She's In The Rain.

[Lia Allman]

Lia had been rather surprised that the Ministry had been so lenient with her time over the holidays. But she was grateful. She had spent a good bit of time with Saffron, Sherry, and the family...and then of course she had spent precious time with Abe. She wasn't sure what all she had done to deserve what those who were around her had done for her. But she was grateful. Between them all, they were slowly showing her that she was worthy of affection...of love...of acceptance.

Yes, she had done awful things.

But awful things had been done to her...and society had failed her...leaving her to be snatched up by the scum of the Earth. Nothing in the world would ever make right what she had done. Lia knew that. But Abe...Saffy...Sherry...they all gave her hope that she could at least try.

But the holidays were over...the new year was upon them...and Lia was back at the ministry.

So after Gavin Walker had escorted her through her tasks for the day, Lia found herself back in her little observation room. Slowly but surely...the people handling her case seemed less and less interested in just torturing her...and more interested in the things they were finding. So for now, she was being left to her own devices.

For the most part anyway...she knew there was likely someone on the other side of the glass watching her. They always watched. Privacy wasn't a luxury she was afforded any more. But that was okay. She was just tending to some plants.

But then there was a soft knock to the door. Lia sighed, turning to face the door with her hands folded in front of her body so that she was evidently not a threat. It was pretty much the norm at this point. But it was still a tad annoying. Still, she waited for the door to open, curious as to whether they were taking her to another task or trial.

[Molly Walker]

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer

Things at the Ministry had been less optimal than usual. Yes her and Abe had brought in top criminals but it just so happened that they both ended up having underlying feelings for their criminals. That fact was not lost on their superiors in the Auror office and now that the Hero treatment was over, the pair were being treated like problems. Molly was watching over Gavins training today and  accompanied him to drop Vad...Lia to her observation room.

Molly leaned against the back wall, the one way mirror  blocking her from Lia's view, as Aurors and Ministry officials bustled in and out. Molly just leaned, staring at the witch, trying to find a reason why Abe and Gavin were so fast to forgive this woman. Soon, everyone was gone and it was just Molly watching Lia tend to plants. 

But watching wasn't going to give her the answers she was looking for. Molly moved out of the observation panel of the room to move to Lia's side. Molly knocked lightly before opening the door. "Hey..." she said to a crossed armed Lia. "I think we should talk...about Abe."

Tagged;;Lia Allman

[Lia Allman]

The door opened and Molly Walker walked through. Lia didn't move...she had learned from much harsher staff not to until told to. But as the blonde approached a bit and spoke, Lia's eyes widened ever so slightly. She wanted to talk about Abe...and Lia seemed to freeze a moment. She had been doing her best to keep things as professional and lowkey as possible.

"I...uhm...here?" she asked softly, moving slowly to clean off her hands before she moved to sit down against one of the heavier planters.

"What...what exactly would you like to talk about?"

Lia watched the blonde through curious eyes. Her family had been so kind to her...and Abe truly cared for and respected her. So Lia had no plans to be anything other than entirely respectful and accommodating to the young witch.

[Molly Walker]

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer

Molly didn't usually spend time down here, granted...this was the first time the ministry had held a reformation program, but the blonde was usually out in the field. "Oh uhh, At Ease," she said as she noticed Lia hadn't moved since she walked in. Someone had explained it to her but she hadn't been listening, she never expected herself to be on this side of the glass.

"I...uhm...here?"

"Good point," she said, taking out her wand. "Muffliato." In a sweeping motion, she drew almost an ear shape in the air.  That should do the trick, any visual surveillance would just show Molly interrogating Lia and she could claim she heard the buzzing too. She watched as Lia moved to sit against a planter, as Molly took back her job of holding up the wall. 

"Why let Abe turn you in? We've been after you for a long time, I know you're clever enough not to get caught...so why now..." she paused, crossing her arms over her chest. "Why him?"

Tagged;;Lia Allman

[Lia Allman]

Molly informed her it was fine for her to relax and move about and Lia nodded, moving to perch herself against one of the planters. And as Molly pulled her wand, effortlessly silencing them to the outside of the room, Lia just watched in awe. She had never been good at technical spell work or charms in general. So she enjoyed watching those who were.

But at Molly's question, Lia's brow furrowed slightly and she looked down.

"That...is a long story," she started. "But the short version would be...that I was tired. And Abe has always felt safe. Like home."

Her head lifted a bit and she stared at a blank patch of wall, a far away and reminiscent gaze in her eyes as she remembered the easier days. Before she broke Abe's heart. Before Lucius sank his claws into her. Before she had ended and ruined so many lives. Back when she was just a happy kid, relaxing with Abe by the lake and playfully making little gusts of wind ruffle his hair.

She shifted her eyes back to Molly and shrugged.

"I don't know what Abe saw in me that made him want to take such a chance on me...but the last thing I plan to do is let him down. And I have to be honest...letting everything go. Putting it all on the table. Owning up to everything...I feel more free than any sort of freedom the ministry might ever give me."

She bit her lip.

"Abe is a good man. Too good for the likes of me. But he trusts me, for whatever reason. And I won't let that trust be in vein."