Title: Final Goodbye

Disclaimer: The Night World belongs to L.J.Smith, as does the Soulmate Principle and any recognisable characters. Plot and any characters you don't know belong to me.

A/N: Well this will be the last part of BL untill the weekend and I have time to type...enjoy and make sure you review!


The clock on the wall showed exactly how long Adriana had been gone. Four hours thirteen minutes and eleven seconds. Storm looked at the clock again and tried to tell himself that he hadn't meant what he had said. He couldn't. In all honestly he never wanted to hurt her but he also didn't want to lie to her either. The past few months had been difficult to say the least but the last week had been just plain stupid. Soulmates or not they weren't meant to be together, not in this life, maybe not in any life. He loved her but that didn't stop him hating her as well. He hated her because he hated himself, hated what he'd become since he had left Nightrise. He didn't belong here. He packed a bag with the few clothes and things he had acquired over his seven months away from Nightrise. A picture of him and Adriana lay on top as he closed the bag. A frozen memory of better times, his reason for being trapped on paper. He was leaving, for good.

The rain was still falling steadily as Adriana continued to walk though the wet streets. Her mind was in chaos as she replayed every argument that she and Storm had had over the past few months.

'We aren't meant to be like this,' she thought, ' finding your soulmate was meant to mean that you had found your other half, you were now complete, happy. How could my life end up so screwed up?' she asked herself. Adriana stopped suddenly as everything that Storm had just said rushed back from whatever part of her mind she'd tried to hide the memory. The ground was cold as she collapsed onto the pavement, water soaked into the tops of her jeans and more tears tracked her face. Oh Goddess, what have we done?

With his bags packed Storm was almost ready to leave. He knew he had to talk to Adriana before he left. Suddenly the Soulmate link flared Oh Goddess, what have we done? Strom could feel tears that weren't his trace his cheeks before the salty droplet touched lips, Strom could feel the pain that washed over Adriana.

Storm followed the connection determined to say his last goodbye. Determined to make her see that they were not meant to be together. Hell, he knew he was lying to himself; he just wanted to see her one last time. He found Adriana sat next to a small stream in a local park; rain mixed with the tears he knew traced her cheeks.

"I'm sorry Ri," Storm whispered. He watched as Adriana turned towards him, taking in his looks, words, and the small bag he held in his hand, she closed her eyes against the pain. "Loving you wasn't a mistake Ri. Trying to change myself into what you deserve was. I am what I am. I wont change that. I'm not even going to try anymore. Not even for you. I never wanted to hurt you but we can't carry on like this, it's killing m and I'm taking it out on you. II love you more than I ever thought I could, I cant stand the thought of hurting you again." Storm's voice was steady but filled with pain, both it and his eyes as he spoke.

"I ever wanted you to change for me. I loved you as you were." Adriana's whispered, her hand finding his as he knelt on the wet ground beside her.

"You deserve better than me and I am. Defiantly better than what I was." Storm leaned in close and their eye's locked.

"How can two people supposedly destined to be together be so wrong for each other?" Adriana asked softly.

"I don't know Ri. If there was a way to sort this, so we could be together, I would do it in a heartbeat, but I don't know anyway to ort this but for me to just leave." Thunder rolled in the air above them. "I love you." Storm whispered on her lips, the gentlest kiss followed. Lightning flooded the sky and power rolled across the earth, shattering the solid reality that had been there only moments before.