Who: Chester Scabior and Bess Zeller
What: He tries to convince her to let him see Sadie D:
Where: Cafe Someplace



For the most part, it had been a good week. Yes, the Ministry got their kids back, but in the process they had lost their Minister. What an idiot he was, going on a rescue mission in his position. That's what Aurors were for. But his stupidity was a gain for the cause so, Chester really wasn't complaining. He wasn't sure if things could get much better.

That is until he saw Bess sitting at table outside a small cafe.

He discretely cast a spell over the waitress bustling about the tables, before sliding into to the seat across from Bess. He couldn't have her thinking that Bess didn't want him around. "I hope I haven't kept you waiting long, love, I got caught up at the office."

"Aw, I told you he'd show." The waitress said as she came over to the table and Chester beamed brightly. Oh, how fun this would be. "Can I start you off with something to drink, sir?"

Chester rattled off his order, smirking as she muttered 'What a catch' as she scurried off to get his order. "How has your day been?"

Bess blinked quickly at the man sitting in front of her, wondering why the waitress seemed completely in on the whole situation. Her back stiffened against the the chair and Bess looked away from Chester, hoping to find a quick exit without causing too much of a scene. Was it really too much to ask, to enjoy a quiet lunch for herself? Bess had been running around like a mad woman for the past two months with work, Sadie, her siblings her budding relationship (how that had happened, she still wasn't sure) with Drystan Fawcett--she was glad for it, really, but she did need some time to sit and breathe.

Chester Scabior made it ridiculously hard to breathe, and not in the romantic-cliche sort of way.

What was he even doing here? He hadn't pestered her in months, and now, nearly a week before Christmas, he decided to 'grace her' with his presence? It made Bess' stomach turn; what did he want?

"I just lost my appetite," she said, pushing her seat back and slinging her purse to her shoulder. Now she could never come here again, damn it all. She'd been really looking forward to trying to crab cakes.

Chester waved his wand under the table causing Bess' chair to slide back forward. "That's a terrible shame. I hear the crab cakes are absolutely delicious here. Well, hopefully this won't stop us from having a nice chat." he said with a smile as her chair was now stuck firmly in place under the table.

"It's been far to long since we've had the opportunity to speak. I was almost afraid that you had forgotten me," he said casually, "and everything I can do for you. So what better way to relieve my fears than to meet you for lunch and remind you all I have to offer you. Christmas is right around the corner and I'd hate for you to have to want for anything."

"Aww well isn't he the sweetest." The waitress said as she dropped off Chester's coffee. "What I would give for my boyfriend to be like you...You certainly are lucky." she said to Bess before taking Chester's order and leaving again.

"Speaking of Christmas, I'll get see my daughter this year, won't I?"

She felt her throat constrict as her chair pinned her to the table. Bess felt all the color drip out of her face as she realized that he was not going to let her go, that she was trapped. The only thing that kept her from completely panicking was the fact that there were other people sitting around them and talking, so---he couldn't possibly hurt her in broad daylight, could he?

Bess really did not want to see if she was right or not, "I had forgotten about you and your pitiful self," Bess snipped harshly, ducking her head in anger. "You have absolutely nothing to offer me, so---" she struggled against the table, wondering if she could just pull her legs up and climb out, "So leave me----"

A laugh escaped her throat as he mentioned Sadie. Bess' eyes narrowed into two angry slits, "And what is that supposed to mean? It would be some sort of gift to allow you to see her? After dismissing her from your life before she was even born? I wouldn't dream of giving you the pleasure of her presence."

Chester leaned back in his chair, folded his hands across his chest. "Oh I have plenty to offer you." He said with a smile, then leaned across the table. "And I would hate for you to forget not only what I could do for you but what I could do to you." he hissed before leaning back and replacing his smile.

"Now, that is something I do truly regret, but at the time it was rather hard concept to accept. I mean, there was no guarantee she was mine, but now, the resemblance is rather hard to ignore. All I want is to be apart of my daughter's life Bess. Which I personally believe isn't so much to ask. I'd much prefer to do this the easy way, rather than the hard way. So I have a proposition for you."

He sipped his coffee and watched the emotions pass over Bess' face. "Simply enough, you let me see Sadie, weekends, near holiday's, you know standard part custody, and I'll never bother you again. Not another word from me ever again."

He could not be part of her life. Hers or Sadie's, it did not matter. Bess knew that Chester was a death eater, she knew without any sort of evidence. He was an evil person, how she had not seen it in school she didn't know---he probably put spells on her, like he had obviously done on the waitress. Bess could not find a damn thing appealing about the man anymore. The arch of his eyebrows was disturbing, his voice cracked her ear drums, his grin was menacing, there wasn't--one thing about him that Bess could tolerate.

But most of all, she could not tolerate his sudden obsession with being part of Sadie's life. She knew he had been behind her kidnapping, there was no doubt in her mind, and whatever he wanted out of his supposed 'relationship' with her daughter was never, ever going to happen.

Bess let out a breath, her shoulders slumping in defeat. She blinked up at Chester, trying to find some sort of sign that the man she once loved was somewhere behind those apathetic eyes.

"The hard way?" she asked softly, feeling parched as she reached for her drink. The hard way could only mean more attacks. Her thoughts jumped to Drystan and she wondered if he was really okay with dealing with the mess she was in. "I thought you always enjoyed it the hard way, Chester." Bess took a slow drink of her water, watching him over the rim of her glass.

"Ah well... That is besides the point at hand, now isn't it? We both know I'm more than willing to do things the hard way, but I'm being nice here. Trying to go about things in a... normal way if you will. Giving you something you want in exchange for something I want." He said taking a sip from his own drink, raising his brows at bit.

"Although, the hard way might be a bit more... fun. But I'm willing to make some sacrifices. That's what parenthood is about right? Sacrifices?" Chester took a bite of a piece of bread. He studied Bess trying to figure her out. He thought he knew Bess pretty well. He knew just what to say to get her riled up and angry. But getting her to do something he wanted had always be a challenge.

"You know I would never hurt her. Oh... I see. You believe I would. Really Bess? I know you think I'm this horrible person and all but I would never harm my own flesh and blood. I'm willing to even go as far as having supervised visits. Just to prove to you how genuine I'm being here."

He talked far too much for her liking. Bess wondered if Chester even realized how he cut into people's sentiments and didn't allow another opinion to be heard with his rambling. She supposed that was a good way of controlling a conversation, and she should probably learn how to do that to further her career. One thing Chester had taught her: manipulation was key.

"It sounds like you've put a lot of thought into this," Bess said, holding onto her glass as she set it down to the table. "It's taken you nearly four years to figure out, of course, but you seem to have gotten there."

She let out a breath and sat back, staring out at the other guests. Bess wondered if any of them had ever remotely dealt with the crap she had suffered through in her life, and decided that only a handful of people in the wizarding world could probably top her---she knew the members of the Order of the Phoenix would laugh at her complaints, but honestly...she was an overall good person. She shouldn't have to deal with Chester now, after she'd finally been able to make a life for herself.

Bess turned back to him and smiled widely, letting the expression settle on her face for a few good seconds before she lifted her glass and chucked the water into Chester's face. It gave her a split second to break out from the chair-trap he'd created, and Bess swooped up her purse rattled the table some more to draw attention, so Chester couldn't try anything again.

"STAY AWAY FROM ME!" she shouted, forcing herself not to grin as a slew of waiters came hurrying in their direction.