How Dark Is the Night?
It's Too Late To Apologize
“Goodnight, Alexandra.” I said as I laid Alex down to sleep in her crib.
“Pete, what are you doing?” I asked as I felt a hand reach down into my pants pocket.
“Oh, just placing something for you to find later.” Pete said as he then wrapped his arms around me and held me tight.
“Shh. You are going to wake Alex.” I said giggling as he kissed all down my neck.
“Promise me something.” Pete said as he led me out of Alexandra’s room.
“Ok, what?” I asked as he peered into her room to check on her again.
“You will tell her about me.” He said.
“Of course I will tell her about you, but you are here with us. You can tell her about you yourself.” I said walking into our bedroom.
“It isn’t that easy. I mean, you will tell her about the good things about me and how we fell in love, right?” Pete asked pulling me onto his lap on the bed.
“Yes and how you are in a successful band. Where are you going with this, Pete?” I asked confused.
“It’s nothing, nevermind.” Pete said looking away.
“You are confusing me. I am going to lie down. I feel so tired.” I said climbing off Pete and into the covers of our bed.
“I won’t be here when you wake up. “Just know that I did this for you and Alexandra.” Pete said crawling over to me and kissing my lips. Then he took one of his fingers and traced my lips.
“I wish I could stay.” Pete said as I closed my eyes.
“Pete, don’t leave me!” I yelled into the darkness. Pete!” I screamed.
Then it hit me. This was not a dream it was a nightmare. I understood now. I had to wake up. I had to find Pete.
“Pete!” I screamed, waking up and seeing all these doctors and nurses around me.
My hands had IV’s in them and I had an oxygen mask on. I sat up and ripped all the monitors and IV’s I was on and climbed off the table. I had to find Pete.
“Miss, you just went through a blood transfusion. Miss?” One of the doctors yelled as I ran out of the emergency room.
My stomach hurt and I grabbed it as I ran. I was lucky that I still had my clothes on and not a hospital gown. My leg was healing but it hurt from not resting it. As I ran, I passed by the waiting room and saw Bev and Joe.
“Amanda?” Bev said as they apparently saw me and chased after me with the doctors and nurses.
I did not have time to explain to them what is going on. I knew the sun was going to come up and I did not have much time. I needed to get to Lookout Pointe to stop Pete. I needed to get to him before he let the sun kill him.
I ran out of the hospital entrance and found a cab. I got in it, hoping the driver would do me a favor. I had no money to give him.
“Please, mister, can you drive me to Lookout Pointe? I think my husband is up there and that something is going to happen. I don’t have any money to give you but this is an emergency.” I pleaded.
“Jeeze lady you look like death warmed over. Sure.” He said taking off.
“Thank you so much.” I said almost in tears.
I glanced at the cab driver’s clock on his dash and it read five am. I had one hour to get to my destination and save Pete. He could not do this to me. He cannot leave me. I am not going to let him take the easy way out of this mess he has caused.
“Do you mind if I turn on some music? It may calm you.” The driver said.
“No.” I said looking out the window as he drove fast.
“May I ask what happened?” The driver asked.
“There was a fight. My husband saved my life and now I must save his.” I said not really caring if the driver did not understand what I meant. Then I remembered in my dream that Pete had slipped something into my pocket.
I reached into my right pocket to find a note. He must have done it after I passed out and brought to the hospital. It was like an instinct that I would find this note and know what he was planning to do.
I opened the note and read it.
Amanda,
Please know that I am sorry but that I think that an apology is too late. I did this for you. Only I knew what Volkmar was planning and I had to do something to stop him from harming you. This was the only way and I knew you were strong enough, to defeat him. I gave you my strength as I did with Dracula and took your memory away. I wanted you to hate me so that it would help you to kill Volkmar. I did not want all this to happen exactly the way it did. I never wanted to turn you; it was an excuse to get Volkmar to think I was on his side. I know everyone hates me as well, for what I have done and they have every reason to. I betrayed their trust as well as yours. I love you and always will. Please tell our daughter all the good things about me, which I know are slim. If she asks, tell her I died in the fight. An apology can not undo the damage I have done.
Pete.
“No.” I whispered. “Alexandra, I will get him back. I just hope its not too late.” I thought to myself.
The cab driver finally found a radio station but what came on the radio was a song I did not want to hear at this time. It was Timbaland’s Apologize. I cannot deal with this.
“Can you turn that song over?” I asked.
“I like this song. Look lady I am doing you a favor.” The cab driver said.
I heard the lyrics and began to cry silently where the cab driver could not hear me.
I'm holding on your rope,
Got me ten feet off the ground
And I'm hearing what you say but I just can't make a sound
You tell me that you need me
Then you go and cut me down, but wait
You tell me that you're sorry
Didn't think I'd turn around, and say...
that it's too late to apologize, it's too late
I said it's too late to apologize, it's too late
I'd take another chance, take a fall
Take a shot for you
And I need you like a heart needs a beat
But it's nothing new - yeah
I loved you with the a fire red-
Now it's turning blue, and you say...
I'm sorry like an angel
heaven let me think was you
But I'm afraid...
It's too late to apologize, it's too late.
I glanced back at the driver’s clock and it said that it was now 5:36 am. I was very worried because roads in L.A. are always busy no matter what time it is. It seems that this city never sleeps.
“Here we are but I am not allowed to drive up there so you will have to walk up the mountain.” The cab driver said stopping at the bottom of Lookout Pointe.
“Thanks.” I quickly said as I got out of the cab and shut the door.
I had almost twenty minutes to get to Pete before sunrise. I ran up the hill pushing my limits. I didn’t care that I came out of a transfusion and that my slayer abilities were fading but still trying to heal me. I didn’t care that my leg was killing me. All I cared about was getting Pete out of the sun. I had to make it. I don’t think I could live if I lost him.
“Pete, what are you doing?” I asked as I felt a hand reach down into my pants pocket.
“Oh, just placing something for you to find later.” Pete said as he then wrapped his arms around me and held me tight.
“Shh. You are going to wake Alex.” I said giggling as he kissed all down my neck.
“Promise me something.” Pete said as he led me out of Alexandra’s room.
“Ok, what?” I asked as he peered into her room to check on her again.
“You will tell her about me.” He said.
“Of course I will tell her about you, but you are here with us. You can tell her about you yourself.” I said walking into our bedroom.
“It isn’t that easy. I mean, you will tell her about the good things about me and how we fell in love, right?” Pete asked pulling me onto his lap on the bed.
“Yes and how you are in a successful band. Where are you going with this, Pete?” I asked confused.
“It’s nothing, nevermind.” Pete said looking away.
“You are confusing me. I am going to lie down. I feel so tired.” I said climbing off Pete and into the covers of our bed.
“I won’t be here when you wake up. “Just know that I did this for you and Alexandra.” Pete said crawling over to me and kissing my lips. Then he took one of his fingers and traced my lips.
“I wish I could stay.” Pete said as I closed my eyes.
“Pete, don’t leave me!” I yelled into the darkness. Pete!” I screamed.
Then it hit me. This was not a dream it was a nightmare. I understood now. I had to wake up. I had to find Pete.
“Pete!” I screamed, waking up and seeing all these doctors and nurses around me.
My hands had IV’s in them and I had an oxygen mask on. I sat up and ripped all the monitors and IV’s I was on and climbed off the table. I had to find Pete.
“Miss, you just went through a blood transfusion. Miss?” One of the doctors yelled as I ran out of the emergency room.
My stomach hurt and I grabbed it as I ran. I was lucky that I still had my clothes on and not a hospital gown. My leg was healing but it hurt from not resting it. As I ran, I passed by the waiting room and saw Bev and Joe.
“Amanda?” Bev said as they apparently saw me and chased after me with the doctors and nurses.
I did not have time to explain to them what is going on. I knew the sun was going to come up and I did not have much time. I needed to get to Lookout Pointe to stop Pete. I needed to get to him before he let the sun kill him.
I ran out of the hospital entrance and found a cab. I got in it, hoping the driver would do me a favor. I had no money to give him.
“Please, mister, can you drive me to Lookout Pointe? I think my husband is up there and that something is going to happen. I don’t have any money to give you but this is an emergency.” I pleaded.
“Jeeze lady you look like death warmed over. Sure.” He said taking off.
“Thank you so much.” I said almost in tears.
I glanced at the cab driver’s clock on his dash and it read five am. I had one hour to get to my destination and save Pete. He could not do this to me. He cannot leave me. I am not going to let him take the easy way out of this mess he has caused.
“Do you mind if I turn on some music? It may calm you.” The driver said.
“No.” I said looking out the window as he drove fast.
“May I ask what happened?” The driver asked.
“There was a fight. My husband saved my life and now I must save his.” I said not really caring if the driver did not understand what I meant. Then I remembered in my dream that Pete had slipped something into my pocket.
I reached into my right pocket to find a note. He must have done it after I passed out and brought to the hospital. It was like an instinct that I would find this note and know what he was planning to do.
I opened the note and read it.
Amanda,
Please know that I am sorry but that I think that an apology is too late. I did this for you. Only I knew what Volkmar was planning and I had to do something to stop him from harming you. This was the only way and I knew you were strong enough, to defeat him. I gave you my strength as I did with Dracula and took your memory away. I wanted you to hate me so that it would help you to kill Volkmar. I did not want all this to happen exactly the way it did. I never wanted to turn you; it was an excuse to get Volkmar to think I was on his side. I know everyone hates me as well, for what I have done and they have every reason to. I betrayed their trust as well as yours. I love you and always will. Please tell our daughter all the good things about me, which I know are slim. If she asks, tell her I died in the fight. An apology can not undo the damage I have done.
Pete.
“No.” I whispered. “Alexandra, I will get him back. I just hope its not too late.” I thought to myself.
The cab driver finally found a radio station but what came on the radio was a song I did not want to hear at this time. It was Timbaland’s Apologize. I cannot deal with this.
“Can you turn that song over?” I asked.
“I like this song. Look lady I am doing you a favor.” The cab driver said.
I heard the lyrics and began to cry silently where the cab driver could not hear me.
I'm holding on your rope,
Got me ten feet off the ground
And I'm hearing what you say but I just can't make a sound
You tell me that you need me
Then you go and cut me down, but wait
You tell me that you're sorry
Didn't think I'd turn around, and say...
that it's too late to apologize, it's too late
I said it's too late to apologize, it's too late
I'd take another chance, take a fall
Take a shot for you
And I need you like a heart needs a beat
But it's nothing new - yeah
I loved you with the a fire red-
Now it's turning blue, and you say...
I'm sorry like an angel
heaven let me think was you
But I'm afraid...
It's too late to apologize, it's too late.
I glanced back at the driver’s clock and it said that it was now 5:36 am. I was very worried because roads in L.A. are always busy no matter what time it is. It seems that this city never sleeps.
“Here we are but I am not allowed to drive up there so you will have to walk up the mountain.” The cab driver said stopping at the bottom of Lookout Pointe.
“Thanks.” I quickly said as I got out of the cab and shut the door.
I had almost twenty minutes to get to Pete before sunrise. I ran up the hill pushing my limits. I didn’t care that I came out of a transfusion and that my slayer abilities were fading but still trying to heal me. I didn’t care that my leg was killing me. All I cared about was getting Pete out of the sun. I had to make it. I don’t think I could live if I lost him.