(1) The Phoenix (D. Salvatore)

Chapter One Hundred and Five

It is clear to say that after what happened to Kreacher, Daphne is an utter mess. Internally. But she doesn't really deal well with external emotional flare-ups. So she does stuff. She mentally plans what to do for Kreacher now. She knows that the Black family has its traditions. They store the heads in jars. She is not going to do that. Kreacher means more to her than just some house elf. She wants to bury him in the garden. But she wants to do it right. She wants to make sure that he's going to be comfortable and safe. She's moving around the kitchen, pulling open drawers and cupboard doors and rummaging around for something. Damon doesn't know what she is looking for, only that she's desperately looking for something. Damon moves to set Kreacher's body on the long dining table before he turns to her, watching as she moves around, refusing to look at the table and at Kreacher. He can see the level of emotion bubbling away at her, threatening to burst out. She deals with her emotions in her own way, it's something they've seen in her. She's not one to openly break down and cry, she prefers to do it alone. Jeremy has gone to pack a bag to return with them, but also to give Daphne space to deal with what happened and to take care of whatever needs to happen now with Kreacher. Neither Jeremy nor Damon know what the process is for a dead house elf. Whether there are any burial rules that need to be followed. Damon is staying with her though because he seems to think that she doesn't actually want to be alone right now. He can see her getting worked up. Her breathing ragged as she fights to push away her breaching emotions. She might actually hyperventilate if she doesn't stop to take a deep breath. Damon moves towards her.

"Okay, you need to take a breath" Damon grabs her arm and she turns to push at him, not with any real strength or malice, just anger at what happened. She knows it is not Damon's fault, she knows it is Kol's, but Damon is just right there, right now and she needs to let it out.

"Just help me!" She snaps at him before she sort of deflates. All of her energy just leaves her. He takes her face in his hands and brushes away her tears with his thumbs. He nods and then pulls her into his chest. And she bursts. Tears just completely fall as she sobs against him, clutching at the back of his jacket. He strokes the back of her head and closes his eyes as he lets her sob into him. Even when her parents went back behind the ghost veil or whatever it was, she opted to ignore her pain and hide in dog form. But she is feeling Kreacher's death and reacting to it, not retreating into canine form to get through it. She collapses against him, almost falling, but he keeps her close, lowering them both to sit on the floor with her. "I don't know where anything is" She whispers, hiccuping through the words, he brushes her hair back from her face.

"We'll figure it out" He assures her softly. "Just tell me what you want me to do" She sniffles and closes her eyes.

"I want to bury him" She admits. "I want to give him a headstone and....a place here" He nods and kisses her head. This is Kreacher's home and he knows she wouldn't have it any other way. He belongs here. More than she does in her mind. "And Regulus" She pulls her head away. She knows that she has to include something of Regulus. He and Kreacher were close. Kreacher adored him. He has to be memorialised with him. Damon brushes his hands over her face to remove her tears. "I need to arrange for Buckbeak too" She adds. She's going to have to talk to Harry about someone to take care of Buckbeak. Maybe even find a herd to let him roam with or something. Let him be free with others of his kind. Her mind is just whirling with things that need to be done. And maybe Damon is right and she needs to take a breath. To get a plan in place to make sure she gets this right. It has to be right for Kreacher. She cannot give him anything less. He sacrificed himself for Damon. For her and the people that she loves. He deserves a good burial. She swallows a little and looks up at Damon. "Can you find me a stone or something to use as a headstone" He nods. "And I need to go upstairs" He frowns a little, and she shakes her head, because this is something she needs to do herself. To find something fitting to bury with him, to mark his grave. She lets out a shaky breath and nods to herself. Calming herself down. To get it done.

"You good?" Damon asks, she nods and pats his chest softly. She just needed that moment to compose herself. To sort through things in her mind. Now she needs to see it done.