My Immortal

Disclaimer: I don't own the House of Night;(

Author's Note: This isn't an actual songfic; it has a few lines from the song. I never actually listened to Evanscence before, but I heard them on the radio, and this song gave me an idea:) I hope you enjoy!

They are back in Tulsa, but Jack is alive!

When Stark got shot, Zoey felt a hundred things hit her at once.

Her senses became hyper-aware. She was aware of Kalona standing there, his gun pointed, smoke still blowing away from it. She was aware of her friends standing behind her, their shock apparent in the unspoken air. She was aware of Neferet, dead on the ground beside her. She was aware of every emotion Stark felt; none of them were what she expected. She expected pain and fear and shock. What she felt was loyalty, devotion, and love.

And - just like that - everything snapped back into fast forward.

Kalona grabbed Neferet's body, and flew out the window. Zoey's friends instantly crowded her and Stark. Stevie Rae took charge, herding Jack, Damien, and the Twins away. Aphrodite moved back on her own, and Darius ran to Stark's crumpled body.

"Zoey!"

Darius called Zoey to him, and she slowly moved her feet forward. She was still in shock. Just a minute ago, Kalona had a gun pointed at her. And now her Guardian had a hole in his chest.

Zoey bent down next to Darius and Stark, and examined her love. He was pale; that was apparent. He didn't seem to be awake, either. He looked mostly okay, except for the bullet wound that pierced his heart. Blood poured from the wound, and soaked the ground. It didn't even trigger Zoey's bloodlust; she was still so shocked. What had just happened?

Zoey didn't realize she was crying until one of the tears fell to the ground. She automatically wiped her eyes, and touched Stark's hand. She almost expected him to wake up at her touch, like he had once before, but he didn't. He just laid there, motionless. Unbreathing, but somehow still had a beating heart.

"Stark." Zoey whispered brokenly.

Darius could see that there was nothing he could do. He sadly got up, and ushered the Nerd Herd away from Zoey and Stark. He led them out of the courtyard, and into the school.

"Stark." Zoey whispered again.

He didn't respond.

"This is all my fault. This is all my fault! Oh my goddess, what have I done?" Zoey gasped, the tears really coming now.

"Not your fault." Stark groaned, his eyes opening ever so slightly. "Don't...don't cry."

"Stark! Oh my gosh, can you hear me?" Zoey begged, scooting Stark up into her lap as she had the night he rejeced the Change.

"I hear you. I'll always hear you." Stark said. Zoey wasn't quite sure what that meant, so she just settled for hearing the sound of his voice.

"Don't leave me." Zoey begged.

"I...I won't ever leave you, Z. I'm your Guardian." Stark let out a nasty cough, causing blood to spew from his mouth. "I'll always be with you."

"But I want you with me for real." Zoey sobbed. "Don't die."

"At least...at least I died for you. That...that was why I swore myself to you. At least I can die knowing that I died to save you." Stark whispered.

"I wish it was me instead. Kalona! Come back! Kill me instead!" Zoey shouted hysterically to the sky.

"Zoey...no...don't. Then my sacrifice will have been for nothing." Stark groaned.

"Stark...I can't take it if you leave me, too." Zoey cried. Spirit, please. Leave me. Go to Stark. Give him strength. Don't let him leave me.

It was apparent when Spirit entered Stark. He became a little less pale, and the blood flow lessened, either because he was running out or Spirit really was helping him.

"Z..." Stark mumbled, his eyes closing.

"No!" Zoey shouted. "Stark, stay with me! Stay here! Don't...don't close your eyes."

"My Queen." Stark whispered, his hand carresing Zoey's cheek. "I will always love you."

And then, Stark died.

In the week that followed, Zoey felt like a ghost. She didn't cry. She couldn't cry. The part of her that held tears was with Stark. She was still with Stark. She could never live without him.

These wounds won't seem to heal. This pain is just too real. There's just too much that time cannot erase.

The Twins, Damien, Jack, Stevie Rae, and Aphrodite had done everything they could to try and help their friend. But she was inconsolable. There was nothing any of them could do but let her grieve. They didn't know what to expect of her at the funeral; she was going to be the one to light his pyre, but they weren't sure how she would be able to do it without breaking down.

"Maybe we could get Bumpkin to do it?" Aphrodite suggested, gesturing to Stevie Rae.

"No." Damien, Jack, the Twins, and Stevie Rae all said at the same time.

"Why not? She's technically a High Priestess, too." Aphrodite said.

"But Stark was Zoey's Guardian. It's only right that she do it." Erin said.

"Yeah, Twin." Shaunee agreed. "I wouldn't want another girl lighting the pyre of my Guardian, even if it was my best friend."

"Plus...it's a chance for Z to really say goodbye to him." Damien pointed out.

"Yeah. She gets to talk to him, one last time." Jack agreed.

"Whatever." Aphrodite said in a neutral tone.

The funeral lighting went as most do. Zoey prayed for Stark to go to the Otherworld, everyone cried, and Zoey set the pyre on fire. It was completely pointless and unemotional for her. Stark wasn't really there. He was just...gone.

I've tried to tell myself that you're gone. But that you're still with me. I've been alone all along.

He wouldn't be there to hug and hold her when she snot-cried like a baby. If she cried in the middle of the night, he wouldn't be there to console her. He wouldn't be able to hug her, or kiss her, or call her 'Z'. Wouldn't be able to smirk at her in that way that she loved, or confide in her his deepest secrets. He was gone. Again.

When you cried I wiped away all of your tears. When you screamed I'd fight away all of your fears. And I held your hand for all of these years. But you still have all of me.

But everything changed when Aphrodite came to Zoey's room later.

"Z? I have a letter for you." she said, handing Zoey a cream-colored envelope with her name written on it.

"Who's it from?" Zoey asked.

Aphrodite hesitated before saying, "Arrowboy."

Aphrodite left the room, and Zoey tore open the letter.

Hey Z,

If you're reading this, then I guess I really died, huh? I wrote this just in case - Aphrodite had a vision of me getting shot last week. We didn't tell you because Aphrodite could tell by the feel of things that it was unavoidable, and we didn't want to freak you out or make you upset. I took every caution that I could, but it wasn't enough in the end. And don't you dare blame yourself - it was not your fault at all. But I want you to know that I love you with my whole heart, Z. You brought me to the Light of the goddess, and because of that, I know that I'll be in the Otherworld. I'll come back to you, Zoey. Maybe in this lifetime, maybe in the next. I don't care how, but I'll find you again. We're soulmates. I guess I never told you, huh? The night that I rejected the Change, I felt a terrible loss at being torn away from you. I thought I was crazy at first - I didn't know you at all. How could I miss you so much? How could I feel so sad? Before I died, one world flashed in my mind: Soulmates. Was it possible? Well, I think so. And I know for a fact you were mine. You know, Stevie Rae had a good Facebook post the other day: "The first humans were created with four eyes, noses, mouths, ears, arms, and legs. Fearing there power, the gods split them in half, leaving them to find their other half. These people are called our soulmates." I don't believe in the whole 'gods split them up' thing, but I think you were my other half. Anyway, I don't want you to be sad about this. We'll find each other again. I promise, my mo ban ri.

Love forever, Stark.

Somehow, the letter made Zoey feel better. It didn't make her feel worse, though she did start crying again. She felt Stark's presence in her like a flame, burning strong and true. And - because of the sincerity of their love - it would forever.

And - a hundred miles away - a baby boy was born. Destined to be Marked, with a future ahead of him that he had no idea of. His name was James Smithson, and this little boy loved arrows.

I know, it was saaaaad:) I usually don't write such sad Fanfics...what's with me? I actually started BAWLING when I reread this! And I'm all for Zoey/Stark and happy endings! I'm so mean! I guess that's why I added the little part at the end, to show that Z and Stark would find each other again:) Anyway, I hope you enjoyed and pretty please review? Thanks!

~PeachyKeen13