"Open your eyes!" Shane ordered Hailie, making her chuckle softly.

"But your hands are still on my eyes. I won't see anything anyway," she replied cheerfully, feeling like today was a marvelous day. Christmas was coming, moreover she changed the plaster for an orthosis, and walking became hundred times easier and faster.

"Oh, right, sorry," he laughed and took his hands away.

Hailie had no idea what was this surprise he wanted to show her, especially that they were still in the Bloody Mansion, but in the garden, so she slowly opened her eyes. She wasn't home the whole morning, going on shopping with Pride. Of course, it was Hailie, who was paying, since she didn't want any more demonic money sent into the world.

"You did this by yourself?" she asked with her eyes wide open.

The garden was looking more than beautiful. The trees were decorated with colorful Christmas lights that lit up the whole lot. The lawn was covered with snow and rose petals, the scent of which mingled with that of conifers. She wanted to laugh at the big lamps of a snowman with his reindeer teaming, but it was so cute. In the middle of the garden Shane set up a table covered for two with a candle and white lilies. As she came closer, she saw that the main course was lots of marshmallows and hot chocolate.

"I had a little help with decorating, but the idea was mine." Molly was the one to help him out, while Hailie's parents went for a long walk in the winter. "You like it?"

She turned to him with a big smile on his face.

"I love it!"

She hugged into him tightly, thinking that it was the biggest surprise of the day. She never would've guessed.

"There was a lot of trouble lately. We almost forgot about proper celebrating not only Christmas, but just every single day."

Hailie put a hand on his arm, looking at him gently.

"Dying made you aware of that?"

He chuckled nervously, "You can say so." He could remember the moment of dying, all the thoughts that appeared in his mind. He understood that he wasn't ready to leave. There were so many things he still wanted to do or achieve. And now he got a second chance. He wanted to use it properly, to enjoy his life, while he still could. Life was unpredictable, even without demons in it.

"Honestly, a hot chocolate was the thing I needed the most." She came to the table and sat, covering herself more tightly with the cloak. "The perfect winter evening."

"With the perfect girl." Shane sat on the other side, looking at Hailie, at how happy she seemed.

"You want me to start blushing?" she tried to joke with her pitch-high voice, but her cheeks started burning and got red. "And now I do, so we need to change the topic. How's your work?"

Shane almost choked on his hot chocolate.

"You're starting with a tough one. Here I was thinking that we could chat about Christmas movies and boring town stuff, or even presents for our families, since I still can't choose what to buy my mother and time is running out."

It seemed weird for Hailie, since Shane always wanted to talk about his work. He loved it, although it was boring sometimes.

"Okay, so what are your ideas for the present?"

He made a face like it wasn't a better topic after all.

"She loves reading, so I was thinking about a book. I even have an idea, since she talked about it lately at the family dinner. She was talking about you too."

Hailie sipped her hot chocolate, remembering Mrs. Blackwell. She was a nice person, and she loved her son dearly.

"Why about me?" Being the main topic during dinner didn't sound like a good thing. At least not for her since the shy part of her character took over.

"She wants you to come over for dinner once."

"Oh, yeah, she even invited me." But she didn't feel ready to meet Shane's parents in such an official matter. "By the way, I've got so many flowers and baskets with food from neighbors! I'm on the front page of newspapers, so everybody leaves something by the door. Of course, nobody ever wants to come in, but it's still nice. Although my parents are a little bit concerned because they didn't know the history of the house. I hope they won't believe the gossip." Hailie already heard a whole lecture that she shouldn't choose such a creepy house for herself. They didn't like houses with bad reputation and even worse history. Only Molly didn't care, because she was here when Hailie moved in.

"People from town aren't that bad, they're just really scared of that house." Shane always remembered how everybody was telling him to stay away from the Bloody Mansion. Of course, when adults were lecturing kids not to go near the house, the effect was quite the opposite. "Maybe it'll change now that you survived. Besides, demons are gone."

"Yes, they are," she admitted sadly. "Except for Pride, but she's a real sweetheart."

"I must say, even I like Pride. She's different, and so full of life."

Hailie ate a marshmallow. It was delicious, combined with hot chocolate. This moment seemed more than perfect. She wished for it to last, but she could see the rainy clouds on the horizon.

"You should see her shopping today. She's like a fashion genius. Helped to choose clothes not only for me, but for every woman in the shop," Hailie laughed at that memory. She was never into shopping, until she went with Pride.

"That's definitely something worth watching," he said, but seemed sad, like his thoughts drifted away in a different direction. What was making him so distracted?

"Shane?" Hailie asked, making him look at her. He smiled at once, but his eyes were still absent. "Is everything fine at work?" He was acting that way since she asked the question. Something must've happened. Tough one. What was so tough at his work?

"Sure. I swear, every person I meet, congratulates me. You saved this girl, they keep saying. I'm the town's sensation along with you and my boss is more than happy. He can't stop talking about how good it is to have me in the crew. And my parents are full of pride too."

He deserved this, although he surely didn't feel that way. For Shane it was a team effort. Nobody knew about Lust's part in this, but he was there. He helped find Hailie in time.

"Then why are you so gloomy? It's a good thing, right?"

He was avoiding looking her in the eyes. She already knew that kind of behavior. Lust didn't want to look her in the eyes as well. What was going on? Shane couldn't be leaving. There was no logical explanation for that. He had his family and work here. And he had her. Then what was making him so tormented? She wished to squeeze it out of him.

"Somehow we became even more than just a town's sensation."

Hailie frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I've got a call from the New York City Police Department. They want me in."

"What?" Hailie parted her mouth while her eyes got two times bigger. Suddenly joy filled her whole body. She stood up and came to Shane. "Whoa, Shane, that's amazing!" She couldn't stay in one place. "You always wanted that, right? To work somewhere else, somewhere where your potential and abilities could be appreciated. I can't believe it. That's huge!" She couldn't stop talking as well, until she noticed that Shane wasn't that much excited. "You're not happy with this?"

He took a strand of her hair in his hand.

"I don't know. The NYPD has a history of police brutality, corruption, and discrimination." It was the oldest police department and the largest police force in the United States.

"But you're not like that. That's just another reason to go and show everybody that police officers can also love their job and make a difference. You were always saying how much you want to change things. What's the real matter?"

He looked her in the eyes. She was so happy, and he wasn't sure if she knew what this really meant.

"Hailie, if I take this offer, I'll have to leave."

Her eyes faded like a light in the tunnel that suddenly disappeared.

Leave me. He'll have to leave me.

"But-" There was no but. There was no other option and she understood it, so she didn't propose anything.

"Honestly, I don't know how they found out about me or what made them want to take me in. I'm just a regular cop from a small town. Nothing special. Saving a girl can't really change that. It feels weird, but that's a once in a lifetime occasion."

The only occasion to leave this town. To make a difference.

She felt tears welling up in her eyes, but she managed to hide them. Shane shouldn't see her crying because that was a chance for him. She couldn't be an obstacle. She couldn't keep him here, especially when she wasn't even sure about her own emotions.

"You should go."

"Hailie!" She could see in his eyes how much he loved her. Enough to turn the offer down and stay with her. He would do it. He was just waiting for her to make him stay. But she couldn't do it. He deserved to be happy, even if happy wasn't with her.

"I won't leave this town, not only because of the college. I don't want to go anywhere, but you should. You always wanted this. Leaving that small, forgotten place and going somewhere big. Doing something amazing. You're a great cop, Shane. And you have a good heart. You'll do just great in the NYPD. It wouldn't be fair of me to keep you here, especially that you deserve this."

"You're more important than anything else." He touched her soft cheek that became cold because of the icy weather.

"That's why you have to listen to me." Hailie managed to give him a weak smile. She wanted to keep him here more than anything, but that would be egoistic. "You once told me that you want to be better than others. That you want to achieve something and to make your work worth something. To be-"

"To be more than just a cop from a small town," he ended the sentence for her. Those were his own words. He remembered them.

"You deserve this more than anything. I want you to chase your dreams."

He hugged Hailie, feeling the warmth of her body. He felt torn, because as much as he wanted to go, he couldn't imagine leaving Hailie behind. But that was the choice. Work or her. And he would've chosen her, but that's not what she wanted.

"I love you."

"I love you too," she said back, but both of them knew the true meaning of these words. She had feelings for him, but they weren't as pure and big as his. These words were her goodbye. She was letting him go and he had to do the same, even though he wanted to believe that in the future fate will bring them back together. "When do you leave?"

"They want me to come immediately after Christmas." That was making it even harder. He had so little time to say his goodbyes. He wasn't leaving forever, but it was a big change.

"You're going to be the best cop in New York." And even though it was hard for Shane to admit it, part of him was relieved that Hailie took it so easy, that she wanted him to leave and do what he wanted to do. "But come and visit me sometime, okay?"

"I promise," he replied, hugging her strongly. Hugging her like it was their last moments together, even if that wasn't true. They still had Christmas. "You're the best that happened to me."

"Until," she laughed, thinking that there was a completely different life waiting for him in New York. "And message me as frequently as you do here."

"I'll always find time for that, although I hope my new job will be a bit more exciting than this one," he laughed sadly, but sweetly. "Let's finish our hot chocolate before it'll turn into chocolate shake," he said and kissed her on the cheek.

"Let's do that," she agreed, looking at him for a longer moment. At his green eyes that made her blush the first time she saw them. At his bright disheveled hair that he kept forgetting to arrange in the morning. At his smile that was always there to make her feel better.

He was the first man she truly felt in love with, but he wasn't the last one.

Yes, Hailie loved him.

And that's why she was letting him go.