Final Curtain

Nate’s POV

Heart hammering, I sat up.

I'm not in San Diego, I reminded myself coming to terms of where I was. New York, it echoed. Not for the first time, my brain reverted to its old tendencies when I saw a girl's form next to me. It told me to leave. Then it calmed down. This was Melissa, not some other girl I needed to ditch before sunrise. Old habits were hard itches to scratch.

What woke me was something else, though. A nightmare from when I was a kid. They didn't come regularly nowadays. Slowly, I checked my sides—one at a time—making sure nothing was broken. They were untouched. My heart slowed to normal.

For a while, I leaned my bare back on the cold wall. If the nightmare hadn't woken me up, things like ATM machines saying my account was empty or Melissa's strange behavior since we'd gone to Ashley's for dinner. My bank account was malfunctioning—it had to be. Mel... I wasn't sure what happened for her to look so pale.

I slid from bed, trying not to tug the covers or sheets. It was three in the morning and Melissa had classes in a few hours. With acquired stealth, I made my way down the hall and into the kitchen, clicking the light on. Grabbing a cup, I filled it with water.

My eyes swept the room. Completely remodeled.

Still, I'd never forget walking in, finding blood, two bodies—along with red petals—and a girl, passed out at the entrance. I'd carried Mel to the couch before taking care of the mess. After a clean up, I'd handled their bodies into industrial plastic bags...

Draining half the cup, I made my way back, scratching my head as sleep crept back in—I smiled softly. My side had been taken over.

Melissa moved her arms around my pillow, snuggling into it.

Was I crazy for feeling jealous of an inanimate object? Probably. She made me totally insane.

I took a walk around the bed, lifted the covers and laid down. Her raspberry scent was all over. Scooting closer, I draped an arm over her waist. Watching people sleep was creepy, but not when the person you were keeping an eye on had recently come out of a coma. I hated how I'd been so close to losing her, how I'd been powerless to do anything.

"... Nate..." she murmured, voice heavy with sleep.

My lips finished touching her head and something moved on my bedside. Acting quickly, I reached for the newly bought iPhone and rejected the call. I frowned—since when did I have Aric's number in my cell? Glancing down I had my answer. She must've have done it.

With Mel still asleep, I went out into the hallway dialing the number. It rang twice.

"It's three in the morning. Give me a good reason not to tear you apart." I growled into the receiver.

On the other line I heard a chuckle.

"Is this how you greet Melissa on the phone? Honestly, little brother, have some manners—at the very least say 'hello'. And besides, to tear me apart you'd have to know where I am." Smartass, I thought. No one knew where he'd disappeared to for the last month.

"Hello asshole, do you want me to say 'goodbye' before I hang up?" I fumed.

Aric muted a comeback, I could tell.

"Let's not be hasty, brother. I have to talk to you about something rather important." I leaned on the wall. "Turn the TV on, though." My eyebrows squatted. "Any news channel will do, you'll see why right away." He explained as if sensing my confusion.

Before going into the living room, I closed our bedroom's door. I turned on the TV—I didn't have to pick another channel because, without a doubt, Aric wanted me to see this. The police had finally found their way into the safe house we'd been held in—near Phoenix.

"It's the house... they finally got inside another one, what's the big deal?" In the last month the FBI had captured countless Order members and infiltrated two safe houses. Both had been empty.

"There wouldn't be a problem if the authorities had found the right number of bodies. They didn't. All were male, and nobody was inside the pool." My skin blanched, turning paper white.

"But... everything stayed exactly the same. The idea was for the police to find the bodies, all of them, identify Vincent as the head and Riley as his daughter—"

"I know what the plan was. I was the one who came up with of it." Aric had turned from teasing to anger. "But they're not there. That is the problem. Our problem."

I gripped my iPhone hard. He was right. At first sight it didn't seem much, since Vincent and Riley were dead. What did it matter if their bodies had disappeared? Exactly that. Everyone in that house had been killed. According to Aric, only a hand of selected individuals knew where the safe houses were.

We'd killed them.

"Are you sure no one else knew about the safe houses?" I could almost feel his bristling anger over the line.

"I'm certain of it. Mark only knew about Phoenix and he had to suck up to Riley to get there, if you know what I mean." His voice sounded slightly disgusted at the end, so yeah, I knew what he meant. "The only ones who knew died in the house."

"Well, someone did it, and that someone might know we were involved in what went down." If it got out... murder was still murder and it would definitely make the FBI dig deeper into mine and Aric's past—even Mel's, and because of our five month road trip I'd rather they didn't investigate anything.

"It's bloody awful, it is." I nodded silently, watching as the news lady went on describing other events. "They'll think Vincent is alive, Riley as well... they'll keep searching for them."

"And while the police thinks they're still alive they can be blamed for crimes, it can be used as a way to deviate the attentions from the real culprits. Maybe a rival needed scapegoats."

"That's actually smart, little brother. I thought you'd gone to Berkeley just for show."

"Gee, thanks." I mumbled. "What are we going to do about this? We should find out what happened in case we need to watch our backs."

"We aren't doing a thing—" my mouth parted, but Aric had an annoying habit to beat me to things. "I'll be doing some digging. You should lay low. Melissa doesn't need you to draw attention to her. You're living with her now. Anything you do might put her in danger." I gritted my teeth. I knew that better than he did. All I did was for Melissa and her safety. How did he come off telling me to lay low for her?

"Nate...?" I whirled around phone still pressed to my ear. Melissa pushed some tangled hair from her eyes, getting a better glimpse of me.

"Don't tell her anything yet, it's not worth it until I know something is up for sure." Aric must've figured out what my long pause meant. "Say 'hi' for me." The call fell.

I lowered the phone and rushed swiftly to turn off the screen.

"Who was that?" She asked, strolling into the living room. My baggy sweatshirt hung from a shoulder, her shorts nearly disappearing under it.

"Your half-ass brother." I handed her the iPhone so she could see the ID caller for herself, then crossed my arms.

She shoved the phone back to me.

"Well he's your half-ass brother, too." Her waist long hair swung around and she marched into the kitchen, me hot on her tail.

"I thought we agreed we wouldn't say it... it sounds creepy." Whenever I thought of Aric as our brother... Chills got hold of me. I couldn't help but think—for a split second—what if me and Mel were siblings?

It put me in a crappy mood.

Mel kicked the fridge closed once she was done pouring milk into a cup with painted cookies. My nose wrinkled. Milk had always tasted disgusting to me, I had no idea how she drank it.

"Oh sorry for the slip up, but it's three in the morning. I get cranky." Mel passed me with a slit of tired eyes.

Before I could ask why she was paroling in the middle of the night, I let out a comment dripping with the sarcasm she so much loved.

"And you're being snarky, what a joy!"

"It tends to flare up when I can't sleep..." she mumbled pushing our door open. "What did Aric want at three in the morning? After a month of no contact, I might add."

As we sat on our rightful sides of bed I pondered what to do. Should I keep her in the dark or tell the truth? I took a good glance at her. Her skin was sheen with sweat just as mine had been when I'd woken up.

"What woke you up, Mel?" I reached for her hair, brushing it aside.

Melissa tucked her head in my arm. I could tell she was calming down. My hand ran down her back, she drew further into me.

"Just some stupid nightmare..." Melissa mumbled clearing her voice. "Our trip had lots of things I didn't like. It was just a random nightmare, nothing in particular. Don't worry."

I stared ahead, thinking she was like this because of Parker. Ever since that Ginger chick brought it up, Mel had been antsy. I didn't blame her. She was probably assaulted by thoughts of what could happen if anyone tied what happened to the guy with us. Could've been why she'd been weird throughout dinner.

"What about you, what woke you up?" She lifted her dead-beautiful eyes to mine. My breath caught.

"Aric's phone call," I lied easily. I didn't need Mel to go all Dr. Phil on my ass.

I wasn't ready to talk about it, I didn't know if I'd ever be. Something's were too personal, hurtful to even tell her—though, I knew someday she'd bring it up. Melissa's patience was one of the things I loved in her. She rarely rushed me. I could deal with a few questions at a time—now—and it was because of her.

"Oh, yeah… you didn't tell me what he wanted yet." I felt her warm fingers uncurl from the sheets and curling on my ring. I held back a smile as Melissa traced the silver chain; it meant a lot that she seemed to cherish my Father's ring as much as I did.

Melissa had a lot on her plate. Dealing with Pacey everyday wouldn't be a walk in the park and God knew she was an awful liar. It was going to be hard. Even with me and Anna helping her. Why should I burden her with something that might not mean anything? Aric was going to search for information and stay alert. Until he confirmed there was a threat… I wouldn't tell Melissa a thing.

"He wanted to say hi, check up on you." I shrugged nonchalantly.

"And he called your phone in the middle of the night?"

"Sure, it's not uncommon for assassins to be awake during the night. It's when we—they do their job." I corrected myself. It wasn't my job anymore, now I slept all night when I wasn't interrupted by nightmares or phone calls. "For him it's normal." Not a lie.

Melissa's cheek rubbed on my six-pack with a sigh. I slid down the bed laying my head on the feathered pillow.

"Assassins are nocturnal, got it." I chuckled quietly along with her. "Did he say where he was?"

"No." I stroke her hair closing my eyes, allowing her warmth to lull me.

"Why do you think he left without saying or where he was going?" She was fighting off sleep, I could tell by the slur in her tone.

Aric wasn't a person I pretended to understand. I couldn't begin to phantom what his problem with me was. I should be the one angry at him, not the other way around. Our Mother wasn't dead because of me. He seemed to care about both Melissa and Anna. He didn't like me much which didn't make me like him anymore in return. Still, Mel liked him and it bothered her not knowing where he was and if he was doing alright. Aric was family to her, she saw him as a brother.

I couldn't say the same.

"I don't know. He knows how to take care of himself, though."

"I know." She pressed her lips against the middle of my chest. I shifted my head in delight as her fingers ran in an up and down fashion. She laughed softly. "You're like a big cat sometimes."

I managed an eye open.

"Like a lion?" I gave her a faint smirk.

"More like a tiger," she pulled the sheets closer for both of us, wrapping our bodies together. "When you're sleeping and I stroke your hair you purr." She giggled at my knitted eyebrows.

"I do not."

She poked me.

"Yes you do, I hear you. I'll record it one day, then you'll see." She threatened lightly.

With a shake of my head I made sure we were tangled in each other before whispering:

"Sweet dreams, princess."

Melissa stopped moving, her breath spread over my skin softly—as softly as she whispered those three little words.

"I love you."

In these little moments, I knew I'd made the right choice. Melissa was worth anything my Mother and Father could ever offer me. She would be on top of my list every time. I would spend forever like this if I could.