The Gatekeeper (LGBT+)

Nobody Said It Was Easy

Lucas and Nora stand in front of Frederick and a woman named Melisandra.

Melisandra, like Frederick, is a scholar. Her specialty is magic, vampires specifically.

She moved to New Orleans from England, where her twin sister Melody lives currently. The two are helping Nora and Lucas find a way to bring Finn back. Nora, Melisandra and Frederick are against the idea but Lucas won't take no for an answer.

Shocker, he says to himself.

The four of them are at the end of their conversation when Blythe, the butler, comes into the room.

"What is it?" Lucas says with a frown.

"You have a visitor."

"If it's a witch, particularly black with an annoying demeanor, please tell him we've moved." Lucas says with frustration.

They watch as David walks into the room.

"Not a witch." David frowns.

Nora laughs, "Thank God."

Lucas eyes him suspiciously, "What's he gotten himself into this time?" He asks.

"It's not him, it's me." David says with pause. He wonders if he should even tell Lucas. It would be a prime opportunity to swoop in and tell Perry what he wants to hear. He takes a deep breath, "I need your help."

"Get the fuck out!" Nora chortles, "You need his help? You must be desperate."

"Very." David nods.

"Let's get this party started then." Lucas says with resignation.

                                                                                     -

I never thought I'd be moving back into my old bedroom.

Not alone, at least.

Even though furniture hasn't changed a bit, the feeling I get when I'm inside is wholly different. There's this unbelievable disconnect and feeling of not belonging that I can't shake. It tears me in two directions. I feel like I'm foreign in a way but not so much.

It's home but it's not home anymore.

My Mother and Micah have been insistent that I figure out my next move. They also think I should speak to David, which is harder than it sounds. After the first eighteen voicemails, all of which were made in a matter of six hours, I turned my phone off.

That didn't stop him from calling my Mother. She politely suggested that he give me time and he said that he will call back later. It's been two days since I moved out, six hours since I've heard from him. I really miss him but I need space.

I sit on the sofa now, watching my wedding tape over and over while eating caramel crunch gelato. I can almost rest it on my belly. The only real problem is that the cold makes the babies kick the crap out of me.

I keep rewinding it at the vows. Vows that I'm threatening to break. I keep thinking I'm the one who's messing everything up, like I always do.

But it's not true this time.

I didn't turn my back on David. I've been trying to help him since we got back, hiding just how wrong he is. I've been trying to help him find a cure and help myself. I can't help him if he doesn't want to be helped and I'm starting to think his dark side is far greater than mine. I begin to wonder exactly what happened to him in the darkness.