Star Crossed

Chapter Sixty Four- Loss

He walked towards me his black cloak billowing out behind him he looked gravely at me. 
"How?" I breathed... "I did you know? How did you get here?" 

"That does not matter now." Tom replied, his voice seeming to calm me taking in the truth of his words I nodded composing myself. 
"How many are here?" He asked me calmly. 
"I'm not sure I've only seen three... but I've heard more." I replied, Tom nodded before he averted his eyes clearly in thought. 
A blood curdling scream which cut through me like a knife rang through the manor.
"Father!?" I yelled throwing myself into a run without a seconds thought. 

"Grisha!" Tom hissed after me but I did not stop. 
"Grisha stop! Think!" Tom called after me but my mind was focused on getting to my Father before he could come to anymore harm. 
Suddenly a strong blast hit me throwing me to the floor, my thigh stinging painfully where it had made contact I grimaced. 
An explosion of magic sparked around me as Tom had engaged the attacker in a duel. Shieling my eyes from the flying debris I got to my feet and rose my own wand, I glanced at Tom who seemed to understand what I was thinking and nodded curtly as he shot yet another curse towards the enemy. Quickly I ran to his opposite side and shot a curse of my own, now fighting opponents from both sides he became panicked and sloppy until one of my own and Tom's curses hit him square on his sides at the same time causing him to fall to the floor with a resounding thud. Breathing hard me and Tom looked at once another for a moment as we gathered ourselves, another scream brought me back to the present. 
"Grisha wait." Tom had grabbed hold of my wrist this time, I spun around to face him with a pleading expression. 
"Let me go Tom." I said quietly averting my eyes from him as I looked at the floor. 

"You can't just go running in there," he reasoned but I was not to be reasoned with. 
"Don't try to stop me Tom." I whispered, still staring intently at the floor. 
"Look at me." Tom demanded, I raised my head staring him in his blue eyes. 
"Let me go." I repeated as I tried to pull my hand from his grasp but he did not let go, panic began to take over me. "That is my Father Tom! You don't understand!" I hissed, however this time when I pulled my arm away I stumbled backwards as Tom withdrew his grasp on me. I turned my head away in shame at my words but now I needed to help my Father. 
"I'm sorry Tom." I breathed before I fled the hall running in the direction of the screams and my Father's office reaching the door I flew it open without caution...
There in the middle of the floor lay my Father upon his stomach, his blooded face turned to the side his eyes open and glassy... 
"No!" I screamed my whole mind had blanked as I lunged towards him but something grabbed me around the waist holding me back. 
"Grisha," He breathed. "He's gone... there's nothing you can do." Tom's voice was not demanding or firm it was gentle but yet strong but I would not reason, could not reason. My Father was all I had left and I would not accept that he was gone, no matter how distant we had become he was my Father the only link to my past happiness that I had left. 
"No! Let me get to him! Let me! I might be able to help him! Help me help him!" I begged, tears streaming from my eyes but Tom held me tight. 
"It's too late Grisha." Tom replied. 
"No!" I screamed bursting free of Tom's grasp I lunged towards him dropping to my knees beside him. 
"Grisha no, it's likely to be a trap." Tom hissed behind me but I did not heed his words, I dropped my wand beside me wrapping an arm under my Father's limp head and wiping the blood from his forehead with my other hand. 
"Father..." I sobbed weakly. "You can't go... it's us remember... just us... us against the world... do you remember when you said that...? I know things have been hard but... they can get better... I can try even harder... I can I promise whatever you want." I spluttered desperately my tears coming thick and fast as I rocked his lifeless body in my arms. 
"Grisha..." I looked up at Tom who was now stood beside my Father's desk a piece of parchment in his hands but suddenly Tom's eyes widened and he withdrew his wand with the speed of a Billywig I shielded my Father's body as curses flew above us. The fight was not over and yet I had lost all my will to fight. 

With a scream Tom shouted, "Expulso!" I gasped as a blast of blue light hit the attacker square in the chest causing him to explode into nothing... 
"Tom." I gasped, Tom stood his wand still outstretched pointing.
"There is no time to be feeling guilty Grisha. Trust me those men felt no guilt in killing your Father and would feel no guilt in killing us."
I nodded weakly as I stared back down at my Father, his skin growing paler and colder by the second. Tom crouched beside me before reaching out his hand and gently stroking it over my Father's eyes closing his eye lids. 
"It's time to go." He breathed grabbing my hand and pulling me to my feet. I could not control my tears as I prepared to leave my Father, it was as if leaving him was accepting that he had gone. 
Tom backed himself away from me and stood beside the door, in all honesty I could have stayed there forever and wasted away with him. As I succumbed to the soul crushing, heart wrenching pain that is grief,  a pain like no other, a pain worse than death itself but this time it was so much worse... because I would never know why my Father had woke up one morning and stopped loving his daughter and the fact that he died not loving me... hurt more than anything.