(Author's Notes- Hey guys! Thanks for all the positive reviews and feedback. Please Read and Review! Thanks!)
(PS- Ya might want a box of tissues for this chappy...full of awwww's... Later!)
Chapter #5- The Last Goodnight?
Nikolas' Cottage-
While the girls at the clinic, Nik & Lucky tried to figure out why Emily hasn't been herself.
"So, what do you think is going on with Em? I mean she NEVER starts fist fights. She hates confrontation." Lucky says.
"Yeah, Juan must have said something really, really wrong to set her off...you notice it too right? That to me (and Liz as well) - Em hasn't been her usual self. Like she doesn't seem to be nearly as happy as she once was..." Nik says.
"Yeah, I do. Do you think Juan is trying to pressure her to sleep with him?" Lucky asks.
"He better not be." Nik retorts.
"Yeah I know...if he knows what's good for him, he shouldn't even think of pressuring her." Lucky states.
"I completely agree." Nikolas states just as protective.
"Hey guys." Liz says as the girls return.
"Hey! So Em, why have ya been feeling so icky lately?" Lucky asks.
"She just has the stomach flu for a few days." Liz replied.
'THANK YOU LIZ! LIFE SAVER!' Em thinks.
"Well at least you'll be ok." Nik said with a smile.
"Yeah." Emily replies.
A Few Hours Later – Upstairs - Emily's Room at Nik's Cottage-
Emily sits by her window staring out as tears pour down her face.
'How did I get myself into this mess? I mean I knew Juan's been trying to pressure me to sleep with him. But I keep putting the breaks on. Honestly- I'm NOT trying to lead him on at all! But he just keeps getting angrier & angrier – so that gets me confused, intimidated, and even a little scared. Now I have a baby to think about? God, I don't even know who the father is! (Nor do I really care...the "candidates" both are completely evil in my eyes anyway...) Why is my life so messed up? Why do I always drag my best friends into this? I have to start fighting my own battles...even if everyone technically has a rather large right to be involved...or at least a large right to know'
'I can't believe these past couple of months have gotten worse! I mean first Juan's been pressuring me to have sex, then he starts to abuse me, then I find out Tom is out, I get hurt, then Juan who had a CHANCE to actually save me – I should have known better – stupid, stupid Emily! You will never, never learn will you? And now I'm being blackmailed- again, and in addition, I'm going to be a mother...Oh God what have I become? Why doesn't everyone hate me by now?'
'This is all my fault...what am I going to do? I can't go forward, I can't go back...I'm stuck. Stuck in a spot where I really don't want to be. I'm not even CLOSE to being ready to be a mother. I'm not even married! How many people are going to be disappointed in me this time? How many more people are going to look down on me? I can never do anything right. Everyone should just forget about me...
I know what I have to do...'
Downstairs –
"Hey I have an idea. Because Em's hasn't been feeling that great lately, and Juan hasn't been helping her mood any...and because its dangerous to go out due to the PCPD's inability to keep monsters in jail, why don't we have our 4 Musketeer's get-together here! I always save a box of brownie mix! It's in the top back shelf of the cabinet above the fridge." Nik suggests.
"Great idea Nikolas!" Liz states.
"Oh hey Nik – Don't let Em look in the back of the freezer – I snuck a big box full of grape ice pops back there." Lucky says with a smile.
"No problem." Nik says.
Emily's Room –
"Emily! Can you come downstairs please?" Nik calls
"Sure, I'll be right down!" Emily calls back to him.
Emily quickly wipes away some lingering tears and puts a little makeup on so the others won't notice her crying.
Downstairs-
"What's going on?" Emily asks as she comes down.
"Well, because you're sick, and the PCPD are idiots, Nik thought it'd be a good idea to hold the 4 Musketeer Party here!" Lucky states.
"Awesome...hey! Is that brownie batter I smell?" Emily asks.
"Yes it is!" Liz replies from the kitchen.
"Ooh I'm gonna go help!" Em says as she races off.
'Wonderful! Now it's going to be even harder to leave!' Emily thinks.
Kitchen-
"Hey Liz can I help?" Em asks.
"Sure!" Liz says happily.
45 Minutes Later-
Everyone is sitting around the table, brownies in the middle.
Everyone takes a brownie, breaks it 4 pieces, ready to make a toast.
(Author's Notes- Hope the below scene makes sense and sorry if its a little redundant...i couldn't think of very good material so it was what was in my head at the time. I tried to think of it as if A: I were all the characters and B: If I were doing this with my friends)
Lucky starts...
"For best friends. May we be friends forever. Through good times and bad times. No matter what – may we grow from it and not let anything bring us down."
As Lucky finished his toast, he feeds a brownie piece to Liz and Em. And boys will be boys- he chucks the last piece of brownie toward Nik who catches it in his mouth.
Liz's turn...
"As Lucky already stated: through good times and bad may we continue to be friends. Let's not let the little things destroy us either. No matter what it is. The little things will make us stronger. And if we do end up having disagreements, lets work though it. Lets not give up."
When Liz is finished, she feeds her pieces to everyone.
Emily speaks...
"I agree with everything you all have said so far. I'd just like to add that you 3 mean everything to me. You've always been there and you're still here now. You all care so much and with your whole heart. That means to the world to me. I wouldn't trade you for the world. You're all fiercely loyal, noble, will do anything for each other, and will die to protect those you love. I couldn't ask for better friends or family. Because to me you aren't just my best friends – you're the family I could never imagine even if I tried." Emily finishes softly as she cries.
"AWWW! We love you too Em! SO MUCH! " Lucky, Liz, and Nik all say as they engulf her in a big group hug.
"Well, its my turn, and sorry guys – I can't top what Em just said. I think its safe to say we all feel the same way. So I'll provide the memento's." Nik says as he pulls out 4 necklaces.
The necklace's each says: "The 4 Musketeer's" in the middle of a large heart of the Claddagh symbol. Each necklace is has a silver outline and the back is silver along with the inscription. However, the Claddagh symbol is in color. The inscription is in the middle of the heart, the heart is embraced by 2 hands, and a crown sits upon the heart. The heart symbolizes love, the hands represent friendship, and the crown represents loyalty.
Nikolas gives Elizabeth a Blue one, Emily the Purple one, and Lucky the Yellow one. Nikolas keeps the Green one.
"This will symbolize our everlasting friendship and love for one another. May we never lose it for we do not want our bond to break." Nik finishes as he feeds the girls a brownie & like his brother chucks the last piece at Lucky, who also catches it.
"I totally agree! Nikolas these are great! They're beautiful! Thank you SO much!" Emily says.
"Yeah bro, these are great!" Lucky says.
"Absolutely!" Liz adds.
Later that Night-
"That was so much fun guys! Great idea." Liz states.
"Yeah, totally!" Em agrees.
"Well I'm glad everyone had fun." Nik said.
"Me too! Well guys – I'm tired, I'm hittin' the hay." Lucky states.
"Us too." Said the others.
"Goodnight everyone. See ya in the morning." Lucky states.
"Night Lucky, night girls." Nik states.
"Night boys, night Em." Liz says.
"Goodnight." Emily says.
Emily's Room-
As everyone is sleeping soundly, a wide awake Emily is planning to leave.
'I have to leave town...I have no choice. Everyone is a lot safer with me out of town. There's no other way. No one will be in danger because I won't be at risk to spill everything whether it be out of pure guilt or obligation. I have to do this no matter what. No one can know...no one can know.'
"I don't even deserve to be a musketeer anymore...I don't think I ever have..." Em states to herself quietly as she cries.
As Emily is about to leave out her window, she decides to leave a note for the others.
Dear Lucky, Elizabeth, and Nikolas,
Please know I meant everything I said tonight. Everything. I wouldn't trade any of you for the world! This is something I have to do on my own. Please, PLEASE don't follow me or try and find me. I need time to figure everything out. I know the wheels in your heads are turning on how to help me but this is something I don't think you can really help me with. Please know I appreciate EVERYTHING you've all done for me in the past and present.
I know you've all took notice as to my mood in the past few months. You know something's up...and you'd be correct. I thank you so much for trying to help me despite being kept in the dark. Its just one of those things I can't tell anyone right now. Please trust me. Please trust me when I say none of this is because of anything you guys did or didn't do. It was me...It was always me.
I am leaving my necklace here because I don't think I can keep it. I don't think I deserve it. How many times have I dragged at least one of you into some sort of mess or trouble that I've managed (yet again) to get myself into? How many times have one of you had to bail me out because of it? Sometimes I think you'd be better off without me. Funny thing is, I wouldn't even be CLOSE to where I am today without any of you in my life. You've all touched me and my life in your own special way. I love you for that.
This is so hard to write. I know- I wouldn't have to write it if I weren't leaving so suddenly. I just need to do whatever it is I need to do – even if I'm not entirely sure what 'it' is yet. Please understand. I know I'm hurting everyone with this letter. I just want to reassure you all that I'm not doing anything dangerous, or self destructive. I think this will also be a spiritual journey of sorts. I have to figure out who I am.
Know I will always love all of you no matter what.
I will never forget you.
I hope to come home soon.
Love,
Emily
"I just hope I'll see my friends again one day..." Emily whispers quietly.
And with that Emily slipped out into the dark night.
(Author's Notes- I hope for all the fans who are big fans of the 4 Musketeers that I've captured them correctly. :-) I hope everyone enjoyed that chapter. Please Read & Review! Thanks!)
