One Rainy Night Part 2

Stephanie stared out into the darkened night sky. She wore only the Hotel's plush robes, half a glass of wine in one hand as her other arm wrapped around her waist. There were no stars to be seen. Not tonight. The city always took that away. It was something she really disliked about living inside a concrete jungle. Her eyes drifted down to the streets below, a different view from what she usually saw. At her own place she was down below living where the lights glowed and people did their everyday routines. Now, here she was high above the streets and could see a vast and wonderful view of the city. In its own right it was beautiful.

Taking another sip she swirled the wine in her mouth before swallowing it. She twirled the glass slowly, her nails tapping at it as if deciding what to do, so she downed the rest and refilled her glass. She might be living a brief life of luxury but she wasn't going to drink how they did. As soon as her glass was full she took another mouthful and realised she lost count of how many glasses she went through. She wasn't drunk, but she felt her senses begin to tingle.

She took her eyes away from the window just as rain started to fall. It patted against the window and grew steadily as heavier rain drops poured from invisible clouds in the night sky. Her mind was elsewhere though as she stared at the figure on the bed. He was still and unmoving, but in her experience he could be very awake and aware she was not beside him. She only realised then that she was smiling at her own thoughts and drifted off to how their night had transpired. It was wonderful.

A flash of lightning in the distance made her eyes look back out the window. The rain took her mind off the present to something else, to somewhere else, someone else. Her senses tingled again and she arched an eyebrow at her now empty glass.

"I should really stop," she whispered to herself and set the glass down and that was when she felt it. That somewhere, that something, that someone. It wasn't the wine making her senses tingle. It was him.

She wasn't sure if it was just her or the air around her had actually chilled. She wrapped the robe around herself more firmly and watched her own breath fog the window in front of her. She didn't want to turn around. She was afraid of what would happen, so she remained still. Her head tilted to allow her peripheral vision to see him. Nothing. No one was there. Her eyes darted back to the bed as Ranger rolled over onto his side.

"I drank too much. I'm imagining things." Stephanie thought to herself, but as she wanted to move towards the bed, she found herself unable to. Her legs wouldn't move from where she was and her senses sparked making her hairs stand on end as a lightning bolt lit up the sky. It was enough. She saw him. He was here, his reflection though miniscule and brief, she saw it clearly and instantly her body calmed again.

"Why are you here?" she whispered out to him, but he didn't answer her. "You shouldn't be here." Stephanie's voice suddenly changed as it got darker. Accusingly. She shifted her eyes to Ranger who was still very still and asleep. Usually he would be up. His senses and reflexes were much better than hers, but he was still asleep. She wanted to go to him, she wanted to call out to him.

"What did you do to him?' Stephanie finally managed to turn around and stare him face to face. She wanted him to know how angry she was, but his appearance only left her in shock. His face was bruised, his head bloody, hand split at the knuckles and appearance a whole lot thinner. She couldn't respond, but he stepped forward and she brought her hands up to halt him. "Not another step," she warned him and he stopped.

"I never did say goodbye." His tone was quiet and almost emotionless. It made Stephanie scoff at his words and she resisted the urge to slap, no punch him.

"You never said anything. You never told me the truth and you never ever loved me." Stephanie accused him and waited for him to respond. He never did. "You don't even deny it?" she almost cried.

"I didn't lie in anything I told you, but you're are correct that I never told you the truth about who I am. As for loving you… I don't know." He said.

"You don't know?' Stephanie mocked. "That's complete bullshit. A typical response of any liar I've met." Stephanie raised her voice at him. Her fists curled around her robe.

"Yes."

"Yes what?" Stephanie snapped at him.

"I did love you, but could never be with you." His plain, soft voice only infuriated her more.

"Bullshit. Anyone can be with anyone, but they have to want it. You didn't." Again she accused him. She didn't understand why he couldn't just admit it.

"You're probably right Steph. For a brief moment I thought that a normal life was possible, but it isn't. Not for me. My purpose in life is much different from all those around me and many do not understand of what transpires around them every day. Ranger has seen a glimpse of a darker world, but he chose to leave it. I don't have a choice."

Stephanie listened, but her questions only grew and most of what he said she couldn't understand his thinking for it. How could someone not let go of a world? How could a purpose keep them from love? How could they choose to go back instead of forward?

"Is that all you came here to say to me?" Stephanie asked as she managed to lower back to a whisper. The silence that followed was eerie, as if she were talking with a ghost. The rain had gotten slightly lighter, but heavy drops still hit the window behind her.

"I came here to say I'm sorry. For everything." His voice was genuine and calming for once. She wasn't infuriated by his response, but still very angry at him.

"It's long overdue," Stephanie said and eased her grip on her robe, but kept her arms wrapped around her.

"Before I say sorry I have to tell you everything. Who I am. What I am." He said and took a step forward, then another. Stephanie found herself retreating backwards until she bumped against the window. He stopped from stepping inside her space and looked her directly in the eyes. She met his gaze, but couldn't hold it. Something different was in his eyes and it wasn't pleasant. He remained distant also, but now he was giving her the chance to know everything and anything. She looked at him once again and her silence was enough for him to begin.

"My real name is…"

Yeah sorry, but his name and who he is will still be kept a secret. A lot of my other stories give brief insight to who he is. I hope you enjoyed this small one-shot and I know it was supposed to be the end of my One Rainy Night Series, but nothing is ever really finished. Apologies for being away so long and also for not getting this up sooner.