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Chapter 16: Catching Up

A/N: Since the last one chapter was so short, I wanted to give you guys another update for the day. I love you all for your constant support! My faithful few always make me smile with your comments and all the love you show me. Okay. I'll shut up now. Have a lovely day my lovelies!
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I pulled into the parking lot of the motel where Niki was staying. The rain had started falling about an hour before you arrived. Most people didn't like driving in the rain, but you were different. Even if it was storming, there was something calming about the sound of raining bouncing off of your windshield. It helped you sort out your thoughts and how you were going to handle being around Niki after avoiding her for all these years.

With a sigh, you climbed out of your jeep and sprinted under the awning of the motel, scanning each door for the number 106. When you found it, nerves took over your body. How were you going to face her after ignoring her? There was no excuse for that at all. You were a terrible friend and she probably hated you for it.

Niki ripped the door open with a huge grin before you even had the chance to knock. She pulled you into a tight hug, surprising you stiff. It took you a second before you returned the hug and smiled.

She tugged you inside and you got to look at the girl that had turned into a beautiful young lady. You hardly recognized her, although not that that was surprising. You hadn't seen each other since you were fifteen and she was twelve. The only thing keeping you in contact was phone calls.

"Look at you," you exclaimed with a grin as wide as your face. "You've grown up so much!"

"Me, what about you?" She pulled you into another surprise hug. "I've missed you." The short wisps of her brown hair grazed your cheeks and you laughed from the tickle.

"I like your hair like this, by the way." You dragged your hand through the pixie cut and she laughed.

"Thanks. It was much more practical for hunting than the long mess it was before."

You understood what she meant. You had been tempted many times to just give up on beauty altogether and shave it off. Long hair became an extra disadvantage many times with monsters. It was just one more thing for the monsters to grab and hurt you by.

"How've you been?" you asked, plopping onto the twin sized bed that wasn't disheveled from sleep.

She pushed air between her lips, mimicking the sound of a motor. "I've been...living."

"That bad?"

"After you stopped returning my calls and I started hunting, things definitely got more hectic than I ever imagined they would.

"Niki, I'm so sorry. There was just a lot going on in my life, and I know that is no excuse, but I pushed everyone away and I regret it now."

She shook her head and smiled. "There's nothing to apologize for. I get it."

She walked across the room and bent her short little body down to pull a beer out of her cooler. "Want one?"

You shrugged. "Why not?" She walked back over and sprawled out on her side on the bed next to you. "So what's this hunt?"

"I think there are some demons after this thing called the First Blade."

"The what?" You questioned, wondering how your sweet little friend got tied up in hunting demons of all things.

"It's supposedly a blade made from the jawbone of a donkey."

"And," you drug out the word in a questioning tone, "why are demons after a jawbone knife?"