This is Not Goodbye

What shall I tell Lucas? I'm sure he knows I've been missing for three days. Will Lucas find out about me spying on him? Is he going to kill me? What will I do next? Can I get the information Peter needs? Will I give it once I have everything with me? Should I tell Lucas about us?

My head hurt from the lack of sleep last night and the little thoughts that kept clouding my mind.

I convinced Aiden to tell Liam about the Vigorist bloodline, and he agreed. So when Liam came home that night, the three of us sat together in the kitchen as we used to when Liam had sleepovers at my house.

"So, do you mean that Ava and Lucas are neither Obel nor Rebel, but they're part of a rare bloodline?" asked Liam with stunned eyes.

"Not to mention the strongest!" I wiggled my eyebrows at him, showing off that I may be stronger than him if I am willing to train my power for good. I still love my profession as a couch potato and top-level procrastinator.

"Son of a gun!" Liam exclaimed loudly without taking his eyes off of my brother. "When I thought this war was already bad enough! Well, this news is going to be the last straw before we start to take action. Wait, hold up, how did you even know about this?"

"I kind of overheard the councils talking," Aiden smirked at Liam, and they laughed.

"Nice," Liam chuckled before giving him a high five.

"What is wrong with you two? I have to be careful around you, idiots!" I huffed in my place, but deep inside, I was smiling. Looking at them bonding over something stupid warmed my heart, and it took me back to seven years ago. I miss this moment.

There are still so many questions in my head, but I need to process the new information about the Vigorist bloodline. Slowly, one step at a time! Maybe I can...

"Ava?" Liam's voice suddenly fills my head, cutting off my thoughts.

"Are you okay?"

I blink several times before catching Liam's green eyes staring into mine. Both his hands are gripping my shoulders tightly.

"What's up?" I try to focus on his face, which is close to me, but I fail. I don't know why my eyes drift down to his lips. The force of habit.

Liam lets out a relieved sigh. "You're scaring me!"

I try to inhale as much oxygen as my lungs can contain, and I remember where I am now. We're on our way to Peter's bungalow before he sends me back to Lucas. I can already see his place from when I'm standing, and the sight of it gives me shivers.

"I'm sorry," I shake my head, but it only gives me a headache. "Did you say anything?"

"I was just asking if you already have all your belongings," Liam chuckles while shaking his head.

I frown at him and then grimace when I realize something, "Well, I kind of left my backpack on the creek where your stupid friend kidnapped me."

Liam shakes his head while cackling at me. There's nothing funny about it; why is he laughing?

"What?" I ask before glaring at him.

"Really? After seven years, you're still such a scatterbrain!"

"Shut up! I was too 'preoccupied' to think about my bag back then," as I punch his arm playfully, but it's still hard enough to teach him a lesson.

"Come on," he turns his body around after he finally stops making me a laughingstock.

"Liam, will you take me to see Sierra before I leave?" I ask from behind him in a whisper because Laurie is already several feet away from us.

"Okay," he responds coldly without looking back at me.

***

Peter didn't say much to me; he only reminded me of my task, threatened to kill Sierra and Aiden again, and told me about next week's meeting point.

"Liam and Ken will drop you off back to the creek," Peter said to me with a smile on his face before I left the bungalow.

"I hope to see you again next week, my beautiful Ava." He kissed my right cheek near the corner of my lips. I could feel his lips slightly touching mine, and I had to clench my fists when he let me go.

Liam's face is red, and his fists are tightened on his side when we walk out of his bungalow. After we are far enough, he blocks my way and turns around to face me. Anger is showing too bluntly in his eyes.

"What?" I frown at him before pushing him out of my way.

"Hold on for a second," Liam steps forward, stopping me completely. I don't know why, but I move away from him in response.

"Don't move!" he growls deeply in his Obel's authority tone. I instantly freeze in my place until Liam catches my face.

"What the hell are you doing-" he cuts me off when his tongue licks the corner of my lips where Peter kissed me. "Eeewww! That's gross! What the hell was that for?"

"There you go, now you're Peter free!" He mentions Peter's name like it is some kind of disease and then smiles at me satisfactorily. He wipes my face with the cuff of his sleeve before kissing my forehead.

"Yeah, but now I'm contaminated with you!" I say to him with a giggle.

"I will acknowledge that as an achievement." He grins at me, and we continue walking to the lockup.

I don't recognize the guards on duty right now, and I am glad because that means I won't have to get into another fight this time.

The cells are still the same as the last time I was here. I spot Sierra sleeping in her cell; her body is still thin and fragile. Did Liam really tell the guards to feed her? I suddenly feel guilty for receiving comfort for myself while Sierra is here, trying to survive the cold hard ground.

I quickly approach the cell and wake her up.

"Ava, is that you?" her voice sounds weaker than the last few days.

I nod at her even though she probably can't see me.

"Sierra, they're sending me back to Lucas today, and I'll be back in a week, okay?"

Sierra doesn't respond, but she crawls crablike to me.

My tears are filling my eyes, and I quickly wipe them away before Sierra can see them.

"Are they feeding you more?" my voice is on the verge of breaking, and if I say another word, I will definitely blubber in front of her.

She nods her head slowly.

"You must be strong until I come back to get you, okay?"

She nods her head again. "Be safe, Ava!"

"I will," I reassure her as I squeeze her hands before I get up and leave.

***

"Don't do anything stupid, okay?" Says Aiden from the top of my head.

"You, too!" as I muffle from his chest.

He lets my body go, but he's still keeping his hands on my shoulders. "Be safe for Liam and me!" he says as he tugs the strand of my hair behind my ear.

His eyes scan my face, and he frowns when his eyes are on my neck. His eyes widen when he catches something there, "Shit, is that a hickey?"

"Are you kidding me right now!?" I groan in annoyance.

"I was the one who's supposed to say that, not you!" He squints his eyes at me before speaking again. "Did Liam give you that?" he brushes his fingers on the famous hickey. Why did Ken and Aiden notice, but Peter didn't? Maybe it's because he always locks his eyes on my face.

"No, Peter did." I tease him. Aiden's eyes widen, and his body becomes rigid in front of me like a broken robot. I laugh so hard, and it catches him off guard. "Of course, it was Liam, the dumbass!"

He lets out a long breath, "I'm going to kick his ass later!" as he snarls at me.

"I hope you know what you're doing, young lady! I can't and won't stop you from doing anything you want as long as you are being responsible for it."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," He was always going on and on about it since I was fourteen, but I just waved him off this time. "Save the lecture for next week, okay?"

I give him a sister-ish smile, and he replies with his brother-ish smile.

"I love you, Lil sis."

"I love you, big bro."

***

Liam drives in silence to the creek. I'm sitting between Liam and Ken, though as much as I feel so claustrophobic right now, I don't complain, and Tension fills the air inside the car. Ken is looking out the window, and Liam hasn't even glanced at me since we left the camp thirty minutes ago.

"Was Jessie a Fighter like me?" I whisper into the air, but my question suddenly breaks the silence. That may not be an excellent question, but I can't help my curiosity. I can't sit here in this car for another second if none of them will talk. It's like they're driving a dead person to their final and forever home.

"Yes," says Ken before he drifts his gaze down to his lap.

"How did you two meet?" I hesitate, but my curiosity always wins over my sympathy.

Ken finally looks up, and it's like his eyes are drifted to the past.

"We went to the same school, and we were friends." he smiles at the sudden flashback.

"One night, we went to a party, and I was driving even though I was a little drunk. Then we got into an accident, and I remembered vaguely seeing some people dragging Jessie's unconscious body away from me. I wanted to fight them but couldn't because my body wouldn't let me. It was almost like a dream." Ken pauses and shakes his head slightly like he's trying to wash off the image from his head.

"I lost consciousness and woke up in the hospital five days later. The next day, Peter and the councils of Monarch came to visit me. They told me that Lucas had Jessie, and they offered me to join the Warriors, promising they would help get Jessie back."

Ken pauses to catch a breath. "So, I said yes. Then six months later, they did bring Jessie to the camp. They captured her while hunting with the other Fighters as they did to your friends. When Peter knew she was my Jessie, he assigned her to the same mission as yours, and if she could complete it, he'd spare her life and mine. After we sent her back," Ken pauses again. His eyes are dangerously wet right now, and I feel so bad for asking him.

"We found her body the next week," Ken sighs when he finishes his sentence successfully without shedding tears. Will Liam and my story end up like that?

"Did the Monarch take both your parents too?" After blurting out the question, I quickly shut my mouth and instantly regretted it.

"No, they didn't. I grew up with an abusive father and a drug-addict mother. My little sister died when she was nine, and my family was never the same since then. While Jessie grew up in a Rebel's orphanage."

I nod slowly while biting my lips to prevent myself from asking further.

"I'm sorry, Ken."

"Don't be. It's okay!" Ken smiles at me. "Promise us; you must come back here in one piece!"

Tears are flooding in my eyes, but I tug my lips into a slight smile.

"I'm sorry, Ken, but I can't promise that." I let out a heavy breath. "But I promise I will try my best not to die, at least."

"Okay," Ken chuckles. I know he's trying to make me feel as comfortable as possible, but this fear is too surreal to be pushed aside.

"We're here," Liam finally speaks, and his voice sounds so anxious. He puts the gearshift to neutral and then cuts off the car engine.

"I'll give you two some space to talk," Ken says before letting go of my hands. "Always stay safe, Ava!" says Ken before getting out of the car.

Then he closes the door behind him and walks away.

"There's a part of the stream that is frozen, so you'll be able to cross it without getting wet," says Liam from beside me. He takes my hand in his and lifts it to his lips. He lets my fingertips graze his soft pink lips, which are so warm under my touch.

I cry when his green eyes catch mine, and I hate it whenever I become so impetuous around him. I hate him for letting me be so vulnerable and that he still loves me anyway.

Liam wipes my tears with his thumbs. "Ava, don't cry! You're going to be alright."

"But I'm scared, Liam," I say, stuttering between my sobs.

He pulls me into his arms tightly, and I feel like I'm home once again. I don't want him to let go, "I know, me too."

My tears keep streaming down my cheeks, making Liam's shirt wet.

"I will go this stream every day for the whole week, and Ken will be patrolling on the west side of the hunting area," he says before letting my trembling body go.

I nod at him, and tears fall down my lap as I do.

"Once you come back to me, you'll be safe!" He takes my face in his hands. "I won't let anyone hurt you or put you in danger anymore. When this happens, we can live in my bungalow and spend the rest of our lives together."

I smile weakly at the thoughts of growing old with him. He never says anything about the future; I've been dying to hear it from him. But it kills me that he chose this time to do it, knowing that it's probably going to be nothing but a dream.

"I love you, Ava."

His green eyes look even more tired than the last time.

He pulls my face closer to him, then our lips meet. At first, he kisses me gently, and when I open my mouth for him, his kiss deepens and becomes rough, like he's scared this will be his last and only chance to do it again.

We collide with each other. Exchanging our unspoken feelings through each kiss.

I keep my forehead on him, trying to send him images of the old times we spent together. When there was nothing but happiness. Even though my eyes are shut, I can feel him smiling like he receives the images.

"I love you, Liam."

"Please be safe and remember to return to me, my love." His voice sounds so fragile but also firm. But it is enough for me to be sure that now I have someone who will be waiting for me. Someone to come home to.

***

My legs are aching as they take each leap into the familiar trail, and they know exactly where to go. My heart is pounding so fast in my chest, and I feel like it is burning me.

I'm wearing the same dirty and bloodied clothes as the day I was taken to the Warrior's camp, which Liam had saved for this day. Also, my hair will look pretty much like I haven't brushed it in weeks once I get to the camp, courtesy of my sweat and the invisible broken branches in the forest around me.

I didn't pay attention to my footing. I tripped several times over the tree roots, suddenly sticking out of the ground beneath my feet. I swear they weren't there before! And it makes my dirty clothes covered by mud and dry fallen leaves. Now, I will definitely look like I've been missing for four days.

Think, Ava! Do I know the route where Lucas usually goes hunting? YES, I DO! It was the forest where Lucas brought me to kill a deer one day after they took Sierra. Lucas may believe me if I told him I was going on a hunt, and I also have a knife and a gun in my backpack to make it looks more convincing.

I get lost in my own head; I don't realize I'm already one step away from the door I went through just four days ago. The hardest and sweetest four days have completely changed my life. Will I ever be able to look at things the same way again after this? Will I tell Lucas about the Vigorist bloodline that we mysteriously inherited?

This is it! This is the beginning of the purpose in my life, but it may also become the ending of it. I jab the familiar opening on the camouflaging door with my finger and pull it open slightly, just enough for my body to slip inside.

I close the door behind me and finally take in the familiar surroundings before a strange hand touches my arms.

"What the..."