A Shadowed Love

Resolutions

After leaving the kitchen, Courtney set off to find Gwen. She knew she had to find her and tell her the real story. Gwen had to believe her, that Trent being stuck there wasn't her fault. 

Courtney walked up the stone steps, to the second floor of the compound. She closed her eyes and used her sensitive hearing to track down any source of movement, if there was any. Courtney followed Gwen's movements to the last room down the hall. Courtney slowly blew out a long breath and sighed, slowly advancing down the hall. She didn't bother knocking, she just turned the handle and stepped inside. Courtney froze, as she registered what she was looking at. 

Gwen was sitting up on the windowsill, headphones in her ears, and a sketch book in her lap. She had a concentrated look on her pale face as her hand expertly sketched something on the paper. Courtney decided that it was an invasion of the girl's privacy to try to look at what she was drawing, so Courtney looked away quickly and at the floor. 

"I know you're there. No need to be quiet about it," Gwen mumbled. Courtney flinched and looked back up at her. Gwen was looking over at her now, her headphones hanging out of her ears. Her fingers still clutching the pencil. Courtney looked at the girl's neck. To see a dainty golden chain with a strange triangle-looking pendant hanging off of it. Courtney was surprised, Gwen didn't really seem like the type to wear any jewelry.

"It's a guitar pick," Gwen said, slowly reaching up and gently fingering the necklace "Trent made it for me, it was the first one he ever had, he said that someone as special as me deserves something as special as this," 

Courtney swallowed a hard lump in her throat, as she watched Gwen's charcoal eyes tear up before quickly looking away and out her window at the night. 

"Gwen.. I'm so sorry. But you have to believe me... I didn't want to leave Trent there. I didn't," Courtney croaked, her voice breaking slightly. Gwen swallowed hard and slowly looked over at her. 

Gwen finally sighed, her shoulders slumping "I know you didn't," 

Courtney's head perked up, and she blinked a little. Gwen slowly set her sketchbook down and rubbed her eyes. "I'm just..Terrified he's going to get hurt. I can't lose him too," 

Too?

Courtney narrowed her eyes a little, confused. But taking one glance at Gwen's face she knew. She was talking about Duncan.

Courtney's territorial instincts over her mate heated up, she tightened her hands to fists, her teeth sharpening. But Courtney slowly blinked a little, actually thinking about it.

Of course she was talking about Duncan. The two had been best friends for centuries. Gwen had taught Duncan how to be a vampire. Showed him how to live without living. Took him in when he had no where else to go. 

In her short time being a vampire, Courtney had learned one thing for sure. The bond you make with the vampire who teaches you how to live as a night child is stronger than anything else. Courtney was lucky enough to fall in love with the man who taught her. Now mated to him. She didn't think she could ever survive without Duncan by her side. 

Courtney never really took into consideration that Gwen might have felt that way too. Maybe what Gwen and Duncan had wasn't exactly the same love Courtney and Duncan shared, but it was love. And Courtney kinda took that away from her, didn't she?

She never quite thought that all the days she spent with Duncan by her side, was one less day Gwen spent with her best friend. Gwen had to sit back and watch her best friend, her partner in crime of centuries fell in love with someone else, spent all his time with someone else.

Courtney could't imagine what that had to feel like. Didn't want to.

"I believe you about Trent," Gwen said, snapping Courtney out of her thoughts.

"Thank God," Courtney sighed in relief. 

"And don't fret about Duncan," Gwen gave her a sad smile "I'm happy he's finally found someone to live for,"

After leaving Gwen's room, Courtney felt content once again. Who knew, maybe those two could be friends after all.