chapter 1
Vlad stared at the casket unable to move, he felt numb and vacant. This time it was worse than the first, this time he was older, this time he didn't have any mother like figure to help care for him. Snow was there, October, Henry, everyone including Joss, but the only person in the room that could've possibly felt the way he was feeling was the man who was standing awkwardly behind him one hand on his shoulder and not bothering to hide the tears, Otis.
Otis was the smart one, true Vlad didn't trust his dad when he first arrived after all those years Vlad thought he was dead, but Otis trusted him the least, he knew his brother longer than Vlad knew his father. Vlad was very thankful that Otis never once said "I told you so," actually, quite frankly Otis didn't say much during these days. He said what he needed to, but never made nor responded to small talk, but on the other hand neither did Vlad. Nelly was human, so Otis scrounged up some money to hold her a traditional funeral. The preacher was on stage reading verses from the Holy Bible, but instead of listening, Vlad just stared at the closed casket. He desperately wished that just like how it wasn't his father found with his mother that this wasn't actually Nelly in this casket, but he couldn't fool himself into thinking that he hadn't seen his dad kill her.
When the preacher stopped preaching people went on stage and started to speak old memories they had of Nelly. Most of them stated simple things like, "Nelly was a true friend," or "Nelly and I used to chat when we had free time at work..." but they all were expecting Vlad to have the best speech. The time came for Otis to say his share, but he broke down and starting balling and quivering, so Vlad told him that he will go instead. Vlad slowly walked up the stage and took a deep breath. "Nelly was more than a friend to me," he started his voice quivering so much that he wondered if anyone could understand what he was saying, "she was my mother, the only one who truly understood me, the only one who really knew my darkest secrets." From somewhere in the room Joss sneered. "and no one can ever, ever replace her." All these memories flowed into his mind yet that was all he could seem to say.
He started to cry then the next thing he knew everyone was hugging everyone and they all moved outside of the church where Nelly's grave would be placed. soon the casket was placed into the ground. A little headstone that read "rest in peace, Nelly, let the angles take you in," was placed above it. Vlad was thankful that so many people came to Nelly's funeral, after the battle there has been a lot of grieving from multiple deaths, but it was just the fact that they all took the time to send away Nelly. Vlad wasn't sure if it was because they all were truly upset that Nelly had died or maybe they all still knew deep down that Vlad had done something for them that they had to say thank you for and this was their way to do it.
When the funeral ended, Vlad and Otis took a longer way to walk back to their old house; it was hard to go home without Nelly being there. sometimes Vlad forgot and would run into the house expecting Nelly to be in the kitchen cooking, but then when he didn't see her, Vlad would scream, "Nelly?" then would remember and break down and cry. "I want to move." Vlad told Otis as they walked.
"I can't." Otis said quietly.
"please!" Vlad begged. He couldn't stand to be anywhere near there, it reminded him too much of what had happened in his past, still he knew that Otis had loved Nelly and it would be hard for him to let her go.
"You can go live in your father's house." Otis replied, Vlad shook his head violently. "Or I suppose that you are old enough to live on your own Mahlyenki dyavol." Otis said using the pet name that Vikas had given him.
"no," Vlad said, "I can't leave you!"
"Then we stay." Otis said simply. They had walked the rest of the way home in silence.