Hope Came With Wings

It all went by like a blur.

I woke up in Seth's arms, in his room. I was crying from the moment I awoke to the time I fell asleep. I lay around, barely eating or moving. Seth stayed with me, except when I made him leave. As much as I always wanted him with me, I could tell how weak he was from always just watching me, so I had to force him out. And when he was gone, I drowned out my thoughts with music and more sobs.

Seth had called the people from the morgue to get my mother's body. I didn't want a funeral for her: who would I invite?
I got up for one horrible day and met with the people and arranged to have her buried next to my father. I used my dad's money to buy a huge, combined gravestone for them. The way I saw it, I had fucked up their lives enough when they were alive, they deserved more respect in death.

Now, when we got back to Seth's, I went back to his room to return to the lifeless mood I've had set. Seth came in and sat across from me on the bed, taking my hand. I looked at him through teary eyes, he brushed one away as it slid down my cheek.
"I'm sorry. I know that was hard for you. But it's over now, you don't have to worry anymore.”

"Yeah. It's just... I feel so at fault here. I know I'm the reason for my father's death, and if I hadn't told my mom the truth, she...she wouldn't have..." She wouldn't have killed herself.
I couldn't finish my sentence before I broke down sobbing. Seth held me as I tried to calm down.

"Shh, it's okay. Don't blame yourself Gracie. Things were just fucked up in the first place. You did what you could and now we have to face the consequences."

"We?"

"Yes, we. This time, you aren't going to go through it alone. I'll always be with you now, I promise." The way he said it, I knew he meant it. He wasn't just saying it to make me feel better, and I loved him for it.

I lunged towards him, attaching our lips and pushing him back on the bed. Normally, we'd both probably laugh at my urgency, but right now, we just needed each other close.
We lay there, our lips moving together, until we both had to break for air. Seth's arms were around my waist and he held me so close, I couldn't move if I wanted to.
"So. Are you going to come live with me forever now?" He asked gently, playing with a piece of my hair.
"It'd just be me and you. Well, Eryn and Aiden too, but you've already been accepted into our little vampire family, so it's all good."

"Vampire family?" I giggled. "Hmm. I don't know. I mean, I'm not a vampire so...I don't think it would work out."
He frowned, and I sighed and rolled away hiding my smile.

"Oh no you don't!" He flipped over after me and started poking my sides, tickling me. I squealed and laughed, screaming for him to stop.

I rolled off the bed and crawled away, leaving him laughing on the bed.
"Well see if I stay now!" I said sarcastically once I caught my breath. He was sitting on the bed grinning, but a second later he was sitting with me...or on me?He was sitting on my lap with his arms around me and his head on my shoulder in the most childish way. It was so cute!

"Aww, you know you want to move in with us." He said with big puppy dog eyes. I giggled and put my arms around him.

"Okay, if you insist."

"Yay!" He squealed and kissed me on the cheek, earning more giggles from me.
He suddenly picked me up "bridal style" and carried me out to the living
room/kitchen area where Eryn was writing and Aiden was eating what looked like cereal.

"Guess who's moving in with us!" Seth announced, setting me down.
They both looked up slowly, as if it wasn't some huge surprise.

"Yes!" Eryn was suddenly hugging me. "Now I won't be the only girl!" She grinned

Aiden hugged me too, before he went back to his cereal.
"You know you were welcome from the start anyway, Gracie." he said with a mouthful of fruit loops. "Oh, one condition. If I ever wake up to The Misfits and you two screaming again, I'm so kicking you both out!"
We all laughed, remembering the first time I stayed here. It was only like 2 weeks ago, but it seemed like forever. So much had happened since then...

Probably sensing my sudden change in mood, Seth told them he was going to take me to get a few more hours of sleep before the sun comes up. Supposedly, he's still making me go to school. Yeah right.

Eryn hugged me once more before I followed Seth.
"Night Hun. Tomorrow we are going to plan moving you in and a party and stuff to celebrate!" She whispered. It made me feel happy that she was so excited.

Seth was already there when I got to his room. Or, soon-to-be our room!
He was lying on his back; I could hear Alesana playing softly from the stereo. I lay next to him, my head on his shoulder and my arm across his stomach.
"I'm not going. To school, I mean."

"Ha, you sound like a 5 year old whining like that." He laughed.

"Well you don't go to...oh yeah, sunlight. Well still!" I argued.

"That's because, one: yes, the sunlight, and two: I already finished high school."

Hmm...I wonder when that was? That's when I realized something I never asked.

"How old are you really, Seth?" He was quiet a moment, thinking.

"Really? Well, I should have turned 32 on April 21st, but I still look and feel 17."It was shocking, thinking of him being 32. If he hadn't become a vampire, he probably would be married and have a family now. I would have still been alone, maybe even dead by now. I held him tighter after thinking that. After what's happened, I'd be dead without Seth.

I had so many more questions to ask him: if he ever thought about how his life would've been, who turned him, if he would change it all if he could. But they'd have to wait. Right now I just wanted to be with him like this.

I started crying again, not sobbing but the tears just flowing out of my eyes. Right away, Seth was comforting me.
"Shh, don't think about it. It's okay babe, I'm here remember?"

I sniffed and smiled at him, making him confused.
"I know. I was just thinking how happy I was that you're here with me." He relaxed a bit, but still seemed kind of confused.
"You're my reason to live now Seth. As long as I have you, I'm okay." I looked away, shy from all the mushiness.

He smiled wide and kissed me." Well, we'll both be okay then, because I'm not leaving and I'm not going to let anything happen to you." He stated as if it were just that simple. His confidence made me smile.

"I love you Seth."
I watched the joy spread over his face from my 4 words, and felt the same thing when he returned it.

"I love you too, Gracie."