Disclaimer: I don't own this.
A/N: Hey. Sorry I was a bit long updating. I had course work, then my internet connection messed up :o( So sorry. Please keep the reviews coming in. I love hearing what you guys think. As usual thanks to my wonderful beta Dream Writer 4 Life. Well, on with the plot. R&R and Enjoy!!! - Bex
She was still so engrossed in the drawings that she didn't even hear the knock the first time. It wasn't until the person repeated this action - only louder this time - did her head snap up and face the door. "Yes?" She called cautiously, nervous about whom it might be. The last thing she wanted was another encounter with Kyi.
The doorknob turned and she was relived to see only Natalya entering. The maid carried a tray of sandwiches and a drink. Hanging over one of her extended arms were folded clothes. "Thank god you're in here," She sighed in relief. "I was worried when I couldn't find you in the library, but I ran into Mr. Kyi and he told me what happened. I'm sorry about him, but Mr. Kyi is." She paused as she tried to pick the right word, "Well, Mr. Kyi!"
She shrugged as if to say that there really was no other way to explain it and set the tray down on the dressing table. "Sorry there's not much food, but you're having a big meal tonight," Natalya apologised and placed the clothes neatly down on the bed.
Kate felt her fear grip her again as she grimly remembered what was happening tonight. The fact that she was going to be forced to have dinner with the one person she hated the most in the world. "Are those clothes for tonight?" Kate asked, not entirely sure if wanted to know the answer.
Natalya gave her a sad nod. "I'm sorry."
Moving over to where they lay in a tidy pile, Kate slowly picked up the clothes and inspected them wearily. It was a knee-length black skirt and a beautiful red lace top, perfect for important occasions; and under any other circumstances Kate would have been happy to wear them. She placed them back down, not caring if the got crumpled. Her eyes looked up to meet Natalya's look of sympathy. "I'm sorry Kate, but there's no other choice. I'll be back in a few hours to help you get ready," She stated. "Oh, and I brought you something in case you get bored."
She pulled a well-read book out of her apron pocket and extended it to Kate. Timidly, Kate took it and flipped it over so she could read the cover. "Great Expectations is a personal favourite of mine," Natalya explained. "Thought that you might want to read it."
Turning, she began to head towards the door, but Kate called her back; "Natalya?" Natalya turned back round to face her with a questioning smile. "Thanks," Kate finished quietly. Natalya gave her a nod of understanding, then left her alone once more with her thoughts.
Kate put down the book and stared at the food. Being reminded of tonight put her off eating, but her baby didn't share those feelings. Slowly, Kate forced herself to nibble the food.
Looking up into the mirror, she realised that silent tears had crept down her face again. She brushed them roughly away and stared at her gaunt features. Why her? Why her child? What was it that made her family so significant to Rambaldi? How she loathed that man and his stupid prophecies.
"It's not fair," She whispered to her reflection, more tears staining her face. She wiped the back of her hand across her eyes and told herself to snap out of it. Running a hand through her unruly hair, Kate decided that she might as well have a shower.
The hot water poured over her skin. She closed her eyes, wishing that the water would wash her troubles away as well. She stood under the shower until the water turned icy cold, forcing her to get out. With a towel wrapped around her, she walked over to the foreboding clothes and gradually slipped them on.
The book sat on the table tempting her to examine the pictures once again. Giving into the lure, Kate sat down and delicately opened the book.
She looked carefully at a picture of a young girl frozen half way through a dance and dressed in a black and emerald dress. The outfit reminded her of the costumes she'd seen from 'The Riverdance'. The picture was set at some sort of carnival, which a held a large crowd of people there to watch. She read the caption at the bottom that was written in the same elegant handwriting as the beginning: 'Isabelle when she won her dance competition.'
Kate wondered if this was where her uncle had grown up, if this book held the key to his secretive past. Along with the pictures of her uncle when he was younger and the mysterious girl from his photo, there was another woman who appeared a number of times. She had curly, peppery-brown hair that reached just past her shoulders, hundreds of freckles speckled across her face and kind brown eyes. Kate had discovered from one of the captions that her name was Kathleen. Kathleen turned up in a number of times with her uncle; sometimes embracing him like a mother would her child.
There was a knock at the door, followed once more by Natalya. "I'm here to help you finish off getting ready," She smiled. She picked up a brush and began to smoothly pull it through Kate's hair. After it was free from tangles, Natalya began to braid it into a neat French-plat. The book on the table caught her eye. "What's that Kate?"
"I'm not really sure myself," Kate responded simply. "Natalya, how much do you know about my uncle?"
"What do you mean?"
"Like what has he told you about his past? Or things he likes?"
Natalya chuckled, "Mr. Sark is not a very open person. He trusts me more then most people, that's true, but he's still as much as a mystery to me as he is you. You probably know more then me and I've been working for him for about 15 years now."
She finished the braid and tied a black band around it to hold it in place. Then she crossed over to the fireplace and began to light the wood in it. Kate watched her and decided that if she couldn't rid herself of her curiosity about her uncle, then she would try to rid herself of the questions about Natalya.
"Natalya?"
"Yes Kate?"
"How did you end up with this life?" Kate inquired carefully. "With this job?"
Natalya prodded the fire with the poker, not turning once to look at Kate as she answered, "My Kyi's father was in the same line of work as he is now. He found me working as a low-paid waitress in a cheap bar. He offered to train me as a spy but," She paused as if uncomfortable at the memory, "I could never take another life. So I learned to be a maid and here I am."
"What about you family?"
Natalya's hand froze and her posture stiffened. "I don't have any. I'm an orphan. Abandoned actually. Apparently I wasn't the only child my mother dumped."
Kate felt a great swell of pity for her. She could tell that Natalya was upset by the memory, for the usual cheery twinkle in her eye had vanished. "Have you every tried to find any of your family?"
"Why?" Natalya demanded, poking the flames violently. "They never wanted to find me, so why should I want to find them?"
Kate was taken aback by the sudden change: almost as if it were another person. She heard the loathing, anger and hatred in Natalya's voice - something she thought the maid wasn't capable of. The usual kindness and gentleness in her features had vanished. Her eyes flickered eerily with the flames in the fireplace. Just like Kyi's did in her dream. This person scared Kate.
And as quickly as she had come, she disappeared once again. Natalya's rage quelled and she turned to Kate with pleading eyes. "Promise me that no matter what happens, even if you get away from here, you'll not give up your child for adoption," She begged.
"I promise," Kate agreed and placed a hand on her stomach as if to seal the promise.
Natalya's smile returned, but faded again when she saw the clock. "I need to bring you downstairs now Kate," She informed her dejectedly.
Kate's eyes flickered wildly from her to the clock. Her fear and dread were rising again, holding her in a tight grasp as Natalya helped her to her feet and led her to the dining room.
Sark was waiting for them outside the room. His grim mask was blemished with sympathy when he lay eyes on Kate. Natalya took her to him then gave Sark a quick nodded and left. Uncle and niece stood there in thick silence for a few dragging minutes. Neither of them dared to speak. Neither one of them knew what to say.
"She's in there, isn't she?" Kate's restrained voice broke the silence. He just gave her a curt nod. She wanted to beg him not to make her go through with this, not to force her to see that woman. But she knew it would be worthless; both of them had been robbed of choice along time ago.
"We need to go in now," He told her in a hushed tone, but the stillness made it sound louder.
She managed a feeble nod and he placed a hand on her back to guide her in - partly for comfort and partly to stop her from running away. They walked through the timber door and she froze as her eyes meet the cold orbs belonging to the lady sitting at the table. Her stomach knotted as Irina's twisted smile appeared on her face and she inspected her granddaughter up close for the first time. Kate felt claustrophobic, as her fear trapped herself in her own skin. Her mind screamed at her to turn and run, but terror rooted her to the spot.
Sark nudged her gently to bring her back to him. She looked into his eyes and that gave her the strength to move and sit down in her chair. Her uncle then moved to his place at the opposite side of the table. Kate eyes were fixed on Irina in dreaded anticipation. This was it: there was no turning back now.
Natalya entered carrying plates of rice, lamb and vegetables and started to hand them out. Kate noticed that her eyes darkened into a deadly glare when she gave Irina her food, but Irina was too busy staring at Kate to notice this.
"You can go now," Irina dismissed her abruptly. Natalya nodded politely, but stole another icy glance in her direction before she exited.
"Kate," Irina addressed her, her unfeeling smile widening, "I've been waiting for this moment for such a long time now. Over 18 years to be precise."
Kate felt sick. But something else was stirring in her senses. Something powerful. She let her fear recede and her rage engulf her once again. Her hatred and loathing made a fire run through her blood. She was no longer afraid.
"Where's my mother?" She demanded frostily.
"Kate." Sark warned, but she cut across him.
"WHERE IS SHE?"
Irina looked amused at this outburst, which only fuelled Kate's rage more.
"She's safe Kate, don't you worry. But it's you we here to talk about. Such a great thing you are carrying. Your child will bring greatness."
"No!" Kate snapped. "You're just going to use my child for your own gain, no one else's. You're going to yet again destroy another human's life just like you did my uncle, my parents and my own. You selfish bitch. I hate you."
Irina's smile vanished; her eyes began to darken in warning. Kate's furry blinded her from seeing the warning sign but Sark spotted it instantly. He knew he needed to stop her before she went to far. "Kate," He warned louder this time.
"No. I would be quiet. Don't you understand? I hate her. I HATE HER. She's a pathetic excuse for a human being and destroys everything she touches."
"That's enough," Irina boomed and fixed her menacing glare on Kate. Kate's rage backed down, letting her fear take over again. "I will not be spoken to like that. Get one thing straight now, Kate, you have no choice. No options. You haven't since the day you were born. And nor will your child. The prophecy rules our life and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make it come true. I don't care about the consequences achieving this will have. You can't escape. You'll never be able to escape. You're trapped wherever you are and no matter where you go."
Kate's anxiety began to choke her, stopping her breathing any oxygen in. Her eyes began to flood with tears. All of her emotions collided together, mixing up one with the next, causing her head to swim. She rushed to her feet and ran out of the room as fast as her legs would let her.
Sark abruptly stood up to follower her. "Don't Sark," Irina ordered, but he ignored her.
"Kate? Kate?" He called down the empty corridor, his mask betraying him and letting the fear his heart felt for her show.
Kate somehow in her confusion ended up back at her room. She rushed through the door, letting it slam behind her and curled up in a tight ball on the bed. Her cascade of tears blinded her vision and she sobbed loudly into the silent darkness. She had lost the only thing she had left: her hope.
Kate felt the cool metal of the necklace her uncle had given her brush again her neck. She grated the small cross tightly in her hand, the points digging into her palm. And for the first time in her life, she prayed to who ever was listening to save her from this fate. She stayed like this for what seemed like an eternity, until she'd cried herself to sleep.
Sark gently opened the door a few hours later, careful not to make a sound. He crossed over to the chair in the room and sat there watching Kate in tormented thoughts. She shifted restlessly, her face twisted in false pain. There was only one person in the world that he hated more then his mother: himself.
She twisted violently again in her restless sleep. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. What had he done? What was he to do? Kate then began to mutter something in her sleep; quietly at first, but then the muttering grew more intense.
"Questa donna qui rappresentata possederà i contrassegni unseen. I segni che sarà quella producono i miei impianti. Leghili con furia, una rabbia burning a meno che evitato a costo che vulgar questa donna renderà l'alimentazione più grande unto il desolation assoluto."
He froze. Two things that distressed his mind; first: he didn't know that Kate knew any Italian and second: she had just repeated the prophecy written on page 47.
"Non può riuscire senza la chiave," She mumbled suddenly. "I scopre la chiave. Devo proteggere la chiave da lei. Non deve guadagnare la chiave."
'She can not succeed without The Key. I bear The Key. I must protect The Key from her. She must not gain The Key.'
Sark rushed over as Kate's movement turned more and more violent, struggling with the quilt around her. "Kate," He whispered urgently, gently stroking her hair in an attempt to calm her. "Kate wake up. Kate!"
She twisted out of his grip. She let out a sudden gasp and bolted upright, her panicked eyes wide open. Kate looked at her uncle and her uncontrollable tears took over again. Sark pulled her into his arms and held her tightly.
"Sh. It's all right Kate. It's all right. It was just a dream," He soothed. "Only a dream."
"I don't want to be here anymore," She confessed through her sobs. "I can't do this anymore. I just want to go home."
His heart tightened and he held her closer. He had promised himself that he would never let Irina ruin her life like she did his. But instead of doing that, he'd helped her succeed. He was disgusted at himself, at what he'd become. But what other choice did he have? Were there any?
A/N: What do you think? Go on; hit that little button NOW!!
A/N: Hey. Sorry I was a bit long updating. I had course work, then my internet connection messed up :o( So sorry. Please keep the reviews coming in. I love hearing what you guys think. As usual thanks to my wonderful beta Dream Writer 4 Life. Well, on with the plot. R&R and Enjoy!!! - Bex
She was still so engrossed in the drawings that she didn't even hear the knock the first time. It wasn't until the person repeated this action - only louder this time - did her head snap up and face the door. "Yes?" She called cautiously, nervous about whom it might be. The last thing she wanted was another encounter with Kyi.
The doorknob turned and she was relived to see only Natalya entering. The maid carried a tray of sandwiches and a drink. Hanging over one of her extended arms were folded clothes. "Thank god you're in here," She sighed in relief. "I was worried when I couldn't find you in the library, but I ran into Mr. Kyi and he told me what happened. I'm sorry about him, but Mr. Kyi is." She paused as she tried to pick the right word, "Well, Mr. Kyi!"
She shrugged as if to say that there really was no other way to explain it and set the tray down on the dressing table. "Sorry there's not much food, but you're having a big meal tonight," Natalya apologised and placed the clothes neatly down on the bed.
Kate felt her fear grip her again as she grimly remembered what was happening tonight. The fact that she was going to be forced to have dinner with the one person she hated the most in the world. "Are those clothes for tonight?" Kate asked, not entirely sure if wanted to know the answer.
Natalya gave her a sad nod. "I'm sorry."
Moving over to where they lay in a tidy pile, Kate slowly picked up the clothes and inspected them wearily. It was a knee-length black skirt and a beautiful red lace top, perfect for important occasions; and under any other circumstances Kate would have been happy to wear them. She placed them back down, not caring if the got crumpled. Her eyes looked up to meet Natalya's look of sympathy. "I'm sorry Kate, but there's no other choice. I'll be back in a few hours to help you get ready," She stated. "Oh, and I brought you something in case you get bored."
She pulled a well-read book out of her apron pocket and extended it to Kate. Timidly, Kate took it and flipped it over so she could read the cover. "Great Expectations is a personal favourite of mine," Natalya explained. "Thought that you might want to read it."
Turning, she began to head towards the door, but Kate called her back; "Natalya?" Natalya turned back round to face her with a questioning smile. "Thanks," Kate finished quietly. Natalya gave her a nod of understanding, then left her alone once more with her thoughts.
Kate put down the book and stared at the food. Being reminded of tonight put her off eating, but her baby didn't share those feelings. Slowly, Kate forced herself to nibble the food.
Looking up into the mirror, she realised that silent tears had crept down her face again. She brushed them roughly away and stared at her gaunt features. Why her? Why her child? What was it that made her family so significant to Rambaldi? How she loathed that man and his stupid prophecies.
"It's not fair," She whispered to her reflection, more tears staining her face. She wiped the back of her hand across her eyes and told herself to snap out of it. Running a hand through her unruly hair, Kate decided that she might as well have a shower.
The hot water poured over her skin. She closed her eyes, wishing that the water would wash her troubles away as well. She stood under the shower until the water turned icy cold, forcing her to get out. With a towel wrapped around her, she walked over to the foreboding clothes and gradually slipped them on.
The book sat on the table tempting her to examine the pictures once again. Giving into the lure, Kate sat down and delicately opened the book.
She looked carefully at a picture of a young girl frozen half way through a dance and dressed in a black and emerald dress. The outfit reminded her of the costumes she'd seen from 'The Riverdance'. The picture was set at some sort of carnival, which a held a large crowd of people there to watch. She read the caption at the bottom that was written in the same elegant handwriting as the beginning: 'Isabelle when she won her dance competition.'
Kate wondered if this was where her uncle had grown up, if this book held the key to his secretive past. Along with the pictures of her uncle when he was younger and the mysterious girl from his photo, there was another woman who appeared a number of times. She had curly, peppery-brown hair that reached just past her shoulders, hundreds of freckles speckled across her face and kind brown eyes. Kate had discovered from one of the captions that her name was Kathleen. Kathleen turned up in a number of times with her uncle; sometimes embracing him like a mother would her child.
There was a knock at the door, followed once more by Natalya. "I'm here to help you finish off getting ready," She smiled. She picked up a brush and began to smoothly pull it through Kate's hair. After it was free from tangles, Natalya began to braid it into a neat French-plat. The book on the table caught her eye. "What's that Kate?"
"I'm not really sure myself," Kate responded simply. "Natalya, how much do you know about my uncle?"
"What do you mean?"
"Like what has he told you about his past? Or things he likes?"
Natalya chuckled, "Mr. Sark is not a very open person. He trusts me more then most people, that's true, but he's still as much as a mystery to me as he is you. You probably know more then me and I've been working for him for about 15 years now."
She finished the braid and tied a black band around it to hold it in place. Then she crossed over to the fireplace and began to light the wood in it. Kate watched her and decided that if she couldn't rid herself of her curiosity about her uncle, then she would try to rid herself of the questions about Natalya.
"Natalya?"
"Yes Kate?"
"How did you end up with this life?" Kate inquired carefully. "With this job?"
Natalya prodded the fire with the poker, not turning once to look at Kate as she answered, "My Kyi's father was in the same line of work as he is now. He found me working as a low-paid waitress in a cheap bar. He offered to train me as a spy but," She paused as if uncomfortable at the memory, "I could never take another life. So I learned to be a maid and here I am."
"What about you family?"
Natalya's hand froze and her posture stiffened. "I don't have any. I'm an orphan. Abandoned actually. Apparently I wasn't the only child my mother dumped."
Kate felt a great swell of pity for her. She could tell that Natalya was upset by the memory, for the usual cheery twinkle in her eye had vanished. "Have you every tried to find any of your family?"
"Why?" Natalya demanded, poking the flames violently. "They never wanted to find me, so why should I want to find them?"
Kate was taken aback by the sudden change: almost as if it were another person. She heard the loathing, anger and hatred in Natalya's voice - something she thought the maid wasn't capable of. The usual kindness and gentleness in her features had vanished. Her eyes flickered eerily with the flames in the fireplace. Just like Kyi's did in her dream. This person scared Kate.
And as quickly as she had come, she disappeared once again. Natalya's rage quelled and she turned to Kate with pleading eyes. "Promise me that no matter what happens, even if you get away from here, you'll not give up your child for adoption," She begged.
"I promise," Kate agreed and placed a hand on her stomach as if to seal the promise.
Natalya's smile returned, but faded again when she saw the clock. "I need to bring you downstairs now Kate," She informed her dejectedly.
Kate's eyes flickered wildly from her to the clock. Her fear and dread were rising again, holding her in a tight grasp as Natalya helped her to her feet and led her to the dining room.
Sark was waiting for them outside the room. His grim mask was blemished with sympathy when he lay eyes on Kate. Natalya took her to him then gave Sark a quick nodded and left. Uncle and niece stood there in thick silence for a few dragging minutes. Neither of them dared to speak. Neither one of them knew what to say.
"She's in there, isn't she?" Kate's restrained voice broke the silence. He just gave her a curt nod. She wanted to beg him not to make her go through with this, not to force her to see that woman. But she knew it would be worthless; both of them had been robbed of choice along time ago.
"We need to go in now," He told her in a hushed tone, but the stillness made it sound louder.
She managed a feeble nod and he placed a hand on her back to guide her in - partly for comfort and partly to stop her from running away. They walked through the timber door and she froze as her eyes meet the cold orbs belonging to the lady sitting at the table. Her stomach knotted as Irina's twisted smile appeared on her face and she inspected her granddaughter up close for the first time. Kate felt claustrophobic, as her fear trapped herself in her own skin. Her mind screamed at her to turn and run, but terror rooted her to the spot.
Sark nudged her gently to bring her back to him. She looked into his eyes and that gave her the strength to move and sit down in her chair. Her uncle then moved to his place at the opposite side of the table. Kate eyes were fixed on Irina in dreaded anticipation. This was it: there was no turning back now.
Natalya entered carrying plates of rice, lamb and vegetables and started to hand them out. Kate noticed that her eyes darkened into a deadly glare when she gave Irina her food, but Irina was too busy staring at Kate to notice this.
"You can go now," Irina dismissed her abruptly. Natalya nodded politely, but stole another icy glance in her direction before she exited.
"Kate," Irina addressed her, her unfeeling smile widening, "I've been waiting for this moment for such a long time now. Over 18 years to be precise."
Kate felt sick. But something else was stirring in her senses. Something powerful. She let her fear recede and her rage engulf her once again. Her hatred and loathing made a fire run through her blood. She was no longer afraid.
"Where's my mother?" She demanded frostily.
"Kate." Sark warned, but she cut across him.
"WHERE IS SHE?"
Irina looked amused at this outburst, which only fuelled Kate's rage more.
"She's safe Kate, don't you worry. But it's you we here to talk about. Such a great thing you are carrying. Your child will bring greatness."
"No!" Kate snapped. "You're just going to use my child for your own gain, no one else's. You're going to yet again destroy another human's life just like you did my uncle, my parents and my own. You selfish bitch. I hate you."
Irina's smile vanished; her eyes began to darken in warning. Kate's furry blinded her from seeing the warning sign but Sark spotted it instantly. He knew he needed to stop her before she went to far. "Kate," He warned louder this time.
"No. I would be quiet. Don't you understand? I hate her. I HATE HER. She's a pathetic excuse for a human being and destroys everything she touches."
"That's enough," Irina boomed and fixed her menacing glare on Kate. Kate's rage backed down, letting her fear take over again. "I will not be spoken to like that. Get one thing straight now, Kate, you have no choice. No options. You haven't since the day you were born. And nor will your child. The prophecy rules our life and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make it come true. I don't care about the consequences achieving this will have. You can't escape. You'll never be able to escape. You're trapped wherever you are and no matter where you go."
Kate's anxiety began to choke her, stopping her breathing any oxygen in. Her eyes began to flood with tears. All of her emotions collided together, mixing up one with the next, causing her head to swim. She rushed to her feet and ran out of the room as fast as her legs would let her.
Sark abruptly stood up to follower her. "Don't Sark," Irina ordered, but he ignored her.
"Kate? Kate?" He called down the empty corridor, his mask betraying him and letting the fear his heart felt for her show.
Kate somehow in her confusion ended up back at her room. She rushed through the door, letting it slam behind her and curled up in a tight ball on the bed. Her cascade of tears blinded her vision and she sobbed loudly into the silent darkness. She had lost the only thing she had left: her hope.
Kate felt the cool metal of the necklace her uncle had given her brush again her neck. She grated the small cross tightly in her hand, the points digging into her palm. And for the first time in her life, she prayed to who ever was listening to save her from this fate. She stayed like this for what seemed like an eternity, until she'd cried herself to sleep.
Sark gently opened the door a few hours later, careful not to make a sound. He crossed over to the chair in the room and sat there watching Kate in tormented thoughts. She shifted restlessly, her face twisted in false pain. There was only one person in the world that he hated more then his mother: himself.
She twisted violently again in her restless sleep. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. What had he done? What was he to do? Kate then began to mutter something in her sleep; quietly at first, but then the muttering grew more intense.
"Questa donna qui rappresentata possederà i contrassegni unseen. I segni che sarà quella producono i miei impianti. Leghili con furia, una rabbia burning a meno che evitato a costo che vulgar questa donna renderà l'alimentazione più grande unto il desolation assoluto."
He froze. Two things that distressed his mind; first: he didn't know that Kate knew any Italian and second: she had just repeated the prophecy written on page 47.
"Non può riuscire senza la chiave," She mumbled suddenly. "I scopre la chiave. Devo proteggere la chiave da lei. Non deve guadagnare la chiave."
'She can not succeed without The Key. I bear The Key. I must protect The Key from her. She must not gain The Key.'
Sark rushed over as Kate's movement turned more and more violent, struggling with the quilt around her. "Kate," He whispered urgently, gently stroking her hair in an attempt to calm her. "Kate wake up. Kate!"
She twisted out of his grip. She let out a sudden gasp and bolted upright, her panicked eyes wide open. Kate looked at her uncle and her uncontrollable tears took over again. Sark pulled her into his arms and held her tightly.
"Sh. It's all right Kate. It's all right. It was just a dream," He soothed. "Only a dream."
"I don't want to be here anymore," She confessed through her sobs. "I can't do this anymore. I just want to go home."
His heart tightened and he held her closer. He had promised himself that he would never let Irina ruin her life like she did his. But instead of doing that, he'd helped her succeed. He was disgusted at himself, at what he'd become. But what other choice did he have? Were there any?
A/N: What do you think? Go on; hit that little button NOW!!