Chasing An Outcome

Chapter 12: A Love Like No Other

"I don't think I'll be coming back with you."

Davina could swear her heart had skipped a beat. She wasn't sure if she was breathing properly. Was this happening? Was this real? Oh how she prayed for this to be some cruel nightmare or some trick.

"I don't think I'll be coming back with you."

Her thundering heart must certainly be evident to everyone present. How can words -something with no physical form- cause so much pain? Ridiculous! Yet as she stood there, reeling from what he'd just told her, she realized it wasn't as improbable as one would think.

"You," She almost choked on her words. "W-What?"

Nathan had to look away. "In order to make this—"

"No I heard what you said!" She harshly cut in, a look of betrayal on her face. "You're planning on dying aren't you!? I understood it the first time... you were killed, but now, now you're choosing it! You're going to choose to leave my side! To abandon me!"

"Davina," He pleaded, reaching for her. "It's more complicated than that."

"Don't! Don't you come near me!" Davina yelled as she held an arm out to distance him. "I can't even look at you."

"I don't want to do this either Davina!" He countered desperately. "I wanted to spend my life with you. I wanted to experience so many things with you."

She shook her head. "Liar. If that's really what you wanted than this never would've been a choice."

The sound of the sealing spell shattering caused them to turn their heads.

"I managed to make another one before entering here," Freya exclaimed, knowing they wouldn't like the rest of it. "But it won't hold forever."

Nathan turned Davina towards him, holding her face gently in his hands. "I know this isn't easy. I know it isn't what you want to hear, but, it must be done. I want you to know that being with you has truly been a dream. Working together with you and your friends really was wonderful. And I'm glad to have met them. You have surrounded yourself with some nice people."

Her heart was shattering and tears cascaded down her cheeks, over his palm. "I can't do this Nathan. I can't... Don't make me say goodbye to you. Please." She leveled a hopeful gaze at him. "We can leave, think of another plan, and better prepare ourselves. We can get out and—"

"They won't let us enter here so easily again; they'll be even more vigilant if we leave now." Pain swam through Nathan. "They'll find a way to counter us. Your friends will be at risk." A solitary tear escaped him, betraying his intent on remaining strong for her. "If we can't sever our connection right now then what was the point of this? Every loss you endured will all be in vain. This is our only shot Davina. And we only have a little bit of time left to do this."

Davina's shoulders sunk in defeat. "This isn't fair. I've only just gotten you back." She rubbed her eyes of the tears, but more only fell. "Why is this always happening to me? Why do I always lose the people I love? Why do you have to die Nathan?"

Nathan held her close, wishing he could just absorb all traces of pain she was feeling. "I'm so sorry kiddo, I'm so sorry for being such a failure to you." He angled a stern look at Kol. "I don't know much about you, but, you're really important to Davina. Don't you hurt her or put her in harm's way, ever. I want what's best for her the same as Marcel. I want her to live a life outside of this mess; a normal life. One where she goes to college, has a career, has a family and does a much better job at being a parent than me and her mother."

Kol lowered his gaze, the words stung with a pain far worse than that of any dagger. Being in bliss during his initial days with Davina he'd never stopped to truly think of the reality of his relationship. The cold reality. He was a vampire. What Nathan -her father- wanted for her, what Marcel -the man she cherished most- wanted for her, he couldn't give. He couldn't give her a family or a life where they grew old together. He couldn't give her normality.