Chapter 2

Mary-Lynette was sitting in her chemistry class trying to pay attention to what was going on at the front of the classroom. Though she was an honors student and a favorite for valedictorian, she was finding herself more and more distracted as summer – and the end of her high school career – drew near. She quickly forced herself to pay attention to the teacher at the front of the room, who was explaining the test that they would have the following day and giving last-minute study tips. Mary-Lynette supposed that she could afford to daydream a bit – she had been studying for months – but it was probably wise to listen to what the teacher was saying anyways.

When the bell to end the day finally rang, Mary-Lynette was feeling sullen. In just a few short days and a few tests later, she would be finished her senior year of high school – her final year of high school. She packed up her bag and headed over to her car. After her old one had been destroyed – blown up with her best friend, and werewolf, Jeremy Lovett inside it – she had purchased a small little black car. It was second-hand, but it was a decent little car and got her where she wanted to go. Mary-Lynette decided that she might as well start emptying out her locker, so she took grabbed her binders, textbooks, and a few other items she wouldn't need for the tests ahead of her.

After she gathered the things from her locker, Mary-Lynette got into her car and drove to her house to do a bit of studying for her chemistry examination. When she got home, her father came outside with his wife, Claudine to meet her with worried looks on their faces. As Mary-Lynette got out of her car and began walking towards them, she suddenly felt extremely dizzy and had a sharp pain in her chest. Her father ran towards her and began supporting her as they slowly made their way towards the house. Inside, he set Mare-Lynette down on the couch.

"Dad, "she began. "Have you gotten the results back from the doctor yet?"

Her father looked worried and sympathetic as he replied, "Um…. Mare, I dunno how to tell you this, but the tests came back positive. I'm afraid you have a heart disease."

Mary-Lynette felt herself go numb at this news. "Is it… curable?"

"The doctor doesn't seem to think so sweetie… I'm so sorry."

This news startled Mary-Lynette, but she did not shed a single tear. Instead, she simply excused herself.

"Mare, where are you going?" Claudine asked her.

"Over to see the Redferns," she replied casually. "I figured maybe Rowan could help me with my studying"

Both Claudine and her father looked at Mary-Lynette and frowned.

"Are you sure you want to go over there right now?" her father asked, concern clearly shown on his face.

Mary-Lynette simply nodded and started heading towards the door. Claudine stopped her with a firm hand on her shoulder.

"I'll drive you there then. Grab what you need for studying and meet me out at my car."

In no position to protest – another slight dizzy spell was coming on – Mary-Lynette nodded numbly and went to grab her bag.

When she reached the house, she thanked Claudine for the ride and went to open the door, carefully avoiding the hole on the front porch. Mary-Lynette entered the familiar home, breathing in the scent which occupied it.

"Hello!" she called out. Rowan immediately came down the stairs to greet her blood-sister.

"What's wrong?" she asked immediately upon setting her sight upon Mary-Lynette's face. It was at that point that Mary-Lynette burst into tears. Rowan wrapped her into a tight embrace, waiting for her to stop crying before asking what's wrong. When she was finally able to deliver a choked explanation of what happened, Rowan looked shocked.

"How long have these symptoms been going on for?" she asked cautiously.

"A few months" was the quiet reply.

Rowan simply nodded as though she finally understood something. Mary-Lynette looked at her curiously.

"Well, I've noticed a sort of change in your, aura, per say. You've just felt a little, different, these past few months. I just wish I'd realized sooner."

Rowan seemed to be blaming herself for some reason, which Mary-Lynette refused to allow.

"It wouldn't have made a made a difference anyways," she said. "I've got a fatal disease. You couldn't have known."

At this point, Mary-Lynette's younger brother, Mark, walked in the door with his soulmate Jade. He stopped dead in his tracks and stared at his sister, wide-eyed. Rowan started to explain, but Mark stopped her.

"No. I want Mare to explain this to me," he demanded.

Mary-Lynette sighed, and once again began her explanation. Half way through, her other blood-sister Kestrel walked in, so she was forced to start from the beginning. When she was finally finished explaining about having a fatal heart disease, Mark walked over to the couch and sat beside her, tears flowing down his face, looking as though they may never stop.

The five of them sat there in silence for a few minutes, when Rowan, always cool-headed, finally spoke up.

"Mary-Lynette, why don't you and Mark go home, and you can study a bit tonight. You still have finals, you know. We'll think of a solution here, so you'd better not worry too much. Just focus on your tests. We can deal with all of this after."

She nodded, and the girls got up to see them out. Both Mary-Lynette and Mark were given hugs by their three concerned friends on their way out. Rowan was the last to give Mary-Lynette a hug. As she did, Mary-Lynette whispered something to her.

"Please don't tell him."