The Ghosts

Chapter Two, Part Two

The illusion melted until Jason was the one kneeling in front of me.

“Your Aidan is with me now, Georgiana. He’s not going to come back and you know it. Stop diluting yourself and move on. He has.”

“He’ll come back for me, he promised.”

“Empty promises. They were all…empty. Lying to you was so easy, the emotion so simple to fake. He’ll never come for you because it’s gone. I took it with me, stole it away, when he killed me. You were never supposed to be happy with him, or Michael, or anyone else for that matter. Raphael saw to that when he brought you into this world red-faced and screaming.”

“You’re lying.”

“You’re special, Georgiana. Your blood makes you special. Aidan will never remember what it was like to hold you, to lay next to you sweaty and naked after making love. He can’t even be in your presence thanks to the pact. To him, they were just things that happened. There’s no emotion or feelings connected to them.” He smiled, trying to look sympathetic. “It would be best for everyone involved if you just…moved on and forgot too.”

“No.”

He raised an eyebrow. “He’s forgotten all about you, I can assure you. He’s paraded himself in front of enough cameras to prove it…he knew you’d be looking. He wanted to hurt you and have there to be no doubt in your mind that he was done.”

“He would never do that. He’s not that cold hearted.”

“Your Aidan wasn’t but my Aidan…” he smiled that cold, ruthless smile I was used to seeing, “he was designed to do exactly what he’s doing right now. I picked him for a reason, remember?”

I closed my eyes and willed Aidan to come back. I didn’t want to talk to Jason anymore. Aidan was supposed to be here…making me feel better like he usually did.

Not worse.

“Ana? Did you hear me?”

I opened my eyes. He was back to sitting next to me, looking up at the sky.

“No,” I whispered. “What did you say?”

He chuckled. “I was wondering what stars are up there, where we can’t see. Do you think that’s where his feelings are for you?”

“What do you mean?”

He looked at me, his brown eyes soft and full of love.

“Do you think his feelings are there, just out of reach and sight, like the stars during the day? Maybe they’re eclipsed by something brighter.”

“You mean like the sun?”

He nodded. “What do you think will happen when the sun sets and he’s finally able to feel it again?”

I closed my eyes and prayed the tears wouldn’t fall.

“It’s never going to happen.”

“Yes it is.” He moved so he was close to me. “Look at me.” I tried to get everything under control when I looked but a tear leaked out instead. “He’ll feel it again. Don’t give up, Ana. You were right, I was wrong. I’m sorry. Don’t give up. Promise me.”

My breath caught in my chest and that same sorrow rose up.

“I can’t promise you that. Eventually I won’t have to pretend anymore. I’ll wake up one day and it’ll all be gone. You were right, it’s already fading.”

He shook his head, his brown eyes desperate.

“You—you don’t mean that.”

“Even you said…”

“I was wrong. Ana, I was wrong. You have to remember, you have to keep the candle burning or I won’t be able to find my way back.”

“This life is going to take me over, Aidan. It’s already started and soon, the memories will be eclipsed, just like the sun does to the stars during the day.”

“What about the night? The sun has to go down…”

“It’ll be like Alaska. Days of perpetual sunlight.”

He shook his head and reached out to touch me but his hands passed right through me. Like they always did. He turned frustrated and tried again, and again. Finally a sob ripped its way out and he looked at me, his frustrations forgotten.

“Ana, please…don’t cry.”

“It’s over, isn’t it? It’s really over. You’re not real.”

“That doesn’t matter. I promised I would always be there for you, that I would be with you forever. I am. I will…”

I got up and he looked up at me desperately.

“Ana, please don’t give up on me. He’ll remember, I swear. Everything will be fine and perfect when he remembers.”

I shook my head. “No, it won’t. You were right—he would’ve remembered by now. It’s gone forever.”

He got up and tried to grip my shoulders. When that didn’t work he held his hands in fists by his sides.

“It’s not gone. He just forgot…feelings like that just don’t go away, Ana. Something that powerful couldn’t be lost.”

“Maybe they weren’t as powerful as you thought.”

“Miss?” someone said. “Are you alright?”

I turned and saw an older gentleman standing a few feet away, eyeing me wearily. When he saw the look on my face and the fact that I’d been crying, his face softened just a little.

“Is there someone I can call for you?”

“I’m fine,” I whispered, tears coloring my tone. “I was just…I needed a quiet place to—to think.”

He nodded like he understood completely. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

“I am. Thank you.”

He gave me a brief smile and walked away. I turned back to the spot where Aidan was standing before but he was gone.

My heart breaking a thousand times over again.