Heather paced around her dorm awaiting for Avalee, she was super stressed with worried for Avalee and Aiden. Heather kept muttering about how Stacey had vampire friends and other very powerful people. heather wasn't sure how to take care of those vampires and others. Her friend Isabelle knew an actually werewolf. Heather knew a couple of shapeshifters, while as she was mastered in swords and telekinesis. She was wearing a neon blue tank-top with light blue pajama bottom with sheep on them. Her long hair was in a ponytail. She stopped pacing and sat on her bed, she couldn't believe what had happened earlier that day.
(Avalee and Aiden only!)
((Before I start posting Aiden needs to be here.))
(yeah!)
((Will u PM him for me? :P))
(Already did!)
((Lets use the power of our minds to force him to log on!))
((What`s the deal with Avalee and Aiden. Aiden is married to Stacey, peoples. And its not her fault she`s powerfull. That will be explained later, though, if you read my fan fic. Can someone tell me what`s going on, though?))
((Go to the posting in Hogsmead called "What happens in hogsmead" We have to talk about it. Read all of it.))
(Avalee! Do wanna get killed?)
:'( ((No but she has to know.))
(Aiden, could of told her.... I'm scared for your life, I don't wanna have to go to your funeral!)
((Stacey`s gonna hurt somebody. =] Muaahaha. By the way, I`m gonna crash your thread if Aiden shows up. ;) ))
(WHAT?!)
(NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! *clings to Avalee* WE DON'T WANNA GET HURT OR DIE!)
(Heather, I can handle this. I'm not going to log off.)
(Okay. Wish you luck!)
:-\
((I'm here, :P))
Aiden walked into the common room, his eyes dull and his expression almost life-less. He sat down on the couch, and leaned back, taking in a deep breath. He was told to be here so he waited patiently for whoever was to come.
Stacey closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She walked through the halls silently, her bare feet making no noise on the stone floor.
Most people would be a little chilly if they were walking around with a red tank top and denim shorts, but Stacey had fire to help her. Along with the powers of almost everyone else in the school.She could feel their meek powers rolling against her skin, but this was nothing like what it was like at the Ministry.
She was following the small tug that pulled her, that showed her the way. Ever since the first time Carrie had called her home, she listened to that pull as often as she could. IT led her to where she wanted to be; with Aiden.
Turning a corner, she began to jog, her eyes still closed. She knew this castly better than some of the teachers, and she knew where she was going now. She opened her eyes, which were bright blue as she started running towards the common room.
Avalee walked into the common room, scared. She was terrified in fact. What was she going to do? As she thought back she wanted to cry again, but she was no wimp. She held back her tears. Last night was wonderful and horrible, in all sorts of different ways.
Her heart pounded. Thump, thump, thump. Quickening as she saw Aiden there. She was most of all confused. Where should she sit? Who was going to speak first. Most of all-What was Stacey going to do. She took a deep breath. She just stood there, in front of Aiden, looking into his eyes. Waiting for him to speak.
Stacey was grinning by the time she mumbled the password to the portrait, where it swung open. She almost didn`t have to say passwords anymore. She had been here almost half of her life, and everything knew her.
She hopped inside the cozy room, the picture-door closing behind her. Her eyes sweeped the room, darkening just a shade.
"Aiden?" She asked, her voice catching in her throat. She had heard things. Things she didn`t well like. She wandered over to her husband, taking his hand and sinking down on the couch beside him. Her eyes were on Avalee, and they were swirling darker.
((Wait for me later, don`t just post a million times without me, please.))
The look Stacey gave her made her want to run. Run out the door, down the moving stairs, out the door, across the grounds and into the forest. The forest to peaceful, calm, dark. Dark, just like Stacey's eyes. Maybe she should rethink that. She saw their hands, intertwined. She had to remind herself that they were married. She waited longer for someone to speak, hoping it would be Aiden first. Her eyes turned black. She was overflowing with sadness and regret.
Aiden looked at both of them, unsure of what to say...unsure about anything. What would he say? What could he say? His heart beat faster after every single moment that past, until it seemed like it would burst through his chest. Did Stacey know already? No matter what he would have to tell her and explain.
Aiden swallowed the hard lump of anxiousness that was in his throat, and his dark eyes showed the overwhelming emotions he felt. He would have to face and deal with consequences of his actions, whatever they would be.
"I- I need to speak with both of you." He stammered, his voice almost sounding dull.
"Of course you do" She said, breaking the awkward silence. She loved him. He knew that. But she knew that he loved her. But he also loved Stacey. She was anxious.
((We should only post in the other thread in hogsmead, until she comes back. You should reply to this post now though.))
Stacey tensed, her eyes back on Aiden. They lightened slightly, but they weren`t the bright colors that they normally were when she was around him. She could feel the tension in the air; it was thick and heavy, and she didn`t understand.
"What`s going on?" She asked in a small voice. For once, she was scared. She had faced dragons and demons, among other things that had no names or were too terrible to remember. She was scared. Not because she felt her life was in danger, but because Aiden was nervous. That was never a good sign, he was never nervous around her. What could have happened to make him this way?
She looked back and forth between the two, Aiden and Avalee. She was aware, as always, of the heat of Aiden`s hand in hers. Normally she felt better when she touched him, but not now.
Aiden looked at Stacey, reading the nervousness in her eyes. He could tell she noticed his own nervousness as well. He swallowed, and stared down at their hands which were entwined together.
"I- I need to tell you something." He said quietly.
Aiden set his jaw, and closed his eyes for a few moments. He didn't to get his head together before saying anything.
"Maybe...we should talk in private." He suggested just as quietly as earlier.
He looked at Avalee, hoping she would understand. It would be easier to talk with both of them separatly.
She nodded understanding why he would want that. She sat down on one of the many comfortable leather chairs in the Ravenclaw common room. Her eyes were a dark orange-brown, to her a color worse than black. She felt like she could throw up she was no nervous. She still wanted to run, run to her friends, Vivian, and Heather and wanted to cry her eyes out.
She put her feet on the chair and hugged around her legs, setting her head on her knees. She took deep counted breaths. In, 123, Out 123, In 123, Out 123. She just sat waiting, nervously.
Stacey pursed her lips, looking down to the cold stone ground. She didn`t like this-- Aiden being scared. It scared her more than a lot of things did. Her eyes started to grow darker and darker.
"Okay." She mumbled, glancing back up at him. Her light brown hair fell into her eyes, but she didn`t move it. She didn`t want to let go of his hand, even though it felt wrong to hold it for some reason. But she didn`t let it go. She was his wife. She could hold his hand if she wanted to, it was a right.
Aiden slowly stood up, using his free hand to rub the back of his neck. It wasn't until now that he noticed he was sweating. He slowly walked out of the door and into the hallway, still holding on to Stacey's hand.
Aiden led her to the courtyard in front of the school. He brought them to a small concrete bench near the wall. He sat down, and motioned for Stacey to sit with him. He tried to compose his expression, even though inside he wanted to run to the door. He'd rather do anything but this. It was going to be painful for both of them.
Stacey stood and followed Aiden solently. She didn`t say anything as he led her through halls and outside to the bench. She sat beside him, looking up into his eyes with a questioning look.
She wanted to know what was going on, what made him act like this. But she knew it wouldn`t be right for her to ask first. She didn`t know how she knew, but she did.
Avalee was biting her nails. She was nervous, no she was more than nervous, she was frantic. She couldn't distract herself. Stacey could walk back up here and kill her, or Aiden could come up and tell Avalee that he hated her.
She pulled out her ipod and played the last playing song. It was a love song by the Beatles. She couldn't deal with that now, even if they were her favorite band. She picked a Beethoven song, minor, which suited her mood and helped her think about other things.
Aiden looked at Stacey's eyes, unsure of what to say or how to say it. He'd never had something like this happen, naturally he didn't know how to deal with it. He took in another deep breath.
"Stacey...something happened..." He trailed off slowly, unsure of how to continue. How much did she know?
Stacey nodded slowly, her dark eyes searching his.
"What`s wrong?" She asked softly, squeezing his hand. "Aiden, whatever it is, you can tell me." Her eyes were locked on his. She knew nothing about what he was going to tell her, only that it was going to be bad. She didn`t want to hear it. She just wanted to go back to yesterday when they were running through the forest together. she wanted him to be happy.
Aiden dropped his head, and looked down.
"No..I can't." He answered, ashamed with himself.
Aiden looked at both of their hands, entwined together. It was so easy, none of them had to think about it. It was like breathing. He didn't know how Stacey would feel about him now.
"What have you heard?" He asked quietly, knowing gossip around school spreads faster than the flu.
Stacey also looked down at their hands. She was confused. Why couldn`t he tell her? What was she supposed to have heard.
"I... haven`t heard anything." She answered truthfully. She so badly wanted to know what he was talking about, scared as she was about finding out. She very easily could have searched his mind, but she had promised herself long ago that she would never read his mind unless he wanted her to. She felt bad that she had more powers than him, that she could do things he couldn`t.
Aiden took in another deep breath and exhaled with a sigh. He rubbed is thumb over Stacey's palm gently.
"Something happened..." He began again, his voice still the same quiet tone.
Aiden lifted his head, his eyes meeting Stacey's. What a bad person he was.
"Between me and Avalee." He continued, hoping she would get the idea. Although, his explanation must be pretty vague.
Stacey narrowed her eyes in confusion. What did he mean? What happened?
"L--Like what?" She stuttered softly, looking up to him. Her eyes were now dark purple, confused.
((Sorry for my shortness.))
((It's okay. Mines going to be short, too.))
Aiden noticed her eyes changing colors. He wanted badly to know what color they would turn next. He squeezed her hand, and slowly pressed his lips together in a line. He was struggling to get the words out.
"I- I kissed her." He said finally.
Stacey`s mouth opened slightly, and she froze. Her eyes became distant, no longer seeing Aiden or the garden around them. She saw it. She saw them sitting outside together. Not Aiden and herself, but Aiden and Avalee.
Her breathing slowed, and she couldn`t get that picture out of her mind. She couldn`t do anything, she was just frozen on the spot.
She was still sitting. She was trying think about how this must be going. She was worried. Who was Stacey going to be madder at, her or Aiden. She was confused, and worried. How would he phrase it, we kissed? She kissed me? I kissed her? We were drunk?
How was this going to go down?
Too many questions.
Not enough answers.
Aiden watched her quietly. His dark eyes felt glued to her face, waiting for her to react, to yell, scream, slap him, anything. However, quietness bothered him the most. What was she thinking?
Aiden lifted his hand, and wrapped it around her wrist. He wanted her to do something.
"Stacey, Stacey I'm so sorry." He whispered, her eyes completely black.
He felt as if his heart was going to burst through his chest.
Stacey blinked suddenly, her eyes flickering down to the ground. Her bottom lip trembled and she blinked back tears.
"I, I.... why?" She asked, looking up to meet his eyes. Even though she only spoke two words, they said a lot more. Raw pain showed through her voice and eyes. Tears leaked from her eyes and she shook her head.
What had happened.
Aiden watched her expression, finding the pain shooting through Stacey's eyes hard to look at, knowing he'd been the cause. He'd hurt her probably more than anyone else could. He wanted to die now.
"Why..? I-" He cut himself off, trying to explain a reason for his wrongful actions.
"I don't know.." He whispered.
Stacey looked away, to the ground. a ripping sensation found its way to her chest. It felt like someone was trying to claw her heart out.
"Do you... do you love her?" she finally whispered. The words were hard to say, harder than they should have been, but the pain in her chest seemed to make everything more difficult. If he did love Avalee, and he chose her, Stacey would let him. She loved him to much to want to be the cause of his pain. She would let Aiden leave her if he chose. Stacey loved him more than anything else she had ever known, so she would of course let him go.
How was it that Aiden was facing the same predicament that she had faced when they first met? Nate or Aiden? Stacey or Avalee? Were things supposed to happen this way? Was this the world`s doing for making everything equal in life?
Aiden looked at Stacey, his eyes deep. How he acted like a stupid boy, he was nineteen for heavens sake!
He gently took Stacey's hand in both of his own. He looked down at them. He found himself almost wanting to cry, even though he knew wouldn't . Yell? Yes, may do that.
Aiden took in another deep breath. He was breathing quickly now, finding himself unable to stop.
"Stacey...I don't know. Everythings happened so fast."
Stacey closed her eyes and took deep breaths. She clenched her jaw until her lip stop trembling. She was still crying, but she knew she wouldn`t be able to stop them.
"Aiden," She said, opening her eyes and looking at him. Pain was still clearly there, even though she tried to hide it. She couldn`t lie to Aiden, she never had been able to. "I love you, you know that. I love you more than I`ve loved anyone else. But I-- I need to know. Do you love her?"
Avalee sat alone, scared, nervous, and now full of regret. She had caused the one she loved pain. PAIN! She hated herself. He was going to have to come up, soon, or she was going to die. She cranked up the music until it hurt her ears. She tried to distract herself. And even though she didn't know Stacey she felt bad that she would cause her pain. They had told each-other last night that they loved each-other. Would he say that to Stacey. She turned her head to the door, still wanting to run.
He knew that was coming. Obviously she would want to know, only if he had an answer, a way to explain. Aiden looked up at her, flinching as he saw her expression.
"Yes." He whispered, his voice so quiet he wondered if she could hear him.
Aiden loved Stacey so much, too. He didn't want to lose her. He wanted to find a way to fix this, but he wouldn't be able to fix things the way they used to be.
"Yes."
The word hit her hard, almost like it was more than just a word. Stacey doubled over, clutching the side of the bench so tightly that her knuckles were white and the tendons were pushed plainly out. She gasped once before she clenched her teeth shut.
Shaking her head, she stood up, pulling her hand out of his. She backed away until her back hit the wall. She blinked quickly a few times, tears streaming down her face silently. Her eyes were a dark black, still plain with pain. She held her arms tight across her stomach. She felt like throwing up.
"Aiden," she finally spoke, "When I first met you, I knew that I had to chose. You or Nate. I chose you, and I have never regreted my desicion. But, things seemed to have turned around now, and... now it`s your turn to chose." She said, her voice craking and trembling. She could hardly get a sylable out without sobbing, but she managed. she had been hurt like this before, but it hadn`t been this bad. It felt like something was trying to claw her heart out.
"I love you, okay? I always have and I always will. But I want you to be happy." She couldn`t look at him anymore, she slid down to the ground and hid her face with her hands.
Aiden watched Stacey's reaction, his expression was life-less but his eyes betrayed the horrid emotions he felt inside. He quickly stood up, and knelt down beside her. He wanted to hug her, kiss her, tell her everything was alright. Now, he didn't know if she felt the same way, not matter what she said. He didn't believe someone could love him, after the person he'd become in only one night.
Aiden reached his hand out to take her hand, but stopped it. He didn't know what to say. He wanted Stacey to be angry with him, to slap him across the face and say she never wanted to see his face. She was too forgiving...
"Stacey..." He stopped himself.
His hand was still in the air, halfway between himself and Stacey. Aiden dropped it to the ground, taking in deep slow breaths even though inside he wanted to scream.
Stacey quickly wiped the tears away and closed her eyes. She shook her head nad let it rest against the wall.
"Aiden, please don`t." She whispered. she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his waist resting her head against his shoulder. It felt so natural to hold him like this. To love him. To think that things might change was.... unbearable.
She turned off her music. She was going to go into cardiac arrest if they didn't come back soon. It hadn't been long, but it felt like days since she was sitting in that tiny room with the man she loved, and his wife. She sat. Some people passed through the common room, but they just ignored her, and the ones who tried to talk to her were ignored, she pretended that she was listening to music.
She had heard a little about Stacey from some kids she talked to, and apparently Stacey had to make the same decision that Aiden had to know at one point. She obviously chose Aiden. She felt so terrible that she had to mess things up for her like that. Tears came to her eyes as she thought about how she would feel. She tried to blink them away.
Avalee remembered that night. That one wonderful, beautiful, destructive night. She remembered the warmth of his hands, arms, and his lips. She wished she could go back, but knew that it wasn't possible. She remembered what it was like after kissing him to see his shiny wedding ring on his finger, to realize the beautiful mistake that had happened.
She wiped away the tears, waiting for them to return.
Aiden's eyes swelled up with tears, but he blinked before he dare let them escape his eyes. He told himself he wouldn't cry. What was he going to do? He didn't want to be that guy...the guy who uses younger girls, but he also didn't want to be the guy who left his wife for someone else without any excuse whatsoever.
Aiden's heart pounded in his chest, not fast but hard. It was actually beating very slow now. He held her gently, and it almost felt like his hands were shaking.
"I don't know what to do." He said quietly, hoping she would some of his thoughts at least.
She waited, and waited. She just stared off into space, her heart beating very slow.
((Sorry for the short post!))
Stacey took deep, shaky breaths.
"Aiden, I love you. I always have and I always will. But I can`t make this desicion for you. You couldn`t make it for me, and I can`t make it for you now. I want you to be happy." She cried and pulled away.
"I want you to be happy, whatever that means. I love you so much, more than I`ve loved anyone else. I just want you to be happy." She shook her head and looked away. She was still crying silently.
Aiden touch her arm, only with his fingers tips. He didn't know how Stacey would react to anything he did now. He used his free hand to rub his eyes, they were dark and red now.
Aiden took in a long breath, exhaling with a deep sigh. He looked at Stacey while her back was turned. He'd last all of her trust, and he'd probably never gain it back no matter what he did.
"Stacey, I love you so much. I want you to be happy, but I don't want to f*ck everything up for you like I've done now. I'm not the right person for you. I want you so much, but I'm not healthy for you..." He said quietly.
Stacey chocked again and turned around. She locked her arms around Aiden, and cried into his neck.
"Aiden, I don`t care if you aren`t healthy with me. So what, okay? I love you in a way that is completaly intoxicating. I... I don`t know if I could last without you, okay? You have f*cked things up, I`m not going to lie about it. It hurt. But Im love you. So, so much that it isn`t healthy." She said all of that on one breath, and stopped to take a breath. The next time she spoke, her voice was a little slower.
"Aiden, how do you know that you aren`tthe right one?" she asked softly. "How do you know? You asked me to marry you, and I did. We were happy, weren`t we. Everything was perfect. So how do you know?" She asked, trying to keep the begging tone from her vocie.
She didn`t like where the conversation was going. She knew that she loved Aiden. It would really tear her to pieces to have to let him go, but she would if he chose that. If he asked for her opinion, she would tell him the truth. She didn`t want Aiden to leave. she wanted to be with Aiden for the rest of her life.
Aiden closed his eyes slowly. He put his hands over his face, taking slow breaths again. He wanted to yell, but he wanted even more for Stacey to scream and tell him the truth. Tell him he was a stupid ass who wrecked peoples lives up. Although, he knew she wouldn't. She loved him too much for that, it was almost wrong.
Aiden kept his eyes closed shut. His entire body was tense as he kept his hands over his face.
"Stacey..I love you so much. I want to be with you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. But I also love you enough that I want you to be happy, and be with a guy that you can trust, a guy you can put your faith in one-hundred percent." He paused, pressing his lips together.
"Nate was that guy, but you chose me. Stupid me! Why?!" He said loudly. He was angry, but not with Stacey, with himself.
Aiden stood up quickly, his hands were in fists and his back to Stacey.
"I love you Stacey Gray." He began quietly, pausing as he said his own last name that was now hers. "I love you so much. I don't deserve you, but I have you. Why?"
"Aiden!" She sobbed, standing up as he did. "Aiden Gray, stop. Okay? I love you, and I`m the one who doesn`t deserve you. Nate was a vampire, and he found his love in Leah. I found you." She had to stop for a moment, trembling again.
"I trust you, still, my moon. I trust you even though you did something bad. You`re telling me this, that`s what counts. A real ass wouldn`t have told me, they would have just left me like Niles did. You stayed. You spoke to me. You have me because you deserve me. You may not think this is true, but it is. It is one of the truest things that I know. I love you, and I don`t want you to go." she said all of this in a rush. She didn`t want him to leave. she couldn`t watch that happen to herself again, and definatly not with Aiden.
Aiden clenched his fists hard together, so hard they were turning white. He slowly turned to Stacey, opened his eyes. He was beginning to tear up again, but he wouldn't let them escape his eyes which were almost bloodshot now.
Aiden shook his head slowly, and looked down with shame. He put one hand over his face.
"Stacey, do whats best for you. Please. I don't deserve forgiveness..or yo-" He cut himself off, his voice quiet as he pleaded with her.
Aiden walked up to her, and wrapped her in a hug. He kept his face buried in her hair.
"I love you. I love you enough that I don't want you to get hurt by anyone else..especially me. Please, please do what is smart. Say you never want to be with me again." He said quietly.
((um. Guys can you come back up soon. Not right away but soon.))
"D*mmit, Aiden." Stacey mumbled, putting her hands on his chest and pushing away enough to look him in the eye. She was going to have to say things she didn`t want to say, but they should make him stay.
"Aiden, I love you, and I want to be with you always. You are not going to leave me. You are not going to leave me here just like Aiden did. You aren`t going to leave me hanging like I did to Aiden. you are going to stay here with me, okay? I love you, d*mmit, and I know you love me too. You aren`t going anywhere." She had locked her eyes on his. They were a stubborn green, no longer too dark to tell the color. She wasn`t feeling so hurt anymore, she was just trying to make him stay with her.
"You are exactly what I need, and what I want."
Aiden leaned back as she pushed him. He stared at her green eyes with his black ones, so black the pupil couldn't be seen. His frowned, a crease forming in his forehead. He lifted his head to look at her expression.
Aiden kept one of his hands in a fist, the other near his side. He felt his knuckle sting with protest.
"Stacey..." He looked down shaking his head. "Must I make you realize I'm not what you need?" He said quietly.
He didn't want to fight anymore. She wasn't going to pick what was healthy, what was right. He was tired of trying to explain.
Aiden didn't want to do any of this anymore. He leaned in quickly and pressed his lips against hers, kissing her urgently. It wasn't until a moment later he leaned back.
"It's you I want, even though I don't deserve to choose."
((um, hello? I'm still here!))
((Yeah, we know. We`ll get back to you when they get things figured out. they have a right to be take their time.))
Stacey shook her head and took aiden`s face in her hands. She wasn`t going to let him go. Not like this. When she spoke, her voice was soft but rough from trying to hold back her tears. she had almost stopped crying, but it was an effort to keep it that way.
"Aiden, no. You do deserve to choose. Do you think that I felt differently when I had to make my choice? No, I didn`t. I felt like the worst person in the world because I was hurting the people I loved. I. Still. Love. You. You aren`t leaving me like this. You do have a right to choose, and it sounds like you already have."
She stepped closer to him, her face inches from his. "Aiden Gray, I love you. More than I ever thought capable. You have changed my life in ways that I can`t explain. You`ve made me so happy that I don`t think I deserve you. We`ve been through this before, my moon, and we`ve agreed to disagree on that. You think that I`m the best the in the world, and I thinkt he same of you. There is no way that we aren`t meant to be together. If you leave me because you feel bad, then you are bad. You`ll feel miserable. Trust me, Aiden. Niles left me here alone. No explanation. Yuo aren`t going to do that to me." Her eyes had lightened very slightly during her speech. She wasn`t going to let aiden go until he saw things the way she did. She wasn`t going to let him leave her just because he felt that she didn`t deserve him.
Her eyes had teared up again, but she didn`t care. "I love you, my moon." She whispered. She kissed him ever so softly, her lips just brushing against his.
Aiden held Stacey close to him, his arms tight around her. This is where he wanted to be forever. Who he wanted to be with forever.
Aiden kissed her gently, his arms around her waist. He took in slow, deep, ragged breaths and his heart pounded in his head. He wasn't sure of anything but he did know he loved her so much. Aiden leaned back, opening his eyes slowly.
"Stacey, I love you, I want you to be with me so much. I may not know now that I deserve you, but if you think it's true then maybe one day I will see it. But now...all I know is I need you." He whispered, his face close to hers.
Stacey kissed Aiden again. It was full of passion and happiness.
"Then don`t leave me." She whispered, pulling away just enough to speak. "Stay with me forever, don`t go anywhere. Be with me and need me." She shook her head and smiled.
Her eyes had brightened again. they were now a soft blue. Not quite brilliant, but definatly not sad.
Aiden took both of his hands and caressed her cheeks. He looked into her soft blue eyes. His own eyes were still dark, and he hadn't quite calmed down yet.
"I won't, never again. I need you like I need to breathe." He whispered sincerely.
Aiden sighed with relief. He almost lost the one he truly love. What an idiot he was. He slowly leaned in again, and kissed her vey softly.
Stacey returned the kiss then wrapped her arms around Aiden in a tight hug.
She felt physically tired. Her chest her like her heart had been ripped open, but it had fixed itself and all that was left of the damage was a healing scar. Stacey now realized that Aiden`s revealment had given her an adreniline rush, and that explained why she was tired. She felt hopelessly happy, even though what her love had told her was not happy in the least.
"I love you." She whispered to him, still hugging him tightly.
Aiden hugged her tightly back, his face in Stacey's hair. He'd thought he had lost her for a moment so his nerves were still on a live wire, which explained why his heart was still pounding as if he had ran a marathon.
Aiden kept his face buried in her neck, and tried to keep his breathing slow again. He held her tight, but not too tight. Only enough so she would know he never wanted to let her go.
"I love you, so very much." He whispered back, his voice sincere.
Stacey shook once with a silent laugh.
"Oh, my moon. Calm." She moved a hand so it was over his heart and let the force of earth enter him. Earth was one of the hardest elements to control because it took a calm air, but it also took extreme concentration. She felt his heart slow down slowly.
"Aiden, I`m right here, and I`m not going anywhere. You can relax. I`m yours to keep forever." She whispered.
Aiden leaned back, looking at Stacey's expression and eyes. He couldn't believe he almost lost her to his own stupidity.
He wrapped one of his hands with Stacey's. It was still amazing how they fit together perfectly. They connected like the last peice to a puzzle. A perfect match.
"I'm sorry. I just still can't believe it." He said quietly.
Aiden noticed she still had some tears. He used his thumb to wipe them away. He gave her a short smile.
Stacey returned the smile and squeeed his hand.
"Believe it. I`m too stubborn to leave you." she pushed his shoulder gently with her own, but the teasing wasn`t there, she was looking up at the school.
"You have to talk to Avalee now, don`t you?" She asked softly.
Aiden followed her gaze to the school. He took a deep sigh, and looked down. He was going to hurt a lot of people in one night.
Aiden looked back at Stacey, the same nervous expression he had in the common room.
"Yeah, I have to." He replied quietly. "I don't know what she'll say or think, though."
He couldn't help, but think of how many lives he'd messed up.
Stacey stroked his cheek with her free hand.
"Let me tell you something about love," She said softly, "you may love more than one person, it is entirerly possible. but there are different kinds of love. The love like we have that feels everlasting and strong, or the kind of love you may have for Avalee, which might be just sudden passion. There are infinite kinds of love, and even more levels. You love a lot of people, but all in different ways, and all on different levels." She explained, looking towards the ground.
"I`ve learned a lot about love. Some of it good, some of it bad. But what I`ve learned the most is that love never dies. It may change or move on, but there is always love there." she hesitated for a moment. "I still love Nate, in a way. But I could never marry him or spend my life with him." She shrugged. "So what? I know that I love you more, and that you are the one I want to be with. Aiden, what I`m trying to tell you is that it`s alright to love Avalee, but the love is different. I don`t know if this will make talking to her easier or harder, but I hope it helps."
She leaned forward and kissed him softly.
"I just want you to be happy. I`ll wait in the forest. You don`t need me there to overhear or make things complicated."
Aiden looked down as she spoke. It did actually make him feel better. He had never loved two people at once, it made things complicated, confusing, and emotional. But if there were different types of love, maybe it would make explaining this to Avalee easier.
Aiden nodded slowly, and leaned in to kiss her again. He kept his hand caressing Stacey's cheek, until he leaned back.
"Thank you, love. I'll be back soon." He promised quietly.
Stacey smiled sadly and nodded. She squeezed his hand and started to back away slowly.
"I`ll be in the clearing, my moon." She said before turning around slowly. She understood that Aiden needed to do this alone. Her being in the forest meant that she would overhear or see what happened and she couldn`t interfere. She knew that Aiden loved her, but that didn`t mean she wouldn`t go into the room if something was said.
Glancing back one more time, Stacey waved at him before a snow leopard dashed into the trees.
Waiting was pure torture. She wanted to crawl under her bed and die. Since that night in the woods, she hadn't been able to close her mind to him, which was super annoying.
Aiden walked up the stairs, and towards the common room door. He lifted his head, and stared at the portait with a dull expression. Finally, after a few moments he opened the door and walked inside.
"Avalee?
"Aiden!" She said. Her face lit up, as it always would when she saw the man she loved. She saw his face and tears started to stream down her face. It was going to be bad.
Aiden looked at Avalee with a sad expression. He hadn't expect her to react this quickly or that bad. He slowly walked up to her, and sat down.
Aiden leaned back, and took deep breaths. He looked at Avalee with a serious, apologetic expression.
"Avalee, I'm sorry." He whispered.
She decided to pour her heart out. " Aiden, Ive never loved anyone in my life as much as I love you. I need you like I need air, water, warmth. I really need you. And I now I know you don't feel the same way. But I just needed you to know that." She said. She cried harder than she had in her entire life, she buried her face in her hands. She wanted to die. She knew that he knew that because she could feel that her mind was still open, Aiden could still read it.
Aiden flinched as he read her mind. He wasn't used to it, and it was hard to concentrate on what he had to say. He leaned forward closer to Avalee.
He looked at her, his eyes nervous and sad. He watched her cry, knowing there was nothing he could do.
"Avalee, I'm sorry. I know you must feel like I used you, but that was not my intentions. I can't love you back the way you love me. I can't. It would be wrong. I know you must be very angry with me, but I need you to understand." He said quietly.
"So when you said that you loved me, you lied?" She wasn't angry, yet. She was just confused, she just wanted to die, she hoped he knew that.
The snow leopard ran and ran hard until she hit the depths of the forest. She navigated her way through the area until she made it to the familiar clearing. She layed down next to a tree, panting heavily. Her bright blue eyes closed for a few moments, trying to calm herself down.
Moments later, Stacey phased back. The change from animal to human left her still for a moment, and she used the tree for support as she tried to stand. She stood, still pressed against the tree. Her eyes in human form were soft grey again. Her eyes were always blue as a snow leopard.
She fell down to the ground, onto her stomach again, and covered her face with her hands. She shook with new tears.
The realization of what had happened hit her hard and fast again. Aiden loves someone else. She thought. She shook quickly, her sobs were audible this time. He kissed someone else. He loves someone else. She sobbed loud and hard. The sounds ripped through her throat, tearing through her. She shook her head and rolled onto her back, staring up at the sky. The tears that streamed down her face quieted.
"How could this have happened?" she whispered to herself. Did she do something wrong? Did she make him unhappy? Did she hurt his feelings, or something? She asked herself all kinds of questions, and none of them were positive.
Heather heard voices below her, and walked down to the common room and saw Aiden and Avalee together, but Avalee looked confused, and Heather was very confused by Avalee and searched Avalee's mind for a clue. Avalee was thinking that Aiden had lied to her when Aiden said that he loved her the night before. Heather says to "the couple" "What's up? Aiden are you lying to Avalee or not!?" She would always be there Avalee no matter what.
Aiden looked from Avalee to Heather. He sighed, and clenched his hands together in a fist. He was going to try to explain the best he could.
Aiden shook his head, and closed his eyes slowly which were still a dark black. He wanted to stay calm.
"No, I did not lie to Avalee." He began, opening his eyes again. "I do love her. But...maybe not the same way she loves me."
Avalee was seriously worried. Heather loomed mad enough to punch Aiden. Avalee knew that she was capable of doing that. She was crying still. She just wanted to sleep for a long long time. She nodded, showing Aiden she understood.
Aiden looked at Avalee, his eyes dark and sad as she nodded. He didn't know what else to say. He sighed, and slowly stood up with a worried expression. Aiden began to walk towards the door.
Aiden stopped before he opened the portrait. He turned his head to look back at her.
"I'm sorry." He said quietly and sincerely before escaping through the door. He figured the less he said the less she would be hurt.
Aiden walked through the hall and into the courtyard. He walked slow with his hands in both of his pockets. He had a lot on his mind, and most of them were not good. He sighed quietly as he looked for the clearing.
Stacey composed herself enough to be sitting against the tree with her arms wrapped around her knees. She stared out in front of her, but saw nothing. She wasn`t crying anymore, but her eyes were red fromt he tears.
She could feel him. Just like she always could when he was close enough. He`s coming. She thought with a deep breath. She tried to take deep, even breaths. She had questions for Aiden, now, and none of them would have very happy answers. She would probably start cryig again, but Aiden wouldn`t care.
That`s why she loved him.
"Am I ok?!" She said, anger finaky flowing. "No, I'm not bloody ok!! And I'm not gonna be ok for a long time. So go be with Stacey! Go be with her Aiden Gray. " she used his full name as she had the fist time she toldhim she loved him. "Cayse you know what? I'll still be here. Alone." she sobbed harder. She fell into her chair. She had stood up somewhere during her rant, she felt bad.
Aiden slowed down his pace, unsure of what to say. She was angry, and was going to be for a very long time. Aiden quietly whispered sorry to Avalee under his breath about a thousand times even though he knew she couldn't hear him. He didn't deserve anyones' forgiveness, it was amazing one of them still had anything to do with them.
A few long moments later, he arrived in the clearing. He lifted his head as he saw Stacey stting against a tree, her eyes were red making it obvious she was crying. Aiden took in a deep breath, and knelt down beside her.
"Stacey, I'm back." He whispered.
Stacey nodded and opened her light grey eyes. She smiled weakly.
"I know. I could feel you coming." She whispered back, holding out her hand for him.
She hadn`t expected it to take so short a time. She thought it was going to take a while. Stacey knew that Avalee was persistent. Aiden must have explained things to her in a more blunt way than he could have.
Aiden slowly reached his hand out and took hers, entwining his fingers with hers. He lifted his head, looking at Stacey's expression. She must have cried alot today, and because of him.
Aiden sighed deeply, and tilted his head. He could only guess her thoughts.
"I tried to explain things the best I could, but I figured the less I said the easier I made it for her." He explained, his voice quiet.
Stacey nodded again and covered the back of his hand with her own. She took a deep breath.
"You did the right thing, whether it feels like it or not." She replied, her voice also quiet. "It would have been easier on both of you. She wouldn`t hear your explanations again and you wouldn`t feel like the was tearing you apart." She looked down at the ground, her mind spinning. It was one of those times when she was really thankful that Aiden couldn`t read minds and she had an extremely powerful mind block.
"I love you." She felt the need to remind him now. Things would be hard for him for a while. There were some things he would have to deal with himself, and others in which she could help. Letting him know that she was still there was one of the latter.
Aiden gave her a short smile, but it didn't last long. He sat down beside her, still holding onto her hands which felt so right with his.
He turned his head to Stacey. He gently rubbed his thumb over one of her hands.
"I love you, too. I always will." Aiden said quietly but sincerely.
Aiden leaned his head back and sighed. His head rested against the tree they both sat on, and he looked out in front of him.
"Now, I'm sure there are things you want to talk to me about." He pointed out.
A sandy colored wolf was waiting in some low shrub at the edge of the forest. A low growl escaped her lips. Vivian was furious. No one messes with her friend like that without hearing from her. She would control herself the best she could, but she made no promises.She let out a long howl she wanted them to know that she was coming, and then Vivian darted out from the bushes and ran toward the place They were standing. She crouched infront of them and let out a long growl, and started circling them. She wasn't going to attack either one of them, she would probably get kicked out for it. So before she did something rash, she changed back into her human form and let out her fury on them. "How the hell could you two do that!? Just leave her up there crying like that! You two should be ashamed of yourselfs!" She never cursed unless she was mad. Her fist were clenched at her side and she was trembling she wanted to transform into something that would tear them to pieces. She was going to continue but she had to catch her breath.
There was no trace of Stacey`s smile now. Only her eyes showed that she wasn`t too angry, or hurt, or sad. She was too confused to be sure how she felt, so ehr eyes settled on grey.
"Yeah, I do want to ask you some things." She sia dsoftly, her voice barely a whisper. She loked down at the ground again. She did feel hurt. She felt betrayed. But she also felt happy that Aiden still loved her, that he was still here with her. She had enough problems trusting people. That problem would have gotten a lot worse if she hadn`t made him stay.
Taking a long, deep breath, she spoke slowly.
"I have a few things I want to know, and part of me doesn`t want to hear the answers. The other part of me knows I have to." She looked up to meet his eyes. "Do you know how you love Avalee?" She asked first.
((I thought this topic was closed except for the three of them?))
Aiden looked down at the ground. He blinked a few times, trying to think of a way to explain this in the best way he knew how. He turned his head to look at Stacey, noticing her grey eyes.
Aiden squeezed her hand. His own eyes were still dark, as dark as before.
"I'm not sure. It's a feeling I guess, like you know something. I can't really explain it." He replied quietly, a crease forming in his forehead.
((Avalee told me I could post.))
((Well, it`s closed and Avalee is kind of out of the topic now.))
Stacey nodded slowly, chewing her lip. She looked at the ground again while she thought of which question to ask next.
"Why?" She asked, tears growing in her eyes despite her efforts to keep them back. She couldn`t help but feel a little unsecure and self-conscious. "Did I... do something wrong?" She chocked back more sobs and turned her head away, squeezing his hand.
((How can she be out of the topic? This is about her just as much as it is about you two.))
((I'll make another topic if you want.))
Aiden frowned as he saw his wife beginning to cry again. He leaned forward, and cradled her face in both of his hands now. He shook his head slowly as he looked at her eyes.
"Shh." He begged, hoping she wouldn't cry more.
"It's nothing you did. You've done nothing wrong. It was me." Aiden said quietly, his eyes pleading.
((Thanks. I'm about to go to bed though. I guess I'll just make another one tomorrow.))
((No, you don`t have to make another topic. The thread was started for a reason, and we haven`t finished it yet. Aiden and Stacey need to work out a few things, and then the thread will end. As of right now, we have no reason for Avalee to return to the topic. We`ll let her know if she needs to. And don`t think I`m being mean. This happens all of the time. People get booted from topics very often.))
Stacey shook her head and wrapped her arms around his waist. She didn`t need to see the pleaing in his eyes, she could hear it and feel it.
"Aiden," she said, trying to control her tears, "I`m sorry, I shouldn`t be crying." She whisped at her face furiously.
Aiden held Stacey tight in his arms. He tried to comfort her in any way possible. He closed his eyes, and frowned at his actions. He kissed the top of her head softly.
"No, it's okay. If you want to cry, you can." He whispered in her ear.
Aiden took another deep breath. He gently leaned back to look at her eyes.
"I know you may not like the answers you hear, but I want you to know that I will be one-hundred percent honest with you." He told her.
Stacey nodded and whiped the remainging tears from her eyes.
"I know that you will, Aiden, that`s why I`m the one who desn`t deserve you." She went on before he could protest. "How long has this been going on?" Not much an improvement on something to not make her cry, but she couldn`t help it. All of her questions would be difficult.
Aiden pressed his lips together into a straight line. He didn't believe that, but he wouldn't argue now. He took Stacey's hand in his own again.
He squeezed her hand gently. He didn't want to make her cry again, but he also wanted to uphold his promise and tell her the truth.
"Actually, it was last night when it happened." Aiden replied, carefully meeting her eyes.
Stacey closed her eyes for a moment, holding them shut until she knew that she wouldn`t cry.
She was the one that had wanted to know.
"Okay, and... what happened before you..." She couldn`t finish, but she kenw that he would get the idea.
Aiden bent his down head down to look at her eyes. He gently rubbed his thumb over the back of her palm. He looked at her eyes, even though they were closed.
Aiden couldn't quite understand what she meant.
"Before I what?" He asked quietly. He felt bad for asking her, but he needed to understand her question.
Heather glared at the door as Aiden left the common room. Heather hugged Avalee, and noticed that she was crying. Heather murmered to Avalee, "It's okay. If you are torned up for more then a week, I can beat him up if you want me to."
She laughed through her tears and hugged Heather back. She was done with him.
Stacey clenched her teeth, once again holding back tears.
"Before you kissed her." she said in a hoarse whisper. Her eyes flickered darkly under her closed lids, and she could feel his gaze on her.
Aiden looked at Stacey, his eyes soft and ashamed. He looked down at his hands with a worried expression. He didn't her to cry again, but he was going to tell the truth no matter what.
"Well, we were talking and it just sort of happened." Aiden said quietly, trying to explain in the best way he could.
Stacey nodded, squeezing his hands. She asked for it...
"How... how long?" She asked softly, her voice barely audible.
Aiden looked down, and bit the inside of his lip nervously. He felt like everything he said hurt her more, but he wasn't going to start lieing now. He tore him up inside everytime he saw the pain in Stacey's eyes. However, he knew today was going to be tough.
"A few hours maybe." He answered, still quiet.
Stacey cleanched her jaw again and took deep breaths.
"And... who started it?"
Aiden used one of his hands to rub the back of his neck. He noticed that he was still sweating some. It was surprising since his nerves were still live and anxious.
Aiden lifted his eyes slowly to meet hers. He noticed her tense expression.
"Well, she kissed me...and I kissed her back." He replied honestly.
Stacey practically sighed with relief.
He didn`t start it.
She knew she wouldn`t have been able to hold the tears in if he had. She felt his nervousness again and placed a hand over his heart once more, letting pure energy sooth her nerves.
Aiden looked at her expression. He had a confused look on her face, but her hand over his heart really did calm his nerves very well. He took in deep slow breaths.
"You're releived?" He asked, confused.
Stacey opened her eyes, which were slightly lighter.
"You didn`t kiss her first. I`m not going to lie to you-- that probably would have hurt me mush more than anything." she explained softly.
Aiden looked at her eye color, surprised they weren't dark. He was surprised she wasn't angry with him now.
"It's not like I'm trying to hurt you on purpose, or looking for someone to cheat on you with. This wasn't anything I planned." He explained quietly.
((But he kissed me again. After we stopped he started it again. Just saying.))
Stacey looked at Aiden seriously and touched his cheek with her free hand.
"I know that, Aiden, that`s why I`m not that mad or hurt. I know you didn`t do it on purpose. Thinks happen. That`s what happened to you and me, remember. Except I chose you."
((Uh, okay.))
Aiden frowned, his eyes still dark. Her hand on his cheek was actually very comforting. He looked down slowly, and gently rubbed his thumb over Stacey's hand. His breathing slowly got slower, and his heart wasn't accelerating anymore.
"Yes, but that's different. That wasn't between choosing your wife." He pointed out.
"No," She admitted, "but I was choosing my life. Nate still keeps his distance sometimes. If things went bad between us, he wouldn`t have welcomed me back. If I had chose him and decieded that I liked you, you would have surely been taken already. It was still a hard thing to do, even if it was in different ways. I still had to tell Nate."
Stacey locked her eyes on his. She was serious. She would not let Aiden feel too bad. He would still feel something, something she couldn`t help. It was like a scar that hadn`t quite healed right.
Aiden leaned back, taking a sigh. He turned his head to look at her face, finding himself feel better every time he looked at her. He dropped the hand that was on his neck, and layed it in his lap.
"I probably would've waited for you. From the moment I met you, I knew you were something special." He replied quietly.
Stacey actually smiled, true happiness on her face.
"I did too. I just knew. There was somethign special, something there. It`s not something I can explain, but you know what I mean." She squeezed his hand.
"After just being around you for a few hours, I knew that I would be with you a lot longer than Nate."
Aiden smiled for a moment. He looked down at their hands, and gently lifted Stacey's to his lips and kissed it gently. His eyes were slowly beginning to get lighter, slowly.
"I'm glad you picked me." He said slowly and sincerely.
Stacey smiled and let their hands fall back to where they were against her leg. Instead she leaned forward and kissed him softly.
"I am too, my moon, only you have an idea."
Aiden kissed her back, keeping his eyes closed tight. He was starting to feel better but he couldn't ignore the supreme guilt and shame that gnawed his stomache.
"I love you." He replied quietly.
Stacey touched his cheek again.
"I love you too, Aiden Gray. Let me show you something." She gently let go of his hand and picked up his left one. She carefully pulled off his wedding ring and help it so he could see what she had engraved there.
"I had this done when you weren`t wearing it right before the wedding. I don`t know if you`ve seen it before, but it`s there." The word Forever was engraved in slanted writing.
Aiden leaned forward, getting a good look at the ring. He had to look at it awhile, wondering how he never noticed it was there. Probably because of the fact that he never took it off so he couldn't see the inside of it.
"That's amazing." He whispered, surprised. "Why did you never tell me before?"
Stacey smiled again, her eyes brightening more.
"I don`t know. It seemed like something nice to do, something that could be a surprise." She slipped the ring back onto his finger and took his hand with both of hers.
"Forever and always, that`s what I said to you the night of our wedding, and I meant it."
Aiden grinned for a short moment. His eyes were starting to turn to his normal dark brown color, not bright only brown. He looked at his hand as the ring shined brightly on his fingers.
"Forever and always." He agreed. "And I will do everything in my power to make sure it stays that way."
Stacey squeezed his hands.
"I know you will, and you know I will, too." She replied. "I`m not going to let you go just because you feel too bad, and that you don`t deserve me." She raised an eyebrow.
Aiden opened his mouth, about to disagree but he kept it shut. He would be quiet about that for now on.
"Honestly, I don't think I could've left. I can't live without you Stacey Gray."
Stacey smiled and her eyes flickered a lighter blue shade. They were now just a dull baby blue. She was content, but not happy.
"You wouldn`t have been able to leave, Aiden." She teased. As she said, she wouldn`t have let him go, by whatever means necesary.
"But I know that. I can`t live without you, either."
Aiden leaned forward to kiss her softly. He couldn't believe he almost let this go. He had made many stupid decisions in one night, he was done with that.
I'm glad for that." He whispered.
Stacey gave a small grin.
"So am I." She replied. "I love you, Mr. Gray. Forever and always." She repeated the words that had been said countless times by countless couples, but she meant it. And she would mean it forever.
Aiden's lips slowly began to curve in a half grin. His eyes stayed the same color. They wouldn't be bright tonight.
"As I love you." He repeated what he almost always said. It was almost like a trademark to him now.
Stacey nodded and closed her eyes with a soft sigh. She leaned back against the tree, letting her body relax.
"Now what? Do you go back to Avalee and talk to her? Or do you need to let out some stress?"
(Umm, not to break the mood between ya. Stacey, you just named a Taylor Swift song.)
Aiden looked into the forest. He debated that for a moment, but decided Avalee probably never wanted to see his face again. He sighed, and looked at Stacey again.
"I think I need to stay here, let out some stress." He decided.
((Forever and Always?))
((I love that song! Sorry I'm leaving now.))
Stacey nodded and stood up swiftly in one fluid movement.
"Well, we`re already here." She said, motionging behind him to the rest of the clearing.
Aiden turned around, and looked at the clearing. He remember when he first me Stacey and one of the first times they spent together was at this very place. He sighed deeply, wishing things could go back to being that simple.
Stacey squeezed his hand before dancing to the other side of the clearing. She took up a stance--feet shoulder-length apart and one in front of the other, angled slightly.
"What do you want to do?" She called.
(Yeah....)
Quote from: potter_fan122 on July 30, 2009, 01:48:34 PM
Stacey squeezed his hand before dancing to the other side of the clearing. She took up a stance--feet shoulder-length apart and one in front of the other, angled slightly.
"What do you want to do?" She called.
Aiden thought for a moment, but shrugged his shoulders.
"Whaever you want to do. I'm up for anything." He replied, looking at Stacey from across the large clearing.
Stacey shrugged.
"Okay, then."
She lifted her hands and orange flames burst from her hands. Her eyes flickered orange as the flames started towards Aiden.
Aiden watched the orange flame spiral towards him. He took in a deep breath, and lifted his hands in front of him. He exhaled, and pushed his hands out, causing a wall to form it front of him acting as a shield. It blocked the flame before it came to him. He wasn't really trying as he normally would, he was too exhaused to do so.
Then, Aiden pushed his palms out, and made a blue flame fly towards Stacey.
((If Avalee needs to be here, just pm me. :)))
Stacey watched Aiden block the flame and send one towards her. She watched as he barely tried. If she had just pushed the flame a little harder, the sheild would have broken.
The flame he sent towards her dissolves with a sizzling sound and Stacey walked over to Aiden.
"I`m sorry." She whispered softly, wrapping her arms around his waist and hugging him.
(Same here!)
((lol Okay.))
Aiden suddenly wrapped her in a hug, his arms tight around her. He took in a deep breath and exhaled in a sigh. He found it comforting to be near her. He didn't want to lose this, ever.
Aiden closed his eyes. There were dark from using fire. Sometimes he wished his eyes couldn't change colors, they portrayed his emotions all too well.
"For what?" He asked softly.
Stacey shrugged under his arms.
"For everything." She asnwered. "You`re not happy, I`m not happy. I`m sorry that you aren`t happy. I know that I can`t exactly help any of that, but I`m still sorry for that." She said softly.
Aiden held Stacey close to him, taking deep breaths. He shook his head as if he were in denial.
"I don't understand why you are apologizing. I should be apologizing, a million times over." He replied quietly.
Stacey tightened the hug.
"Aiden, you don`t have to apologize a million times over. I had to go through almost the exact same thing. I understand what you probably felt, because I felt it for you the night we met."
Aiden squeezed her gently one quick time, and leaned back so he could look in her eyes.
"Stacey, that and now are two completely different things. For one, I was married. Two, you and I weren't dating. Three, it's much much worse." He explained
Stacey burried her head in his chest.
"Aiden Gray, I truely don`t deserve you." she said softly. She meant it. She never thought that she would meet anyone like Aiden. No one so... perfect for her.
Aiden kept his hand on her back, holding her close to him. He wanted to make Stacey believe that he wasn't that great of person. However, it seemed like no matter what he said, she still believed he was good somewhere inside.
"Stacey..." He said slowly as shook his head.
"Don`t," Stacey said, lifting her head and putting a finger to his lips. "You have no idea what I see in you. You deny being anything but normal. You can`t see that in my eyes, you are magnificent." Her eyes locked on his with a dead seriousness.
Aiden took Stacey's hand and held it in his own. He gently squeezed it.
"You aren't going to believe me are you?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. He already knew the answer.
Stacey shrugged again.
"It depends on what you mean. If you are talking about you not being one of the best people I`ve ever met, I do not agree with you." She said softly.
Aiden rolled his eyes, and leaned forward to kiss her quickly.
"I still can't believe I have someone like you, even after all the mistakes I've made." He said slowly.
Stacey smiled.
"Well, believe it, because you aren`t getting away from me that easily." She teased. Then more serious, "You think I`m something special, yet deny everything I think you are. How is that supposed to work?" She asked softly.
Aiden chewed the inside of his lip, trying to think of a reasonable answer.
"I can plainly see it. Besides, you have me now, yet you still aren't yelling? I don't understand." He pointed out quietly.
Stacey gave Aiden a look.
"Do you want me to yell at you? Do you want me to get angry and upset. Do you want me to cry and cuss you out?" She asked, her voice soft, yet commanding.
Aiden looked down at the Stacey's hand that he held in his own. He noticed how much paler he was compared to her.
"It's what you should do." He pointed out quietly.
Stacey looked down at their hands. His hand was hot in hers, just like it always was. She loved the heat, though.
"What if it isn`t what I want to do?" She asked softly, her voice barely a whisper.
Aiden kept looking down, not fully understanding who calmness.
"I really don't understand why you wouldn't want to. You must be extremely angry with me in one way or another."
Stacey shook her head.
"Aiden, when are you going to realize that I love you, and that I`ve been through the same, and I understand completely what you`re going through?" She asked, rambling on more than usual.
Aiden lifted his head to Stacey, looking into her eyes.
"What I'm going through? Don't worry about me. It's you I'm worried about." He pointed out, his eyes turning back to their normal color.
Stacey put her free hand on his hot cheek.
"What are you worried about? Yes, I`m a little hurt, but yelling at you won`t help that. I love you." She shrugged. "I`m not going anywhere else unless you`re there."
Aiden looked at Stacey, still unable find a way to comprehend Stacey's constant calmness.
"I don't want to go anywhere without you." He replied as if that answered everything.
((What? He doen`t want to be around her?))
((Wow. I totally messed that sentence up... Fixed now.))
((Lol. That`s what I thought you meant.))
Stacey smiled.
"And you don`t have to, my moon." She replied, hugging him.
((I couldn't help but laught at that, though. Stupid typos.))
Aiden hugged her back, his arms around Stacey holding her tight. He wanted to keep her safe, protect her from anything. He wanted to stay here and talk forever. He wanted to be with her forever.
"I'm very glad for that." He said quietly.
((Yeah, when I first read it, I was, like, WHAT?! But then I reread it and rigured you messed up.))
Stacey burried her head in his chest.
"I love you, Aiden Gray. And I mean that more than anything else I`ve ever said before." She mumbled.
((Hehe yeah. He wouldn't say that. lol))
Aiden rubbed his hand up and down her back slowly. He wrapped both of his arms around her even tighter.
"I love you, Stacey Gray. I don't prefer it any other way. I'm so happy I get to spend forever with you."
Stacey smiled into his shirt.
"Forever. I like the sound of that." She teased softly.
Aiden half-smiled and gently rubbed his thumb over Stacey's cheek.
"I do, too." He replied quietly, holding her.
Stacey turned her head to kiss his palm. She sighed happily, having no more to say.
Aiden leaned back to look at Stacey's face once more.
"What should we do now?" He asked quietly.
Stacey looked up to meet his eyes.
"I don`t know. You look like you need some quiet. What do you need to do?" She asked slowly.
Aiden shrugged his shoulders as he looked at Stacey's eyes.
"Not sure. Maybe just sit down somewhere, relax. I think we've both had a rough day." He replied quietly.
Stacey shrugged.
"Whatever you want to do. I think you`ve had it a little harder than me."
Aiden shook his head, still not understanding who she didn't even seemed like it bothered her.
"Me? I don't see how." He pointed out, looking Stacey in the eye.
Stacey sighed and looked away.
"Look, I`m not going to say that it didn`t hurt. But yelling at you won`t help anything, and right now, you are what is most improtant, okay? You are important to me, okay? I`m not going to yell at you for being truthful." She said a bit louder than normal.
Aiden took in a deep breath, and exhaled with a sigh. He wished someone would yell at him. So far the only thing anyone has done to him was a slap in the face from Heather. However, if thats how everyone wanted it to be then thats how it would be.
"Well, you're important to me, too. Very important." He whispered back, unsure of what else to say.
Stacey sighed heavily.
"Look, do you want me to yell at you? I don`t want to, and I don`t think you do either, not really." She gave him a hard, searching look.
Aiden shrugged his shoulders, and looked athe clearing with a thoughtful look.
"It's not like I want you to. All I'm saying is that if you want to, I'm going to let you." He replied.
"D*mmit, Aiden." She whispered, shaking her head and looked away.
"Don`t you get it? I`m not going to yell at you. I`ve seen enough yelling from my parents to know that yelling doesn`t solve anything. Yelling solves nothing, Aiden, okay?" Tears sprung up in her eyes and she shook her head again.
"I-- I don`t want to yell at you, okay? I might feel like it, but I`m not going to." She locked ehr eyes on his, refusing to let the tears spill.
Aiden lifted his hand to Stacey's face and rubbed his thumb ofer her cheek gently.
"Fine, if you don't want to. I'm glad that everything between you and me is okay now." He replied quietly.
Stacey sighed softly and put her hand over his.
"Aiden," She began in a softer tone, "everything is fine. I`m fine. Are you fine?" She asked, her eyes locking softly on his, demanding, but soft.
Aiden nodded. He looked down at their hands, finding her colder skin temperature comforting against his own warm one.
"I'm fine." He replied simply but truthfully.
Stacey`s gaze softened slightly.
"Are you sure?" She asked in a more concerned, quieter tone.
Aiden put both of his hands over one of Stacey's. He lifted his head to meet her eyes.
"I'm sure." He replied. "Honestly."
Stacey gave a small smile.
"Okay, my moon." She couldn`t argue with him. He would know how he felt. "What do you feel like doing? You said you wanted to relax. How?" She asked him, using a soft voice.
Aiden tilted his head to one side, trying to think. What he really wanted to do was sleep, but he knew he wouldn't be able to. Not now.
"Maybe sit down, talk. Is that okay?" He asked.
Stacey nodded.
"That actually sounds nice." She replied. "Do you want to sit here, or somewhere cooler." The sun had decided to come out and was getting hot as it shone in the clearing.
Aiden looked up at the sun. He had to use one of his hands to cover over his eyes for it being so bright.
"Cooler is fine." He replied, squeezing her hand and walking towards the forest again.
Stacey nodded and followed Aiden into the cool darkness of the forest.
"Where?" She asked, looking around. The trees loomed around her in a familiar way.
Aiden looked around the dark forest as they walked deeper and deeper into the words.
"Was there anywhere specific you would like to go?" He asked Stacey.
Stacey shrugged and shook her head.
"No, I`d just like some quiet." She said softly, using her fre hand to rub her temple. She was starting to get a headache.
Aiden saw a fallen tree, and slowly led them over to it. He dusted off the top of it where Stacey could sit, and he sat down. He looked at Stacey, tilting his head.
"You okay?"
Stacey smiled as Aiden dusted off the tree. It wasn`t like she was scared to sit on it or anything, but he had dusted it off for her. It was sweet.
"I`m fine. Just getting a little bit of a headache." She replied as she sat down, pulling him with her.
She had been getting headaches more often lately, but she blamed it on the weather.
Aiden sat down beside her, entwining his warm hand with hers. It was so natural, so easy. He looked at Stacey with a worried expression. It was just a headache as she said, but he knew Stacey wasn't the type of person to complain about things.
He slowly lifted his free hand to her cheek, caressing it softly as he rubbed his thumb over it.
"I'm sorry love. Is it bad?" Aiden asked, with a frown.
Stacey couldn`t help but smile as Aiden caressed her cheek.
"I`m fine, my moon." She said softly and truthfully. She knew that Aiden had worried a little more about her after he had witnessed her latest "voice attack." She really was fine.
It had been a stressfull day. For everyone.
Aiden rubbed her cheek gently, and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. He had remembered the voice attacks, and cringed at the thought. Ever since then he'd been increasingly cautious, even with the little things.
"I hope so." He sighed, pressing his lips into a straight line.
Stacey smiled reassuringly.
"I`m fine, Aiden, really. It`s probably just a combination of today and the weather." She explained, her eyes serious.
Aiden nodded thoughtfully, but decided it was best to let it go. He rested his hand on his knee in a fist.
"Things are going to change, aren't they?" He asked, realizing the statement was pretty vague. "With us." He added a few moments later.
Stacey lowered her eyes to the ground and didn`t speak for a moment.
"Change in what way?" She asked after a moment.
Aiden watched her eyes, and he frowned.
"Like, I don't want us to change at all. But, after what I've done...maybe make things difficult." He tried to explain in the best way he could.
Stacey`s eyes met his again, and they were soft -looking. She thought, trying to find the right words.
"Aiden, I... don`t think that this will change us in a bad way, at least not a lot. Yes, I`m kind of hurt about it, but what can I do? I want you to be happy, so... well..." She didn`t finish her thought, she didn`t even know how to finish it.
"It think that if anything, it`s made me trust you a little bit more." She admitted.
Aiden pressed his lips together into a straight line, his expression still hard as if he were thinking about something confusing. He slowly began tipping his head to the right.
"Trust me more? How?"
Stacey carefully started to run her fingers through his hair.
"Well, when Niles left me, he didn`t say anything. He just disappeared. Then two months later I got a note from him. You told me. You were truthful about it, too. You told me that this happened last night. You were able to tell me this soon." She squeezed his hands.
"You didn`t lie to me, and you told me. That would have been very hard to do." Her eyes were serious, but soft.
Aiden used his hand to rub over the back of his neck. It didn't matter if he told her, he still felt wrong and dirty. He sighed, and closed his eyes slowly.
"Stacey, I love you enough that I don't want to lie to you. Even if I am rotten enough to do something like that, I wouldn't lie to you." He explained slowly.
Stacey watched Aiden as he rubbed the back of his neck again. She knew that he felt horrible, she could feel it.
"Aiden, I know. You won`t lie to me, I can`t lie to you, okay? It would be so easy to guess what I was thinking. Besides, even if you lied to me, I would know. I may not know what the truth was, but I would know that you were saying it." She took Aiden`s hand.
"I love you. So, so much. You really are the best thing that`s ever happened to me."
Aiden dropped his hand onto his lap, the other hand holding Stacey's tightly. He sighed again, and looked at her.
"I love you too, and I don't ever want to be with anyone else." He replied sincerely.
Aiden leaned back against the base of a large, old oak tree. He closed his eyes slowly, and sighed again.
Stacey, too leaned back and closed her eyes, which were much darker than usual. She was usually very happy, especially when she was with Aiden. Current events couldn`t make her happy enough, though, and her eyes really were the window to her soul.
"You know what?" She asked, her eyes still closed. "I think that this has just made us closer." She opened her eyes and turned her head to face him.
Aiden turned to her, noticing the dark color that stayed in her usually bright eyes. He had rarely ever been around Stacey when her eyes were anything other than a bright blue or orange.
"You think?" He asked surprised.
Aiden paused, and looked at the ground.
"I hope so." He said under his breath.
Stacey gave a rather grim smile. "You know, I love you. Isn`t that what matters?" She asked, also looking at the ground.
Aiden lifted his head. He took a deep breath, and put his hand against Stacey's cheek to lift her head to his.
"I know you do. Yes, I want us to be close but the fact that you love me shows that we will get through anything." He said quietly.
"I love you too." Aiden added.
Stacey smiled again, her eyes lightening at Aiden`s touch. Tears dotted her eyes.
"I really don`t deserve you." She said, leaning forward to hug him tightly.
Aiden wrapped his arms around her, noticing too late that she was beginning to cry again. He really didn't know what to say.
"It'l be okay." Aiden whispered, his voice soft and quiet.
Stacey couldn`t help but grin.
"I know it will be," she whispred, "because I`ll be with you." She sniffled and squeezed his hand. At least he didn`t argue about what she said about him being too good for her.
He leaned back with a dull expression again. He felt tired, emotionally tired. Aiden squeezed Stacey's hand back, and nodded his head with agreement.
"Anything else you want to ask me, love?" He asked, not wanting her to feel like she couldn't ask anything.
Stacey shrugged and shook her head.
"You`ve told me what I need to know. I think that`s enough, don`t you?" She knew that Aiden probably didn`t want to elaborate on what had happened, and she didn`t really want to hear it. She was hurt. It felt like her heart had been ripped open again, but with a stronger and more raw pain than last time.
Aiden shook his head as if that was his answer. He was relieved Stacey felt the same way, and didn't want to know every detail of which had happened.
"Yeah, that's fine with me." He replied slowly.
Stacey gave a sideways grin.
"So what now?" She sighed. She looked up tot he sky for a moment. "It`s bout one o`clock. Do you want something to eat, or are you not hungry?" She knew that aiden might not be hungry. She never was when she had felt like he had.
He pursed his lips together, and rubbed the back of his neck again with his palm. Food didn't sound very appetizing at the moment.
"No, I'm fine, thanks. If you're hungry I'll go with you to grab something to eat." He added. "Uness you want sometime to think to yourself."
Stacey shook her head slowly.
"No, I`m not really that hungry, either." She said softly, looking down at the ground."
((Want to give this one up?))
((If you want. Its up to y'all.))
((Okay then, I am announcing this topic closed. If anyone has a problem with this or wants to open it again, PM me first with your reasons why. Or just start a new topic. But I think that we have pretty much finished this issue. =P ))