Song for chapter - Scene One- James Dean & Audrey Hepburn by Sleeping With Sirens

EVERLY
We sat on the couch in Colin's house. It was Christmas Eve night, lord knows what time it was.

Dallas sighed and wiped his hands on his face. "We need to get ahold of someone. Figure out how to get Fiona back."

I nodded, leaning back. "Yeah. But who are we going to get a hold of? Kora is with them."

Dallas hummed, trying to think of someone. "Do you think Noah is?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

Colin licked his lips, confused. "Who's Noah?"

I shook my head. "Kora, a Hunter's, husband," I answered Colin. "I doubt it but he'd do anything for Kora. What about Anna and Markus over in Germany?" I asked.

Dallas shook his head. "I already called them. I've called every single Hunter. They want no part in this.

I smirked. I knew there were 2 Hunters he'd never call. He knew what I was thinking and laughed, shaking his head.

"No! Not even in this situation." He continued chuckling to himself. He muttered out how funny I was, as well as a few insults.

"Call. Them." I ordered.

Colin raised his hand. "Who's they?"

Dallas looked up at the ceiling and groaned. He shook his head. "Nobody."

"His exes." I tried to tease, to laugh, but it just came out sad. I wasn't ready to start laughing yet.

Colin made an "o" formation with his mouth.

"But! They'd help so call them." I slapped Dallas's shoulder a little too roughly.

He glared at me. "Everly, No!" He yelled. "Oliver hates me now. I think he'd actually kill me if I called. And Safina is just the same. She doesn't even turn twenty until the 31st of this month." He huffed. "She's probably been taken by Konrad."

"Wait you're bisexual?" Colin seemed surprised.

Dallas flexed his arm, his muscles bulging. "Yeah you got a problem with that?" Dallas didn't admit his love life to anyone, really. Every time he did something went wrong. He was a very private person when it came to his relationships.

Colin held his arms up in defense. "No. You just don't look like the type."

Dallas glared at him. "And what does a bisexual look like!?" He was really uncomfortable about this subject. It wasn't one he came out with openly. Our parents were accepting but... it still made him uncomfortable.

Colin's eyebrows shot up. "Uh Umm... never mind."

Dallas nodded. "What I thought. Now, Everly," He put his fingers together, leaving his palms untouching. "I'll make you a deal. If you can make me tap out or send me unconscious... I'll call them."

"Deal." I said. "Let's head to Colin's garage, yeah?"

***

I hit Dallas in the face with a hard right hook. His head turned sideways, his jaw slightly cracking.

He turned and tried to kick my legs out from under me, but I dodged it, taking a step back.

He moved forward, hitting the spot next to my head.

I wrapped my leg around his waist and spun around him, swiftly moving up to his neck.

He fell forward, causing me to roll off of him. I back flipped back as he kicked me. He still nipped my thigh though, throwing my entire body off. I landed on my back.

Instead of getting up I rolled over to look at Colin, seeing if he was there. He needed to know that he can't jump in. My first mistake. My back was to the enemy.

I turned and sat up but that was my second mistake. Dallas was sitting next to me.

He wrapped his legs around me, crossed his ankles, and straightened his legs. I choked for a breath, his legs squeezing my torso.

I tried to breath but nothing came in or out. I felt lightheaded and finally... I tapped the ground until his legs unwound from around me. I lost.

He stood up and offered me a hand but I slapped it away.

He shrugged. "You're not focusing. You have—"

I elbowed him in the nose and then kicked his chest, sending him into the wall. I could almost see the air leave his lungs.

I ran to him and kneed his stomach, making him double over.

He grappled me at the waist and threw me down.

I wrapped my legs around his waist and punched his throat.

He rolled off of me, nearly having a seizure on the ground.

I kicked his side and felt something snap under my foot.

"Have fun." I spit on him and walked to the door.

Colin stood up from the inside of the garage in front of the door. "Everly that was dirty. Go apolo—"

"Move out of my fucking way. I don't care if it was dirty." I threatened, taking a step to him.

He widened his eyebrows. "I can't take you seriously. You're really hot right now."

I shoved him to the side, pinning him against wall in the small hallway to the garage door to his house.

"Not in the mood, Gold." I rolled my eyes and walked into the air conditioned house.

I walked through the kitchen and turned to go lay on the black couch. It was leather and nice and cool.

I tried to close my eyes and sleep but I couldn't bring myself too.

Every time they shut. I saw Konrad there, his hand through my dad's chest. It was kindle to my already burning vexation.

So my eyes stayed open.

Colin came and sat down next to me, running his hands through my hair like I was a child. He didn't want me to fight my brother, he was like that, very against all the violence.

I sat up and walked to the staircase, moving up to his bedroom. I slammed the door in his face, locking it. God, everything in this house was dark and gloomy. Everything.

But it was better than the happiness that only brought sad tears to my face at my house.

Dallas was right. I was unfocused. I needed... I needed time to think. Not about Colin. But about myself.

What was I going to do? There was nothing left to figure out. Becker wasn't coming back, so I needed to stop thinking he would help.

Constance was imprisoned or... dead as Arlis thinks. But that's up to him what he does. She is taking care of herself and Becker wouldn't let anything too bad happened to her.

I knew what Konrad was doing now. He had Becker, he was making a war of the species, he was trying to rise to power. So he would.

What was I going to do now?

I looked at the clock. It was almost twelve at night and yet I was more wide awake then I had ever been.

Colin knocked softly on the door. "Everly. You don't need to be alone right now." His soft voice said from the other side of the door.

I scoffed. "Why? Because you want me? Because I'm hot? Because—"

"Because you're hurting." He finished. His voice was muffled through the door but he sounded upset still.

I sat on the edge of his bed, tapping my finger on the wood frame irritatingly. "Because I'm hurting?" I scoffed. "I'm not just hurting, I'm livid!" I yelled. "I could go out and kill a man and feel no remorse."

He sighed on the other side of the door. "Everly. Your brother needs you." Colin said. "He's hurting too. He lost his dad too. I don't think he wants to lose his sister."

As he says this, I hear a car engine rev up outside. I look out the window and see a car pull out from the driveway.

"I don't think he cares." I shrugged. "You don't know us, Colin."

"I don't know you!? I think I know the love of my life." He argued.

I opened the door and he walked in, slamming it behind him.

"No. You really don't!" I yelled. "How could you possibly understand me? You have your sister back! You know your dad is keeping you safe so when we lose you're still okay!" I yelled. "My mom. My sister. My little brother. My cousin. My other cousin. They're all gone! My dad, my uncle. They're dead! Can you say the same?" My voice cracked. "I am losing, Colin. I am falling from an edge I set myself on. I led him there— Colin. It's my fault. Both times!" I cried, screaming. "They both died because I was with YOU!"

Colin took a step back. "So really who's to blame here? Me or you? It seems to me like it's my fault. So stop hurting yourself like this. Please." His voice broke as his small cry pushed through his words... I felt my heart break as well.

He was taking the blame just to make me feel better and I hated it. I hated it because he was wrong.

"No it's my fault for thinking I could make this work. I wish it never had. I wish I had either died that day, or killed you." I yelled back.

Colin shook his head. "No you don't." He pushed, his strength faltering. "You're just upset over your dad and—"

"Colin! Our entire relationship is a lie! Does that not bother you? That we weren't ever actually meant to be? That we put on our grande charade only for it to be a pawn?" The more I thought about it the more I felt like I was right. "Does it not bother you?"

Colin disagreed. "Of course not. Love can be found anywhere. It shows up at the most random times and it does things to you. But I accepted those side effects. I accepted you because Everly... Everly Dawn, I love you."

I sucked in a deep breath, preparing myself for what came next. He had to understand. "Colin Gold I love you too. And I always will." I stuttered out and saw him relax. "But love is a distraction that I just don't need right now. You're a distraction that I don't need right now."

Colin opened his mouth in objection. "Oh what so you can figure out how to kill Konrad? NEWS FLASH, I did all the work last time. You figured out one tiny detail that didn't even help anything." He was breathing heavily, a little angry but more sad than anything. "Everly don't throw what we have away so you—"

"I'm gunna figure this out. I have to do something." I needed time. I just wanted a little time so I could figure out everything I needed to do.

He pulled at his hair. "Everly! With me gone I'll still be a distraction for you. You'll still think about me."

I pushed him back. "Don't give yourself so much credit." It was something that would hurt him I knew, but he wasn't seeing that I couldn't focus with him. "I just need time! Okay!? And until then, I'm done. I'm done with you. I can't be here with you, doing nothing!"

COLIN
Colin knew their relationship was built on lies and dreams, an imagination. But in his heart it felt so real, so raw. It felt like there were no downs. Until now.

"Everly please don't say—" Colin tried to reason with her but she interrupted him. He didn't want to fight. The last thing he wanted was to fight with her.

"No. I don't want to be here. With you. Anymore." She couldn't even look him in the face as she said it. He felt the lies in her voice but he didn't challenge her. In a way, Colin felt betrayed. He wanted to help her like she had helped him and she wasn't listening. She wasn't just betraying Colin, but also herself. Colin guessed the saddest thing about betrayal was that it never came from your enemies. And coming from Everly? God it hurt. For her to say it, it was torture.

Colin shook his head. "You don't... you don't mean that."

She shrugged. "Yeah. Yeah I do." She bit her lower lip, trying to keep her lies from flowing but shutting her mouth didn't stop her from lying to herself. "I think it's time I let you go. And it's so hard to do, because... a side of me knows that I'll be in love with you for the rest of my eternal life. But the dreams, the unaccomplishable goals, and the..." she paused to put on a sad smile. "Love... it's not healthy." And then she finally gave up. She dropped her fake smile and a tear ran down her rosy cheek as she mumbled, barely audible, "I can't do this anymore."

Colin stood straight, casually leaning against the wall. He wanted to comfort her, wrap his arms around her and hold her, tell her that they'd be okay even though he knew they wouldn't be. Colin acted like it wasn't affecting him, like it wasn't destroying him, when in all reality, it was breaking his soul.

He was telling himself to let her go, to let her walk out of his room. His mind was telling him to not follow her out of his house, and he hated it. He hated how his heart screamed at him, unable to let her go. But he knew Everly, and he knew that she wouldn't change her mind. He didn't know if it was just a phase, a moment. Or if she really meant it. If this whole time she had been waiting to crack this on him and now her father's death finally pushed her too.

She met him with watery eyes that leaked like Colin's roof on a rainy day. Rainy days. Those wouldn't be the same without her. He'd go on forever, watching the rain and it would remind him of her ever single time. He'd have to struggle everyday to keep himself standing, and that's the scary thing... He was scared because he knew he couldn't fight forever.

"Goodbye, Colin." She kissed his cheek, probably leaving a red mark like she did every time she kissed him.

She turned to leave and he grabbed her arm, pushing her against the wall. "Everly, don't leave me. I won't be a distraction anymore. I thought maybe... maybe I'd let you go but seeing you leave... I can't do it."

He kissed her lips, and she kissed him back. It still felt like a goodbye. A sad goodbye.

She wiped her eyes. "I can't... focus... around you."

Colin would do anything, say anything to make her stay. "I don't think that's a bad thing. Everly do I make you happy?"

She nodded. She didn't seem to know where he was going with that question and Colin was glad for it.

"If you leave me. If you go out there in the world, you'll miss me. And I won't be there. And you'll be sad all the time. Don't put yourself in that position. Right now you might not need to focus. You might just need a break from having to focus." Colin placed his hands on her cheeks. "Please don't leave me."

Everly closed her eyes, her eyelashes sparkling with drops. "Sometimes being alone is what you need. You're not a Dawn so you wouldn't—"

Colin understood then. What had happened. "That's what this is about huh? You're following your family's footsteps of being alone. Everly you are your own person, never forget that."

She stepped away, making it cold again. Colin never felt freezing temperatures, but he did feel the absence of Everly's warmth.

"No, Colin. My family is right." She sounded so convinced, so sure.

Colin sat on his bed, looking down at his hands, remembering how she felt under his fingertips. "And since when have you done what your family said? Don't do what your family expects of you. Do what you want to do."

She leaned against the door, so close to leaving. He told himself that if she ran, he wouldn't go after her. If she wanted to leave, he'd let her. There was no turning her around and forcing her to do anything.

"I want time." That's all she was asking for?

Colin stretched his arms back. "I can't stop you from doing anything, Everly. I will love you until every star stops shining in every galaxy. I will love you until time stops moving." He was trying to act nonchalant, casually sitting on his bed, but he was slowly losing his own battle. "Your dad told me to take care of you and I can't do that with you leaving."

Everly ran to Colin, jumping into his arms.

He squeezed her, feeling her body under his like a saving grace. He kissed her head.

"Everly. I will give you time. Space. I will buy you a fucking moon if you stay." He hated begging but here he was. And he'd do it everyday if it helped her stay.

She looked up from his chest, her hair messy and wild. Colin decided that this was how he liked her best. Raw and open, vulnerable and honest.

"I'm so sorry. I don't know what I was thinking. I'm just trying to do what Dad would do and—" She sobbed into his chest.

He prayed to a god that shamed him. He couldn't lose her. He couldn't. "Everly I'm sorry I made you feel like you had to leave. I'm sorry you—"

She planted a kiss on his lips, so sweet, so gentle. She was usually a strict and blunt hard ass. This kiss proved that she was also the calm water in a sailor's dream, not just the hellfire of a sinner's nightmare.

Colin rolled over so she was on top, staring down at him, laying on his chest. Her hand was on his collarbone, tracing it.

"Whatever is happening you're not alone, Everly. I'm sorry he's gone. But you can't be strong all the time." Colin hadn't said anything, and he never would about the fact that he felt all the pain in Leslie's house. He felt all the anguish, all the anger, all the joy. There were three sources of Joy. One, Alpha Arlis finding is daughter. Two, Fiona seeing her family. And three... Konrad realizing that he had killed Terrance.

Everly was silent for several minutes, just her breathing alerting Colin that was still alive. "I know what your ringtone is now." She said lowly, so quiet he almost didn't hear her.

Colin laughed. "Really now? What is it?"

She took a deep breath. "Scene One- James Dean & Audrey Hepburn by Sleeping With Sirens. Fiona likes that song but I didn't really understand it until now. How the song made you feel."

Colin had never heard the song, he didn't really listen to music. It kind of sucked, because he would like to have more. But music doesn't sound so good with vampire hearing.

Colin nodded. "Okay, we should listen to it. I just have to go check on Sophia first, but I'll be right back, okay?"

Everly nodded. "Okay. I'll be right here."

Colin held her hand as he stood up. "You're not going to to sneak out the front door are you?"

Everly chuckled and rolled her eyes. "Of course not. I'd do it the hard way and go out the window."

Colin dropped his mouth, giving her a pleading look. "Please... don't."

She sighed heavily. "I'm not! Im just saying that that's how I would do it." She mumbled.

Colin took a deep breath and walked out his door and then downstairs to look at the living room.

Sophia sat on the couch, a figure next to her.

"Konrad." Colin glowered, running to the body.

He grabbed him and pinned him against the wall, his neck in his throat. He kicked Colin and he rolled until he was sitting on the floor in front of the TV.

"I'm not Konrad." A female's voice said.

Colin froze. "Mom?" He asked, his voice was but a croon.

His mom walked back to the couch, her long black hair pulled into a half pony tail.

When she stood over him, her gruesome black eyes lit with malignancy. Something black dribbled onto Colin's face and he wiped it off, but it stuck to his hands like tar.

She tilted her head and spit up on him, black going all over his face like an octopus had invaded his line of sight.

Colin stood up and tackled his mom onto the ground, but she was gone in seconds. She came from behind him and grabbed his neck in a chokehold.

She pulled his neck back and bit into it. Colin tried to scream, for Everly, for someone, but his mom's hand folded over his mouth.

She backed up, coughing and spitting onto the ground. She gave him a confused look. "You drink Hunter's blood. Disgusting." She turned to Sophia and tilted her head.

Colin widened his eyes. "No!" He yelled.

His mom raced to Sophia, grabbed her, and disappeared in seconds.

Colin fell to the floor, smacking it with his palm.