A note from Megan:

I'm so sorry you guys! I've been really busy with school and such, but I'm back now. Going to be updating regularly, I hope3 Forgive me?

Chapter 9

He pulled his formfitting, black jacket over his shoulder, adjusting his collar in the mirror. He turned to Nick, who was fixing his black tie tightly around his neck. Monroe let out a small, sullen sigh, looking down at this watch. He swallowed his regret and angst hard, his gaze turning back to the other man.

"I don't feel right about this, man." He fiddled with his sleeve, feeling out the place in the darkly-hung clothing.

Nick ran a hand over his own neatly-ironed shirt, peaking back up at Monroe.

"Come on, don't get cold feet now. She'd want us to go. I know you might feel uncomfortable there, but just stick with me and you'll be fine."

Monroe nodded reluctantly, taking the death announcement from the table. All he had to do was remember he was doing this for Elisa.

It was sunny out today, but a still rather dark cloud hung over the cemetery as the two men arrived. The trees were whispering with the wind as they headed up the hill, trying to look as sullen as possible, though Monroe felt a mix of anger took over him as he saw the coffin. Nick turned, observing crying family and friends as he spun in a small circle. He leaned into Monroe slightly.

"Alright, let's spread out. We'll cover more ground that way."

Monroe nodded in agreement as Nick walked over to a crying woman. Feeling a bit tired from the last few days, Monroe sat down across from the coffin as others slowly poured in around him. He adjusted in his seat awkwardly, a few people sitting down in front and behind him, some crying, others shaking their head saying, "How tragic."

As he looked in the small flyer that had been handed to him on his way in, a small, petite woman sat down next to him with a friendly smile and a nod. Her dark brunette hair fell slightly over her black dress, her amber eyes glistening with freshly sprung tears. She didn't seem sad, or sullen, but more disappointed, or upset. She was older, actually older than Monroe.

"So how'd you know 'em?" He could hear a slightly accent under her voice.

He looked over at the coffin with a sigh. "We were pretty good friends…" Monroe said slowly. The woman nodded as Monroe put a hand her way. "Eddie Monroe."

She smiled, taking his hand with a nod. "Mary- Margret Tackson, Charles's aunt."

Monroe breathed out steadily, trying to control his anger at this woman, her family. Suddenly, the woman stopped, her eyes narrowing and her smile fading.

"You-you aren't here for Charles." It wasn't a question this time, but a statement, like she knew. Monroe blinked, trying to figure out what to say next.

"N-no ma'am… my-my friend… was the girl he put in the hospital." The woman closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as she bit her own lip.

"I heard about what my nephew did." She opened her eyes, which were now filled with sadness as she looked straight into Monroe's. "Please… I had no idea what he was, what he was a part of." Mary leaned in a little, her voice dropping. "We don't kill, Mr. Monroe. We never have, but Charles… I didn't know, I promise you."

Monroe looked into the woman's eyes, seeing the sorry behind her look, seeing what Charles hadn't had in his eyes; mercy.

This was the woman who'd know this… evil creature as a child. They were related. Surely this kind and gentle woman could never be in the same family as person like Charles. He almost killed Elisa. Elisa, who was a flawless, perfect creature in his eyes, was nearly killed for the reason of her ancestry. Monroe looked back at Mary and bit the inside of lip, trying not to cause a scene with a loud outburst.

Suddenly, Mary began to speak again. "Elisa is a beautiful girl, Eddie. She was on the news a few days ago, after the attack. But, why are you here and not looking after her?" She gave a faint smile as a tear fell from her eye.

Monroe didn't look away as Mary did. Slowly, he turned, his eyes wandering towards the coffin slowly. He wanted to just run back to the hospital as fast as he could, take Elisa in his arms, causing her eyes to open. Then, they would run away together, far away from Portland and this awful war. But some outside, foreign force caused him to stand up slowly and walk towards the car, Nick right on his tale.

"Hey!" Nick called as Monroe took out his keys. "Where are you going? We're not done here."

Monroe turned suddenly, his voice cracking slightly as he said, "I can't do this, Nick. I'm not strong enough. I don't know how you do it, but I can't."

He turned once again, Nick looking on sadly as Monroe fiddled with his keys. Slowly, Nick touched his shoulder.

"Hey, come on it's not that-"

Monroe turned angrily, pushing Nick off of him with a finger being thrown towards the small crowd at the top of the hill.

"It is, Nick. It is that bad. I thought I wouldn't feel anything coming here, but someone still died, Nick. Elisa… Nick, I've never felt anything like this before. I think I love her, and I can't do this for her. I'm a coward, Nick. A coward."

With that, Nick allowed Monroe to get in his yellow BMW and drive off to god knows where, leaving Nick to piece together what had caused Monroe to snap.

It had been about 2 week of Elisa being in the hospital. It was after visiting hours when Nick had caught sight of Monroe. Coffee in hand, he made his way slowly towards Elisa's room. He was almost silent, the short sound of his own breathing vibrating his body. He snuck towards the small, darkened window looking into Elisa's hospital room. Monroe sat in a chair right next to Elisa's bed, his hand clasping hers as he rubbed his thumb over the back of Elisa's hand. Nick leaned into the doorway quietly, listening as he heard a soft whisper from Monroe, too quiet for Nick to hear.

Suddenly, a hum emerged from Monroe's throat. Nick's eyes narrowed and ears perked as Monroe leaned in closer towards Elisa, who lay coldly on the bed. Nick watched as Monroe took Elisa's hand closer, placing both of his hands around hers.

"You know… you need to wake up. Nick needs you." He heard Monroe sigh heavily. Nick tilted his head, his heart falling into the pit of his stomach. Monroe closed his eyes, biting the inside of his mouth hard. "Please… please wake up."

After a bit of listening, Nick's ears perked up. He thought he'd been mistaken, but once he'd heard the melody, he inched a bit into the room. Monroe was breathing quite loudly, as if he was about to say something, but kept stopping himself.

Monroe was somewhat desperate for Elisa to wake up. Not because he liked her… not at all. But because Nick needed her back or he might lose it. Maybe if he did something to help her wake up, she just might.

He breathed in, then stopped. He tried once again to do so, but paused once again. For a third time, he bit the inside of his lip, closed his eyes, then sucked in once more.

"Is everybody happy now…" The melody was familiar to him as he whispered the lyrics, but continued to do it, hoping Elisa would hear him.

"Is everybody clear?" He imagined the piano of the song playing in the back of his mind. "We could drive out to the dunes tonight… cause summer's almost here…"

They were one of her favorite bands, he'd remembered. "I've been up all night, I might sleep all day-"

Nick moved in closer, into the room as he sang along with Monroe, "Catch your dreams just right, and let them slip away…"

"I might sleep all day..."