The night so long ago

After we ate and drank our fill, my friends and I turned our attentions back to the matter-at-hand: the final test.

Okay snake eyes, what's the test? Angel demanded with a snicker from Damon and a sigh coming from Keegan. What do we do?

Jormungand hissed out a laugh along with his brother Fenris as a familiar fog rolled mysterious in and enveloped us.

"You watch." They said together as the mists shifted and slowly into a picture that became sharper and sharper. As it became clear, the blood in my veins froze and there was a collective gasp from the group.

A pretty blond girl was methodically brushing her long blond hair. She was seventeen, a recent graduate from high school and looked to be on top of her game.

She was dressed in an old fashion shift made of soft pink cotton, her gray eyes smiling back at her in the mirror as she brushed. Her feet were bare revealing manicured toenails painted the color of roses. I knew this girl and what she was thinking behind the calm facade. How? It was me, four years ago.

"Mother and Father have already decided what am going to do with my life I told my reflection. "I'm to accompany them to various charities of their choice and not the ones I've been giving to for years. I'm to begin dating some man of my parents' choice and soon after my twenty-first birthday, marry him."

I sighed, placing the brush down and leaning her head against the mirror. "And if I don't do as they say, they'll cut off my funds and my charities…" Tears began to fill my eyes.

"They won't be able to care for themselves. The children!" I cried. "Those poor homeless souls! And the battered women!" I collapsed to my knees in sobs.

"I can't keep living like this!" I moaned slamming my fists down at my sides. "I can't live being a puppet to my parents' whims."

"That isn't life." I whispered.

Suddenly with a wildness I never felt before, I sprang to my feet, jerked one of the cabinet drawers open and retrieved my nail file. I gripped my brush and madly filed almost every single prong to razor like sharpness then attacked my wrists with fervor.

Blood oozed from the wounds and the only thought I had been: I don't want to leave a mess when I go, I'll just crawl in the tub. And so I did.

"Maybe I should have left a note." I said weakly to myself. "Asked Julian to watch out for Madelyn. Told Damon to take care of Angel since my parents only got custody of Angel and Keegan because they were one of my charity cases."

Suddenly something struck me as my eyes drifted closed. Who's going to take care of Keegan?

"Stupid blond." I said before I lifted a strand of hair to my face and laughed before passing out when I discovered it red. Seconds later a younger Keegan pounded into the bathroom taking in the bloody scene.

"Oh Gods Piper, you didn't." he moaned lifting me from the tub and laying me delicately onto the hard floor.

Keegan desperately tore apart the room, ripping out towels and wash cloths from the cabinets. After discovering the shredded skin of my wrist, he wrapped the fabric tightly around it, ripped down the shower curtain and propped my wrists up with it and a few towels.

"Piper, wake up!" He cried and shook me then pressed the mounds of cloth back over the wounds when they fell. "Piper!"

My gray eyes fluttered open and attempted to focus on Keegan's frightened tear streaked face.

"Kee Gan?" I whispered with great difficulty.

Keegan almost began laughing hysterically but got a hold of himself and focused on the dying girl before him.

"What do you think you were doing?" he asked not embarrassed when his voice cracked. "Why did you do this to yourself?"

It was then I fell in love with Keegan. I had been with many guys, who were just as handsome as him. But none of them showed the concern for my well being that I saw now in Keegan.

I laughed at my discovery and gasped as everything around me began to fade. No! I thought. I can't die after finding love.

Keegan frantically shook me again, "Piper, don't you die on me!"

I fought Death! I fought him for Keegan!

Keegan was suddenly struck by an idea, rushed into my room and I shut my eyes growing still as he came back a short time later.

"Piper." He said quietly, fearing that I gave up as he took my left hand into his own.

I struggled to lift my eyelids and focus on Keegan. When I did, he continued.

"I need for you to repeat after me." He said. "Please?"

Before I could answer, Keegan placed the alexandrite and white gold ring he gave at graduation upon my ring finger.

"This ring, the symbol of my oath, will hold me to the words I speak: All I refuse and thee I choose."

Slowly and with an enormous amount of difficulty, I repeated the words that would forever bind my soul to Keegan.

"Now let's get you patched up." he told me obviously at ease with the situation. "Your parents will be home soon."

I began to hover in the air, my wounds healing, blood vanishing from my body and clothes, then floated into Keegan's lap asleep.

The vision ended and the mists vanished, taking us back to the pub where all eyes turned to me.

"Oh my God." Madelyn said with tears in her eyes. She began crying as Julian took her in his arms.

I can't believe you did that, Angel exclaimed throwing up her arms and began pacing. You are a million dollar princess and just because yer parents want you to marry big, you decide to hack yerself up!

"Angel." Keegan admonished.

She shot him a dirty look and glanced at Damon.

"I can't believe Piper did that either, carra." He told Angel shaking his head and muttered, "I wouldn't have expected that of Miss Sunshine Riley."

"Piper, how could you?" Anna cried while Rob gave me a hurt puppy dog look as he hug Anna to him. "Why didn't you, call one of us."

"Because I was afraid of this happening." I whispered avoiding everyone's sympathetic and shocked looks. "When Keegan told my parents they thought I did it for attention and refused his suggestions about seeking help."

I looked up at them. "It was something that was to never leave the house and if it did, I'd be disowned and everyone that depends on me would be left stranded."

"So you kept your mouth shut." Julian replied and I nodded.

I hate your parents, Angel exclaimed all of a sudden. When we get home, I am going to throttle those rich snobs for making you resort to those measures!

"Wherever you go I go" Damon said as he put his arm around Angel.

Madelyn pushed Julian back gently, "Me too. Nobody messes with my friends!"

"Yeah!" Rob and Anna shouted in unison.

I couldn't believe the scene before me. Here I was expecting my friends to think I was some nut and they're shouting about how they're going to beat my parents up. I looked at each of them and my eyes settled on Julian.

"Did you think we would turn on you?" he asked with a quirk of his lips.

I shook my head, "No, I thought you won't like me if you found out I almost committed suicide."

Angel shook her finger at me, I see your roots are showing so I'm going to ignore that childish remark.

Madelyn came over and hugged me, "Piper, you're my best friend. We've been through everything together. You and me and the rest of our friends will help ya just like you've done with all of us.

I looked over at Keegan and he smiled.

Just then someone began clapping. We all turned to see Raziel coming out of the shadows looking very smug.

"Well done, everyone." He told everyone as he looked at me, "You've made it through the Labyrinth, been through nightmares--- and desires untold and now must face me."

I rolled my eyes, "Cut the theatrics, let's get this over with."

"As you wish."

Uh oh

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