Almost

Chapter 80: Helia

Katherine knew she was screaming. Knew that the sound she heard was her own voice. But she still found it incredibly distracting as she stared at Ezra. At her husband. And watched his face morph from concern to confusion.

She finally managed to stop the screaming.

"Ezra?" she said softly, her voice scratchy.

She thought for just a moment that there was a flicker of recognition. That her name was forming on his mouth as he looked down at her dress, and then at his own hand. But when his fingers gingerly touched the ring he wore, it wasn't just to twist it or check that it was real. His gaze lifted back to her, hard as stone.

"Who the hell are you?"

He looked around rapidly, finding too many faces he didn't recognize. But his eyes widened when he saw his still stunned father.

"What have you done to my dad?"

"Ezra—"

He raised his wand, pointing it at her. "How do you know my name?"

"Ezra, I'm your wife. Please, you have to remember me," she cried, her magic scrambling furiously to try and rid his mind of the memory spell Otis had intended for her. But it was so much worse than the frayed strands in Bonnie's mind. The dust smeared and she couldn't pick up more than one speck at a time.

"Is that Hollinghunt on the ground next to him? Schmidt?" Crawley continued. "If you're my wife, why don't I know your name? And why is my boss down?"

"Ezra—"

"Stop calling me that!" he yelled, drawing George's attention. He came to his daughter's side, his own wand raised, but Crawley sent black bindings, much like what had been used against Hollinghunt, to wrap around him.

George struggled on the ground, unaware what was happening. "Ezra, mate, what's—"

"I don't know you, either!" Crawley screamed. "You've had me under some curse or something, but not anymore. I'm arresting you on behalf of the Magical Congress of the United States of America."

As he flicked his wand, Katherine couldn't even bring herself to shield. She saw the black bindings making their way towards her arms and was too frozen by what was happening. Ezra didn't know who she was. She couldn't picture life without him, couldn't wrap her mind around any of this being worth losing him. And her right ring finger felt the familiar vibrations as it wrapped around the silver box begging to be opened.

"Enough."

The bindings stopped moving. The very breath in Ezra's chest halted. George ceased his fight with his fastenings. All the sound held just as still. Which made Katherine just assume that she was frozen, too.

"Katherine, look at me."

Coming to terms with the reality that she could, Katherine turned slowly and found the blue green static version of herself eying her. The strong, aloof disposition was gone. She was panting. Her sweats had been exchanged for leggings and a tank top and her bun a mess on her head. But she was so bright, and the whole museum had taken on a teal sheen where golden light had been before.

"What did you do?" Katherine asked.

The magic shrugged and looked around as she caught her breath. "I gave you that pause you're always talking about. It won't last long—I really shouldn't be touching it at all. But you weren't moving. Weren't letting me help."

"Can you fix his memory?"

The question came out of her like a wave. It was all she could focus on. She turned back to Ezra, looking into his mind and pulling the magic with her until the static fingers reached his temple.