How I Was Born to Die

Chapter One: A Tree Tries to Kill me....again

<>Anya<>

6 years later...

"C'mon, it's just a tree, it won't kill you," Jude whined then jumped up to haul himself up onto the lowest branch of the birch that loomed before us.

"That's not what I'm worried about," I retorted and just stood there indignantly. It's stupid, I know, it's just that I don't like trees. They can fall on you and make you sick -- not necessarily in that order. And if you ever get one talking, it'll never shut up. I swear to God-s; some trees talk themselves right to their fiery graves.

"Please Anya," he whined then turned those huge emerald eyes on me. "You're not going to make me do this stupid project by myself are you?"

"Well excuse me if I don't want to take bio again, you're supposed to be finding a major, not redoinig your highschool credits at a universtity," I growled, crossing my arms over my chest. "Besides, with my luck. I'll probably set the stupid thing on fire."

Long story short, I set things on fire in my spare time...meaning sometimes in the middle of class. It's not my fault, I don't have complete control over it yet. I have this creepy ability to light fire wherever there's oxygen. The heat comes from me...my parents said I was born with fire in my heart.

"Oh Anya," Jude smiled and added a macho smile. "You'll be okay. I'll always be here to protect you."

I jutted out my lips at his puppy face. "You're cute," I admitted, causing him to let the puppy face fall back revealing his ego. "Ahh, there he is, dork," I mumbled the last part before gtabbing his hand and hauling myself up onto the lowest branch.

"That's it, you're doing it," Jude's smiling voice came from above.

"Don't you antagonize me Jude," I replied and uncertainly putting my foot up onto the next branch.

"Ahhh!" He mock yelled and suddenly he was there upside down right in front of me. My eyes traveled up his body until I saw his jeaned legs hooked around a higher branch. "I'm hit," he grinned and place his hands over his heart. "You hit me, right here."

"Shove off," I muttered and pushed at his chest half heartedly. He didn't even sway. Jude bent upwards and moved until he was sitting on the branch right above me.

"You're the one who took the first step," he whispered.

Looking up, my dark violet eyes met his mop of black hair and white band t-shirt. I studied him for a moment before shaking my head. "You're not helping your case at all.'

He tossed his famous lopsided grin, then reached his hand down and helped me to sit up next to him. "Don't be afraid," he whispered and I shivered against the soft touch of his arm against mine.

"I'm not afraid," I breathed.

"Then why are your eyes closed?" He demanded.

"Shut up Jude, let me think."

"Don't think, just do."

So here's how it went. We moved up -- much to my dismay -- but I followed my cruel boyfriend anyway. My hands clamp up, and I can feel tiny movements pulsating below my skin. I could feel the heat in my stomach rising, higher and higher, until it settled in my fingertips.

"Jude," I whimpered and suddenly clamped my eyes closed. "I can't breathe."

His cool hands move to cover mine, and instantly I feel better. See, he balances me. My souls is on fire and he's probably the only one who could put me out when I couldn't stand the burn anymore.

"Open you eyes," he whispered calmly, his lips brushing up against my ear. I did and was instantly carressed by the sun. I trained my eyes forward and take in the veiw of the blaring sun slipping behind the horizon. It would almost have been beautiful if it wasn't for the impending death.

He helped me, putting out the flames that leaped from my pores and fluttered away silently on the wind. "Jude," I whispered, my head light and feathery, causing me to hold on tighter.

His hands fall from mine whish sent a momentary flutter of panic to make my grip waver, but then it regain presense on my cheek. The coolness of touch calmed me.

"Yes?" He smiled.

I looked out to the sunset again. "This is wonderf --" I couldn't get out the last syllable because suddenly Jude's lips were pressed against me. The bubbling my stomach returned as I deepened the kiss and moved one hand to tangle my fingers through his already messed up hair.

I laughed, drunk on the free spirit that embodied the moment, of us, my lips against his. I was held hostage in his embrace and I didn't care one bit. It was just me, and him, the sunset, and the end of the world could have happened and we would have died happy.

Pulling away, he smiled and rested his forehead against mine so that eyes had no choice but to the see the others. "Is it the same for you as it is for me?"

I smiled wide. "Even better than the last time, and the time before that, and the time before that, and the time before that, and..." the words were lost in his lips. The fire inside was gone and replaced with a low simmering burning; the good kind. The one that makes you're lying on a white sand each. The kind of thing you dream about, but never really know. The kind that floats you on a --

CRACK!

The sound was loud and nerve jarring, yanking me away frfom my thought and Jude's lips. His embrace no longer held me hostage.

Death by tree, however, did.

I felt my eyes went wide as the branch jerked violently under me. "Jude!" i screeched and clawly wildly for something to hold onto, but found nothing. Time seemed to stop righgt then and there as my heart seemed to fall down ahead of me. And only one thought stayed caught in the forefront of my mind.

For a firestarter, I seriously sucked at flying.

There was just never enough oxygen around to fuel a flame large enough to propel me forward.

"Anya!" His voice peirced my ears and suddenly he was there, his hand wrapped like a vice around my wrist.

"Jude, don't let go," I whispered.

His eyes shone with fear and panic, but suddenly I could see past the surface. Right past the those green eyes and into his heart. While we were like that, me hanging in midair with Jude as the only thing stopping me from falling to my death, I breifly saw . . . love.

"I'll never you go."

Then we both fell.

As we neared the ground, he pulled up against his chest, and I landed on top on his in a heap with tears streaming down my face. "Oh my gosh," I gasped. "Jude are okay?"

"Shhh," he soothed and rubbed his arms around me to rub circles into my back. "I'm fine. We're fine. You're safe now. You did good."

I had nothing to say to that, instead, I just buried my face into his chest and let the tears flow freely down my face, soaking his tearshirt with salt water...flint based salt water. Why was I still crying?

"F*ck you," I mumbled.

"F*ck me?" He chuckled.

"You made me climb that Goddamned tree," I managed.

Jude's smile went wider, his eyes squinting in amusement. "Oh Anya," he laughed.

"It's true," I whined.

He laughed and the sound of it cooled my burning heart. He gently pulled away, but kept his arm around my waist. "C'mon," he sighed and pressed his lips to the top of my head. "Let's go to class. Screw Bio."

"That's the most sensible thihng you've said all day."

A/N

Songs to listen to for ultimate feels.

During they whole lovey part while their climbing.

Here's to Us: Glee Cast

Buring the part while Anya is hanging for her life.

Human: Christina Perri