Disclaimer: Richelle Mead owns VA.
(Nikki's P.O.V.)
You always showed compassion, affection, realness. I miss the me that played in your heart.. I wanted to play a part in your movie, even if I didn't know why your life was that I know is I want to play an important role in your movie, in your life, I want to be your ride or die. My life is hard to describe but its on pause because, I can't continue to go on, without direction.. I'm so lost, I feel so ashamed to call myself a fighter. How are you going to react, when you see me, the real me again? Will you turn away? Or will you want to hold me? These thoughts flee as I turn on the road to the academy.
I light another cigarette and lean back into the worn driver's seat of my old Buick. The music plays loudly and I take slow deep breaths. I can smell the smoke on my clothes, even through the heavy scent of alcohol. My head spins as the painful memories swirl into focus. I'm driving to the acadmey. I remember perfectly the call from Natalie, telling me they still thought I was Strigoi. Told me how Rose left Court, for good this time. She sounded empty and broken. There is a light blinking from Lynx's phone as she sleeps in the back seat, and I notice with clarity the pattern of shadows it creates. On. Off. On. Off. I'm going to be there soon. I think back on our time together. We met through a mutual friend. Rose. It surprised everyone, including us how quickly we hit it off. That first night we talked for hours, finishing each other's sentences and never running out of things to talk about. We exchanged numbers and continued our conversation in text when it was time to leave. We talked almost nonstop for about three weeks, taking every chance we could to see each other. Neither of us expected to find what we found. We traded stories and jokes. I think it scared him, how quickly we connected. He drew back, but I wasn't ready to lose the happiness I had just found. Gently, I coaxed him back to me. We told each other our darkest secrets, things we never had or could tell anyone else. He was so scared to let anyone in, but I found my way to hes heart. He loved me and I loved him. Days turned into weeks, turned into months. Thats when Mason was still mine. I've been driving a long time, with a bottle of whiskey and a pack of cigarettes, trying to decide how to live when he doesn't love me. Sixteen hours of driving and I still have no idea what to do or say when I see him. One minute to midnight. Time's up. With shaking hands, I wake up Lynx and Luna. They insisted to come. I open the door, causing me to tremble even more. I look around at the familiar surrondings.
"You went to school here?" Luna asked, with wide eyes. I nodded, sadly. Lynx patted my shoulder, softly. I took strength and comfort from that small gesture. The moonlight shone brightly, glaring down at us, watching our arrival.
"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Luna questioned, gesturing around the academy.
"Yes. I can face them. They aren't that scary." I joked, trying to lighten the mood.
Than, I saw her. Melony, my daughter. Her eyes were wide, and watching us. She ran towards me, colliding into me, so hard, it nearly knocked me over. My arms immediately encased her. It took her a moment, but she yanked away. She looked at me, than stared into my eyes. When she saw they were again brown, the color of her own eyes a look of shock took over her face.
"But how...?" She trailed off as she took in Luna. She seemed to notice how Luna stood, a little two insecure, a little two dark. She turned to Lynx. Lynx was confident, ans had that sweet, compastionate look in her eyes.
"You." She pointed, "You saved her." That's when I smelt him, the clean sweet smell of rain. Mason. It was him, of course. That was the only way to describe it.
"Melony what are yo-" His sentence stopped short as he took me in. He hugged me, sobs taking over him. He still loved me? I thought in shock, than I rubbed his back gently.
"Mason?" Came a familiar voice. I turned, to see Stella Evermore standing there. Her light brown hair fell in small waves, always appearing crimped. Her sea foam eyes stared at me in shock and suprise. When I lost my mind, I went to a public school for a while. This girl used to be my best friend. Yet, she was so different now, she had it all. My daughter. My friends. My life. But most importantly she had my Mason.