Disclaimer – I own no one in this story

A.N – this chapter's title comes from the song by Shinedown Call me. Some of the lyrics fit. I would suggest listen to the song if you have it while reading this chapter. The italics are snippets from the song. ONE MORE CHAPTER TO GO FOLKS!

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Chapter Twenty-Four

† Call Me †

Mr Wuggles had survived. Kiera sat on an unfamiliar bed, in the unfamiliar room that was serving as her bedroom until Lara's mansion was rebuilt, with her beloved bear in her hands. His glass eyes were staring up at her, managing to look slightly bemused at her tears that were spilling freely from her red eyes. She was crying because of the pain. Not the pain in her head, though it was pretty close to unbearable, after all the crying she had done over the last hour but more the pain in her heart. The pain of the wound that had been afflicted after someone had torn a very real and very important part out of her.

He had gone. Raphael, after he had been found hiding in the larder, had needed to go to the hospital the same time as Kiera and Melissa to go over their injuries, and Valentine had gone with them. An hour later, Raphael had checked out and they had both disappeared. There was nothing to say goodbye.

But she supposed that she expected it, or even perhaps deserved it. Valentine had seemed so set on losing his life to Talmai, that she must've expected that he would leave even with Talmai gone. She closed her eyes and pulled Mr Wuggles closer to her. He still smelled of smoke, even after three months.

But even though she deserved to lose him, after rushing recklessly ahead into a battle she could not win, and almost cost Valentine his life himself, she thought she deserved an explanation and a proper goodbye. Again her mind flickered back to their very last kiss, inside their little enclosure in the Croft Manor, when she had told him that she loved him. Her heart constricted. She did love him, more than anything in the world and he was gone. He told her that he loved her from the first day he set eyes on her, but was that really true? How could he leave if he loved her so much?

And without a goodbye, the wound would only fester and get infected with thoughts that perhaps he would come back and sweep her off her feet. For the first few days she had gone online religiously, her heart leaping every time someone came online but falling when she realised it wasn't who she was waiting for. Her email inbox remained empty and her phone did not ring. Soon she stopped going online, she stopped checking her mail and she stopped finding the strength to charge her phone when the battery ran out. Her Japanese friend, Tak, said he missed her when she had gone online sometime mid February but she could not find any words to explain why she hadn't come online. She said she had not been well and left it at that. She did not go online again.

I've said it so many times

I would change my ways

No, nevermind

God knows I've tried

Call me a sinner, call me a saint

Tell me it's over I'll still love you the same

Call me your favourite, call me the worst

Tell me it's over I don't want you to hurt

It's all that I can say. So, I'll be on my way

And as she sat with her bear, the sun setting somewhere beyond the smaller but by no means less luxuriant house they were now occupying, it only just sank in that it was her eighteenth birthday. The last birthday she had was made complete by Valentine's gift and his card. It was just as well that the fire claimed the card as well as most things in her room. In fact Mr Wuggles was the only thing to have survived, but she supposed that was because she loved him so much. At this time in her life, she needed him. Her durable friend.

She liked to think that she had not completely broken down when Valentine left. But she wasn't how she had been before. She was still Kiera, but everyone, Kurtis especially to immense surprise, had noticed a change in her. Melissa and Zip were being very careful around her when it came to couple-y things, but with Amanda and Gerald, it was harder as their relationship was still so new. Kiera didn't really mind. It kept her mind from the pain.

Kiera sighed and fell back into her pillows, placing her bear on her stomach as she closed her eyes, listening to the sound of footsteps on the east wing stairs. She frowned. What did they want now?

She counted in her head, and by the time she reached thirty, there was a faint knock on her door. When Kurtis came to her room, he was more hesitant and it took him close to a minute to reach her room from the stairs. He thought he was invading Kiera's privacy in her bedroom, which she understood but didn't agree with. No matter how much she told him that he needn't worry, he still apologised as he opened her door. Lara, on the other hand, was businesslike and would reach her room in just under twenty seconds, and rapped on the door impatiently with her knuckles.

That's what confused Kiera. No one else came to her room. And the hesitant knock, so much like Kurtis', but so different at the same time, matched no one's demeanour in the whole house. She frowned a little but then remembered. Lara was constantly being told to take things easy by Kurtis, especially with the baby that was now on its way, so perhaps she was finally heeding his warnings, taking things slower, being more careful.

"Come in." Kiera sighed, her eyes still closed.

She heard the door open and there was a heartbeat of silence.

"Hello Kiz." She would have recognised his voice anywhere. She would have heard it if she were underwater, she would've heard that voice amidst a roaring gale and she would have heard it inside a room full of people all talking as loud as they could, and he were on the other side of the room… whispering. Her eyes snapped open and she shot into a sitting position, her eyes immediately homing in on his body, still wearing a black knee-length woollen coat that was flecked by tiny orbs of rainwater. His long hair was pulled back and mostly wet with a single lock curling downward, following his jaw, a tiny drop of water weighing the tip down. She searched his face. He was as pale as she remembered, and the scar was still there, a soft pink line from temple to jaw, and the emerald colour of his eyes was disarming, a brighter green than her mind could grasp, even in her most vivid imaginings. He was wearing a pair of black suit trousers and a pair of shiny black shoes. He looked like he had just been to a funeral.

"Valentine." Her voice, to her immense displeasure, broke and she felt her eyes burn again, the tears that didn't exist begging to be set free. Mr Wuggles rolled off her stomach and onto the floor and she scooped to fetch him. She would need him. "What… what are you doing here?"

"I came to wish you a Happy Birthday." He said softly, his face carefully expressionless.

Her stomach twisted. "A card would've been better." She whispered.

He sighed and walked forwards, lowering himself into a chair that was placed near her bed. He looked oddly out of place, like a picture that had been photoshopped to paste in a person who could never be seen in such a location. But here he was, a real fallen angel, sitting beside her bed.

"Who let you in?" She asked curiously when he did not speak.

"Gerald. I had to pay him fifty pounds to tell me how to get to your room. He said it's lucky that your parents aren't in. They'd have me hung, drawn and quartered apparently."

Oh snap. That was right. Lara and Kurtis went out for a dinner they had booked for Kiera, but when she said that she wasn't feeling well, they had gone without her, though Lara looked like she was about to stay and foil Kiera's escape plan. Maybe Kurtis had known Kiera wanted to be alone. She had thanked them for the gifts and had almost literally forced them out the house. They had been gone for a while… probably on the way home.

"They're probably on their way. You'd best leave before they get back." Her thoughts bubbled up her throat and out her mouth unconsciously and he smiled mirthlessly.

"Don't you want to talk? To be honest, I expected more shouting." He said, his eyes still on the floor. He had not looked her in the eye once.

Kiera shrugged. There was a lot she wanted to say, and yes, most of it would only sound right being screamed at the top of her lungs, but her heart wouldn't let her. After all, she never blamed him for leaving. "I really… don't know what to say." She said instead with a small frown on her face. She looked at his dear face. "I didn't expect to see you again." That wasn't lying exactly. She hadn't expected it. She wanted to see him again, she just didn't expect to.

"I want you in my life. I thought this might be better in person, so you can see that I'm being honest with you. I… can't be what you want me to be, no matter how much it kills me to say this. I never once lied when I told you I love you and when I say it now, it is still not a lie. Kiz, I do love you… and that is why I have to stay away."

"That makes no sense and you know it." She snapped, his words resurrecting the anger she had felt about a month after the business with Talmai. She was angry at how her life, after such a good year after Turkey, had turned around, showed her what she had in one perfect moment of bliss, and then ripped it away leaving her dead inside. She wanted to be angry at Valentine too. But she couldn't.

"It makes perfect sense." He said slowly. "As soon as you killed Talmai, Karel ran for it. It was pure luck on his side that Kurtis decided to unbind us when we were breaking the barrier. He's still out there somewhere, Talmai may be gone but there are still his brothers, Sheshai and Ahiman. If anyone ever wants to release them, they'll trace you through me and I cannot let that happen. You and your father are the last of the Lux Veritatis blood, if either of you fall into the enemies hands, then all is lost… sorceresses aren't so rare but a mix… and sorceresses and Lux Veritatis living in such close quarters? That is rare. Karel knew what your father was when he met him, and after a little digging he found Denyare's line. He found out that way but he is the only one that knows about your mother. It is only through my involvement that anyone could ever track you down and I won't allow that to happen."

Kiera forced her mouth shut, although all she wanted to do was repeat the words she had said to him once she had defeated Talmai. I can look after myself. That was partially true. Physically, she was able, but emotionally, without Valentine, she was dying.

He saw the look on her face and sighed. "Maybe this would've been better in a letter. I had everything sorted in my head… but now, seeing your face, I can hardly string a sentence together without sounding like an idiot."

Kiera couldn't help it. "You are a flaming idiot."

He smirked but didn't argue and Kiera continued. "Don't I have a say in this? This is all for my wellbeing after all. This is all to make sure that I survive? There is always going to be something dangerous in my life. I am some weird hodgepodge of supernatural beings and you expect me to be perfectly safe? I faced Talmai head-on. And I'm still breathing."

"You had help."

"From you!" Kiera shook her head in exasperation. "Valentine, you were my knight. Even when you were miles away after I came back to England a year ago-" had it really been that long? "- I knew that I would see you again, and that made all that time bearable. But these last three months… It has seemed so much longer than that year in total. I… can't do it."

He sighed and stood up, taking three long strides to her window, staring out into the dark. She stared at the back of his head, at the black ribbon that had been wound several times around his thick blond hair and finished with a neat but somehow masculine bow. She could see his reflection in the dark glass. He was frowning. "You depended on me." It wasn't a question but Kiera felt herself shaking her head automatically.

"No, I–" She began but Valentine cut her off rudely.

"Kiera. I know how you feel but this is–"

"No you don't!" She snapped suddenly, interrupting whatever he was about to say, and he looked at her, surprised. "You don't know how I feel! You're not the one who is being abandoned this way! When you disappeared, I didn't know what you were going to do! All I could think about was when I died and you were going to kill yourself. I thought that you were dead Valentine. After every day that passed, that my phone didn't ring, or you didn't come online, I became a little surer that you'd gone for good."

He stared at her for a long moment before he walked around her bed and perched on her coverlet, grasping her shoulders in his vice-like grip, emerald eyes boring into hers. "You think that there's any possibility of me dying when you are still alive and need my protection?" He asked her sternly. Kiera couldn't help it. She exploded.

"NEED YOUR PROTECTION?" She screamed making him leap slightly in shock, his hands releasing her immediately in case he had to run away. Either that or he was scared that she'd literally explode. "HOW THE HELL ARE YOU GOING TO PROTECT ME WHEN YOU'RE HUNDREDS OF MILES AWAY!? OR ARE YOU GOING TO – TO LURK IN THE DARKNESS LIKE A STALKER?! NEVER LETTING ME KNOW WHY THERE'S A DEAD DEMON ON MY DOORSTEP? WHAT IS THE POINT VALENTINE?" she stared at him, her chest rising and falling deeply as she drew in painful breaths. "What the hell is the point when I can't thank you? Or I can't see your face? Or kiss you? Or, heaven forbid, hold you? What the hell is the point? I want you to stay!"

He looked at her, his eyes full of pain. "I know you want me to stay, but I cannot see why, not when my race has caused you so much pain."

"Haven't you been listening to a word I've said?" She demanded. "I love you Valentine! Can you please listen to me and realise what it means? I'm serious. If walking on hot coals would convince you to stay, I would do it. If swimming from here to Japan would convince you, I would do it! Hell, if you asked me to marry you I would accept… a thousand times…" She wanted to touch his hand but she kept her hands balled into fists in her lap.

Valentine was staring at the wooden floor, his expression undecipherable. She couldn't tell whether he preferred this or the shouting.

"Valentine. I love you. I want to be with you. I really don't think–"

"Will you marry me?" He said suddenly, looking up. Kiera blinked in surprise and her eyes focused on his. He was looking straight at her, his shockingly bright eyes probing at her face, for the first time since he had come back, looking her right in the eye.

"W-what?" Kiera stammered.

"Will you, Kiera Croft, be my wife?"

Her voice was gone, swept away by his unbelievable words. He was sitting on her bed, leaning forward a little with his hands balled into fists on his knees, like he was forcing himself to keep them in place. His smooth face freed her tongue as she glanced back into his eyes. "Where… where did that come from?" She asked, pleased that her voice wasn't shaking.

He smirked. "I'm calling your bluff."

She had expected something like that. He wanted to prove to her that she was not as in love with him as she said she was and by doing so proving that staying with her was needlessly endangering her life. Her jaw jutted out stubbornly.

"Fine. I will."

Now it was his turn to allow his jaw to drop. "What?"

"I'll be your wife."

Slowly, a gentle light began to appear in eyes; the same light that had been there on that Christmas day, when everything was perfect, before Talmai had destroyed her life. He took a deep breath. "I'm going to take that seriously you know?" For some reason, Kiera didn't think he was calling her bluff anymore. She was beginning to think he was as serious as her.

She decided to gamble.

"I'm counting on that." She said softly, moving an inch closer to him. It was ludicrous that she was so nervous about being so close to him. Probably because he didn't belong to her anymore.

After a second, he grinned and reached out to her, his hand closing around the back of her neck before he pulled her against his mouth. She accepted the kiss gladly, her hands running along his shoulders, feeling the rough wool, one of her hands resting at the nape of his neck while the other pulled lightly at the black ribbon he used to keep his hair up. He broke from the kiss as his hair fell down to rest halfway down his back. "You really mean it?" He asked her, his eyes glowing.

Kiera nodded quickly. "Yep. Valentine I love you and I do want to marry you, sure it's early… and we won't be able to for a year or two... and I'm not going to tell mum and dad right away… but" She smiled. "I kinda like the thought of being an O'Ravn." At this Valentine laughed and he stroked Kiera's cheek with two fingers. After a moment the light in his eyes dimmed but didn't disappear completely.

"I just want you to be safe." He told her, but it didn't sound like an argument anymore.

Kiera smiled. "I will be. My dad says that he's going to teach me how to use my Chirugai properly soon, though he said I handled it like a pro when I killed Talmai."

Valentine nodded. "That you did. I was surprised at how fast it went. Not even Kurtis has that kind of precision. You must've been concentrating hard."

"Erm." Kiera chewed her lip. "I wasn't concentrating on what I was doing at all. I didn't try exactly. I knew that it would work because it had to. I had to stop you from killing yourself. That's twice now, you do realise that?"

The Nephilim grinned and gave a shrug. "I'm suicidal. What can I say?"

She ignored him and continued. "So I think that it's in your best interests if you stay with me. So I can make sure there are no sharp objects or nooses or homicidal maniacs for you to use to try end your existence."

Again he laughed, the light returning full force. "I could live with that." His smile faded but the light remained and he touched Kiera's hair. "Though I really don't think that I'll want to commit suicide with you as my wife. Were you really being serious?"

"Yes. I don't suppose you have a ring so I can prove how serious I am, do you?" She joked. He smirked and then took her left hand, placing one of his fingers upon her third finger and he muttered a single word. Then he drew his hand back and released hers.

There, sitting on her finger was a ring, bright as the sun, but as insubstantial as smoke, glittering gold and blue and blazing white in an engagement ring full of light, promise and love. It was in that moment that Kiera fully looked on herself as taken.

She remembered the movie stars her school friends – now merely friends that lived in her computer – had dreamed about, bringing photos into school and magazines, making up stupid stories on how they were going to marry this person and be the envy of every woman alive… Kiera had joined in, but she knew that those men were nothing compared to what was in store for her.

And as they sat, both staring at the magical yet already fading engagement ring on Kiera's finger, Kiera knew that if anyone saw her in that timeless moment… she would be the envy of every woman alive.

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"THE HELL IS HE DOING HERE?!" Kurtis hadn't even taken off his black leather jacket before his eyes met with the tall man that was standing in the entrance hall, his hand on Kiera's waist. His eyes were blazing with azure fire as he stared daggers at Valentine, who sighed and a mirthless smirk pulled up at one side of his mouth. He had expected this. Kurtis was going to be tough to win over but Lara… he wasn't so sure.

She followed soon after Kurtis had shouted, pulling off her own Swede jacket and handing it to a straight-faced Gerald, who had one hand out to take Kurtis' jacket, which he seemed to have forgotten about altogether. He gave an impatient cough but Kurtis ignored him.

"Hello Kurtis." Valentine said after the heavy silence started to get unbearable.

"You… What… I should… Death… Pain… Misery." Kurtis choked, his face turning from pink to red in record time. Lara placed a placating hand on his shoulder before she stepped around him and levelled a calm but disapproving look at Valentine. To him, that was worse than Kurtis' anger. Hell it was worse than his death threats, pain and misery included.

"Lara." Valentine's voice was a good deal weaker than it had been a moment before and he felt Kiera place her hand on his, the one still resting at her waist.

"What are you doing here Valentine?" She said in a tone of voice that perfectly matched her expression. He felt the impulse to run.

He looked at the floor and slowly slid his arm away from Kiera. She looked up at him questioningly, but she wasn't frightened. No, she knew that there was no way Valentine could leave her now, not after he had made such a promise to her, once he created that illusion. The ring was more than an illusion. It was an oath. The oath to be with her and love her until he died. If she died, he would still love her, and never ever love another. It is why Raphael could not have any more children. He had made the very same oath to Valentine's mother, and even after she died in that car accident, Raphael would never find another. Ever.

"I... had to speak to your daughter Lara. I should've spoken to her instead of leaving just like that but at the time it did seem like the best option. However, I realised that wasn't the case and I have attempted to rectify that mistake. We seem to have sorted things out but... I do need yours and Kurtis' permission to see her. Like before."

"Like hell!" Kurtis hissed but Lara glanced at him and he shut his mouth, but he did not lower his eyes from Valentine.

"Kiera?" Lara glanced at her daughter and Kiera met her gaze coolly.

"Everything's okay mum. Honest." She said quickly.

Lara shrugged. "If you're sure. Come on Kurtis. Let's leave these two lovebirds to talk." She winked at Valentine as Kurtis' face began to go blue. She dragged him away, but Valentine could hear his bots squeaking as he attempted to dig his heels into the wooden floor.

"You're sure?" Valentine said softly, giving her hand a quick squeeze.

Kiera grinned. "Final answer." She replied, reaching up on tiptoes to kiss him. Gerald smiled and walked away, leaving Kiera in the entrance hall in the arms of the man she had pined for the last three months.

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Thanks To:

Laraandkurtisfan97 – hehe They have no idea. Ive decided im going to be a famous actress and I'm going to win Rob Pattinson's heart :P coz im so amazing and all ;) haha so tell ur rob pattinson obsessed friend that she'll have to get through me first ;) thanks for your review as always ;) :D

Trfanfrombeg – Hehe i never noticed until u pointed that out :P and yeah there was a reason why he was dazed enough to allow Kiera to behead him so cleanly :P Sorta feel sorry for him :(

Rozzyrox – Lol! What film? And im glad u took ur time to review x thanks again! Xx

Elizard9594 – hehehe. A lot of ppl hate him though. When Legends first came out, i wasn't too fussed bout him, but then he sorta... got lame in Underworld :P annnnnd OMG! I should put a warning on my fanfic. *warning* may cause dizziness and faintness whenever the name *Valentine* is read. :P hehe I can guaranteeeeee ull like my next fic... if u still wanna read? :P Its called Adventures of Kiera Croft: The Hallow'd Ones :)