A/N: Hi everyone! It's been a while since I posted anything. How is everyone doing? :)
This takes place right after the season 2 finale, before they leave for the summer. Enjoy, and don't forget to review if you liked it (or didn't like it!)
Dedicated to Rosie cause she's great.
When Nina awoke that morning, she was greeted by the sight of Amber's empty bed.
She thought nothing of it as she dressed for school, assuming Amber had already gone down to breakfast. Actually, Nina was a bit relieved-after her kiss last night with Fabian, Amber had started going on about all the beauty regimes Nina should be doing in the morning now she had a boyfriend. Nina didn't fancy waking up at the crack of dawn to make sure her hair was perfectly styled.
Seven minutes later she had reached the breakfast table. "Where's Amber?" she asked, sitting down. She noticed the other empty seats and amended her question. "And Patricia, Alfie and Fabian?"
"Don't know," Eddie said, breaking off conversation with Jerome. "Fabian wasn't in his room when I woke up. I assumed he'd gone to school early."
"They're probably having one of your secret club meetings without you," Jerome said, picking up a piece of bacon. "Planning on kicking you out, I presume."
"Very funny, Jerome," Nina spat, with a side glance at Mara, who was the only one at the table with no clue about Sibuna. But Mara wasn't listening. She was reading her history textbook under the table, last-minute cramming for the exam they had that morning.
Nina tried to eat but a feeling of uneasiness was starting to creep into her chest. "I'm going to go see if I can find them."
She ran into Trudy on the way out, almost slamming into her as she carried more pancakes to the table. "Trudy, have you seen Fabian and the others?"
"Can't say I have," Trudy said, setting the plate down. Eddie and Joy made a grab for it. "I don't think they're anywhere in the house. Could've gone to school already, I suppose. But it's still early,"
Nina grabbed her bag. "I'll check."
Outside, fog had coated the entire grounds, so much that she couldn't even glimpse the school. It was chilly out and she slid on her blazer, wishing she had something warmer.
Paragon, a voice said suddenly.
Nina froze.
"Senkhara?" she whispered. She almost felt silly for thinking it- Senkhara was gone. They had cast her into the underworld with Rufus. But then the voice came again: "You will pay, Chosen One."
"What do you mean?" Nina asked. Her voice was small, afraid, but it grew louder with her next sentence. "Have you done something with my friends?"
Senkhara laughed. The sound echoed and spat its way into Nina's ears, like a punch in the gut.
"Let them go!"
"You can free them, Paragon," Senkhara said. "But only if you do as I say."
In the next second the wind picked up, and a hole opened up in the ground, glowing red and menacing. Thunder started rolling above them. Nina feared she was about to be struck by lightning.
"Go through it, Chosen One," Senkhara's voice boomed. Nina still couldn't make out where it was coming from. "Come to me."
"Will you let my friends go?" she asked. Senkhara only laughed.
Nina took a breath and dropped her bag on the ground. She squeezed her eyes shut for a second, trying to call up some courage. Fabian and the others were counting on her.
She jumped into the hole.
Nina landed hard on the ground. She lay still, spots dancing in front of her eyes. When she finally had the strength to stand up again she saw she was in a darkened room, full of cold wind and the smell of something burning.
"Nina!" someone called. She turned around and saw five people chained to the wall. The one who had called out had one knee on the ground and was struggling to stand up. "Fabian!"
"Nina, I'm scared," Amber moaned as Nina rushed over and tried to undo the shackles on Fabian's wrist. She snapped her hand back. The chains were hot to the touch. With a jolt she realized they were burning his skin.
"It's gonna be okay," Nina assured them. Her voice was shaking. "I'll get you guys out."
She tried again to undo the shackles, trying to withstand the heat, but it was no use. The chains were bolted. She couldn't free them with her bare hands. She took a step back and looked around. "All right, Senkhara," she called out. "You got me. What do you want?"
Senkhara stepped out of the shadows. Her black aura seemed to grow, long tendrils sweeping out and grazing Nina's skin. "I want you to choose."
Nina stared at her. "What?"
"Choose, Paragon," Senkhara said again. She circled her, making Nina back up. Now Senkhara was standing between her and Fabian. "You took my afterlife away from me. I could've been a goddess." Her face contorted and she continued to walk forward, causing Nina to scoot back until she was standing in the middle of the room. "So now I take what matters most away from you. Your friends." Her gaze settled on Fabian. "Your lover."
"But-" Nina started, but she broke off.
"Choose, girl," Senkhara said again. She grabbed Fabian's wrist and Amber's arm, making them both cry out in pain. "You can only save one. Who is it going to be?"
Patricia looked at Alfie. "We're doomed," she said grimly.
"Nina," Amber said, her voice small. She let out a sob. Nina started forward, but Senkhara blocked her path. "Is this who you choose? The pretty girl?"
"No- I mean- I don't-" her voice turned hard. "Let them go."
"Not until you've made your decision."
Fabian was staring at her, waiting to see what she'd do. Nina made eye contact with him, looking for an indication of what to do. He shook his head. Don't choose me. Save one of the others.
"I'm not going to choose between my friends," Nina said, her voice shaking. "I'm not."
"Then I will choose for you," Senkhara said grimly. She reached behind her and grabbed Amber's arm. Light surged out of it, enveloping Amber. Everyone else immediately doubled over in pain, beginning to choke.
"No!"
Nina couldn't help it; she ran to Fabian, grabbing him and holding him up. "You bitch!"
Fabian's fingernails dug into Nina's arm and he collapsed, dragging her with him. Nina clutched him and didn't let go, but his grip on her was loosening.
"Alfie!" Amber was screaming, struggling against the bonds. Next to her Alfie could only continue to choke, not answering her. Patricia was refusing to fall to the ground like the rest of them, struggling to stay on her feet, face turning blue.
"I'm not going to let you die," Nina was murmuring, gripping Fabian harder. "I'm right here. Don't be scared. I'm right here,"
Fabian's fingers squeezed Nina's arm once, and then let go entirely.
Nina twisted to look at Senkhara, her arms still wrapped around Fabian protectively. "You want to punish me?" she spat. "Fine. Take them away from me. But let them live. I won't come back to England next year. I'll cut off all contact with them. It'll be like they were never my friends."
Senkhara's eyebrow arched, and she smiled. "Fine. But I have one condition."
The light around Amber faded and Fabian gasped, drawing in breath. Nina rubbed his back and he clutched at her, pulling her to him.
Nina closed her eyes. "What is it?" she asked Senkhara.
Senkhara smiled. "You die."
Amber let out a sob and Fabian's grip on Nina turned so tight it hurt. But Nina refused to look at them both. A few meters away Patricia and Alfie lay on the ground coughing, not saying anything, to weak to protest. Or maybe they wouldn't protest at all. Maybe they'd rather her die than all of them.
"Fine," Nina said. "But I have a condition too."
Fabian shook his head. "No. Nina, please-"
"You wipe their memories of what happened here," Nina said calmly. "All of theirs. I leave for America once term ends, and I don't come back. You can kill me then. I'll bullshit a reason why I left. They won't know I'm dead." She stared at Fabian, and he stared back, his face paling. "They won't ever know."
Senkhara cocked her head. "You care deeply about these people," she stated. "You won't even allow yourself the honor of being mourned. Why is that?"
"I love them," Nina said simply.
Senkhara gave a nod of her head and the shackles came undone, releasing all four of them from their bindings. Amber crawled over to Alfie and Patricia started cussing Senkhara out.
Nina just stared at Fabian and stroked his hair tenderly. "I'm sorry," she said softly. "I couldn't let any of you die."
"Nina," Fabian started, and his voice came out choked. "Don't do this. Please don't."
Nina shook her head and pressed her forehead against his, closing her eyes, listening to his heartbeat. "Don't forget me." she whispered.
Nina woke up.
Fabian was staring at her. A look of relief spread over his face as he met her eyes. "Hey," he said softly. "You're awake."
"Finally," Amber scoffed. "You wouldn't wake up so I went to get Fabian." She was brushing her hair, still dressed in a pair of silk pjs. "So yay! Fabina."
Fabian laughed, smiling and stroking Nina's hair. "You feeling okay? I can go tell Trudy you're not up for taking end-of-term exams today if you feel sick."
Nina shook her head. "I'm fine."
She was suddenly overcome with emotion, sat up, and threw her arms around him. "I love you."
"Er- okay," Fabian gave a choked laugh.
"Amber, come here," Nina said, pulling away slightly from Fabian and beckoning. Amber hopped over and joined the hug. "I love you guys so much. You're my best friends. I love you, okay?"
"What's with all the sudden love declarations?" Amber asked. "Not that I'm protesting. Yay group hugs!"
"We love you too, Neens," Fabian said, rubbing her back. When all three of them pulled away, he checked her forehead. "You sure you're okay?"
Nina smiled. "I'm fine. I'm absolutely, perfectly fine."
Underneath her pajama top, the Mark of Anubis glowed on her forearm, almost as if it had never left it.
A week and a half later the cars started to arrive, waiting next to the sidewalk to take the students back to their homes. A horde of suitcases littered the entrance hall of Anubis House- most of them Amber's, and Fabian's guitar case- and the Anubis residents themselves waited together in the common room. Every few seconds someone got up to check the window, searching for their parent's cars.
The doorbell rang. Alfie's dad appeared and everyone got up to hug Alfie goodbye, same as they did for Jerome and Mara, who had already left.
"AlfiEEEE I'm going to miss you so much," Amber cried, launching herself at him again. "Text me as soon as you get in the car! Text me every single day!"
"Will do, Ambs," Alfie said, grinning. He leaned in for a kiss, but Amber ducked away as the door opened again and Patricia's mum came in.
"Don't leave me, Patricia!" Joy said melodramatically, hugging her best friend tightly around the middle. Patricia returned the hug with a grin. Nina and Amber rushed to join in, Nina pulling Fabian along beside her. Alfie came too. Amber pulled back. "Get over here, Eddie. Come and hug your girlfriend."
"You're all a bunch of doofuses," Patricia sighed. But she opened her arms to make room for Eddie, who was laughing.
"I'm gonna really miss you guys," Nina said, practically crying. Fabian tugged her closer and pressed a kiss to her head. "Like, a lot. I love you all. I really really do,"
"Nina, I think that's your taxi coming," Trudy interrupted. Nina shook her head and buried her face in Patricia's coat. "Nooooooo."
"Oh, you'll see us all in two months, Nina," Patricia said, patting her head. "It's not like we're all graduating and leaving you in America."
"Yet," Alfie added.
"Nina, your taxi," Trudy prompted. Nina pulled away from the hug, still keeping a tight hold on Fabian's hand. They all followed her and Patricia to the doorway.
"See ya, Chosen One," Eddie said, grinning and patting her arm. His smile froze. Nina looked and saw that the bottom of her Mark of Anubis was exposed beneath her sleeve. No one else had seen.
She put a finger to her lips. "See ya, Osirian."
"Aren't you going to the airport too?" Patricia reminded him. "I'll allow you to travel in the same taxi as long as you both promise not to make out."
Fabian helped bring Nina's suitcase out to the road and she thanked him by staging a make out session next to the taxi. It was the first time they had kissed each other for longer than two seconds. They both pulled back after thirty, cheeks pink.
"I love you," Nina whispered in his ear, so quietly he thought he might have imagined it. He was so shocked he couldn't find the words to say it back.
They hugged briefly, and then Eddie pulled her into the taxi. "Calm down, love bugs. It's not forever."
"I'll see you in a couple months," Fabian said quickly, shutting the door. Everyone that was left on the curb waved goodbye and then watched as the taxi drove out of sight.
Fabian never saw her again.
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