✧

Port Angeles on the weekend is swarmed with townsfolk and a few tourists passing by to take the ferry to Seattle. It's been a year since Mia's set foot into the city, and quite frankly, she would have preferred to disappear than be here.

Every corner of this city reminds her of Edward. The broken streetlights, the cold breeze, the crowded streets, and the neon signs, everything represents him and it's wrecking her knowing this city will always hold poisonous memories she could never evict.

A girls' night was suggested, well, more like demanded by Bella and Isobel. Ever since Remus left, Mia distanced herself from everyone and spent hours on end searching for a possible cure or spell that could bring her magic back. Nothing has been found. All the sleepless nights are full of dead ends and empty promises. The usual occurrences that have become prominent through every passing cycle.

Coming to the movies only happened to prevent more alarms from being raised. Her mental health might be taking a turn for the worst and seeing her father everywhere isn't helping, but it doesn't signify wanting to have everyone's eyes on her. It's already enough having her overbearing mother attempting to comfort her for her magic loss that including her in her mental spiral is the last thing she'd ever want.

Which brings her here to the dull city. Much to Mia and Bella's dismay, Jessica invited herself to this outing when overhearing them during lunch. Apparently, Mike has been hesitant in becoming more and has chosen to just remain friends with her. As expected, this wasn't well received by her, who only came to find a distraction and stray from the small town of Forks for one night.

"I don't know why you both wanted to sit through all those zombies eating people and no hot guys kissing anybody," Jessica complains, frowning when glancing at the title displayed on the theater entrance. "It's gross, like why are there so many zombie movies anyway?"

"The horror genre is way better than any other one," Mia sighs heavily and places her hands into her pockets.

Bella agrees, "Especially over those romance ones. They're unrealistic and can be over the top."

Jessica hums in thought for a moment, "Some might over exaggerate, but it's nice to fantasize a love like in the movies could be possible."

Mia rolls her eyes, scoffing lightly, "Yeah, well, it's not. Romance is nothing but a goddamn lie."

Love isn't golden like daylight. It's monochrome like the noir paintings. Romance is meant to remain a fantasy and she so foolishly fell for its trap. Such a blessing would never grace her and having flown too close to the stars ended in flames. There used to be a time when she believed in love as if it were her religion, but it had been a mortal sin to have trusted a serpent.

He came down from the sky like a fallen angel. His blaze outshone the sun and brought her a temporary light to her darkest corners. It's written that a fallen angel can't be trusted, but she fell for his enchantments like Eve had been tempted. If the fallen angel betrayed their Creator, who was she to believe she wouldn't be next?

Bella narrows her eyes at her in concern, already knowing her disdain for romance is linked to Edward. She knows better than to worry over one comment, especially when she's in the same boat due to Jacob, but the disdain yet also lack of emotion raises warning signs.

"We should have just gone shopping," Jessica ignores her previous comment as she walks ahead, not even aware of the pair creating distance.

"I hate shopping," Mia and Bella say at the same time.

"Oh," Jessica is quiet for a moment, slightly disturbed by their linked thoughts. "I know some girls like to shop. Well, not all girls, apparently, but can I just say I was surprised you both invited me."

Mia wants to tell her that they didn't invite her, but even she knows it would be too cruel. Despite how overbearing Jessica can be sometimes, she has to admit that the girl has grown on her. She's a friend through it all, so if dealing with her complaints will add a sense of normalcy, then so be it.

Not noticing the sudden awkwardness, Jessica begins rambling without knowledge neither of them are listening. It's the same thing over and over dealing with her one sided feelings for the golden retriever boy. Apparently taking a leap of faith didn't work, which definitely strained their friendship and might threaten to rip the group apart.

"Alright, girls! Why don't you come over?"

From a dark alley underneath a broken street lamp, a group of bikers holler in their direction. For a fleeting moment, she considers if they're the same men from last year that cornered her and Bella, but it would be too coincidental for them to cross paths again.

However, it doesn't stop her from remembering. Edward's rescue insists on replaying, reminding her of the once feeling of safety and comfort he had offered. Despite having magic at the time, it felt liberating being taken care of. She could take a breath and not worry of the consequences, but his save has now filled her with resentment and disdain.

The light to the crosswalk turns green, causing the three to start crossing to the other side, but Mia comes to a sudden halt when recognizing the silhouette of her ghost standing by the bikers. Despite becoming used to seeing her father everywhere, it still leaves her paralyzed as if she were back to being six years old.

Eyes widening and a gasp escaping, she fixates on his image, afraid one wrong movement would lead him to her. She's defenseless now and he would use her vulnerability as an advantage. Believing otherwise would make her out as the most naive and senseless girl, so as much as she despises acting like a frightened kid, she chooses to remain wary just in case things go awry.

"Everything okay?" Bella guides her away from the street and follows her line of sight, but finds there's no one but the bikers. Something tells her it's not about them, but it's something more. Mia is rarely afraid of much, so the fact that she's staring at the darkened corner as if witnessing the devil's presence, makes her worry that there's more than meets the eye.

"Dude, come on," Jessica nods in the direction of her car, not even aware of the sudden tension surrounding them.

Dimitri Grey remains standing under the streetlight, his hands inside his pockets and a faint smirk covering his features. His head is slightly tilted and the hunch in his shoulders almost appears purposeful, as if the weight of his haunting wasn't weighing on him.

Mia doesn't want to be afraid anymore. She hates living in fear and dreading looking in the corners knowing he's waiting for her. Like her mother once told her, running away from her fears is never the answer. Instead, she should face them head on and only then, the monsters will leave her alone.

"I need to see something," she abruptly walks away in his direction, causing Bella and Jessica to share equally concerned looks when believing it's the bikers she's headed to.

"Wait, no," Bella holds her by the forearm and attempts to hold her back, but Mia shakes her off like nothing. "Mia!"

Mia approaches her father. Her hands are trembling and her heart bangs against her ribcage that it's at risk of jumping out. With every step, she feels the pain he inflicted on her that night at the lake. His hands pushing her into the water and the blade cutting into her are memories coming to life again. As if she were back in the lake, she can feel the water entering her lungs and her warm blood mixing with its coldness.

"All right, all right!" A man wearing a worn down flannel and an extremely eager smile cheers. "We got a taker!"

"Come closer, darling," Dimitri orders and she comes to a stop, refusing to follow his demand even if it's all in her head. "Show them what you're capable of."

She notices his eyes tracing down to her hands and that's when she notices her fists have clenched. It happened without her knowledge and when she glances back at him, he's offering her a dagger. It's the same one he used on her and had taken her life. He's taunting her with it, willing her to become the monster she is by diving into the darkness.

But Mia would never allow it.

"Take it," Dimitri's voice is low and menacing, perforating her eardrums and causing her a large headache. "Show me you are worthy."

Mia scoffs lightly and turns away, and it's now when she realizes that she's no longer afraid of him. She's tired of him and despises him with her entire being and even if the afterlife comes sooner, it will always be the truth.

"You're not gonna stay, hun?" One of the bikers calls out as he scans her up and down.

Not wanting to partake in this conversation, she only offers the most vague response, "I thought you were someone else."

"I'll be whoever you want me to be, honey," he adjusts himself on his motorcycle to make space for her. "So, what do you say?"

One of the other bikers offers her a beer and seeing the bottle being dangled like a carrot to a ravenous rabbit causes her to remember all those months of when drowned herself with far too many drinks. Alcohol was starting to become her comfort since it was the one thing that clouded her mind long enough. She could forget the pain she felt and for once could act like a regular teenager. Being ordinary used to be a trait she desired, but now that she lost her only notable quality, she longs to punish her past self for wishing this.

Without giving another thought, Mia grabs ahold of the bottle and removes the screw cap. She downs the beverage as if her life depends on it, soon dropping it and causing the glass to shatter into a million pieces. A few of the bikers cheer her on and after acquiring what she needed, she turns around in the direction of her friends.

But that's when she sees him again.

Dimitri used to be just a watcher. He stood on the sidelines and observed her mistakes and foolishness. She preferred it that way, but it seems it was finally time for things to change. The feeling of his hands around the base of her throat and the concrete of her palms takes her breath away, making her reconsider that all this time, he wasn't just a figment of her mind, but a reflection of the truth.

The laughter from the bikers make her think the opposite as they believe her fall had been linked to getting drunk on one beer. She looks back at them and then at Dimitri, but they remain unperturbed as if a monster wasn't standing in front.

She reaches for her throat and gasps for breath. The scrapes on her palms cause a little bit of blood to pour. Instinctively, she quickly wipes them on the insides of her sleeves to prevent from making anyone uncomfortable. It's a simple action, but it's a reminder of how she used to be wary around Edward. Any kind of injuries affected him and even with his absence, she's still protecting him this way.

A pair of arms help her up and she so carelessly shoves them off. It was a mistake coming here and even more when noticing Dimitri is still watching her. A blade is now in his hold, its base burying itself into his palms as he provides it a gentle twirl. She looks back at the biker and despite knowing going with a stranger is a grave mistake, she finds herself unable to feign any care.

"So, what do you say?" One of the bikers says and makes room for her to hop on.

Dimitri stands a couple feet behind the man, his signature smirk and gray eyes burning into her like sulfuric acid. "Get him alone and show him what it means to be a Grey."

"Go to hell," Mia hops onto the back of his motorcycle, never once taking her eyes off her father.

"Did you say something, babe?" the man asks, but shrugs it off and starts the engine. "You know what? Never mind."

The cold brush of the wind grazes her face, causing the apples of her cheeks and the tip of her nose to turn a tinge of pink. The streets and buildings turn into a blur as he accelerates, and for the first time in months, her heart races with exhilaration. It's the same rush she obtained whenever she casted a spell or even read about magic. It's a mixture of thrill and fulfillment and it just so happens that riding a motorcycle with a stranger brought this discovery.

However, her enjoyment fades when noticing Dimitri standing in the middle of the street. His hands are in his pockets and his usual dark suit mixes with the night, making him resemble a distorted version of a spirit nearly about to disappear.

"Go faster," she demands, wanting nothing more than to see him get obliterated by the motorcycle's tracks. Even if he's all in her head, she might as well allow this to bring her some enjoyment.

The biker accelerates and the engine rumbles ferociously. Dimitri stands still, as if taunting her and offering a challenge. He twirls the dagger with ease and presses his finger against the sharp edge, ignoring the drop of blood trickling down his hand.

"Faster."

Mia can also play this game. If he wants to mock her, then might as well make him see that she's not being played a fool anymore. She knows the image of him is all just a product of her mind, but if she can't harm him in real life, maybe watching him get impacted by this bike would be enough.

The closer they get, the wider his smirk becomes. He's mouthing something, but Mia can't bother learning what he's saying. Anything that comes out of his mouth doesn't mean anything and she would much rather move on with her life than waste a second worrying about him any longer.

The loud rumble of the motorcycle is enough to finally make Dimitri vanish like the coward he is. His apparition distorts nearly seconds before the impact. Disappointment and anger consume her at having failed at this, but she will find a way to hurt him just like he did.

When the motorcycle ride ends, Mia doesn't say a word and maneuvers her way around the other bikers. Bella and Jessica are gaping at her in disbelief, their eyes wide and mouths hanging open as she nonchalantly rejoins them as if nothing had occurred.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Just curious," Jessica is beyond irritated with her and whirls around, refusing to partake in any more of her erratic behavior.

Bella inspects her to make sure no harm had been done, "Are you okay? Did he do anything, cause if he did, I swear I will-"

"Nothing happened," Mia reassures her as she walks across the street toward their car. "I just- I needed to do something."

Jessica scoffs, "Like what? Risk yourself by getting into a stranger's motorcycle? Are you insane?"

"I had it handled," she argues, rolling her eyes in annoyance.

"You're insane, actually. Or suicidal," Jessica gestures toward the bikers, her frustration starting to become greater and less able to remain concealed. "He could've been a psycho. I was about to end up in an FBI interview room like some lame TV show."

"Jess, can you not?" Bella intervenes, attempting to regain control of the situation.

"I said I had it handled!" Mia raises her voice ever so slightly, refusing to continue having more of this conversation. If she wanted to get scolded, she would have stayed home with her mother. "Nothing happened to me, so let it go."

While Mia understands where she's coming from, it's not like riding with a stranger has been the most dangerous thing she's done. Hell, it's been the safest she's been. Compared to dealing with her father, dark wizards, and rogue vampires, she gladly prefers this and wouldn't change a thing about tonight.

"Let it go?!" Jessica says in astonishment, her head continuing to shake in disapproval. "You're lucky he didn't hurt you. If you were thinking of seeking some kind of adrenaline rush, you can go bungee jumping. Not get on the back of some random loser's motorcycle. Crazy."

"Jess," Bella sternly says and walks alongside Mia while Jessica storms into the car. "Now that it's just us two, care to tell me what was that all about?"

As much as Mia wants to confide in her about seeing her father everywhere, admitting to it would make her believe she's crazy. It's enough already believing it, but having one of her best friends view her as unstable will wreck her more than she already is.

"Let's not forget that you accepted a drink," Bella runs a hand through her hair in disbelief, actually considering if she had seen right earlier. "Can you please tell me what's wrong? I mean, you've been off for weeks and I'm worried it's because of him again."

In the past months, the pain she's felt has been because of Edward. She blames him for everything wrong that's transpired and for more enemies having been placed on her back. Her downfall started due to his betrayal, but losing her magic was the last straw. Losing her power is like losing a part of herself and it's taking everything not to break in the middle of the street.

"I'm fine," she forces herself to say, but knows better than to hope Bella believes her.

Bella deliberates on her next words. She doesn't want to say the wrong thing, but she knows Mia values honesty. It would be a slap on the face not being a friend by keeping her worries to herself, "I know something is wrong and I want you to know that you can trust me. I mean, you're my best friend and we're about to become sisters. I- I don't want you to feel alone."

"Like I said, I'm fine," Mia lies through her teeth and no matter how hard she tries to sound convincing, her dishonesty cuts her like razor wires.

"I know you're not. It's just... for the past few weeks, it's like, you're not even here anymore," she admits. "It's almost like you've become a ghost."

A ghost is a tortured spirit wandering the earth after having been denied entrance to a heavenly rest. They're empty and full of pain, a specter that will roam past the veil for an eternity with no means to end. The essence of their once human experience has faded and left them deserted in their personal hell with nothing to hold on to.

Did she truly believe her to be empty?

"A ghost," Mia's voice is low and can barely be counted as a whisper.

Realizing her mistake, Bella tries backtracking, "I- I didn't mean it that way."

"No, I get it," Mia tries ignoring how hurtful her words were, but despite her voice remaining harsh, her eyes tell a different story. "So, something must be wrong with me just because I changed."

"No, that's not what I-"

"Listen, your dad might be marrying my mother, but it won't make us sisters," she hates herself for saying this, but she would rather be alone than have anyone continue questioning her stability. "You're not my family and never will be, so get that idea out of your head."

Mia doesn't understand why she's so angry or why she's biting everyone who cares for her. Of course she views Bella as family, but she acts without thinking until it's too late to attempt fixing it. She's destroying everything good in her life and not even in her hardest attempts can she stop.

How can she fix something that is meant to be broken?

"You should just go," Mia doesn't give Bella the chance to respond since she's already walking away. She has no one to talk to and the one person who she might consider trusting this to is all the way across the world, and even then, he has his own problems to deal with. Adding more to his plate would be making her a burden and she would rather head to the gallows than rely on anyone again.

It's been a while since she's been walking. Maybe half an hour or more. Time has become a lost concept and she more than enjoys such a phenomenon. As she stands in front of the bus station, she deliberates on getting a ticket back to Forks. There's no one in line and the next bus leaves in twenty minutes, but the reluctance in heading back prevents her from continuing.

With shaking fingers, she ties her hair up in a ponytail and wraps her arms around herself to keep warmth. She leaves the bus station with no sense of direction, allowing her feet to take her anywhere as long as it prevents her from heading home just yet.

She passes through the alley from last year and a part of her hopes to see the group of men again. Maybe the need to defend herself could return her magic. Maybe she just needs one push to awaken her from this nightmare.

Shivering under the frigid weather, she looks down at her feet, watching the puddles splash its remnants onto her boots and pants. A small cafe stands by the far corner and the right thing would be to head inside, but she continues walking with no means to end.

Mia wonders when it became harder to breathe. Getting up in the morning, performing her usual tasks, the smallest of things, it's become the most challenging part of her day. She knows it's pathetic to feel this way, but no matter how hard she attempts to regain her strength, seeing her father reminds her that nothing will set her free and she will forever be trapped.

Her friends view her as the shell of a person she once was. Everyone tiptoes around her as if she's bound to break and now she's ruining her relationships with those who stayed by her side.

In a way, she's just like Edward. Like him, she's abandoning the ship when a storm is about to impact, simply deserting its crew and letting them drown. She's just as much as a traitor like him, so how can she continue hating him when she's become his reflection?

When she glances up at the moon, it brings her comfort knowing he will always see the same one. No matter how hard he tries, she will forever remind him of his betrayal. Whether he's moved on with someone else, she sincerely hopes that her memory will remain as a punishment.

And that thought is enough to bring the smallest smile to appear.

The streets are now vacant and only the lights from the closed signs are still on. Fire emits from a large metal trash can and in its surrounding area, a few wanderers are attempting to keep themselves warm. She holds her palms above and rubs them to preserve her body heat, her fingertips now starting to regain sensation, but a sudden coldness and stiffness surrounds her neck and down to her abdomen.

She's submerged by a catastrophic feeling and remains standing like a deer caught in headlights. Standing by the alleyway, a broken street lamp provides enough light to reveal a figure under. Despite having his back facing her, she knows who it is. A presence like him can never be forgotten no matter how hard she tries.

The shadow man is back wearing his small top hat, signature black suit, and pointy shoes. He doesn't move an inch and lingers ominously, his presence causing her heart to pound against her chest and breathing turn heavier.

Mia waits for him to make his move like he did eleven years ago. She expects it and even urges him to do it already. Waiting is an endless torture and she prefers to be sent to the dark and face her end. To others, the culmination of life is a punishment, but she views it as a respite. Only through the end will she feel whole again.

But allowing the shadow man to take her to the obscurity is the last possible thing she'd ever want. When she goes, it will be on her own terms and with her own hands.

How it's always supposed to be.

She looks away from the figure in the opposite direction. There's more light a few streets away and in some kind of twisted way, she senses it would be enough to rid her of him. The further away, the warmer it gets, but when she turns the corner near a darkened alleyway, the cold returns like ice sticking to her skin.

It's an alarm of some kind, alerting her of when the shadow man is near and which direction to go in. She rubs her arms to find warmth, but she's so cold beyond the point of salvation. A tightness around her neck as if a noose had been placed suffocates her, preventing her from acquiring a breath and seeking for a glimpse of the light.

This feeling is unlike any other. It's different from any terror or pain experienced. It's unfamiliar yet also familiar at the same time, like a thorn pricking at the base of her thumb or an undetected tumor growing throughout the years.

She glances behind her shoulder and is right when believing it's following her. He has no trouble hiding in the dark anymore. If anything, the years have made him stronger and more willing to torment her. He follows her like a determined soldier, refusing to ruin his mission and head back to purgatory.

While Mia is aware that this is all in her head, she can't shake the thought of a possibility that he's actually here. But could things really be running in her favor? It's laughable to even consider it, because in what conceivable way could her sanity no longer be questioned?

It's written in the stars to become the crazy witch. One wrong step and she descends to hell, where the devil waits for her signature surrounded by his loyal subjects. Judgment can never be avoided and Mia now realizes this burden will never vanish.

"One, two, three," she continues walking and counts as a way to distract herself. Maybe focusing on anything else will make the shadow man disappear. Maybe it will cause it to lose its patience and choose another victim to terrorize. "Four, five, six, seven..."

As she turns the corner into a semi-busy street, she senses the shadow is no longer following her. Relief consumes her as she now decides to head back to the station and head home. Even if the presence is no longer felt, Mia continues counting in a low whisper, as if it were her prayer and lifeline.

The faint music from one of the bars starts fading until she's suddenly back to a desolate street. "One, two, three, four."

Goosebumps trail down her skin when the cold feeling returns. As if she had fallen into a frozen lake, her breath is taken away and she's left paralyzed. She shuts her eyes and continues to count, but her once successful method isn't working anymore. If anything, it's causing the shadow to glide in her direction with much more ease.

Her fingers dig into her palms until drops of blood trickle down. She wants to move, to find someplace to hide and protect herself, but she can't. She's forced by the gravity between her and the specter just like the rings are forced to remain with Saturn.

"One, two, three," Mia can feel herself start hyperventilating and tears brimming in her eyes. She tries convincing herself that this is all in her head, but just when she believes she could escape her path to the gallows, a cold hand against her shoulder makes her gasp and turn around.

His face is no longer unrecognizable. It's no longer a dark void, but now has the familiar gray eyes that have haunted her since she was a child. His signature black suit and pointy shoes resemble that of a salesman offering a ticket to the underworld. It's his life's mission to recruit her and torment her to the end of times and now that she's alone, he has the opportunity to do as he pleases.

"Come home, darling," Dimitri moves a strand of her hair from her face, his hands caressing her cheek and lowering down to her chin. "What you desire is there and only then will you be able to reach your potential."

His voice awakens her and she's reminded of where she is and who's standing before her. She harshly shoves his hand off and hastily rushes to the nearest cafe away from him.

"Ignoring me won't work, sweetheart. I will always find my way back to you," Dimitri matches her pace and walks alongside her, smirking at her attempts to ignore him. "Let me help you."

"I don't need your help," Mia walks through the street much quicker, his laughter cutting her deeper than any blade possibly could.

Dimitri's shoulders brush against hers, "The sooner you give up this fantasy that you can escape what you are, the better you will be."

"Just shut up," she demands, but despite wanting to sound defensive, her tone comes out more as if she were pleading. "You're not real, so get out of my head."

"Oh, but I am real," he laughs lightly, now walking ahead of her for a better look. "I have always been here through everything. When your vampire left, who stood by you? Me."

"You're not real. You're not here right now," she tries reassuring herself. "Leave me alone. Please just go."

The town's lights start turning into a blur and the ground beneath her starts shaking. She rubs her temples in an attempt to soothe her headache, but his presence is the one thing that weakens her into submission.

"Join me and you shall reach your power," Dimitri dangles an offer, a tempting one at best, but she's not a fool not to know this is all a trick to get her to take the mark. "Come with me and I will help you become the best version of yourself."

Mia runs back to the bus station, now regretting having walked a grand distance. Her father's laughter and his voice consume her to the point she's considering getting hit by a car on purpose. Any end would be better than enduring this torture, especially after the travesty that she's caused and will never escape from.

"What else do you have to lose?"

"Just shut up!" Mia pleads.

"You have no one waiting for you. No one cares whether you live or die, so why are you still here?" Dimitri's voice is low, but reverberates throughout her head as if syringes were injected. "If he left, what makes you think anyone would stay?"

His words are fists and the sharp edge of his knife. It's nothing that hasn't been said before, but it still hurts as if hearing it for the first time. If he had said this months prior, she would have laughed in his face, but she now believes it's nothing but the truth.

"Face it," Dimitri circles around her and scans her up and down. "You're nothing without your powers. You put a disgrace to the Grey name and I will not stand for it."

"Like I care what you think," Mia's loud voice catches the attention of the few people walking by. They stare at her like she's a crazy person and not even by avoiding their wandering gazes does it prevent her from becoming self-conscious about her sanity.

"Are you forgetting that I know you?" Dimitri strokes her hair and notices it's styled the same way Isobel's was when she was younger. "I know you care."

Mia staggers back with repulse and whirls around. The bus station is just a couple blocks away and it might not work, but there's the hope he disappears when being surrounded by others. He can't hurt her with plenty of witnesses-

Witnesses.

No one can see him. The people from earlier were looking at her with unease, because to them, she's arguing with herself. Dimitri can't be seen because he's all in her head...

"Your mother used to be the same way," he reminisces about the past, more specifically on the time when he and Isobel were starting to get to know one another. "She used to be so... defiant, so careless, but all it took was the right hand to show her the way."

Hearing him speak about her mother makes her nerves burn with anger. After everything he put her through, how dare he put her name in his mouth?

Glancing back, Mia approaches him without a care for how she might appear to the locals. "Don't you ever mention her again. Don't think of her. Don't even get near her or look at her. Your problem is with me, so don't you dare get her involved."

Her warnings don't affect him. In fact, it only brings him pride when witnessing the spark he longed for. "It saddens me how much you care for someone who sees you as a burden, but I am also proud of the spark you still have."

There's confidence in his words, like he believes that in some kind of twisted way, his pride would raise her spirits. But it only makes her hate herself more. Being an extension of him is the universe's most cruel joke. It pains her being tormented by the demons circulating through her blood and while she's always wanted to escape her fate, all the signs are proving to be a clearer reflection.

She even said it herself. She would do anything to have her magic back and hearing the supposed pride of her father opens her eyes to a path that can never be avoided.

With loss comes desperation and with desperation comes wickedness.

Swallowing harshly and breathing heavily, Mia offers nothing but silence and walks away. She can't continue listening to him. She can't allow him to continue having power over her. Even if he's just in her head, she can't drive herself into insanity for him. He won't have that control over her. Not anymore.

"Your mother wants you out of her life. Deep down you know it, so accept me and come home," Dimitri has gotten so close that she resorts to covering her ears, hoping it alleviates the torture of his grating voice.

"She cares for me. She cares for me," she repeats, attempting to reassure herself that it could be a certainty. "You're lying."

Dimitri laughs in her face, "She's creating a new life for herself and you're nowhere in her plans. She wants to send you away and make you someone else's burden-"

"No," Mia presses her hands tighter against her ears and shakes her head in denial. "You're not real. You're all in my head. Just in my head."

"Hmm, maybe you're right," he nonchalantly points out and gazes up as if thinking about it. "But if I'm in your head, that means I'm you."

"Get out of my head!" Mia is practically begging him and it's humiliating having the people from across the street turn silent with confusion. "Just go! For once, leave me alone!"

Dimitri's laugh taunts her, its agonizing sound feeling as if acid has been injected into her brain. She clutches onto her head and provides harsh hits as if believing it would remove him.

Why can't he leave her alone?

Wasn't dying at his hands enough?

Dimitri follows her into the alleyway, the desolate corners, and all the way to the bus station. It's always the same words being repeated and not even with her hardest attempts is she able to protect herself. His presence will always hold that power over. There's no use denying it now.

Everywhere she looks, everywhere she heads, she sees him through her peripheral. Even with her eyes closed, his grotesque image remains. Attempting to convince herself that he's not real isn't working. It's only thinning her thread of sanity, causing the scissors to approach like a snake.

The door to the phone booth shuts behind her. The white light hangs loosely, its cold color reminding her of the ambience the hospital corridors behold. As if her hands had developed a mind of their own, she places a quarter in and dials the familiar number.

"Hello?"

The call for the bus to Forks is heard through the comm. It's the last one for the night until the station opens at dawn. Mia is tempted to hang up the phone and just buy a ticket back home, but past the foggy glass, she sees her father standing across the street.

"Mia?" Isobel's groggy voice becomes alert, her breath hitching at the sudden silence.

Out of instinct, she apologizes, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."

"You didn't," Isobel reassures her, but she doesn't believe her. "Honey, are you okay? Why are you calling me through this number?"

Rain starts pouring out of nowhere. The semi-orange lights from outside cast a silhouette on his face, transforming it into a pitch black color that only allows the malevolence of his eyes to be seen.

"Do you remember the shadow man?" Mia doesn't know where she's going with this, but suddenly she's back to being six years old and seeing him in her room every night.

There's silence at the end of the line for a minute, "I do. Why?"

Continuing to stare at him, she twirls the cord around her finger until it turns purple. A sense of serenity yet terror is felt and for a brief moment, she considers ending the call and attempting to be brave. But she can't. She's left paralyzed staring at her demon, witnessing his claws course through the darkness toward her.

Mia takes a careful breath, "He's back."

Again, silence.

Faintly, she hears the sound of the door opening through the phone. Even the sound of keys and Charlie's voice. "Mia, where are you? Are you with Bella?"

The truth can set you free. A saying that is taught to countless generations. It's quite foolish, really, because truth doesn't liberate you. It sentences you for life. Admitting to one's faults isn't in any way relieving as it is just a method to obtain the right information and use it against you.

Mia used to believe in such a saying a long time ago. Maybe it was all those fables or novels that placed the idea on her head that dishonesty was the worst possible sin. Maybe the bible is to blame as well.

She didn't think being honest would take the world off her shoulders, but when telling her mother about the shadow man's return, the air begins coursing freely through her lungs. A part of her, the part that is still a frail child, hopes protection comes in the shape of a parent.

Her father is the devil in disguise, but her mother is the archangel ready to slay him to hell.

But the fragmented version of herself insists on taking care of this herself. Depending on others has never granted her freedom, but only has locked her into a sealed cave with no escape.

Honesty is a curse and she so foolishly had fallen for its trap.

"Mia, are you alone?" Isobel asks again.

"No, I'm- I'm not," she answers, but her trembling voice reveals the lie.

"Listen, tell me where you are and I will come get you-"

"I'm sorry to have woken you," Mia wipes the tear that escaped, still continuing to stare at her father as if he were an unnatural phenomenon meant to be witnessed. "I'll be back soon."

"Mia, just please tell me where you are," Isobel's voice breaks in desperation. "Honey, I need to know if you're okay."

"I'm fine," she forces herself to say, but her sudden detached tone and suspicious words point to the opposite. "I have to go now. I'll be there soon."

Before Isobel can attempt to reason with her, Mia hangs up the phone. She stands completely still with a blank expression, but through the storm, she never once looks away from him. One wrong move and it can cost her anything, but it's that same thought that brings her outside.

It's much darker and raining harder. So much that she fails to notice an approaching car. Well, that's how it appears to the few bypassers. In truth, she had seen it from a mile away and purposely crossed the street at the right moment for the impact.

But it never comes.

A pair of arms hold her back and she becomes beyond infuriated. This would have been her escape and it was so mercilessly taken from her. How dare she be saved? Why couldn't the universe offer her just this one kindness?

When she turns around, she expects a stranger to have condemned her. Hell, she expects Dimitri to be holding her, refusing to let her escape this easily.

But her father wouldn't let her go. No, he wouldn't. Death wouldn't be handed on a silver platter. He already tried it, but it had been the most foolish mistake. With a second chance, he has the opportunity to make it right.

Living would be her punishment.

Mia finally faces the person, but is surprised that it's Bella. After her cruelty, she wouldn't have blamed her if she had headed back to Forks with Jessica. In fact, she wouldn't have blamed her if she let her get run over.

"Are you okay?" Bella asks, still not letting go of her. "I have been looking for you everywhere. Where did you go?"

Still in her dissociated state, Mia doesn't react to her embrace. She continues staring at the opposite side of the street, afraid he's still there, and to her misfortune, he's continuing to stare at her with a now sinister smile.

He's mouthing something. Maybe a curse or maybe it's nothing important, but it still makes her terrified that this night is the beginning of the worst. It's obvious she's losing her mind and with her end having been prevented, she's afraid for remaining trapped in this torture for an eternity.

Mia suddenly starts thinking of the lake. The cold water, the massive pressure, the fog above it. Everything is a jarring memory of the worst night of her life. It's haunted her since then and kept her away from the water for months, but it isn't until now that she reconsiders returning.

The lake had taken her once.

Maybe history would repeat itself.