For Graeme Dorny, the last couple of weeks – no, the past month felt like an eternity. He had lost track of time, mainly because he had been kept locked away like some animal, unable to keep track of when it was night or day because there were no windows where he was. The only light he ever saw came from under the door, and that wasn’t even sunlight. No, it was light from the tip of a Death Eater’s wand, whenever one would approach where he was being kept. There were others, where he was…but no one he knew. All he knew was that they were scared, and that the monsters who were holding them captive were not fond of overhearing them talking to one another. They learned the hard way, and their numbers dwindled down to nearly nothing over time. 6 people, at least, had been crammed in such a small area, but only 2 had been lucky enough, if you could even call it lucky, to be rescued.

Graeme still didn’t know the woman’s name…all he knew was that her husband had been literally ripped out of her hands and taken somewhere the very first night they had been brought to wherever it was they were. The sound of her sobbing and the threats that were sent in her direction by cowards in masks stayed with him…probably always would. He just kept imaging the unbearable pain that would have come along with having that happen to Giada. Every time he heard the woman sob, he heard her…he saw her face, even in the darkness, and it was the hope of seeing her again that probably kept him stable – or, as stable as one could be while being chained up in a dungeon. He was completely useless, without a wand…and while he wanted to play the part of hero, and do something, he couldn’t. He could barely move, let alone try to do anything more. He couldn’t be reckless…he had Giada to think about. He had his unborn child to think about.

Still…he felt like a coward. He felt like he should have at least tried to do something. All he did was sit there, and pray to whatever God was listening that he would get out of there alive – that he’d be able to see his wife, and would be there when their baby was born. The day that door opened, and he saw someone other than a Death Eater standing there, the young man thought he was hallucinating. He watched as the magical bounds that held him where he was were undone, and cooperated completely with this stranger who had come to his rescue. He was weak – malnourished, pale, and tired - but adrenaline is the most powerful thing in the world, and he did what he needed to so that he could get to safety. Of course, once there was nothing more for him to do, the poor man collapsed.

When he woke up, he was in a hospital bed. He was bleary eyed, and the simple task of lifting his hand to rub at his forehead made his entire body ache. He leaned his head back onto the pillow, his eyes still closed as he let out a nasal sigh. The blinds were closer next to his bed, but he could tell, for the first time in a month, that it was daytime. He didn’t even know it had been a month, yet. All he knew was that he was out of there.

The only thing that stole his attention completely was when he lowered his hand to feel someone else’s catch it on the way down to the mattress. Blue eyes blinked against the brightness of the room and traveled over to see the beautiful woman sitting beside him…his wife. He wondered how long she had been sitting there…probably since he had been brought in, however long that was. Even though he was still weak, his hand gripped tighter around hers, and he swallowed roughly around the dryness of his throat, wincing slightly because of how much discomfort the smallest of actions brought him.

“Giada…” He managed to get out her name, but his voice raspy and hardly audible.