Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Chapter Three

At 5:37 Aurelia took the items she wanted to purchase to the register, a couple of shirts, a few pants and two dresses. She had almost half an hour to get to the beach, where the current party was being thrown. She really wasn't a party person anymore, but she promised her friends Bianca and Alexa she'd go.

"Hello." said the sales clerk, "Did you find everything okay?"

"Yes. Thank you." Aurelia smiled.

The sales clerk rang up her items, "Your total is $171.99 dollars." She swiped her debit card down the slot and punched in her pin. Do you want cash back? No. Is your total $171.99 dollars? Yes. The cashier handed her, her bag of clothes, "Have a nice day!"

"You too." She headed for the exit squeezing past a tall blonde guy and a pretty dark skinned girl. As she headed to her car her cell rang, We're building it up, To break it back down. Signalling she had a new text from Bianca.

Where are you?- B

Fixing her hold on the shopping bag she hit the reply button on her phone and began typing her response.

On my way- A

She was about to hit send when she heard footsteps, looking up she saw three people coming her way. The youngest girl of the group had a look of horror on her face, she was going to ask her what was wrong when she felt cold metal against her neck, then a stinging sensation. She began to feel woozy, as if she stood up to fast, she could hear someone shout no as a wave of nausea overcame her. Her vision clouded and she accidentally hit send as she started to fall. And then she died.

~x~

Chloe sat at the edge of the chair with her head in her hands, if only they were a few minutes faster the new Uniter wouldn't have lost her first life. Hell, she wouldn't even be in this mess if Chloe took being the Uniter more seriously. All she could do was hope this was the first life she lost. The guilt she felt for the past year, intensified and she fought back tears. All of this was her fault.

"This isn't your fault." Chloe scoffed. "She's going to lose lives. Just like you did." said Valentina.

"This is too soon. She doesn't even know what she is."

"Neither did you." Jasmine said, returning from checking on the Uniter.

Chloe stood up, "It's suppose to be different with her. I was suppose to help, but I failed her. I screwed up, again."

"Sitting here and blaming yourself isn't going to help her either." Chloe took a deep breath, Valentina was right, when the Uniter woke up she was going to need Chloe. And she needed to put her first. She lost the title of the Uniter because she couldn't put other's needs first. But she will now. Chloe will guide her like she promised Bastet she would. The self wallowing will have to be put on the back burner for now. And maybe just maybe, by helping the new Uniter she could redeem herself and start living again.

~x~

Aurelia was surrounded by darkness. Strange noises, padding footsteps, and the occasional scream echoed and died in strange ways. Everything felt distorted. There was a indistinct halo of hazy light, then something growled behind her and shoved her hard. She pitched forward toward the light and into empty space, she felt like she was spinning, her weight being forced back into her skin. Her eyes shot open and air filled her lungs, like she was coming out from under water. As her breathing returned to normal she was aware of the soreness in her muscles, "Ahh." She felt like she was hit by a car. No a train. Yeah, it felt more like a train.

"Can you move?" A British voice said.

Aurelia looked up, a boy with honey brown eyes, blonde hair and a amazing jawline, the same boy who was at Urban Outfitters, towered over her. "Hello?" She said meekly.

"Can you move?" He asked again in the same controlled, British tone. Aurelia sat up. It was the hardest thing she could ever remember doing, like pushing herself trough a million pounds of dirt. Her head swam, for a moment there was two flat gingerbread guys in front of her.

She coughed, "I feel like I'm going to be sick." As soon as she had got the words out, a trash bin was in front of her, she took hold of it. She wondered how he had got it so fast, but didn't question it as she began puking, the bed shifted as the British guy sat beside her and held her hair. Her head pounded and she wanted nothing more than some aspirin.

"I'll be right back."

She looked up weakly, "And I'll be here." She patted the trash can, "Puking my guts out." The guy's lip titled up in a slight smirk, but was gone as soon as she saw it. He walked out of the room, leaving her alone. She closed her eyes, feeling her stomach start to settle, but she still felt weak and a little disoriented.

"Here." The British guy held out some aspirin and a glass of water.

She took the offering, "Thank you." It was after she swallowed the pills that she noticed the other people in the room. She recognized the two girls from earlier and an unfamiliar women. They all looked at her, "Who died?"