Death doesn't discriminate; it just takes and it takes

LOCATION | After having spent a few hours walking, then eating at a restaurant, they are taking their leave.
DATE | March 18 2022
TIME | Midday
ATTIRE | Link
TOPIC FOR | @Aurora | Rose & Roman - who else that will end up joining the pain
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At first it had been possibly the most wonderful day. The sun had been shinning on them in the spirit of spring and new beginnings. Nick had taken her out to this small little restaurant in the outskirts of town, far away from where everything so every busy. He had had the most amazing time, and on the way out from there he had even taken her hand, let his fingers entangle with hers. A warm smile had crossed his lips, and he felt like everything was just right. Like nothing could go wrong. But how wrong he was, for what happened next made him stop for a moment.

Nick's brows pressed together as a familiar scent caught him. Then blood. He knew that scent too well, so it didn't take him long to let go of Aurora's hand and run straight towards the smoking gun that was fired to lure him out, and he cried out for his mother as he saw her by the end of the alley choked in her own blood. He rushed down to her side and tried to shake her, as if it would wake her up. Nothing around him alerted him at all. Nothing. He didn't hear a sound over than his own wrecked up voice. He didn't hear a thing as someone pulled him away with a force greater than ever felt, slammed him against the wall. He barely saw the alpha with his eyes filled with tears. Nick tried to fight the guy off him, he spoke a ton of Russian to him, but Nick didn't listen, he just cried and screamed up in anger, trying to get the man off him but it seemed to be an impossible task.

Roman looked towards Rose for a second as he caught a smell of strange werewolves. Now, the Russian pack was still hanging around Athena, so they were extra careful as always. Roman keeping an eye out for his younger sister in this matter. But he could feel the danger like a cold shiver down his spine before he heard the screaming up, making him gain eye contact with Rose before he knew both of them wouldn't leave till they had check on what it was. But Roman still grabbed Rose by the arm and kept her a bit behind him as he realized it was the Russian werewolves. He saw how some of them held back Aurora. "Stay," he looked rather serious at his sister, more than he ususally did, and ran closer towards them to make sure he could get himself placed just right to actually manage to get both the guys about to take a beating at Aurora was knocked out cold. Then looking behind him towards where all the blood was. A few more wolves coming towards him and Aurora that needed to be taken care off, and he didn't really fight often, but for once in his life he was so ever thankful for the free sparring sessions he had with Maya over the years. But even as they took out the wolves. It didn't take out they hadn't been fast enough.

The alpha dropped the younger alpha to the ground. Heart ripped from his chest, dropping to the ground shortly after the young boy hit the cold ground. Roman looked at it with big eyes, not believing what he was seeing. His heart reached his throat before the remaining werewolves alongside the alpha hurried to take off, after all their job was done. For now.

It had been the first time in such a long time, where Aurora had felt peaceful. Where she had laughed and joked around. Where she had just sat in silence and looked a Nick with those eyes, eyes of someone that really was falling in love. That she could finally be happy and let someone in again. This time, it was real, she knew it. Not like with Howie, or with Aleks for that matter. No this was a person she would do anything for. Anything.
She had chuckled a little, when his fingers had entangled with hers. How she had envisioned that he would kiss her when they came to the door, and they would say their goodbyes. It played for her mind like a perfect film, the perfect ending in a romantic movie.
And then, just like everything else in her life. It started to crumble in front of her eyes. Like a house that was slowly falling apart. The wallpaper in the corner where you could see that if you started to pull it would start to mould away. She tried to hold him back, she screamed his name as he ran towards the body that was lying on the ground. But it was like no sound came out of her lips and everything around her was silenced. Arms grabbed her holding her back, as she tried to get to Nick. Warn him. Tears sprung from her eyes, as she saw how the scene unfolded. She didn’t even feel how someone took care of the ones that had held her back. Her knees that feel to the ground, scraped them so blood pooled around them. She had been wearing a beautiful floral dress her hair pulled back. She had put so much work into how she locked. Piles of clothes on her bed that was evidence from just how much she had spent time on getting ready for this day.

Rose had looked at Roman with big eyes as they had heard and sensed something was wrong. She stayed, for once she actually listened, watching over her brother as he moved closer. Ready to step in if he needed it. But she wasn’t worth much in a fight, she knew that. But could she really just stay behind?

Lara scrambled on the ground, getting up on her feet as she saw how the wolves started to move away. Running to get to Nick. “Nick, please, Nick” she whispered, lifting him up. She didn’t believe her eyes, his heart couldn’t. They, no. “No, Nick, please, please don’t leave me, no, I love you, Nick, please, please, I’m so sorry” she sobbed uncontrollably hugging his lifeless body towards her. Not caring about the blood that was smeared over her. She screamed, as tears without control just pooled and feel down her cheeks. Washing away her make up. She screamed to the skies as she hugged him closer. “No, Nick, please, don’t leave me, don’t, come back” she whispered as she pressed her nose towards his hair.

Rose ran towards Roman but stopped a few meters as she saw the scene in front of her. She took a step back completely overwhelmed by what she saw. The scream that left Lara pierced her heart. And she ended up placing her head against Roman’s shoulder and hugged him while she started crying silently.

Time was frozen, and the werewolf barely knew how to move or do anything the like. He just stood there and watched as Aurora screamed so high it echoed down the entire street, crying. The grief heavy enough to take up the entire atmosphere, so heavy he felt it had knocked all air out of him. Roman took a small step back, feeling like he was just about to fall over his own feet. His eyes didn't even look towards Rose when she walked towards him, but the second her head placed against his shoulder and she hugged him closely, he felt it. Felt the tears starting to press on the heavy heart. Roman wrapped his arms around his sister, holding her close a bit tighter perhaps, resting his head shortly towards the top of hers.

The scream had caught the warlock's attention down the street, and he had looked towards Iris before both of them had started to run up to see what was going on. Seeing Roman and Rose embracing each other looking like someone who had just witnessed something horrible. Then he turned his head to the side, seeing Aurora sitting there with, was that Nick? He held his breath for a moment, and took a deeper breath in. They needed to inform the police, but right now, he held Iris close for a second, placing a kiss against her temple. Maybe it was old hunter habits to get closer and get a more clear picture of the scene, or the need to help the shapeshifter. But Nathaniel walked over and sat down next to her, placing a hand towards her back, looking at his dead friend. Looking a bit ahead to the other dead werewolf. Roman looked towards Iris an reached out for her so she wasn't standing alone in this. They could explain later could they not? How did you explain just having seen one of your friends getting murdered?

It was like a hole of darkness started to form in her chest. Slowly but surely, it took over her entire body, like blackness made all the emotions to die out. And even so, tears wouldn’t stop falling as she hugged Nick into her. He was still so warm against her now bloodied hands, he couldn’t be dead, she wouldn’t accept it. People came to life all the time, all the time. “Wake up” she whispered, feeling how her lips pulled back into a pained expression as if she was physical hurting by now. It felt like it. Like someone had set her entire body on fire, and just kept pushing the pain further over the edge.

People started walking out of the houses, someone ran into one again. It was like the whole street just quiet down. As if the only sound that could be heard, was the screaming and crying shapeshifter. Hugging her friend into her arms. The heart that should be beating in his chest lying not far from them. His mother that had died not far away from her son. The son she had tried to protect, but in the end hadn’t succeeded and now, they were both dead. Lives wasted on what? She didn’t understand why they had to die; what kind of God took away people like this? Didn’t he care anymore, and everyone was just left on their own.
Iris stood and looked at Nathaniel as he walked towards Aurora. Her eyes widened as she saw the scene in front of her. Her hand in front of her mouth, as she clearly didn’t understand what was going on. She looked towards Roman as he reached out his hand, she put hers in his and walked towards him. Nick had been one of the happiest and sweetest boys she had met the first day she had started the academy, they had quickly started hanging out because their energies had matched so well.

Then they heard the sirens, and it didn’t take long before police and medics were at the scene. Aurora trying to hold on to Nick as a women tried to let her go so, they could take him away. It wasn’t much they could do anymore, other than take the bodies away. Birdie just stood there and looked at the scene in front of her. This hadn’t really been the type of work she had expected to see after she had taken the job at the police force for those that knew about the supernatural. As she wanted to stay, she had quit the job she had been having at Interpol. But this almost looked like one of the scenes she could have expected when she had been overseas. For a moment she just stood there, looking at the body of a mother and her son. Brutally murdered and left for young friends to witness and sit back with.
Finally, she started to get to work, she helped with getting the poor girl that had been crying and holding the young boy Nick into her arms. Placing her in her car with the door open and a blanket around her. She had asked who she could call, a soft whisper had told her that her father was Aaron Shaw, which she quickly called to explain that there had been an incident and that he would be able to pick up his daughter at the station.
She did the same with all the other eyewitnesses, placing them in cars and explaining that she needed to bring them with her to get their statements. Also, so they could be offered trauma help. When she could, Iris had found Nathaniel and placed her arms around him. Sobbing against his shoulder as she held him closer.

It didn't take long before sirens was to be heard, but to be fair, Roman didn't even notice as he just stood there with Rose and Iris. Hardly believing what just had happened, for him one could say he luckily hadn't killed anyone, knocked a  few people out. People who had been taken from the scene leaving only the dead on the ground. Nathaniel had taken a step back when the fairy got a hold of Aurora, and he walked a bit back towards Iris before people came towards them to get them down to the station. It had possibly been the longest process of them, the statements of what they had seen. Now, Nathaniel sort of wished they had been out there just moments earlier, moments that could have provided him with a chance to have stopped it. What a foolish thought to place on your shoulders, but he still did. Finally getting out from the rooms and standing outside the building, he wrapped his arms around Iris, just holding her close. This was unfair. Nick and his mother deserved so much better than what they had gotten.

Aaron had basically dropped everything he was standing with, which had been mostly wood for the fireplace he had attempted to carry towards the cabin when he had gotten the call. He had dropped it so fast he hadn't even cared if it had fallen over his toes or anything. And he had run so fast that he was surprised he hadn't caught fire at this point as he got to the station. Roman who sat inside in one of the chairs still hugging Aaron close, noticed him and pointed him in the direction rather quickly. Not that the vampire needed the help he knew his daughter's scent rather well by now, it was easy for him to find her. And he slowed down for a moment, but rushed towards her in the most mundane matter he could, not stopping till he had her in his arms.

Roman took a deeper breath in an closed his eyes for a moment. Hating he was the bringer of bad news, but he knew he needed to tell Maya and Katelyn. Well, what a way to welcome Howie and Maya back home now that they had found a place in the city. Just another tragic day in Aston city. He took a deeper breath in, there was Violet too. Maybe he should just call Maya and tell her to gather people, so he could tell them at once and hope it wouldn't cause a building to burn down or something. He took Rose hand and gave it a small squeeze before getting up and walked with her outside towards Nathaniel and Iris. It didn't even feel real, a part of his mind finding everything impossible to understand.

Iris just stood there for a moment. Hearing the phones ring, people talk, the electronics from the coffee machine to the microwave and all the computers. She heard it all, and at the same time she heard nothing. It was such an incomprehensible feeling that spread in her chest. That they had lost one of their own tonight. It was always the bad guys that eventually died. Of course, many of them had been beaten down, or they had lost a family member. But this, this was so different in the aspect that it would hit the whole academy, hundreds of people that went to the school would feel the effect of one of their own had been lost today. Even if there was no family left to morn Nick, his friends, his other family. They would stand back with the feeling of him missing. Everyday. She closed her eyes, feeling how someone passed them, but at the time she didn’t know what to do. She needed to call Mary-Jane, she deserved to know as well. Kemuel, Seraphina. How would they be able to process this? She knew how much Kemuel and Nick had been enjoying each other’s company. Because of abilities that was relatable within the arts. Rose hugged Roman closer. It seemed so silly that she had been so angry with her family, especially now when she once again had been reminded just how fickle life could be. She felt angry and so guilty. At herself, and at the world around her. Because anger, anger was easier than anguish and it was so much easier than complete and utter helplessness and sorrow.

She finally moved out of his arms. “I’ll, I’ll ask Iris if I should call MJ” she whispered, giving her brother a smile. She hadn’t really talked with MJ since she had disappeared from the radar and gotten some leave from the academy to heal and gotten help for her mental health. She walked over and tapped the kitsune on her shoulder, Iris turned and dried off some of her tears. She nodded, when Rose in a brittle voice explained what she was going to do. “She would like that” Iris whispered giving her a small smile, “I’ll, call Kemuel then” she whispered, almost dividing the pain between them. She turned towards Nathaniel, with a small smile she leaned up and placed a soft kiss against his cheek before she found Kemuel’s number, but it was easier said than done.
It seemed that Rose had it easier, as she stepped away and put her phone to her ear.

Aurora had answered the questions as they had been asked. But she had no idea what she had answered. She couldn’t really remember anything. She just stood there, outside the room where an officer had sat with her. Looking down at her hands, she could see how she was still covered in the blood from Nick. Then she looked up as she could feel Aaron come closer. Her lips started to quiver all over, and as his arms placed around her, she cried again. Sobbing against his shoulder. “He is dead” she whispered, acknowledging that he wouldn’t come back. “Nick is dead, why? I don’t understand” she wailed closing her eyes and buried her face into his broad and comforting chest. For the first time, since he had found her. She truly felt that she had found her family. That he was actually there when she needed him.

Roman nodded a little bit picking up his own phone, not realizing how much he was shaking, blinking a little bit, not sure he could actually get himself to tell this over the phone. No, he wasn't going to say it over the phone. Because there was no telling how Maya would even react if he told over the phone, he knew just how many people she had lost over the years and he hated adding to the list by bringing this to the door. So, he did what he had thought, texting them to meet with him, even if it was at Irina and Nigel's - perhaps it was best, since it had been these Russian wolves, then they could bring the news to people who had interest in this - okay Roman's mind was racing with way too many ways to deal with this entire situation. Knowing that Rose could call Neil and get him to tell everything, but he was not going to ask that of them, he could do this. He would do this. So, he texted both Maya and Katelyn to gather the crew. Suddenly feeling Nathaniel's hand on his shoulder for a moment, giving him a little nod. Knowing where they had to take the conversation, but yes, Nathaniel believed that Roman was perhaps best to bring the information - or he would do so himself. Right now Nathaniel just needed to get out of here soon enough, because much like Iris he was getting overwhelmed with all the thoughts trying to reach his mind.

Now, since Roman had told Nathaniel where he was planning on going, or at least had an idea on it the warlock realized just how many more who could possibly be influenced by these growing pains that weren't going to stop anytime soon, so there was one person he wanted to warn about the tides of grief coming to wash over everything. So, he took a few steps aside and called Mariella to give her a briefing about what had happened, knowing she didn't know Nick, perhaps had heard about him, but if they were going to the house and she was there he knew changes of all of their grief just clashing in at once could hit extremely hard if not prepared. And then there was the change of her being able to give the information to the rightful people as well. Then hanging up again, not yet letting himself grief.

After Nathaniel had hung up he turned back to Iris after she had called Kemuel, and let his arm find its way around her pulling her closer towards him, and placed a kiss against her temple. Roman walked closer to them, looking down at his phone to see the responds. "I'm going to gather Katelyn, Maya, Howie and the rest and tell them what has happened," he took a deeper breath in looking at his phone for a moment. "I can go with you if you want?" Nathaniel suggested looking towards Iris, not that he would want to leave her, but he didn't know if she would want to stay with her sister or go with him - or being alone for that matter, not that he felt like anyone really would like to be alone in this. "What a big fucking giant bloody mess," Roman mumbled and looked around, starting to feel the anger kick a little in just really wanting to kick something, but he didn't.

Aaron took a deeper breath in as she started crying. He could well of course smell the blood. The waves of shock was understandable, no one should going through losing someone they loved like that, in any way really. He is dead, Aaron exhaled slowly, running his hand over her back with slow movements as she was sobbing against his shoulder. "I don't know honey, I don't know," he whispered kissing the top of her head, just holding her close. Sometimes the most terrible things happened to the people who least deserved it. And Nick had been such a bright kid, bright and upbeat, to be murdered in cold blood, it was unimaginable. To even have been the ones seeing this was horrible. Aaron had witnessed a lot of death in his life, but never really wanted that for anyone else, yet knowing you couldn't always get what you wanted in this matter. "How about we go home?" He suggested with a softer voice, it wouldn't change what had happened, but anywhere was more comfortable than sitting here.

It was a hard conversation, how was anyone ever going to explain something like that, to someone that had already lost so much? Of course, she had lost her grandmother and her mother in a very short period of time. But her mother, had never really been a person in her life that she had a tight bond with. And her grandmother, it was time for her to find peace, which had been why it hadn’t hit her as hard as it had done Mary-Jane. Kemuel, hadn’t really said anything, ended up just thanking her for letting him now and then he had hung up. Iris looked at her phone and decided to write him a message that she was here if he needed anything. Then she turned as Nathaniel came towards her. A small smile formed over her lips as she moved the hand with her phone. “Never a conversation that is easy to have” she whispered, before putting it away. Iris turned towards Roman as he explained that he was going to tell people by gathering them. She nodded, then looked towards Nathaniel, before she leaned against him. “I think I’ll go with home then or maybe go with Rose” she whispered, looking towards the young girl talking with her sister. It was clear she was the most affected by this, right after Aurora that was still crying in the arms of Aaron. Iris swallowed and closed her eyes for a moment. “You got that right” she looked towards the fairy, that was standing with a beta werewolf arguing about something. Not that they seemed angry at each other. More at the whole situation.
Rose hung up and let out a small breath. Then she walked over towards the others. Hugging her phone against her chest. Her cheeks still wet from the tears she had shed. “I hope Damian and Melanie finds the bastards and makes sure that they get a worse treatment than they gave Nick and his mother” she hissed, not knowing what else to do, than let anger overtake her for a moment. Mostly because, she was so struck with grief that she had no idea how to explain it otherwise. Aurora’s scream going on repeatedly in her mind. The scene of how his heart had been ripped out of his chest.

Aurora hugged Aaron closer, as he told her that he didn’t know. She knew that no one would be able to answer the questions that she had. But she still asked them because she couldn’t understand that it was still real. Waiting to wake up, and someone tell her that it was alright. Nick was still alive and well. The day had been so beautiful, but now everything was overshadowed by the fact that a person she had loved was now gone forever. Never coming back.
She nodded slowly when he asked if they should go home. The police were done with the statements now, they had numbers if they needed to talk with them further. She just wanted to get out of here, the faster the better. Not that she let go of Aaron as they started walking out. Rose looked towards them as they came walking. Stepping out, placing a hand on Aurora that looked into the deep brown eyes. With a chocked sob, the two girls hugged each other for a while before she stepped away. “Could you drive me home, as well?” she asked Aaron, not wanting to let Roman have to wait to get to Katelyn and the rest to tell them what had happened today. Iris let out a soft sigh, she just wanted to go home now, if she was being honest. Her mind slowly boiling over with everything that happened around her.

"It never is," Nathaniel mumbled a little bit. The only thing helping was the practice in pushing your emotions away for the moment not to let them cloud you judgment completely, he could fall apart later if he needed to. Right now, he wanted to be their eyes and have his mind clear. Especially with the full moon coming up, he knew Roman would have his emotions the anger on his sleeve - or so, he could feel at least. Nathaniel looked at Iris and gave her a soft nod, wrapping his arms around her, placing his lips against her temple and closed his eyes for just a second. "Okay, you will call me if there is anything right? Or you come to me," he whispered against her hair. He looked towards where Iris was looking, at the fairy and the beta werewolf talking. "They will. I'm sure they will," he moved his eyes towards Iris and lifted his hand up to dry away a few of her tears with his thumb. He wanted to suggest she could call Elias and inform him about what had happened, but it wasn't like if she did that now or in a few hours that it would change much. It wouldn't change the horrors that had happened.

Aaron wished he could tell her everything was alright. That everything be alright, but he couldn't make such a promise. He knew that with time she could come to learn to deal with it, and one day it wouldn't feel as hard anymore, but right now was not the time to pull your emotions back. Loss were to be felt.  Aaron looked towards Rose as he noticed she looked towards them as they got outside, stopping for a moment to let the two girls hug for a moment. He gave Rose a nod, "of course," he pulled a small sad smile. "I can drop you off as well?" He looked towards the others. I'm going to inform Katelyn, Maya and the others with Nathaniel," Roman looked towards Nathaniel. "I will drive," Nathaniel informed taking Iris hand giving a little squeeze, not really liking letting her go home alone, but once they had informed everyone he could go see her if she needed him to. Roman placed a hand on Aurora's shoulder giving her a sad smile, before letting go again. Knowing him and Nathaniel had to go, he looked towards his sister. "Text me when you get back home okay?" He pulled her close for a moment again.

She looked up at him when he placed a kiss against her temple. For a moment her breath was taken away, mostly because she finally understood what love was. Looking at the man standing in front of her, she had found peace in herself that she never thought she would be able to find. Then she nodded when he told her that she should call if there was anything. “I think my mother and father is home, so it’ll be alright” she said with a small smile, besides Mary-Jane would be home as well. If she wasn’t already begging to be driven home to Rose.
Iris looked towards Aaron as he asked if they needed to get dropped off as well “No, it’s okay, I’ll be fine, I have someone to pick me up soon” she said with a small smile, as she had already texted their driver to come and pick her up. One of the perks of having a very rich father.

Rose hugged Roman close, as he told her that she should text him when she came home. Nodding a little with her eyes closed. If anything, this had really caught her that she shouldn’t take anything for granted. One should think that Romeo’s death would have done the same. But the fact of it was, that she had just been so angry at the world that she hadn’t had time to actually think about it. Not in the sense that she was right now. She let go of her brother and gave him a small smile. “I will, give both Maya and Katelyn a hug from me” she added, before placing an arm around Aurora and walked with her and Aaron towards the car so they could get home. Not that Aurora had ever been the type to talk very much but seeing her like this. It was scary, she just hoped that she would come out on the other side alright. “And then on a full moon day” she whispered, knowing that many had to go into the words to transform. Instead of being able to just be with the people that they loved. What a bloody mess all of this was.

Nathaniel nodded and exhaled a little. Not that he really liked not being there, but he also accepted the she could handle things herself, and if it came down to it she would call him if needed. But she also needed to be with her family, with her sister. Nathaniel exhaled a little bit, watching Roman hug his sister as well. He knew his family back home hadn't put much thought to him since he had been gone, mostly accepted that he was likely dead, but he had Sarah. Of course it wasn't the same as his actual parents and siblings, but he was fine. It was fine.

Roman slowly let go of his sister, and nodded to Rose. "I will," he promised and took a deeper breath in. He had no idea how Katelyn and Maya would take it, but one thing was sure it wouldn't be good. Nathaniel pulled Iris into a soft kiss, cupping her face with his hands before letting go, "talk to you soon," he whispered before he then headed with Roman towards the car to drive towards the Blancard house. Roman could feel his heart bound to explode. Just sitting in the driver seat, he knew he would have to get a hold on Nigel at first, making sure that he would sent him out the second the full moon would start affecting him. Because Roman had no idea right now how the shock of everything he had seen today would affect him the second the moon started to rise, and the last thing he wanted to be was a danger in any way to Katelyn. But with Nigel, Maya and the others there as well, he knew that even Maya wouldn't waste a second making sure nothing happened. Pulling up the drive way Nathaniel looked shortly towards Roman before the wolf headed out of the car, the warlock worried.

Luckily Mariella had been talking to Nathaniel, so to that fact she had informed Nigel about the situation at hand before the girls had come home. The night of a full moon. It hadn't taken more than a few follow up conversations through the mind for Nathaniel to confirm to Ella by distance that it was these Russian werewolves that Mariella knew Leon and his family had trouble with, so naturally she had informed about what she had heard. But she had also chosen to stay here when Roman and Nathaniel came by, because even if she knew that things would tumble to the ground, she had never really been the one to go from a situation where she could be needed, even if it was overwhelming. Maya, Howie, Violet and Katelyn just sitting in the living room talking not understanding why Roman had asked them all to be there. Maya was the first who found it a bit suspicious, especially with the looks Nigel and Mariella gave each other while they waited. Well, if Nigel wanted to tell them at first hand preparing them, Mariella wasn't going to stop them. Irina was visiting Selene with Mila anyways, which was most likely also for the best not knowing the outcome of this situation.  Roman and Nathaniel then opened the door after a short knock and stepped inside.

Maya turned her head towards Roman, his red eyes and almost pale expression made her stomach twist for a moment, so she held her breath - then looking to Nathaniel, then back at Roman whose lips started to shiver just a little bit. Where did he even begin? "What happened?" Maya asked carefully slowly getting up from her seat towards Roman, but not really wanting to overstep. But he looked like someone who could crack if you blew at him the wrong way.


Aaron let Rose follow Aurora to the car, so he could get both of them back home. He was going to do his own ressource on this matter later, right now he just wanted Aurora home, and make sure that she was as alright as she could. So, first he dropped Rose of before driving home.

It was one of those moments when you know something bad was going to happen. The feeling had been there the entire day, and Katelyn hadn’t been able to shake it off her. Normally she would just have told herself, that it had been because of the full moon. She never really liked those few hours at night where she could hear the wolves howl not far from her window. Even if she knew that she was safe, she had never really been the same after she had been caught in the woods and Maya had almost died.
But it had been more than that, it was that aching feeling in your heart pounding, twisting scratching at the surface. A soft blow down your neck that made it run cold down your spine. Which had been why she had just waited for someone to tell her that someone she knew had gotten hurt. She never hoped that anyone would ever get used to the fact, that you always had people close to you get hurt some way or another, but sadly that was now the chase for a lot of people she knew, herself included.
So, when her father had told everyone to gather in the living room and that Roman and Nathaniel would be coming by. She just sat there, not saying a word, feeling how it was like the entire room was caving in. That heavy feeling pressed down on your chest, much like the day that Archie had died. It had been the same then.

“No” she whispered softly, looking at Roman as he stood there beside Nathaniel. Now, she didn’t know who had died. But someone had, and she didn’t dare ask who it was. Because there was a brief moment where she almost couldn’t handle it. “Who?” the word left her like a soft quake, a whisper that didn’t really want to leave the tip of her tongue. Burning down into her heart, threatening to rip it to pieces. Nigel walked towards Katelyn and gave her a soft smile as he squatted down and took one of her hands, but her eyes didn’t leave Roman. Waiting for him to shatter the world they knew and let them know that they now needed to live without someone they loved and had known.

Who? It echoed in his head. The scene he had seen, been too late for. His mouth so dry and he felt the shivers of his slightly shaking hands looking at how his next words would have the power to tear everything apart. "Nick -" his voice cracked completely, it almost didn't sound powerful enough to be heard but yet everyone had heard him. He almost fell a step back, tried to reach for air. "I'm sorry," he apologized knowing he couldn't have done more. He wanted to have done more, been faster at the scene. But no Aurora's scream roared through his head with agony and took a step further back till his back met the first wall behind him, and he slowly just glided down starring in front of him. Maya took the kick in her stomach in, swallowed the pain in and breathed a bit shakenly out. But Roman's reaction made her toss it aside for now, and since her father was with Katelyn. Maya saw it right that she helped Roman back up on her feet even if her own heart was breaking too.

It wasn't the first time Maya had lost someone, and it wouldn't be the last time. And each time she had no idea how to react to it, she never let herself react in the moment or maybe it was more of a denial of her emotions, not letting herself feel it in fear of not being able to get back out of the darkness. Nathaniel looked towards Violet and Howie seeing how they took everything. Looking shortly towards Mariella who took a deeper breath in at everything.

Her hands were shaking, she felt the familiar sting in her nose as tears slowly reached the surface of her eyes. Then she became cold, after a momentarily hotness almost like a burning flame had roared through her, tumbling her over with the pain of knowing that Nick was dead. She couldn’t believe it, she had seen him just yesterday, no it couldn’t be true. She shook her head in denial as tears glided down her face. She wanted nothing more than to walk towards Roman and hug him like Maya did, but she was completely frozen to the seat where her father was sitting and holding her hands. Things were finally starting to look good; Maya had come home. Iris had entered her life and was so full of love and the most amazing energy. Rose was back where she belonged with her family. This was supposed to be the year where things would get better! Were everyone could get some peace and just settle. But things had already been kicked off with Zadkiel being hurt, she still remembered how Seraphina and Kemuel had looked when they came to class the week after.
So she cried, because she couldn’t really do anything else, and felt how her father had gotten up and pulled her into his embrace.

Roman cried. Katelyn cried. The things Maya thought she was able to withstand, and suddenly she felt so weak, like she couldn't even push back her own emotions, and her jaw tensed so tight that suddenly a vase broke the sound of a window started to crack over her and Roman, even if she tried to breath slowly out. Maya could feel how her defenses aimed to pull her apart. Because well Maya had spent time with Nick last year, they had talked about paintings, drawings and it had been nice to just sit with someone who appreciated art in your darkest hours and not been scared away by how dark it could get. But Maya could also feel all of the energy in her building up wanting to explode further, so she got up slowly and moved her hand towards her chest for a second, just heading outside the door, not caring closing it, but the last thing she wanted was to actually end up losing her control. So, she just bended over a little placing her hands on her knees taking a deeper breath in, closing her eyes. Feeling how everything was racing in her head. On the top of things with Zadkiel, that Katelyn and Violet had been taken in December even if it was only shortly. Every single little thing building up, not that it was the worst that had happened in her life, she was sadly used to these hits. But one thing she hadn't taken to the whole thing was seeing Katelyn so upset so sad, it completely wrecked up how Maya usually dealt with he own emotions. Because usually she didn't have had a sister to look at and see how heart broken she was. Before Maya knew it she had fallen down to the grass just staying there on her back looking blankly up at the sky, catching her breath.

Mariella took a deeper breath in and walked over to take over from Maya and helped Roman up from the floor to the couch so he could sit down a little better, then just wrapping her arms around him, letting his head fall into her chest as he just cried out. His heart completely torn apart. And maybe it was also the, not having let himself completely cry over Romeo's death, but to see what he just had been seeing today. He just couldn't take it. Nathaniel looked towards the cracked window outside seeing Maya from the corner just there in the grass.

Nigel looked up as Maya had to step away from Roman and step outside. He let his hand glide over his daughers hair, but when Mariella placed Roman in the couch and hugged him, he nodded towards her and let softly go of Katelyn that understood, and just buried her face in her hands. Feeling how her shoulders started the shake, almost like she was wailing she just let everything out. All what she thought she had dealt with, she let all of it out. Howard nodded towards Nigel to let him now that he would deal with it. Even though it hurt him too, immensely so, he didn’t cry. Mostly because he had the power to give himself the positivity that he needed to be there for the others right now. He would cry later, he knew that he would that. But not right now.
Nigel sat down again, placing his arm around Katelyn’s shoulder that turned around and cried against his chest, much like Roman did with Mariella.

Howie placed a hand against Maya’s shoulder. He just stood there, waiting for her to find her inner peace, not that it would come easily. And she didn’t need to say anything or do anything. He would stay there as long as she needed. Don’t pity the dead, pity the living, and above all pity those that live without love. And here was the living, all loved and grieving for the person that they had lost. But he knew, with a certainty that they would all get through it. One way or another.

Maya got back up slowly just starring down the road, taking a few deeper breaths in. Her mind always the worst once it was let go into the spin, because it didn't stop. Her mind never shut down, it kept on playing these memories for her eyes like they happened few seconds ago, then began to theorize how - how had he died? Was it an accident? Had someone killed Nick? How? Her mind pulling all the different imagies out in front of her letting her head ache trying to solve the mystery, and it was only the sound of metal bending from the lamppost that made her snap back to reality followed by the hand against her shoulder that made her flinch a little for a second. She was always the one to flee to deal with everything she felt on her own, and still getting used to not having to. But what to expect by a person who always had been taught that your emotions weren't real, that your pain was an illusion a fraction of your imagination. That you never had anyone really who ever had brought you comfort when you were sad or scared. Roman had been the first one to actually give her a hug when she was nine. "I'm fine," she breathed out her lips shivering a little bit, "I just - I have never seen Katelyn that upset before or Roman," she added rather honestly, because she knew it was the trigger for her own eyes starting to water. Maya still didn't look at him, not yet, some sort of safety mechanism from stopping herself in taking all of the situation in.

Nathaniel sat down next to Violet, carefully placing his hand on top of hers, keeping his eyes on hers to see how she was taking everything in. He also looked shortly towards Nigel and Mariella. Mariella caught Nathaniel's eyes for a second. Because she was rather affected by the situation, but mostly so because she allowed herself to take a fair share of the pain Roman was covered in and took it on herself, making her take a deeper breath in, before she blinked a few tears out herself, feeling the stung in her stomach and her heart. The sorrow. But it seemed to make Roman take a deeper breath in and being more able to actually be in the situation.

Howie let out a soft breath, letting his eyes wander to the bend lamppost.
I’m fine
He shook his head a little. “Don’t do that Maya” he almost begged, because he knew that she was so good at just pushing away the feelings and not actually letting herself acknowledge them. Because he knew that Maya had spent a lot of time with Nick, he had as well. He had been dancing with him, showing him just how to do those different moves. They had laughed and talked about everything. Heaven to earth. She had been there for him when he had heard the news that Lara was dead. Even though they hadn’t talked for such a long time, it had still been devastating. He had been crying because even if things had ended badly, it had been just that what had hurt him the most. That he thought she might believe that she had died without no one out there that actually still cared, that still believed and had loved her. Even if she hadn’t understood what love was at the time. He liked his lips. “It’s okay to not be okay, or fine, even just for a moment. He was a friend, a good one, and it’s really sad and horrible that he is not here anymore” he whispered, moving her around and slowly pulled her into an embrace. Because he needed it just as much as she did.

Now, Violet hadn’t really reacted to any of it. Mostly, because she had no idea what to do with the information that she had just gotten? Katelyn’s reaction had been so overwhelming that she had just stared. Then Roman had buckled under the sorrow and broken apart as well. So, she just sat there, looking at them.
They weren’t serious, it wasn’t Nick. It was someone else.
A laugh left her, turning her head towards Nathaniel as he placed a hand on hers. Then she shook her head. “No” her brows pressed against towards one another. “no, you guys are wrong, his not dead” she whispered, standing up abruptly. “I don’t know what kind of sick joke you guys are playing, but its not fun anymore, so, haha, very funny, stop… no, his not dead.” She stepped a couple of steps back feeling tears in her eyes looking at Nathaniel. “No, his not dead! Tell me his not dead!” now she was begging, he had been one of those few people in her life she had seen as a friend. His energy had been so affectious, especially the first time she had taken ‘his’ spot in the barn, just hiding away from everything.

She closed her eyes for a moment, not really knowing how else not to. She could be their for others sure. She was always there for others, but she never really gave herself the same love. "I'm not sure I know how," she confessed folding her lips a little bit, as Howie moved her around and pulled her into his embrace, and she let him. Because now wasn't the time to let her past catch her, to close herself in and throw away all the process she actually had made last year. It took her a few seconds before she closed her arms around him, and exhaled a bit more. Maya closed her eyes shut for a moment, it was just hard, losing people, so many people she had lost and so many people who had left. Maya held him a bit closer, by now also coming to the thought it could as well had been him, a stranger or Nick who had died today, because life never played fair. That thought weight her heart a bit more, so she finally felt her tears running down her cheeks. It was far from often she let them go, but right now. They had earned it. And she had earned to just let them go, "I love you," she mumbled a bit against his chest. Because days like this was a reminder that something could be taken away from you within a heart beat, and imagine all the things you hadn't gotten to say..

Nathaniel looked at her. Knowing and had seen people responding very different to situations like this. He watched her standing up but did nothing right at first. Letting her just take the entire situation in. Roman looked towards Violet, but he was so tired and beyond exhausted to actually do anything. "Within a few hours you need to make sure I'm on my way home," he looked towards Mariella and then Nigel. He gave both of them a tired nod even if he usually could contain himself rather well on a full moon - tonight would be rough. He reached to take Katelyn's hand giving it a little squeeze. Nathaniel looked towards Violet agian, this time getting up taking a little step ahead. "Nick is dead," he confirmed for her. "He was killed, and its unfair and unrealistic," he took a sharper breath in keeping his eyes on her.

“I love you too” Howie whispered back, right after she had told him the same words. There was nothing greater feeling in his body than the love he had for the hybrid in his arms. He would do anything he could to ease her pain. But he also knew that it was important for her to actually experience it and let herself feel it. Not constantly hiding it away or not validating that it was okay to just be devastated about the fact that her friend was dead. That Nick wasn’t going to come back, and there would be no happy ending. Sure, Archibald had come back, but that didn’t mean it was something that you should count in. One in a million chance that someone got a second chance.
Sometimes death had to be final, because if not death. Then what would be the factor that made them human? If everyone was immortal to a point where there was no way they could say goodbye and start a new cycle as someone else. That was life, and life was beautiful despite all the devastation and heartache.

Nigel just observed, because they were also dealing with a unexperienced siphoner. They needed to tread very carefully about how they reached out to her, while she was in this state of chock. He turned his head towards Roman as he asked them to make him leave before the moon would be rising. He nodded, wanting to say something. But was interrupted by a no from Violet.
She took another step away. “His not!” she almost screamed, and then a loud crack was heard, and Violet disappeared. Teleported away.

There was something about being able to just let your guards down, something about letting go and just cry. Just let the pain consume her enough to make her feel like her legs got heavier, but she didn't fall because Howie had his arms around her. It wasn't just Nick's death that cooked over, there was so much unresolved traumas, so much weight on her shoulders that she felt right in this moment. Right now her head just hurt, like someone trying to cut it open with a butter knife. Maya could feel her powers act up again trying to contain them, but luckily she did have hold enough on them to take it out on the lamppost again focusing the energy on that rather than other objects or people. Feeling the weather act up and the clouds getting darker as she let her emotions in, and it didn't take long till the rain started to fall upon them. Almost making her laugh in this unreal situation they were dealing with. Maya knew how fragile life was. She had been so young when her entire unit had been slaughtered by the living dead, the sole survivor and that guilt of surviving. She knew how delicate life was. Which was also the reason why she didn't waste any seconds of it now.  Because she wasn't broken, perhaps a little if not very bruised, but she refused so see herself as broken. "Okay I promise," she moved her head little from his chest looking up towards him still with tears running down her cheeks, even if the rain now at this point started to make it a bit more unclear. "Next time I cry I will try to not let it rain," she laughed a little bit, even through the crying took over again not long after.

Nathaniel took a deeper breath in, watching Violet. It was very different how people responded, and nothing could really prepare him for the almost scream, hearing the crack before Violet teleported away. Mariella took a sharper breath in, Violet might as well have cut a sword right through her with that emotion of that scream and the fairy closed her eyes for a moment. Reaching her burnout limit faster than indented. Nathaniel started to mumble a spell, which made Mariella sit Roman down next to her and get up. "Nathaniel no," she exhaled taking a deeper breath in, "she is in shock, going after he isn't going to solve anything. Not like this," she spoke with a lower voice, mostly because she had drained herself enough by directly taking on the emotions Roman was going through. "Try call her parents. Or I can do it," she fidgeted her fingers a little bit, before picking her phone out. Nathaniel reached for Mariella's arm seeing she seemed a little bit unstable. "I think the only thing you should be doing is sit down," he mumbled and sat Mariella down again. Looking to Nigel mainly to know if he found it the best idea to call Primrose or Austin. Then there was also Maya she could most likely talk to Violet. But Maya also dealt with a lot right now, Nathaniel almost didn't even dare push his mind to hers to see her mental state.

Howie just held her, letting her process the many things that was going through her head. He took the time to let himself go through the many things that was trying to surface. Not that he had nearly as many traumas as Maya, if any. But that shouldn’t him disregard himself. He knew that. Maybe it was the fact that Howie was somewhat made to make others feel better, which made him take on so much without even realizing it. He looked up as he heard the thunder in the distance and saw how clouds started rolling over them. Rain followed soon after. A small chuckle left him, as he closed his eyes letting the cold drops of rain glide over his face. Then he pulled her closer and nodded. “It’s fine Maya” he mumbled, when she promised that she next time wouldn’t let it rain. “Maybe just make sure we are inside” he chuckled keeping his arms around her, letting her stay here as long as she needed. He didn’t mind a little rain nor getting wet. As long as she just let some of it out.


Violet had no idea where she was. All she could see was threes around her, then a thunder was heard in the distance and rain started falling down. Even though the trees tried their best to protect the young siphoner it didn’t take long before she was dosed in water. A scream left her, high pitch with no holding back. Another one followed before she fell down to her knees. Sobs escaped her when her fingers found their way into the ground underneath her. It had brought back the memories from when her foster mother had been shot because of her. She leaned her head back, facing her eyes towards the skies feeling the rain mix with her tears.

Katelyn stopped crying for a moment when she heard how Violet once again didn’t want to believe that Nick was dead, and then she was gone. She blinked a little, feeling how her fatigue almost overtook her. Leaving her in a state where she couldn’t really do anything. “Nathaniel is right, you need to sit down, I’ll call them” he looked towards his daughter that nodded, letting her fingers glide over her wet cheeks, before she turned her head towards Roman and took his hand in hers. Noticing just how could she had gotten.
“Now, where did I put my phone” he hummed, walking towards the dresser in the hallway and found it with his keys. Which made sense, since he brought it along with him, almost as if it was keys. Something that he only needed when he wasn’t in the house. Then he found Primrose contact, letting out a small sigh he called her.

It was fine. I was fine, something she was still getting used to really, it being fine that she acted up. Even if she was someone who always tried to remind others of having room for their emotions, maybe because she knew the outcome of what could happen when you didn't, she lived that, trying to solve the damage that had been done to her slowly. Maya took a deeper breath in and closed her eyes for a second letting the rain fall over them, "just a second,"  Maya exhaled a little. Just taking a few more minutes in before she then nodded, "okay, it's go inside," she let a little sigh get off her chest.


Mariella sighed a little bit letting herself fall down into the armchair feeling more like a ragdoll by now, but what else could you really do? She watched Katelyn take Roman's hand and leaned her head back against the headrest closing her eyes for a second, listing to the rain outside to just zone out of the room for a minute. Roman looked towards Katelyn giving her hand a little squeeze and took a sharper breath in. Then turning his head towards the door as Howie and Maya walked back inside. "Where is Violet?" Maya asked and looked towards everyone one by one waiting for an answer to her question. "She took off - your father is calling her mother to find her," Nathaniel assured Maya, but well, Maya didn't really like Violet being out of it and all by herself. But she clenched her hands together and just waited to know if her father had gotten a hold on Primrose or not - otherwise Maya didn't really care she would be out the door and out to find Violet, but for now she waited.


Primrose felt her phone buzz for a second, and mumbled a quick little spell to freeze JJ so he couldn't talk or move, really time would just be frozen to him and he wouldn't be able to hear anything about the conversation either. Which was perhaps because Nigel was calling her. Nigel never called her, so of course she was freaking a bit out and picked up, "hey Nigel, what is going on?" She asked and held her breath waiting to hear what was going on.

Howie nodded and walked with her inside, shaking his head a little to get some of the worst water off him, before he looked around. Maya was quicker to address the missing person in the room. He turned and looked towards Nathaniel when he explained that she had taken off. Where too? Like, teleported out of the house? Shit.
He then turned his head towards the exhausted Mariella, he gave Maya’s hand a little squeeze before he walked over to the fire fairy and placed a hand towards her shoulder. Letting his powers wash over her, to take some of the worst of it all. He had hosted so many parties and been to so many bigger shows that taking some of her uneasiness especially after she had done so much for the devastated friends for Nick.

Nigel let out a small sigh when Primrose picked up her phone. “Hi, I’m sorry to be calling you like this” he started letting a hand glide through his hair. “A werewolf named Nick from the academy, was killed today, Nathaniel and Roman had gathered the others to tell them, but Violet took the news rather badly, and she teleported away before we could stop her, I have no idea where she is, and I can’t leave the others right now” he explained and wanted nothing more than to help. But with all the others here still, he needed to be here also to make sure that Roman got to his pack before he needed to transform.

Maya let out a smaller sigh, then walking towards Katelyn taking her hand shortly just to give it a comforting squeeze, then letting go again to stand in the hallway, leaning her shoulder against the wall a little bit listing to her father calling Primrose, because she wanted to make sure that Primrose actually went out to find Violet. That was in this second all that really did matter to Maya. "I will go find her," Primrose assured Nigel, "thank you for calling, take care. I will text you once I find her," she promised before hanging up. Then Primrose called up Austin knowing he was on his way to pick Violet up, well funny enough he could be waiting a long time if she didn't make this call, but also knowing it could be rather dangerous to have a siphoner somewhere losing control. So Primrose had after informed Austin not taken much waste of her time before starting locating Violet through a spell, then teleported as close as possible. "Violet?" Primrose called even if she could smell her and easy be by her side, she knew it could be just more overwhelming to scare her, so she carefully walked closer. "Hey," she then started moving towards her knees sitting down next to Violet, "I'm here."


Maya still felt like her heart was being ripped apart by everything at once, but for a second she just starred at her father till she had heard Primrose's words echo through the phone that she would find Violet. And then she allowed herself to breath out again, licking her lips a little bit. "It's a mess huh," she chuckled a little bit dry and shook her head. Even if she had just calmed a bit down, it was still the wave of everything washing over her that took more than just calming down. And then there was just something else about being hit by sorrow and actually looking your parents in the eye, something she hadn't really experienced before and it hit her rather hard. So, she just took the next few steps ahead and wrapped her arms around her father, closing her eyes for a moment and took a few deeper breaths in.

Mariella opened her eyes looking towards Howie as he placed a hand on her shoulder, taking some of the things she was carrying from today, making her exhale. "Thank you," she whispered placing her hand on top of Howie's giving him a soft smile, knowing these news were just as hard for him as the others. But just like Nathaniel someone felt like they had to pull up the strong front for the moment, waiting to crumble till things had settled a little bit. Nathaniel looked towards the door hearing the car stop out front. "I bet it's Selene and Irina," Mariella theorized. Roman nodded, it was easy to pick up Selene's scent. He assumed that maybe of course Selene knew it would be an emotional day, or maybe Rose had send her a message? Who knew. But Roman knew he couldn't be here when the moon would be rising soon.