A/N Hello everyone! I am so sorry for not uploading. I was so intent on getting another chappie done before uploading a new one, and I finally did it. I am so sorry, again! Without further ado, please enjoy! I apologize if it's a bit short. This is sort of what leads up to the bigger stuff.

Chapter Three: Must You Go?

For the next few days, Lucie and I hung out with each other, and it was very relaxing. It was great to have someone like Lucie around, but it was nearly time for her to go. Conor's job in the Watch Guild would be in danger if he stayed for much longer, plus, Lucie was beginning to miss the pets at her center.

"Oh, Song, did I tell you about Freddie's tendency to always nibble his carrots in a specific pattern?" Lucie asked. Freddie was a bunny. And yes, I had heard this story multiple times. I gave her a look that said, "Yes. Yes you did." and Lucie just laughed.

"Well, either way, you'll see them when you come for the wedding. Though I don't know when that'll happen. Anyways, I'm going to go, well, you know. I'll see you at lunch?" she asked.

I knew exactly where she was going. To her grave. I'd been meaning to go with her, but I couldn't handle it. It was way too much.

"Song...Are you sure you don't want to come? I promise, we'll do this together."

I just shook my head, waved goodbye, and watched Lucie walk away. I looked all around me, trying to find something to do. There were so many possibilities, but all I wanted to do was go home. As I began to walk, I broke into a run, not willing to stop as villagers called out my name. I just rammed into the house, jumped on the couch, and flicked my hand. The door automatically closed.

Something felt like it was engulfing me. I feebly tried to fight against it, but it retaliated harder. I couldn't breathe, and I was panicking now. Finally I broke out, but the weakness remained. This had not happened since her death. But it was too much to bear.

I wept, my sobs becoming louder and louder. At one point, I heard a knock, most likely a guard or something, worried for me. I didn't do anything about that. I cried until I was all cried out. Tear marks were all over the sofa, something I would have to clean up later. What I also didn't notice was that Cami had jumped up to me, and I was now stroking her beautiful pelt.

It was later in the day, and Lucie would've gotten back by now. But I couldn't bring myself to meet her, even if she was leaving the next day. Not when I was this fragile.

Cami, though she was amazing, had to eat too. I prepared a dinner that was a little better, rather than the prepackaged ones I got from the Pet Center. The prepackaged ones were great, especially since Cami had been a taste tester for many variants. This time, I was combining her favorites - Salmon, and Roasted Chicken. Salmon was extremely rare. It was brought down from much further north. Usually, on Cami's birthday, she got a very small chunk. Today, I just put in a few nibbles, enough to give it a salmon flavor. The rest was roasted chicken, and a bit of other meats. Cami was roaming around the living room, and coming into the kitchen, eager for her meal. Though the meal was slightly burned, it still smelled of salmon. I put it down, and Cami immediately got to work, wolfing down her meal.

Preparing Cami's meal had taken my mind of things, so I decided to wash up, and then find more things to distract me.

The shower washed off all traces of my previous sorrow. Perhaps I had cried more, but the shower's warm droplets trickled down. I screamed in there. Loud and clear. I screamed about the unfairness of it all. It should have been me. She was so perfect, and she deserved to go home. Deserved to see the light again, instead of the darkness she'd died in. The water grew cold, but I didn't stop. Time was inexistent.

I think I slept in the shower, as if it was rain pouring down. It was quite relaxing. My throat was raw from screaming, but it was necessary. The water kept coming, freezing cold now. I drifted off, not willing myself to stand. The world faded to black.

The light seemed too bright. If I was dead, I'd welcome it. But it didn't seem like that. I was perfectly alive, and someone was banging on the door.

"GET. OUT. HERE." A feminine voice screamed.

Bleh. I felt terrible. But whatever, I couldn't evade this forever. I threw on a bathrobe conveniently located next to the shower. The floor was completely drenched by my full night party. That would be a beast to clean up later. I opened the door and a rush of water drenched the carpet.

Lucie was standing in front of me, tears flowing down her face. "Song! Are you okay? I was so scared! Don't you EVER do that again!" She wrapped me up in a bear hug, not caring that she was absorbing the water from my sopping wet bathrobe. I broke apart again, crying loudly, exposing my real self for the first time in ages to somebody else.

"Goodbye, Lucie," I whispered, and I ran to my room. I could hear her banging on my door, but I would not let her see me. The last time I had let somebody in, they were torn from me. I would not make the same mistake again.

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See ya real soon,

Kiwi