[this is it now] this is how a heart breaks...

[magic_fratboy]

The mausoleum was allegedly a family crypt, but the Weiss name marked it as a hall of the Fraternity...a final resting place for the one true family each of them would ever know. Each vault held the remains of a Brother or Sister that had died for the cause, all of them at the hands of the Darkness. Here, their bodies got the peace, the rest that their souls would never have the opportunity to enjoy.

It was Tommy's first Broken Wand ceremony, but he still knew it with an eerie sort of familiarity as he led the way into the mausoleum, his hand in Lauren's. She still didn't know what to expect, he knew, but he wanted it that way. He wanted her to see, to realize the thing she was asking of him.

It was time to give her more of himself than he had so far...a look at the man he was, and not the man he wanted to be for her.

"I'm sorry, Master, but she's human."

Tommy glanced over at the younger man ushering at the entrance, undisturbed by the title. Truth be told, he was actually getting used to hearing it, as if it were his due.

"It's cool, I got permission from Mackenroy...Karl, is it?"

"Ulner, Master. Karl Ulner." the usher replied, straightening a little with pride.

Smiling, Tommy nodded to him as he led Lauren to one of the numerous marble benches laid out in rows in the front of the mausoleum, creating a small section of stadium seating. Many other Fraternity members had already arrived, dressed in black with white gloves just as Lauren and Tommy were. Chatting amongst themselves idly, both Ben and the Kellars were visible in the crowd.

"This is a Broken Wand ceremony." Tommy explained to Lauren with quiet sorrow, pointing to a space in front of the audience where a podium, a long table, and three large photos were arranged on stands, depicting three women and one boy that didn't look much older than twenty five. "A funeral lays the body to rest, but this is where those people will be truly laid to rest today. C'mon...there's seats over here."

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[possessingbadge.livejournal.com]

She'd had to buy a dress last minute since most of her wardrobe consisted of jeans and what wasn't was better suited for a gritty bar not a black tie anything. Not knowing how dressed up she needed to be she opted to just go simple. The dress she found was a little more form fitting than she would have liked. There was nowhere to keep her gun on her person and she didn't have a gun small enough to fit in the only purse she actually owned so she would have either have to go without or hope they didn't notice a bulge in the jacket she refused to take off all night (not likely).

Instead, she slipped a small butterfly knife in the little black party purse she had for special occasions and an even smaller blade that was specifically designed to be concealed in her cleavage. Hopefully, she wouldn't have to pull either one but considering their first date and the way these people attracted trouble there was no way she was going anywhere without some form of minimal protection. Even if it would do nothing except make her feel better which was most likely the case.

Letting him take her hand, she followed him into the mausoleum. Her light colored eyes darted around trying to take it in. "This is pretty morbid for the hope parade. Do you guys rent by the hour or is there some sliding scale the cryptkeeper worked out for you?" She muttered under her breath. Humor was her defense mechanism and this place made her nervous. She was kicking herself for not finding a place for her Beretta.

Waiting until they got to the benches, she smirked and whispered to him with a smile "Master?" but the smile disappeared when he seemed so morose. Wrong time. Wrong place.

"So... was this person someone you knew?"