Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or any of the characters
The house was empty and devoid of life. Lyra never thought that she would return to the place she ran from. She never thought that she would return to the man that she hid from for years. But she stood in front of the cold home with numb emotions. Thinking about everything that could've been broke her heart since she was the villain in her own tragic backstory.
She could've been happy. She could've been free to walk in public without fear. She could've been able to wake up in the arms of the man she loved. But she couldn't because she loved a man and she hurt him to the point he refused to forgive her. And a part of her couldn't blame him since she told so many lies that she destroyed any trust they had between them.
For the first time in years, she opened the door to her old home and walked into the quiet house. According to her records, he still lived in the house but it looked worn from years of neglect. The furniture and layout was still familiar to her since she saw herself leaving so many times in her nightmares. The memory was so far away yet the hurt she felt never faded with time like it should've.
Blue was tasked with delivering a letter the house but Lyra volunteered to take on the mission. Her sister was against her doing so but Lyra felt as if something was calling her back to the home she was driven out of. She didn't know if she should regret her decision of taking on the task since the pain still echoed in her heart.
They decided that Blue would be the one to steal the mask he held but Lyra wanted to be the one to send him the warning letter. She didn't know why she wanted to go back to the place that brought her so much pain but now she stood in the center of memories. Most were happy but the only one she saw was herself leaving the house in tears.
It was late at night and the house was empty as Lyra suspected it would be. He worked late and she thought back on the time they lived together with painful nostalgia. She tried to force herself to remember her happy memories but even when she laughed shakily to herself, tears filled her eyes. She once again wondered if she would be able to complete the simple task of delivering a letter.
Lyra walked into the room they shared and went directly to his desk. She only needed to place the letter onto his desk and she would be finished with her task. As she did so, her engagement ring caught the moonlight and the light in her eyes were overwhelmed by tears. She clutched her left hand and sat back on the chair. She hugged herself and let herself cry again.
Everything in the room was the same yet it was different and she didn't know what it meant. The furniture was the same but everything was organized to the point it felt cold and robotic. The thing that was out of place was the picture frame on his desk. It was faced down and when she righted it, she saw that there was a crack in the glass.
She remembered the last time she saw him and knew that the picture hadn't been touched since then. He wasn't one to throw things when he was angry but when she told him the truth he slammed the picture frame onto his desk so hard she was able to hear it crack. He told her that he never wanted to see her again and she believed him.
Lyra heard the door open but couldn't force herself to move since she was still trapped by the pain of the past. She was in the house she shared with her fiancé so it was bound to bring back memories but she didn't know they would be so strong.
She hadn't seen him since he left her but she tried to keep watch over him. Even if he didn't love her anymore and she was the one that broke the trust they had, she loved him and wished for his happiness. What would he do if he saw her now?
Silver stepped into his room and something felt different yet familiar about it. The scent of carnation lingered in the air. He recognized it quickly and his hands tightened into fists instinctively. He didn't give into his anger and punch something since he refused to be affected by it. The scent used to be a comfort to him but now it brought him nothing but anger.
He knew that it was Lyra, the woman that he once intended to marry yet broke his heart, that invaded his home. There was no hint of her presence except her scent and the open window.
Silver looked through the window but saw no one standing beneath. Frustrated, he slammed the window shut. He thought back to the last time she stood in the room and distinctly remembered the words she said to him that night since his heart still had the scar from each word.
"I want you to know the truth since we're going to get married soon." Lyra's voice shook and worry settled in Silver's stomach. He had never seen her so uncertain and he reached out to comfort her. She shook her head and stepped away. "Please don't hate me for keeping this from you but… I'm actually one of the thieves you've been searching for."
Lyra looked up to see Silver's reaction but it was so brief that she wasn't able to read them all before his eyes became cold. He had been searching for the group stealing art and here was one standing in front of him. He was about to marry a thief! He thought of all the times he told her about the investigation and she stayed silent. How much more of their relationship was a lie?
"I know this must be a shock for you but once I explain why we steal-"
"You committed a crime and it's my job to put people like you in jail!" Silver yelled and she jumped back in surprise since he rarely raised his voice. "I've done things in my past that I've regretted but I've always been honest with you about them. I thought you were better than this and that if someone as kind as you existed, I can change but you're nothing but a lie!"
"Just let me explain!" Lyra begged and grabbed his sleeve but he pushed her hands away. "I met you before I became a vigilante and everything since that first meeting was true. I love you and I want to share my future with you. We can still have a future without lies or secrets."
"I don't want a future with you anymore." Silver said softly and she made a choked gasp. It was his first instinct to hold her and comfort her but he didn't do so now. He couldn't even bring himself to look at her. He slammed the photo on his desk face down. "Get out. I never want to see you again and if I do, I'll be the one to arrest you. Leave before I change my mind!"
Silver bit his lip and waited for her to answer. He didn't know what he wanted to hear from her but anything was better than silence. When he turned back to face her, he found the room empty.
He was staring at an empty once again and her soft scent once again filled it. He promised to bring her to justice but it hurt him to say it and it hurt her to hear it. Silver loved her and believed in her. She was the light he saw when he was surrounded by darkness. It was because of her that he became a detective and vowed to make the world safer for her.
And now it was his job to arrest her.
If he was honest, he would admit that he hadn't been able to find much from them and it was partly from lack of trying. He knew she had a sister and he met her several times in the past but he never asked her if she had knowledge of Lyra's location. Silver knew he had to stop them from stealing but he didn't know what would happen once he saw her again.
That was why he let her go that day. A part of him didn't want to arrest her so he let her escape and that part him continued to keep him from working on the case. Silver knew that he had responsibility as a detective but he was also a man with human weaknesses like love.
"Damn you!" Silver screamed but didn't know who he was cursing. He slammed his bag onto his desk and papers scattered to the ground. He didn't know what to do since all options led to his heart being broken further. It would've it been better if she continued to lie to him? "Why are you doing this to me? I haven't thought about you for years and now you come back like this."
Silver knew screaming wouldn't help him so he forced himself to become calm. He knelt and picked up the scattered paper but stopped when he saw the photo had been righted. He hadn't touched it since that day because it was a photo of when they were happy. He asked Blue to take down any photos with Lyra but she left this one untouched.
There was a note tucked into the broken glass and he knew immediately that it was from Lyra. Silver was careful when taking the note out of the broken frame since it could hold a connection to the thefts. He hesitated when opening it because he knew that the note could bring him closer to her and he would have to arrest her then. Did he really want to do that to someone he loved?
"I can't go on loving a lie," Silver clenched his teeth and opened the letter. He almost laughed when he read the short note left to him. "I will steal back every moment you took from me. I wasn't the one that lied and tore us apart. What does this even mean?"
Silver stared at the picture frame and saw that the photo was missing. It was replaced by a photo of them at a masquerade ball and his heart quivered at the memory. His sister forced him to go and he thought he would have to spend the night alone at the party until she asked him to dance. He could still remember every detail of the dress and mask she wore.
The mask, Silver jumped to his feet. All of the victims received a note before they were robbed but why would Lyra send him a note? He had nothing of value for her to steal but the mask. He had been able to catch one of the vigilantes in the act and stop her from stealing a silver mask but the thief escaped. The mask was now being kept safe at the police office.
"I told you that the next time I saw you I'll arrest you." Silver whispered as he stared at the note but he was uncertain. He couldn't put off arresting her any longer when he knew that she intended to steal the mask. He couldn't hesitate any longer.
"I'm coming!" Gold ran to open the door before the knocking could wake either Crystal or Emerald. They had a tiring week and he wanted to let them rest. He was surprised when he saw Silver standing on in the doorway and he looked equally surprised. Silver knew that he recently moved into the house but he hadn't visited yet. "It's late at night Silver."
"Does Crystal Hale live here?" Silver's voice was cold and serious. Gold immediately became worried since it was the same tone he used when addressing criminals. He knew that Crystal was a vigilante but kept that a secret from Silver since the man had a strong sense of justice. "I know it's late but need to speak with her about a private matter."
"Maybe we should talk out here instead." Gold tried to keep Silver from entering the house and closed the door when he stepped out onto the porch. "Crystal does live here but she's sleeping at the moment. You can leave a message and I'll tell her what you want to say since she's really tired and need her sleep. I guess it's my fault since I barely let her rest last night."
"I'm serious, Gold." Silver's voice was hard and Gold stopped laughing. He was worried when Gold had told him that he started a relationship with a woman named Crystal since he thought that it could be Lyra's sister and his worries were correct. If they were serious, Gold could be hurt like he was. He didn't know if Crystal had a connection to the thieves but he couldn't rule it out. "I need to talk to Crystal."
"So you've finally came and decided to talk to me," Crystal stepped out of the house with her arms crossed. Gold saw angry fire burst between them and quickly went to put it out. He knew that Crystal didn't trust men easily because of the pain they caused her family but he never saw her show that distrust so openly. "But you're wasting your time. I don't know where Lyra is."
"Do you think I'll believe that?" Silver laughed mockingly. Gold had to wonder about their past but could easily piece it together when they mentioned Lyra. Crystal told him that Lyra was forced into hiding but never knew why until now. Silver told him about his quest to find the thieves and the connection he had to them could only be Lyra, his fiancé.
"I haven't talked to my sister in years since she disappeared and it's because of you!" Angry tears filled Crystal's eyes but she didn't realize they filled her eyes since her focus was attacking Silver. "She never told me why she left but I can guess that it was you. You're the only one that could hurt her enough to leave without saying a word. What do you possibly have to say to me after all these years?"
"So you really don't know about why she left?" Silver asked skeptically. It was possible that Lyra hid her thefts from her sister to protect her but he remembered that he didn't know her like he thought he did. He didn't know a pair of sisters as close as Crystal and Lyra so he doubted that she didn't know. "I guess when I find her, you can ask her."
"When you find her," Crystal stiffened. The vigilantes knew that Silver was investigating their thefts so kept an eye on his movement. He never seemed to search for Lyra specifically. There was a determination in his eyes that worried Crystal. "I don't want the man that broke her heart to be the one to bring her back even if I miss her. I already have someone searching for her and I'll keep her away from you."
"Why am I the one being blamed when she lied to me? You don't even know the truth or what happened that night." Silver yelled. Gold was silent as he watched the pair exchange harsh words. He couldn't bring himself to lie to his friend but knew that he couldn't reveal the vigilantes' secrets either so tried to stay silent. They both turned to him after their voices became raw from screaming at each other.
"Let's try to stay calm," Gold was shocked that he had to be the reasonable one since the two were much more level headed than him. He knew that they were only letting their emotion show since they both loved Lyra. He thought of all the times Silver told him about his fiancé and remembered the ring Lyra wore. "Screaming won't bring Lyra back."
Crystal and Silver huffed at the same time and turned away from each other. Gold knew that they could be close friends if their occupation didn't put them at odds with each other. "You guys are so alike at times so let's try to get along. I don't know what happened to Lyra but I'm sure she wouldn't want you two to be fighting like this. Now let's talk like adults."
"I can't believe I'm being lectured by someone like you." Silver sighed and stepped back. It was obvious that Crystal was hurt by Lyra's leaving and he couldn't blame her sister for the lies she told. Crystal didn't look at him but she didn't continue to yell. She took Gold's hand instead and he wondered what kind of relationship they developed.
"I'm sorry about bothering you so late at night," Silver sighed since he knew that Crystal wouldn't tell him about Lyra even if she knew where she was. He came looking for her on an impulse but she could help him find Lyra. "I'll continue searching for her. It doesn't matter if you help me or not because I'm not going to give up on finding her."
"I won't let you hurt her again," Crystal's hand tightened around Gold to stop herself from becoming emotional again. They both knew that continuing to argue wouldn't help them so parted with silent understanding. He said another goodbye to Gold before leaving. She watched him go and couldn't help but note that he looked as lonely as Lyra did at time.
"Wait Silver," Crystal stopped him just as he stepped off the porch. Her tone wasn't as cold as it was before and instead it was uncertain. He wasn't expecting her next words so he didn't know how to respond. "Do you still love Lyra?"
Silver couldn't move let alone answer that question. He pictured Lyra in his mind and sighed. No matter what he said, yes or no or maybe, there would still be uncertainty in his heart. He whispered his answer as he walked away. "I don't know."
Crystal finally relaxed when she saw Silver leave. She turned back to the door and Lyra slowly looked around the frame. They didn't exchange a word but her sad expression was enough to for Crystal to understand her intent. "Just don't do anything too rash."
Silver walked through the cold night, trying to think of what to do next. He didn't know where he should go next so continued to walk aimlessly. He thought that losing her would become less painful over the years yet the memory still hurt him and it was the oddest things that made him remember her. Even hearing a bell would be painful to listen to since it reminded him of her soft laughter.
The wind changed slightly and it brought a soft scent with it. His back straightened and turned to look behind him but he saw no one following him. The scent was the same as the one in his home and a mixture of emotions shook his heart. For a moment he thought he would be forced to face her so soon after receiving her letter.
"I must be losing my mind." Silver ran his hand through his hair.
"That wouldn't be good since you're the logical one between the two of us." A soft voice said behind him though it shook from uncertainty. Silver turned sharply to see Lyra standing some distance behind him with an uneasy smile. She would always give him that smile when he needed it but he couldn't see the confidence it once had and he thought she would run at any moment.
He stood there staring at her. She stood under the streetlight but even without it, he would be able to see her clearly. Silver wondered how she could look so different yet so familiar in the years that passed. She looked paler and he worried about her health. Where could she have been hiding during the years they were apart?
"Please don't stare at me like that. I'm having a hard enough time trying not to break down without you giving me that look." Lyra said hastily and started to pull her hat lower over her eyes so he wouldn't look into them. She knew that if he did, she would lose the little composure she had left. "I- I know what you're going to say but let me speak before you arrest me."
Lyra's voice shook but she tried to push the words she needed to say past her clenching heart. When she heard his answer, her idealistic heart leapt. She knew that any hope they had died that night she left but it still lingered in her and she loved him enough to take the risk of speaking to him again. Even if he only gave her this chance to speak, it was more than she deserved.
"I haven't forgotten you and a day haven't gone by without me thinking of you. I know nothing I can say will convince you to forgive me but I want you to understand why I chose to become a vigilante." She looked him in the eye then and he took a step towards her. Lyra didn't know what he was going to do so she took a step back every time he came closer to him.
"Those heirlooms I stole belonged to someone else and I only wanted to see them in their proper home." She tried to speak quickly so she could run from his gaze. But she stumbled over her words and the minutes that passed between them felt like centuries.
"I know that you would want to go through the proper channels but that would run her good name through the mud and I didn't want my friend's name to be involved in a scandal. We didn't think that it would go so far or that the heirlooms would already be sold when he started to search for the culprit. We should've gone to the police but- damnit say something Silver!"
His silence was weighing on her and she screamed her demand since he wouldn't. Silver should be angry or sad but there was no emotion in his steel grey eyes. She was backed against the street lamp and couldn't run since his gaze held her captive. Silver's hand was steadier than either thought it would be as he reached out to her.
He's going to arrest me without saying a word.
"I'm still too weak," Silver's movement were slow when he closed the space between them and wrapped his arms around her. Her body was small and felt as fragile as an illusion that he could very well be. He thought he would feel anger when he saw her again but strangely he felt relief. A part of him realized that he still wanted to believe in her.
"I'm still too weak to let you go even though I know I need to," He placed his head on her shoulder and whisper against her skin. Lyra could feel him shaking against her and she wondered if he knew that he was showing his emotions so blatantly. "I'll arrest you later but until then let me hold you."
Lyra tried to hold back a sob but it came out as a choked sound that broke Silver's heart. She pressed her face against his shoulder to stop herself from looking into his eyes and becoming lost in them again. The rift between them seemed to be too wide for either of them to close no matter how much each wanted to. Even though the distance between them felt great, she clung onto him and began to sob.
"I'm so sorry Silver!" She repeated but he didn't respond. They both knew that once the tears subsided and their moment ended, they would have to face reality. They didn't know what would happen then, whether she ran or he arrested her. Until then, he held her and wondered how they came to this point.
Why is it that I make concepts I have no ability to complete? I think I'm going to discontinue my Stolen Series since it's going nowhere. I find that I can't write contemporary mystery since I discontinued my Seasons Series too -.- I didn't want my idea to go to waste so I'm posting the first chapter since I really did like it.
I think that this was the hardest one for me to write because it's the one that I wanted to finish the most. When I started doing this series, this was the one I was most excited to write since it was the best one out of the four I planned. That was why I left this book for last and planned to build it up through the other four books. But alas I'm discontinuing this series for reasons.