A/N: Hello again! Thank you for reading my fic so far! This is the second part - I PROMISE that the action will start in the next chapter... :) And I'm so happy! I already have one review! Thank you, ErikMySweet! It's deeply appreciated, that's for sure... Standard disclaimers apply - they're in the first chapter And here I present...

Consequences

They say that everyone has a soul-mate. When you find that one person, they will complete you. That person is out there somewhere, and when you find them, your heart will know. Your soul will rejoice. Your life will be fulfilled. What they did not say was that your soul-mate would be the one that would hurt you the most. That they would have someone else to turn to. That you're not the only one for them.

How I wish I knew that before.

Time was inconsequential after they were gone. All I could think of was that she left. She left me here to die, though I don't blame her. That first kiss woke the human part of me that was slowly succumbing to madness. I knew she had done it to save that fop boy of hers. Then she went for the second kiss. Oh, how I treasured that first kiss, but the second one was torturous. Did she believe that I needed any more convincing? Any more pity? I knew she had chosen him. That she would never be mine. But why did she have to twist the knife? And to come back, heightening my hopes, only to have them crash even harder. Why did she not just leave when I told her to? Why?

Christine, why? Why?

I wish I could hate her. Hate her for all the pain she caused me when she tore my heart out and trampled it. I can't, though. I can never hate her. She is my life, my light, my muse… my song… I cannot hate the only speck of light in my darkness. I cannot hate my soul-mate. I cannot even place blame on her, knowing the blame is mine and mine alone. I could not fight fate. Fate decided that she was not to be mine, no matter how my soul rejoiced when she was near. No matter how much I yearned to be with her. Fate decided that Christine was not to be mine. When she took off my physical mask that one cursed moment, she also removed my other mask from me as well. She removed herself.

Who am I to fight fate? Fate dealt me these cards long ago, and no matter how much I challenge her, I will always lose. Of all people, I will be the first to lose to fate. After all, I lost before I even began to play the game of life. I don't want to play the game anymore… She took with her everything that sustained me. I no longer had the illumination that I had come to depend on.

I can never be alive again. I may exist, but I can never be alive.

My masks are gone.

I am bare to all of humanity.

My sins have come back to haunt me.

The consequence of sin is death.

I have to suffer my consequences.