Is Love Really Forever?

By: LadyNightSky


A/N: Here's another chapter of the story. It starts off as fluff, but it explains a lot of what's happened since the prologue and Layla's death. Remember to review :).

Sugarcandy90210: It starts off as a Sky/Layla story, but some OCs come in and everything changes.

PhoebeTheQueenOfDragons and Kira222 a.k.a Celestial 101, YOUR GUYS ROCK! (:


Disclaimer: Isn't one disclaimer enough? What's the point in writing them over and over again? Ah, well. The great and powerful site demands it. I don't own Winx Club. Happy?


Chapter 2: Two Halves of a Whole


January 16, 2006

Bright yellow light played on Bloom's closed eyelids. She cracked one eye open drowsily, wiping the early morning eye gunk away with a hand. Immediately, her massive headache made its presence known.

Glancing at the digital clock on her bearau, she moaned in frustration and buried her face in her pillow, trying to ignore her throbbing head and the insistent need to chug a gallon of water. It was only 7:30. Much too early to be up on a Saturday.

She tried to remember how she'd gotten this goddamned headache in the first place. Oh yeah. A slight haze of memory enveloped her. Last night, she'd been drinking wine with him in her bed, laughing and getting giddier by the second.

She hadn't been drunk in a long time, and had forgotten about hangover. She stretched out an arm stiffly to her right, feeling nothing. Where had he gone?

" 'Morning," said a voice that still brought butterflies to Bloom's stomach, despite her agony.

She opened her mouth to respond, but it was way too dry to begin forming any words. A body settled next to hers under the covers, and a pair of lips gently laid a kiss on her neck.

"Try this."

Bloom flipped onto her back, and surveyed Ares, who was now sitting cross-legged beside her. He was offering her a glass of greenish liquid that bubbled up every few moments. She cast him a doubtful glance but, desperate to find some relief, she quickly swallowed it.

And nearly puked it all back up.

"Crap" she croaked. "What the hell is in that stuff?" She could've sworn that she felt it oozing around sickeningly in her stomach.

"You don't want to know." laughed Ares. "It does make you feel better though, doesn't it?"

Bloom nodded, realizing that her headache had disappeared and her mouth now contained saliva.

She let her eyes drift slowly over Ares, taking in his dark wavy hair, chiseled face, intense silver eyes, and muscled form; then moved over to the breakfast tray loaded with food he'd set down beside him. Ares noticed and laughed

"So, what's it gonna be? Me or the food?" he teased, all the while shoving the tray of food toward her.

She pouted theatrically, then gave it up in favor of an omelet and pancakes.

As Bloom finished eating, she noticed the newspaper tucked in under the food.

She picked it up and glanced at the front page absentmindedly, then froze and took a second look.


'Magix Gazette

Today, King Sulomun Leon Lemonos and Queen Neriana Zillah Lemonos of Tides mourned the sixth anniversary of the murder of their daughter, Princess Layla Arielle Lemonos. This year, the case will officially be considered non-active in the Magix Law Enoforcement Agency; as there has been absolutely nothing discovered. For folks that have forgotten, or never read about the case, Princess Layla was murdered six years ago on Tides……'

The small print began to blur before her eyes, growing bigger, than smaller, than bigger again. Suddenly, the whole world tipped upside down, and Bloom slid into darkness, Ares's shouts echoing in her ears.


Bloom was floating in the air, feeling oddly detached. She was surrounded by darkness, until a hole ebbed slowly open below her, revealing a scene she remembered all too well.

She watched as herself-in-the-past panicked. It was the first time she'd shown emotions since her break-up, and all the pain she'd kept hidden inside herself was bursting out at full force. (A/N presnt-day-Bloom's thoughts are in regular type)

" I DIDN'T DO IT! I WOULD NEVER HAVE MURDERED ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS!" Bloom screamed at Musa, Stella, Tecna, and Flora. They were all staring at her accusingly.

It's the day after Layla's murder again, thought present-day-Bloom. The 'Winx Club' had just cornered her in the dorm room at Alfea, and had accused her of murdering Layla. And to think, I'd once called them my friends.

" One of your best friends? You hated Layla for being with Sky when you couldn't be! Th at 'S' they found on her, with the dragon curling around it. What else could it stand for except Sparx? Tell us the truth, Bloom! You ordered Layla's murder. You were being a jealous, spiteful bitch! TELL THE TRUTH BLOOM!" raged Musa, her pale face flushed with anger; her eyes red from crying.

" I don't believe you think I'd order Layla's murder just because of that! How can you think of me like this?" argued Bloom, almost on tears.

Her closest friends thought she was a murderer. What had she done to them that had made them distrust her so?

" Bloom, I'm sorry to say that we have no choice but to believe that you ordered Layla's murder. We will have to tell the Magix Council about our suspicions-" Tecna began, but Bloom cut her off.

" Do whatever you want. I didn't do anything, so nothing will happen." Bloom said in a voice bordering on hysteria. " Just go away and leave me alone. Just please leave me alone."

Her voice got louder and louder till she was screaming the last part. "JUST GO AWAY!"


The scene faded away in a swirl of bright color, until Bloom was once again floating in blackness. She was shaking, she could feel it. Please God, bring me back to the present, back to Ares.


Bloom sat up violently, clutching herself, her eyes shut tight. Around her, a cacophony of noise swirled, loud voices and the swoosh of many bodies moving in a too-small space. Cold sweat dripped down her forehead, and she shivered, the savage expressions of her old friends vivid in her mind.

Bloom felt warm hands clasp her on both shoulders, shaking her. She slowly blinked, the bright white light of the room painfully hitting her eyes.

She was surrounded by people, people in servant's livery and people in medical uniforms; old mustachioed lords ordering everyone about.

She looked for one person, looked for the one who could make everything better, at least for a while. Ares's face swam before her, his eyes glowing with concern.

"Bloom?"

" Please, Ares. Please make them all go away."

Bloom hated the weakness in her voice, but she needed silence; to think and sort everything out. The chaos was making her head pound, but this headache she knew even the green gloop couldn't fix.

She hazily heard Ares ordering everyone out. Soon, the noise completely went away.

She felt Ares lift her up, and settle her on something soft; heard him ask tentatively if she was awake. She didn't respond, not even opening her eyes. Let him think she was asleep.


Bloom could sense that she was alone. The tears she'd been holding back flooded down her cheeks in wet rivers from beneath her closed eyelids.

That scene had brought back memories she'd hoped would stay buried forever. After that day, she'd been under so much suspicion. People whispering about her everywhere; the paparazzi stalking her, publishing every little thing she did; the trial with the Magix Council; friends becoming enemies.

She'd become so depressed, so lonely, she'd started cutting herself, finding intense, soothing pleasure in watching her lifeblood slowly dripping away; each red drop slowly killing her.

No one had seemed to notice; and even if someone had, they hadn't cared. Bloom had slowly deteriorated, hardly speaking or eating. Now, looking back, she wasn't quite sure how she'd managed to survive the two years till she graduated Alfea.

Bloom unconsciously traced the faded scars that ran along her wrist, remembering when they'd been wet with blood. The day she'd graduated, she seemed to come alive again, little by little.

For the next five years, she'd thrown herself into reviving Sparx. Now it prospered, regaining the glory it had known in her parents' time.

Then, last year, she'd met Ares at a diplomatic meeting with his realm, Asphodel. They just seemed to click. Two halves of a whole. Soulmates. Destiny's lovers. He'd completed the part of her that'd been missing. He'd made it possible for her to appreciate that wonderfulness of life again.

Stop it. She had things to do; she couldn't lay around all day dwelling on weird dreams and the past.

Her sense of purpose renewed, she got up from the bed. On the side table was a tiny bottle of purple liquid that bore a medical sign. Bloom eyed it warily. It must be the medicine the doctor had left behind when Ares kicked him and his crew out.

She unscrewed the cap, and gulped it, forcing the fiery liquid down her throat.

Throwing open her closet, she pulled on black jeans and a blouse, and headed out the door to find Ares and complete the daily duties that kept Sparx up and running.


Bloom barely glanced up from her work as a messenger stepped into the study, and stood silently in front of her desk, waiting for her to accept the message.

She held out a hand for the note, but was surprised when the page cleared his throat and unrolled a scroll. A voice announcement. How unusual. She gave the page her full attention, leaning back in her big leather chair to listen. The man began:

"By the proclamation of the Council of Magix, Her Royal Majesty Queen Bloom of Sparx is invited to the Day of the Royals Gala at the Magix Museum of Fine Arts on the 20th of January 2006. The Gala is a new affair that will hopefully bring together all the leaders of the different realms. Please note that it is a black-tie party. If for some reason you are unable to attend, please contact the Gala Committee as soon as possible. Thank you; we hope here in Magix that you can attend."


A/N: I'm soooo sorry. I know that was really short, and kinda boring. The next chapter will be fairly long. It'll be even longer if I get a lotta reviews (grins). (: I know I kinda made the other Winx girls bitches in this chapter, but all in order to make the story better.

The prince in this chapter, Ares, is named after the Greek god of war. The myths go that Ares was very handsome, but was cold, crude, idiotic, cruel, and sometimes cowardly. He didn't care which side he fought on; he only went to war to enjoy the blood and violence. The spirit of Strife and Discord was his constant companion, and Ares was almost always drunk and stupid. He was the most despised among the other gods and goddesses.

Just a little background information for you. Sorry, it might not be completely accurate, but I was trying to fit various descriptions of Ares in.

Asphodel is referring to the Asphodel Fields in Hades (the Underworld), where the not-too-bad and not-too-good in life dwell as ghosts. Also Greek. I've kinda got this thing for ancient Greek Myths (: . Well, ta ta for now! REMEMBER TO REVIEW PLEASE! I want to know if you guys want another chapter or something.