It took almost an hour to calm Roran down from his tantrum - which was exactly what it was and I told him so.

"A tantrum?" he had snarled at me. "You think I'm throwing a fit, like some toddler?"

"Yes, I do," I replied, albeit a bit hesitantly. His skin was still flaming like Johnny Storm and it made me pretty nervous. "And you need to chill because you're seriously. Freaking. Me. the Fudge. Out."

Whether it was my reaction to his anger or my words that finally got through to him I didn't know, but after a minute or two the flames around his skin disappeared and his eyes had returned to their usual orange-ember glow. He also returned all of the items he had thrown out of the cave and repaired a few that he had broken. But I knew he was still angry. I could tell it from the rigid way he held himself and how he kept muttering under his breath.

It made me feel almost indignant, and at the very least a little annoyed with him. After all I was the one dying, yet here I was having to spend my time consoling and calming him. Shouldn't I be the one full of fury and grief over my impending death?

I laid down in the only still usable hammock and stared at the stone ceiling. My stomach growled loudly and I glared down at it with a huff. As if I really needed the reminder that I was starving.

Roran had left the cave claiming he needed time alone. I had protested, afraid he would go after Moroi or do something equally as stupid, but he promised he was just going for a walk. He had suggested I get some sleep while he was gone, but with all that was on my mind and the hunger pangs rolling around in my gut I doubted I would be able to.

To be honest, I really didn't want to sleep. I only had about five days before it was lights out forever and I wanted to make the most of it - even if I was stuck in this monster-filled pit of despair.

A few tears slipped out of my eyes and I swiped them off my face impatiently. Crying seemed like such a waste of time now. Instead of giving in to my misery and sobbing like I really wanted to, I closed my eyes and made a mental list of all the things I wanted to do and accomplish before my time was up.

The sound of raised voices drew my attention to the cave entrance just as I had begun to doze off. As quickly and quietly as possible I snatched up several weapons and crept forward. Upon seeing Roran's glowing eyes in the dark, I relaxed and the breath I had been holding left my lungs in one big whoosh.

Although I couldn't see the other person in the dark, I knew who he was as soon as I heard his accent.  

"I do not owe you any favors, phoenix," I heard Nicolai say. "Why should I do this for you?"

 "You'll do it or I'll kill you like I should have years ago," Roran snapped.

"Ah, ah," Nicolai scolded. "If you kill me my coven will report it to Moroi and then the girl will surely die."

Roran's growl echoed up to my ears and I knew he was close to losing his temper again.

"Have you discussed this with her?" Nicolai questioned.

Discussed what with whom? I thought to myself. I was pretty sure I was the only girl Roran talked to, but they might have been referring to Aleksandra. I frowned and leaned closer.

It was quiet for several seconds before I heard Nicolai say, "Your silence gives away your guilt, my friend. I will not turn her if she is not willing."

"We would be saving her life," Roran argued, although his voice didn't sound very convincing. "I won't let her die here. She doesn't deserve that."

Nicolai laughed and replied, "Who are you trying to convince, my friend? Me or yourself?"

 The pieces began to fit together and my breath caught in my throat. I backed away from the cave entrance in horror, too afraid to keep listening. I couldn't become a vampire again. I wouldn't.  The very thought of it sickened me.

Sure, I was dying, and that was terrifying. In fact, I had never been so scared in my life and that was saying something for an agoraphobic, claustrophobic, germaphobe with trust issues. But death to me was preferable to drinking blood from innocent people – or from any people.

My mind raced a thousand miles a second and I couldn't focus long enough to form an escape plan. I thought Roran could be trusted, but it seemed he was more than willing to go behind my back and make deals if it got him what he wanted. I shook my head and snorted. And here I thought he didn't make deals with anyone – it just went to show what I had been saying all along. You can't trust people.

I could hear rocks shifting around the front of the cave and I knew they were on their way up. I sat down in the floor to wait on them, knowing that there was no other option. To show them how serious I was I held one of the blades at my jugular. Honestly I wasn't sure whether or not I could go through with it, but I at least wanted them to know I wouldn't become a vampire again voluntarily.

Roran came over the ledge alone but I didn't let my guard down. Nicolai was probably waiting for his signal or until I was asleep.

"Thea, what the hell are you doing? Put that down!" Roran ordered, moving forward cautiously with his hands outstretched to try and take the weapon from me.

I drew the blade closer to my throat and said, "What, do you think I'm stupid? I heard you Roran. I'm not becoming a vampire again."

His eyes flared a brilliant blue and he snapped, "Dammit, Alethea! I'm trying to help you!"

I shook my head, but stopped when I remembered the blade perched less than a centimeter from my artery. "No, Roran, you're not. You're trying to help you. You're just afraid of being alone again."

All of the fury I had seen in his eyes seemed to fall away, and he sat down heavily in front of me with his head in his hands. 

"It's more than that," I heard him mutter through his hands. After several minutes he looked up at me, and his face was more miserable than anything I had ever seen before.

"Before you came to Purgatory I had hope. I thought one day I would find the way out of here, even if it took several lifetimes. Now-" his voice broke, and he looked away into the dark.

"Now, not only am I going to be alone again, I have to face eternity here," he continued after regaining his composure. He gave a harsh laugh and said, "Locked in purgatory forever. Can you imagine?"

I couldn't. I would find a way to kill myself before I faced eternity here. Realizing how hard this must be for him, I lowered the blade from my throat and moved forward to wrap my arms around him.

"I'm so sorry, Roran," I whispered, trying not to cry. "I wish there was a way I could get you out of here. But I won't go back to being a vampire. I won't."

He pulled me close, pressing his forehead against my shoulder and letting out a deep breath.  "I know," he replied. "It was stupid and wrong and I'm sorry. I'm really sorry, Thea."

For several minutes we sat in the floor hugging each other, neither of us knowing what to do next. As the time ticked by I grew more and more aware of the way his breath tickled my neck and how snug his muscled arms were wrapped around me. I didn't want to move; afraid he might take it as a dismissal and move away. His breathing was deep and even and I wondered if he had noticed the fact that mine had turned into some type of awkward panting.

"Letting you go is going to be one of the hardest things I've ever had to do," he whispered against my neck.

I shivered, but otherwise managed to hold onto what was left of my dwindling composure.

"Believe me, I feel the same way," I replied. "But sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing are the same."

Roran pulled back to look at me, staring at me with an unreadable expression. I tried to smile at him in reassurance, but it came out as more of a lopsided grimace.

I wanted to tell him I would miss him more than he missed me (considering he was the first person I had ever truly been friends with) but then I realized I wouldn't. I wouldn't miss anything because after dying here I would cease to exist.

Tears welled behind my eyelids and I struggled not to break down and sob. Roran's breath on my face was what brought me out of my grief. It ghosted lightly over my left cheek causing me to freeze, completely motionless from shock. When his full lips brushed each of my eyelids and then my forehead I forgot all about being sad.

"We'll get through this," he rasped, pressing his lips once more to my forehead. "Somehow, we'll find a way. I've decided I'm not giving up yet. I'll find us a way out of here. You'll see."

I shook my head sadly, wishing he could just let go instead of giving us both false hope.

"Eventually you're going to have to let me go, Roran," I croaked around the lump in my throat.

Before I could say anything else his lips captured mine and his hands clutched my face almost desperately. As he pulled away and abruptly stood up I caught the wild look in his eyes and he shook his head forcefully.

"Never," he replied, once again leaving me in the cave alone.

...

Well, that turned out differently than I planned. I know it's a bit short too, but maybe you guys will still like it. Please comment and vote if you get a chance! Thanks for reading!