Chapter 14
A connection being forcefully pulled apart is the worst feeling in the world. A renewed connection, after so many years of being close to dormant, suddenly being pulled apart minutes after it has just awakened once more is worse than the worst feeling in the world. It's like falling into an ice cold lake, body weakening as the cold water drains your energy and your body slowly gives up. Your legs would then stop working and slowly you drown, water filling up your lungs instead of air, dying painfully.
Chloe is drowning and no amount of air can save her. Her legs have gone weak as she stumbles and trips that without the arms tightly gripping her, she would've long fallen down the ground, motionless. It doesn't help that her eyes had been blindfolded, the fear of the unknown making the discomfort and anxiety heighten. There's probably only one thing that keeps her calm.
She could still feel that connection no matter how far she gets with every step she takes. She could still feel her, Beca, her comforting warmth and the familiar melody of her heart. It's only for a moment but she did hear it, her voice in her head for the first time, gentle and sad. It was a bitter farewell and Chloe had wanted to yell at her for thinking that. It can't be goodbye. She refuses to believe it. It can't be the last words she's ever going to hear from her. But she was powerless and weak. She fought and it was useless. No matter how hard she tried, she only ended up hurting herself. She suddenly feels like eight years ago, being eleven years old again.
They had dumped her in some vehicle and in a matter of minutes drove off to somewhere that to be honest, really doesn't matter to her. There's one place she wants to go back. Right by her side.
It felt like falling into nothingness, just falling without end until she suddenly hits a bump. Literally. Chloe shoulder collides onto a hard surface with the impact and all she could hear next were shouts and screams. It creates a brand new wave of fear in her chest and she tries to free her wrists from its restraints once more, hoping to loosen them up. If so, she could try and break it apart, although not an easy feat when she was running low on energy due to lack of sleep, food, water and blood.
Another loud bang rings in her ears like car tires exploding underneath. She hears the doors break open making her whole body still. Strongs arms grab her out of the car and in seconds her blindfold is torn off.
"Chloe? Chloe Beale?" a man about his early forties looks at her intently, waiting for her to say anything but everything feels so distant, so blurry and confusing. Too much has happened that her mind slows down against the fast-paced real world.
The few words that register inside her head were "You're safe," and "Get you home," before she gets pulled along. There were people everywhere, armed and in tactical gear. The crest of the royal council, a combination of all the five bloodline's family crests, embedded into their uniforms. When she looks back at the vehicle her perpetrators drove in, she finds a body being wrapped in a black bag up front while another was being held down the ground.
It takes her awhile to adjust and realize that these people weren't going to hurt her. A warm blanket is wrapped around her shoulders and a bottle of blood pushed in between her palms which she drinks thirstily. Only when she almost finishes the whole bottle does she finally snap out of the daze.
"Beca! Beca Mitchell is still in there! They still have her!" she hurriedly says, grabbing on to the man who seems to be in command, she recognizes him from the Mori bloodline.
"Don't worry, we're working on it," he says firmly, leading her into another vehicle and opening it for her.
"They've been torturing her for information! They're targeting the vault. We got to get there fast!" she pushes on but the general, as they address him, wasn't budging.
"I'm afraid we can't do that. I can assure you, another tactical team has been sent. Our only orders are to get you to safety," he says before forcing her inside the vehicle much to her dismay. She could only hope that whoever they sent wouldn't be too late.
The travel was long and when they pass by Victor Barden, Chloe could see the soft wisps of smoke coming from one of the burned buildings of the West wing. It only felt like yesterday when she just had one of her normal semi-stressful college week. Now, she doesn't even know what being normal feels like.
Everything's changed and perhaps it'll never be the same again.
When they finally stop, she finally makes sense of her surroundings. They were at the heart of the city. So many people walking as they go meet friends around bars, clubs and restaurants. Some of them simply going home to loved ones or alone. None of them has had any clue of what is happening in Chloe's world or know even half of what she has just been through. It felt strange.
They lead her to an elevator at the car park of one of the buildings. When the doors open to the fifth floor, she finds vampires scurrying around a huge office, making calls and processing stuff in their computers. She was just about to ask where they were when she finds herself engulfed in someone's arms. It was Tom.
He embraces her for a while before pulling away to look at her in concern, "Are you alright? Aubrey had just called me and you weren't with them. I had a team search all over for you," he quickly says before greeting general Mori and thanking him for bringing her back safely.
He returns his attention to her, asking more questions and all she did was nod or shake her head. She doesn't get to say more as he is being called away again. Apparently, not all the original council members were killed. A few had escaped and are now working together to regain back their power and defeat the rebels.
In the meantime, Chloe gets ushered to another floor where there are fancy private rooms for her to eat, rest and clean up. All the while she feels numb to everything and gazing off far into nothing. She doesn't even feel like eating much. Looking at the door of her room, her mind becomes set as she rushes out with a purpose. A guy who had been guarding her tries to stop her but she keeps going until she reaches the stairs of the fire exit down to the fifth floor.
"I need to see Tom, now," she demands the guard at the door of the main control room. He looks uncertainly at his companions before letting her in.
Inside, she sees people shuffling and typing around hurriedly in front of large screen with numerous cameras, from Victor Barden to the Corvinn Castle in Romania. Looking around, she finds a private meeting room where, she can see through half its glass walls, the members of the council seemingly in the middle of an argument, Tom, her relatives, the other elites and non-elite representatives included. She could even make out Emily's father among them.
She enters the room, catching a bit of the heated discussion for the first time.
"We are talking about a threat that could end everything!" the council member from the Ortega bloodline, Lucas Ortega was saying, everyone's focus too intent on the issue to notice Chloe's presence.
"Exactly! We are too late. They have her now and are heading to Romania as we speak. We only have hours left," another council member adds in, a Vanderbilt and one of Chloe's uncles.
"Still! Engaging a missile towards that plane may seem like the easiest way to eliminate the problem but it also means killing the head of our council. That's our queen up there who, I may add, is also my niece and I will not let you kill her!" Beca's uncle and Emily's father, Ivan Du Pont-Stein, says in an angry tone as he stands before them. Looking at him closely, anyone could easily spot his tired eyes and weary face, events from the past 48 hours taking its toll on him.
Chloe doesn't blame him. She wonders at this point if Emily and the others had made it safely. It has also occurred to her that they are talking about Romania and a plane which confuses her for a while until she looks out on the large screen once more. Multiple split screens showed live video feeds of both of Bucharest's Henri Coandă International Airport and Baneasa International Airport while the others showed the chaos in Corvinn Castle, its front structure torn apart and burning.
Beca's fingerprints are needed to completely open the gates leading to the vault. The vault which holds everything about their entire race, documents that could change the whole system of their government, the hierarchy and the crown itself. The vault which happens to be in Romania underneath the heart of the Corvinn Castle.
Chloe's mind runs a thousand miles per minute as she connects everything all together until it slams on the breaks at the mention of Beca's name, "He would have to make Beca sign a royal decree to hail him king. Then it'd take more than half of the council members' blood smudged on that document to verify it and we all know that more than half of our council is already either dead or held against their will inside that castle!" Chloe's uncle explains his argument.
"Therefore, we have no choice! It's either the life of one versus the life of thousands. If we do not blow that plane up we are going to be forced to bow down before a new regime and it is one that neither of us will like. You've seen what they've done. Men, women, children, murdered ruthlessly and in case you aren't aware all of the elite bloodlines are on the top of his death list," he sits down slowly, resting his case as the others remained quiet while the Du Ponts shake their head, ready to contest to every word.
"I won't let you touch that plane!" Chloe firmly declares before any of them could even utter their defense, every head whipping towards her direction.
At the sight of her, Tom quickly stands up from his seat, looking at her in surprise before glancing at his father, "I'm sorry, she's a little disoriented," he mumbles, tripping over his words before walking towards her.
"Chlo, you can't be here—"
Ignoring him, she pushes him aside before walking towards Tom's father, Rafaele Vanderbilt. "The only reason why that plane is up in the air is because she chose to give them what they want in exchange for my life," tears begin to well up in her eyes once more at the terrors of all that had happened, all that she has witnessed first-hand.
None of them would ever understand what it feels like
"She endured everything, all of the horrible things they did to her. She went through it all to protect all of you, for years! All that she has done to maintain the peace and to be nineteen years old at that! She attends the same college some of your children or grandchildren attend to. Think about that for a second," she turns to the others, looking at each one of their faces.
"She's willing to die for all of you and you're not even going to at least try? She wouldn't have given it up if I wasn't there because that's Beca, she's selfless and giving despite of what you all might think. Because of that, I may not fully know her plan but I don't think she's going to open that vault. She lied to them," she swallows hard, a million thoughts running in her mind at this point.
"I saw it in her eyes… I could see it. I know that look. I know… it's suicide," her voice cracks, a sob escaping her lips. She tries to quell it down before looking up at everyone in the room, determination evident in her face.
"You want the easy way out? You want to kill her? Then go ahead and kill me too! Because until the sun, the moon and all the stars fall down from sky only then shall I bow down to a new king," she states, proudly holding her head up through the deafening silence of the room as she wipes her tears with the back of her hand.
She meant every word she said and if Beca were to die… she doesn't even want to think about it. A connection, no matter what kind of connection it is, severed by death is unbearable and if violence is involved in it, recovery for the remaining loved ones is close to impossible. Even the strongest of them all, Darius Du Pont, succumbed to the effects of it, permanently damaging him, mind, body, heart and soul. It's no surprise how easily he chose death as soon as he saw a chance.
"I am with her," Ivan finally speaks up, laying down his decision with the other Du Ponts present. "I vote that plane remains unharmed,"
"Our morals dictate that this debate no longer needs to be prolonged any further," Sorina Niculae follows, head held high as she speaks. "The council has always sworn to protect its leader and all our people. Therefore, the Niculae bloodline places its vote in favour of protecting our queen and our people," she finished as her relatives nod in agreement. Chloe could only look at her gratefully until the Mori bloodline finalizes their decision.
"There is no honour, bravery or loyalty if we choose to release that missile. We, from the Mori bloodline are very particular with such things. Our decision is to stand behind our queen," Kumiko Mori declares, giving a small smile over at the grateful Du Ponts then at Chloe.
The Ortegas look at each other before sighing and nodding their heads as they come to a decision, "There is no denying how much we admire the late king, the former head of the council. We cannot also deny all of what Rebecca Olivia Du Pont has contributed for us all these years and therefore has our respect. She is right," he motions at her as he continues. "We cannot… let fear cloud our morals," he slowly says before turning to the council representatives of the non-elite bloodlines and their representative, Benjamin Abbot.
"We are for hope, peace and unity among all. We do not want our children and grandchildren to look upon this day and learn about the cowardly acts we have surrendered to. We also need them to look up to a leader who is worth fighting for and alongside with. From the accounts we've heard in this room, we believe that Rebecca Olivia Mitchell-Du Pont is the leader we all need in these terrible times,"
Chloe finally fixes her eyes towards her uncle who clenches his jaw. It takes a while before he could utter a single word but one look to the rest of the Vanderbilts, he finally gives out his answer, one that could either break or lift Chloe's heart.
"As the temporary head of council, I order the launch," he pauses before exhaling out another heavy breath, "To be cancelled,"
Letting out a sigh of relief she didn't know she was holding, Chloe holds on to the seat near her for stability, her legs weakening after exerting so much passion and energy into a cause she cannot afford to lose. Now the whole council finally and truly recognizes Beca as their queen and it is enough to make her want to sob out loud and release the heaviness in her chest.
Years and years of pain, sweat, blood and tears, if only Beca knew right at this moment she has the whole council and basically everyone behind her back. She wasn't alone and Chloe made sure of it, solidifying her promise at this council meeting.
"Just hang in there, Becs," she whispers when she stands in the middle of the control room, looking up at the multiple split screens. Next to her, Tom stands, eyes up on the large screen as well, an awkward tension floating between them but Chloe has to put that on hold for later.
It's been hours and the plane is expected to land in any of the Bucharest airports anytime soon. Everyone from the original council and the newly appointed members all stood breathlessly as they await reports from their people, all their best soldiers on stand-by.
Chloe hadn't been able to sleep at all. Every time she closes her eyes nightmares haunt her, a mixture of the ones she's witnessed in the hands of that sadistic man and the ones that distort all her hopes into the worst possible scenarios. Only one thing was constant and it was Beca's presence in each one of them.
"Plane has been sighted," a report comes in as cameras pan into the private section of the airport runway. A white private jet lands as three black sedans stop right at the bottom of the airstair. Chloe doesn't even blink as the new set of images plays out in front of her eyes. But then what she sees next is not what she had been expecting.
When the plane's doors open only three men step down, the ones she recognized in the torture room, the ones who had held her down and helped Ştefan with all the terrors he wasn't ashamed or guilty of doing.
"That's not it," Chloe mumbles repeatedly, panicking as Ivan curses out loud and Rafaele barks out a new set of orders. Soldiers and agents scramble around the airport reporting out confirmations and more disappointing news.
Of course, it was too easy and Ştefan Sala has had his whole life planning this thing out that 'easy' wasn't a part of his vocabulary. He was smart and strategic just like Beca.
"They must have switched planes somewhere," Sorina points out as Rafaele massages his temples until another valuable report is yelled out, this time from one of their agents in the room.
"Sir, visual on the Corvinn Castle!"
The screens switch to different cameras and Chloe gasps as another set of black armoured cars drive towards the castle, opening fire on the battalion of their soldiers who have been camping out the castle in order to negotiate deals with the small army of rebels holding people hostage inside. Chaos ensues as the rebels inside the castle open fire as well and the whole scenario descends into a blood bath.
The armoured cars round about at the entrance, creating a wall between the castle and the remaining soldiers outside. Cameras immediately pan into the entrance as the doors of the vehicles open to drop off Ştefan himself, who straightens his crisp suit like he owns the place. Behind him, one of his men carry an unconscious body and Chloe's heart skips a beat or two at the sight. She'd know those dark brown locks, ring clad fingers and pale white skin anywhere. Her hand flies up to cover her lips as a sob threatens to break out. Beca looked terrible, dry blood splattered all over her face, arms and legs. The sight of her in such state makes Chloe's heart ache.
"I order all agents to Corvinn Castle! Do whatever you can to break down those walls and retrieve the queen. And no matter what happens, don't let them open that vault!" Ivan shouts out as everyone scampers to get hold of every able-bodied agent, assassin and soldier.
It felt like forever but when the tactical teams unload from the vans minutes later, the following scenes happened so fast, like a movie that kept going with no conclusion at all. All the while Chloe's heart felt like it was about to burst, fear and panic reigning over her. Watching on the side, she felt completely helpless. Even more so when the screens begin to cut to black one by one.
"What's going on?" Ivan questions immediately.
"Signals from the castle are being intercepted and cut off,"
"We lost sight of the throne room!"
"We're blind in rooms 1, 4 and 6,"
"We lost all visual inside Corvinn Castle,"
The distressing reports continue to pour in as the only screens lighting up are the ones outside the main entrance, the back entrance and the rooftop. Other than that, they have only the tactical teams' incoming reports and radio communications. Chloe takes a couple of steps forward, the suspense almost making her go crazy.
"This is general Ylenia Niculae, we are about to enter the castle's premises," the female general reports before Rafaele Vanderbilt gives the go signal.
"General Yuuka Mori, taking up the sky," a report comes on what Chloe believes is the code for the castle's rooftop before it is being cut off by several screams and grunts. The line goes choppy when the sound of guns fill the sound system until Yuuka's voice becomes audible again.
"Sky is clear, now making our descent," she confidently announces as banging of doors are heard.
The silence is broken once more as another alarming sounds of gun fire and explosions are heard. "General Gabin Du Pont on the south wing, rebels all over the place! We are under attack!" he yells on the radio.
"Shield general Franco Vanderbilt's team until they infiltrate the throne room! Now open fire in 3, 2, 1! " Gabin yells his commands as the sound dissolves into a static sound of non-stop high powered machine guns.
"General Antonella Ortega coming from the north, we have visual on general Du Pont and Vanderbilt! The route is too tight! Enemies are aggressive," another round of shots go off and being unable to see anything is making the tension in the control room double up in intensity. Ivan paces uneasily as they wait with bated breaths.
"We're being attacked at the east! Rebels are too many!" Yuuka Mori reports amidst blood curling screams before Ylenia curses on the line as they report of snipers.
The chaos continues for minutes without any sign of ending and Chloe is close to breaking down when the next series of reports change the atmosphere.
"We hear activity inside the throne room! Something's going on in there!" Gabin yells.
"Enemy is distracted! A possible attack from the inside! Keep firing!" Franco adds.
"Doors are opened! We have partial visual inside the room! Hostages inside! A fight seems to be going on!" Antonella reports as everyone in the control room looks at each other excitedly, hope rising for the first time.
At that moment all screens begin lighting up one by one including the one outside the throne room.
"We have signals on some of the rooms now!"
The cameras show total disarray and blood painting all the walls as vampires clash everywhere, guns tossed aside as bodies collide harshly. Chloe easily recognizes her uncle Franco, still looking as young as a 25 year old despite being 87 in age. Not really surprising as it'll surely be on his 125th year until he starts aging, as all vampires do.
Beca's uncle Gabin on the other hand is currently making his way closer to the throne room with his team until he successfully enters it along her uncle Franco. Some of the cameras are still offline, including the most important room of all and from that point everything becomes confusing. A loud blast is heard and black smoke is emitted from the room, worrying everybody for a very tense few minutes.
Until she hears it, her voice.
Beca.
"I'm fine. What's not fine is that stupid toilet breath of an asshole getting away!" she says in that familiar tone of annoyance which Gabin or Franco's microphones are recording at the moment. The communication signals aren't stable as they cut here and there until movement is spotted from the throne room. Antonella emerges from the dark smoke assisting hostages with her team. It takes only a minute until the whole room sighs in relief as Beca steps out with both Gabin and Franco's teams behind her.
"Vault is secured and her highness is uhm…" Gabin clears his throat as if unsure whether to continue his report before weakly adding, "Extremely pissed right now,"
The cameras show Beca walk out of the hallways with the whole team of soldiers behind her. She carries on, each step filled with purpose, the fire blazing in her eyes as she is handed a sword on her right, which she doesn't waste unsheathing from its case, while a pair of wireless earphone is given to her on her other hand.
Chloe could almost laugh at how the whole control room fills up with music, Beca's earphones connecting to the whole signal line for some reason as 'Robbers' by The 1975 plays. What else do you expect from Beca Mitchell after all?
It's like watching history unfold as Beca leads them in the fight, all five bloodlines and non-elites working together fiercely for the first time in a very long time as they follow every word Beca says. It's a shame they are only getting glimpses of it from a couple of cameras because it already looks awesome from what they've been getting. It reminded Chloe of that race relay they competed in back in high school, their junior year, and how Beca's team Candrick performed amazingly in the field even though nobody really took notice of it back then. Seeing all that is happening now, she could only smile at how bright Beca shines at being the leader she was destined to be.
The room only tenses again when Beca follows Ştefan who seems to be escaping away to his chopper. A fight between the two ensues and it's clear that they both are almost equal in terms of skills. Whenever Beca wounds him, he counters and does the same to her. Words they can't clearly hear are exchanged and that's when things start to go downhill.
At one camera angle the half-siblings are rolling around the ground near the edge of the ruined walls adjacent the unknown depths of a cliff, wrestling each other for some sort of device that looks very much like a detonator. It's ironic to think how beautiful the view of the incoming sunrise was in between all of the war going on. In a second Beca gets hold of it first, struggling as Stefan grabs her from behind, trying to reach for it and press the switch. He starts circling his arm around her neck until to Chloe's horror, Beca's fingers rapidly change the position of her sword, the one belonging to none other than their own father, the blade turning towards her, right at the center of her chest.
Her dark blue irises fly up to the camera at a split second and Chloe almost thinks that Beca knows she is watching. Stefan finally successfully takes the device from her other hand but he doesn't get to accomplish his plan as his face shifts into that of shock.
Chloe lets out a scream.
Beca had plunged the sword straight though her own heart and out into Stefan's, ending them both instantly. They fall out of the ruined walls of the castle and down into the cliff from where Corvinn Castle nestles on top of.
Chloe's whole world spins, everything crumbling apart as a piercing feeling stabs her right at the center of her chest.
Everything slowly blurs until the darkness swallows her whole.
I don't believe in goodbyes.
Not when it comes from you, my midnight
8 years ago
"Chlo, i-it's not's true, right?" Beca trips on her words as she looks at her best friend who wouldn't even meet her eyes as they stand at the back of Constantine Albert, right at the spot where they solidified their friendship.
It was never like this. It had never been like this. Chloe wasn't like this. Her Chloe wouldn't even think of it.
"Claire… she was lying, right?" she slowly asks, desperately begging any higher being up there for it to be lie. But when her words are left hanging in the air without no one to catch them, a crack starts to form in her heart. It formed like the cracks on thin ice starting to branch out into more broken, jagged lines once you make the mistake of even breathing.
"You wouldn't—You'd never…" Beca shakes her head, sputtering incoherent words that are running a thousand miles a minute in her mind.
She reaches out for the best friend's hand, clasping and squeezing it tight, "Chloe please… please tell me it isn't true," her eyes start to blur, tears in the brink of spilling.
But tonight just seemed to be that night, the night where everything starts to die inside her all over again and this time there is no recovery, no one to lift her up, no saving.
"It's true," Chloe finally says in a distant tone, pushing Beca's hands away from her own, freeing herself. "There was a bet. I was confident in it. I told them I could befriend you easily and make you do everything I want you to do," she confesses without a hint of emotion or remorse.
"And I won,"
Her words kept ringing in Beca's ear, all of it sounding so foreign to her. She takes a few a step back, all their memories together clouding her mind as she stares at her best friend in disbelief. The cracks in her heart multiplying and growing further until it stops.
"B-But… everything we… was all that…" she trails off, tears falling down one by one. Her words have now resolved into a jumbling mess but it was clear as day what it all meant.
The end.
"A lie. Yes. It was so easy to do and it's been fun but it's over now. We have to end this. A Du Pont and a Vanderbilt, that can't possibly happen. You and I both know it never will,"
She was slipping away from her and a half of Beca's breaking heart is about to follow her. She won't survive if that happens and even if it makes her fool, she ignores it all. She can't lose Chloe. All of the other things don't matter anymore. She can't let her go.
So she decides to be the idiot of the story.
As long as Chloe is in it, Beca is willing to be the idiot.
"C-Chlo, this isn't you. Look, whatever it is, the bet, everything, I forgive you! Or if I-I've done something wrong, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, just please don't do this," she begs, almost dropping to her knees as she hangs on to the Vanderbilt's arm.
"Beca, let go,"
Her words slice down on her chest like a knife, striking right down at the center of her heart. All its pieces falling apart one by one with each step Chloe takes further away from her. So, she holds on tighter, hugging the Vanderbilt from behind to stop her.
"No," she sobs, shaking her head as her arms tighten around Chloe. It's a stab at the heart when she feels her prying her fingers open.
"Chloe… please don't go," she breaks down sobbing harder.
But it wasn't enough. She wasn't enough, not to Chloe, as she continues on the path were Beca won't be able to follow. She leaves and Beca is left with all the broken pieces of the remaining half of her heart shattered down the ground around her.
She should've stopped there but Beca was a fighter and giving up wasn't a word she is used to. Most especially when it comes to Chloe. Gathering the pieces of her heart, she painstakingly tries to hold it all together once more before running off to the Vanderbilt residence where she would get down on her knees to beg and plead.
Nothing matters at this point anymore.
She almost bangs on the door and is a crying mess as she asks for Chloe, earning shocked looks from the whole household, everyone looking at her in confusion. But when Chloe refuses to see her, she almost camps out in front of her room, desperately saying anything that comes from her heart, anything that could change her mind.
She must've looked like a crazy maniac, crying in front of Chloe Beale's door for hours that it has caused a great amount of concern to everyone witnessing it. But she wasn't giving up because when Beca makes a promise she intends to keep it until the end.
She promised Chloe forever and forever it will be.
Even if her father walks in, looking angry and humiliated at the mess his own daughter is causing at the home of one of his council members. She ignores his presence despite the warning glare he gives her. So, he takes her in his arms, forcibly pulling her away from where she stood to carry her back down to his car while she kicks and screams, Chloe's name repeatedly spilling out of her lips.
Her desperate cries remain unheard even as he apologizes formally to Chloe's parents. She continues to beg even as he drags her out the door and into the car where her sobs echo as she tightly clasps the last piece of her broken heart, the only one left. The one broken piece that holds all those precious memories and promises.
Beca was willing to wait. She'd wait until Chloe would come back to her and there, at the spot where she had left her, like a fool, Beca would open her arms to take her back.
But when her father pulls her out of Constantine Albert and sends her to Russia, all hope slowly fades. Anger replaces sadness and the single broken piece she held on to is shoved at the very dark corners of the fortress she is slowly building around it where it will be protected, unharmed and kept hidden from anything or anyone bent on destroying it.
Russia had beaten her up, body and soul battered from the constant abuse. Trained to be a soldier and looked upon as an adult, at the young age of twelve she had been forced to grow up with survival the only goal she had in mind.
She wanted to give up, body weak as she lay down in defeat, sad empty eyes looking up at the falling snow as her mind flies away again to the comfort of red wavy locks, dazzling smiles, magical bright blue eyes and warm hugs she'd hold on to forever.
"Are you going to give up? You're going to die here, that's it?" her father sneers as he circles her, a wooden sword in hand as he aims it right at her heart. "Then maybe all the people who left you would finally care? Maybe she'd finally care?"
That slams her back down the ground again, her mind clearing up, pushing away all those thoughts as her eyes regain their focus.
"Wake up, Beca, nobody's here. It's just you and that's all who you can rely on in this world. Yourself. The world doesn't stop if you do, remember that. So, get up before it's all too late,"
Wake up
She gingerly moves her limbs, her bare feet slowly pushing through the snow.
Wake up
Her bruised hands fumble for the wooden sword she had been swinging around for the past few hours, slashing away her father's sword from her chest.
Wake up, Beca
She gets up on her feet and faces him, both hands gripping the sword's handle as she looks into his eyes with a different kind of intensity, one that burns with determination and fuelled with a new set of promises.
It's time to stop crying
The first thing she sees is a wall filled with her high school photos in front of the desk she used to work on back then. The earphones she had plugged in her ears before she unconsciously went to sleep have now fallen off, the music still playing from a black iPod that had been handed to her three weeks ago. It was Emily who gave it to her as she sadly says that, 'I'm sure Beca wouldn't mind you having it,'
Beca, the name haunting her like a shadow following behind her for weeks as she moves listlessly around. It was like she was only existing for the sake of existing. She could see Aubrey's worried looks on top of her parent's concerns as she keeps spacing out into the green scenery outside. How could they not? She speaks only when she is spoken to, is always quick to lose appetite, she barely sleeps and when she does it is filled with nightmares, of being in enemy territory, of Beca, of all the blood that has spilled in front of her.
Three weeks, it's been three weeks since that day, that day when something inside her died with her. That day when she had collapsed and woken up hours later to her worried parents and despite how many times they ask, she'd only give out a simple, 'I'm fine,'. She stuck to that answer even as Aubrey and the rest of her cousins finally arrived. Behind them, the Du Ponts trail along and Chloe remains stoic as she tells them what had happened. She looks on as Emily breaks down into sobs, Stella excusing herself to run to the bathroom, Jesse denying everything he is hearing and Stacie almost lashing out at everyone. She watches them unable to accept what had happened and demand a flight to Romania to see it for themselves, Nick even trying to argue about it with his father and his uncle, Emily's father, who is looking as worse as she is.
Chloe had stood motionless through all of it. Just as she had when she broke Beca's heart eight years ago.
That was three weeks ago and now she sits at the edge of her bed back in her family home in Maryland, mind hollow as she stares out into space. Minutes pass and that's when she reaches for the iPod, Beca' iPod, one of the two things she has of her. The other one being the stuffed toy otter she hugs every night. It smelled like Beca, her perfume, the smell of cinnamon and whiskey combined. She glances at it, leaning next to her own red panda stuffed toy.
Music fills up her ears as she closes her eyes to sink into the melodies. Sometimes she feels like Beca was right there with her, sitting next to her. She must be losing it when she closes her eyes and feels soft fingers touching her face gently. But they disappear once she opens her eyes. Sometimes, she would conjure up the image of Beca looking at her smugly and rummaging around the bottles of wine, trying to choose which one to drink first.
"Want some?" she'd hear her say until she blinks and everything disappears again.
Maybe it was her way of coping, maybe it wasn't coping at all. But it works and building up an illusion makes up for the pain she keeps suppressing deep down. Her tears were useless anyway. It wouldn't bring her back.
So she taps into her ten year old self, building a world out of the imaginations she and Beca could think of. It's better that way. Beca is alive in it and that's where Chloe wants to be.
"I'm hungry. I want waffles," Beca mumbles as she leans near the door of Chloe's room, twirling the rings of her fingers. Chloe smiles faintly and stands up.
"C'mon, I'll make you blueberry waffles. Your favorite," she softly says before making her way out the room, her hand slipping into the brunette's fingers as she pulls her along, the sound of Beca's footsteps following behind her.
It was easy yet it wasn't permanent and Chloe knew that. It was bound to break and explode at her face one of these days but for now, for now she wants to drown in this illusion, to hide in this world, to be with Beca a little longer.
"Chlo, you need to get out, go places, talk to people, at least talk to me," Aubrey presses on as gently as possible as Chloe sighs.
"This isn't healthy anymore, Chlo. Everyone is worried, Tom is worried," Aubrey's voice floats around her, words not really hitting its mark.
"Well, nobody is as healthy as her," Beca sarcastically butts in. "I mean all that disgusting green stuff she drinks and eats. I'd rather soak in the sun," she scoffs lying down on the bed next to Chloe, an elbow propped up to support her head as she judges Aubrey with her dark blue eyes.
"Want to go to a club?" Beca suddenly asks. "Since they're so worried you're not getting enough fun," she air quotes with her fingers before rolling out of her bed and walking around it until she is in front of her. "Unless you'd just want to stay and watch some movie. I think I can sit through one of those cheesy rom-coms you cry about, just one cheesy movie though. One,"
Chloe stares into the outstretched hand in front of her and then up at that smirk resting on her lips. She'd probably go anywhere with that smirk.
"Chloe? Are you listening to me?" Aubrey asks, waving a hand in front of her before looking at her in confusion as she stands up to walk into her closet.
"I'm going to a club," she blurts out, ignoring all the words Aubrey is throwing her way like, 'I know I said we should go out but clubbing seems a little… I don't know, too much. 'Cause I was just thinking of a nice restaurant or maybe a bar we could hang out with our friends?"
But all of those are cast aside as Chloe follows Beca out the door and into one of her mother's cars, ignoring Aubrey's warnings like, 'Chloe, you don't have a license yet!'
"So what? She can still drive. Nothing's going to happen, Aubrey. Live a little and go call Stacie back, she's waiting," Beca dismisses with a wink.
It doesn't take long until Chloe's lost to the blaring beats. She wasn't drunk but she feels drunk, drunk in those dark blue eyes gazing intently at her as they sway to the music. Beca holds her by the hand as she gently drags her to the center of the dance floor. When they reach a perfect spot in the middle, they dance until the Du Pont pulls her close, hugging her in the middle of the crowded dance floor, their movements ceasing to a slow back and forth swaying.
It throws Chloe to a stop, her heart beating hard and her thoughts crashing into memories that are starting to spill as she holds Beca tightly against her that it's almost hard to breathe.
"I shouldn't have walked away. I should've open the door, Becs. I should've—" her mumblings cut short as Beca hushes her, a hand caressing the back of her head.
"We can't take yesterday back, Chlo. What we have is now and tomorrow. And I will be here always, now and tomorrow. I'm right here with you, until the end," she whispers as Chloe's tears start to fall. The heaviness of her chest starting to explode as her lips slip out the words she'd been dreading to say for weeks.
"But you're not… you won't be and I don't think I can keep you like this forever," she chokes out a sob. She cries, opening her eyes to find her arms empty as she stands alone in the middle of the crowded club.
She doesn't know how she makes it there but she does, crouching and crawling in the old pathway towards the old weeping willow standing at the edge of the Du Pont's garden, near the lake. There, she crashes down the ground underneath the tree, curled up in a ball as she cries her heart out with only memories to console her.
It takes her a while to calm down, resting against the bark of the tree just as she had years ago. The lake still looked so beautiful and peaceful that this maybe the perfect place to finally let her go. It wasn't goodbye though. It was goodnight. It seemed more fitting because someday, somewhere perhaps in a different time, Chloe knows, they'd meet again. And maybe then, finally, she can make up for all the mistakes she has done.
"Goodnight, Becs," she whispers to the wind, the fireflies carrying her wishes as they dance around the lake.
She breathes in deep and exhales, feeling lighter than before. Placing a hand over her chest, she closes her eyes and feels, truly feels for the half of her heartbeat. It's still there, stronger than ever. Their connection after all transcends time and space, Chloe believes so and it's something she'd carry for the rest of her life.
Her emotions now calming down, she feels tired and heavy from crying so much. Her eyelids fluttering close as she hopes that underneath their willow tree, nightmares wouldn't even attempt to visit her. Now she understands why Beca loves sleeping at a place like this.
Here, she is safe.
The nightmares don't come, only reminders of Beca warmly encasing her in a soft embrace. Her scent flowing everywhere bringing a sense of familiarity that it wakes her up. She slowly opens her eyes, the sky wasn't as dark now but that wasn't what Chloe notices first.
It was deep calming blue eyes looking down at her and maybe this was the best dream she's had after nights of terrible images swirling around her. Beca was crouching down in front of her, face so close to her, body leaning towards her, a hand up against the tree Chloe was leaning on to hold her balance while the other hovers near her head. She pauses when Chloe looks up at her for a while before moving her hand again to pluck out… a leaf? A small leaf that had probably landed on her hair while she was sleeping.
Beca gets rid of it with a flick of her fingers before leaning back and Chloe gets a good look at her. This Beca had lighter brown hair that almost crosses the line from brunette to blonde. She takes note of the black military jacket, black cotton shirt and shorts underneath, and black hiking boots. This is certainly, a very specific and odd dream.
Reaching out, Chloe's fingers slowly touch Beca's face, warmth coursing through her skin while, adorably, Beca blinks a couple of times looking confused. Gently, she slides her hand to the Du Pont's chest, right above where her heart is beating rapidly in a familiar melody.
The same melody of the beat drumming inside her own chest slowly makes Chloe eyes widen.
Wait a minute
Beca taps her fingers on her own knee, a tinge of pink adding colour to her cheeks while she clears her throat, shifting a bit awkwardly.
This can't be
"Exactly, so move, idiot. This is my tree and that's my spot,"
A/N:
Okay. It's MONDAY! Which means I have updated late. Now let me tell you pretty people why. It's because it's the season when little wobbly introverts (like me) are greatly forced to come out of their pillow forts and into the harsh world ruled by extroverts. My days are totally going to get even busier in the coming weeks and on top of that my stupid internet connection has suddenly decided to take an early Christmas vacation. That bitch. But would all that stop me from posting?
No.
So here's chapter 14 for you adorable assholes!
Oh. Wow. I didn't expect the sudden increase of comments. Where'd you all come from? Or I meant to say, you guys make my heart grow ten times bigger and I'm really happy that people are actually reading my work (and god all the kind words that I'm not sure I deserve! -secretly slides money under the table-). Guess I'll go take a deep breath and try to reply to all of your comments.
Guest: Well, I was aiming for the heart. So, yeah, painful indeed.
justgottadoit: If only I can double up the speed of my writing really. My brain goes like a million miles per second but my poor fingers can't follow.
ohsparemethebull: You're passion, fervor and dedication is beautiful. It's art. I love it. Thank you for sticking with the story in spite of everything.
pipitz009: Thanks! Hope this latest chapter kept up with the intensity and didn't disappoint.
destinedtobefree: That's actually a great word to describe the last chapter. Thanks!
jlk215: Somebody needs to point it out to them. And definitely unbearable. Imagine buying a really expensive sports car or any gadget, the latest model, and as soon as you step out of the store somebody takes it from you and tears it apart right in front of your face. Or buying pizza or anything delicious only to drop it down the cold floor right outside your house. Or my analogy sucks so don't take it seriously. No, Chloe does not have a bind to Tom. Unless they do the same binding thing she did with Beca or... seal the deal. For the latter, it's called the soulmate bond (a much deeper bond than what she and Beca have) & this is going to take a lot of explaining. To summarize it, a lot of vampires say that sometimes when looking for your soulmate / soul bound you just feel it. A simple touch, eyes connecting across the room or an electric current surging through their veins with just one kiss. It's like magnet. Once you decide to take the final step to forever, vampires then do the thing and mark their lovers. Blood, mind and soul all connected as one. It's a marriage without divorce or annulment.
hakunamatatahum: Definitely more surprises. Hopefully, this time they'll be pleasant and happy surprises. Thanks for reading!
kimmania: It is very cool. I hope you like the latest chapter.
RJRMovieFan: Thank you! It means a lot coming from someone who also writes great stories. As Beca says, Emily would be a much better leader than she is, way, way better. She is definitely a combination of Chloe and Beca. The aca-vampire-child would like to have both her moms back.
Comiiksde: Is it? That's sweet! I'm glad you loved it. I'm also glad you like Beca in this fic. She's everything I want Beca Mitchell to be in an alternate universe. Well, a binding is forever so... Oh! wow it's your favorite flower? Cool. It's a very special flower, so unique, beautiful and very rare. I actually had no idea something like that existed until I read about it. Hope you got some tissues ready for this chapter too. Thank you so much! There are a lot of much better authors out there honestly and it's just... thank you, really. I'd really love to do that playdate thing (even if you are petty and won't share all your science secrets to me). If only I wasn't broke and could fly to wherever you are.
nellesalvador: Ah yes it is. I intended it to be a dark story. But not too much. Thanks for reading!
theretheygoagain: "Heartbreaking yet heartwarming" I like that. That's probably the exact definition of this fic or at least, what I want this fic to feel like. Oh there will be fluff in the very far future... I think.
HappyReader: Thank you! I'm trying to give a hundred and one percent in every chapter.
cakedinmud: Yes she has. And yes they do. That's all correct. Beca may have the worst reputation but she is a real hero with a good heart, despite it being broken and all. Beca represents all those people who have been judged easily or misunderstood by others. The bullies never go away. They just got older.
Yuzu-chi01: Oh god no. I love Beca in any universe. I won't let them cut her apart! I guess I just didn't want to focus too much on the gore and the violence. In the end, it all still revolves around Beca and Chloe, and their individual stories that explain the whys, why nots and the hows. Hmm you mean Bechloe being the ones doing the torturing and being psychopathic murderers? That's another interesting story I might want to bump into someday. Yes, toilets are heroes just as Beca has said. Aww your poor dog. He/She needs snuggles and kisses. Thank you so much! I guess that means that I have to improve my writing further because I know you'll be reading it haha. Yup. Make it right afterwards. Got it. Umm. I'll... try?
Llvr: I'm sorry but there will be more angst until next week. Oh and here's another dramatic cliffhanger. Why? Because I like making you cuties go crazy. It warms my cold black icy panda heart. Thank you!
Sa0621: Well, I don't have words for all these generous compliments you've been throwing carelessly at me. It's too much! My heart can only fit a few of them or it'll burst. Also, I can hear you tapping your foot from here. I don't really mind the fangirl PMs. Please send me some. It doesn't annoy me. I live for things like that. Thanks for your continuous support to this fic. I really do appreciate it.
Kasia143: Oh no apologies needed. I like making people cry. Just kidding, not too much. Just a little bit. Haha. I love all this raw emotion spilling out of my screen. Makes me happy to know that I moved someone in some way. It inspires me to keep writing. So, thank you. Yes, a beautiful tragedy makes sense to me. This is what this chapter's about. Beca does have a brother, an older brother. He is like 29 years old, I think. Oh right, I'll read those history books. It's like an entertainment magazine but in the past.
Don't shut up, keep talking about those crushes! Until your best friend starts ripping out his/her hair because of annoyance. Haha. It's the best revenge for all the teasing.
DUUUUUDEEEE I HAVE! What in the fucking holy unicorns is happening? We've been blessed. Our captain and her Snow loves us so so much! I bet if they give Anna Kendrick full control of the movie, not only is Bechloe endgame but surely, there will be a love scene. I mean her, 'Get Brittany Snow naked in front of me,' in an interview is already telling. But she's not in control and those heterosexuals have the power so... we turn to fanfics instead! See ya next week too!
Parziwolf: Oh no! Let me just grab some tape and we can uhm piece it back together. Everybody needs a heart!
They were 11 years old, I believe. And nope those numbers don't signify anything in regards to the story. Personally, to me it does that's why I chose them.
I know, that song is like old but when you really listen to it, it tugs on your heart strings.
Well, I need to lighten up the mood because I can really hear hearts shattering down the ground and I'm running out of tape and glue.
Beca and Chloe's connection needs to be strong in order to communicate telepathically. I'd like to point out, that they have never done it before or successfully done it in the past and that parting scene between them was the first time it happened. The connection is like muscles that need to be exercised in order to be firm and tough. The desperation of that moment between them and the overwhelming feelings being spilled out after all those years of it being suppressed and dormant have somehow finally tapped into that telepathic connection, strengthening it and making it more powerful. Hope I explained that well.
My thanksgiving went well btw. Spent it with loved ones and lots of good food too! Hope you had a great one as well.
Thank you to everyone who favorited, followed and commented/reviewed Midnight Sunshine! I love and appreciate all of it. Write to you all next week. Until then just keep being awesome and don't forget to brush your teeth before going to bed.