Author's Note: Hi everyone! I'm so sorry it's been a hot mintue since I last posted. I'll try and do better! Please comment and review! I hope you enjoy!

Nathaniel browsed through the menu while Aurora sat in silence pretending to read hers. Her heart was racing, she feared him as much as she respected him. What is he going to say? Will he scold her and drag her back home? Or will he just leave her be?

A server arrived at their table and politely asked them for their order, Nathaniel spoke in response but she didn't hear him through the drumming in her ears. The server turned to her, she merely mumbled, "I'll have whatever he's having."

The man nodded and left them alone again. They sat for a few more moments in silence when Nathaniel finally spoke.

"Relax, you're so tense."

"I'm assuming Farlan didn't leave me that note." She looked directly into her brother's eyes.

"That is correct."

"…Well, I can understand why you did that; however, I don't think it was necessary."

"Perhaps not, but I wanted to be sure that you came. "

"How did you find me and why did you come?"

"You used a credit card on a purchase of some sort, it showed up in the statement."

"Oh…"

"And I came here to personally ask you, are you out of your god damn mind?!" Nathaniel lowered his voice and hissed.

Aurora leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest, she looked her brother directly in the eye, "maybe…"

The two siblings sat there staring at each other neither one of the them was willing to back down. Just then the server returned with their meals and carefully placed them on the table.

Aurora looked up at the waiter. "I'll also have a glass of Chateau Petrus, please."

"Actually, make that a bottle." Nathaniel smiled up at him.

The man nodded and left once more to retrieve the wine. Aurora looked back at her brother with determined eyes.

"You don't understand…I had to leave."

"You didn't have to do anything. Why didn't you come to me for help?!"

"I just thought it was time I took matters into my own hands." Aurora said blankly.

"So, by taking matters into your own hands," Nathaniel leaned forward in his seat, picking up his fork and knife, "you decide to just take off without saying a word to anyone, no note, nothing, even leaving your wand behind. Do you even realized the panic you've caused?!" He began to cut into the meat on his plate.

Aurora looked away; her face was beginning to burn hot. She did not like being scolded as if she was a child. It was embarrassing, her brother may have had a point but still, it was her decision.

"I understand that it was irresponsible." She began slowly, "but it was a decision I m-"

Nathaniel held up his hand halting her, "it was reckless. Dress up your reasoning as you like, but what it all boils down to is that it was foolish and reckless."

Aurora chewed on the inside of her cheek her eyes began to shift nervously. She looked down and began to play with the fork in front of her. She wasn't sure how to respond, he was right, it was reckless but she doesn't regret doing what she did, she was only sorry that she hurt the people she cared for.

Nathaniel sighed; she was finally grasping the severity of her actions. "I understand that you felt corned and that mere and pere have not made things easy for you in the least. I know about them pressing you to marry."

Aurora's heart sank, all of sudden images of Draco flooded her mind. The poor man poured out his heart to her and she left. She didn't even have the courage to send him the letter she had written him to apologize. She just couldn't bring herself to do it. She was afraid of what his response might have been or worse lack thereof.

"I couldn't say yes to him…at least not yet." A lump was forming in her throat, she felt guilty. Guilty for rejecting him, guilty for leaving him, and especially guilty for traipsing around with her former beau. He didn't deserve this. She was horrible for doing this to him.

"I understand, but all things considered, he is a good match. He's a fine young man-"

"I know he is. But I don't want to marry him under duress! The options they gave me were 'marry him or we'll end your future' how can anyone enter into a marriage under those terms! It's insane! They're insane!" She ran her hand over her face, "I felt so trapped!" tears began to form, "I felt so trapped and so frustrated. These two strangers that I barely know were planning out my life for me!" her cheeks were red and wet. "He was the only person that ever gave me the opportunity to choose and they spoiled it! They took that small bit of freedom I had to choose away from me!"

Nathaniel watched his sister cry. She was right, their parents were strangers to her, and it frustrated her to no end that they had so much control over her life.

"You know I would have never allowed them to leave you destitute or force you into marriage, why didn't you-"

"Nathaniel, I swear to God if you say 'why didn't I come to you' one more goddamn time I'm going to absolutely lose it!" She growled through her teeth looking up at him with wild menacing eyes.

He was taken aback by his sister's sudden burst of anger; she was usually more composed.

The server returned with the wine and two glasses, he looked between the two and quickly poured the wine leaving the bottle on the table and left as quickly as he arrived. The tension between the two siblings was so thick that anyone could cut through it with a blade, he did not wish to linger.

"Fine, it's your life." Nathaniel sighed. "Do what you will, but if I were to ask you to come back with m-"

"No." Aurora picked up her glass and took a sip.

"I figured as much, so what? You're just going to spend the rest of your days in Moscow?"

"Not for the rest of my days," she said holding her glass to her lips, "but for the time that I am Odette in the production of Swan Lake, I will remain here." Aurora set and glass down and grabbed the napkin on the table and began to dab her eyes.

"Ah, well at least you are being productive with your time here. You were such a talented dancer." Nathaniel smiled, well at least she's doing something she genuinely enjoys. "What about school?" He continued.

"What about it?"

"Well, don't you want to go to graduate school? You've already been accepted into the program."

"Let's just call this a sabbatical."

Nathaniel rolled his eyes, "smart ass. Will you at the very lease think about going back."

"If I said yes will you at get off my back?"

"Perhaps."

"Fine, I'll think about going back but no promises though. There are still things I have to do here first. Is that okay?"

"I'm more than satisfied with that."

The siblings sat in silence once more, what a night this had turned out to be. Aurora still couldn't believe that she had been located. However due to her lack of judgment for using a Muggle credit card to buy a new leotard here they are. She honestly should have known better; Nathaniel holds all of the accounts. Maybe this was for the best, he's not dragging her back, but at least one person knows that she's alive and well.

"You're not going to tell them, are you?" Aurora asked nervously.

Nathaniel knew exactly who she meant. "I'm still debating that. Our mother has been in a terrible state of panic when news reached her that you just suddenly disappeared into the night without your wand."

"Is that so? Shocking." Aurora was not impressed, partly because she didn't believe him.

"No, I mean it. She was actually crying, and our father…well, you know him."

"Probably was shouting his bald head off, yes?"

"Precisely."

"Well, I guess if it'll ease their state of mind then tell them."

"I'll tell them to leave you be and that you will return on your own terms, but you must promise that you will at least send owls; an update every now and then would be nice."

Aurora chuckled. "That's fine by me." She picked up her glass once more and downed the rest of her wine.

Aurora collapsed onto the couch; she was emotionally drained. Seeing her brother today wasn't even remotely close to what she was expecting. However, she was happy that they at least were able to have a conversation and come to an understanding. She agreed to keep in regular contact with him and he agreed that he will not allow anyone to interfere in her personal affairs.

"Vhere have you been?" Esfir asked entering the room.

"To dinner with my brother."

"The hot one?"

Aurora looked up at Esfir unamused.

"Relax, vey are all hot." She laughed. "Is Emerson still single?"

"Ugh," Aurora wrinkled her nose in disgust. "I'm going to bed. I've had enough of this day and I have to be up at 5 tomorrow."

"Okay, but you should know Farlan vas here."

"Was he?" Aurora forced herself up from the couch trying her best to sound uninterested. "What did he want?"

"He asked if you vere here, I say no and he left. That is all."

Aurora eyed her roommate and then nodded. "Goodnight." She walked into her bedroom and shut the door.

She collapsed onto her bed and buried her face in her pillow. She had knots in her stomach and her thoughts were a chaotic mess. How could she entertain Farlan the way she has when Draco had shown her that he's more than ready to commit to her. It wasn't right! She felt guilty.

But we were never in an exclusive relationship.

She didn't owe anyone anything. She wasn't exclusively seeing anyone for that matter. No relationship had been established with either man.

But does that really excuse flirting with Farlan?

She growled in frustration and rolled over onto her back and stared up at the ceiling. If she was given the choice of who she wanted to spend the rest of her life with, that was a no brainer, she would choose Draco every time. He's all she wanted, he's perfect: handsome, smart, and most of all he understood and respected her.

What the hell was she even doing flirting and going out with Farlan, you're playing with him.

"That's fucked up." She whispered to herself. You can't go around playing with people's feelings like that.

But that was very presumptuous of her. What if all Farlan wanted was to have fun and didn't want anything serious. So far all they've been doing his having fun, no discussion was had on what was really going on between them. What was wrong with her having a little bit of fun for once in her life. She had nothing tying her down. Farlan had already proven that he was incapable of being in a committed relationship, surely, he was just looking for fun…but was that really fair? They were young, also she's not mind reader, there's no way of knowing what he really wanted from her. And if she were to be completely honest with herself, she didn't want to find out, she'd rather just leave things be, she was content with the way things currently are. If he wanted anything more, that would just make things more complicated than they already were.

Aurora sat up and moved to her desk, pulled open the desk drawer and right there was the letter she had written to Draco.

You were supposed to send that letter to him months ago you coward!

She sneered at herself, why the hell did she wait this long, she can't possibility send it to him now. Aurora reached for the letter and tore it into pieces before throwing it into the waste basket. Maybe one day she'll write him another letter or maybe…or maybe…

XXXX

Leonora sat in her bed working on her knitting, it had been a week since Nathaniel had left in search of his sister. She let out a loud tired sigh, it was difficult being married to the eldest of the family. Yes, yes, marry the man you marry the family. But as of late he had been the sole person to take care of literally ALL of the family affairs. The businesses, his parents, his spoiled unruly siblings! The only one in that lot that hasn't caused her dear husband any distress was Reginald. Yes, Reginald was very quiet and handled his own affairs on his own without uttering a word to anyone. He was the only sane one aside from Nathaniel in her opinion.

Emerson was another story; he was a walking breathing disaster. All the constant partying and the trouble he gets into. How many times have they received owls in the middle of the night saying his been arrested for this or that? And every time her husband would just sigh and go to bail the fool out wherever he was. Good lord, that boy is going to give Nathaniel an aneurism. And Aurora, frankly, she's shocked at her. The girl was quiet just like Reginald, oh yes, be that as it may it a dangerous kind of quiet. She was a ticking time bomb that had detonated. What was that girl thinking taking off in the middle of the night like that?! She out of all people should have known better. And of course, Nathaniel had to go fix it.

She loved his family but sometimes they were too much. They are always pulling him in every single direction they possibly could. What about his own family?! When they had first gotten married she didn't say anything. However, back then their troubles weren't at the same magnitude as they are now. It was beginning to impact their family, he has a wife and two children now, he can't be running to them every time something happens. She needed to have a talk with him about that. Enough is enough.

The door opened and she looked up from her project. It was her husband himself, he was handsome as ever and he looked exhausted. She smiled at him.

"Velcome back."

"It's good to be back my love." He placed a kiss on her forehead and removed his coat and loosened his tie.

"Did you find her?"

"Yes, I did." He removed his tie and unbuttoned his shirt.

"And…"

"And I'm going to leave her be."

"Vaht?"

"She wants to stay in Moscow. She wants to pursue the life of the dancer. Actually, she is playing the part of Odette in the production of Swan Lake. I already purchased us box seats."

Blinking a few times Leonora watched her husband undress. "Vhat?" she wasn't sure if she heard him correctly. Did he just say he was going to leave her be and that she's in the ballet?

"She's going to stay in Moscow." Nathaniel repeated sliding into bed next to her, he normally slept with nothing but his boxers on. Not that his wife complained, she actually preferred fewer layers. "I honestly did't have the energy to argue with her. She's grown, she can manage herself."

Leonora placed her knitting aside, and turned to face him. "Vhat vill your parents say?" She reached out tracing circles on his chest, she missed him.

"They most likely will not like it, but at least we know where she is and that she's alive and well. She's a big girl, it's time that she started running her own life."

"I only hope it doesn't not give your father a heart attack." Leonora giggled.

" It probably will, but the old man is tougher than he looks, he'll manage." He grinned.

He leaned over and kissed his wife. All of these "distractions" are becoming exhausting. Why was his family so god damn dysfunctional! Yes, every family has their problems but this was ridicules. Reginald was becoming his favorite sibling, not once has he ever gotten into trouble. The other two were becoming a massive headache.