Timeless

James

Crystal Lake. I had to find it and I had to find it now because Reggie- his letter- It did not sound good, did not sound very hopeful, and worst of all he said he'd stay away and that I should forget him on the same page where stood the words I love you and I did not care where he was or what he was doing, I needed him to hear me say them back. Even if it was the last thing he wanted I needed to have a chance to tell him how fucking much I loved him too. That nobody could ever even remotely compare to him and I would not let him go without a fight. That he had never done anything wrong except for not believing in himself enough to see that none of it was his wrongdoing, that there shouldn't even have been a reason for Sirius to get punished because no parent should ever do what theirs had. That I went with him to India, to Island, everywhere, knowing damn well that he would be getting married and I might end up getting my heart broken but it did not matter, I did not care, it could be a million times that I would get my heart broken by him and it would still be worth it because any second I had gotten to spend with him, every smile I'd seen on his face, each time my name had been on his lips, it had all been worth so much more than any pain I could ever possibly experience. He was a blessing and I needed him to know that before it was too late.

So as I left the attic I kept my eyes open for Alphard and Sirius. Alphard had sent Regulus the book and I needed him to tell me exactly where that damn lake would be so that I could go get my soulmate. 

They weren't in the house and with fear prickling my stomach, afraid of two more missing people on top of Regulus, I left the house and headed for the Pub we'd agreed upon as the meeting spot “if all went to hell and we'd need one.” Well, it all had gone to hell and we did need one so they better be there. 

Surely enough, Alphard was smoking by the door, Sirius visible from further indoors with a drink in his still-shaking hand. I would make sure he was okay later, I told myself, when Reggie was safe. But for now – I grabbed Alphard by the arm and dragged him into the alley next to the pub – I needed answers. 

“James?! What the hell?!”

I took a deep breath. I didn't want to include Sirius in finding Reg, wouldn't have spoken to Alphard either if I didn't need answers from him. They'd been through a lot already by facing Walburga and with the full moon tonight I really didn't want any more tasks on Sirius' soldiers nor nightmares in Alphard's dreams. 

“Did you-” his eyes travelled around the empty space around us as if he was trying to see an invisible person, perhaps a nephew, perhaps hidden by a certain cloak.

“No,” I shook my head, “but I have a lead. I need you to tell me where the Crystal Cave is. Now,” I hated my voice, demanding in this desperate near-cruel tone, but nothing else seemed to come out. 

“Is that- Did he- Oh no,” 

“What?”

“The book I sent him. It was of myths and legends so that he wouldn't feel alone. Not a textbook to follow. That Cave is.. well it's known to take lives left and right and while yes there is a legend it's- I've had friends die there but never have I ever heard of anyone who'd have survived in my hundreds of years of life…”

“Location. Now.”

“In a seaside cliff in England somewhere. But if he's in there and if he's gotten in the water I fear the door will be locked, you won't get in,”

“In the water?”

“Yes. The cave itself is not what the legend is about. It's the lake in the cave and-”

“Alphard. Regulus cannot swim,” I knew it from stories Sirius had told me of their childhood and of whenever he tried to teach Reggie to swim their parents would take the memory of it from him to be able to use water as a form of torture later. I really should have killed Walburga as soon as she'd appeared at the door. 

“Shit,”

“Don't tell Sirius. I'll tell him when I'm back. With Regulus,” I swallowed as I turned to go, “..hopefully.”

How was I going to find a cave in a cliff that I just knew to be in England somewhere? I had no clue. But if that's what it took I'd walk over the entire coast. I'd find my Reggie. I'd get him. He'd be okay.

He had to be.

He had to be okay. 

I had to make it in time.

If I didn't…

It hurt too much to even think of thinking that. It couldn't be, it simply couldn't. 

Maybe Reggie was still in search of the cave himself.

Maybe I'd make it before him.

Maybe…

Hopefully….