And after long awaited.. waiting, The Necklace is BACK! Thanks to everyone for all the encouraging reviews!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Note: This story continues along the lines of Torment.

Yes, we shared this… thing. When I looked into his eyes, it was like I was gazing into eternity.

But even if he were telling the truth, that he had been chasing me, hiding from me, in all my – get this – reincarnations. No. He should've realised by now that we weren't ever meant to be.

Daniel. My forever. But not mine.

Luce thought of Cam on the plane. She wondered if he had missed her, while absentmindedly flicking pages through a magazine. Missed me, missed me not, missed me… Like picking the petals off a flower. They had decided without her that she was to move, that it was still dangerous, though Daniel and her's love had not been found again. There were people who still wanted revenge and war. She laughed then, in irony. It was only when she had learnt all the secrets kept from her that everyone started to form new ones.

An arm brushed against her, bring Luce out of her almost reverie. She glanced to the side. It was a man not too much older than her, brown haired. They apologised in unison, bringing a chuckle to the man's face. He opened his mouth to say something more, but Luce had already turned back to read a new article in her magazine.

She heade for the terminal, eager to see Cam again after all that time alone. She scanned the crowd, trying to pick out his unmistakeable features, but to no avail. Slightly disappointed, she went to sit on the grey chairs that lined the room to wait.

"Where's your bag?" It took Luce a few moments to register the voice talking to her.

Daniel.

And so, he appeared in front of her. She turned her gaze from the floor up; flip flops, jeans, a red tee. Daniel. He was smiling but his body was tense, belying his casual question.

"Where's Cam?" She countered. A question for a question. They were on equal ground now, Luce and Daniel. After the battle at Sword & Cross, and she had learnt the truth, after Penn had died. Because of him, because of them. Luce would have no more of it, not after Penn. Her heart still ached.

She ignored the strange tingling that being near Daniel always brought. It was a lie.

The man from the plane walked up to them, carrying her red duffel bag.

"Hey! I just saw this, and I knew it was yours since I saw it on the way here –" The man stopped upon seeing Daniel. "Uh, hey dude. I sat next to her on the plane. Here, take it. Ok, I'll be…" Babbling. Daniel's stare did that you.

Luce smiled gratefully and accepted her bag from the man's arms. "Thanks."

And as quickly as he had appeared, he stalked off.

"Well, that solves one question." Luce exclaimed, avoiding Daniel's wry smirk.

"We left you for just a few days and you pick up another guy to do your bidding?"

Luce blushed in anger and embarrassment, "It wasn't like that! We just sat on the plane together!" She jutted her chin out in defiance. But he ignored her protests and hooking his hand round the strap of her bag, he started walking towards the exit, almost taking Luce along with him.

"What do you think you're doing? I can take care of my own stuff!"

He turned back with a grin, earlier apprehension forgotten. He had forgotten how natural it felt to be with her, how perfect it was. How it used to be.

"And people wonder where chivalry has gone."

"Along with women with so little backbone that they might as well be jellyfish?" She smiled back at him.

"There's just no winning with women, is there?" He sighed.

"Not for you, no." Luce, excited at the prospect of fresh air, had skipped ahead by this point. So she didn't see the way her light comment had frozen Daniel, and exhale as if he had just been sucker punched. And only when it was far too late, did she realise what else her remark could have meant to him.

Not for Daniel.

It had been a long, silent road trip to her new school. Even the fact that they were in her dream car, her own, old car, couldn't hide her mortification.

When they stopped, Luce could only just see the beginnings of a large building, at the end of a dark, windy path off the highway. There was a loud crunching noise as Daniel drove the car off the road onto gravel.

"This is it. Shoreline. Very progressive. And safe." His face was weary, tired. It made Luce wonder just what Cam and Daniel were doing while they were away.

But before she could wonder too long, he was getting out of the car, and popping open the trunk to bring her the duffel bag. She hurried out after him.

Like fate in reality, they stood faced towards each other, only a highway lamp illuminating their faces in the fast growing night. It was then that Luce felt more remorse than ever, for not choosing him one last time. But theirs was a cursed love. No more than an illusion. As she took the bag from him, she looked into his eyes one last time. They looked… Lost. Her fingers tightened around her bag's handles. It was her fault.

Before she could think again, she leaned in, and kissed his cheek.

She wouldn't allow herself to look at him again, to see what expression he held. Instead, she leaned in past his face, and whispered in his ear.

And then, Luce walked away, down the path towards a new life, the glint of her snake pendant catching the light as she turned.

Daniel's head hung low, his face clouded in shadow.

"I'm sorry."

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