Kaley walked out of the hospital wing moving slow and sluggish as she tried to get to her classroom. If not to her classroom anywhere that she could curl up at the moment. She couldn't believe what was happening. Everything that she had done wouldn't matter now she thought sarcastically. She was going to die; the new girl that would take the Nexus was conceived. She had roughly 9 months to live she thought. She wondered if the girl before her had felt so defeated so depressed. The pain that ripped through her body was relentless she could feel it with every step every breath. She was burning from the inside she realized with every step she took she took one closer to death. She wouldn't get to see her three trouble maker student's graduate. She wouldn't get to see her cousin grow and learn. She was losing her battle with the Nexus she had always been losing she had never been wining. Kaley staggered finally conceding to leaning against a wall fighting back her tears. She hit her head against the wall forcing her to keep the tears back. Keep them back for the sake of everything that she was going through. If she was so destined for greatness she thought bitterly why was it that she had spent half of her life in such pain? She couldn't understand for the love of her why. Why couldn't her parents have stayed alive? Why couldn't they have watched her grow up and mature? No instead they had been taken away as had everything in her life. She had lost control of everything in her life. Taking a deep breath she pushed herself away from the wall. She continued on her way to her classroom she simply wanted the solace of her room. She knew by the time she got there that none of her students would be waiting. They weren't that eager for school work. She wasn't exactly eager to be teaching at the moment. Right now she needed to be alone and think. She just had to get away from everything.
"Kaley!" a small voice yelled for her.
She turned around and noticed that it was one of the many house elves' that lived at the castle. She couldn't help but wonder what the small creature was doing up here. They usually tended not to show themselves any where. They liked to be completely invisible. Some days Kaley envied them. She wished she could be like that completely invisible no more emotions at all. They only felt for cleaning and cooking.
"Yes what is it?" Kaley knelt down to be eye level with the little creature, "Is something wrong?"
"Headmaster sent me to find you. He told me to tell you not to go back to your classroom but to go to his office." He told her shifting uncomfortably, "He also told me to tell you that he sent for the Cullen's family to come here. All of them."
Sighing Kaley could hardly believe what she was hearing. She finally nodded her head and moved to go back the way she went. She knew the way to the Headmaster's offices. She had been there countless times. Of course she hadn't been a perfect little child when she was going to school here. At least those were fond memories for her she thought in passing. She missed all of her old school mates. She knew that only a couple of them were alive to this date. Most of them had been killed by Death Eaters or by Voldemort she thought angrily. What she wouldn't give to have some of her old friends here with her. Stubbornly she thought that this was totally unfair. Rolling her eyes she couldn't believe how childish she was being. She knew that she was going to die. It was never a definite that she would live a long life. It all depended on the Nexus. From what she understood there had been times when the Nexus had stayed with in a girl for hundreds of years. But for those girls who lived a long life they had allowed the Nexus the freedom to roam through there bodies. Kaley kept it under constant control. She never allowed the Nexus to control her longer then a couple of minutes. She actually rarely allowed her control to slip. It shouldn't matter she thought, after all this was her destiny. She was going to die that was the end of it. What a depressing thought that was.
She finally arrived at the office of Albus and wasn't exactly thrilled to see that the house elf had been right. He had sent for everyone. Esme and Carlisle were there as well with all the other children. She saw that Esme had tears in her eyes and Carlisle couldn't even bring his eyes up to look at her. They hadn't expected this to happen. This was going to suck she decided as she sighed and walked straight to his desk. Glaring down at him she could tell that he didn't want to look up at her. He probably knew that she would be angry about his calling them all in. He kept his nose down towards the desk his eyes never once looking up. What was he doing? He called for her and now he wasn't even going to look at her. She knew that her temper sometimes intimidated others but this was ridiculous.
"Albus I'm here what do you want?" Kaley asked a little annoyed by his behaviour.
"I'm happy you came here as quickly as you did." Albus stated still not looking at her, "I sent for the others. Esme and Carlisle know the whole story Adrien was kind enough to explain to all of them."
"Really he was?" Kaley stated speculation lining her voice as she searched the room for him.
"He's not here he thought it best that we discuss this with just family and close friends." Albus stated his voice breaking a little as he still kept his gaze focused on what ever piece of paper he was reading, "If you will have a seat we will begin."
"Stop it Albus." Kaley stated finally beginning to realize why he was acting so weird.
"Stop what Kaley?" Albus asked his voice trying to come of innocent, "I'm not doing anything we just simply have to-"
"Come of it Albus!" Kaley interrupted, "I know your upset about this. Just look at me already and don't do this now. I know I'm going to die but I don't need you acting as though I'm already gone. Just look at me already."
"I can't Kaley I just can't…" Albus whispered his voice breaking.
"Please Albus you can't honestly expect me to leave this world knowing that you've already made your peace with this." Kaley stated closing her eyes sighing she moved to the window, "Its funny isn't it Albus? We all thought that I would live long and well past you. But here I am going to die before I even hit my dreaded thirties."
"Kaley we can find another way to save you perhaps." Esme whispered laying a comforting hand on her shoulder, "There has to be another way maybe if we turned you."
"No Esme I can't do that." Kaley stated shaking her head, "Its alright I've lived a good life. I won't lie I don't want to die not at all. But this is how I guess it's supposed to be."
"But Kaley if it can save you maybe you should consider being turned into a vampire." Bella stated tears over whelming her eyes as she looked to her cousin.
"Oh Bella sweetie I can't let myself willing be turned into a vampire." Kaley said sadly shaking her head, "But this is my destiny as everyone keeps telling me. We should just come to terms with this now."
"No its not!" Albus shouted banging his fist against his desk.
Kaley looked over at him surprised to see tears streaming down his face. He was really upset about all of this. He really didn't want to say his goodbyes to her at all. She understood she wasn't ready to let go of him yet. Actually she wasn't ready to let go of anyone in her life. But Albus he had really been a second father to her all her life. Ever since he found out that she was the girl with the Nexus in her. Albus had been over protective, caring, loving, and understanding. She had to admit that she really didn't want to die at all. After all she didn't understand why she had to die. She knew that she had to make Albus see reason though, to let her go into the next world. Even if she didn't understand it maybe it wasn't for her or anyone to really understand why. It would destroy him if he didn't come to terms with it. She moved slowly towards him till finally she stood to the side of him.
Albus looked over her he wouldn't lie to anyone he was shocked that she was going to die. He had always thought that she was the one who would end the Nexus. He looked at her taking in everything from her sweet eyes to her strong hands. She took his hand in hers and forced a little smile for him. Trying to calm him down he noticed. Wasn't he supposed to be trying to calm her down? After all she's the one who has to die not him.
"Its not supposed to be this way Kaley." Albus whispered softy as he stood to his feet.
"Does anything ever go accordingly for us?" Kaley said laughing a little, "It'll be alright Albus you will make it through this."
"I don't know if I can Kaley I'm not ready at all to discuss with you what's going to happen to you." Albus said shaking his head as he opened his arms and took her into a hug, "I really don't think that I will be strong enough to watch you go through the pain."
"Albus we all know that there is no coming back from this once it's started." Kaley said closing her eyes as she hugged him back. This was so hard for her but for some strange retarded reason her voice was strong and clear as she said, "I will always be around once I'm gone. Everywhere I've been you'll feel me watching over."
She could feel his sorrow and his pain as he released her and sat back in his chair. She took a cloth from the corner of the massive desk and gave it to him. He would get over this he was a strong man. She knew that he could do it. He was just too attached to her at the moment to even contemplate the thought of losing her forever. What would the others say she thought for a moment? All her other friends she'd made in this world. Remus would be dying from the inside and poor Molly she'd cry for days on end. She should've prepared everyone better for this upcoming day. But she had honestly thought she wouldn't die for another fifty years or so. She'd have to find a way to get them all here for her to say goodbye to them all before she died.
Shaking her head a little she began to feel a little stressed out. Walking over to the fire place she forced a smile on her face. She hoped that if she smiled that the others fears would calm down. Not that her fears were calming down at all any time soon. She took a seat by Alice happy to see the girl was here. She as well had tears staining her face as she tried to control herself. Alice and her had been close as well before and after her parents had died. She took a look around the room noticing everyone's gaze was on her. Everyone had either tears staining their faces or tears welled up in there eyes. It broke her heart a little to see them all sad over her. They were all going to have problems letting her go she realized. She had a lot of work to help them let go she realized softly.
"Alright Carlisle I'm ready to hear what is going to happen to me." Kaley stated as she took Alice's hand in hers, "Please let's get this over with."
"How can you remain so calm Kaley?" Bella asked as she took a seat beside her cousin, "Aren't you scared what's going to happen to you?"
"I am so scared Bella but I know that this is going to happen. I can't stop it." Kaley said taking her cousin's hand in hers,
"What about you though?" Alice asked taking Kaley's attention to her, "It will be so painful to go through this for the next 9 months. I hear it worse then being turned."
"It is already painful Alice as I sit here talking to each of you I feel my body burning. It protests to every movement I make." Kaley informed them sighing, "I feel every tendon every muscle being burned. Almost feels like my body is betraying me and trying to kill me now instead of later."
"Almost like its burning from the inside and out." Edward stated sitting across from Kaley, "Like you want it to end but can't make it go away."
"Yes Edward you are corrects exactly that." Kaley stated her voice filled with regret. She remembered that she had hurt him had given him a taste of the pain she was in, "I'm sorry for what I did to you Edward. You shouldn't have followed Adrien and me but that was my fault. I should've warned you all what might happen. I really should've taken better precautions when it came to everyone. But I really hadn't thought this would start for at least another fifty years or so."
"I can still feel it Kaley the burning sensation in my arm it won't go away." Edward stated lifting the sleeve of his shirt up to show her, "Adrien told me that this mark will never go away and neither the pain. That I will have this for the remainder of my life."
Kaley shook her head as tears filled her eyes. Her eyes took in the bloody mess that was his arm. It was three straight scratches like she had scratched him with razors. But she knew that these were magical cuts that would never leave him. They would bleed relentlessly forever. She had seen them before a long time ago on another vampire that had tried to the girl before her. The Nexus had awoken and protected its host. The Nexus sometimes felt threatened inside of a girl and would awaken. When it was like that it would lash out on anyone no matter if they were just trying to help. The Nexus wasn't very listening when it would gain control of her body in those rare instants. This was why vampires never came in contact with the girls who had the Nexus in them. It could kill the vampire or cause them pain for the rest of there lives. She averted her eyes to the flames of the fire wishing beyond everything that she could take back those cuts from Edwards's skin. She knew though that she couldn't nothing would ease the pain and nothing would take them away.
"Adrien's is worse though then mine isn't it?" Edward asked bringing Kaley's eyes back to him.
She was relieved when she looked back that he had put his sleeve back in place, "Adrien's is worse far worse then yours. But he knew that when he decided to become involved."
"What will happen to him?" Edward asked, "Is he going to die?"
"I'm not sure at all Edward. I don't really know what will happen to him at all." Kaley whispered avoiding his gaze. She did know but she couldn't bear herself to tell everyone what would happen. Thank what ever fluke that prevented Edward from reading her mind.
"Edward that is enough Kaley is under enough stress and strain as it is." Carlisle stated glaring at Edward for his insensitive questions, "You know she didn't do it on purpose."
"No it is alright Carlisle I knew he would be angry. But Edward let me ask you this." Kaley stated she looked up at his golden amber eyes, "Tell me this if you had known what would happen to yourself if you followed Adrien would you still have come? Would you still have been worried about what was wrong with me?"
"I don't know." Edward admitted a guilty look in his eyes. Kaley knew from that look that he had wished that he had never followed. She did understand after all she was only going to have to put up with this pain for 9 months. He would have to deal with for years to come, "I do know this though Kaley I will never be able to forget you ever."
"Do you think any of us will be able to Edward?" Albus asked as he came and stood by the fire, "I think this is enough of that talk. Please Carlisle tell us what we are to expect I only understand the basic telling of what will happen."
"Kaley let me first tell you that I am so sorry for what you are going to have to go through first off." Carlisle started shaking his head, "I would wish this not even on my enemies."
"That bad hey?" Kaley stated trying to come off nonchalant.
"Kaley this pain I've been told by others is similar to the pain that someone would experience in Hell." Carlisle stated his features seemed so hurt to have to tell her this, "I did see the last girl in her last couple of months. She screamed relentlessly to just die to just have it end. Sometimes she didn't even speak English she spoke dialects that have been dead for thousands of years.
"Kaley this is going to be the hardest months for you. We can't pull you out and away from the world that you've gotten the Nexus used to. It likes to keep things as normal as possible for itself anyways. It likes the area that its in if you move it now it'll only take it out on you. It's not pretty at all Kaley. You'll be in pain 24/7 no matter what you try to do to ease the pain it won't work."
"Great I can't even go and see my uncle or my aunt before I die." Kaley stated sighing as she tried to understand this thing inside her, "It's like a damned child tired of this toy and wanting a new one. What else can I expect?"
"You can expect to have no appetite when there is about two months left. Your body will hurt so much that every bit of nourishment you put in it'll throw up." Carlisle stated you could see from the strain in his face how hard it was for him to tell her this, "Everything will hurt Kaley beyond anything you have ever known in this world. I wish there was some drugs I could give you but nothing will ease the pain."
"I understand Carlisle thank you though." Kaley whispered giving him a sympathetic smile, "So no appetite and here I was going to binge on everything bad."
"Please don't make jokes at a time like this Kaley." Alice whispered softly her voice breaking a little as she spoke.
"I'm sorry Alice I know this is hard for you but if I don't make myself laugh I'm going to break under the strain." Kaley stated forcing herself to smile, "I think for tonight that is enough Carlisle. I need to speak with Adrien and you Albus in private before the end of the night. Could you please meet me in my classroom?"
"Of course I can send someone to get Adrien and we will be there." Albus nodded his head relieved that she didn't want to hear more.
"Good thank you Albus." Kaley stated she got to her feet dizzy at first but alright, "I'm going to my room and I'm going to sleep please let me go Bella and you too Alice."
Reluctantly both Alice and Bella let Kaley go. She struggled at first to move the pain shooting up through her body. It was better if she just stayed still then move around she realized. If she got to her bed she could lie down and not move for the rest of the 9 months she had left. She knew she couldn't do that though. This was going to be unbearable for the next few months waiting around for her death to get her. Everyone was going to have to be told that she wouldn't be able to teach anymore. Then of course the uproar would be tremendous the demand to know what was going on. She could tell everyone about the Nexus. Get it out in the open the whole world could know in a flash she realized. Maybe then they could find a way to stop the Nexus from killing innocent girls. What was wrong with her? She couldn't very well tell them what was going on. Only a council of four knew about the Nexus and she knew all too well that they knew what was going on with her. They never really bothered her but if she told the world about the Nexus. Well there would be a problem and she would be taken care of till the Nexus moved on. She remembered there warning very well the last time she'd seen them. Well there was a reason that the people who did know were sworn to secrecy. The council was very adamant about the secrecy of the Nexus afraid of what might happen.
"Kaley I'll help you to your room." Emmet offered as she reached the door.
She looked up at him almost ready to say no thank you but couldn't bring herself to say it. She simply nodded her head and allowed Emmet to lift her up in his arms and carry her to her room. She knew well that she was no more the weight of a book to him. At the moment she felt as though her body was foreign to her. She really couldn't explain it but she felt like she didn't belong in her own body. She was thankful that Emmet was taking her to her room though. She was drained she wouldn't have been able to have made it to her room. All those stairs and hallways just thinking about walking them all made her body groan and ache with pain. God this world sucked she thought glumly.
"Here you go Kaley nice comfy bed!" Emmet stated offering her a small smile, "How do you feel?"
"Like shit what else?" Kaley stated laughing a little.
Emmet laughed a little nodding his head he stated, "I'll just leave you get your rest and maybe hopefully you'll feel better in the morning."
Kaley had no hope that she would but she nodded her head and rolled onto her bed glad that she had cleaned the stupid thing in the morning. She was so unbelievably tired at the moment. It was hard to believe this morning she was worried about having Adrien here and now here she was thinking of her death. She wanted to sleep and never wake again. Maybe this was all a nightmare she thought. But she knew better she wasn't that naïve. Though some days she wished she was. Her mind wandered as she thought over everything that had happened today. Wow this sure was a winner of a day she thought. Tears crept up into her eyes as she realized that she'd have to say goodbye to everyone. All her students, her fellow professors, all her friends, and her family. How was she going to handle all this? She couldn't stop this she knew that but couldn't she have been given a little more time. She felt like she'd sold her soul to the devil and the time was up. But she hadn't done anything; she'd simply been born with this.
Her mind continued to wander thinking of everything she had to do before her 9 months were up. Her mind came to Adrien at last. She couldn't help but wonder if Adrien was alright. God they were enemies this morning and now here she was worrying about him. Stupid vampire she could kick his ass right now if it wasn't for the fact she'd marked him. Would he be mad at her with the mark and all? She hadn't wanted to tell Edward about it or the others but she had to talk to Albus and Adrien about it. She wasn't sure if he knew what it meant but she had an inkling that he had known. But she had to make sure she just had to. If she died and found out that Adrien hated her for marking him. She would simply have to come back and haunt his ass. She knew she wouldn't be able to do that though as funny as it would be. She had a feeling a strange feeling that Adrien had wanted to be marked by her all along.
Adrien stood outside by the lake looking at the calm surface in the dusk of the setting sun. He was scared beyond anything. He had never felt like this before especially about a human girl. Especially a human girl, after all his years of living you'd think he would have closed that side of his heart. Or at least find some vampire girl he could be with. But no he decided to fall for a human girl with the Nexus in her. But Kaley was so different she was strong, kind, vicious, sweet, and dying all at once. So many conflicting descriptions he thought it was kind of amusing. He knew that anything with Kaley anything at all would only end in disaster. He had known that in the beginning and it was absolute now. But he thought he had more time with her then this. After all this was nothing more then a couple months left in her life. A life that was going to be ended with pain that was undoubtedly ferocious and violent. Ripping her body away taking every bit of nourishment and energy away from her. It was almost like it was stealing it away from her he realized angrily. If only he could do something. Shaking his head he knew that if there was something he could do Kaley would kick his ass. She hated having to ask for help and this wouldn't be any different. The stubborn woman he thought angrily. He had to admit though if he saw her freak out it would be amusing. It would definitely be a Kaley reaction.
"Adrien!" Edwards's familiar voice shouted out behind him.
He turned around to see the young vampire running normally towards him. At least he continued to keep a low profile on himself. He noted that Edward's features had pain etched on them. He knew why of course but it still hurt his heart a little to know the youth would have this for a while. If he could take it away he would. He knew Kaley probably felt horrible for what had happened to Edward as well. Most likely Kaley wanted to take that pain away as well. He should've made sure that the kid wasn't following him but of course he'd been so worried about Kaley. Kaley would probably lecture him later about not making sure at all.
"What is it Edward?" Adrien asked sighing as he stopped in front of him.
"Its Kaley she wants to see you and Albus right away." Edward stated his voice neutral and almost sounding like it was angry.
"You can't stay mad at her Edward." Adrien stated realizing quickly what he was mad about, "It'll only hurt so much more when she dies."
"She should've warned us all." Edward snapped glaring at the older vampire. He knew it was pointless to try and lie to Adrien. After all Adrien was older then him he could probably grab it from his mind if he really wanted the truth.
"If I recall Albus had warned you all as well as Carlisle the night that you were married to your wife Bella." Adrien said shaking his head, "Trust me Edward if you don't make amends now its only going to make it worse when she's gone."
"What do you mean they warned us?" Edward stated his eyes wide open with surprise.
"They told you that the Nexus kills Vampires when it comes in contact with them. The Nexus would kill a Werewolf if it came in contact with one as we had." Adrien said in a reasoning tone he sighed, "Do you realize that Kaley has a friend who happens to be a Werewolf. His name is Remus Lupin; he really is a remarkable man so kind and full of life surprisingly. Well she almost killed him when they were in school together. Her other friends Sirius and James had to practically throw themselves on her to stop her. The Nexus wanted his blood to purge him of the evil inside of him."
"What did Kaley do?" Edward asked his voice a little softer now.
"Sirius and James screamed at her to see reason and finally she was able to force the Nexus back down. At that age it took a lot to force it back down for her." Adrien stated shaking his head sadly, "She was so sickened by herself that she refused to talk to them for months on end. Till finally Albus put an end to it and had all four of them brought to his office. He explained to the others what Kaley was and that if they were her true friends they would understand and basically forgive and forget. They did just that. No questions no drama they just simply forgave her."
"Are you serious? Even that Remus guy forgave her?" Edward asked surprise on his face and suspicion in his voice, "He couldn't have forgiven her that easily."
"But he did Edward he forgave her simply because they were friends. He knew what it was like to have something in your body that you couldn't control." Adrien shook his head grinning a little, "It's funny that the things that understand Kaley the most and could sympathize with her simply scorn her and try and kill her. Remus was a Werewolf and we are Vampires. See Remus would've had a good reason to hate Kaley for the rest of her and his life. He didn't know anything about the Nexus she hadn't told him a single thing about it at all. You Edward on the other hand you've known for years about her deadly secret."
"I just wished she'd been honest about what it could do to us." Edward muttered uselessly.
"Why do you think she distanced herself from your family in the first place Edward?" Adrien asked shaking his head, "Come on Edward your smarter then that!"
"She left and kept where she was a secret to keep us away to keep us from harm." Edward reasoned shaking his head as his breath caught in his throat, "I was wrong about her hating us. Even with what happened between the two of you she trusted us but she didn't trust herself."
"She learned how deadly she was and couldn't bear the thought of killing her family." Adrien said sighing he grinning a little, "She's always been trying to protect the ones she loves from harm. That's just the way Kaley's always been. I wish for once she could take care of herself but she's darn too stubborn to do that."
"I can't believe how I've had it messed up for years." Edward shook his head, "How stupid can I possibly be?"
"Well I'm not going to comment on that one Edward." Adrien stated grinning at him.
"Oh shut up!" Edward snapped he turned around, "Come on Kaley wants to talk to you and Albus remember?"
"Yes I remember and I'm coming." Adrien sighed he drew himself up and walked beside Edward up to the castle.
He had a feeling that she wanted to speak about the different way he was marked. He didn't really have an idea what it was about but heck did it ever hurt. He'd seen the slash marks on Edwards arm before on others. So he knew what that one was about but this second mark. That was a mystery to him it was blackened almost like he'd burnt that area seriously.