"Hey Mia!"

She closed her eyes, anticipating the brush of her hair against her eyelids as she turned. When the moment vanished, she opened them again, showing startling sapphire eyes.

"Yes?" she asked, smiling.

Looking down now, she gave a small smile of amusement as Kari stood, bent over and panting heavily. When she did straighten up, Mia had to look upwards. Kari was tall, even as a seventeen year old, but she had a sweet smile and kind brown eyes. Her whole being emanated with trust and promised support. Suddenly, Mia found herself swept up in a tight embrace, and laughed. No one could change completely.

"It's great to see you again," she murmured, patting her on the head.

Mia closed one eye as she endured such treatment.

"I'm fifteen, not five!" she protested, to no avail.

"Yeah, I know," replied Kari affectionately, allowing her hand to drop to her side.

"So. I'm assuming you didn't come after me just to greet me?"

"Oh. Right. We've got this thing on tonight and we were wondering if you'd like to help us out by singing there? Don't worry; it's really low key."

Mia raised her eyes disbelievingly. Gary's chain of clubs and low key should never be put in the same context.

"… There won't be any reporters," she added, "Please?"

Docile chocolate eyes shone with such beseech that Mia couldn't help but give a small laugh and shake her head at her friend's childishness.

"Fine. I'll be there."

"All right! I'll see you eight o'clock sharp, okay? It doesn't really start until about nine, but I'd like to do some rehearsals first."

Mia rolled her eyes and nodded her consent. She found herself in yet another quick hug and a peck on the cheek.

"Love you, bye!"

With that, Kari hustled off, leaving Mia wincing and rubbing her cheek with the back of her jacket. So intent was she on her task to rid herself of any trace of the show of loving friendship that she didn't notice her surroundings. So when a hand gently removed her hand from her face by the wrist, she almost screamed aloud, turning swiftly and preparing to attack.

"You shouldn't do that. You'll ruin your skin," came the gentle chastise.

She froze up immediately, not daring to look up. She felt her fist gently unfurl and her arm slowly slide to her side. A hand slid itself under her chin and gently nudged her until she met his eyes.

"It's been a while."

He felt, but didn't show, a sense of despair as those azure eyes clouded over and an icy expression distort them, though they remained beautiful, if only in a colder sense. He allowed her to pull her hand from his grasp and step away from him.

"Leave."

The voice was toneless. Though it was so devoid of emotions, it emanated with such a passionate hatred that even he couldn't help but feel taken aback. She was no longer looking at him. Instead, she stared down. He watched the floor where she'd focused her glare, almost expecting a hole to form.

"No."

Mia clenched her fists and turned to walk away.

"Wait!"

Something made her stop. Had she imagined it? Or, for a split second, had she heard a sense of desperation in his voice? Some plea that allowed him the power to prevent her from moving. Her mind willed her to run, but her body wouldn't move. Couldn't. The call was too powerful for her to ignore, even now.

"Just tell me one thing. What did I do wrong?"

She smiled ironically at this. He waited in anxious anticipation for her answer. She spun around, ignoring that her pigtails swung and hit her viciously across her face. A cruel smile had formed in place of the innocently adorable child from just moments ago.

"You of all people should know that!" she remarked, with such vicious sarcasm that he flinched visibly.

"Well I don't," he retorted back.

She gave him a critical look, staring intently at his face. There was such an honesty in the way he presented himself that she couldn't help but want so much to believe him, to accept that this was the truth. After all, forgive and forget, right? Wasn't that the way she dealt with things? How could anyone change unless they were given a second chance?

Yet she couldn't. Wouldn't. She had placed her complete faith in him, only to have him run it over for a one night stand. Or perhaps she had truly meant something to him? Perhaps… Then why was he with Ashley? Or had he discarded that girl like he had discarded her? It hurt to think that she could have been replaced so easily by just anyone. Nothing could forgive what he had done.

"Then you have no heart," she replied simply.

She could almost feel Gary staring after her in disbelief. Probably wondering how it could have hurt her the way it did. Or…

Or perhaps… he truly didn't know? She dismissed the idea. Accidents such as those did not happen. It was impossible.

Or was it?

The ordeal had sapped away much of her emotional strength. She had forgotten his charm. Forgotten how easily enchanting he could be. Or was it that she had weakened since their last encounter?

"Here's your tea."

She looked up and gave a shadow of a smile.

"Thanks, Misty."

Her sister-in-law sat beside her. She had an expectant look on her face which made Mia squirm inwardly.

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"What's this thing you have with Gary?"

"I do not have a thing with Gary!" she exclaimed, horrified.

"No, I mean your negative relationship, not a romantic one," she explained impatiently.

Mia eased back into her seat on the couch.

"Oh."

Misty arched an eyebrow. Mia stared back dully.

"So are you going to tell me or do I have to force it out of you?"

"It's impossible to force information from a Vixen," she replied automatically.

"Maybe so, but I'm talking to you as a family member, not a Vixen," she countered.

"Nevertheless, I am a Vixen regardless of what context with which you approach me by."

"Don't try to change the subject. What's wrong?"

"Are you implying that there's something wrong?"

"From what I can see, yes," she retorted.

"Well I don't see anything wrong with it," she replied innocently.

Misty gave her an, 'You expect me to believe that?" glance. Mia's look remained plastered on her face. Misty sighed.

"Mia, I'm only trying to help."

"What's there to help? Nothing requires any help from anyone between Gary and I," she responded.

Misty gave her an exasperated look, shaking her head.

"Mia, haven't you ever heard that denial will never get you anywhere?"

"Well then it's lucky I'm not in denial, isn't it?" she replied cheerfully.

Misty gave her one last look of disbelief before getting up and walking away. Mia collapsed into a miserable heap upon the couch, grabbed the remote and began flicking through the channels.

"My my, what do we have here?"

Mia suppressed a groan. Why couldn't they just leave her alone? Five minutes to herself was all she asked for. Five minutes! She turned around, resisting the urge to sigh aloud.

"Yes, mother?"

Delia slid into the seat beside her youngest child.

"What's the matter, darling?"

"Nothing."

She forced a grin. Delia rolled her eyes. What kind of mother did her daughter think she was?

"Did you know, a long time ago, I was also your age once?"

Mia seemed to straighten up, ready to protest that she hadn't meant any offence, but Delia silenced her youngest child with a small gesture.

"Hush, child. Listen to what I have to say," she reprimanded lightly.

Mia didn't make a movement.

"Now, when I was younger, I had fallen heavily for a young man."

She chuckled as her daughter made a face, but refused to move for fear it would be deemed impolite.

"Now, when he and I parted, he promised to wait for me, no matter how long it would be until our next meeting. In fact, he gave me a necklace and, on it, a promise ring. He promised that he would be with me forever and he didn't care how long he'd have to wait if it meant we could be together again."

She smiled sadly, reaching up to her neck as if it were still there; as though trying to remember the piece of jewellery in every detail possible.

"Now, while I was away, he remained loyal to me, day after day. For four years he waited. Then, one day, he relented, convinced I was never to return. Ironically, only days after, I did return, but learning what he had done, I felt as though I couldn't forgive him. He had promised to wait, but he hadn't."

She paused momentarily to stare at her daughter. Mia had looked away, but the bitterness in her eyes was evident to Delia. After all, she was her mother's child.

"I suppose I was rather selfish, in that aspect. I had expected him to remain loyal to me even after so many years of separation."

"No you weren't," interjected Mia furiously, "You remained loyal to him, so why shouldn't you have been given the same courtesy? Why should he expect you to remain loyal to him when he didn't to you?"

"Hush child, this is my story."

Mia quietened.

"He did everything he could to persuade me that, no matter what had happened, I was still his true love. At first, it weakened my resolve, but I stood steadfast nevertheless, promising myself that I would never again allow that villain to come near my heart. However, something happened. Something that made me realise that I couldn't live without him."

Mia gazed at her mother with reluctant interest.

"I was informed that he had, in his anguish, gotten drunk and had stepped in front of a speeding car."

Mia choked on her gasp. Delia smiled wryly.

"For three days and three nights I remained by his bedside, forever fearing that he wouldn't pull through. In those three days, I cursed myself, continually wondering why I had spent the past few months of my life rejecting him when I could have forgiven him and given him the second chance he had so desperately desired."

"But he got better," interrupted Mia meekly, "Right?"

Delia smiled and nodded.

"Yes, he did get better eventually. I learnt that I couldn't live without him and that the only reason he had allowed himself to be taken in by temptation was because he couldn't live life knowing that he was potentially waiting for someone who had already moved on and forgotten him; forgotten his love."

Mia was silent for a long time. Delia smiled softly and stroked her silky black hair tenderly with a mother's affection.

"In the end, I forgave him and he did become the perfect boyfriend. The perfect husband. The perfect father. All the way up until his death."

Mia froze. Death? Father? Husband? Was she talking about…

"No, child, it wasn't your father. It was Ash's."

"But… but how could you have vowed to love someone so much, then, when they passed away, take up a new love?" she asked, clearly confused.

Delia sighed softly.

"It is possible to love many people, child. Just as I loved Ash's father, I loved your's also. Both captured my heart, merely at different stages."

"But then… If you did have to choose between them, who would you have chosen?"

Delia glanced at her only daughter, giving a small, exasperated smile.

"Child, you may love many people in a lifetime. As you grow older, your personality changes. As I was one person when I met Ash's father, I was another when I met your's. At a young age, love is difficult to maintain, not because you aren't mature enough to understand it, but because you are growing so rapidly, as is your character. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Mia's eyes glazed over with a troubled, struggling look for a few moments, but then they cleared and she nodded.

"I think so."

Delia smiled at her child and stood up.

"Good, good," she murmured distantly, slowly climbing up the stairs to reach her bedroom.

Mia watched her mother's departure with mild curiosity and a newfound understanding.

Hi all! Not that "all" means all that many people anyway... Ah well. Sorry about being so late... I'll try to work a little faster next time... Please read and review!

Thanks!

Angel SkyKitten