Started- August 11th 1999 ~ Finished- August 22nd 1999

"I don't need you, the lies they won't surface, my mind it wanders oh over again..." -Candlebox, You-
 
 "One...Two..."the voice whispers softly in Cyara's mind as she opens her eyes slowly. "three ....four...." She tries to sit up but something is keeping her down. Feeling around with her hands she notices that the space is tight, and if she didn't know better she would have thought she was in a coffin. "That would be stupid though." Cyara mutters under her breath.
 "Not as stupid as you think Cyara." A voice says, that seems to be coming from above her.
 "What do you mean?" Cyara asks loudly. "Who am I talking to anyways?"
 "Come up out of the ground and I'll tell you." The voice answers.
 "Out of the ground?" Cyara says as her eyes try and focus around her. "I must be dreaming" She adds as she brings up her knees and starts pushing outwards, causing the wood to snap and break.  Bringing her feet to the wood, she gives it one jolting kick and suddenly there's a little light as wood and dirt go flying heavenward. "Holy shit.." she says quietly. Looking around her new surroundings she notices all the headstones. "Okay where are you...who are you....and what in all mighty hell am i doing here?" She demands, looking up into the sky as if searching for some kind of answer.
 "Over here." The voice says faintly and Cyara looks towards it, perched on a headstone that says Cyara Pearl, is a larger than normal black crow.
 "You?" Cyara asks the crow, "I come up out of the ground and now, I'm talking to a big black bird?" She rubs her temples and mutters. "I don't believe this shit."
 The crow caws and flaps it's wings. "Believe it girl." it says, sounding almost pissed. "Try and remember."
 "Remember what?" Cyara asks, sounding slightly confused.
 "Remember what happened to you, not quite a year ago." The crow replies.
 Cyara closes her eyes just as a flash of memory hits her and she doubles over in pain as she remembers.
 

 "I don't see why we need to fight about this Cyara."  Gavin says quietly. "I just won't go."
 "That's not the point Gavin!" Cyara cries, "You didn't talk to me about it at all.. We've been engaged for a year and a half and now your getting transferred to god knows where!" She crosses her arms and glares at him. "You could have at least talked with me about it 6 months ago when the offer first came up. At least then i might have been able to prepare for it."
 Gavin runs his hands through his long dark blonde hair and sighs. "Look, I'm sorry. I should have told you about it. I made a mistake. Your taking this way out of hand."
 "Oh really," Cyara says sarcastically. "So your probably just expecting me to be the good little wife to be and just pack up all my shit, leave my friends and all my family and move off with you, without a say in the matter,  is that it?"
 "I didn't say that Cyara," Gavin says darkly. "Don't put words in my mouth."
 "Well what do you expect me to do, when you wont even put words into your own mouth?"  Cyara says wiping a tear of anger off her cheek. "What do you really expect of me Gavin?" She asks, turning away and looking out the window.
 "I expect you to be happy for me." Gavin says shortly, his voice sounding angry. "But since your not going to be happy, then I guess i just won't go." Gavin finishes as he looks to the ground.
 "Oh is that why your not going?" Cyara says as she turns around, her eyes flashing. "Because of that??" She walk towards the bedroom. "You know what?  You can just go.  I hope you succeed Gavin. I hope you'll be happy. I'll be leaving in the morning, so you won't have to worry about my happiness and how it will make you feel." with that she slams the door and turns out the light.
 Gavin looks at the closed door and sighs. "I'm not leaving Cyara...I wish you would understand..." He lays down on the couch and looks up at the ceiling. "I love you....."

 Cyara lets out a sob as she opens her eyes briefly. "I don't want to remember....I can't."
 "You have to girl." The crow says patiently. "There's no other way."
 "It hurts.." Cyara whimpers softly.
 "It's not meant to feel good." The crow replies.

 Cyara wakes up in the night to hear the phone ringing. "Hello?" She says in a sleepy voice.
 "Hey buttercup." A male voice slurs into the other end of the phone. "How's my little princess?"
 "Hi Daddy..." Cyara says. "Do you know what time it is? Is everything okay? Where's mom?"
 "Ah hell hunnie, I don't know.... " Her father says. "Probably at home sleeping." he adds with a chuckle.
 "Where are you?" Cyara asks.
 "At the bar, jus havin' a few darlin." He answers. "I need ya to come and take me home, cuz I don't think I can drive."
 Cyara sighs, and frowns deeply. "Okay Daddy, I'll be there... just wait outside like last time."
 "Okay pumpkin, Daddy'll be here.." He slur's before hanging up the phone.
 
 Cyara crawls out of her bed and pulls a black sweatshirt over her head and walk to the bedroom door. Opening it quietly she looks out into the pitch black living room and see's the sleeping outline of Gavin. Her eyes fill up with tears as she walks silently over to him and watches him sleep for a moment.

 "Oh gav, I'm sorry..." she whispers in his ear. "I love you so much.... I promise we'll make up in the morning..." She kisses him gently on the lips as one tear falls from her eye and lands on Gavin's cheek. He just murmurs something in his sleep and then is quiet. So Cyara slips on her shoes and leaves the apartment."

 Cyara lets out a cry of pain as she tries to crawl away from the unknown thing eating at her insides. "Make it stop!" she sobs.
 The crow flaps it's wings. "Let it take it's course Cyara. Don't fight it. You cannot hide or run  from it.... you can only face it."
 "No.." Cyara whispers weakly.. "Nooo...."

 Getting into her black geo Cyara turns the car on, then automatically flips on the radio. Pulling out of the parking lot, she starts driving towards the Blue Lagoon, her father's favorite bar, which is only a few blocks from her apartment. As Creed  plays on the radio, Cyara shifts gears. "They're souls are lost because... they could never find.." She sings to the song in an alto/soprano pitch. "What's this life for..."
 
 She stops singing as she pulls into the parking lot of the blue lagoon. Turning down her radio, she comes to a stop beside her father, who is waiting outside, and his friend Bill. Observing them, she notices that Bill, is also drunk. Feeling slightly uncomfortable about that she sighs and unlocks the passenger side door as her father climbs in.
 "Hey sweetie!" Jon booms. "Thanks fer pickin us up."
 "Daddy, you didn't mention that Bill was with you." Cyara whispers quietly.
 "I fergot." Jon slurs almost loudly. "Yer not gonna make him walk home now are ya princess?"
 "No..." Cyara says with gritted teeth. "I'll take him home too I guess."
 "There's muh girl!" Jon says happily as he leans out the door. "Bill, hop on in, Cyara will take ya home."
 "Well that mighty nice of her now isn't it..." Bill slurs with a wink towards Cyara. "Kindred spirit, your daughter is." he adds as he climbs into the backseat.
 "Damn right!" Jon says with a laugh as Cyara drive out of the parking lot and heads to her parents house. Jon and Bill keep quiet, much to Cyara's appreciation.

 Cyara curls into a tight ball, but doesn't try and stop the memories from coming anymore....
 "One two... He's coming for you..." She sings in a soft eerie pitch, as she rocks herself gently while she lies on the ground.
 The crow just sits on the headstone and watches her.

 "Bye bye Cyara! Thanks for the ride Hun!" Jon yells before he walks into his house.
 "No problem Daddy.." Cyara mutters to herself as Bill climbs from the back to the seat up front. "Shotgun!" He says with a chuckle.
 Cyara doesn't say anything as she pulls out onto the street and starts driving away from her parent's house. "Your going to have to tell me where you live again...." Cyara says quietly. "I'm afraid i don't remember where you live."
 "That's fine little Angel" Bill leans over and whispers in her ear. "Was awfully nice of you to take me home like this Darlin'. "
 Cyara looks over at Bill and blinks, holding her breath because his breath smells like whiskey. "Why don't you put your seat belt on Mr. Parker."
 "Mr. Parker?" Bill says as he leans back and straps his belt on. "You make me feel about ninety when you say that." he grins wolfishly. "Why don't you just call me Billy, suga?"
 "Okay......" Cyara says, rolling her eyes a bit. "Billy. Where do you live again?"
 "Turn left up this road" Bill says calmly as Cyara makes the turn. "Then just keep going, til ya reach the end."
 "Kay.." Cyara says watching the road as she drives up to an old looking house, that seems to be completely run down and in desperate need of repairs. "This is it.. right?" she asks, directing her gaze towards Bill.
 "Yeah this is it." Bill says quietly, looking at Cyara then opening the car door. "Wanna come in for a few?" he says, a hopeful look on his face.
 "No thanks." Cyara replies, shifting in her seat. Something in the way he's looking at me is totally un-nerving, she thinks to herself, I just wanna get out of here...
 "Okay, not a problem." Bill says as he sways from side to side trying to get out of the car without looking foolish. "I hate to uh.. be a bother Cyara darlin' but could you help me get to the door?" Bill asks politely, looking towards the house.
 Cyara sighs. "I really shouldn't be here long.. um.. Billy, I need to get home to my fiancée, Gavin." She finishes.
 "Oh please, " Bill begs. "It'll only be for a minute..." he leans back in the seat, "just needin' some help to the door."
 "Alright...." Cyara says as she unfastens her safety belt and opens her car door.
 Leaving the Car running, she walks to the other side and takes Bill's arm. "Come on, let's get you to the door."
 "Mighty strong one there aren't ya." Bill drawls with a smile. "That Gavin boy is one lucky fella."
 Cyara just smiles slightly and leads him towards the house. As soon as they get up the steps she says. "Well, I'm gonna go now." backing away heading back to her car.
 "Wait a second," Bill says, "I can't figure out which key it is that goes to this house." As he says the last part, he drops the keys.
 "Shit." Cyara whispers under her breath. Walking back towards the down, she crouches down and retrieves the keys. Looking at them she notices there's only 3 keys on the ring. Trying one of them in the lock, She grins as she hears the satisfying click of the lock. "There you go sir. Now I need to go." She turns around and looks at Bill. Then suddenly frowns.
 Bill is looking at her now with a hungry, animal-like look in his eyes, he's standing at his full height of 6'3'' instead of the slump he was in a second ago. His face is grinning, and almost evil like.
 "Yanno darlin'" He says, his voice low and almost mean. "I wanted you since the moment i saw you when you was 'bout 16." he admits. "But of course that woulda been illegal. You bein a youngin' an all." He finishes as he takes a step closer.
 "W-what?" Cyara says her eyes getting huge. She looks around for an opening that she might be able to get away, but Bill has her cornered. "What are you talking about?"
 "I'm talkin bout you n' me little lady." Bill drawls as he takes her arm. "You don't need no ninny fiancée, when ya got me to ride you like my favorite pony."
 "Get away from me Mr. Parker." Cyara says, unable to keep the fear out of her voice. "I want to go home."
 "Your not going anywhere missy." Bill says, his voice turning angry. "Now's my chance to show you what your missin, and there's no way I'm gunna let it pass this time." he adds as he pushes her towards the open doorway of the house. "You'll never get away from me.
 "Please.." Cyara whimpers. "You don't want to do this..."
 "Oh yes I do." Bill pushes her completely through the doorway and grins as she trips over the threshold, and lands on the ground with a thud. "And your gunna enjoy every minute of it."
 Cyara jumps up and starts running away from Bill. He laughs and yells after her. "I like a hunt Cyara. Run real good..." He waits a couple minutes then starts walking after her. In a voice that doesn't seem to be his own he starts singing his own version of an eerie childhood rhyme.
 "One...Two... Billy's commin' for you...."
 Cyara stops and looks back, a whimpering sob escaping her lips. "No. I gotta get the hell out of here." she whispers out loud, looking around for any means of escape.
 "Three....four.... better run some more." Bills says as he jumps behind Cyara and laughs as she screams and runs off. "Ah that's more like it....." He keeps walking, as he sings some more. "five.....six.....better hurry bitch...."
 Cyara opens a door to some room and slams it behind her. "fuck oh fuck..." she says out loud as she looks around what appears to be a bedroom. Leaning all of her weight, which isn't much against the door, she hears Bill walking slowly past the closed door.
 "seven.... eight.... this fucking game, I'm beginning to hate...." His footsteps stop just outside the door and Cyara lets out her breath. thinking that maybe he had gone. Just as she moved away from the door, Bill kicks it in, causing her to become suddenly airborne. He towers over her as she looks up at him helplessly. "Nine.. ten... Let the fun begin."  He says with an evil smile as he leans over her and begins his torture, paying no attention to her when she starts to scream her head off.
 As he rips off her shirt, she lets out a wail. "STOP IT !!!" She starts kicking and clawing at him, doing anything she possibly can to make him stop. "You don't want to do this!" she sobs.
 "Shut up little lady, it's night night time. I don't need you awake to do what I gotta do." he says as he brings up a massive fist and slams it into her face until Cyara is laying unconscious. Her screams of terror cut short, as he does unspeakable things.
 A few hours later Bill drags an unconscious, naked, and bound Cyara out of the old house and opens the trunk of her car. Sticking her inside, and closing the trunk with a loud thunk, he then climbs into the drivers seat and starts driving off back towards the bar.
 Pulling into the parking lot, he stops the car in a secluded area, somewhere in the back of the bar. He then turns off the car, and climbs out, leaving the keys in the ignition and locking all the doors.
 He looks at the trunk of the car and frowns slightly. Then shrugs and walks back into the blue lagoon. "Hey ya'll! I told ya I'd be back..."

 Cyara is now laying on her back, the crow still perched on her headstone.
 "There's more yet...." The crow says.
 "Gavin.. I need you..." Cyara says tonelessly, as she looks towards the pitch black sky, her eyes hallow and empty. "Please.... somebody help me.." she whispers.

 Cyara tries to open her eyes, but she can only see darkness, as she tries to clear her fuzzy vision, she tries to breath but the air seems almost non-existent. Her chest hurts, and she inhales sharply when she remembers what had happened. Whimpering, she tries to feel around with her bound hands until she discovers what feels like a spare tire.. As she listens she hears a car drive off, then another.
 I'm in the trunk of a car.. she thinks to herself. How did i get here?
 Someone nearby laughs loudly, then the sound of a car door opening and slamming shut. The car is turned on, then is driven off. Cyara tries to scream for help, but only a muffled sound comes out of her mouth.
 I'm trapped...Oh god, I'm gonna die... She thinks to herself. No... oh god... She starts crying, her salty tears stinging the cuts on her face. Gavin... She starts struggling franticly. muffled whimpers and shrieks are the only sounds she's able to make.
 Not knowing that she's using all of her oxygen, Cyara blinks a few times, then tries to focus. Her head is throbbing and the pain is becoming unbearable.
 Maybe if I go to sleep... she thinks faintly, I'll have the strength to get out of here.....I'm so... tired... can't stay awake....
 She knows she's dying and as her eyes drift closed for the last time she thinks of Gavin, and her surprise for him.
 He would have loved it...She thinks as a final tear falls from her eye. We would have been so happy... Oh Gavin.. i tried... please.. forgive me...
 As she drifts off, she says a prayer in her mind...
 Now i lay me down to sleep, i pray the lord my soul to keep... if i should....die....before i wake...
 The prayer is left unfinished as she lets out her last breath, and everything is silent inside the trunk, but outside the lightning begins to flash and the thunder rolls...
 
 
 Cyara lets out a scream filled with rage and pain. She sees nothing but blackness as she jumps up and starts running to the cemetery parking lot and beyond. The crow following close behind.
 "You know what you need to do now Cyara." the crow speaks silently.
 "Make him pay." Cyara says simply. "Make him die..."
 "Yes.... What he has done must be justified." the crow replies.
 "How am I going to do that though?" Cyara asks the bird.
 "That you must figure out for yourself child." the crow says.
 "I understand...." Cyara says, then stops suddenly and looks in the direction of her apartment. "Gavin..."
 "Don't think about him!" The crow speaks loudly. "Think about what you were brought back to do."
 "Can't I see him though?" Cyara asks, her voice tight and full of emotion. "So much was left unsaid...."
 The crow seems to sigh "If you must, really, you can do whatever you want. But not until you've made that monster pay."
 "Understood." Cyara nods and looks at her clothes. The wedding gown that she was going to wear when she married Gavin, once a pure white, but is now a grayish brown. As she looks over the gown a flash of memory hits her and she gasps.

 "You look almost good enough to eat" Gavin says as he peeks at Cyara through the bedroom door. "Mmm.. Yummy..."
 "Ah! What are you doing in here???" Cyara says in mock horror. "don't you know it's bad luck to see the bride in her wedding dress before the wedding?" she giggles as she see Gavin's eyebrows wiggling in a suggestive manor. "Your gonna jinx us."
 "Well now baby," Gavin says, his voice husky. "All I wanna do is practice." he finishes as he moves close to her and wraps his arms around her waist.
 "What's there to practice?" Cyara asks innocently, though her eyes know the answer.
 "The night of our wedding of course..." Gavin says as he leans over and gives her a kiss so soft, it leaves her aching for more.
 "Well... if you think we need the practice...." Cyara says silkily as she wraps her arms around Gavin's neck and kisses the hallow of his throat. "Then don't let me stop you..."
 "I'll make sure that you won't be needing to wear white to the wedding..." Gavin says as he lays a giggling Cyara on their bed, then kisses her deeply...

 Cyara wipes at a tear that fell from her eye.
 "That's the night I got pregnant yanno..." She tells the crow. "When I found out, I wanted so much to tell Gavin....but I never got the chance to..."
 "So then tell him, when you talk to him." The crow says softly. "At least then he'll be able to know."
 "Maybe....." Cyara fingers at the dress gently, then continues to walk to her old apartment. Turning around she looks at the crow.
 "You coming?" She asks.
 "No." The crow replies.
 "Why not?" Cyara says.
 "I've come and done what I needed to do." The crow says. "Now the rest is up to you."
 The crow flaps it's wings and flies off. Cyara looks at the crow's disappearing form and frowns, wanting to call it back. But then she smiles a grim smile, understanding the reason she was brought back, and she turns around and continues walking.

"A man can tell a thousand lies, I've learned my lesson well, hope I live to tell the secret I have learned, til then.... it will will burn inside of me..... The truth is never far behind, you've kept it hidden well, if live to tell the secret I knew then, will I, ever have the chance again...? "  -Madonna, Live to Tell-

 Cyara walks up to her apartment, she notices a low light glowing from beneath the door.
 "Oh lord, how am I gonna do this?" She whispers out loud. "Well... here goes nothing."
 Opening the door, which is thankfully unlocked, she walks in. Looking around she notices that nothing has changed. Everything is as it was a year ago. Even Gavin, who is asleep on the sofa, snoring lightly, and looking almost peaceful.
 Cyara watches him for a moment, a look of wonderment and awe on her face. She takes a step towards him, then stops. Shaking her head she turns her direction, and goes to their room.
 Turning the light on, and walking to the dresser. she pulls open a drawer and smiles. Everything is still the same.... all of her clothes are folded neatly, and look untouched. She takes out a pair of black jeans. She had always loved these jeans, she recalls, the way Gavin always said that they looked painted on was the only reason.
 Throwing them on her bed, she opens another drawer. pulling out her black silk tank top, she looks it over.
 "Too much black, " She mutters softly, and searches some more. Finding her favorite white flair shirt, that used to be Gavin's, the ruffles and overlapping sleeves made her remember Gavin's comment about how the shirt looked better on her than it ever did on him.
 "All though he looked like a gothic pirate from all those cheesy romance novels I would always read..." She remembers out loud. She sighs and places the shirt on top of her jeans.
 She then begins to rip the ruined wedding dress off her body, which wasn't too hard. Completely nude now, she picks up her fresh clothes and wanders to the bathroom.
 "The only thing that's changed...though not much..." She observes out loud as looks around at the browns that now complimented the rugs and towels, replacing the pink fluffy stuff she had picked out in the beginning. She sets the clothes on the counter by the sink. Stepping into the bathtub and closing the curtain, she turns on the hot water and switches it to the shower head. The steaming water starts rushing at her body, and she doesn't feel the pain of it as it scalds and burns her flesh. As she cleans the dirt off her body, she thinks she feels Gavin's eyes opening, then him slowly waking up, his pulse racing as if he was having some sort of nightmare.
 "Not yet.." Cyara whispers, and she remembers a trick she learned on her own. Opening up her mind, she links it with Gavin's and begins to sing his favorite Celtic lullaby in a low soft velvety voice, that can't be heard over the shower. He always commented about how the song was his favorite and when her voice sang it, it could tame anything imaginable.
 I would sing it for him when he'd have nightmares.... she remembered. It would always help him fall back asleep. Continuing to sing softly, she turns off the shower and climbs out, grabbing the towel, she dries off the beads of water that are left on her body. Almost finished with the lullaby, she pulls the jeans on and leaves them zipped, but unbuttoned. Drying her hair, she uses a free hand to wipe the steam away from the mirror.
 She finishes the song, and finally feels Gavin slip back into a peaceful slumber, totally unaware of what had just happened. As she pulls out of his mind respectively, she looks into the mirror and gasps.
 "So many scars..." she whispers harshly, as she looks at her pale white breasts in the mirror. The scars are barely there, but what can be seen is little white silver lines that take on the form of a spiders web. Cyara stares at them for a minutes then yanks her shirt over her head, to hide them. "Jesus..."
 She looks in the mirror again, only at her face this time. Her smooth skin looks almost snow white as the lights of the bathroom glow in the small bathroom. Her eyes are a hallow looking greenish blue, with flecks of violet. Her dark red hair looks almost black as it's wet strands frame her oval face.
 She stands there staring at herself for a few moments. Flashing back to a memory of her childhood, she remembers being told about the powers of the crow. How they would bring back a soul, who's mortal body died wrongly. The person would paint a mask of irony on their face and then kill all the ones who did injustice to them and their loved ones.
 "I think they even made a movie or two about it.." She thinks with a small smirk. "Well I'm not going to paint my face up like some freaky looking mime." She mutters under her breath. Opening one of the drawers below the bathroom sink she finds her small make-up bag, and she smiles. Unzipping the bag she rummages around until she finds what she's looking for, a black eyeliner pencil. Looking back in the mirror she studies her face carefully.
 Taking the eyeliner pencil, she traces a tear drop from the corner of her right eye, that travels down just below her cheekbone. Coloring it in, she thinks about all the tears she cried that night. All the tears that her family cried when they found her in the trunk of her own car, dead to this life. All the tears Gavin cried, his soul mate lost, his unborn child, though unknown, was grieved as well. She knew that even the death of Bill wouldn't and could never erase all the pain her loved ones had endured.
 I'm not doing this for me... She thinks to herself... I'm doing this for them. Pausing for a moment, she lets her vision wander out, searching for anything that could give away Bill's whereabouts. Then she frowns.
 Her mother sits on the sofa staring at a picture of her only daughter, while her father stands next to her, wiping away tears that leak from the older man's eyelids, they both look to have aged about 20 years. Bill sits upon the couch, smoking a cigarette quietly. Suddenly her mother jumps up from the chair and starts sobbing. Jon tries to comfort his wife, but she pulls away, running to her room and closing the door. Jon can only look helplessly at the door, then sigh.
 "She gunna be alright?" Bill asks curiously.
 "Yeah Bill," Jon says with a husky voice. "She's just not over Cyara's death yet. I don't think she will be until we find out who did it." he adds quietly. "Neither will I.."
 "Well Jon," Bill begins, a frown showing on his features. "I'd like to get a hold of that bastard. Are ya sure that boy didn't do it?" he asks suddenly. "He seemed mighty suspicious at her funeral."
 Jon shakes his head. "Gavin didn't do it. He loved her more than his own life. And she loved him."  He finishes, wiping at a tear just before it falls.
 "Well , I hope we find him...Who-ever he is..." Bill says quietly then takes another puff of his cigarette.

 Cyara's eyes seems to glow slightly as her hatred for Bill slashes at her insides. Stopping the vision she walks out of the bathroom and back into the bedroom. Opening the closet door, she searches around until she find a pair of steel toed combat boots. The one's she wore, when she went hiking with Gavin on the night he proposed. Sitting on the bed, she slips them on and ties them up with lightning speed. before she gets up a quick flash hits her of the first time they made love in this bed.

 "Wanna break in the bed?" Cyara says with a mischievous giggle as she helps Gavin slip the mattress into place.
 "Oh you mean like this?" Gavin says as he jumps up onto the bed and starts jumping up and down on the bed. "Hey, this is fun, you should really try this."
 Cyara stands up on the bed and waits for the perfect moment. She then pounces him and tackles him onto his back and giggles. "That's not what i had in mind..." She straddles him and waits for him to catch his breath.
 Gavin lets out a low sexy growl, "Really.. what did you have in mind?"
 "Well tiger..." Cyara whispers softly as she leans over and whispers in his ear. Just before she sits back up, she nibbles his neck gently, and looks satisfied as it sends Gavin's body into full blown shivers.
 Letting him sit up he grins, as he wraps his powerful arms around her waist and pulls her closer. She responds by wrapping her arms around his neck and kisses him deeply. They stay like that for a few moments, before she gently pushes him back and lays on top on him, as he turns her over and kisses her some more, his hands running up and down her body....

 Cyara sighs and stands up. She looks at the bed, then turns around and walks out of the room, and back into the living room. She looks around for Gavin, but he's nowhere to be found.
 "Uh oh.." Cyara says softly.
 "Yeah that's exactly what I was thinking." Gavin's voice comes from behind her. "Just what in the hell do you think your doing in my house?" he demands.
 "Well.. I uh.." Cyara stutters.  Turning around she looks at Gavin. His grumpy, sleepy features turn into a look of a quarter amazement, a quarter pure happiness, and the rest fear.
 "Cyara?" Gavin whispers faintly.
 "Gee... I thought you would sound more happier to see me..." Cyara mutters.
 "But you... I mean.. we... found you in the trunk of your car.. i mean.. oh my god." Gavin takes a couple giant steps for her, almost running. "That wasn't you! Oh thank God! Where the hell have you been?" His questions make Cyara's mind spin, so she sits down on the sofa.
 "Gavin wait..." Cyara says slowly, trying to think of a way to explain.
 "What is it Hun?" Gavin asks as he takes her in his arms and hugs her tightly. "Please just don't let this be a dream. If it is, I don't ever want to wake up."
 "I'm sorry to tell you this Tiger, but it is a dream..." Cyara says, her mind thinking quickly.
 "What do you mean?" Gavin says, his voice confused. "I can feel you as if you were real."
 "I'm not real Gavin.." Cyara repeats, "This isn't real."
 "I don't understand." Gavin says quietly.
 Cyara takes a deep breath and goes on. "I've come back to make the one who killed me pay."
 "So you know who it was....?" Gavin says.
 "Yeah... I do." Cyara says.
 "Well then who ??" Gavin says, jumping up, "Let me go with you, I want to kill him."
 "Tiger, you can't..." Cyara says gently. "This is something I need to do on my own."
 "And what about after your through?" Gavin says, a thought coming to his mind. "What then? Will you just go back to where you came from? and I'll go back to wishing I was there with you?"
 "Baby, I don't know..." Cyara says slowly. "I really don't know what will happen to me."
 "Just tell me who did it..." Gavin begs. "I just want to know who killed you..."
 "It was Bill..." Cyara replies. "He raped me and put me in the trunk of my car.....and I died from lack of oxygen....." she finishes in a whisper.
 "Bill..." Gavin begins, his voice turning into a low growl, as he jumps up from the couch. "He's going to be dead. I'm gonna kill that son of a bitch."
 "No you won't." Cyara says. "Bill was already a dead man the minute he laid his hands on me. That's why I'm here.... to make sure he gets to where he's going to go." she adds.
 Gavin sits back down and sighs. "This isn't a dream is it Cyara." He looks at her solemnly and continues. "Just tell me the truth, this is just like in those old tales we heard as kids, about the crow, isn't it."
 "Yes, my heart," Cyara says as she cups his chin in her hand and looks into his eyes. "it is, but it isn't." she leans back and looks at him. "When I'm done with Bill, I don't know what's going to happen to me."
 "You'll stay with me, of course." Gavin says with a certain tone to his voice. "You can't go back. I need you."
 "And I need you Gavin." Cyara says softly. "I just hope that they'll understand that..."
 "Who's they?" Gavin asks.
 "I don't know..... The heaven's I suppose..." Cyara replies. "If that's where I'll be going after this..."
 "Why wouldn't you go to heaven?" Gavin demands, "Your more of an angel than any of them up there combined."
 "Your so sweet to say that...." Cyara smiles and kisses him lightly on his nose. "Gavin..."
 "Yes?" He says.
 "I have something to tell you..... but... I can't tell you yet." Cyara says jerkily. "It has to do with a secret I had before I died."
 "A secret....." Gavin says thinking. "Did it have anything to do with the pregnancy test I found in the bathroom trash can the morning you....." he stops, unable to go on.
 "Sh.." Cyara whispers softly. "I promise I'll tell you about it, when the time is right."
 "Alright," Gavin replies. "I guess that will just have to do."
 "Your right it will." Cyara says with a mischievous smile. "So instead of moping around in the past, lets make the most of what time we have..." She begins to unbutton her shirt.
 "You haven't changed one bit." Gavin says, a grin in his voice, as he watches her remove her shirt and throw it towards him.
  He lets it land on his head, and when he removes the white fabric, that smells of her scent, he catches a glimpse of her bare back as she walks into the bedroom. He gets up and follows her musical giggle, and is caught by surprise when she tackles him, both landing on the bed, embraced in a deep passionate kiss, that seems to last a lifetime or two.
 

"I don't wanna come down from this cloud... it's taken me all this time to find out what i need... And I don't wanna come down from this cloud....  It's taken me all this all this all this time....."  -Bush, Comedown-
 
 Cyara wakes up a few hours later locked in Gavin's embrace. She smiles and looks up at his face, and she see's the same handsome boyish face, that she feel in love with.
 "Your running out of time girl...." a familiar voice whispers in her mind.
 With a sigh Cyara snuggles closer to Gavin. "I'll finish it tonight..... let me have my moment." she whispers to the air.
 "We had a deal....... how do you ever expect to ascend when you won't even stick to the deal?" the voice tells her, suddenly becoming more real.
 Cyara looks over towards the window and there the crow, perched on the frame, watching Cyara with it's beady eyes. "Ascend? What the hell is that?" she whispers softly.
 "Well girl, it basically means that if you finish your job, there's a chance that you can stay to live the rest of your life." The crow says impatiently. "And at the rate your going now, there's no way in.... well you know."
 "Why didn't you tell me this before?" Cyara demands. "If I had known I wouldn't have stayed with him."
 "I didn't tell you because it just didn't cross my mind." The crow replies sarcastically. "I had enough to deal with, bringing a dead girl back and trying to convince her that she is in fact dead and then having to make you remember everything. What do you think I am? A miracle worker?"
 "Alright..alright.... don't have a cow..." Cyara crawls out of bed and puts her clothes back on. "Tell me something Mr. Birdie."
 "What Miss Girlie." The crow says, sounding almost grumpy.
 "Do I have another chance? I mean to do this ascending thing... If I promise not to screw it up?" Cyara asks sweetly.
 "Well yeah.."The crow begins. "I mean considering I didn't tell you about it in the first place, it would be only fair, wouldn't it..."
 "Yes it would." Cyara says simply. "Well then I guess I'm gonna go do this." She leans over and kisses Gavin's forehead before climbing out the window. "You going to disappear on me again?" She asks the crow.
 "It's what I do best....Just remember girl..." The crow warns as it begins to fly off... "We're watching you."
 "Yeah, I bet you are..." Cyara replies quietly as she jumps from the window down onto the ground. "Hm.. good thing we only live on the second floor..." she mutters as she begins running towards her parents house, the wind running through her hair, and the feel of her muscles straining and moving under her skin.
 
"Watch where you spit, I'd advise you wait until it's over, then you got hit, and you should have known better.....and we die young, faster we run......" -Alice in Chains, We Die Young-

 Cyara stops running as she reaches the pathway up to her parent's house. Letting her mind roam, she searches Bill's whereabouts telepathically. She can see him as he's getting ready to leave, he puts on his coat, puts out his cigarette and says goodbye to her father.
 Cyara doesn't smile as she jumps upwards and grabs onto a tree branch pulling herself higher in the tree. She straddles the thick tree branch and watches the front door. Waiting for him to leave.
 As if he were reading her mind, Bill opens the front door and walks out; waving goodbye to Jon. He gets into his car, and starts to drive off. Cyara waits a few seconds then jumps out of the tree, landing soundlessly into the grass just as her father closes and locks the door. Looking back towards the house she frowns sadly, then turns her gaze back to the direction Bill went. She begins jogging after him, and as he speeds up, she speeds up right along with him, being careful however not to give herself away, she darts in a out of the shadow's and keeps following him until he stops or something.
 Then it was like her prayers were being answered, he pulls into a driveway and turns off the car. Cyara crouches behind a bush, and watches Bill closely. As he fumbles around for the right key, she creeps up slowly and silently behind him. Thankfully he doesn't notice that when he opened the door and stepped inside, Cyara followed him with the gracefulness of a cat. He looks back, then remembers to shut the door, just as Cyara slips into a shadowy part of the hallway. She crouches down low and waits, as he closes, locks and bolts the door shut, then walks upstairs. Using her mind, she keeps watch of what he's doing.
 Undressing...... going into the bathroom.... taking a shower.... Jeeze ya think he would just go to bed. she thinks to herself. Just then he goes into his room and kneels down before his bed. Cyara creeps up the stairs and is able to walk through the open bedroom door, without being noticed.
 "Dear Lord," Bill begins. "I'd like to thank you for keeping me around fer so long. Lord knows i should be dead n' gone already..." he starts to ramble on, and suddenly Cyara is furious.
 Seeing Bill in the flesh, after what he had done, fills Cyara's soul with murderous hatred. To see him praying to a god that he shouldn't be praying to make her feel nauseous.  In a soft child like voice she whispers. "Please....you don't want to do this....."
 Bill looks around with a start. "Whut the hell...?
 "Please...Stop..." Cyara whispers again, a little louder this time.... "Please don't hurt me...."
 Bills face turns as white as Cyara's skin. "Oh no....I knew it, I knew it..." he gets up and begins to pace. "Oh god help me...."
 Cyara walks out of the shadows and stands right behind Bill, her arms behind her back, and her eyes and face completely hallow and emotionless. "Please don't Billy...." She says, her voice, normal, but lacking in emotion. "Stop it."
 "Holy Shit!" Bill says as he looks directly at Cyara. "Your dead!"
 "Really....." Cyara says, amused. "I think i look pretty alive...." she takes a step towards him.
 Bill automatically backs up. "Oh God oh no, oh dear god help me."
 Cyara suddenly laughs, tilting her head back some, her laughter sounding cruel and insane. Just as soon as it started though it ended and Cyara was looking at Bill again. "God? God can't help you here Billy-boy."
 Bill whimpers and clutches at his chest. Cyara glides up to him. "Oh not yet.... it's not that easy. Your gonna suffer a bit before I'll let you die." Cyara says her eyes suddenly flashing as she pushes him down onto his bed.
 "You want me?" Cyara says with a cruelness to her voice. When Bill shakes his head no, Cyara laughs again. "Well you sure did that night. Now didn't you."
 "Please... I didn't mean it. I didn't mean to do it!" Bill pleads. "I didn't know what I was doing!!!"
 Cyara snarls then leaps onto Bill. "YOU KNEW EXACTLY WHAT YOU WERE DOING!" she screams at him, then grabs him by the collar of his nightshirt. "You wanted to do it...." she continues. "You liked it... and you wanted to do it again. If they hadn't have found my body, I would have gotten a return visit from Mr. Billy Parker, right?" She demands, reading his thoughts.
 "No, No!" Bill sobs.
 "Don't lie Bill... it won't do you any good." Cyara snarls. "Guess what Billy? I came back for you..... I'm still dead...You wanna have a go at it?" she offers in a cruel voice.
 "No... oh please don't kill me." Bill begs her.
 "Oh, I'm gonna kill you alright..... you wanna know what I went through Billy?" Cyara says sweetly. "Don't you want to feel everything I felt that night...?"
 "No.. please..." Bill begs, on the verge of tears. "I'm begging you...."
 Cyara gets off the bed and turns away, "I was begging to that night," She says quietly. "Stop....Please...no..."
 "I thought you were only playing hard to get, " Bill stutters. "I didn't think you actually meant it..."
 Bills eyes get wide with fear as Cyara turns around, her eyes a glowing blue. "When a girl says no," Cyara says as she picks up Bill by the neck, "She means no." she finishes, throwing Bill across the room, causing him to crash into the closet door.
 Bill lays on the ground, completely stunned. "You always was a strong lil' girl." He says faintly.
 "Hard times make a person stronger." Cyara says as she picks Bill up and again by the neck, then looks him directly in the eyes. "And you sir.... made me what I am." she whispers just as she breaks his neck with a sickening crack.
 Walking over to the open window, Cyara cradles a dying Bill in her arms as she begins to hum.
 "One.... two.... they're coming for you...." Cyara begins to sing the ancient childhood rhyme in a childlike voice. "Three....four....better lock your door......" She begins to twirl around as Bill looks up at her helplessly. "Five....six.... get your crucifix...." She begins to slow down to a stop, but continues singing. "Seven...eight....better stay up late....." stopping completely she whispers gently into Bill's ear right before she throws him out the window. "Nine....Ten.... never sleep again...."

The next Morning....

"This is Wyllow Hazel, reporting live for KVEW news. Just behind me is the scene of this centuries most brutal murder, right here in the Seattle area. The body was identified as William Parker, 51. The reasons for this murder have yet to be known. However, the one clue that has baffled the police department and citizens is the marking on the victims face. It seems the victim's cheek has a large teardrop carved into his skin. Police say that the suspect is still at large, though the description is unknown......"
 
 

"...And I knew in the crystalline knowledge of you....drove me through the mountain...through the crystal like a clear water fountain... you drove me like a magnet.. to the sea....." -Stevie Nicks, Crystal-

 Cyara wakes up and looks over at Gavin. Seeing that he's sleeping peacefully, she crawls out of bed and walks over to the window then opens it. Waiting patiently for the crow to come visit her again, and just as she had hoped, the crow comes flying into the room and lands on her bare shoulder.
 "I did it." Cyara whispers quietly.
 "Yes, girl, I know." The crow replies.
 "What now...?" Cyara asks, her gaze traveling over to Gavin's sleeping face.
 "Now, you make the choice." The crow replies.
 "The choice?" Cyara whispers.
 "You basically have two choices." The crow says. "Either way you choose, you'll both end up in the same place."
 "What do you mean?" Cyara demands in a harsh whisper.
 "You stay, you become mortal, and in a few months, you die. Don't stay, then you'll have 12 hours to say your goodbyes, then you wait for them to come to you." The crow explains.
 "Oh..." Cyara says as she looks out the window.
 "The choice is up to you Cyara..." The crow says gently. "Listen to your heart, and choose from there."
 Cyara looks back to the crow, her cheeks trailed with fresh tears. "I never wanted to die..."
 The crow looks at Cyara with sympathy in it's eyes. "Neither did I...But I learned that  it's not really death. It's only a higher form of life. You passed this test, and now your being given the chance to move on. Gavin will understand that... So will your parents. And in time, even you will understand it."
 "I need to think about this..." Cyara says quietly.
 "You only have 12 hours Cyara." The crow warns. "Choose wisely." It adds as it launches off her shoulder and flies off towards the sun.
 "12 hours...." Cyara whispers to herself. "How does one say goodbye in 12 hours.....?"
 

 Gavin wakes up and looks at his side. Seeing an empty space he sits straight up and looks around wildly. "Cyara?" he yells. Hearing no answer, he gets up and notices a note lying on her pillow. He picks it up and reads it, his heart sinking.

Dearest Gavin,
 This letter is going to be so hard for me to write.. so excuse the stains of my tears. I hope you can understand why I chose not to stay. I was given the chance to move on in the world, and I took it. I don't know where I'll go, or what will happen to me, but I do know that your in my heart. You are my heart. Wherever it is I end up, I promise you that I'll wait for you. I'll wait forever if I have to. Your worth the wait.
And someday, when it's your turn, you can come and be with me, and then we can be happy.
 I never got the chance to tell you, but now seems like the right time. I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing, but the night everything changed I had found out I was 3 months pregnant. I was going to tell you, but I didn't get the chance.
 I love you Gavin. But it's time for me to go now. I'll love you for an eternity.

Until we meet again....

Cyara
 
 

 Violet Pearl wakes up to the sound of air near her face. Sitting up, she looks over to her left to see her husband Jon, sleeping. Violet shivers and looks towards the window which is open. "Funny..." She says to herself. "I could have sworn i closed that." Crawling out of bed she pads over to the window and reaches up to shut it. The moonlight flashes on something that's white and Violet looks down. A small white piece of paper can be seen sitting on the window ledge, with a small stone on it, holding it down. Violet pick up the paper and opens it. Her eyes wide she turns around quickly. "Jon... JON! Wake up!"
 "What is it ?" Jon wakes up startled and looks at his trembling wife. "Honey, what's wrong?" he takes the note and reads it, inhaling sharply. He holds Violet in his arms and continues to read on.

Dear Mom and Dad,
 Where do I begin? You both mean so much to me. I won't go into details about why I came back, but I will say that I'm at peace now. The man who did what he did got what he deserved, and now I can move on. Your love for me, is what helped me make this decision.
 I ask one favor of you though. Don't forget me. If you ever feel that you need to talk to me... just whisper to the wind and I'll be listening. I'll be watching you both from now on, and you all have my protection.
 Dad, take care of mom. In these next few weeks and for the next nine months, she'll be needing you, and you'll be needing her. This is my parting gift to you guys. Tell her stories about her big sis who was always getting into trouble, and her white knight who loved her more than ever imaginable.
 I love you both dearly, and i want you to remember, that the love and friendship of family and friends, will always conquer all in the end.

Your loving Daughter

Cyara
 

 Cyara sits down at her gravesite and leans against the headstone. With a tired sigh she looks up at the sky, and sees the face of her grandmother smiling down at her. Closing her eyes, Cyara thinks of that night, when she was trapped in the trunk of her car. The old prayer she tried to speak then, comes out softly and more easily.
 "Now I lay me down to sleep......" Cyara begins gently. "I Pray the lord my soul to keep....If I should die before I wake....." as she sinks deeper and deeper into a sleep, she quietly whispers. "I pray the lord, my soul to take....."
 

Nine Months later...

Cyara is sitting on clouds as they look below and watch Violet and Jon at the hospital. Violet is screaming her head off and Jon is looking like he's about to pass out. Cyara chuckles and looks towards her grandmother.
 "From the looks of it, I'd say she's gonna be just like me Nana..." Cyara says softly.
 Her grandmother chuckles, "I'm pretty sure, she'll be just like you, a handful....Just like the rest of us Pearl women" She says softly. "I wish i could stay to witness this event, but as you know i have places to be re-incarnated."
 "Yeah, i know nana..." Cyara says, then leans over and whispers. "Keep em on their toes for me."
 Eva Pearl lets out a musical laugh. "Don't you worry about that sweetheart."
 With a wave of her hand, Eva fades to a white light and begins her journey down to earth, and as Cyara watches, the light floats towards her mother and father and seems to disappear into her mothers stomach. Waiting to be born again into this mortal life. Cyara brings her knees up to her chest and watches for awhile. Seeing that everything is okay, she stands up and looks down one more time, when she's suddenly startled
 "That was really somethin' wasn't it..." A deep male voice says gently from behind her.
 Turning around, Cyara looks at Gavin. "Took ya long enough...." she says with a smile. "You almost missed it!."
 Gavin grins sheepishly. "Sorry about that.. I think I might have took a wrong turn or something." He wraps his arms around her waist and kisses her cheek. "All this still needs some getting used to ya know."
 "Yes.. I know.." Cyara says quietly. "But it turns out to be heaven in the long run." She finishes with a mischievous grin.
 Gavin laughs and kisses Cyara's forehead. "Very funny babe."
 "I try..." Cyara says quietly as her and Gavin look below, they both see that Violet has given birth to a healthy baby girl.
 
 "We should name her Christina Rose Pearl." Violet says to Jon, using Cyara's middle name.
 "Good idea honey..." Jon whispers gently as he looks at his new daughter with a happy smile.
 Little Christina sleeps quietly in her mother's arms, then opens an eye and peeks upwards, as if looking at Cyara.
 
 Cyara smiles and blows a kiss to the baby, and giggles as the baby seems to smile and then coo.
 With tears in her eyes, she turns to Gavin. "Lets go now..."
 "You sure..?" Gavin asks.
 "Yeah, I'm sure..." Cyara replies. "Besides, someone's gotta show you around here..." She says with a smile.
 Gavin chuckles and they both turn around and walk off into the clouds, hand in hand.

     ~The End~