at her usual perch behind the cash register book in hand – which wasn’t all that surprising seeing as the shop was closed. Nor was her stork-like brother anywhere to be seen. Pity, but at least she was still going to be able to have lunch with someone other than Dillan. People were beginning to suspect - or she was being overly paranoid now that he came home with her almost every night. Either way it would be nice to have a meal with someone not from work .

“Artemis? Are you here?” She called up the mysterious stairs that led up to the den of the Sinistra’s - she had yet to be able to determine if their living quarters were as chaotic as their shop…. One day the mystery would be solved. “Its Sofia. I just wanted to apologize for running off and was hoping you were up for a reschedule? I promise to dodge all ministry related communications.”

If anyone asked they were doing inventory. Which wasn't an entirely inaccurate statement, Apollo had waved goodbye to her that morning saying he was going out into muggle London to scout out some new fashions. He would probably be back later that afternoon barely able to balance the number of shopping bags he had bought. He'd then insist that he was keeping it all for himself, but inevitably half of it would end up on the shop's sales racks.

The shop was very rarely busy on Tuesday afternoon's anyway, so Arty felt no qualms about flipping the sign and heading upstairs for an extended lunch hour. She flipped on the WWN and set about making herself a sandwhich. A stream of wizard electro-pop filled the air, and she danced around carelessly as she made her lunch. Suddenly, she heard a voice calling her from downstairs.

“Artemis? Are you here?'

She turned down the music a bit and walked over to the stairwell, wondering who had wandered into the shop, when she was certain she had turned the closed sign. She hadn't thought it necessary to lock the door, it made it devilishly difficult for Apollo to try and unlock the door while balancing thirty-two parcels of varying size, shape, and sparkliness. He'd usually end up standing in the street yelling, "ARTYYYYY!!! ARTYYYYY!!!! ARE YOOOOOU IN THERE??"

"Its Sofia. I just wanted to apologize for running off and was hoping you were up for a reschedule? I promise to dodge all ministry related communications.”

Ah, well that was different then.

"Sofia! Come on up!" She glanced around their flat. She liked to keep it in a slightly better shape than the shop, which she let go to Apollo's creative genius. Their home had it's own fair amount of artistic clutter, but she insisted that Apollo keep most of it to his room, which she generally didn't enter unless she was trying to get one of her scarves or headbands back.

"You've managed to escape them for a bit then?" She teased. "At least until someone tries to pinch a little-old-ladies pasty?"

"Sofia! Come on up!"

At least the mystery of what the Sinistra's living quarters looked like was going to be solved. Sofia climbed up the platform lined stairs, narrowly avoiding disaster with a pair that looked suspiciously as though they had a live goldfish swimming about their heal. Either Artemis had a short complex she had failed to notice or just peculiar taste in shoes. The thought that the other Sinistra was the owner of them never even crossing her mind.

After managing the obstacle course of shoes she found herself in a surprisingly cute living room. Well as cute as a room who's focal piece was a deep blue carpet with furniture from every conceivable time period, complete with a crystal chandelier, could be. It worked in the odd way that the Sinistra's worked, stylish yet comfortable. And surprisingly clean, minus the odd pair of zebra skinnies draped over one arm of the couch and the school of goldfish looking over at her beseechingly - perhaps that had been a live goldfish she had tangled with earlier...

A couple steps later she was in a rainbow, or the kitchen in which every available surface had been painted upon. Flowers, dragons, a city skyline, odd blobs of color seemed to have all converged on the walls in some elaborate story that probably didn't make any sense. Little did Sofia know this was the result of Apollo and Artemis' brief attempt to liven the place up when they had graduated.

Amidst all this sat Artemis looking every inch as though she belonged there, eating a sandwich. If only she had this sort of connection with her own flat. Though she was more than positive it went against her lease to do what the Sinistra's had done to their walls.

"You've managed to escape them for a bit then? At least until someone tries to pinch a little-old-ladies pasty?"

"Na, pasty stealing is for the newbies. I only get called when there is some sort of death, destruction, or when someone steals those pasty munching nan's teeth." She responded with a laugh. "No hard feelings then about the ditch?" She asked, sitting down in a brilliant white chair opposite Artemis.

"The ditch which was for one of the greater events of my life, garbage duty, - apparently there had been a dark wizard sighting by a respected member of wizarding society, however it turned out the dark wizard was their rubbish pile that they hadn't gotten rid of in a decade. Seemed to have taken on a life of its own." She gave a shrug.

"Now tell me how have things been going on for you over here? Love life doing any better than mine?"

She wrinkled her nose, imagining the stench a rubbish monster would give off. She couldn't really begrudge Sofia for skipping out of their lunch when she was called away to work. And it sounded as though she had gotten more than enough punishment for it anyway.

"Now tell me how have things been going on for you over here? Love life doing any better than mine?"

"Unless Wendell has come back from the dead and is trying to convince you to have a threesome with a veela, I'm pretty sure I'll give you a run for your money." She replied glumly taking another bite of her sandwich.

"Would you like one?" She asked already pulling open one of the cupboards to pull out another plate and cup.

"At any rate, Logan showed up the other day. After I got back from our lunch, actually. I don't think he expected me to be there, he had left me a letter."

She switched to a different cupboard (the one that held their dwindling supply of toothflossing stringmints-Apollo hadn't needed a visit to St. Mungo's in some time) and dug a letter out of the back. She kept it there mostly to keep Apollo's prying eyes away from it. She had very nearly thrown the thing in the trash, but somehow she had been convinced otherwise, though why exactly she wasn't sure. She handed the thick parchment with her name written on it in bold, neat letters to Sofia.

"He was trying to apologize, to explain things. Terribly awkward. Oh--that and I got talked into visiting Rudolph. Who's had a crush on me for ages, so I should have an excellent time defending his advances. I can't really threaten him with bodily harm since he's already dead..."

She noticed the confused expression on Sofia's face, and realized that she hadn't ever mentioned Rudolph to her.

"One of my brother's friends has a talking skeleton. And when I say talking, I mean that in relative terms. They all think it's terribly amusing to encourage him to hit on me." She explained with an eyeroll. Immaturity and Apollo walked hand in hand.

"So how about you? I thought things were going well with Mr. Tall-Dark-and-Handsome."

"Unless Wendell has come back from the dead and is trying to convince you to have a threesome with a veela, I'm pretty sure I'll give you a run for your money."

Sofia gave a surprised laugh - the woman was to close to the truth for comfort, which is probably why they were becoming such fast friends. Anyone who could put up with the twists her life was taking by countering with equally harrowing ones was going to be a friend for life.

"You could say that." She mumbled.

"Would you like one?"

"Yes please - only I'll make it. You sit!" Sofia attempted to shoo the other back to her seat but Artemis continued on being a good little hostess and ignored her guest's protests and began opening and closing cupboards, seemingly at random.

"At any rate, Logan showed up the other day. After I got back from our lunch, actually. I don't think he expected me to be there, he had left me a letter."

"Oh?" It was starting to become quite disturbing at how closely linked their lives were, Artemis' old love comes back, Sofia's secret love makes an unwanted appearance, it was almost as if all the men in wizarding London were programed to make things as awkward as possible at the exact same time as to create some diabolical force that would bring about the end of female kind. At this rate the thought wasn't sounding to terribly far fetched seeing how easily her fictional scenario could become reality in this day and age.

That or Wendell and Logan were both intent on not letting their 'women' move on...

Artemis nodded as she began to rummage around a cupboard that looked to be entirely filled with floss - the sort she always received from St. Mungos. Where the Sinistra's just freaks about oral hygiene or did they have a friend from the hospital that always brought the stuff over for parties? No one could visit the place that often to get that large of a supply. At least she knew where to turn if she needed some floss. Maybe she could even get Dillan to start - he was beautiful but a bit of flossing never hurt anyone.

A letter flopped down in front of her tearing her out of her flossy musings. Sofia picked the thing up curiously, but rather than opening it she listened further to Artemis who looked as though she needed a good rant.

"...Oh--that and I got talked into visiting Rudolph...he's already dead..."

Right. Maybe she shouldn't have let Artemis ramble, she seemed to be going on about visiting living dead men? Perhaps her brother was a necrophiliac? Maybe she should gently let Artemis know that that sort of thing was frowned upon by the law...

"One of my brother's friends has a talking skeleton. And when I say talking, I mean that in relative terms. They all think it's terribly amusing to encourage him to hit on me. So how about you? I thought things were going well with Mr. Tall-Dark-and-Handsome."

That was a relief. No awkward necrophilia and the law talk to give today. Thank Merlin. Now as for the rest of the information Artemis had given her, her mind was still trying to process how they had gone from Logan, to the undead, and then straight into her love life without any pause.

A sandwich and cup of tea were set down in front of her by now rather flushed woman, who looked on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

"Sit down and eat your sandwich Artemis and we will tackle each problem one at a time yeah? Much easier and simpler that way, why we will even save the more complicated of your two problems for last. Now first Rudolph - he sounds cute, why I'll take him if you don't want him. And undead boyfriend sounds like easy maintenance, all we have to do is establish his blood line. Or you could set him up with a similar soul. Know any other undead persons? Either way simple enough problem. On to Logan. Let me read while you think over the undead situation. No Logan thoughts."

And read Sofia did, coming out of her readings unsure as to why someone deserved so much confusion. Why couldn't a break with a person be clean and simple? Why were there always some ties that didn't get undone?

"Merlin! What did we do to deserve this? I think you get the worst week award. Wendell might have caused a major rift between me and tall dark and hansom - but honestly at least he's dead. What do feel like you should do? It there something I can do? Want to go on an all expenses paid shopping trip complements of my inheritance?"

"I DO!"

Sofia turned around only to find she had to shield her eyes, being blinded by some unearthly light that a raven haired woman was giving off. Who on earth? She squinted, hand blocking the light. Was it a taller version of Artemis? If only someone would turn down the lights she might better be able to tell.

“What do you mean major rift? What happ-” She started to ask Sofia, waving away her offer to undertake some retail therapy but she was interrupted by the familiar voice of her brother.

”I DO!”

Sofia spun around to see who had appeared behind her, and was forced to put her hand up to shield her eyes from the dazzling sparkle of Apollo’s new favorite blazer, every inch of it was coated in rinestones, glitter, and other highly reflective material. It’s sparkliness was exacerbated by the fact he was standing directly beneath one of their track lights making him even more blinding than usual. To save the two of them from being permanently blinded Arty picked up her wand and flicked it at the light, which brought it down to faint glow. His jacket still twinkled ridiculously but at least she could look at him without needing sunglasses. And now that she could see him, she noticed he was suspiciously lacking in shopping bags.

“Apollo, this is Sofia. Sofia, my brother Apollo.” She said by way of expedient introductions. “I thought you were going shopping, to pick us up some new merchandise.” She said in a chiding tone. “You didn’t get distracted wind up at another Wombat’s gig did you? We’re going to run out of inventory at this rate!”

He started to respond but his voice was muffled through a bandanna that he had tied around his face, like some sort of American old west outlaw. And if she remembered correctly, which she did, he hadn’t been wearing it when he went out this morning.

“Interesting bandana, you didn’t have that on this morning. Find your newest trend? It doesn’t go with your blazer at all, though.” And it didn’t, at all. Not even by Apollo’s unique standards, and he had been known to pair a cape and three piece suit.

He gave a response, but once more she had difficulty understanding him. There was something strange about his voice, muffled under the out-of-place bandana. Her sisterly instinct suddenly prickled unpleasantly. He was hiding something from her.

“Take off your bandana so I can understand you.” She said trying not to sound too suspicious. But in a fit of stubbornness he refused. She was now fully convinced that he was hiding something, and he was hiding it behind that bandana. Here eyes narrowed dangerously. He had been complaining more than usual about how much he hated his nose (one of the less flattering Sinistra traits, that Arty had thankfully not inherited) and inquiring what she thought about him getting a nose job. She had told him not to be silly, that it suited his face. Concerned that he may have gone through with it anyway, she set down her sandwich.

“Apollo…” her warning tone came out. “Take. It. Off.”

In. Out. In. Out. In. In. In…

…Wait no! Can’t breath! Off synch! Opposite time! Think Apollo think!

Out.

That had been a close one. Really that had been a little to close. Apollo had never realized how much concentration it took to breathe till now. Actually it was the atrocious black bandana that was causing him problems – it kept fluttering up the spot that had one housed his beak of a nose – yet George had been quite adamant he keep the ugly thing on till he had gotten home. From what Apollo had seen in the mirror George had held up the product had worked the way it should have.

At home reconstructive sets were going to be a huge hit once they figured out how to make one’s face return to its original form. Till then the feature that was being modified just disappeared. Like Apollo’s nose. Truth be told he didn’t mind the loss except for the increased breathing concentration, which might be deadly come the party tonight…

Granted that was if Artemis would let him out tonight. She was not likely to going to be happy he was missing a nose… and some stock. He needed an excuse fast, he could already see the welcoming glitter of the store. A pixie had stolen it? And all his packages! A muggle bit it off? He had lent it out to a man who needed a spare hand? Jasper wanted to have it bronzed?

She was sure to fall for one of them!

With such brilliant excuses on mind he was armed and ready, only nothing had prepared him to keep said excuses in his head as he was greeted with the magical words ’ Want to go on an all expenses paid shopping trip? being uttered by an utterly fantabulous brunette.

When had Arty picked her up? That Apollo needed to know. He had always fancied the dark haired ones and while this one was a bit bland dress wise he could change that – especially if they were going shopping together. Shopping, and drinking all the while with a gorgeous brunette – Wendell would be rolling in his grave with envy! He just had to get past the no dating his sister’s friends rule… but then as Jasper said rules were easily broken.

Positioning himself in the best lighting Apollo made a signature entrance. “ I DO!” He shrieked. The brunette stared at him with a mixture of awe and attraction, while his sister took away the flash of his entrance. Buzz kill.

“Apollo, this is Sofia. Sofia, my brother Apollo.”

Sofia. Sofia. Name sounded – Wicked! That was Sofia! Wendell sure could pick them! Apollo bound over to the woman’s side and enveloped her in a hug. “Sofia and shopping! Sounds perfect.” He exclaimed.

“I thought you were going shopping, to pick us up some new merchandise. You didn’t get distracted wind up at another Wombat’s gig did you? We’re going to run out of inventory at this rate!”

Excuse number five hundred and ten was the only one that popped to mind. The one with the rather involved street fight with some wigwams in which he came out alive but severely wounded. Half way though his rendition, complete with a karate kick for Sofia’s benefit and because his skinnies showed off his legs so nicely Artemis interrupted, curse her eye for fashion! He didn’t need her rubbing in the fact that he had been wandering around in disgrace for all of fifteen minutes. At least there had been no bloodstains, the clotting process had been expedited by George.

Now was time to add the fire breathing toilet to the tale. That ought to convince her that nothing was wrong – and explained how the few bags he had saved from the wigwams had met with such a noble end.

“Take off your bandana so I can understand you.”

She kept ruining his story! How was he supposed to make a good impression on Sofia if Artemis insisted on being such a spoil sport? Honestly she should know better. Apollo shook his head, refusing to obey his sister. Had to show Sofia he was still man of the house and just as desirable as Wendell. Had she and Wendell ever done shopping then sex? That naughty boy! Insisting he was 100% testosterone then spiriting away for some secret Sofia shopping.

“Apollo…Take. It. Off.”

There was proving he was a man to people and there was saving his life. Apollo always had had a rather unique case of survival instincts, ones which only clicked on when Artemis used that tone. The less experienced might think it was her bedroom voice, but he knew better. It was the I-will-burn-your-extensive-collection-of-skinnies-as-you-are-tied-helpless-to-your-bed-with-your-eyes-taped-open tone.

He slowly pulled down the bandana, revealing the cave where his rather large nose had once been. To his infinite delight Sofia didn’t even wince, but was looking at him as though he were a god. Good to know they thought the same thing!

“Now Arty I can explain…” He started only to be cut off. He shot Sofia a wide eyed look – was his savor from Artemis’s rage going to be Wendell’s love and his hopefully soon to be next fling? He sure hopped so since no puppy eyes were going to calm down his dearly beloved sister.

The lights dimmed and Sofia could make out a taller version of Artemis standing across from her looking quite like one of her nieces when she offered her some fudge. Only this was a six foot tall male making the same adorable face at her. How could she resist such a look? It would be like kicking a puppy. Somehow she felt she could manage… or rather couldn’t manage since that was a close personal friend of Wendell wanting to go shopping – she could buy him a sparkling something and he would tell her his deepest darkest secrets no doubt.

Dare she say it could be fun?

“Apollo, this is Sofia. Sofia, my brother Apollo.”

Sofia didn’t have time to react. The wall of glitter advanced and it, the horror, enveloped her in its arms. She took it back, getting information from him was not going to be fun.

“Sofia and shopping! Sounds perfect.” He exclaimed.

She shot Artemis a horrified look, which only seemed to encourage him to squeeze tighter. “Yeah fun.” She responded weakly, to which the glitter god responded with another childish look of supreme happiness with a bit of something she didn’t want to know. Wendell had the oddest friends.

Artemis drew his attention away from her, and onto his lack of coordination among other things. To which a full blown enactment of something began, which involved a lot of preening and leg lifting as he hummed what Artemis would have recognized to be ‘Everybody Loves Kung Fu Fighting’. If things kept going at this rate Sofia was going to guess the man had taken a fancy to her. Which would be beneficial but he was most certainly not her type. Her mother would AK her as soon as she saw the raven tressed, glitter adorned, stork like male that somehow managed to pull off whatever it was he was wearing.

She watched in fascination as Artemis refused to be pulled into the show and steadfastly demanded to see what was under the bandana. What did she think the boy was hiding under there? The crown jewels? After an epic amount of arm waving, wide begging eyes, and whimpering the bandana came down, and Artemis went pale.

“Now Arty I can explain…”

Which was no surprise seeing as she was now staring at a nose-less man. Where a nose that probably looked quite like Artemis’s should have been was a gaping wide black cave. The poor woman never got any rest! The mere thought of what else the other half of Artemis had probably pulled to make the woman only go pale was enough to make Sofia burst into a small peal of giggles – Apollo looked more than grateful for her interruption.

“You don’t mean to say this happens often do you?” She asked, fighting back another giggle. “I have garbage monsters and you have….” She pointed at Apollo as she stifled back another giggle. “I haven’t seen anything like this since Edward tried to make his own Weasley products.” A small giggle escaped. She always did seem to be laughing at the wrong moments when she was around Artemis. But after years of being an auror, things as unique as Apollo's nose hole never failed to amuse rather than disgust.

“Now Arty I can explain…”

She stared at the great gaping hole in the front of his face where his nose ought to have been. It still amazed her how everytime he did something foolish, like get his nose blasted off, he still thought he could trick her into believing there was nothing wrong. The saddest part of all was that she had grown so accustomed to his gruesome injuries that her stomach barely even flip-flopped at the grotesque site.

"You had better explain, Apollo Sinistra! I still can't conceive how utterly thick you are! Every time you go over to that blasted shop you come back with your eyes hanging out of their sockets, speaking in sonnets, turned orange and purple, having sprouted tiny horns, or with your nose chopped off!" She grumbled throwing down the rest of her sandwich on her plate.

“You don’t mean to say this happens often do you? I have garbage monsters and you have….I haven’t seen anything like this since Edward tried to make his own Weasley products.”

"I haven't seen anything like this since last week!" She huffed. She rose from her chair not forgetting to shoot Apollo the most annoyed look she could muster. "And he still hasn't figured out that these sort of injuries require immediate medical attention!"

She grabbed her purple velvet jacket from the coat hook, and collected her wand from the kitchen counter, dropping it a shiny gold bag.

"I'm sorry Sofia, I'm afraid this time it's me, who is going to have to cut our lunch short. I've got to take genius over here to St. Mungo's again." Apollo was whining, something about her being mean but she didn't exactly feel very piteous towards him today. She hadn't told Sofia half of what had happened with Logan and Rudolph, and she was dying to know how Wendell had managed to ruin her relationship with Dillan from beyond the grave.

Arty was ranting and it was not making him look at all good to Lawful Lassie. Apollo smiled absently, pleased to have already given her a pet name. Lawful Lassie, Lawful Lassie. Oh dear he couldn’t wait to introduce her to Lusty Lasers (aka Carmen)! Lawful and Lusty – there as a combination if he had ever thought of one, if only he could somehow propose they all get together for a nice little bit of fashion related fun. Only he had the oddest sensation that would prove deadly to one of the party. Maybe Lusty would go after Lawful with her quills and a rolled up copy of the prophet while Lawful pulled out a wand of malice while he watched from the side lines? Either way it would be a wicked good time!

”… eyes hanging out of their sockets, speaking in sonnets, turned orange and purple, having sprouted tiny horns, or with your nose chopped off!”

“You forgot some Sis. Hair that wouldn’t stop growing, brilliant for those that always want a different do, shoes that couldn’t be removed, when my eyelids went missing…” He trailed off seeing that Artemis did not look all the amused, while Lawful Sofia looked on the brink of another giggle fit. Lawful had a sense of humor! That had to be why Wendell always mentioned her.

“…Edward tried to make his own Weasley products.”Look she even had a brother that liked Weasley products! A perfect fling candidate! He couldn’t wait to tell Daphne!

"I haven't seen anything like this since last week!”

Now was Apollo’s turn to huff, “It’s been less than that! Why the day before I was over there to…” He trailed off as a small trickle of blood began to make its way out of his once nose. Artemis became livid as Apollo simply titled his head back – that’s what always stopped bloody noses.

"I'm sorry Sofia, I'm afraid this time it's me, who is going to have to cut our lunch short. I've got to take genius over here to St. Mungo's again."

His head shot up as he gave her a wild eyed look! Nooo they couldn’t leave yet he didn’t have the date and time of their shopping date! That was so wrong on so many levels he didn’t even begin to know where to start! “NOOO! Arty we can’t just leave her! I don’t even have her contact information! She is coming with us aren’t you???” He whined, turning a pair of beseeching eyes towards Lawful. If he didn’t get her to come he would never be able to get her to have a ménage à trios!!! He could already see how wonderful it would be. Lawful and Lusty would both become fashion plates for his latest trends, creating a sort of walking backdrop to his own outfits! Heavenly! He needed to start a new trend now …

Maybe caves after his nose? Or how about a combination of Lawful and Lusty? That would be sexy law enforcement! Not trenches, they were so last week, but perhaps he could do a sort of severe yet feminine look; black leathers, corsets, veils, and necklaces that were made up of ministry badges! With an oxford thrown over for that tasteful look. It would be brilliant!

The twins truly were an amazing sight to behold. She rather wished she had had a twin; or rather a sibling she got along with as well as Artemis did hers. Edward and William where all right as far as older brothers went but they weren’t really close. She shared the occasional laugh with Edward and he was her closest ally within the family but take away family ties and they would likely never speak to each other – their worlds were two different. Where as these two, they were made to help the other. They bantered and probably didn’t fight to kill. She was quite sure William, if provoked, would sue to kill.

Either way they could be a comedy act. Sofia was enjoying herself immensely.

"I'm sorry Sofia, I'm afraid this time it's me, who is going to have to cut our lunch short. I've got to take genius over here to St. Mungo's again."

It was perfectly reasonable. Seeing as this seemed to be a weekly ritual for the poor dear, which meant it was both highly unlikely she could question either twin about respective topics of interest. About to say as much she opened her mouth, only to be stopped as Apollo let out a mighty wail.

“NOOO! Arty we can’t just leave her! I don’t even have her contact information! She is coming with us aren’t you???”

Big blue eyes gazed up at her beseechingly as a livid Artemis glowered in the background. “Er… Artemis has my contact information?” She offered, feeling as though she had missed something. Why did the brother need her contact information? Wasn’t she supposed to be the one trying to get his attention to do some one on one questioning?

Her answer apparently wasn’t good enough for him, for Apollo latched himself to her via arm link, a childish look laced with determination. It was probably in her best interests to humor the wounded man. He could be delirious from blood loss!

“Alright, um, I’ll come. Sure Artemis will need someone to keep her company in the waiting room. Right?” She asked, plainly looking confused as Apollo nodded energetically at her side as he alternatively held his head back to prevent further blood stains on his coat.

“NOOO! Arty we can’t just leave her! I don’t even have her contact information! She is coming with us aren’t you???”

Sofia was cut off before she even had a chance to respond by a girlish shriek from Apollo. He glued himself to her side with a beseeching puppy dog look, that clearly threw off Sofia, but had ceased to affect Arty after twenty-six years. Sofia gaped at Apollo, completely unsure what to make of his strange behavior. Arty suspected that it took a lot of will power to override her auror training and not curse him for the sudden movement.

“Er… Artemis has my contact information?”

"Now really Apollo, Sofia has much better things to do with her afternoon than watch you have your nose regrown or reattached or whatever those poor healers will have to come up with this time!" She scolded him. She suspected he had not forgotten Sofia's joking offer to take her shopping, an offer that certainly hadn't been intended for him, not that he'd ever see that. She felt that in the interest of Sofia and her bank account it was best to try and save her from being around Apollo more than was absolutely necessary. Unfortunatly (for Sofia's bank account at any rate) she was taken in by the big blue Sinistra eyes.

“Alright, um, I’ll come. Sure Artemis will need someone to keep her company in the waiting room. Right?”

Apollo immediately perked up, looking as though he had just recieved a piece of candy, or one of Michael Jackson's bejeweled leather jackets. Arty frowned at him, it was clear she was going to have to have another talk with Apollo about mooching shopping sprees off of naive strangers.

"As much as I would enjoy the company, I really couldn't ask you to come. It'll be quite dull, though Apollo does have his own room permanently on hold on the spell damage floor."

She shrugged at the questioning look that Sofia gave her.

"The healers seemed to think it was more time effective if they just left a room open for him, since he's in every few days. That and after he lost his eyeballs they decided his ailments were too disturbing for him to wait in the public waiting room--he made a few people sick."

"As much as I would enjoy the company, I really couldn't ask you to come. It'll be quite dull, though Apollo does have his own room permanently on hold on the spell damage floor."


Now what did his silly sister think she was doing? Lawful was coming with them – a post operation shopping trip would do wonders to lift his mood. In order to convey his feelings Apollo titled his head upwards to tell Artemis what was going to happen promise or no to keep their friends and dates separate yet equal. He watched in a rather fascinated horror as a drop of blood trickled down from his nose and onto Lawful’s perfectly pleated grey raw silk skirt. At least she was getting a bit of color, maybe he could pass it off as an Apollo original print?

Lawful gave him a look that was less lusty and more… Apollo didn’t know what the emotion was. Happy? Excited? Gleeful? Sparkletastic? His emotional range had yet to cover disgusted.

However he wasn’t so self centered that he didn’t spare a thought for this now blood stained skirt. No he knew blood and silk was a nasty combination. Many a shirt, not to mention his favorite white skinnies had met their ill timed ends as blood had touched their precious exteriors. In fact he was still trying to perfect a blood removal spell and those white silk skinnies were still sitting in a place of honor on his pants rack waiting for their moment to shine one again. Really Wendell should have choose someplace other than over Apollo’s pants to bleed. It had taken a trip to the Victoria & Albert Jewel Collection to make him forget and stop his mourning period for his pants.

Wendell never did seem to understand that pants – and all clothes for that matter – were all as precious to him as children were to their parents. Each one had a name and a place in his heart and affections. Maybe Lawful was like that? Had he just killed Lawful’s favorite child?! The horror! That would mean no shopping trip! He had to do something fast!

Lawful stared at her skirt for a moment before her eyes traveled back to his sister. Apollo turned up the charm and gave her his best smile while keeping his bloody nose cavity well away from her and simultaneously holding onto her leg - a feat not for the faint of heart but rather simple for the boy who would do anything to go on a shopping trip and make amends for killing a clothing child.

“YOUR CHILD! I’VE KILLED IT!” He shrieked. Artemis talked over him as though he hadn’t just confessed to skirt murder.

“ The healers seemed to think it was more time effective if they just left a room open for him, since he's in every few days. That and after he lost his eyeballs they decided his ailments were too disturbing for him to wait in the public waiting room--he made a few people sick.”

Apollo’s attention was already switched on to another thought train, blood stained dress forgotten. “Really Arty was that necessary? They never find me disturbing, just to many fans wanted my autograph. I’m the fashion prophet of the daily prophet!” He turned his attention back to his sister, going so far as to detach himself from Sofia and stand. “Of course your friend wants to come with us! Why I can see her already expressing an interest in Regency period gowns, pre-mutton leg sleeves and you can tell her all about it while I get my nose replaced and then afterwards we can go find some…” Apollo’s already pale complexion went a notch paler, “Arty I don’t feel so…”

The world went dark for the fashion prophet as he fainted. Seemed that much blood loss could fall even the mightiest of gods.

How was a person allowed to get a word in edge wise when all the twins kept changing the subject? First Artemis was telling her she didn’t have to go then Apollo was screaming he had murdered her child then there was talk of mutton-legs and fainting. Honestly it was a wonder Artemis was at all sane let alone the rational human being standing across from her.

She did a quick levitation spell as the poor deranged boy began to crumble, saving him and his hair no doubt from hitting the ground and causing his already addled brain any more confusion.

“At least he’s stopped talking - Does this happen everyday?” She asked, feeling rather dumbfounded as she got the answer.

“So I probably shouldn’t pester it *cough* him with questions about Wendell Darrow’s past should I? Oh well it was worth a shot. Time to Rush to St. Mungo’s?”

((occ: short but hey you get a fainted Apollo and a scene shift…))