A/N:

So, finished with the second chapter and here it comes :3 My best guess for the third chapter... I guess it will be out somewhere close to middle of the next week. I will spend tomorrow doing my school work and then the school week starts and I do have two other fics to take care of, too. But yeah, here is a bit more improved second chapter of the story. Enjoy!

I DO NOT OWN MORGANVILLE VAMPIRES!


Chapter 2: Even the strongest breaks down

"Numbing the pain for a while will make it worse when you finally feel it."
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

I don't know how long I had been walking through the streets of Morganville. I also don't really know where I had been, because I was mostly wandering around, trying to avoid people. So, when I finally looked around trying to figure out where I was, I found myself standing in front of the church where I talked with Amelie for the very first time. I just stared at it for a while, wondering if I should go in or not. It would be the last place where Michael or Eve would think to search for me, that I was sure of. I could be alone and no need to face conversation about... him. Only one person could find me there and that person was Amelie. But she would be the last person on the whole planet to talk about my cheating boyfriend, or should I say ex-boyfriend now. I don't think there is any doubt in anyone's mind that I and him are over.

When I went for the door, I kind of expected it to be closed, but imagine my surprise when the door opened without any problems. I took a peek inside and when I was sure, or I thought I was sure, that it was empty I stepped inside with small sigh of relief. I walked down the aisle and sat down on the bench in the first row. I stared at colorful windows behind the altar. I knew that if I will let myself to think about anything, my mind will wander to what happened today and in the end to him. For that single reason, I kept my mind shut and trust me, it was really hard not to think about anything. And in the end, I failed.

One moment my mind was completely blank and the next it was filled with memories about him. Memories of how we first met, memories of all those dangerous situations we were, how close we were to lose each other for few times, how we had kissed for the very first time and finally our first time. Once sweet and warm and happy memories felt now so distant, cold and unreal. Like it all had been a dream and not a reality. That happiness I had had two months ago, was taken away by one single confession just few hours ago.

One would expect tears and pain after what happened today. I mean you suddenly find out that your boyfriend who used to be so sweet and so nice and who you used to love more than anything, turns out to be a cheat and piece of shit. I know I had been ignoring pain and pushing it away all this time, but somewhere deep inside I was expecting to break and shatter in million pieces when I would have finally found the truth out. But for some reason there was no tears, no pain. What I felt was just... emptiness. I felt empty, cold and numb. Maybe that was the problem here. Maybe I was just numb. Because I swear, it did hurt in the beginning, when he stopped kissing me goodnight or when he didn't want me in his bed for the night. And then... it just stopped hurting, mostly to the fact that I started to ignore the pain, pushing it away. And I guess finally after two months, I just grew numb to the pain he caused me.

Suddenly I felt someone sitting down next to me. I turned my head and I almost had an heart attack. I found myself staring at Amelie's profile while she kept her gaze on the altar. Either I had been so beep in my thoughts that I hadn't noticed her coming in or she had just suddenly appeared out of nowhere, which wasn't that impossible.
"Is something bothering you, my child?" her question caught me off guard. I'm not sure if it was the fact that I didn't expect her to talk to me or the fact that I didn't expect her to notice something bothering me.
"N-no..." I barely managed to get that word out of my mouth. I had to clear my throat before continuing. "Why are you asking that, ma'am?"
"Because you have been sitting here for few hours now", her answer was quite simple, but it did shock me. Few hours? Has it really been that long? "And before that you had wandered on the streets or another few hours."
"I...", was all I could say. I couldn't really come up with any sensible explanation and I didn't feel like telling her the truth, so I did only one thing I could. I looked back at the windows and stayed quiet. But I guess that was just the thing to prove Amelie that I was lying.

"Care to share your problem with me, little Claire?" I finally felt her eyes on me and when I looked back at her, I was shocked by the warmth that I saw in her eyes. Did Oliver finally managed to do something to Amelie and replace her with this really good copy so other's won't notice anything? Because the Amelie I know, she doesn't care about other's problems. The Amelie I know is she's cold bitch that won't hesitate to step over bodies she leaves behind to reach her goals. She's the real Ice Queen with heard made of the hardest and coldest ice. I blinked few times and looked away, I just couldn't look into those eyes that had genuine warmth in them for the first time.

"Nothing is bothering me," I managed to whisper. I could hear myself how pathetic my lie was, but sharing my problems with Amelie really was the last thing on this planet I wanted to do. I just hoped she will leave it alone, but once again I was wrong.
"Are there problems in paradise?" that question made me look at Amelie with pure shock in my eyes. How did she know?
"Why you think that?" I asked while trying to hide my shock. There was no way I was going to admit anything to her.
"I have sensed it for a while now", there was genuine, but a bit sad smile on her lips. "And besides, you don't smell like that boy so much right now. His smell used to be much stronger on you. Really strong, in fact."

I stared at Amelie. I knew it wasn't appropriate, as she was the queen of this city, but still I stared. And she didn't look away, the warmth still in her eyes. In a way, this whole situation was really disturbing, Amelie showing this warmth towards me.
"I... we..." I didn't know what to say, I didn't want to say anything. But looking into Amelie's eyes, I felt all walls going down. "He's cheating on me. For two months now. I found out today."
"I see," she looked away, which surprised me a bit. I didn't really expect her to care to begin with, but the last few minutes had me hoped for a while. I guess I was wrong.
"That boy isn't worth your tears, not that I am seeing any," Amelie said suddenly, which surprised me and proved that I wasn't wrong about her caring. Her voice was quiet, soft and gently, full of the same warmth that I saw earlier in her eyes. That made me look at her, again. And she was looking back at me. "It was obvious that there were some feelings between you and that boy, I might even say that it was love. But if he is cheating on you, little Claire, he's not worth of it. I am not your mother, nor I will ever be. But this time I'll give you one advice. Human life is extremely short. Don't waste your time on people that are not worth of it. Your love was beautiful, but is it worth of holding on to?"

And just like that, she stood up and walked out of the church leaving me alone and shocked by her words. I couldn't believe that Amelie had just comforted me, given me advise. I couldn't believe she had cared about me enough to do so. As I started at the closed door, behind which Amelie had just disappeared, I felt the tears finally flow down my cheeks.

Amelie's Pov

I walked out of the church and sat in the limousine that was parked in front of the church. As the door was closed after me, I looked over at Oliver, who watched me with annoyed expression. I ignored that and just nodded to driver telling him to go.
"And was that necessity? To check up on that girl?" Oliver asked and I could hear same annoyance in his voice that I was in his face. Of course he was annoyed, as we had something more important to do, at least he thought that it was more important than our little Claire. "I take you think that she is more important than our little problem?"
"Isn't she, Oliver?" I asked him calmly not even looking at him. I was tired of this. He cares about that girl as much as I do. He doesn't let anyone to see it, but I have seen it. I didn't let anyone see that I cared about her, either. Today was one time exception, I promised myself as I had stepped into that church. He didn't answer and I really didn't expect him to.

"As for our little problem", I said after a while and looked at Oliver, who was now less annoyed and seemed to be pleased that I returned to our main problem, in his opinion anyway.
"Yes?" he didn't look at me now. "I thought I have explained everything?"
"Yes, you have. But can we be sure that he will agree?" I wasn't so sure. Taking boy's age and all. The life he had been leading until now, it's just really different from the one we will offer him.
"He might be difficult", Oliver seemed to really thing about the issue. "But he really doesn't have other choice, does he, Amelie?"
"You are right. He doesn't", and he was right. That boy didn't really have a choice, if he wanted our help and if he wanted to survive.

Rest of the ride went in complete silence. It was only when we were at Common Grounds, when Oliver spoke again.
"How is the girl?" his voice was a bit softer than usual, and that was the reason why I knew in first place that he cared. "Is she okay?"
"She is as okay as heartbroken young woman can be", I answered without looking at him. "She doesn't realize it yet, but it will hit her soon. And when it will, it will be the moment that will break or make her. The heartbreak, I mean. We might lose her, Oliver. She really loves that boy, Shane Collins."
"She does, but he never were right for her", he muttered and stepped out of the car without any other words. I just smirked and told driver to continue our journey. I still had a lot to do before our guests will arrive.

Claire's POV

When I finally got back home, it was already late and dark. I tried to get in as silently as I could because I didn't want anyone to see me and I didn't want to see anyone. Or talk to anyone. Also, I could bet I looked like shit. When tears came back in the church, they didn't stop. I tried so hard to stop crying, but the trying made it worse. So I ended up crying for hours. But today hasn't been my day, so I shouldn't have been surprised at all when this didn't go exactly as I had planned and hoped.

"Claire?" Eve appeared from kitchen as I was about to climb up the stairs. Shit!
"Oh, hey Eve. I thought you were working night shift today?" I didn't look at her and I tried to sound as normal as I could. I think I managed to sound normal, at least for my own ears. I didn't turn around to look at Eve.
"Well, yeah, I was. But Oliver called and said that he needed to close early today for some unknown reason", she I could basically hear her rolling her eyes. "So, I am getting a day off. Paid."
"That's nice, Eve," I tried to sound at least a bit excited, but my voice betrayed me. I could hear the tears in my voice, and I bet Eve did too. Shit! Shit! Shit!

"Claire? Have you been crying?" she asked and rushed to me. She grabbed my hand and pulled me off the stairs, turning me around. I didn't look at her, I just kept my eyes on the floor. I still didn't want anyone to see me like this. Not even now, when she had already knew that I have been crying. "Claire, please, look at me."
"Just leave me alone", I begged in a whisper and tried to get out of Eve's grip, but she didn't give up and I ended up looking at her.
"Oh, Claire!" and then Eve was hugging me tight and I found myself wrapping my hands around her, dragging her on the floor with me when my legs finally gave up. And that was how Michael found us few minutes later.
"What happened?" Michael sounded really worried. I didn't look at him. Go away! Don't you know what happened, I thought and then I felt Eve turning her head at Michael.
"Michael, just go," Eve told him quietly. "Leave us alone."
"You sure?" he asked. I felt Eve nod and after few moments I heard him go upstairs, past us.

Good that he had the sense to leave us alone, but him being here at all, even for few moments, sobered me up. I pushed Eve away from me. I didn't push her that hard, but I guess she wasn't expecting me to push her away, because she almost fell on her back. I used this moment to get up and rush upstairs and straight into my room.
"Claire?" Eve called my name and I heard her coming after me, but this time I didn't stop or even say anything to her. "Where are you going? Claire! Wait!"
"I need to be alone, Eve!" I cried. "Please, leave me alone!"

Eve almost caught up with me, but I slammed the door shut right in front of her and locked it. I let my hand run through my hair as I turned around and pressed my back against the door. Go away. Go away. Go away, was all I could think because somehow I knew that Eve was still standing behind the door. Then I heard her whisper my name and after few more seconds I heard her walking away, and by sound of her steps I could say that she was going to Michael's room. I silently thanked God for her leaving me alone. Why they had to see me? Why they both had to see me like this?

And then the tears were back.

This time it wasn't anything like in the church. Back in the church, I just sat on the bench and let the tears flow down my cheeks. No sobs, nothing. Just tears falling silently down my cheeks. This time... This time it wasn't as silent. Tears were running down my cheeks like wild rivers and I could feel the sobs coming. I tried to suppress the sobs as I pushed myself away from the door, but it was useless. I managed to make only few steps towards my bed when I finally felt it happening. I was losing it. I was breaking down. I felt it. I knew it. All along I knew it, I just knew it. Shane had been cheating on me all this time.

I tried to make few more steps towards my be, but I couldn't control my body anymore. My legs gave up and I dropped down on my hands and knees. It wasn't beautiful on painless drop, far from it. I dropped straight down on the floor with really loud thud. My hands went up to cover my mouth on their own, to muffle my sobs that were growing louder and louder. My whole body started to shake violently in the rhythm with my sobs. And pretty soon my hands dropped back on the floor because it was useless to try and muffle the sobs. They were already far to loud for that.

I tried to stand up and walk to my bed. I even tried to crawl to the bed, but no matter what command my brain gave to my body, it didn't reach. I couldn't move at all. I couldn't breathe. It felt like I was drowning. Drowning in my tears, drowning in my sobs. I was drenched with pain and it was pressing me against the floor. My heart was shattering in pieces like some fragile glass would shatter when dropped on floor. My soul was screaming in agony. And soon it wasn't just my soul that was screaming. Before I could stop myself, I screamed. It was loud scream, full of pain and agony. I knew that Michael and Eve could hear it. No, I bet whole Morganville could hear it, but I didn't care. I didn't give a shit. I just kept screaming. I screamed until I couldn't breathe. Then I collapsed on the floor, still sobbing.

This pain was too much for me. I wanted to escape it, run from it, but I knew there would be really only one way to do that. Die.


A/N:

Here was the second chapter. Old stuff for old readers and perhaps new stuff to new readers, haha. God, I'm so bored that I write stupid things and act like an idiot. Sorry for that. Anyway, comments, ideas and suggestions are still welcomed.

Asta B