This Life (COMPLETED)

Chapter 16

There he stood. Almost in an identical outfit to the first day I met him: a dirty white shirt underneath coveralls. His dark eyes assessed me with a glint that I now understood. His letter finally explained it to me. A smile is spread across his face with my favorite dimples showing. "Well?" He pushes.

My lips twitch as I try to contain all the emotions flowing through me. I don't think I've ever felt such a happiness. Just looking at him brings a wave of warmth through me. "Yeah I think it was love at first sight. Those feelings I felt that very first day I feel every time I look at you."

A look of complete and utter adoration passes through his eyes. I'm not sure why we're still standing so far from one another and I think Garrett realizes this as well as he approaches me in slow and confident strides. When he reaches me he takes my face between his hands and studies my face. "Beautiful," he whispers before capturing my lips with his.

I lose myself in him. I can feel his unspoken words in the way he holds me tenderly as he kisses me passionately. His hands move from my face down my body, settling on my hips. He pulls me closer, so there's no space between us. My heart races as he moves his lips from mine and down to my neck.

"I love you Garrett," I breathe out without a second thought.

He instantly stops and pulls back to look me in the eyes. "Say it again," he whispers breathlessly.

"I love you so incredibly much Garrett. I have for a while now," I tell him confidently, my gaze note wavering from his.

His grip on me tightens as he brings me impossibly closer. He leans in again bringing his lips to my ear. "I love you Elizabeth Walton. I don't care if the world is against us because this love I feel for you is not something you throw away ever. This is the kind of love you hold on to forever. I'll love you forever Elizabeth."

He pulled away again and my eyes filled with tears of pure happiness. I looked into his dark eyes and instantly knew he meant every word.

"I'll love you forever too Garrett."

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He did. He did mean every word. And maybe that's what makes this so hard. When he said those words he meant it. He meant literally that he'd love me forever, but when I said those words I didn't know there was a forever. And now that I do, now that I know Kain and I could have the forever that Garrett and Elizabeth would whisper about in the dark of the night, it makes me wonder...

But with Alexander lying down beside me in bed as these thoughts swarm my head, I feel the guilt trying to eat me alive. My mind won't stop thinking about the letter Kain wrote to us. With Luna missing, my mind is trying to think of anything but that fact and it seems to like to settle on Kain. I think about him too much lately.

A knock on the door pulls me from my thoughts. I look to Alexander, but he's in a deep sleep. He's been mentally, physically, and emotionally drained lately so it's nice to see him actually getting some rest. I get up and leave him to sleep. It's still fairly early, so I have no idea who would be at the door right now.

I peek through the peep-hole before unlocking the door, but I see no one. I slowly open the door in confusion only to find an envelope on the floor. I look down the hallway, but there's not a soul in sight. I apprehensively pick up the envelope and shut the door, locking it quickly. The front of it has my name sloppily written on it.

I frown and open it. I pull the letter out from inside and unfold it. One single Polaroid slips from the paper slowly settling on the ground in front of me. My heart drops and the blood drains from my face.

Sitting on my floor is a photo of Luna tied up in a chair, her hair a dirty mess around her face, a gag in her mouth, and a broken look in her eyes. I tear my eyes from the photo and open the note.

Luna is a sweet girl... But the bitch refuses to give anything away. I'm slowly becoming impatient Charlotte. So I figured if I threatened her loved ones, she'd start opening up. Guess what? It worked! She didn't reveal much, but just enough... You might want to come find her soon Charlotte. Before it's too late. If she can be threatened with you then you can be threatened with her. You have one month to find us or your sweet Luna dies. I can't wait to see you again Charlotte...

I gasp and drop the note as if it burned me. My head starts spinning and I feel as if I might pass out. I crumble to the ground and grasp the picture tightly in my hand. This can't be happening. Who took her? Who is this and why are they playing games? What is going on?

I push the questions to the back of my mind, focusing solely on the photo in front of me. One more glance at the pain in her eyes and I know what I have to do. I stand quickly and rush to the cabinet next to the fridge. I pull out a lighter and take the note and envelope. I watch them burn into nothing.

Next I take the photo of Luna. I stare at it with tears slipping from my eyes. My heart clenches in my chest. "I'm going to find you Luna. I'm going to find you and I'm going to save you. I promise." And with that I light the photo watch the flames dance over those pained eyes that will forever be engrained in my mind.

"I'm going to save you my daughter."

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Well I'm back at it! I just wrote two chapters in one day and I'm excited to be writing again, so I'm giving you two chapters this weekend to not only make up for the fact that I haven't updated in over a month, but also to celebrate the fact that I'm writing again! YAY! Stay tuned for the next chapter coming next weekend! I'm very excited about this story!

-Julia :)