Wishing you Well (Josh)

With a soft kiss of Ben's forehead did Tess know she had to do something. From cleaning his room, and the common room free of any memories of the past she was exhausted. Bags upon bags of things she wanted out, from the phials, to his chemistry set, to blouses that should never enter the room again. It all distracted her from realizing that Ben had hurt someone seriously, someone that she considered a friend.

Wiping her hands clean, she walked towards her room to change. Morning had arrived and had not left her any time to sleep. It didn't matter, so long as everything was in control. A warm shower was what brought her comfort in this time, enough to soothe her muscles, and energize her. Once she was dressed, she walked out of the common room and towards the Hospital wing. She didn't know how to apologize but she knew that on Ben's behalf she would.

The Hospital wing was never a room she was fond of. She found it too white, too sterile of an environment that despite its purpose of saving life, it would suck life out of it through it's boring walls. Her shoes clicked softly and once told where the boy laid. She popped her head in nervously; Josh Murray was a person that you couldn't ever really know what mood he was in. You had to tread lightly until signaled, and at the moment she walked in slowly, letting him know her presence in his own time, rather than demand it.

It was weird to see Josh like this; he always took pride in being in control, in power, and strong. Sure he looked better than how Ben had described, but the whole room was just wrong. He looked out of place, and in all honesty, she perhaps should have waited and found him somewhere else to apologize. At his signal, she followed direction and sat at the end of the bed and placed her hands stiffly on her lap, trying to figure out how exactly to approach this.

He didn't look pleased, but who would be being trapped here? She sighed softly knowing that he wasn't going to help cover the silence. Silence was good in class, but different when it was the two of them, usually she ended up doing most of the talking.

"I heard you were here...obviously" she began, "I-I just came to make sure you were okay, and I'm glad to see your injuries weren't as bad as I was told."

She realized that it might have seemed as though she had heard it through the grapevine, and she knew he wouldn't be pleased if there was a rumor going about him being weak. Men, despite their background, breeding, and egos, did not like to show weakness.

"No one know knows other than a handful of people, if that's any sort of comfort" she muttered.

"There weren't that bad, stories get out of control."

Tess sighed knowing that perhaps there was something she was missing; she wasn't going to push either way. Ben had told her what he had done, his reasoning? She had no idea. She thought that that was the most frustrating part of the whole thing, the fact that the reasoning was vague. She blamed Eris, for that tart was the only person who was around Benjamin and from rumors, she wasn't a one woman kind of girl, instead going to whoever could entertain her.

"Where is Watson?"

That was when the penny dropped wasn't it? She sucked in a breath and avoided eye contact, she wasn't the best liar, but she wasn't the worst either. It bothered her, it did that Ben could do something to violent to Josh. She knew Josh wasn't the most loved student despite his popularity, but he was a good person, at least in her eyes. He was loyal, to a certain degree, at least within the snakes and that was enough for her. But she couldn't think of lying all the more. She'd lied to him before after all, back when Ben and Tess would share their time together, behind Josh's back. That was another thing to be guilty for. She wasn't any better than Eris she figured. Looking up, she saw the boy looking at her questionably.

"He's...he's in the Head dorms sleeping" she replied honestly, "He was the one who told me what happened, or at least most of it. I never knew he would do that to someone. His powers they...they can manifest themselves and I-I'm here to apologize on his behalf"

Tess looked down at her hands, studying the tiny cuts that were healing from cleaning up the whole mess. She was angry; it was sitting in the hospital wing where she realized she was angry. Benjamin had caused so much trouble, he'd hurt her friend, hurt his reputation and the reputation of the Head students, nearly overdosed on a cocktail of foreign ingredients and had left her to clean the mess. She always cleaned up messes didn't she?

She didn't know why she came to apologize to Josh. Perhaps it was the guilt from her own infidelity of sorts. She was always fond of Josh, even in his rough exterior he was a good friend to her and it was such a shame to see her captain like this. She let the silence loom over them, this time a comfortable one, at least she could think this through.

"Powers?"

"Yes they're..it's not my place to say anything. From from the markings I was healing last night, I see that you got him good?" she was trying to lightening up the mood, hoping to see some smirk on his face.

"Apologise for him?" Josh asked, raising an eyebrow at that as his eyes lifted to the girl on the end of the bed. "I'd have thought a man like him wouldn't apologise for such things. After all, with the anger in his eyes at my presence, I don't think he'd be sorry for a moment."

"He doesn't like sharing that witch... Adler." Josh mused out loud, shaking his head. "Seems to think he can lay claim on any woman and hex another man for exciting her senses."

"You don't have to apologise for him though, Holmes. I'm fine"

At his look she huffed softly, feeling some annoyance when she did when he questioned something she said.

"You know I have the tendency to apologize for things outside my control. The only reason I am apologizing is not for him as a person...I don't care what you did to cause this" she gave him a look knowing Josh wasn't innocent, "and I don't care" a lie. "-I don't care with what happened. And no one ever likes to share Josh, you should know that."

Shrugging her shoulders she wasn't going to defend either side. The mention of Adler had brought a bitter taste in her mouth. She remembered how Ben had mumbled "No you" to her, and how it had stung. She licked her lips and tried to compose herself turning over to look at him.

"You look better, and I wanted to say that I'm relieved. I didn't want to lead the practice without you" she said smirking, "Merlin knows you'd find something wrong with what I did in the air"

"Not sure I quite got him how I wanted."

Tess shook her head at his comment. Men, they all were the same. Was Ben feeling guilty over hurting Josh? She wasn't sure. Part of her thought that by the way he said things, made it clear that he was in no way sorry for punching the boy at least. It seemed Josh wished for more than just the few gashes she had gotten on Ben, but wasn't the possible broken rib enough? Her mind immediately catalogued to take some salves from the pantry when she was alone.

"Very well then, I take everything back. Just glad you're in one piece and not so...crispy" she teased.

She knew he would scoff, roll his eyes and probably push her off the bed but she grinned innocently at him. It had been a while since she had allowed herself to talk to another person in a light way, despite the rather serious situation that happened. He was always so broody, it made things funnier for Tess at certain moments such as this.

"Lead the practice?" Josh scoffed, letting out a dry laugh at the idea. "Merlin Holmes, even if Watson had managed something substantial, I'd have been down there. Lead the practice..." He shook his head at that idea, obviously far too amused with the witch's idea. "You're not getting an easy session until I leave the school."

She laughed softly at his comment, despite how serious he was about it. Their practice were one of the most painful exercises that her body took, but it had made her quick. Throughout her years in the team, she had gotten less and less bruises and she had to admittedly thank the harsh environment they practiced in.

"But I'm good Josh, admit it" she said nudging his leg softly. "You said so yourself not too long ago, or was that flattery?" tsking softly hiding a smile.

As he nudged her with his foot she laughed softly scooting away from him, her grin still there. She was glad that he took the comments in stride, it was the right kind of humor for her, dark and quirky. She swatted the foot back and leaned back glad that the tension was slowly easing from her shoulders. This was where she was most comfortable with the boy, at least second to when they worked together in potions.

"I said you were a good flyer, not a good leader." Josh replied, shaking his head. "You're not getting my job so easily though, Holmes." He added for good measure. "I'll be on the pitch next training session, and you'll be getting the extra attention from my Bludgers."

"All I heard was good flying Murray" she said grinning, "And no worries I'm not planning a coup" she added with a smirk. "I'd be sneakier than that."

At the mention of her extra attention, Tess wrinkled her nose, at his comment. She knew she was good, he never said it in so many words, but games versus other houses never lied. She was good, so a few bruises worth the way she poked at Josh's ego for her own amusement.

"Watch it, people might start talking over the attention" she shook her head after saying it. "I'm not that special. And as for Head Boy...if you get the position, I'll show you the ropes."

She chuckled and looked up at the clock realizing it was time for her to go. Ben would soon be waking up and she needed to say goodbye before she floo'd to Salem. Getting up she walked over to Josh and handed him the box of chocolates from her satchel, that her mother insisted you were to give in special circumstances.

"I'll see you at practice, I'm heading to the states later today. Glad you're looking as pale as ever" she winked, "See you later"

She patted his head lightly, purposely patronizing and removed her hand before any harm came to her. She could only poke and tease Josh in certain amounts, never enough to anger him, but enough to keep him on his toes, or annoyed, mostly annoyed.


"I'll be looking forward to the Bludgers, and I'll let a few of them hit me so you feel better" she called out before walking out.