CHAPTER 6

I would like to use this segment to thank everyone who's reading and following this story! Also, I didn't get the chance to properly thank Aquababy58 and Stephanie for your wonderful reviews! Your reviews keep me alivie on this site, even if I spend some time away. Stephanie: it's great to have you on board of this story as well and I can't wait to hear more thoughts about it from you. Aquababy58: my dear friend, your reviews are aways the highlight of my days and they always manage to put a smile on my face.

I hope you can all enjoy this chapter and a bit of undercover work!

The depressing mood was palpable the moment she steeped through the door.

There was some low instrumental music playing on the background and lots of whispers and conversations. Some girls were crying while others comforted them and many more were walking around between three different shrouds dedicated to each of the victims. They were decorated with flowers, candles, pictures and letters. Words from friends trying to say one last goodbye to the victims.

Annabeth walked around the living room where the three shrouds were and inspected them carefully. By the amount of things surrounding them, she could tell these kids were really appreciated. She was inspecting the third victim's shroud when a boy a little bit taller than her stood next to her.

- Hi – he said – did you know her? – he looked friendly enough although a bit sad.

- Umm no… - she answered as if ashamed to be somewhere she didn't belong to – I'm new here and I found out about the murders. I think it's terrible something like this can happen and I figured I could pay my respects by stopping by – her eyes turned to the picture in front of her – they were so young…

- Yeah… it's a shame that they had to die when their lives were just starting – the guy agreed, also looking at the picture of Amy Stark.

- Did they belong to this fraternity? That's why this has taken place here? – Annabeth asked, trying to get as much information as she could.

- Actually no. None of them did, but since the university isn't hosting any kind of ceremony, we decided to do it instead. After all, fraternity or not, we're all students from the same college right?

- That's a very nice gesture – she complimented him. They stood in silence for a while and then she decided to be a little bit more straightforward – why do you think this happened? – she asked, using a tone of voice that indicated she was just trying to find answers to a terrible act of human cruelty.

- Who knows? Maybe they pissed off the wrong person.

- Aren't you worried that there's been so many killings among the students? What about the police? – she asked.

- Well, it's not like it's the first time a student has died. This is just an island after all. I suppose it is concerning that these deaths happened so close to each other but maybe that's fate, you know? Coincidences? I don't know… and I don't think the police knows anything about it either. If they did, it would be all over the news. So far, the only thing on the news is Amy's murder – the guy turned to her – listen, I gotta go talk to some other people but thank you for stopping by; I realize you didn't have to.

- That's okay, I won't take any more of your time – she said with a smile.

After the guy left, she looked around the room and recognized Keoki sporting a drink and leaning on the doorframe. She glanced one last time at the pictures in front of her and then made her way to him.

- Hello – she said, making sure to keep her British accent present – remember me? – he had been absorbed into looking at the picture of the victims, and it took a few seconds for him to notice that she was talking to him.

- Oh! Hi... Yeah, yeah. Cell regenerations right? – he asked, letting her know he remembered who she was. She smiled.

- Yep. That's me – she signaled the pictures on the living room and added – this is so awful. Did you know them?

- I knew Leia. We used to meet to study – Annabeth brought her hand to cover her mouth in surprise.

- Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry, I didn't know.

- It's okay. It's just... We were supposed to hang out this week because chemistry's final is next friday and she was going to explain a part of the subject I still don't understand very well. And then this happens... – he took a long sip from his beverage.

- Did they catch whoever did it?

- No. Some protectors we have right? – he said sarcastically, she assumed he was referring to the police.

- Look, if there is anything I can do to help you. You were very nice to me this morning so don't hesitate to ask – then for the first time that night, he fixed his eyes on hers and she noticed an intensity she hadn't seen earlier that day. This boy was suffering for his friend's loss and she couldn't help but feel guilty at investigating him as a suspect. She knew she had a job to do and maybe now she could understand why Danny was so reluctant about his part in this operation as well.

- Thanks. I really appreciate it – he returned the smile she offered but his gaze kept its intensity to the point of starting to become uncomfortable but before she could say anything to break such awkward moment, a loud cry was heard from a girl right in front of Charlie Robins's picture. The girl had fallen to her knees and was hugging a friend of her that was trying to soothe her.

- Please calm down... Shh... Shh...

- It's not fair! – the girl cried while tears ran freely down her cheeks – I want him to come back! Why can't he come back?! – everyone was watching the scene and Annabeth didn't need Keoki's confirmation to know that the girl had been Charlie's girlfriend.

- Come on sweety – her friend kept trying to calm her down – why don't we go to the bathroom? – the girl kept crying and hugging her friend desperately but she didn't make any move to get up from the floor. Annabeth watched the friend looking troubled at everyone around them because she didn't know what else to do, and that's when Annabeth excused herself from Keoki and approached the two girls on the floor.

- Need a hand? – she asked the girl's friend who looked at her gratefully. Together they managed to help the crying girl get up from the floor and guide her to one of the second floor's bathroom. The three of them entered the room and by the time the girl had washed her face, she had calmed down enough to talk to them.

- Are you alright? – asked Annabeth – what's your name?

- Marian – she answered with a trembling voice. A few tears escaped her eyes again and she wiped them with the back of her hand – I'm so sorry this is just so hard!

- You have nothing to apologize for. I know how hard this must be for you – Annabeth said, sending an understating smile her way. Then she turned to Marian's friend – do you need help with anything else?

- Oh no! Thank you so much I didn't know how else to calm her.

- It's alright – then she addressed Marian again – how long were you two together before this happened? – the girl took her time to answer but eventually she did.

- Two years. We were supposed to spend the rest of our lives together and travel around the world – she said, her voice getting caught on her throat – now what am I going to do? I can't live without him! – she started weeping again and Annabeth put a hand on her shoulder feeling a lot of sympathy for the girl.

- I'm sure you'll find a way - she tried to reassure her.

- How? It's been almost a month and every day just gets harder and harder! – Annabeth reflected on what to say to try and help her and suddenly she got an idea.

- You know what? I lost someone I cared about deeply some time ago too, and I'm not gonna lie, there is not one day that goes by that I don't think about him and, sometimes, when it gets really hard I remember the last day I spent with him. I remember what we did and everything he said to me and somehow I feel closer to him. As if by remembering our last conversation I could keep that moment alive forever... – she waited for a minute to let the message sink in – do you remember your last day with him? You remember what you talked about? – Marian closed her eyes, letting another couple of tears run down her cheeks and took a deep breath.

- We had spent the afternoon together. He took me to lunch before dropping me at my house and we talked mostly about what we were going to do that weekend. He... He said he had gotten the idea of flying to Chicago even if just for a weekend to visit the rest of his family... His cousins and he... – she took another breath – he wanted me to go with him and I told him I didn't think my parents would let me and he said we could convince them because he really wanted to go. Apparently he had talked about Chicago with a guy in the morning and he had gotten homesick. The way he talked about his home was so endearing that I told him I would talk to my parents about it and that night I did and they didn't exactly agree but they didn't say no either and so I called him to tell him there was a chance but he didn't pick up his phone and I though he must have fallen asleep and... And... – and then she broke down crying again.

Annabeth hated herself for having poked around the wound as much as she had but this kind of information was exactly what she needed to figure out while she was undercover. Stuff like this didn't appear on any file and although it wasn't that much helpful to determine who the killer was, it might prove useful in the future.

She held the girl while she cried until her friend took over her place and she was able to leave the bathroom. She had already been inside the house for a couple of hours and although she tried, not many people was in the mood to talk to her. If she kept trying, she might have been tagged as insensible and annoying, so she decided to call it a day. She didn't see Keoki or Marian again so she didn't have to say goodbye to anyone when she left.

While she was walking down the street to where Steve would be waiting with the truck, her mind couldn't help but think back to her conversation with Charlie's girlfriend. The girl had been so heartbroken that it reminded her of herself a few years back, and having mentioned her own tragedy to try and get the girl to open up to her had also left a bitter taste on her mouth. Whenever she remembered the last day she spent with Alex, her heart ached and her throat constricted. No matter how much time had passed, the memory still hurt her into the deepest part of her soul.

Alright! There you have it! Next chapter will be filled with Steve's and Annabeth's brother and sister relationship that we all know and love (even if she doesn't know it yet), so you can expect some drama while she thinks back to Alex and her own loss. Steve, of course, will be there to remind her that she's not alone anymore… I hope I can portray what I have in my mind the way I want it to be, so that may take a little while… although, two chapters in a day? I think that had me covered for a couple of days! Don't despair though… you might get a surprise tomorrow…

Until next chapter!