Back to centre (James and Patrick)

by **James Irvine** Tue Oct 09, 2012 8:52 am

James waited in the centre of the maze, sat on one of the stone benches as he watched the ornate water fountain. He'd gotten a letter out of the blue from an old friend, Patrick Flannery, about meeting up to catch up. Remembering their happy childhood, and teenage, days as friends, he had agreed to meet his old friend here.

The two of them hadn't really spoken in a long time though. Not since Jack and he had become really hardcore in their opposition of the magicals by joining with Aurelia in the first place. Patrick was a wizard and that had created a bit of a jap between them after all. But now James and Jack were more on the side of the magicals than ever. Even if it was mainly just to beat the creatures, the fact remained that they were willing to work with witches and wizards much more than ever before.

Apparently Patrick had gotten the same message because he seemed rather confident that James wouldn't shoot him as soon as he saw him. James wasn't sure if he would have been so confident in his old friend's place.

by **Patrick Sean Flannery** Tue Oct 09, 2012 9:32 am

Patrick was a little bit nervous, as any man would be when he was approaching someone he wasn't sure was going to shoot him or not, however he was more than happy to have a break from the hours and hours of endless research that he had been dissolving himself in for the past week.

There was a new disease, and he knew that he needed to find a cure before it began to mutate to affect humans, as well as magical creatures which it had mostly been seen in at this time. He was making some headway, but not enough to cultivate the virus just yet.

Completely absorbed in thought, Patrick wandered through the maze and almost passed James but looked up just in time and did quite the ninty degree turn to approach him his comfy worn jeans and tshirt making him seem to blend in, much different from his surgical scrubs.

"Well hello there stranger, ooooh the years have not been kind." he smirked, his accent tinging his speech.

by **James Irvine** Tue Oct 09, 2012 9:36 am

James had seen Patrick wandering around, seemingly lost in thought, and had thought about shooting him. Of course he didn't want to so the thought wasn't in his head for very long. He smirked a little bit when his old friend had to do an almost comical turn to walk towards him, having missed him entirely the first time,

"Hello yerself Paddy." He greeted his friend before snorting, "Ye like te years were ever gunna be kin' te someone who actually does work fer a livin..."

He smirked and stood up, offering his old friend his hand to shake,

"Probably explains why yer loo' te same." He said with a smirk, "No' a days har' work in yer life. I'm jus' joshin wit yer Paddy. Good te see yer mate-y!"

by **Patrick Sean Flannery** Tue Oct 09, 2012 9:43 am

Patrick raised his eyebrow, of course James knew that he was very proud of his work and was something of a work a holic, so this was probably just a joke, although if it wasn't he wasn't above giving his old friend a kick in the teeth as a gesture of Irish friendship, they had fought often, physically, but then again so did everyone in Belfast.

"Hey I resent that, I work darn hard and you know it James, and how many times must I say, it's Patrick." he teased lightly, James did know how to push his buttons when it suited his fancy.

When James stuck out his hand Patrick stuck out his own and shook his firmly, glad that there was no gun shot or poison in a needle to greet him, which frankly he had half been expecting given it was he who first contacted his old friend.

"Is it?" he grinned cheekily "I was under the impression you hated my guts and didn't want to see me again, funny, must have been Jackie that left that message when I called him."

by **James Irvine** Tue Oct 09, 2012 9:50 am

James grinned as soon as Patrick rolled his eyes. Meant that the guy hadn't lost his sense of humour when it came to his work habits. Better to have some verbal punches than actual punches now that they were both adults right? Besides, Patrick would have switched most tasks to magic since he started magically training. Meaning James' punches would probably be too much for the guy to match right now,

"An' I say tha' yer name migh' as well be Paddy like every other Patric' in Irelan'. But ten ye'd get pissy so Patric' it is." he joked before raising his hands, "Alrigh', alrigh', yer don' have te defen' yer work te me. Yer healin' shi's probably why I still have mos' o' me skin anyway."

He grinned as he shook Patrick's hand, it was good to know that Patrick still trusted him. Pretty foolish considering his track-record but he liked the fact that he trusted him,

"Righ' side better tan te las' meetin'." he countered before chuckling a little bit, "Don' min' him. He's jus' a little bit caugh' up in all tis creature shi'. Wha'cha been up te wit yer healin ten mate-y? Cure cancer ye'?"

by **Patrick Sean Flannery** Tue Oct 09, 2012 10:04 am

Patrick smirked a little and sat down on the bench beside James, he had missed the banter, many people just kissed ass to him or wanted to prove him wrong and make him look bad which they never were able to do, so it merely made them look even more idiotic than they already were.

With a small smile on his lips, he remembered having to heal the mess that was Jack after the first creature attack, although the man hadn't really noticed it was him at the time.

"Well I wouldn't say you, but I would say it was definately the reason that Jack still has a working liver inside of him." he sighed lightly, running his hands through his hair, normally they would be occupied with reading and moving papers, so they were restless.

Laughing lightly he shook his head; "No not yet James, but I've developed some effective magical treatments for it, I've just been researching a new strain of virus, fascinating really. Who are you trying to kill now then?" he asked with a smirk.

by **James Irvine** Tue Oct 09, 2012 10:12 am

James sat back down on the bench and chuckled a little bit to himself. It was almost like they were back in Belfast, skulking on public benches in the park with as much cidar as they were able of shop-lifting away from the crazy old off-licence owner Mr Garrason. Crazy blighter had a mean staffie.

"Yea well Jackie boy is tryin to kill it like all Irish boyos do... wit te creature tha' we all love." He joked, "His liver'll be gone in te year te rate he drinks."

The medical stuff was going over his head and he was sure that Patrick would be able to see that. He had asked about cancer because that was important for both muggles and magicals since it was just as deadly to them both,

"Yea..." He chuckled a little bit and shrugged, "I ain' tryin te kill anyone really. I'll figh' te vamps if tey show up fer me stupi' brother again bu' I ain' gun go pickin a figh'. I'm..."

He paused and he suddenly looked older than he was, tired even,

"I'm tire'd o' figh'in Patric'." he told her old friend quietly, "I wan' te be able te loo' meself in te mirror again. So... I've stopped."

by **Patrick Sean Flannery** Tue Oct 09, 2012 10:23 am

Patrick almost despaired when James told him that Jack was drinking his liver away, of course the Irish were known for their strong livers but there was still a danger there and he wished that his friend would let his issues out in different ways, instead of drinking and fighting all of the time, it had been Jack who had gotten them into most of those situations at home after all.

"Well if he thinks I'm replacing it again he's got another thing coming, the boy must have some sort of death wish." he sighed with a roll of his eyes "I put a lot of magic into that liver and it's bound to be scarred now." Patrick almost pouted at the loss of his work.

Seeing that James, much as he thought he would be, was tired of everything, Patrick couldn't help but agree, he was tired too, tired of treating battle wounds and the hospital being attacked in the war and more and more dead piling up in their ever expanding morgue.

"I am tired of the war too James, the amount of dead and dying in St Mungo's because of it would dishearten even Jack, or, I at least hope it would. I only hope that Christopher has one hell of an ace up his sleeve to stop this new threat." he sighed, the strain showing on both men.

by **James Irvine** Tue Oct 09, 2012 10:28 am

James chuckled a little bit when Patrick seemed distressed over the fact that Jack was trying to drink his sorrows away. Jack had done some terrible things and alcohol helped apparently. He wasn't about to judge since he was currently trying to find something to help with the nightmares too. Hopefully Jack would keep himself alive though, James didn't fancy playing nurse to him,

"Aye he has a deat' wis'." James admitted freely without so much as blinking, "He's goin ou' wit a Reaper, Patric'. I'm startin te tink te guy wan's te get used te death before he snuffs it bu' who kno's wit tha guy?"

It was hard to sleep. It was hard to think for too long. It was hard to do a lot of things he had taken for granted. Without his faith for a shield, the full weight of what he'd done was crushing him. He nodded a little bit,

"Jack ain' te same anymore Patric'. He drinks te ferget. Tha's why he's drinkin so much, lots te ferget." he admitted before sighing, "I don' tink it'll ever be over Patric'. Chrissy saves us from te Germans? Grea'. Creatures star'. Saved from tem? Some other group'll start it again. It won' end."

by **Patrick Sean Flannery** Tue Oct 09, 2012 10:38 am

Patrick was more than a little shocked when James told him that yes, Jack did have a death wish, the boy he had known was so full of life, so vibrant, both of the twins were and now look at the two of them, one being drunk into a stupor and one who had completely lost faith in humanity...

"I believe Jack needs someone to talk to, someone to help him with his problems, you two share the same issues, why can't you speak about it with each other, or with me, but you need to sort them out and sort them out quickly." he stated, taking on a slightly more professional tone.

He didn't know whether to tell James about what he had thought not a few second ago, and Patrick decided that it was best to be honest with his friend, the way that they had always been with each other, it's what made their bond so strong
together.

"Both of you have changed, you were so full of life I could hardly keep up...war has changed the two of you and, I think you need to remove yourselves from it, now, move away for a few months a few years! Get yourselves back to being yourselves..." he whispered gently.

by **James Irvine** Tue Oct 09, 2012 10:45 am

James could see the shock in Patrick's eyes and couldn't help but smile a little bit. It was nice to know someone still saw them as the hyperactive twins from Mary Street. No one they knew now saw them as much other than fighters, killers. Hell, even Aurelia only seemed interested in him because he was a fighter,

"Ye well Jackie boy has his Eva fillie te talk to I guess. Seems happy wit tha so far." He said with a shrug before he paused, "I tink we migh' be havin a lo' more discussions though. I don' really get a lo' o' chance te be someone who ain' a killer."

He chuckled a little bit and looked up at the sky. The war had definately changed them. The war of muggles against magicals. The war of Britain against Germany. And now the war against the creatures. God he was so sick of war,

"Yer really tink we can change back?" he asked, not really believing his old friend, "I see tem all Patric'. In me sleep... I see tem all. Each an' every one o' tem. Can I go back te bein' normal wit tha?"

by **Patrick Sean Flannery** Tue Oct 09, 2012 11:08 am

Patrick couldn't help but feel for James, he wanted to make sure that his old friend didn't end up hurting himself more than he could help, he had been through a lot after all and hurting and grief were part of that but he didn't want him to torture himself more than he had to, he had been through so much after all, he had more than atoned.

"I would be more than happy to talk to you any time you need my friend, I will be sure to make time for you whenever you require me." he smiled genuinely, he wanted James to know despite the gap in their friendship, he was still there for his old friend.

When he asked him if he thought they could change back, Patrick nodded his head and thought about what he could do to help James, the nightmares he could definately help with, but his own problems he needed to come to terms with himself.

"I can guarantee it James, I can help with the nightmares, but apart from that, I'm afraid you're going to have to deal with things on a slower and much more painful route." he admitted with a small glimmer of apology in his smile.

by **James Irvine** Sat Dec 15, 2012 8:15 am

James smiled a little bit when Patrick told him that no matter what he would be there for him to talk to. Turning to the other man he gave Patrick a smile and squeezed his shoulder gently,

"Than's man I appreciat' tha'." he told the healer honestly, "I'll be sure to giv' yer a floo call. We can catc' up."

When Patrick told him that he could help with the nightmares James relaxed a great deal, sighing happily. He smiled faintly,

"If yer can mak' it so I can sleep fer a whol' nigh' onc' in awhil' then I'll be able te sor' this all out." he told his friend, "Trus' me on tha'."

by **Patrick Sean Flannery** Thu Dec 27, 2012 9:18 am

Patrick smiled slightly, he was glad that he had been able to meet with James again, it had been such a long time, and he was worried that their old friendship would have been void altogether with the tensions between magical and non magical citizens these days. He was never more happy to be wrong.

"Isn't that also what we are doing now? Catching up?" he asked with a grin "SO tell me all that I have missed in the past years, I assume you have many wounds that would have needed healing by me if I was present hm?"

Seeing the man relax in front of him, Patrick was glad of his ability to heal, lately it had become more of a burden and curse than it had ever been, however, it was nice to be able to have the power to help friends when they needed it. James was no exception.

"I can definately guarentee that James, a full nights sleep is on the cards for you, as many of them as you want." he promised, placing his hand over his heart.