This is sad one, so be prepared! In Rephaim's point of view! Stevie Rae Fans will be disappointed! This probably won't be too great so hang tight for a better one OK? Read On! The word and symbols ***Flashback*** obviously mean flashback. ****** means flashback ends.

How could I have been so stupid? was all Rephaim could think through his tears. She was dead. She was murdered.

"Ugh! Father, how could you do this to me!" he yelled to the empty night sky. The better question, he knew, was "How could I have let him?" How could he not have realized he had loved her from the very beginning? How could he have believed himself incapable of love? Of emotion?

"I should have told her how I felt. Then maybe she wouldn't have confronted Father. Maybe she'd still be with me." He said to himself. He remembered the feeling of their bond breaking, the look in her eyes as she fell.

***Flashback***

It had been a clear night, no clouds and no moon. Father had said to him "Rephaim, have you Imprinted with the Red One?"

The question had been so totally shocking he answered truthfully "Yes, Father I have. It happened because of me fulfilling a life debt I owed her." His eyes filled with shock he stared at his father.

"Could you lead me to her?"

"Yes, Father but you will not harm her, will you?" His father had laughed.

"Not if she cooperates."

"Father, please, do not o this to me. She has become strangely important to me. Possibly because of our Imprint, but please, for my sake, leave her be." He had begged, hoping to break through to what his father had once been, Nyx's warrior, her protector. To the man that had been in love with the Goddess.

"Son, I will do what I must, but you should not have let her phase you to begin with. Have you learned nothing from me?" His father had sounded angry. So as the good, loyal, favorite son, he had led his father straight to Stevie Rae. They flew to a place outside the Gilcrease Museum, where Rephaim had been staying.

"Stevie Rae!" Rephaim had called with terror in his voice, knowing he was leading her to her doom.

"Rephaim?" she had called back. "What's wron-" she had cut herself off when she had seen Kalona. "Rephaim." She had demanded. "Why have ya'll come?"

"Ah, High Priestess, it is I who commanded him to lead me here. Do as I ask, and continue to live. Refuse me, and perish." Kalona had said. Rephaim's eyes had begun to well up, knowing this would not end well.

"No, Kalona. I will never do your biddin'. Forget that bullpoopie." His father had laughed.

Then with eyes cold as ice he had said, "Then die, mortal!" Kalona had gathered up stands of Darkness and hurled them at Stevie Rae. They had sliced her slowly, starting at her ankles and working their way up. Stevie Rae screamed. Rephaim screamed.

"Stevie Rae!" He had tried to run to her, to save her, but his father's wings had restrained him. He could still see her, though. So, he saw the Darkness begin to slowly decapitate her. He began to sob.

"Father, please! Release her!" Rephaim had begged.

"I'm sorry, son. It must be done."

"Stevie Rae! I love you. Please forgive me! Do not hate me!" To his surprise Stevie Rae had smiled.

"There is nothing to forgive, Rephaim. You did what you had to. I love you, too." She had whispered in return.

"I CHOOSE LIGHT!" Rephaim had shouted. His father screamed and vanished. He ran to his love.

"I'm… proud… of… you." She had said between breaths. He held her. He sobbed. The Darkness had disappeared with Kalona, but she was having trouble breathing. She was dying. Her body had shuddered then went still. He felt a pain within him that made him scream. Then that stopped as well.

"NOOOOOOOOOOO!" Rephaim had screamed. Then he had put his head down and cried.

Rephaim sat silently. He had chosen too late. The answer to her rescue had come too late. Everything was a little too late. He could have had everything he'd ever wanted deep down. What his mother had wanted for him. He stood up and decided he would not live without her. Then a voice sounded in his head as he contemplated his suicide mission.

"No, my son. She would have wanted you to live. Do not waste your life. Wait for her to return to you. She will join you soon. Wait for her."

He had recognized the voice immediately. Nyx. Nyx was right. Stevie Rae would want him alive. She would return to him. He spread his wings and went to find a place to wait for his love's return. He would feel her return, he was sure. He just had to wait.

God! I almost started to cry writing this. It was so sad! This was initially going to be called A Little Too Late but the title I have now seemed better! This was inspired by my sister crying after we got of Skype with our Dad. He lives, like, 10 hours away so we don't see him much. This made me feel sad so... Ding! Sad story. L8er, StevieRae2011, signing off!