THEN

The July heat seemed particularly close when packed into the crowded bar in Port Angeles. Said bar was being tended by the finally twenty one year old Ethan. He spent most of his shift that night hoping Caroline and Cole would coax Anna Jane in to celebrate her birthday.

The four of them were staying in Forks for the summer, having given up their Hell's Kitchen apartment after Anna and Cole finished their junior year. Though the plan had been to live there until graduating, Anna had a hard time staying in the room she'd shared with Sylas. So the new plan was to spend the summer working and then move into their shorterm lease in Brooklyn.

Though it would mean a little bit more travel to get to classes for Anna and Cole, they all had to admit the idea of having a memory-less place was appealing.

After Sylas left, of course it took the toughest toll on Anna Jane. She had anger without a doubt, but not the amount the other three thought suitable. What got their own anger up was how resolved she seemed, and unfortunately, how little she was surprised. The confidence she'd always carried in spite of it all, dimmed.

During the weeks after Sylas left they others did their level best to support Anna with either distractions or vent sessions. There were late nights and weekend adventures. There were dishes broken and dance offs. By the time they were packing up to Forks in May, Anna had moved her wedding ring to her thumb, determined to keep steady.

What they maybe hadn't expected was the parents wrath. Cecelia and John provided a solace for Anna with Cecelia giving as much womanly wisdom as she could, and John letting her know that he and the band could take care of Sylas if need be. He'd never of course, but the defensiveness surprisingly helped. Then there was Phillip who told Ethan how upon seeing Sylas when he visited Forks briefly in April, Phillip walked right up to him and proclaimed he'd not speak to him again until Sylas was six years in his grave.

Then he hugged Sylas tightly, gripped his face with a nod, and walked away. When Sylas wrote to Cole telling him of the exchange, he described it as the approval most got when asking for an engagement blessing, not one for a separation.

He wrote letters often. Texts would come in to let them know where he was or any updates of the Preservers that he felt they should know. But his letters were much like the ones he'd received from Anna Jane as children. There he put his own sorrows over being away from them, and his hope that if he couldn't fight the fight with them, he'd do so with the Emissary and maybe one day things would be easier. Only to Caroline did he admit that he hadn't had any nightmares since he left Anna.

He wrote to Anna as well, knowing calls wouldn't be welcome for a time. She didn't mail a single reply, but she wrote them out so she could still feel her words and feelings were getting out.

Once the summer arrived however, they had all the distraction they needed to find their way to moving on. The knowledge sunk in that little over a year remained before the four of them would have to enter the real world and likely separately. Sure, they had decided they'd take the summer after graduation for fun and celebration, but they fit in as much as they could starting now.

Ethan glanced up at a shout and smiled as Caroline rushed in.

"Babe, I need twenty dollars."

"We already got the birthday girl a gift." But he laughed as she leaned over the bar and dug in his back pocket for his wallet.

"The boutique down the street is closing and Cole and I are twenty short on talking Anna into this dress she simply has to wear tonight."

"Can't argue with that. Are you dragging her in then?"

"Nearly have her. Since you're loose with your money, maybe bribe the dj for more dancing music less 80s hair bands." She blew a kiss as she dashed back out.

Having already spoken with the dj Ethan caught her eye and gave a thumbs up. The music had already shifted when the door opened again, this time it was Sylas who walked in.

His shoulders hunched as Ethan's customer welcoming glance turned to glare.

"Permission to sit." Sylas gestured to an empty stool.

"I don't recommend you staying."

"Ethan." But Sylas raised a hand when Ethan took a sharp step forward. "Alright, you can take a swing but only one. You'll only hate yourself if you go for two."

"That a bet you want to stick with?"

"Can't you understand why I did it?"

"Oh I can understand." Ethan slid a gin and tonic down the bar and turned away to make another. "Doesn't mean I can't beat the tar out of you at every chance." He added over his shoulder.

"Ethan please."

Passing shots and pint glasses, Ethan relented enough to look over at Sylas and really see. Sure he looked fit enough, muscles showing in the black t-shirt. But there were shadows under his eyes and a tension in his shoulders. His voice had sounded strained. The urge to reach out wasn't to strike anymore, but Ethan wasn't ready to forgive entirely.

Still, he poured another shot glass and offered it to Sylas.

"It's not because I don't want you here Sy, but I really don't recommend you staying."

"Why is that?"

"Have you really been so busy being Mr. Emissary that you can't remember what the date is?" At the sound of the door, Ethan swore. "Well there's that."

Sylas looked over and saw Caroline and Cole tugging in Anna Jane, wearing a snug silver dress. With a curse of his own Sylas lowered to a stool, downing the shot.

Anna's eyebrows raised as she spotted Sylas, but she showed no other emotion.

Cole and Caroline on the other hand, had it in spades.

"Yeah. Well. Here we go." Ethan began making their favorites. "I didn't invite him Ro, quit shooting daggers at my back."

"I was doing nothing of the sort." But Caroline looped her arm around Anna's waist while Cole pointed at his eyes and then at Sylas's.

"Arret. The both of you." Anna leaned against the bar as she looked over Sylas. "You look like hell."

"And you look…." Sylas's tired eyes still glowed from drinking her in. "Just incredible Anj. Happy Birthday."

"I got your package; I just haven't opened it yet. Not because of ….I was waiting for today that's all."

"I would have brought it with me rather than ship; I just didn't expect I'd be in the area today. Lost all track of the date. I promise I didn't mean to wreck anything, I thought I'd just catch Ethan."

"It's alright. Nothing wrecked." With a shake of her head, Anna laughed at both of them. "We used to be easy with one another, this can't change that."

Offering her hand, Anna raised a brow. "A dance?"

Sylas's jaw tightened as he nodded, taking her hand. "Please."

Watching them fit together as they moved, Caroline wrinkled her nose.

"It's going to screw her up." Ethan shook his head. "She can't let him off the hook that easy."

"She's not letting him off the hook." But Cole watched her face. "It's her birthday; he's what's been missing from it, that's all."

"Would it be easier if they went 100% and divorced?" Caroline wondered.

Cole shook his head, reaching over the bar for a bottle of soda. "It's been three months, that's barely a separation."

"Who knew you were the romantic." Ethan mused at Cole. "In his letters he doesn't sound like a single man that's for sure. I don't know, maybe he thinks he can take down the lot of them before she's the one that moves on."

"Not exactly fair to her."

Ethan reached for Caroline's hand and kissed it. "That's why we're here for each other."

"Woah nelly." Cole exclaimed.

Across the floor, Anna had gripped Sylas's shirt and was currently pulling him towards the bathrooms.

"You know, I don't think we have to worry about that girl." Ethan chuckled and got busy as other customers came in.

Anna poked her head in the bathroom door and declared, "Clean enough."

Agreeing, Sylas lifted Anna with one arm and locked the door with the other before turning to press her against it. The urgency Sylas put into the kiss may have worried Anna, but she knew she matched it. There weren't words shared or any need for them as Sylas's pants were yanked down and Anna's skirt smoothed up. There was only the need to feel like a single unit again.

After, Anna still in his arms with her forehead pressed to his, ragged breaths matched, Sylas wished he could hit pause. But already he felt the tension returning. With a final shudder, Anna boosted herself down.

"Tell me."

"I wouldn't even know where to begin Anj." Sylas dragged a hand down his face.

"More than what's in your letters?"

"It's worse than I expected, being in the middle of it. That's all."

"Hmm. Well if you feel like sharing the rest of that 'all' then you know where to find me. I better get back to the celebrating."

Once they walked back out to the bar, Sylas caught her elbow until her eyes met his. Seeing what was in them she nodded.

"I know."

"Then that's all I need."

Giving her hair a saucy flip, Anna winked at him and then returned to the others.

They kept their teasing comments to a minimum and properly toasted the birthday girl before Ethan took his break and spun Anna and Caroline towards the dance floor.

"I'm going to head out." Sylas told Cole. "Before I do though….Listen, it might not be my place to say to you anymore, but I hope you'll give some thought to reaching out to Edward Cullen."

"Sy….it's not that it isn't your place, I just don't know about the timing."

"If that's all that's holding you back, the time is definitely now." Sylas pulled Cole a bit further from the fray. "I trust Carlisle, I do. But I don't have the same faith in The Emissary being protection like he does. I don't think any of us do."

"No, but what does Edward have to do with that?"

"Not having that faith means knowing someone that can read minds would come in handy."

"He just went though all that shit with The Volturi. He knows about me now, if he wanted to help he would."

"Or he thinks you don't want his help. He's a vampire, and vampires killed your parents Cole. And we now know there was a surge of vampires in the Seattle area during that time because they were after Bella. You don't blame him for that, but it's not a leap to think you could."

"Maybe." Cole shrugged. "You think we'll need the Cullen's help?"

"If they're willing to give it, I don't think we'll have the luxury of turning it down." His eyes followed Anna as she and Ethan coaxed some Irish jig out of Caroline.

"Sylas why are you doing this if you don't even trust them?"

"For the same reason I do anything." He jerked his chin at his wife.

"Leaving her, real good way of showing that buddy." Cole rolled his eyes.

"I don't have to trust them to know they truly believe the prophecy thing. Both sides do. The Preservers want all of us dead sure and her first. But The Emissary, I don't know how much they truly want us free. And since she's the one from the original bloodline, they're never going to let her be. No matter what Jeff says, I just don't trust they will. They're keeping things from us, I just know it."

Coles eyes darkened. "And you'll what, take them down from within? By yourself? You've been at it three months and you already look like you've been dragged through hell Sy. Come back home and we can figure out a way together."

"If there's a time when I can and it'll be safe, then I will. Hey." He gripped Cole's shoulders and looked down at him. "Promise. It's not just for her."

"I know that asshole." Cole shrugged away but pulled Sylas into a hug. "Just be careful."

"Geall."

After Sylas left, Cole put away his worries and thinking of tomorrows to enjoy the night. They all did. Ethan and Caroline were even lighter with one another than they had been in months. Even with all four of them having troubles in the back of their minds, they did their level best to just be young and a little wild for a night.

Early the next morning, blissful at the avoidance of a hangover, Anna remembered her present from Sylas. Stepping over the others still asleep in various heaps of her bedroom, she grabbed the package and headed for the kitchen.

Automatically prepping coffee for everyone, she also hunted up a box cutter and eagerly looked inside. The card read "Happy 21st Birthday, yours, Sylas."

Wrinkling her nose at there being so few words, Anna pushed away the packing paper, and revealed another box.

This one was made of wood, ash and oak, a workable marriage Anna remembered Sylas often saying when he'd be working on a new project. He'd etched a design around the edges and in its center were a simply carved "AJB".

Running her fingers over the letters Anna shook her head. Perhaps sometimes there didn't need to be words.

As quietly as she could, she went back to her room and gathered the envelopes that sat in her backpack, and slipped on her boots.

Not long after, Sylas woke in his own bedroom from a tapping sound at his window. Sitting up in bed he cursed as he saw Anna Jane gripping the sill.

"What the hell are you doing?" He hissed as he slid up the glass.

"I didn't want to wake your father ringing the doorbell. You going to give me a hand or cash in on the life insurance?"

"What did you even use to climb?" He dragged her up and in until she was over his now empty desk.

"I used your truck as a boost, and the masonry is surprisingly easy to grip." She dusted off her hands and reached behind her in the waist band of her shorts. "Here."

Looking at the envelopes Sylas froze. "Anj…."

"They're in order. I write them whenever I get a letter from you, I just couldn't send them. I will from now on."

"You didn't have to…I didn't expect."

"I love the box Sylas."

An easiness returned to his eyes. "I know how you love holding on to memories; I thought it would be good for photos, notes, whatever you wanted."

Anna stepped closer and put her hand on Sylas's cheek. "It has my name."

"It has your name." Sylas agreed. "If you ever want to change things…if one day we need to make the separation legal, or…..more..., the name can be a memory too."

"It'll never be a memory Sylas, it's who I am. I'm Mrs. Bruan." With a cheeky grin she added, "You're Mr. Simone aren't you?"

"I am. It's probably not fair to say to you but I needed you to know that's who you'll always be to me."

"Good." She took a step back towards the window. "I left a note for whoever of the hungover wakes up first, but I should get back. I'll send you the new address in Brooklyn once we move in next month. You write to me anytime."

"It'll be before then." He promised and Anna smiled as she swung a leg over the window sill. "Don't…."

"Hey, if we're going to be in the world's most unconventional husband and wife, I can't be leaving through doors."

And with that, Sylas let out his first true laugh since he'd been the one to leave.

NOW

Hayley let out a breath, her hand gripped in Anna's as they sat on the couch. Ethan was stretched out on the floor, looking out the window at the night as Cole watched him.

"So there were times that Sylas was away and times he wasn't. If we needed him, or if he needed us that is." Anna looked to Cole.

"We may not have been all together again but we had moments where some of us were. And we carried on like that until…." Cole hesitated, still looking at Ethan.

"Until?" Hayley prompted.

"Until Caroline left." Ethans voice was flat. "And she didn't come back."

"It couldn't have been as cut and dry as that." Hayley whispered. "I'm so sorry. But it couldn't have."

"No?" Ethan laughed and looked back to Cole and then Anna Jane. "Correct me if I'm wrong."

"Dhearthair….." Cole leaned over to reach for him, jaw clenching when Ethan backed up and stood, storming from the house.

"Do not." Anna said immediately when Hayley put her head in her hands. "That was inevitable, not at all something to put blame on yourself."

"Cole I believe the next part is better told by you anyhow. I'll bring him back in a bit."

She paused to kiss the top of Cole's head and give his hair a tug before she put on a sweater and shoes and followed after Ethan.

Letting out a breath Cole joined Hayley on the couch. She rubbed his back, curling her legs up to face him.

"Hard for you." She said. "Having to see their pain over their people but also having your own."

"That's how this started. I wanted to talk about Anna and Ethan and how our friendship has lasted. How this soul connection has been what the three of us could always count on. But yeah I also wanted to do what I feel like I can't always do with them. I want to talk about how it was with Sylas and with Caroline. We do that, the three of us, of course we do. We always will. But I don't start those conversations. I let them lead." Coles throat tightened. "I can't be the one that brings up something that will cause them pain even if I'm missing them too."

"You can with me."

Cole nodded, and brought Hayley's hand up to his lips. "I can with you."

"So with Caroline….?"

"With Caroline, Ethan isn't completely wrong. It did feel cut and dry. Because regardless of how valid her feelings are, and yes, they are. She still chose it. She chose to leave and she chooses every day to not even reach out. Not even after….." As he trailed off, his breathing heavy, Hayley gripped Cole's hand tighter.

"You can say it. I think you have to say it."

"Not even after Sylas was killed."

Down the street Anna crossed her arms over her chest, spotting Ethan sitting at Sylas's bench just as she had that morning. Walking down the brick path, she joined him. They sat in silence a moment, the light from the lampposts and church glowing around the town square.

"Its not that you didn't pick the perfect spot, but I hate being here."

"Understood." Anna replied, twirling the ring on her thumb.

"You know what's the worst part?"

"Tell me."

"I'm jealous of you." Ethan admitted. "How fucked up is that? I'm jealous because at least you have no doubts about him. About how you were together. Because if he was still here, well he'd be right here next to you. And everyday that I don't know where she is or how she can stay quiet, I feel a new doubt grow and I wonder if I imagined it all."

"Of course you didn't. Hey." Anna turned sideways to face him with a little shove. "Of course you didn't." She repeated. "You know what the worst part is for me?"

"Tell me." Ethan whispered.

"On the days where I hate being here myself, and I can't even talk to him to tell him whatever is going on…I just sit here and feel jealous of you. Because I wonder if anger would be easier. And I wonder if I love him enough that I would rather not have him in my life at all but at least know his life is going on. I wonder if that makes it easier for you and would it for me. I think we're both right. Of course it's easier for you because you absolutely love her enough that it helps knowing at least she's away from all this and alive. Of course it's easier for me because I don't have to second guess how he felt about me."

"I don't know how to stop doing that."

"Talk to us. What? You think because I have a dead husband I can't listen? You have to let it out every once in a while Ethan. Cole and I were there, we can tell you all day how special you and Caroline were. Hell, I can tell you what he would often say about it." Anna stroked the back of the bench.

"Ha." Kicking the leg of the bench lightly Ethan added softer, "Tell me."

"They're not done."