A/N: Hey guys what's up? Well, I just want to apologize for literally not updating fro months, there's been a lot of work and midterms and traveling going on. But I appreciate the continued reviews and feedback even without updates. You guys are amazing, I really appreciate your thoughts. Agh, well tell me what you think about this chapter. I'm sort of unsure about it tbh.
It was mere moments after Faye had stormed out that a wail of grief broke the momentary calm that had settled. Adam, who had remained by the door jumped in shock and quickly ran out to see what had happened. Diana stood frozen for a moment before following, too stunned by the sound of unadulterated grief that now surged through the dingy house. Stumbling into the living room Diana felt a stab strike her deep as she recognized Melissa spread across the floor, inanimate- and clearly devoid of life. The dagger that had found its way into her chest was pushed even deeper as she saw that the shuddering cries radiating through the house were coming from Faye who was hunched over Melissa's body. Taking a few halting steps towards the body, Diana fought back the tears that were threatening to overwhelm her. She seemed so much smaller now, her body which was soaked in water seemed to have broken somehow. Although Melissa's face was calm it was more of a blankness than a sense of peacefulness, she looked like a doll. Diana backed up against a wall taking in deep gulps of air as she tried to register the fact that Melissa was dead, it just couldn't be. It wasn't making sense to Diana, it just seemed like something that would happen in a nightmare.
Looking away from the body, she glimpsed Faye, her face the very portrait of loss. Her hands were tangled deep in her hair pulling it free of its bun as she stared numbly at her best friend's body, her now silent tears streaming down her face. Diana could feel her heart break for Faye, she had been through so much and now she had lost her closest friend, maybe even what she considered her only friend. Diana looked away, a heavy weight was pressing down on her, swallowing her up. Pulling her down.
Was this the only thing Melissa got? A death caused by a simple mistake that she had no control over? That was it? Tears started flowing freely down Diana's cheeks as she sat by the wall, absolutely useless. Keeping her eyes firmly glued to the floor she tried to hold back the flood that was about to overtake her, later she would let go but not now. Not with others who had suffered so much more. Laboriously lifting herself up Diana walked slowly over to where Cassie stood with Adam and Cassie's grandmother. Cassie looked stricken although next to her grandmother she looked like she'd been having a good day, the older woman's face seemed to have folded in on itself with grief. Adam put an arm around Diana's shoulder and she welcomed the gesture, burying herself into his shoulder. So much had happened in such a small amount of time, how was the Circle ever going to recover?
With a heavy sigh she broke the silence shrouding the group, "Where's Nick?" she asked in a shaky voice. Cassie and her grandmother looked at each other numbly.
"We didn't know he was out there and we didn't see him. He could be anywhere." Cassie answered, her voice cracked from crying or yelling for Melissa- leaving an unspoken message that Nick could be laying anywhere just like Melissa lay in front of them. Just as cold.
She paused and stole a quick glance at Faye and the body of Melissa. "He might not even know…" She trailed off not needing to finish the sentence. Diana covered her eyes with her hands; she couldn't imagine what it would feel like for him- What it felt like to lose someone you loved. Adam, who still had an arm around her frowned deeply at the thought of talking to Nick when he reappeared.
"Someone is going to have to talk to him." He said haltingly. A silence once again descended onto the group.
"I'll break it to him" Came a voice from behind Diana, a voice she recognized perfectly even if it was raw from weeping.
"Faye?" Diana turned away from Adams hold to take in the brunette who stood in front of the group. Her eyes were red but numb and her face no longer displayed the grief it had been showcasing earlier, she just looked so tired. "If you need anyone to come with you to find him-"
"No." Faye cut in sharply, "I need to go alone." She gazed at Diana for just a moment more as if to say something else before turning to the door to the outside and walking out. Diana moved to follow her, compelled to do something- anything for the broken girl.
"Stop, let her go she needs to do this on her own." Adam said as he placed a hand on her arm. Diana clenched her jaw about to protest, but one look at the people surrounding her and she stopped. What would she have said to Faye to make it better? More and more Diana felt useless to help. Although the person she wanted to help the most was Faye. She couldn't see the other girl like this; it tore at a place inside of her that she didn't know had existed.
Diana's throat tasted sour and metallic as she watched Faye disappear- it wasn't safe, no matter how much Faye needed space. It was selfish but the last thing Diana wanted was for Faye to go, but she didn't know how to say it. The only thing she could do was watch her fade away with brisk steps. Struggling to take in a deep gulp of air Diana tried to stabilize herself but she couldn't do it. "What are we going to do?" She murmured, almost to herself. Adam tightened his grip on her but said nothing, clearly not knowing the answer to that question himself.
"I've called your parents, they'll be here soon- the police have been called as well.." Came a scattered sentence from Cassie's grandmother. The quality of her words was stilted, as if she could hardly force them out. As Diana watched the older woman's face it struck her that this had happened to her before, it must have been like reliving a nightmare. Was this the price of magic? Would this happen again? How many times would she feel the pain of loss because of the circumstances they had been born into.
Stealing a look at Melissa, Diana couldn't bear the thought of seeing anyone else like that, she vowed to herself that she would prevent it if were ever to come to this again. This pain was too much; they were too young to have to face it. Her thoughts began to succumb to the emotional exhaustion that was creeping up on her and she fell back against the closest wall, her eyes still focused on Melissa. When the parents and policemen arrived she hardly heard them, already submerged to deep to be reached.
The next morning wasn't better. For a brief delicious moment upon waking Diana couldn't remember the past nights events, but when she did it was like being hit by a train. She sank into her bed and covered her face with her comforter; her future just seemed like a long strung out grieving process. Melissa- she'd never see that shy smile again- that judgmental look she'd throw when you went to far, even for Melissa's standards, those looks she gave Nick before they even went out. Melissa would never again trail behind Faye and join her in all their morally dubious activities. As childish as it sounded, Diana couldn't help but think it wasn't fair. Melissa had just been in the wrong place at the wrong time- she had died because she had wanted to help Faye. Oh, Faye. She didn't even know where Faye was, and Faye would blame this all on herself. The other girl was probably internalizing everything that had happened- or maybe not- how well did Diana really know Faye?
A sob escaped Diana as she recalled how Faye had looked over Melissa's body, the way it had just lay there. She remembered the way Cassie's grandmother had looked, as if she had seen this coming all along and had dreaded it- she had looked as if this would happen again. Diana was afraid, afraid of what the repercussions of this would be. She was afraid that the grief would never leave her and it was almost unbearable to think that life would continue this way. The wind was rising to a wail that seemed to reflect her inner state and almost synced up with the muffled sobs that Diana was emitting.
Lifting her head out of the cocoon she had made for herself Diana took in the lighting of her room. It seemed to be raining outside and even though it must have been noon the lighting was dark. Diana sighed reflecting that at least the weather had had the sense to respect the grief many in the small town must be feeling. Then again, it occurred to Diana that maybe the rain wasn't naturally occurring, the tempest which seemed to be building almost sounded like her, like Faye. It sounded like a girl cursing anything that could be cursed for taking away one of the few things that had made her life worth living through, the sound of the wind that was just now whipping at the house sounded like she had last night, and there was nothing Diana could do.