Arai's return (Private)

[Arai]

It was another perfect spring day as a few fluffy white clouds chased each other across the sun. The air was that perfect temperature where it is neither warm nor hot, and a slight sweet breeze was wisping across the land. Unfortunately, the tranquility of the natural surroundings did not translate to Arai's heart. After a hard winter of little food and bitter cold, she had made up her mind. She was going home; whether they would let her stay or not was a different matter. Arai's light brown eyes glanced at the tall blonde who walked beside her. She was so glad Pete had agreed to come with her. For one, she didn't know if she would have the courage to face the town again. For another thing, he would be most helpful if things got ugly. The two teens trudged down an empty road side by side, Arai on the left and Pete on the right. Her scar faced away from him; a testimony to the town's anger that night.

Nobody knew the truth about that night; nobody but the town in the distance and Arai. She hadn't told anyone, for she was scared to, though she would never admit it. The closer they had gotten to the town, the more morose she became, drawing inside herself and her rememberings. Arai knew Pete had noticed it, but he kindly didn't remark or try to draw her out. Everyone had thier people hanging inside them; she wondered who Pete's were. There was much she would need to tell them before they entered the town, but for now they walked in silence. She stared at her feet: left right left right. The edges of her trusty sneakers were worn and torn, she could feel a small hole wearing away in the sole. Much like her own soul. Something was missing; she hoped to find it here, in her hometown.

With a sigh, she looked up. The town loomed like a small oasis in the distance; at their rate they would reach the beginnings in about twenty minutes. For the first time today, Arai spoke. "Thanks for coming with me, Pete. I needed someone close with me," she said with a weak smile, not exactly looking in his eyes. "Just a warning; things could get ugly. My hometown is a unique place; it's like its own little bubble. Everyone knows everyone else, and you can't get away with anything. Trust me, I've tried. Ever lived in a small town before?" she asked curiously. Arai didn't really know about Pete's past; in the lycan world most past stories were filled with sorrow and regret. But now she felt a bit bad for not asking; everyone needed to get it out sometime.

[Pete]

they were about a mile away from the small town. They way Arai walked it was as if they were approaching the gates of hell, she wouldnt look away from the dusty ground beneath their feet. Of course he had agreed to come, good friends were hard to come by in this world. He wasn't just there for moral support, if it came down to a fight, Pete was the man for the job. He would have taken a bullet for any of the pack, but this time was different, he had his own agenda. Now just wasn't the time for it.

All he knew was that Arai was heading back home to reacquire her belongings, maybe check in with her family. What he didn't know was why there might be trouble. Arai had never told anyone about her hometown or why she left. Whatever had happened, it was obvious it wasn't exactly a going away party. They were both in their own little worlds, absorbed in thought. Arai was dreading her return, and Pete was thinking of how he would tell her, coming up with several speeches, none of them saying what he needed to say.

"Yeah, I grew up in a small town in New York. The kinda town where nothing ever happens, the same mundane routine every day, every week, every year. My best friend Luke moved away, he was the only thing that made the place tolerable. It took me fifteen years, but I finally escaped. Life hasn't been boring since, you can attest to that, but someday I'll go back. I'll find him, we'll be brothers again, partners in crime." The town grew larger and larger as they neared it, the buildings becoming more clear as they arrived. It was now or never. "Arai, we have to talk."

[Arai]

A tingle of fearful anticipation ran up her spine as the town loomed in the distance. She wondered if old Mr. Cheeves still lived in that rickety house. He acted mean, yelling at them about how all teenagers were hoodlums and trouble makers, but in reality, once you got past the bark, there was no bite. Arai had helped him once, as he struggled with a few groceries, and he hadn't forgotten. His yelling became a bit less gruff when she was in the group, and he seemed to turn a blind eye to the times when they cut across his yard to make it home before curfew. She could see the school, her old high school, on the edge of the town, proud and tall. No teens roamed outside, talking about the latest trends or gossip, for it was only a little after lunch and they were still in school.

Pete's life before the lycanism was a bit sad; best friend moving away, monotony. Her life before was nothing like that. Excitement, most caused by her or her friends, filled her hours, and her loving parents took her to Paris, New York, Disney World, anywhere during the summer. Every summer they traded off choosing their location; every summer was a few blissful weeks with the two people she loved. Arai wondered vaguely what they would do without her this summer. Pete had no idea that if they still wanted her, she would stay. But she doubted that they would want her back. She had committed an unforgivable sin. It was time.

But before she could tell Pete anything, he cut into her thoughts with that phrase. From her years of experience in teenage drama, she knew that boded no good. Her mind flew across the past months. He had seemed to like her at first; even kissed her once. But she had pushing him away, she admitted, scared to do anything romantic at the beginning of her new life. Arai hadn't made up her mind about Pete; he was younger, though in a few hundred years three years made no difference. He was also still a rambunctious teenager, but he could fight and she knew he would be there for anyone who needed him. "What is it?" she asked, stopping her walking and turning to face him, her light gold eyes gazing into his frankly.

[Pete]

Spilling his guts to the girl seemed so much easier in his head. Just do it, the worst she can do is crush you in some horrificly demeaning way. Just do it. "Arai..." Come on, you can do it. Just tell her, worry about it later. An inaudible sigh escaped his lips. "I..." Say it! "I think we should hurry up and get this over with." he said, unable to look at her as he turned around. Oh come on! You fight Vampires and Demons, getting stabbed, beat up, drowned, and shot the whole way... and you can't do this?

"Wait. Arai... what I meant to say was..." You can't stop now, theres no turning back. "I love you. I've loved you since the moment we met, back in New York." His heart was racing, still in shock that he actually said it. "You can't stay here. This town doesn't deserve you... and I don't think I could live without you. I love you Arai." Now the hard part. God If she doesn't say something soon, I think I'll pass out.

He crossed his fingers and hoped for the best. Maybe she felt the same way about him. But what if she didn't? What if Pete had just made a fool of himself for nothing? What if she was already preparing the dreaded 'just friends' statement? He pushed all thought from his mind, concentrating on keeping his legs from turning to Jello. He had always heard that getting these things off your chest made you feel better. Wrong. He was much more comfortable with it on his chest, he would have put it back on if it was an option. Which it wasn't. So this is what an awkward silence is like...

[Arai]

At first, by looking into his bright blue eyes, she knew something bothered him. Arai was a bit puzzled and not entirely convinced as he turned around as if to walk away. What had he wanted to say? By the look on his face she knew it wasn't something horrible, but it scared him. The idea was slightly comical; Pete wasn't scared of things. Or at least he didn't show it. He tried to act almost untouchable, and for his life it was necessary. Arai had turned away from him as well, wondering if he would say what was on his mind. He usually would eventually. And this time she wasn't left waiting long. The stumbling words, coming out of his mouth like disjointed thoughts, finally clued her in.

He loved her? Arai had never guessed the apparent depth of his emotions; he usually played off most things in a joking way. But that was Pete. At the words 'I love you' she experienced a strange sinking elation. Yes, she wanted to say, I love you too. Now that it was out on the table, her own feeling suddenly solidified. Pete had always interested her, and she was slightly jealous that Namir spent so much time around him. But she had loved him from the time they had met on the road, when she had saved his life. But the sinking came from the thought that he didn't know her like she knew him. Pete was open and caring; she knew that. He was also a hard fighter and would die for the pack. But she was not who she seemed. Arai was different from the person she had been before the lycanism; she had done irreversable things that changed her forever. Finally she spoke.

"Pete........it's not the town that doesn't deserve me. It's me who doesn't deserve the town. How can you love me? You don't know me, know what I did. But part of the reason I wanted you to come with me was because I knew, somehow, that I wanted you to be the first to know me, the real me. I love you, but I know you. I don't think you understand what I've done. I..." here she bit back a strangled sob, "I killed someone, Pete. One of my friends, the only one who tried to help me." Her face contorted painfully as she tried to keep the tears from running down her face. Arai knew if they escaped she wouldn't be able to stop them. Turning away, she murmured, "I'm sorry." She knew this revalation would break his heart.

[Pete]

"I killed someone, Pete. One of my friends, the only one who tried to help me." The words hurt him more than anything he had ever expirienced. His heart, his entire being ached with pain. The confession hit him like a sledge hammer to the chest. Pete dedicated is life to justice, he had become the long arm of the law, a vigilante and an avenger. She had become what he devoted himself to hunting. A murderer.

He found himself falling, cutting through the cloudy sky, dropping towards the blue earth beneath him. His world had been ripped out from underneath him, his body unresponsive and his mind fuzzy. The icy venom spreading through his veins, slowly draining the life from him as he plummetted downwards, hitting the freezing water with a splash. He struggled to stay afloat, begging his numb limbs to move as he water surrounded him, pulling him under. He sank deeper and deeper, the darkness growing as he decended. His heartbeat slowed, his eyes glazing over as he reached his hand towards the surface. And then he heard her voice. "Become a wolf..." Using the last of his energy he struggled against the weight of the water, trasforming at last. He felt a hand gripping his, pulling him back to the surface. He awoke sprawled on the ground in the middle of a forest, surrounded by worried faces. She had saved him.

He gazed into her golden eyes, staring into her soul. "Arai, you've paid your dues to the world. You killed somebody, that can never be changed, but don't you think you've suffered enough? That was your penance, having to wander the earth with nothing but your guilt. One life for another, you may have killed him, but you saved me. I forgive you, and if he loved you enough to risk his life to help you, I'm sure you have his forgiveness too." He wrapped his arms around her shuddering body, holding her close. "Let it out."

[Arai]

Arai knew from the deep pain in his eyes that she had struck deeply, drawing blood in his heart. Pete hated murderers; this she knew. The prospect of her being one of those he fought against no doubt appalled and disgusted him. She was on the verge of walking away from him when something stopped her. It was not condemnation or hatred that grew in his gaze, but rather forgiveness and sorrow as he shared in her pain. Her own sorrow that she had pushed aside, trying to block it out, for so long loomed in her mind, threatening to stifle her completely. Life just didn't work like that; a right did not undo a wrong. No matter how many lives she saved, she was still a cold-blooded murderer, and nothing would change that. And then, a light slowly dawned in her darkening thoughts as Pete did what no one had done yet. He forgave her. Her, Arai, the one he loved who had done that which he hated. That simple sentence was what broke the dam that held her back. Surrendering herself to his embrace, she cried into his strong chest, feeling safe in his powerful arms that were so gentle to her. Carl did love her; he had all through high school. She had known it, but had never acknowledged his unspoken feelings. He was not at her level, she had told herself. Even when she had begun dating Jason he pined after her still. In the hospital after the attack - though she did not remember it - he had apparently been a constant visitor, sitting with her as she lay, fighting for life, unconscious on the bed. And then, when her 'friends' had shunned her and her beloved was dead, he had tried to help her when she was her ugliest in the light of the full white moon. And she had repayed him with death. But now, as she let out all the pain of loss and betrayal, the future began to look brighter after all.

[Pete]

The entire world faded away; the buildings, the cars, the people, everything. None of it mattered. It was as if time itself had stopped, just for them. His arm were still around her as she sobbed into his chest. At the words "I love you" he suddenly stopped breathing. Elated was such a massive understatement. Every fiber of his being was radiating pure joy. He was invinsible, he could take on the world. He wanted to climb to the top of Everest, proclaiming his love to the heavens. But all he could manage was a grin from ear to ear. You know I'm never letting go, right?

Soon they would have to detatch from eachother, there was work to be done.

((sry, will finish later >< ))

[Arai]

The two stood there, so different and yet drawn together by the same thing. Eventually, after what seemed like a blissful forever, Arai's tears slowed, now ceasing, her body no longer shaking with sobs. A slight tremble occasionally swept through her small frame, but she felt so much better. Pete's arm were around her, as if sheilding her from the world and her problems. She smiled weakly at his words, her light brown eyes growing less watery as she sniffled back a few stray tears. When did I say I wanted you to? she replied mentally, looking up at him.

But finally she backed away, her heart lighter and her mind cleared. "Let's go," Arai said resolutely. Yes, she cried sometimes, but she recovered quickly. Her nose and eyes were red from the tears, but her gaze was bright and clear. "But first, I need to visit someone," she said quietly. Turning off the road, she knew Pete would follow her. About one hundred yards away from the town was a small cleared patch of land. The stone monuments and archs dominated in orderly lines, silent tributes to those who had left. Most from the town were here; Arai noticed a few newer graves, but did not take the time to see who had passed. She wandered in an aimless way, her slender hands brushing over the moss-covered stones, her eyes gazing sadly about. Then she slowly sank to her knees in front of a simple stone. The grave was new; the grass had claimed the dirt but moss had not infringed upon the letters carved there. Jason.... she thought.

[Pete]

He followed Arai through the rows and rows of headstones, glancing at each one as he walked by. Most of the town's inhabitants died of natural causes, he assumed. After all, homicide wasn't a common occurance in small towns such as Arai's or his own. Pete was no stranger to graveyards, he visited often to pay his respects to his grandfather. Mr. Bydleman wasn't a blood relative, but nobody would have ever guessed. The boy's real grandparents were long gone by the time he was born. Mr. Bydleman, or 'Grampa Pete' as he was called, was his father's boss. Pete and Re-Pete. He never had any children, so the old man took Pete and his father as his own. He died of a heart attack.

He snapped back into reality as Arai stopped, kneeling at one of the tombstones. Jason. It seemed he was very important to her. Who was he? Pete asked, his hand resting on her shoulder.

[Arai]

Jason....I said I would visit you every day, but I didn't. I'm sorry. You see, that wasn't an ordinary wolf. I'm a werewolf now, Jason, a horrible beast during full moons. I think if you would have survived I would have had a better time of it. I've been horribly lonely, Jason, and lots of things have happened to me. You would cry with me if you knew. I think the one you knew and loved is gone. Maybe one day I'll find her again, somewhere. Pete's hand on her shoulder broke her a little out of her reverie, and she looked up. "Jason," she said simply, "the wolf killed him." That night still haunted her dreams. She had become what she hated. Turning back, Arai let a single tear fall, darkening the earth. This is Pete, Jason. You would have liked him, I think. I hope wherever you are that you aren't mad at me. But I love him, Jason. I will always love you, like I love no other, and you will always be with me. But this is different. He's like you sometimes, but yet not. He's a werewolf too, and he's helping me adjust. I'm afraid I'm not very good at fighting or anything, but I'm learning. I'm going to see my parents, Jason. I don't know what they'll do. They kicked me out, you know, banished me. If I don't make it out, I'll see you soon. Breathing in deeply through her nose, she sat there, on her knees, just gazing at his grave as if it would bring him back.

[Pete]

She looked down at the grave like she could bring him back with the shere force of her will. Jason. He must have been a close friend. Perhaps closer than a friend. He couln't help but wonder if he was just a replacement for him. He quickly rid his mind of the thought. They were in the middle of a graveyard in a town where the majority of the inhabitants wouldn't think twice about killing you, there was no need for depressing thoughts.

He reached out to her mind, gently prodding. I'm sorry Arai. We should go. Now is not the time for mourning, we should do what we came here to do. If things are going to turn out as bad as I think they could, we need to get out of here in a hurry. Preferably before rush hour and before anybody notices we're here. I don't think I need to remind you of what could happen if they're not exactly happy to see you. You can pay your respects later. After everyone is asleep. After all, we are creatures of the night.

[Arai]

With a slightly forlorn sigh, Arai rose to her feet. Placing a hand on the smooth coolness of the marble, she let the last tear fall and then looked up. "Let's go," she agreed. The time of tears was past, at least for now, and they needed to get down to business. The sun was at its zenith; it was about 2 o'clock. They had about an hour or two before everything got busy. It would be best if they were out and away before then. Arai knew from experience how the normally docial people of the town could become quite enraged when presented with an unusual circumstance. Like ants in an anthill, you didn't want to stir up their normal routine.

Cutting behind the town, Arai leaped over a few fences, ducked between hedges, cut across yards, and was generally stealthy. The route she followed was obviously well-known, though by now some of the parts were a bit grown-over. This was the way Arai used to get home before curfew. Sometimes she used it to avoid being seen after she and her friends caused a bit of a stir-up. Nothing bad, normal rambunctiousness, like putting soap in the town fountain. Finally, after ten minutes of this, she stopped.

Here was a house; it was cream colored, with forest green shutters and doors. From the backyard vantage point, there was a sunroom with giant glass windows, as well as a pool that was not open yet. The stone terraces spoke of comfortable living, as did the careful landscaping. The sweeping lines of the house rose high above them, indicating multiple levels and large rooms. Standing in front of the glass-paned double doors, Arai worked up her resolve. The small doorbell loomed in her vision, and everything seemed to slow as she lifted her hand and reached for it. Suddenly she stopped. "Pete," Arai said, looking up at him, "there's one more thing you should know. Arai is not my real name."

[Pete]

He followed close behind as she cut through yards and hopped over fences. Arai had definitly done this before, she knew the escape route well. Apparently she was quite the troublemaker. They had finally arrived at what he guessed was her old home. It was slightly amusing, somehow this wasn't exactly what he had been expecting. Sunroom, pool, ornate hedges and well kept flower gardens. She never struck him as the type.

He wasn't surprised that 'Arai' wasn't her real name, not many parents name there child 'cursed' in Latin. But there was the possiblilty her parents were a little on the strange side. Pete really couldn't imagine what her name could be, she would always be Arai. Almost as amusing as the home itself were the possibilities. What if her name was something really feminine? He couldn't help but smirk, quickly looking away so she wouldn't notice. Jennifer. He thought, barely containing his laughter.

Enough fun. Back to work. She seemed weary of even touching the doorbell, so Pete decided to press the button for her. No stopping now. His hand instictively reached into his pocket reaching for his knife in preparation for a fight, but he left it there. Non-lethal force. Sure Arai's parents banished her, but he was sure she didn't want them dead.

[Arai]

It had begun as a normal day. She woke up at 6:00, drank her morning coffee (two spoons of sugar, one of cream), and sat in the sunroom watching the outside. Meditating, as always, she watched the birds flit around, and for the thousandth time wondered where her daughter had been that winter. The down had seemed to die without her, at least in Mr. Jonston's mind, and everyone avoided the forest as if a plague dwelt there. Carl's parents still hated them, and the large house was silent, almost eerie. Now it was two o'clock, and every chore she could think of was done. Life was lonely, with her husband at work. Normally she would start fixing a snack or something for the tide of rambunctious teenagers that came around 3. Her daughter's friends were often called hoodlums, rapscallions, and general no-gooders. But she knew that they were all good kids, just needing to get out some energy. And her daughter was the ringleader. But those days were past. Then the doorbell rang, the melodic tune echoing throughout the wooden halls of the house. Now who could that be? No one was expected.

Walking to the double doors, she could see that two people stood there. The faceted glass prevented any real recognition, but she could tell it was two younger people. One was tall and blonde, and he had a muscular look about him. The other was petite, with reddish hair, and very small next to the large boy behind her. They didn't look really familiar; she wondered if they were new in town. Whatever the case, she was glad for a distraction. The days were hard to fill without her only child there. Opening the door, she peeked out. She was a small woman, no larger than the girl at the door. Her brown hair was dusted silver, and her face held traces of what was once laughter. Twin hazel eyes gazed upon the two as her face wrinkled in confusion. Then it hit her like a bolt from heaven. There, on the doorstep, stood her daughter. Older looking, skinny, and dirty, but still her only child, her flesh and blood, the love of her life. "Anna....." she whispered, hardly daring to believe it. And then she crumpled in a heap, the door swinging open as she fainted.