An: Here you go! This is number three! Thanks for all of the support and reviews on the last one! I love writing this! It just flows out! I don't have to try! It just comes!

What Hurts the Most

This time she was with someone else. And something had changed.

A positive energy was coming off of Rose. She was happy. And she was smiling, something I had not seen her do since before I had died.

It was nice to see her smile. She should do it more often. When she smiled, it seemed like her whole face lit up. It could lighten up any darkness; make anyone feel better, even if it was only the slightest bit.

But why was she like this? Why, after weeks and weeks of sorrow and grief, had she changed? Had a switch flipped, just like snapping your fingers and everything was ok? Or had it been something gradual that I had missed over the last few weeks.

I had been trying to make her understand how much danger she was in. But she was happy, that made up for something, right?

I looked next to her and searched her companion with my eyes. He was familiar, tall, dark, and handsome enough. But something was screaming at me that he was some sort of enemy. I could not recall where he had been placed in my former life… so I ignored him. That is until I saw how close they were and that they were holding hands.

Something shattered in me. All of this time…

Before I could finish the thought, however, she shivered. Her hair moving just the slightest bit and there was a slight ripple to her skin as if the shiver had been substantial… as if she was glad to see me. But that was not it. She had him now.

"What's wrong?" The man asked her, a puzzled expression on his face. I knew he could not see me, so that explained the confusion.

"Do you see him?" She whispered. Rose subconsciously moved closer to him, as if he could protect her from me. What was left of my heart splintered and then slowly broke apart.

"See who?" The man questioned. I could see in his eyes that he was worried about her. He had something that I could feel mirrored in my own eyes; love.

"Mason," she said my name breathily as if it took her too much energy to say it properly. She knew I was there and she did not want me near her anymore. That hurt, it hurt so much. All of this time she must have thought I was a fool, running after her expressing my feelings of undying love. Rose must have thought I was a child… I was compared to Dimitri.

Frustration, anger and hurt rose in me like a lion. It started to edge it's way to controlling me. I was such a fool. Such an idiot to believe that she felt the same way. Throughout all of it she had been with him.

I wanted to attack him. I wanted to make him feel like I was feeling. She was mine, I loved her, and no one could feel the same way I did about her. No one loved her more than I do. He could not take her away from me.

I took a breath. This was not what I had come for. I had not come to her to attack her new man. I had come for a reason. I had to concentrate.

"Rose… we should go back…" he spoke again and my temper flared like a roaring fire.

He had no right to tell her what to do! I was trying to save her life, and by doing this it would save his, and he wanted her to go away!

Don't listen to him Rose! Don't go away with him! Stay with me…

It was almost as if I had spoken the words aloud because she froze. She watched me with a curious expression.

My anger towards Dimitri immediately died to embers when she looked at me. She was worried. Rose wanted to understand. She was making the effort, so I had to too.

I had not realized it before now, but she had taken a couple of steps towards me… as if trying to get closer so she could understand. Even though she did this out of curiosity, a happy surge of energy filled me. She wanted me right now instead of him. She did not need him…

"What, what is it?" her voice was small, but the way she said those four words made me feel something, something that felt like gluing the pieces of my heart back together, slowly.

I tried again.

I lifted my hand and pointed to the other side of campus.

They are there! Go there! I tried the technique of mentally speaking once more. They are coming for you!

Her head tilted to the side saying that she still was confused. If the situation was better than I would have said that she was adorable. But this was not the time. She needed to know and she needed to know now.

I became frustrated by this! Understand!

She moved closer to me. Only a step, but one step made all of the difference. I could see her beautiful form willing to know what I needed her to understand. There was support in her eyes as she reached out and told me to try again.

By the time she spoke again, I was already ready to try one last time.

"Tell me."

I looked at Dimitri before I spoke. He made her happy, something I was never able to do and for that I would be eternally jealous for. I was not doing this for him… but for her beautiful face and her wonderful personality. I needed to save her and actually save her this time. If I did not I could never face myself again. I could never look at my washed out form and say that I was happy. I could never be happy again in the first place knowing that another man made her feel what I felt for her. A pang in my heart told me I was right.

I ignored it and then tried for my final time. If this did not work I would fail.

Opening my mouth, I willed sound to come and help me pass on the message.

"They're coming."

I had finally done it! She was going to be safe! She knew! Rose was still curious but she knew that they were coming to the school! I looked at Dimitri and immediately regretted it. The power of my temper shot back through me. It course through my veins and pumped my heart. This pain was unbearable.

Ever since I had died, I pondered the question of what was the worst thing, the worst pain of my life. Was it the physical pain of losing my life? Was it the mental pain? Was it the fact that I would never see my friends of family again? I had thought long and hard about this but, in this moment, the answer was so clear to me that it seemed to light up like a beacon in the darkness that was my soul.

No, all of these answers were wrong. Losing Rose was what hurt the most.

An: I just want to give him a hug and not let go until he's happy again! This makes me so sad!

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