It was now 5:30 Tuesday night, and she had finished eating the meal that Christie West had dropped off for her. She'd gone to the solicitor's that morning before practice, and everything was signed, and finished. Now she was left with an inheritance she wished she didn't have, just waiting for her to be ready to deal with it.  She didn't want to stay in her flat tonight, but where was she to go?  To the family home?  She wasn't going to face that alone.  She couldn't. 

Bloody hell, she hadn't even told anyone besides her team and Cormac.  Cormac McLaggen had found out before any of her friends...  Well, that was hardly true.  He was a friend, after all, judging by the fact that he'd been wonderful to her the night before.  She had decided, upon waking early to find him getting ready for work, that she was going to keep him that way.  A friend.  She wasn't sure what she'd be able to do for him in exchange, but if he asked something in her power to grant, it was as good as his.  He had gathered her into his arms one last time before Apparating to work, reassuring her once more that it would all be alright.  It hadn't been what she'd expected, but she was glad of it.

Sighing, she grabbed some parchment.  It was best not to put this off any more.  Scribbling an owl to Dean, one to Katie, and one to Angie, she sent them off with Artemis, her owl.

Dean.  I can't stop crying. Don't know what to say.  Got a surprise visit last night from an old army friend of Dad's. Dad and Mum are dead. He came to give me a folded flag.  I need you. Owl me when you can, yeah?  Love Ali.

Sitting in her sitting room in her pajamas, picture of her parents in her hands, she watched them smiling and waving.  She was very glad she'd gotten the film from their visit with her in India developed magically.  She sighed as she traced their faces with her finger.  It had started to sink in more now.  She was no longer weeping uncontrollably at the thought of being alone, despite missing them desperately.  She was Alicia Spinnet, however.  And she was going to be fine.  She would make herself be fine.

---------------

Dean hurried around the room, gathering his things as quickly as he could manage.  As he prepared to leave, he ticked things off of his mental checklist.  Last of the ice cream from Saturday?  Check.  A few doses of Dreamless Sleep?  Spare set of clothes, just in case?  Check.  Wand?  Damnit!  Dean looked around, frantic for a moment, before remembering that it was in his jacket by the door.  Grabbing it, he made his way downstairs.

Sometimes I think she forgets that I'm a Muggleborn, too, Dean thought.  He knew full well what it meant to get that sort of visit when you're part of a military family.  Gods, she must be absolutely gutted.  Grabbing some Floo powder and tossing it into the fireplace, he called out Ali's address and was whisked away.

---------------

Alicia looked up to see Dean step out of her fireplace.  "You came!" she said, jumping to her feet.  Her breath caught at how quickly he'd responded, and not by sending an owl.  "You didn't have to come."   She  wrapped her arms around him and felt the tears building again.  No, she told herself firmly, not again.  "I'm glad you did," she murmured into his chest.

Pressing a kiss to her hair, Dean held her for a moment.  "And where else would I be?  You need me, so I'm here," he murmured.  He guided her to the couch and sat, pulling her into his lap.  "How are you holding up, love?"

"Better than I was," she admitted.  "But part of me feels horrible for that.  After all, what kind of daughter am I, to be alright and able to function, however slightly, a mere day after hearing her parents have been killed?"  She sighed, blinking away her tears.  She couldn't stand to cry anymore.  Nearly twenty-four hours of that, and she was all cried out.  "I feel like a terrible person for not still wanting to weep all the time."  She rested her head on his shoulder, and pressed her palm to his, interlacing their fingers.  "Am I horrible?"

Dean chuckled softly.  "No, love.  You're not horrible.    You're just being the daughter that your mum and dad raised.  One who's strong enough to deal with life, no matter how horribly it treats you sometimes." He hugged her closer for a moment. "They know you love them, and miss them, but they wouldn't want you to let it consume you."  Dean sighed.  "I'm sorry you have to go through this, but I promise that you won't be doing it alone."

Alicia smiled sadly.  "I felt alone, more alone than I ever have, when I heard.  It happened over a week ago.  I wasn't even told in time to go to the funeral.  There was no closure other than the papers about the inheritance.  I couldn't even bring myself to open them."  She sighed.  "I'm going to have to go through the house... I've already decided to sell it.  I can't...  I can't go back there to live.  I..."  Fresh tears pinpricked at her eyes, and she wiped them away furiously.  She'd promised herself no more crying, and here she was, tearing up all over again.

"I'm not trying to tell you what to do, Ali, but I'd rather you didn't try to do it by yourself.  When you feel up to it, why don't we grab Angie and take care of it?  The papers and the house both.  I'm sure she'd be happy to help." Feeling her breath hitch with suppressed sobs, Dean drew her closer until his face was pressed into her neck.  "Ali," he whispered, "You don't have to be strong here, with me.  Tonight, just let it go, love - I'll catch you.  Promise"

Alicia allowed herself to let go a bit, tears starting to fall, as sobs racked her body.  Dean held her tightly, for which she was grateful.  Suddenly though, she felt something cold and sticky on her leg.  Sitting up, she looked at Dean.  "Did you bring ice cream?"  She began to giggle, and then outright laugh as she grabbed her wand to clean up.  By that time she was laughing too hard to get the words out, however, and instead, leaned on Dean, tears once again pouring down her face, but for an entirely different reason.  "I can't do it,"  she giggled, "Magic and laughter don't mix.  Maybe we should have tried Cheering Charms on the Death Eaters."  Her quip only served to set her off again.

Dean grinned.  "Glad I could amuse you."  Looking into the slightly melted tub, he was relieved to see that it was still edible.  "So, would you like some, Little Ms. Gigglesworth?"

Her laughter started up yet again at his teasing, and she nodded, standing up. Taking his hand, she walked with him to the kitchen, grabbing two spoons.  She handed him one as they sat at the table.  Scooping a spoonful straight from the tub to her mouth, she moaned.  "mmm, Dean. This is the best ice cream I have ever had."  She felt lighter having laughed so hard, and realized that there must be some truth to the idea that laughter could heal.  "Where did you get it?"

"Fortescue's imports it for some Muggleborn Yanks.  I found out about it a while back, and have been addicted ever since."  Dean took a spoonful, his eyes closing in gastronomic bliss.  "I'm not one for sweets, generally, but this stuff is ace."

"You're so not exaggerating."  She grinned at him.  "So if I'm now addicted, does that make you my dealer?"  She looked very serious for a moment.  "You're not going to start pimping me out when I can't pay for my habit, are you?"  She giggled, the idea of Dean in a Yank pimp getup was too much, and she was unable to stop her gales of laughter for a full minute.  The problem came when she would try to eat another spoonful.  More than once she'd pull the spoon towards her, only to think of her 'habit', and Dean in florescent green, and she would burst out laughing again.  Finally, gasping for air, she made herself breathe again.  "Sorry," she apologized sheepishly, "but florescent colors are just not for you, Mr. Thomas."  She scraped the last bit of the ice cream up and savored it.  "Now what?"  She asked, blinking at Dean with wide eyes.  She looked around, and grabbed the envelope she'd brought back again from the solicitor's.  "I've already gone through the papers, last night, and then again today with the solicitor.  I made C... I had to start somewhere, to grieve, I mean.  I didn't have anywhere else to start."  Biting her lip she realized that she'd almost told him about going to Cormac's first.  Somehow she didn't think he would appreciate that news overmuch.  She placed the envelope in front of him, motioning that he was welcome to look if he liked.  "And what else besides ice cream was on your list of things to comfort me?  Are you going to draw me a bath?"  She asked the question eagerly, and then flushed a little, remembering the last time he'd 'drawn her a bath'.  Now, now, Ali, none of that.  You're supposed to be mourning, not lusting after your friend and comforter. 

Down, boy - that's not why you're here tonight, Dean thought, his own memories of their last bath together coming to the fore. Unless that's what she needs from you tonight, he mentally added, noticing her slight flush.  We'll worry about that later.  "I was going to go with a foot rub, but a bath doesn't sound like a bad idea at all," he said with a smile.  "You could have a nice leisurely soak, then I could give you a nice massage before putting you to bed."  He leaned in and whispered conspiratorially, "And if you're really good, I'll even tuck you in and sing you a lullaby."

"Mmm, you spoil me, Dean, you really do."  She smiled at her friend.  She was so lucky to have him, and she was fully aware of it.  She had felt so alone, but between Cormac, her team and now Dean being with her, she had come to realize she wasn't really alone after all.  "Thank you, Dean, for coming, and even more...  for staying.  It all sounds lovely.  I'd love a bath, moreso if you'd consider joining me."   She looked at him, unsure if he would think she was moving forward too fast from her parents' deaths.  "I can't stop living, right?"  She had no idea how to grieve, no idea what others would say if they knew that she'd just found out about their deaths and was already feeling randy.  She sighed.  "Perhaps I'm just not a very good daughter after all.  I feel like I'm putting this aside too easily.  But I cried intensely last night, and was in a daze during practice...  how long is normal?  I'm still sad, but it's not controlling me.  I know you said that it's just me being able to deal, but what are people going to think of me?  Maybe I just didn't love them enough."  She felt herself getting hysterical again, and began doing her yoga breathing in a vain attempt to bring her raging emotions under control.

Dean leaned back a bit and looked into her eyes.  "Shh..." he murmured before brushing his lips across hers.  "Quit that.  It's rubbish, and I won't have it.  You just feel the need to live a little right now instead of dwelling on death, that's all.  It may not seem appropriate, but it's very human.  You are not a bad daughter."  Lightly kissing her again, he nestled her in his arms and stood up.  "And a long relaxing soak sounds quite nice right now,"  Dean said, carrying her towards the bathroom. 

Alicia smiled as Dean set her down and set about getting the tub ready.  She was being pampered, and she knew it.  The room filled with the scent of cedar and vanilla as the bubbles started piling up.  She blinked a bit in surprise as he lifted her jersey over her head. It felt as though she was back in her childhood, getting ready for a bath and then bed.  Stepping out of her knickers she allowed him to help her into the tub, where she slipped down into the bubbles.  "This is heavenly."  She smiled at him.  "You'll make a good dad someday down the line, Mr. Thomas."

"Me?  A father?"  Dean snorted in amusement.  "That would require that I find a woman batty enough to breed with me,"  he said laughingly.  Pulling his jumper over his head, he looked at Alicia.  "I don't see that happening for quite a while... if ever, to be honest."  He unzipped his trousers and stepped out of them.

Alicia watched him undress, and smiled.  He certainly is a good looking man.  "Batty enough?" she asked, shaking her head.  "Dean, you're a helluva fine looking man, and have... other qualities that would make a woman very pleased to... 'Breed with you', as you so eloquently put it.  I can understand not wanting kids right away, but I think I nearly take offense to your insinuation of my batty-ness."  Her eyes widened and she bit her tongue.  Where the bloody hell did that come from?  You shag the bloke a couple times and start thinking of bloody children? 

Dean decided to let her remark pass, knowing that Alicia didn't mean it the way it sounded.  "Thanks for the compliments, love," he said with a smile, "but I know who I am, and I'd like to think that I'm content with it for the most part."  He made his way around to the end of the tub, and began massaging Ali's shoulders.

Alicia leaned back into Dean's hands, a contented moan escaping her.  There were knots that had been in her shoulders for weeks that he was loosening, and it felt so good.  He is a man of many talents, she mused, relaxing.  "I may have said this before, Dean, but you spoil me.  Really.  I...  I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have you and the team, and the girls."  She felt the tears welling again, and pushed them back down.  "Tell me something interesting that's gone on in your life recently, so I stop thinking so much?"

Dean thought for a moment, trying to dredge up some amusing anecdote, or bizarre incident, or... something.  Gods, he thought morosely, I really do have no life.  "Well I don't know if it qualifies, but Harry thought I was shagging Hannah Abbot for about five minutes last Saturday.  I thought he was going to go all "The-Boy-Who" on my arse there for a second.  Nearly pissed myself, I did,"  he said with a laugh.

Alicia giggled.  "Harry does have a tendency to be a bit over protective.  Is he with Hannah, then?"  She hoped Harry had found someone, he'd always been such a good kid.  One who'd had too much put on his shoulders too often, but a good kid nonetheless.  There were times she wished he'd not gone into being an Auror, he'd have been a smashing Seeker professionally. "And how exactly did you shagging Hannah Abbott come up in conversation, anyways?" 

"Two reasons, actually.  One is that Gin knows me entirely too well, and the other is that the filter between her brain and her mouth disappears when she's got a few drinks in her."  Dean chuckled ruefully.  "She noticed my sudden and persistent good mood of the last few days while she, Luna and I were celebrating Harry's graduation from Auror academy, and decided to call me on it," he told her, shaking his head.  "She started to demand that I tell her who I was seeing, and I just handed her my portfolio and told her that she was in there."  Dean shrugged.  "Hannah was the first person she came across."

Alicia turned to face him, splashing a bit of water on the floor.  "Sudden and persistent good mood?  Really?  And why is that?"  She smiled, already knowing why, but wanting to hear him say it anyways.  "And Hannah Abbott posed for you?  Wasn't she that wee timid little Hufflepuff from the DA?  Who else is in your portfolio, Mister Thomas?"  Her eyes filled with mirth as she teased him.  "And Harry got it?  That's great! I should send him an owl."

"My good mood would be due to a wonderful friendship with even more wonderful benefits, as you well know," he replied with a smile and a quick kiss.  "And yeah, that would be Hannah.  She wanted to do something with her ponce of an ex-fiance's money that he'd disapprove of, so she had a sexy portrait done.  Good for her, I say."  His smile turned into a smirk.  "And why would you want to know who else might be in my portfolio?" he said teasingly.  "It's not like you're jealous about it, now is it?"  Laughing at her annoyed look, he relented.  "I've got a couple of Tracey Davis that I did a week or so ago, and a quick sketch of Mac - that is, Morag MacDougal - that I did down at the 'Sticks."

"I was rather hoping you'd say you'd done a nude of Harry.  I'd demand a copy.  Hang it in my bedroom."  It was her turn to grin.  "I'm just kidding, dear.  Although, if I'm not supposed to be jealous I suppose it would only be fair if I did get a nude of Mr. Potter, since you seem to have so many birds in your portfolio."  She turned back around and laid her head on his knee.  "So did they ever find out who put that smile on your face?"

"Yeah, Gin sussed it out pretty quickly.  She grilled me for a moment about our relationship, and I told her that, though we're not in a "Relationship", we *do* care about each other.  She had a protective sister moment, but I backed her down and told her that we were adults, and could do as we like."  Dean smiled sardonically.  "Gin seems to have this idea that I should have some sort of great, all-consuming fairytale romance."  Ali looked over her shoulder and gave him a puzzled glance.   "Don't get me wrong - I love her dearly, but sometimes I think she just doesn't understand," he said, shrugging helplessly.  "I'm pretty much the 'starter' boyfriend - always have been, always will be.  I'm nice, fairly smart, relatively attractive and, most importantly... safe.  I'm good for filling the role until the real thing comes along.  I'm not saying that I'm being taken advantage of,"  he said quickly, feeling Alicia stiffening under his hands.  "I'm pretty good at being affectionate and supportive - and I'd like to think that I'm a fair lover -  "it's just that I don't seem to evoke the passion, or..." Dean trailed off for a moment before continuing.  "Whatever it is that turns 'like' into 'love'?  I just don't have it."  He focused on Alicia's shoulders for a moment, trying to get rid of the stubborn tension in her shoulders.  "It's not so bad, really.   I may not get the girl, but when all's said and done, I usually end up with a close friend out of the bargain."  He shrugged again.  "A pretty good deal, all told."

Alicia felt her heart breaking a little as he spoke.  "Dean..." she started, but couldn't find the words to properly express herself.  She couldn't believe he thought of himself as a starter boyfriend.  She had never ever thought of him as anything of the sort, and she found herself scoffing at the idea that she would toss over her dear friend for some decent looking ponce who could take her to a fancy restaurant.  "You're not my starter boyfriend, Dean Thomas, despite us not being in a "relationship".  You're still like... the Inferno to my old Cleansweep!  If anything, I've moved up to the top of the line."  She stood, dripping, and took the towel he handed her.  Stepping out of the tub she began to dry off.  "And if I ever hear you say anything like that again, I will hex you."  She sighed, wrapping the towel around her.  "That aside, I am glad that you're content..."  She looked at him.  "You are happy with how things are, right?  I mean..."  She trailed off, not sure exactly what she was trying to say.  She had found herself having starkly conflicting emotions when it came to Dean, ever since he'd first kissed her in Cormac's office, if she was honest with herself.  She knew it wasn't just the grief speaking, but she couldn't explain why she had taken to looking forward to seeing him more and more, something she wasn't used to at all.  She was the girl who was able to say "We are what we are, when we are," to the men in her life.  Wasn't she?  She mentally shook herself; there was no need to delve into all of that now, at the moment she wanted to know what he thought of where things stood.  She would stop entertaining bizarre notions if he only wanted this...

Damn it to hell!  You can be right fucking prat sometimes, can't you, Thomas?  "Shit.  I'm so sorry - I didn't mean to imply..."  Drawing her into his arms, he was silent for a moment.  "I'm very happy with how things are, love," he murmured before kissing her wet hair.  "I couldn't ask for anything more."

Couldn't or wouldn't?  Alicia smiled and looked up into his eyes.  "As long as you're happy, yeah?"  She wasn't sure what exactly she felt in response to his words, but if he said he was happy, then for the moment, that was enough.  "Is it tucking in and lullabying time yet?" she teased, changing the subject.  She would ruminate upon emotions another time...  Right now she was content to snuggle into Dean and have him spend the night.  "You were going to stay the night, yeah?"

Dean smiled.  "I'm here as long as you need me, ducks," he said as he scooped her up into his arms again.  As he laid her on the bed, he asked, "Do you have a lullaby in mind, or should I just pick something?"

Alicia widened her eyes like a small child would, blinking at Dean.  She matched her voice to her expression, mimicking a child who was reluctant to sleep. "Oh, but I'm not tired Dean.  I'm really not.  Can't we play a game?"  She moved to kneeling and began to bounce on the bed slightly, giggling as she did so.  Grinning widely at her own antics, she spoke again.  "I don't really have any preference for a lullaby, and if you don't feel like singing to me, you needn't.  I'm happy to just snuggle with you..."

"Oh, there will be singing, little miss, and snuggling too!"  Laughing, he pulled down the covers.  "In you get, love," he said, chuckling as Alicia scooted up the bed.  Dean laid down beside her and pulled the comforter over them both.  "Comfy?" he asked, smiling as she snuggled into him.  At Alicia's happy nod, his smile turned mischievous. "And if you're still in the mood for a game..." he said as he deftly removed her towel and tossed it aside.   Reaching down, he gave her bum a playful squeeze.  "I think that could be arranged."  Dean looked down at the blonde head pillowed on his chest.  "So.. any requests, love?"

Alicia squirmed a bit as his hand settled itself on her bum, her heart pounding a bit quicker for it.  "I request a round of roger, from you, and then you may sing me whatever you like."  She wasn't sure why she'd blurted that, but she smiled cheekily at him before speaking again.  "Usually that requires you to kiss me, Dean.  At least, that's a good place to start."  Might as well, yeah?  One doesn't just stop living.

"You know, I do believe you're right," Dean chuckled.  "C'mere, you,"  he growled as he began to pull a giggling Alicia on top of him.  "Your mouth is entirely too far away, love."  As she leaned in for a kiss Dean gave her bum another, not at all playful, squeeze.

Alicia gasped a bit as she kissed him.  I don't know if I'll ever give you up, Dean.  Her thoughts were whisked away, however, as their tongues met.  She felt comfortable, and safe, and best of all, not alone.

{Summary:  Dean rushes to cheer Alicia, and it works rather well.}