Time Gone By [David]

[Angel Simons]

Sitting in the park, Angel sighed to herself. After returning back to England, she found that the feeling of home that she had once felt in muggle London had left her, and she now felt like a tourist. Out of place and not quite knowing where she was. A tear escaped Angel's eye. She could remember sitting in her exact spot, only many many years before. Every bad memory came flooding back to her in that moment and, for the first time in her life, she felt like she had wasted too much time running away.

Angel stood up, deciding to walk to her old home. She started walking slowly, however when she reached the fountain in the park she couldn't walk anymore. She found that she didn't even want to see where she used to live. Angel went and sat at the edge of the fountain. "I've seen no one I knew... I've seen no familiar, friendly faces. Nothing. I feel... alone," she mumbled to herself, feeling lonely. Angel didn't like feeling lonely. It didn't happen often.

Angel's hand stroked the surface of the water slowly, her fingertips barely touching the water. "So much time has gone by," she said softly, "I doubt anyone remembers, or even stops to think about what happened to me, but I'm going to find people I know. I want to make sure they're okay. How they're doing. Their families. It's been too long. Even if it kills me. Angel, stop talking to yourself. It's not ladylike." Sitting up taller, Angel sighed, her hand still trailing in the water.

[David Saunders]

David was out wandering by himself. This, in itself, was unusual.
He didn't really like to be on his own when he could be with other people, and he usually always had the opportunity to be with other people.
Another point of oddity in his wandering was the simple location...it was unlike David to wander in the muggle world by choice.
He had nothing against muggles, it was just a world he didn't really know or understand and he tended to keep to what he did understand completely.

Slipping his hands in his pockets, he let a small frown play at his brow as he carried on slowly down the path in the park.
It wasn't as if he had nowhere to go or no one to be with. He'd sort of half-planned to stop by on Jack and Rose and the kids and see what his best friend was up to, but when then he'd changed his mind and decided to head into the office to see if anything needed finishing up instead, but again, had changed his mind at the last minute.
He was feeling restless today apparently.

He'd left the house a couple of hours ago, and should probably go back soon, but he didn't really feel like doing that at the moment.
He hadn't seen Daniel or Daniella all day, so he'd figured they were off playing some twin game that would keep them occupied for hours. Hayden and Joshua had been immersed in running in circles round the living room since about midmorning. Emma had been sitting down with a book when he'd left, so by now she'd probably be deeply involved in whatever she was reading.
There was no reason for him to rush home, after all.

But then again, he didn't really no what else to do with himself.
As he passed a fountain in the park, he stopped to spare a brief glance at someone who seemed to be in the same position as him and hesitated.
He'd never been able to walk past someone who was on their own and looked down. It was some strange complex built into his system, so he dithered for a moment, before asking reasonably casually, "You alright?"

[Angel Simons]

Angel's head snapped up to look at the voice. She let a warm smile come to her face when the person who spoke to her looked friendly. Angel nodded, before saying "I suppose so. I'm just a little bored. Also, a little bit lonely. I don't like being lonely. I hate being on my own," she explained with a slight French accent, frowning a little. Feeling a little pathetic, she decided to introduce herself. "I'm Angel. Angel Simons. And you are?" She asked him, offering another smile in his direction.

Taking her hand away from the water, Angel turned to face the man, steadying herself when she almost fell backwards into the fountain. Angel patted the place next to her, motioning for him to sit. "It's okay, I don't bite." She was glad this person had come to talk to her. She had always loved meeting new people, and she hated being lonely. This was a new person and had come to talk to her. Hopefully it would cure her boredom and loneliness. She looked up to the sky, noticing it was about to rain. This made her smile. She turned to face the other person again, waiting for him to introduce himself.

[David Saunders]

He nodded at this, slightly reassured that at least there was nothing very wrong, and had to remind himself sharply that nothing had been very wrong since the war.
He was used to people telling him that loved ones had been taken from them, or they'd been betrayed, just like he'd heard so many times during those years when Voldemort had been in power.
Mind, the war still wasn't completely over for him. It was still very much in his job to be going out after Death Eaters that the ministry had only just gotten the balls to go after.

He figured from her accent, that maybe she was a tourist, so it really was no wonder that she was lonely and a little bored.
How much really was there to do here anyway?
"David Saunders," He replied with an easy smile, sitting down lightly on the fountain next to her.

[Angel Simons]

Angel smiled again at him. "Nice to meet you, David. So... Are you from around here?" She asked him, in a desperate attempt to make conversation. She started playing with her hair a little, unable to sit still. Sit still, Angel. It's not lady like, she thought, frowning at herself. She realised she must have looked quite odd, frowning at herself, so she instantly stopped and attempted to sit still. She placed both hands in her lap, sitting as tall as she possibly could. She crossed her ankles and held her head high.

"Do you have any idea how uncomfortable this is?" Angel mumbled to David under her breath. She couldn't be heard saying it aloud. She would never use such bad manners in public. Her school had taught her better than that. It was at that moment that Angel caught sight of a small bird, possibly a wren. She couldn't take her eyes off of it. Angel was always prone to distraction, which was probably her biggest flaw. She watched it as it spiralled in the air, making loops and patterns. Shaking her head, Angel turned to face David again, trying not to become distracted. "I apologise for my lack of concentration."

[David Saunders]

"Not quite," He shook his head slightly in answer to her question. He'd lived in London for nearly twelve years, and nearly all of the vestiges of the Irish lilt his voice used to have had faded, a sign that his childhood home and birth place had almost left him completely.
He still didn't sound completely British on some words...but most of the time he could pass for a Londoner with ease.

"I'm assuming you're not?" He asked in return.
There was something about the way she held herself that just didn't seem quite like how things were around here, and of course the sort of taint to her voice which sounded French if he wasn't mistaken.

Then he frowned a little, "If it's uncomfortable, then why do it?"
Her apology deepened his frown just a little bit more, and he shook his head in response to say that it didn't matter.
He wasn't used to manners. He had his own, but it seemed that everyone else he knew didn't place that much importance on being polite.

[Angel Simons]

Angel smiled a little, then nodded. "Indeed, I was born here. I lived here for seventeen years of my life. Right in London. You wouldn't be able to tell now, though. I moved to France, and have only just come back, ten years later." Angel cursed herself under her breath. She had almost said "muggle" London, but that would have given her away completely. That was stupid, Angel. You're not in France anymore. You can't go about saying things like that to strangers. What if they're not magical?. Angel cursed herself again, sighing. "What brings you out here then? All alone?"

Thinking for a moment, Angel shrugged. She didn't actually know the answer herself. "Why do I do it? I honestly do not know anymore. It was how they taught us to act in France. Like a lady. You cannot do anything unladylike. I never used to be like this, you know. I used to be loud, outspoken, always jumping around. I suppose the French school I went to changed all of that. I don't know why I still do it, though. Force of habit, I would assume. That school was a nightmare, but I loved it. I do wish they weren't quite so high up on manners and such, though. This hurts a lot after a while." Angel relaxed, but only a little. She still didn't lower her back, however she uncrossed her ankles and her arms crossed over her chest. "Slightly better."

[David Saunders]

"Ah, born and bred Londoner," he smiled a little at that.
David was quite strange in that he did so very much like to be proved wrong, and his initial assumption that she was a tourist was obviously quite far out.
Then he shrugged a little as an answer, "Just...feeling a little restless. Was going to see my friend and his family, then was going to work, and am in the process of heading home very slowly. I'll get there eventually," He added with a wry grin.

He nodded very slowly at that. He didn't really know all that many women, but the ones he did know were nothing like that. There was his loud and outgoing sister who never shut up, his sisters-in-law who were quite similar. Some of his friends wives who all seemed to be pretty up the wall and not in the least bit ladylike...with the possible exception of Rose, and then his own wife...who, of course, was mad as a hatter. His step-daughter didn't even bear thinking about on the scale of manners...
"Well, each to their own," He replied after a moment, "But I should think there's really no reason to be on show, just relax a little...much more comfortable," He grinned briefly.

[Angel Simons]

Angel frowned. "Don't let me keep you from going home," she said, feeling a little bad. "You don't have to stay and talk to me if you don't want to." Sighing, Angel stood up. "I cannot sit still a moment longer. That position was awfully uncomfortable. Would you like to walk with me?" She asked him, smiling warmly at him. "I could walk you to your house or something if you would like to go home," she suggested, not wanting to keep him from going somewhere.

"Sometimes I wish the school didn't teach me any manners, you know? I was much happier, and not to mention more comfortable, how I was before, but I just didn't learn anything from my school and there were some... bad experiences there. I just wanted to get away. Besides, I didn't have a choice as to where I went. The orphanage arranged everything. Where I went, where I stayed, when I went and when I came back. It was all arranged for me. Oh well." Angel began feeling a little worse. It was bad manners to talk about oneself for that long, especially a lady to talk about themself for that long. "So tell me a little more about yourself."

[David Saunders]

"No, it's fine," He laughed slightly, shaking his head, but standing up with her anyway, "They don't expect me back for a little while yet."
It was true. Usually when he went to see Jack, he stayed for quite a while, and although he hadn't quite made it there, he still had time on his hands.
He doubted they'd notice anyway. It was one of those days when he hadn't made any promises to take the kids anywhere and they'd occupied themselves, and Emma had lost herself in a book, so he was fine.
"But yes, a walk sounds good," He agreed, tilting his head to the side.

He frowned further at that, "Doesn't sound like you've had it all that easy there."
He couldn't imagine living life like that, and he'd never want to. He was who he was because he'd chosen to be that way, he couldn't imagine being forced into something like that.
Then he shrugged, "I'm really not that interesting. I'm getting old, I've been married for eight years and I have four kids, I work too much and I've been telling myself I'm going to quit my job for about six years now but have never made a move to do so. That's about it."

[Angel Simons]

Angel smiled a little. "As long as you're sure," she said softly, walking towards a small patch of flowers. "Are you more of a Summer and Spring person, or an Autumn and Winter person?" Angel asked him. She was more of an Autumn and Winter person, herself, but most other people tended to be Summer and Spring. She didn't mind weather like this, however, when it was about to rain. She wasn't used to it raining in Summer. It never happened in France. She didn't mind, though. It made her a little happier about being back in England.

"I haven't really had an easy time, but at least I'm still here. I'm still here and smiling and enjoying life. That's the important thing. Things happen, you move on and get over it. I did all my decision making long ago, and most of those choices were the wrong ones. Now I'm ready to live my life to the fullest," Angel explained, smiling at him warmly. "What's your job? Surely, it can't be that bad... Right? You must enjoy it, even if only a little, otherwise you wouldn't have been doing it for so long. And your children. Are they hard work? I'm sure you'd make a great dad. I don't know why. Something about you tells me so."

[David Saunders]

"Spring and Summer," He smiled slightly, "New life and all."
He was one of those sorts of people that liked to see life all around him, or it could put him in a bad mood. Autumn and Winter didn't really suit him, he didn't like the detioration.
"And you?"

He nodded, tilting his head to the side in agreement but deciding not to press the matter anymore. He supposed no one had really had an easy time at all come to think of it, and it really wasn't up to him to pry now. Past was past, after all.

"I work in law enforcement," He lied easily. It wasn't a complete lie, but he could hardly tell a potential muggle that he was an auror. "I do enjoy it, I love it really, but I tend to get way too involved."
Then he laughed softly, "Hmm, yeah, they're hard work. Two ten year olds, a five year old and a three year old."

[Angel Simons]

Angel nodded, smiling to herself. She was right. For some reason, she could always tell who was a Spring and Summer and who was an Autumn and Winter. "I'm more of an Autumn and Winter. Autumn is just so pretty. The prettiest of all the seasons. All of the leaves turn to reds and browns. I love it. Winter, it snows. I love the snow. Also, I can't handle heat all that well. It makes me dizzy and such. This sort of weather is fine for me, though. I absolutely love the rain. I'm happiest when it's raining. I don't know why. I think it might be the idea of it washing all of your troubles away or something," she explained, a sort of dreamy look on her face.

Angel thought for a moment. "Do you mean police or something along those lines?" Angel asked him. She still wasn't all that up to date with the modern muggle world. "How old are you now? You have a lot of children," she said while chuckling. "They sound like hard work, but I'm sure it's worth it in the end. What are their names?" Angel smiled a little, then frowned and sighed, remembering the children she had lost.

[David Saunders]

David smiled faintly at that. He quite liked his new companion, he decided. She reminded him of his sister. His sister was very much a dreamer, in stark contrast to David's logical mindset, and she would go on like that for hours until he made her shut up.
"Good reasoning."

"Something along those lines," He agreed with a small grin, tilting his head slightly.
Then he laughed, "I'm nearly 33. They're not all mine. The oldest are my step-son and step-daughter. They're all hard work really, but yes, very much worth it. Daniel, Daniella, Hayden and Josh," He grinned slightly.
He was unable to keep the slight hint of pride out of his voice when he talked about his children. His family was the best thing in his life.
Then he tilted his head again slightly at her frown, "I'm sorry. Did I say something?"

[Angel Simons]

Angel shook her head, a smile on her face. "Of course not. So tell me more about your children. What sort of things do they like?" She asked, laughing a little at the pride in his voice. It was nice to see a man so caring of his family. It made a change. She wasn't used to the sort of family man, as such. Angel was more used to the type of male who really didn't talk that much about their family, and didn't really care about them. "You care about them a lot, don't you?" She asked, although it was more of a statement than a question. She could already tell that he did.

"So what sort of things do you like to do for fun? When you're not working, that is?" She asked, suddenly having the urge to cartwheel. She cartwheeled once, and on the second cartwheel, her wand fell out of her pocket. She didn't even notice. Standing up again and smiling, she could feel her pocket get a little lighter. Cursing under her breath, Angel dropped to the floor in an effort to find it before the person found it and wondered why she was carrying a simple 'stick' in her pocket.