One Shot # 2
Inspiration: "Animal I Have Become" by Three Days Grace
Character: Chase
Title: Darkest Side of Me
Summary: Chase didn't die at the battle at Putnam Barn, he returns home to Hastings, where he confronts his first love about his sudden rampage since his Ascension.

Darkest Side of Me

By Skyy Ryder

He had disappeared, disappeared from the sight of any of the Sons of Ipswich; running like a scolded dog, without his tail between his legs. He was a man, he could admit when he was defeated, and he was. The battle at Putnam barn with Caleb Danvers made him realize that no matter what he did, his using was only going to age him, no matter how much power he had.

He decided to return back home to Hastings, he had some unfinished business he had to attend to. He had realized what an animal he had become since his ascension. The Power possessed who the real Chase Collins was, making him in to a sinister, belligerent, power hungry bad guy.

He found himself standing in the middle of his home that was left to him by his now deceased adoptive parents. He had killed them, in his rage; he had actually killed his parents. His parents were the only two people who truly ever cared about him… the only two people besides her.

She was the reason he was coming back, he wanted to start over. He didn't know if his Covenant brothers would believe his sudden change of beliefs, or if they would even accept him now. There was no other way to test this than to go back to her.

He had hurt her, terribly. She had been his high school sweetheart, the one girl that really knew how he worked. She knew exactly who Chase Collins really was.

Grabbing his jacket he climbed in to his Corvette and took off to Hastings Preparatory High School, in search of his key. The one person he thought could bring him out of his own personal hell.

The wheels skidded to a halt on the dark asphalt of the newly paved road. He climbed out of his car and went directly to the main office, in search of her schedule. A few winks, a little magic and her schedule was within his possession.

The name at the top of the page stared back at him, Meredith Genevieve Doctor. He followed the numbers down and found her next class. He would wait for her there; he wondered what her reaction would be.

Standing outside of the Chemistry lab he received a few pointed glances, and plenty of whispers. He was going to be the talk of Hastings, as he was at Spencer. He was sure many people asked what happened to him, he had just disappeared.

That's when he saw her, she was talking with a pretty blonde girl, but the blonde was outshined by Meredith's natural beauty. Chase felt his heart beat faster as she got closer. He noticed the blonde grab on to her arm and stop their persistent walking.

The blonde's bony finger jabbed in Chase's direction, the look on Meredith's face was nearly heart wrenching. Her mouth had dropped open and her eyes had gotten wide, there was no trace of happiness in her reaction, at all.

But what had he expected, he had been borderline insane by the time he left Hastings in search of the other four Sons. He wanted so badly to turn it all around, to lock up the evil demon that was inside of him.

"Meredith…" Her name fell out of his mouth before he could even register anything else.

She was able to pick her jaw up from the ground by the time they had reached him, but nothing was coming out of it until the blonde spoke. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I came to talk to you Meredith," Chase insisted his blue eyes softening as he took in her beauty.

"I think you did enough talking before you left," She spoke softly, looking down at her black Mary Jane's.

"Please, will you give me a chance to explain myself?" He questioned her.

"Why should she?" The blonde snickered rolling her neck with a bit of attitude.

"Georgia…" Chase said her name, disdain dropping from every syllable. He never did care for the blonde; she was almost as annoying as that Kate girl that dated his long-haired Covenant brother.

"I'm leaving, if you need me to kick his ass, let me know…" The blonde snapped before entering their class.

"Chase there's nothing for us to talk about…" Meredith proclaimed ready to step in to the Chemistry class.

"Please," Chase's voice was soft, his hand jerked out to her, grabbing her elbow ever-so-gently.

"Fine," She stopped and turned to him. "You've got ten minutes to talk, if I don't like what I'm hearing, I'm leaving…" She stated as she walked with him out to his car.

Chase smiled, "I can do that…" He nodded his head opening the door to his Corvette for her.

He drove towards a secluded park; the trip there was unbelievably silent. Meredith sat her head down; fiddling with the blazer that adorned her torso. He pulled her towards a large tree that was weeping low near the lake.

"Meredith, I'm sorry…" His words were quick and full of regret.

"That's all you have to say to me, you're sorry?" She asked with a loud scoff, unfolding her arms and staring up at the man who had once claimed to love her. "You hurt me, you embarrassed me, and you made me feel like I was nothing at all… nothing…" She shouted loudly.

"I can explain…" He stated shortly.

"Then you have about eight minutes to come up with a good fucking excuse Chase Collins…" Her normally round eyes were small little slits.

"I'm going to tell you my deepest, darkest secret Meredith… something that nobody is supposed to know… no one…" He shook his head, running a hand through his dark brown hair.

"You should start spilling your guts now…." The girl stated getting a bit irritated by Chase's sudden reappearance.

Chase sighed and began to explain about his real father, and the powers that he received when he was thirteen years old. He then explained about his eighteenth birthday and how the usage of the power becomes addictive, Meredith sat there completely stone silent.

"Say something, Meredith…" Chase stated with a small smile on his face.

"That's a fucked up excuse…" Meredith stated shaking her head. "You want me to believe that you have some powers, magical powers… that made you in to the animal that left here two months ago?" She asked shaking her head. "I doubt that…"

Chase concentrated hard, his eyes turning the colors of coal in seconds, shocking the hell out of Meredith, who jumped back. She let out a startled scream as Chase summoned the park bench that rested behind them.

He placed it behind Meredith, who slowly sat down staring at him like a fish out of water.

"What the fuck?" She asked pushing her hair out of her face. "You weren't lying?" She asked looking up at him, those brown eyes bearing in to his soul.

"Meredith, I have never lied to you… except before I left…" He whispered kneeling down in front of her. "The things I said, it wasn't me…" He shook his head. "After my ascension, and after I talked to my real father… I went berserk…" He explained.

"But why leave, why did you say all of those things?" Meredith asked.

"I wanted revenge on them," He stated. "I wanted their power… I wanted them to feel the pain I felt…" His voice was soft and he seemed to be choking them out slowly. "I wanted to get out of here without any strings, because I wasn't sure if I'd make it back…."

"Chase, this is insane…" She stated.

"I know it's hard to believe Meredith, but it's true…" He stated. "I did some things that I'm not proud of… and that I wish I could take back…but I can't…"

"Like what…" The dark haired girl pressed.

"I tried to kill them…" He whispered. "I killed my parents…" He bit his lip. "I've killed people to get revenge against the Covenant Meredith… and that's not who I am…"

She looked completely mortified. She stared at him having a hard time believing everything he was saying to her.

"You killed people?" The girl asked.

"Yes," He shook his head. "It wasn't me… it was this virus that just took over… it took me over completely making in to this monster that we both know I'm not…"

"Chase… I-" Before she could say anything else Chase grabbed her face in his hands and pulled her in to an intoxicating kiss.

Her mouth moved with his expertly, and he pulled away slowly, "I love you," He whispered.

"Chase…" She shook her head sadly. "I don't know what to say…" She whispered to him.

"Tell me you love me; tell me you forgive me…" He asked her breathlessly.

"I've always loved you Chase, but I don't know if I can forgive you…" She shook her head.

"Meredith, please…" Chase begged her.

"I can't go through this again…" She stood up and sighed.

"I'll do anything… just… just please forgive me…" Chase stood up grabbing her hands.

Meredith sighed and looked in to his pleading blue eyes, "I'll give you another chance Chase, but if you hurt me again…" She whispered.

"I won't…" He stated before she could finish. "I promise you,"

Meredith gave him a small nod as he hugged her tightly, he closed his eyes and the surge of energy ran through his body. He wasn't sure if the darker side of him was gone for good, or if it had subsided for his love.

Last but not least, Pogue...