Tell Me I'm Not Dreaming [A Vampire Academy fanfiction]

Chapter XI

"You're joking, right?" I asked shakily. My voice trembled and my body had gone cold. Adrian had to be joking. Had to be.

"I'm sorry, Emma," he said to me, eyes mournful and downcast.

I had cried many times in my life. When I scraped my knee was one of them, when me and Ashley had gotten in that huge fight had been another, and most definitely when Dante was in a coma. But I had never imagined I would cry like this.

Huge racking sobs took over my body and tears continuously streamed out of my eyes. The saltiness of the tears was bitter in my mouth and so was the fact that I hadn't gotten to Cass in time. It was all my fault. Again.

I had made Dante sleep for what could be forever and now Cass was some evil revolting Strigoi out there to wreak havoc upon the world. My heart ached, and my head hurt. Every part of my body was in pain. "Emma?" I heard Adrian asked me. He was worried. Pfft. Worried. I was strong, I could take this.

"How....how many others have they turned? Have they turned you?" I asked. I shivered. A cold chill passed through me. Silent tears flowed down my cheeks as I stared at Adrian. My eyes were red and I felt like a mess.

"No, they haven't turned me," he replied. "But, if they get to it, there's nothing I can do," he said sadly. His eyes looked bloodshot. This was the first time that I had noticed. I was still crying. I couldn't stop.

"Have you found out where you are?" I mumbled, still in shock and still upset. "I bought a ticket to Spokane...I'm on my way there," I whispered. I didn't feel like talking at a normal volume. I didn't feel like doing anything right now.

"Lucky guess, Emma," Adrian whispered, and tucked a loose strand of hair behind my hair. To my surprise, he kissed my forehead, and gently wiped away my tears. I didn't object. But more slid down my cheeks. "Come find us and I'll contact you some other time," he murmured. "We can turn the Strigoi back to what they once were, Emma, it's okay," he said.

Then I woke up. My face was wet with tears, and I was freezing. I was looking around hectically for a tissue or maybe a jacket. "Hey, Emma....you okay?" Liam asked, a teasing look coming across his face at first. But then he saw the tears and his tone changed from teasing to worried.

"Emma?" Liam asked, and reached across the aisle towards me. I flinched and pulled away. I hated dragging people into my problems, into my warring emotions. I hated being weak and I hated people seeing me weak. I hated it. I wanted to be strong and independent, no matter how much I urged for someone to talk to when I came home. I didn't like coming home to an empty house. I didn't like being lonely.

Liam sighed and shook his hand. His reached into Raina's handbag to pull out a small bag of tissues. The cute little ones that are made for travel...you know, the one's from Kleenex. Then he handed me his coat. "You look cold," he said, and gave me a small smile. "Don't think I'm a jerk Emma. I care more about you then you think," he whispered.

I didn't reject the tissues or the coat. I was cold and the tears made it worse. "Thanks," I said dryly, but I gave him a soft smile. "But I don't think I can believe that," I murmured, a tear slashing through my cheek again. I yawned sleepily. "Good night Liam," I whispered.

"Good night, Emma," he said, and got out of his seat. He kissed my cheek tenderly and then sat back down. I was too tired to be shocked, so I just sat in that plane seat with that coat over me. I had misplaced mine. I was too tired to do anything. Too tired to see, so I closed my eyes. I was....too tired to feel.

                                                              ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Thanks for lending me your coat," I said to Liam. We were at the baggage claim now. I had no baggage to claim. All I had was 50 bucks in my pocket and a credit card. I didn't even know where my jacket was anymore.