Always

2. Her Resting Place

The song above is "If I Had Only Known" by Reba McEntire.  I think it goes splendidly with this chapter.  Give it a listen and see what you think.  But I warn you, don't forget your tissues!

Severus burst through the double doors of St. Mungos with Gemma's lifeless body in his arms. He didn't care that the blood was dripping all over him. He didn't care that people were staring at him like he had murdered her and this was a final act of remorse. He carried her immediately up to the desk. The clerk didn't look up at him until he spoke, then her expression was horrified. He had to think fast.

"Someone please help me. I found her." He couldn't tell them the truth. He had to lie. Think! Finally something came to him. Play the man he was, the agrieved friend. "She's bleeding and I don't know what to do. Please!" Of course that was a lie. He knew various healing techniques, but he chose to remain ignorant in their eyes. Maybe they would help him a little bit faster, and maybe if he did nothing they would know how to reverse it. He prayed that was the case.

The receptionist at the desk jumped out of her chair and got the nearest gurney. "Lay her on here," she instructed.

Severus gently laid her down, positioning her in a pose he assumed was comfortable.

"Crysta!" the receptionist called. "I need you down here now!"

A blonde haired woman turned her head to look at them. She saw Gemma lying on the gurney and dropped what she was doing. She ran down the hall. She gave Severus a strange look.

"Out of the way!" she shouted. "We got get her into a room. Stat! Sir, do you have any idea what happened to her? Anything you can tell me will be able to help."

Severus swallowed hard. "I know the spell that was used to wound her, but she was already unconscious when I found her." Crysta wheeled Gemma down the hall, Severus following close behind her as he talked. "It was Vulnero. That was the spell. Do you think she'll be okay?"

"From the spell? She'll be fine. I just need to figure out why she's unconscious."

Tears came to his eyes. "I don't know. There was a potion. I-I had never seen it before. Please tell me you can help her." He knew it wasn't possible, but he was overcome with grief, and any encouraging words he could get would appease him for now, ease his guilt if only minimally.

She wheeled Gemma into a room and used her wand to transfer her into the bed. Immediately she began hooking her up to the machines inside the room. Severus watched like he was in a trance. Gemma's face was so peaceful. Crysta turned to Severus.

"You did a good thing by bringing her her," she told him. "You may have saved her life by doing so. Are you her family?"

He gulped. "I'm the only family she's had in years, but we're not blood related."

Crysta could see the sadness in his eyes. "I will allow you to visit her then. Anyone you don't want in here to see her?"

"I will give you a list of names of the people who can. If they're not on the list, then they don't see her," he said softly. "She has a lot of friends though. She is the sweetest and most gentle person I've ever met."

She smiled sympathetically at him. "Okay then. I need you to vacate the room for now. There are a lot of tests I have to run. You can sit out in the waiting room. I will inform you when I have finished. Hopefully I will have good news." She glanced at Gemma. "Whatever happened to her, it was a powerful potion."

Severus gulped. "Thank you."

He turned and walked out into the lobby. There was blood all over his clothes. Gemma's blood. He buried his face in his hands, which in turn got blood on his face as well. This was too much. He sobbed for a few minutes before he felt a hand on his shoulder. It was the receptionist. She smiled at him warmly. When she saw the blood on his face, she ran over and got a towel and brought it back over to him. She bent down in front of him and wiped his face. He flinched, not used to people touching him so gently, no one except for Gemma.