Elijah's Eternity: New Orleans (Complete)

Chapter 5: The Last Dance Before Goodbye

By: eternityunicorn

The bar had a soft orangey glow to it. It was lowly lit with a relaxed atmosphere that allowed patrons to mingle and chat with each other easily. The place was a small hole in the wall, but in the best way. It was intimate, especially for the local freelance musicians that took the low set stage to perform. Sometimes Gia would show off her talents with her violin, playing upbeat jazz tunes flawlessly.

Tonight, however, Elijah and Gia stood at the bar in reminisce of that night so long ago where he  had told her he could help her learn how to be a vampire. They sipped on drinks and hardly spoke. It seemed as though neither of them knew what to say to the other. Not a good way to begin a date.

Finally, Elijah took the initiative and said to her, "I'm surprised you didn't grab your violin on the way out. I know how much you like playing here."

Gia shrugged slightly, "It wouldn't be much of a date, if I had."

"I don't know. I think I would have enjoyed a Gia performance," he replied flirtatiously, grinning at her slightly which made her blush and look away shyly.

"Maybe next time," she murmured, looking down at her drink in her hands.

They fell into an awkward silence again, both downing their respective drinks and then Elijah ordered another for them. He hadn't realized just how wide the divide between Gia and him had gotten until that moment, standing there together. He wanted to fix it, the crack in their relationship, despite knowing he would never be able to - at least, not fully. Yes, he could tell her pretty things to appease her, but they would always be hollow.

Putting down his drink, he held his hand out to Gia, who looked inquisitively at him before silently taking his hand. He lead her away from the bar and toward the crowd of dancing people in front of the stage. It was here that he turned to her and began to lead her into a casual dance amongst the loud and enthusiastic humans around them.

"Elijah, you know I'm a terrible dancer," she smiled, as she swayed with him.

"Yes, but at least, it is more relaxing than standing at the bar," he told her. They were quiet again, but only for a moment when Elijah decided it was time to stop beating around the bush. "I know that I haven't been as attentive to you as I should be. I've been distant and closed off. I know that I say this a lot to you, but I wanted to apologize for...everything."

"Elijah," Gia sighed, "I understood from the beginning that some woman had wound you up so tightly that it made it hard for you to move on with your life. I had thought with time that maybe you would finally let whatever happened go, that if I was patient and remained by your side, you would tear down the walls around your heart for me. Yet, you haven't and still, I am here waiting, all the while, getting lame ass apologies that at this point don't mean much."

He looked down between them, unable to meet her gaze. He had done wrong unto her by taking their pupil-teacher relationship and turning it into a romance one, when he wasn't ready for it. He was cruel and unfair to this woman, whom had given him nothing but friendship and love.

"Gia, I -."

"Don't. Don't say anything." She kissed his lips tenderly.

Finally his eyes met hers, a confused look upon his face.

Gia smiled, tears forming in her eyes, "You don't have to speak. I know the truth. I figured it out when I saw you sitting with Hel. Your heart belongs to that girl's mother. Well, I figured it out from that and the way you reacted to that woman, Eternity, showing up. I'm not blind, Elijah. I could see it then, but I couldn't be sure as you've been avoiding speaking the truth to me since...well, the beginning."