Nickolas

I run out of the mansion racing towards the sound of the struggle I hear across the property. I knew Melissa was after Ashlynn, that she would take her to the Institution. I couldn't let that happen, not when my sister's life is at stake. As well as Ash's. The small voice in the back of my head whispers as I get closer to the fighting women. Seeing them I stop at the sight of a crying Ashlynn her now red tears streaming down her pale face as she grasps at Melissa's hands trying to pry them away from her throat.

I knew I couldn't kill her, she had made it impossible for any immortal to do that, but I just need her off of Ashlynn. Appearing behind her I take Melissa by the neck with one hand and fling her into a tree, rendering her unconscious in a motionless pile. I glance over at the hybrid, and I assumed that something else happened before this, for she was on her knees, her dress a crumpled torn mess as she cries out as if she's in pain, I try to walk toward her with the intent on pulling her up to her feet and asking what the hell had her crying like this, only for her to turn her face up to me her crystal icey eyes look up at me.

All I saw was something broken. Something broken and hurting and angry. But even the anger leaked out of her eyes until she started crying all over bending over, her hands clutching her stomach.

"What is her issue?" I hear Liz's perplexed whisper come from beside me.

"Not exactly sure." I reply quietly. I walk towards her again she doesn't look at me instead she says,

"No, no, no." her shaky words come, "I can't I can't." she bursts into tears again, the red staining her face. "I need Donovan, get me Donovan." she screams out as I try to reach down to her.

"I'm right here, Ash." Donovan says as he walks up behind me. I was hoping that the pang of jealously I felt was imagined. But I highly doubted it.

Donovan

I walk over to her and sit beside her. Her tears stained her face a deep red as she screamed a broken cry. I knew the appearance of Melissa was going to cause problems, that it would break her into a million pieces. She tried so hard to forget only for the past to chase her down.

"Hey, Ash, look at me." I say quietly as my finger moves her black wild veil away from her stained porcelain face. Her crystal snowy eyes look over at me, her lips a faded red shaky sad natural pout.

"It hurts Donovan, it hurts so much." she says hunching back over holding her stomach.

I sigh and bring her closer to me. I look up to see Nickolas and Liz gone. Glancing back down at Ashlynn I take her into my arms and she buries her head into my chest her tears soaking my suit.

"Why does it have to hurt so much?" she asks her voice broken and hopeless.

"She was your sister, Ash, it hurts because you loved her." I answer as I run my fingers through her tangled hair.

"I thought I got rid of it." she cries, "Why can't I get rid of it?"

"You can't forget things like that."

"But I can't live with it, the torture, my sister, the pain, Donovan, you don't understand how much it kills me inside, its making me sick, I can't take it." she cries into my dress shirt.

I pull her up and away from me, taking her chin by my fingers I look her in the eyes,

"You'll get through this, breathe." my command brings her tears to a momentary stop as she looks back at me.

I see her intake breaths and let them out, I sit there coaching her into normal breathing again.

"Okay, I think I'm okay." she whispers looking at the dark sky and then back at me. Before I knew what was happening she had her arms around me her hug tight. I stand there for a moment slightly shocked at the rare show of affection before returning her hug finding victory in knowing that I was right when I told Nickolas she was worth saving.