Nightmare

Promises to the Gone

What if I told you that last chapter was a lie?

What if it never happened?

SIKE

Go use your imagination for that

EHEHEHEHE

Unless...?

(+)

He—He's gone.

Just like that.

Why?

I sit there with his unmoving head in my lap, his once-bright eyes now dull, lifeless, my head above his head, and our eyes would meet, except--

These eyes that were once bright with life are now tainted with death. I will never see that radiant smile again.

Ever.

I don't keep track of time as the sun starts to set, plunging this land into darkness, but I don't fear it. I don't think about it. The only thing I think about...

I will never again wake up being held in those warm, loving arms. Never once more kiss the love of my life again.

I know I would have killed myself when Loki had me, if it hadn't been for Rowan.

He was--is--the reason I am alive, and yet I am the reason he is dead. Gone. Forever.

"Why?" I whisper brokenly. "Why have you gone? WHERE DID YOU GO?"

I sit there, crying again. "WHAT HAPPENED TO 'ALWAYS AND FOREVER', ROWAN?"  I scream to the sky. "WHY DID YOU LEAVE?"

It's my fault. All of this... This whole mess...

If I hadn't dragged him into this mess at the very beginning, none of this would have happened.

None of it.

So I make a vow. I fling my mask to the side and, through my tears, I glare at the pile of ashes that used to be Rowan's killer.

And that seems to be enough for those remains to scatter to the wind.

And I promise--with all my heart--

I will bring you back, Rowan. Whatever it takes. I don't care what I have to do for it, but you will see the stars again.

I see that my hand is still clasping his like a lifeline. Something hard and cold lies between our hands.

Out of sheer curiosity through my grief, I slowly let go of his hand, and it breaks my heart.