Richelle Mead owns the VA and Bloodlines series.

I've had this idea in my head for awhile now, but couldn't work out how to finish it. I hope you enjoy it! Review and let me know!

P.S. I wrote a Trey/Angeline story called Behind the Library if anyone's interested in reading about them :)

I looked in the mirror and adjusted my tie for what seemed like the millionth time today. I couldn't believe I was so nervous. Getting married was a big step, obviously. Especially for someone like me. But I shouldn't be this nervous.

I'd known this girl for three years, we'd been together longer than I'd ever been with anyone else. I shouldn't be this nervous. But I was and I knew why, and no matter how many times I tried to distract myself by straightening my tie, I couldn't stop thinking about it.

I sat down on the couch and put my head in my hands. The problem was that Amy, the girl I was marrying in just over a half hour, wasn't Sydney Sage. She'd never been Sydney, and I'd never tried to delude myself into thinking she was. She was a nice Moroi girl, not royal or anything, just a nice girl that Jill had introduced me to a few years ago. I guess she'd gotten sick of my moping and was trying to force me to move on. But the truth was, I didn't want to move on from Sydney.

She'd broken my heart, left in the middle of the night without saying goodbye. The most I got was a note she'd left behind in her dorm room at Amberwood saying how she was sorry, but she had to leave. It wasn't even addressed to me, it was for the whole Palm Springs group. She never even said why she decided to go. I'd thought things had been good between us. I'd searched for her at first. I'd tried everything. But nothing worked, not even spirit dreams. Sydney's magical mentor, Jackie, had tried a few location spells but none of them had worked either. Eventually, after almost a year of hopeless searching, I had no choice but to go back to Court and give up.

I hadn't seen or heard anything from Sydney since. My friends all thought I needed to start dating again and when Jill introduced me to Amy I finally agreed. Amy was sweet and understood that I was still mending a broken heart. She gave me time and space, while still being around when I needed someone. We weren't serious. I didn't think I could ever be serious with anyone ever again after Sydney, but the easiness of our relationship sort of stuck, and now three years later we were still together. And that was good. Amy was good for me.

"Adrian," Eddie said, popping his head in through the doorway. "It's almost time. Finish up and meet us out in the sanctuary. The photographer wants a few pictures of you with all the groomsmen before the ceremony."

I nodded. "Be there in a minute."

Once Eddie left I slumped back onto the couch, the nervousness I had been feeling rushed back over me ten-fold. I had to get over this. Marrying Amy was a good decision. It shouldn't have made me feel like I wanted to throw up. Jill liked her, all of my friends liked her. I liked her.

But you're not head-over-heels, act-like-an-idiot-because-you're-too-in-love-to-care-what-anyone-thinks-of-you in love with her.

I rubbed my temples, hoping to shush that voice that seemed to be speaking up a lot today. I didn't need to hear it. I already knew. And it made me feel guilty as hell for so many reasons. The stupidest of which was that a part of me felt like I was betraying Sydney. Which was just idiotic considering the circumstances.

Even though Amy and I had been dating for years I'd never thought about getting serious—marriage serious—with her. I'd only proposed last month after... Well, after.

I'd never truly, one hundred percent, given up on Sydney. I couldn't. So I'd set up news alerts on my computer. Theoretically, if her name ever popped up on the Internet, I'd get an email alert. I'd never gotten one until a month ago when I checked my email and BAM! There it was, sitting in my inbox.

1 New Article Containing "Sydney Sage".

My heart had skipped a beat, or ten, and I actually had to get up and shake out some of the jitters running through me at the sight of her name. In that moment, I couldn't even feel bad about the excitement I felt, or the quick stream of fantasies that all included a happy reunion between the two of us, even though I had a girlfriend. But then I'd clicked open that email and my world had shattered.

Sydney Sage, age 23, Killed in Car Accident in Utah.

A sob had escaped me despite the numb feeling that spread over my entire body. I read that article over a hundred times, at least. She'd been driving in the snow and her car skidded out on some black ice before careening down an embankment and into a frozen river. There was a picture of the crash site in the article, but that wasn't the picture I kept looking at. It was the picture of Sydney that was in the upper right hand side of the page, older than the last time I saw her but just as beautiful. It would be the last picture I ever saw of Sydney and she wasn't even smiling. She looked like a robot, a puppet. Drained of all her energy. Like someone had sucked her fierce, glowing golden aura right out of her. I kept thinking they might as well have put a photo of her corpse in the article, because it would have still held more life than the photo they used.

It destroyed me. For a week I didn't leave my apartment. I didn't tell anyone what happened, aside from Jill who had seen through the bond we shared. But I didn't want to talk about it, so I ignored her phone calls. Finally, after seven whole days of staring at that damned photo of her, I decided enough was enough. She was gone, but I was still here. I had to act like it. She wouldn't want me to waste away staring at an article about her death in a dark, dirty apartment. So I picked myself up, cleaned the apartment, invited Amy over and proposed.

It was a rash decision, I knew that when I'd proposed. But right now it was hitting me just how rash it was. Could I do this? Could I marry her, even though the only person I could picture walking down the aisle towards me was dead?

I sucked in a deep breath, steeling my resolve. I'd made a commitment to Amy, to our future. Besides, I'd made a promise to myself and, as stupid as it was, to Sydney. I wasn't going to let myself fall back into that pit of despair. I was going to push forward.

There's nothing for you in the past but pain and sorrow. It's time to move on to the future.

With that little pep talk I hauled myself up off the couch and went out to meet my groomsmen for photos.

###

What was I thinking? How could I have ever thought this was a good idea?

I repeated the question over and over again as drummed my fingers nervously across the steering wheel.

Staring out the windshield at the stone building filled me with dread. It was a beautiful building, gorgeous really. I could tell from the design that it had been built in the late 1800's or possibly very early 1900's, but I was so nervous I could barely concentrate on the beautiful stone archways or the ornate wooden doors. I was too worried about what was happening behind those wooden doors.

I watched as a gaggle of men and women laughed and chatted as they entered the church. I didn't know a single one of them, but they all looked so happy. Weddings were supposed to be such happy occasions, but I couldn't have managed a smile of my own if I'd wanted to. And, honestly, at this moment, I was certain I'd never smile again. I pulled my drumming fingers off of the steering wheel and opened the door.

The ceremony was starting soon and I needed to get inside.

###

Guests were filling in the pews, everyone looked happy. They were all smiling and talking with one another. Even my parents looked happy while they chatted with a few royal friends of theirs that they'd insisted I invite. I let myself scan the auras of the crowd quickly. Seeing all of the bright, happy colors somehow relaxed me. Knowing everyone else was happy made me feel like I could be happy too.

"Over here," the photographer waved, getting my attention.

Click.

I blinked, trying to clear the flash from my eyes. I saw Eddie, Christian and Dimitri all doing the same next to me. They were all dressed in identical tuxes. Normally, I'd be joking with the photographer, who was a cute red headed Moroi girl, about how she was sure to get my good side because I didn't have a bad one. But today wasn't a normal day, and I barely knew how I was keeping the phony smile plastered on my face.

"Okay," the red headed photographer smiled. "All of you look straight down the aisle, like you're looking at something in the distance."

She scurried to the side to get a nicely angled shot of all of us standing by the alter as we stared into the distance like she'd asked. I let myself go unfocused again as she snapped away, checking out the crowd's auras.

Blues, reds, greens. They all meant different things, but what mattered was that they were, mostly, all bright as they waited for the ceremony to start. Pinks, oranges, yellows.

Yellows?

My head snapped back from where I'd been scanning. Who in this room had a yellow aura? I looked closer towards the door by the main entrance of the church. It took a second, but I spotted it again. A yellow aura, slightly duller than the rest of the crowd's. But what made this particular aura so special was that it was run through with streaks of purple.

"Excuse me," I said, stepping away from my friends and hurrying down the aisle before I even realized I was doing it.

"I wasn't done," the photographer called from behind me.

When I didn't turn around Eddie said, "We're starting soon."

I waved back at him noncommittally and kept walking. When I got to the doors to the entrance I spotted a blonde head dart outside into the courtyard outside the church. A few people gave me funny looks as I rushed outside, but I was too far gone to care. I had gotten an idea in my head and, even if it turned out to be me finally losing my mind or worse, if it wasn't her, I didn't care. I had to see for myself.

###

I'd spotted him as soon as I walked through the door. He was standing up by the alter, dressed in a fitted black tuxedo that somehow made his green eyes that much brighter. Eddie, Christian and Dimitri were all dressed similarly and were standing beside him as a photographer snapped shots of them. His smile looked fake. Or maybe that was just me wishing it was fake. Wishing he couldn't possibly be happy up there, even though all I'd ever wanted was to make him happy.

My gut had twisted into a knot as I realized he was getting married. Today. In a few minutes. I turned around and took off, heading back out into the courtyard. It was all I could do to make it outside before an embarrassingly shaky breath rattled its way out of my lungs. I leaned my head against the smooth bark of a tree, trying to either gain enough courage to go back inside, or become selfless enough to walk away. A choking noise broke free of my throat and I squeezed my eyes shut tightly, silently berating myself for coming here in the first place. This was none of my business. Absolutely none of my business.

"Sage?"

My eyes snapped open at the sound of his voice. It was a guttural whisper. A sound so rough that my eyes started to tear up.

"Sage, please?" He took a shaky breath of his own. "If it's you just turn around. I need to see you, even if you're just some hallucination caused by stress and spirit. Please?"

I held in my tears as best I could and turned around, trying to give him a smile. It didn't turn out so well and I ended up blinking back more tears. "Hey, Adrian," I said in what I hoped was a normal voice, despite the tears.

His face crumpled when he saw me. He took in every detail; my face, my hair, my crisp khakis and fitted blue blazer. I hadn't been able to make myself wear the dress I'd bought for the occasion. Dressing up had just made me feel a thousand times worse about what I was planning on doing, so I'd come in professional clothes.

"Sydney," he whispered reverently, reaching out to touch my face, before dropping his hand. He looked at me like I was the most precious thing in the world and he was worried that I might disappear at any moment. "What are you doing here?"

I swallowed. Hard. "I heard you were getting married." I forced the words out passed the lump in my throat. "I couldn't not make an appearance for that, right?"

He just kept looking at me in that haunted way. "You're not dead," was all he said.

My eyes widened and a few tears escaped. They rolled down my cheeks. "You thought I was dead? You saw..."

He only nodded, but he stepped closer. This time when he reached out to touch me he didn't drop his hand at the last second. His warm fingers brushed against my face, wiping away the tracks of my fallen tears. I closed my eyes and leaned into his touch. It had been so long since he'd touched me.

"It was part of my escape plan," I whispered. "I didn't think you'd see it before I could get to you. I swear. I never would have put you through that if—"

"It's okay," he said soothingly, still stroking my cheek. "Who were you escaping from?"

"The Alchemists."

He squeezed his eyes shut, looking angry. "I knew they had you. I knew it! Why the hell did I stop looking for you?"

"You wouldn't have found me," I said, taking the hand that wasn't stroking my cheek in mine and leading him to a bench under the tree. Once we were seated he took my other hand and we sat there, fingers entwined, as I told him what had happened.

"They took me, and pumped me full of so many chemicals I wouldn't have recognized you if you had been able to find me. They said I had been so warped by vampire magic I needed a 'system reset'. I couldn't remember my own name for awhile after they finally let me out of Re-education." His fingers squeezed mine tight and I heard his breathing increase a little, like he was trying to remain calm. "It... I, um, didn't remember most of what happened in Palm Springs until last year, when I was sent to California for a conference. I started getting flashbacks. Then, on instinct or something, I drove to Amberwood. Ms. Terwilliger found me stumbling around campus having mini-panic attacks every time a flash back hit. It was like I was all of a sudden remembering parallel pasts. I remembered being terrified of all of you, but also joking around with Jill while Eddie and Angeline trained on West Campus. It was painful, trying to separate what was fact and what was fiction. Ms. Terwilliger hid me from the Alchemists and helped me remember."

Adrian was hanging on every word I said, his attention so focused on me I could feel his gaze burning into the side of my face, but I couldn't look up at him. I looked at our hands, wrapped together like nothing bad could ever tear us apart.

"That was last year?" he asked softly.

I nodded, understanding his meaning. "Yeah. It took a long time to sort through the memories. And then..." I took a deep breath. "And then, once I remembered, I was scared to contact you."

Adrian didn't say anything, but I still felt his eyes on me.

"The Alchemists were searching for me. They probably had you under surveillance. But that wasn't the only reason. I was... Adrian, I was gone for so long. Once I remembered it was like no time had passed for me. I still felt the same way I did that day they took me. But you? I had no idea how you would feel. I was so scared you would hate me forever. I'm still scared."

"I could never hate you, Sydney," he whispered, but other than that he didn't say what he was feeling.

I smiled a little. "Well, that's good. But you probably should."

"Why? Sage, the only people I hate are the Alchemists. What they did to you was wrong. They can't take people's lives from them just because—"

"Just because that person is in love with a vampire and they have photographic evidence that proves it," I finished for him. "They put me in front a group of Alchemists and showed everyone pictures of us together. Holding hands, kissing. They felt it was proof enough that I'd been corrupted beyond repair. I hated them too. I just wanted my life back. To stop hiding. So Ms. Terwilliger and I came up with a plan. We staged it to look like I slipped up, let the Alchemists find me. We were in a car chase, I lost control of the car and went into the river."

"But you'd planned it?" Adrian asked, but I could hear the certainty in his voice. He was beginning to put the pieces together.

"It was Ms. Terwilliger's idea to fake my death. I cast a spell as I went into the river. It made it look like I'd died, but it had really just put me in a state of unconsciousness. We'd contacted my mom before all of this, so when she came to collect my body she refused to let anyone touch me but her. Supposedly she had me cremated and sprinkled in the ocean."

Adrian reached up and brushed a strand of hair from my face so he could see me. "But you weren't. You're here, with me."

I nodded.

"So why do you think I should hate you?" he asked confused.

"Because," I whispered. "Because I came here, knowing that you were getting married. I freaked out when I found out. Three days ago I did a location spell and saw you! I saw you with her, at your rehearsal dinner. I panicked and drove here. I just... I don't know!" Tears were streaming down my face and I looked back down to my lap. He'd already pulled one hand away and I watched with a broken heart as he pulled his other hand away too.

"You came here to stop me from getting married?" he asked, his voice sounding rough.

I nodded, miserably. "I'm a terrible person," I cried. "A selfish, selfish person. We dated for like two months, four years ago. What right do I have to come here and try to break up—"

I never got to finish my sentence because Adrian's hands were turning my head toward him and his lips crashed down on mine. And then everything that was wrong with the world melted away, all of that stress and fear was gone under the pressure of his lips. So soft against mine, so warm. All I wanted was to live in this moment. To just stay here, tucked away from everything, underneath this tree with Adrian.

But, of course, that wasn't possible. He pulled away abruptly and I leaned forward trying to maintain contact, but he was already standing, backing away.

"I... Sage, you... and I don't... I can't." He stuttered over his words as he put space between us. His cheeks were red and he was looking around the empty courtyard, as if he was afraid someone might have caught him doing something wrong. Which, of course, he had been. Kissing me was wrong. I was wrong to have come here. He was getting married! What was wrong with me?

"I understand," I said lowly. I took a deep breath and stood up, preparing myself to walk away. To leave him to his life. I'd just have to find one of my own. I was sure, with a little time, I'd be fine. I could live without Adrian. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come here."

"No, Sage," he said, shaking his head. "Don't. You don't understand. I need a few minutes... to think. Just stay here, okay? Please?" His voice took on a desperate edge. "Please, don't leave me again."

I sat back down on the bench, feeling like I was made of lead. "Okay."

He sighed, relieved. "Thank you. I'll be back. Just... just wait right here. I'll be back in fifteen minutes."

I nodded, but he didn't leave right away. He kept watching me, looking like he was afraid I'd disappear again.

"It's okay. I'll be here when you get back," I whispered. And with that reassurance he took a step back finally, and then turned and went back into the church.

I closed my eyes, wiping the remaining tears from my face. I probably looked terrible. But I was feeling better. Or, sort of better. I still felt terrible for ruining the wedding. Whether Adrian decided to call off his wedding or not, it was still ruined. And I was so worried that he was going to come back saying that he was getting married. Or worse, if he didn't come back at all. What if he didn't come back and instead I had to sit hear and listen to the sounds coming from the church as they got married? Because I would stay here and listen. I couldn't leave if Adrian asked me to stay. I wouldn't leave until he told me to.

"Sydney?" I heard a voice calling my name across the courtyard. I looked up to see Jill running out of the church in a beautiful blue bridesmaid dress, her light brown curls bouncing behind her. "Sydney!"

I barely had time to stand before she was throwing herself into my arms. The bouquet of flowers she'd been holding fell, forgotten, to our feet as we hugged.

"Jill, you look so beautiful," I said softly. Then I noticed Rose and Eddie walking slowly across the grass towards us. Rose was in her guardian uniform of a white shirt and black pants, but Eddie was also wearing a tux. I suddenly realized that he had been standing up at the alter next to Adrian. He must have been one of the groomsmen.

Jill pulled back a little, but kept her arms locked tightly around me. "Oh, Sydney!" she cried. "We thought that you... And Adrian! He looked for you for so long! I can't believe it! You're here!" She pulled me back in and squeezed me.

Rose looked confused, but genuinely pleased to see me. Eddie , however, looked a little angry. When Jill finally let go, Eddie took his turn hugging me. "I'm glad you're here, Sydney. I really am," he murmured into my ear. "We've all missed you. But I have to know," he said. "Why did you leave? How could you do that to us?"

"It wasn't my choice," I told him honestly. "The Alchemists kidnapped me."

He looked taken aback, as did the others, even Jill. "They kidnapped you?" she screeched. I guess she hadn't heard that part through the bond she and Adrian shared.

"Why?" Rose asked. Her voice was calm, but I could see the fury burning in her brown eyes. It was the look she got whenever someone messed with her friends, and it warned me to think she cared about me still after all these years. "Are you okay? What happened?"

"I'll explain later," I told her. I sat back down on the stone bench, feeling utterly exhausted. "I can't think about it right now. I just... I need a little while," I said.

She and Eddie nodded, but Jill seemed to realize there was more to my mood than just wanting time to think. She took a step toward me. "Sydney, Adrian's... He's..."

"He's getting married!" Rose laughed. "Right now, actually." She looked around like she'd just realized what time it was and couldn't figure out why they were all outside talking to me. "We should go inside. You two need to get to your places before the ceremony." She gestured to Eddie and Jill, motioning them into the church. "You too, Sydney. Come on." She gave me a welcoming smile and I swallowed the lump in my throat trying not to cry.

Eddie and Jill exchanged a knowing glance, but looked at a loss for words. They both knew that Adrian and I had been dating when I'd disappeared, but I guessed no one had informed Rose of it. Or maybe she just didn't think it was a huge deal, seeing as Adrian had moved on.

"Um, I don't think I'm going to go inside," I said quietly. I patted the bench I was sitting on. "I'm pretty comfortable right here."

"But..." Rose started to say, but then something flashed over her face—recognition maybe?—and she nodded. Maybe someone had told her about me and Adrian after all.

We sat there in the most awkward silence I'd ever experienced for a few seconds before we heard footsteps on the grass. Jill spun around, a big, happy smile on her face and I could see Adrian behind her. He looked tired and upset, but he was back. I felt the corners of my mouth twitch just at the sight of him.

"Could you guys gives us a few minutes?" he asked, his eyes on me. "Sydney and I need to talk."

They nodded a scurried back into the church without another word. Adrian sighed, running a hand through his hair, and sat down next to me again. I had an urge to brush his hair out of his face, but my hand remained in my lap. I had to remind myself that his hair was no longer mine to touch, as much as I wished it was.

"So I just had the most uncomfortable conversation of my life," he said, then shocked me by leaning against me and burying his face in my hair. His lips brushed the skin of my neck once in the barest of kisses, before he pulled back to look at me. "I called it off," he said, his green eyes tired looking but bright with emotion. With hope. "I told her the truth. That I love you and couldn't marry her. She wasn't exactly pleased with me, but I think she understood. That's kind of what drew us together in the first place, you know. She always just let me do my own thing and understood..." He shook his head. "Sorry, I'm rambling. I'm just... nervous, I guess."

I finally managed to pull myself together enough to talk. "You don't need to be nervous," I murmured. "I'm here."

Adrian flashed me a smile so bright it was like looking into the sun. He didn't look tired anymore. "You are," he said, cupping the back of my head and bringing my lips up to meet his.

I don't know how long we kissed for. I was lost in another world, a world where only the two of us existed. A world I'd been dreaming about for so long now that I could hardly believe I was actually here, with him. After what seemed like an eternity, but still far too soon for my liking, he pulled back with a laugh. "I've missed that. I've missed you," he said. "And I want to continue getting reacquainted," he smirked, "but we should probably get out of here. A lot of pissed off people are going to be coming out of that church soon and I'd really rather them not see us together. I don't want them thinking this is your fault and saying anything to you."

His eyes and voice were so earnest, so protective, that I closed my eyes and leaned into his chest. "Okay," I said. "Let's get out of here." I leaned up to kiss his cheek. "We have a lot to talk about anyway."

He nodded, smiling down at me, and helped me up. "Are you hungry?" he asked. "We could go get something to eat. Or we could just go back to my place?" I gave him a look out of the corner of my eye as I led him to my car in the parking lot and he laughed. "I didn't mean it like that," he said. "I wasn't trying to be presumptuous."

I threw him a smirk and sped my pace a little. "Why not?" I asked over my shoulder. "I was."

I heard his footsteps pause before speeding up. He caught up a second later, throwing an arm around my shoulders and smiling. I unlocked my car and handed him the keys. "I'm kind of hungry, though," I admitted. "So we can eat first if you want."

He leaned in and kissed me once we were in the car. "Can I ask you a weird question?" he said as he pulled out of the parking lot, leaving everything behind to be with me. The life that he'd made for himself since I'd disappeared.

I smiled, more grateful than he'd ever know to have him in my life. "You can ask me as many weird questions as you want," I said. "I've missed your weird questions."

He smiled and glanced around the car. "Did you steal this or is it a rental?"

I was caught of guard by the question. It was more random than I had been expecting. "It's a rental," I said.

He nodded like he'd thought that was the case. "How did you rent it? I mean, I'm sure the Alchemists would know if your name popped up in some car rental database. And you're too smart for something like that."

I grinned, already knowing where this was going. "I used an alias," I admitted. He glanced over at me, the question already in his eyes. I reached down and pulled my fake ID out of my purse, handing it over without a word.

He took it, looking down at it then back up to the road before laughing. "Taylor," he said. "Taylor Steele. The perfect name." He smiled at me and I bit my lip, wanting to climb over the console and into his lap, regardless of whether or not he was driving.

"Although I have to admit," he added. "I have an affinity for Sydney's myself. Specifically cute little blondes named Sydney Sage." He gave me that roguish grin that always made my heart stop. "But I'll settle for a Sydney Ivashkov too."

I couldn't stop the grin from breaking out on my face, or the way I leaned into his side of the car and kissed him, even though it was dangerous with him driving. "Why don't we wait for your first wedding day to pass before you propose a second, huh?" I smoothed his messy hair back into place, still leaning across the console. "But I'll admit, I do the like ring of it."

"Oh, you'll like the ring alright. Trust me." He kissed me one more time before turning his attention to the road and taking us to dinner. I settled back into my seat, smiling stupidly at him and feeling happy and grateful and safe for the first time in a very long while.