A/N: It's been such a long time since my last update... So I thought a little summary might be helpful.
So here we go! Previously on 'Your Shadow in the Moonlight': ;-)
Alex and Marissa got back together after the bonfire incident and are a happy couple, until Alex is attacked by a diabolic vampire, Darian. Though she is bitten, another vampire, Victoria, manages to 'save' her before it is too late… and Alex is turned into a vamp herself.
Victoria teaches Alex how to deal with her situation. Marissa, meanwhile, is devastated, and even tries to kill herself with painkillers, only changing her mind in the last second.
Alex keeps an eye on Marissa from afar, not wanting to burden her with the fact that she is now a 'monster' and afraid, blood-thirsty as she is when smelling human blood, that she might attack Marissa.
About two months after Alex' death, Marissa meets a girl, Kate, but they break up before they even really get started, as Marissa realizes she still loves Alex.
Alex, meanwhile, goes to Phoenix with Victoria, in an attempt to find and kill Darian. Victoria has a special gift, which allows her to feel the presence of others of their kind, if they feel thirsty and murderous.
They fail catching Darian, but they meet another vamp, Amy, whom Alex sleeps with. Amy offers Alex to join her as a vampire hunter. But Alex is unable to leave Marissa behind, and returns to the O.C. with Victoria.
Marissa, feeling unable to continue her life without Alex, decides to kill herself one night and cuts herself severely at her wrist. Alex manages to save Marissa from bleeding to death. Marissa sees Alex and mistakes her for an angel, before passing out. Alex makes sure Marissa is alright, then leaves, and is overcome by a sudden thirst. She realizes how dangerous the situation was, but is relieved that it turned out so well – and that she didn't even think about attacking Marissa.
12
When Marissa began to regain her consciousness, the first thing she noticed was the brightness. Confused, she opened her eyes and immediately blinked several times. Her eyes slowly began to adjust to the bright sunlight that beamed directly onto her face. She looked out of the window and took in the beautiful sight of a cloudless deep blue sky and the sparkling green of the trees.
Marissa smiled, enjoying the beauty of the moment. Her smile, though, disappeared only seconds later when she tried to remember where she was.
What had happened last night? Marissa closed her eyes in concentration, but only a memory of darkness filled her mind. Darkness and…
She felt a throbbing pain in her left wrist and then everything came crashing down on her.
The reason why this all felt so strange was because she had not expected to ever wake up again. She remembered the candles, the peacefulness, the pain, the relief… and Alex.
Marissa's eyes shot open and she turned her head to stare at her left hand. Her wrist and lower forearm was bandaged, a little red blotch was visible on one spot.
For a short moment Marissa simply felt defeated. She had wanted to die. Who had the right to stop her, to 'save' her?
Alex…
Marissa shook her head, confused. It made no sense. Alex was dead. The strange memories of Alex saving her had to be a dream, a hallucination.
But she had been saved by someone, the bandages were clear evidence.
Maybe Summer had come…? But she couldn't remember her coming, all she could remember was Alex… Alex talking to her, Alex touching her. She had thought she was seeing an angel. But that didn't make sense, now that she had survived.
But if Summer, or anyone else had come, they would have surely taken her to a hospital, or would have at least stayed here with her…
"Summer?" Marissa croaked. She cleared her throat and called out her best friend's name more loudly this time.
"Summer! Hello? Anyone here?"
Marissa shook her head again. What the hell had happened last night? Alex… she couldn't be…
Marissa got up and flinched when she accidentally put weight on her injured hand. She noticed she was wearing her night gown, but she was sure she had not put it on the night before – more evidence that someone must have been here.
She took a walk through her whole apartment, but she was alone – there wasn't even a note.
Icy chills ran down Marissa's spine. It made no sense. Alex was dead, she had seen her corpse on the street two months ago. She had been at her burial, for god's sake.
But the more she thought about it, the surer she became that Alex had been there the night before. Alex had come, Alex had saved her, had asked her not to give up.
Marissa stood in the middle of her living room, feeling completely lost. She gently touched her wrist. Alex had bandaged it. She remembered it so clearly…
"Oh God, am I going insane?" Marissa asked desperately.
She sat down on her sofa and replayed the night in her head.
She remembered Alex' familiar face so close to her own, her sparkling green eyes full of concern. Now that she thought about it more thoroughly, Alex had looked somewhat ill. She had been very pale and there had been dark lines beneath her eyes. And her hair… The usual blonde had been replaced by pitch-black. And what about the purple streak? Had it still been there? Marissa strained her mind, but she couldn't remember…
She sighed. It all seemed so real. It couldn't just have been a dream, could it? But it couldn't be reality, either.
She warned herself not to build up any false hopes… but it was too late. A sparkle of hope had been ignited in her chest – and suddenly she felt herself being filled with new energy, with new life.
She quickly got her mobile and dialled Summer's number. She chatted with her for a few minutes, making small talk. Then she called her mother, indulging some more in small talk. After those conversations, Marissa was absolutely sure that neither Summer nor any other friend or family member had come over last night. It hadn't been Summer nor her mother that had bandaged her hand.
It had been Alex.
Alex was alive.
A sudden warmth spread through Marissa's body, as she caressed her bandaged hand once more. The bandages were real. She couldn't have put them to her arm herself – that was impossible.
So Alex had to be alive. There was no alternative.
She's alive. Marissa body tingled with excitement and hope. Alex. Alive.
Not a single wisp clouded the sky and the sea sparkled brilliantly in the bright sunlight. Marissa walked down the beach, enjoying the feeling of sand beneath her feet, the wind in her hair and the sun burning down on her shoulders and face. In short – she enjoyed the feeling of being alive.
She felt as if she had been asleep for a thousand years and was now awakening. No, she felt as if she had been reborn.
She saw the world through different eyes – everything seemed new and exciting. She even laughed out loud when she saw two dogs chasing each other.
The beach was filled with people. Happy couples, holding hands. Children playing.
Wherever she looked, Marissa saw nothing but life. So much life.
And she was part of that again.
And Alex. Alex was alive.
By now, Marissa was completely sure of that. And if it proved to be wrong, and Alex was dead after all, well, she could always still end her life.
But as long as there was any hope – and hope there was! Marissa felt it in every inch of her body – she would live.
Yes, she would live, and she would find Alex Kelly.
It all still seemed so strange, but she would find out soon enough what had really happened – Marissa was sure of that.
Walking along that beach, Marissa couldn't help but think that if she was to die now, at least she had felt one more time what it was like to experience the pure happiness of living.
Later in the afternoon, Marissa went home, after having walked around outside for a couple of hours. She considered meeting with Summer and telling her everything, but she decided against it. If she couldn't even really understand the situation herself, how was Summer supposed to believe her?
So instead of calling her best friend, Marissa took out a little box in which she kept photos of Alex.
She looked at them, one by one, reminiscing all the memories connected with the pictures.
As the evening slowly began to draw closer, Marissa began to feel more and more excited.
She restored the photographs into the box, went into the bathroom and hopped under the shower. She washed her hair with Alex' favorite shampoo and even shaved her legs – you never knew.
Excitement, hope, happiness, nervousness, fear – Marissa felt as if her feelings were about to tear her apart.
She put on a skirt and one of her favorite t-shirts – which actually belonged to Alex.
Marissa lighted some candles in the living room, then sat down on the sofa, and began to wait…
After about half an hour, Marissa started reading Alex' extreme sports magazine once more.
She glanced at her watch, again and again, and slowly, so very painfully slowly, the evening passed by…
Marissa put on music, read another magazine; at some point she even began reading a novel – quite half-heartedly, though.
From time to time, she would get up from the sofa, walk up to one of the windows which she had left wide open, and stare outside into the darkness.
But Alex was nowhere in sight.
Midnight passed… One a.m. … The candles had gone out a long time ago … Two a.m. …
Marissa awoke with a start, when she heard her mobile ringing.
Groaning, she reached for her phone, which was apparently lying on the floor next to the sofa, on which she had apparently fallen asleep on.
"Hello?" she mumbled, holding the phone to her ear, still refusing to open her eyes to the evidently bright room.
"Hey honey! It's me. Just calling to check up on you. Are you doing fine, sweetie?"
"Mom," Marissa groaned, theoretically rolling her eyes, but still keeping them closed. "Yeah, I'm fine… Actually, I was fine until you called. I'm sleeping!"
"Oh, sorry honey! But you know, it's almost noon. I was thinking you'd maybe like to join me for a little shopping tour? I saw these gorgeous shoes the other day, I'm sure you'd just love them! But I wasn't sure about the –"
"MOM!"
"– color… what?"
"Seriously, I'm still sleeping! And I don't feel like shopping right now!"
"Okay, hon, no need to bitch!"
"Yeah, whatever, we'll meet some other time, alright?"
"Okay, just give me a call…"
"I will, bye mom!"
"Bye, Mari-" That was the last thing Marissa heard before she hung up.
She threw her cell phone aside and sat up on the sofa, taking a long look around the living room.
She was alone. Alex had not turned up.
Marissa felt as if the whole world came crashing down on her. All her hope – crushed to pieces.
Tears started running down Marissa's cheeks uncontrolled; tears of disappointment – and of sadness.
"FUCK," she yelled jumping to her feet and kicking at a rucksack which was lying around.
"FUCK," she yelled once more – apparently the rucksack was filled with something hard and heavy, maybe a couple of large books.
As Marissa sat back down, rubbing her foot in pain, she slowly began to calm down again. A plan was beginning to form in her head.
Yes, that could work, she thought. And if it didn't… Well, either way, she'd be with Alex again tonight, in what form so ever.
The day passed painfully slowly. Marissa spoke to Summer on the phone, but refused to meet her, saying she wasn't feeling well and needed some rest. Summer was not all too happy about it, but she finally gave in after making her best friend promise to call her first thing the next morning.
Marissa, though she didn't want to admit it to herself, was afraid that seeing Summer might make her waver in her decision to put everything at stake.
I will keep to my promise and call her tomorrow, Marissa thought as she began lighting her candles once more in the evening. I'll keep to my promise – if I can.
But in case I can't… Marissa took out some paper and a pen. At least I owe her some kind of explanation.
After Marissa had finished the letter – which took quite a while – she slipped it into a white envelope she labelled 'Summer' and put it onto her bed. Then she went back into the living room and waited patiently for time to pass. She looked at some pictures and once more allowed herself to dwell on the past.
When the clock turned to midnight, Marissa couldn't help but sigh out loud. It was time.
She lighted a few more candles and made sure that one window was open, the curtains drawn aside. The beauty of the dark night sky, illuminated only by the bright moon, mesmerized her for a moment. Then a wisp of cloud moved and seemingly swallowed the moon, leaving behind an almost pitch-black sky.
Marissa sighed once more and turned away. She went to get the last thing she'd need tonight; then she sat down on the floor amidst the burning candles.
She closed her eyes and breathed in and out deeply a few times.
"Alex," she whispered in quiet determination, her fingers closing around the knife firmly. "I'm coming."
A/N: Finally, I've managed to finish this chapter!! Wow… I really wish I had more time for writing. Oh well, I hope you guys haven't lost interest in my story.
Dammit, I really hope I'll get round to writing the next chapter soon… Just know that even if I take ages to update, I will update again!
Just four more months of school… then I'm finished. Wow.
So much has happened in the last weeks and months… Obama's president! Hope he'll bring some serious change to America.
Well, anyway, hope you enjoyed the update!
- Elanor