Never Really Gone

Chapter 34

Nora's POV

For once, Demetrius doesn't hit me. He doesn't threaten me or yell at me. I don't know whether to be relieved or concerned, but I still keep a distance, just in case he does blow.

It's been years since I've seen him so broken like this. I can't see his face, seeing as he's turned away from me, but I can feel his pain and sadness.

"Are you ok sir?"

I'm still furious at him for hurting Grian, but I can see the hard shell of anger and coldness the Watchers built around him has cracked, and maybe I can try reach the person inside. He turns, and despite his face being stained with tears, his eyes hold the tiniest spark of fondness.

This begins to give me hope. I smile, trying to encourage that speck of happiness inside him. Though it doesn't at all have the effect I was going for.

"I'm sorry"

His voice isn't cold or harsh anymore, it's just... sad. I must look quite surprised, because he laughs a little.

"I am. For everything I've done to you and Grian. There's no excuse for it."

"There is. I know that wasn't you"

"At the start it was me. At the start I was hurting you at my own will. It was just... taken advantage of. And I'm sorry I let that happen to you Nora. I'm sorry you fell victim to their use of my rage."

I'm slowly beginning to recognise the man I used to know. The man who, despite taking me from my family, made sure no harm ever came my way.

Demetrius used to protect me the way I protected Grian, Joe and the twins. He seemed to like me a lot, despite having no previous connections to me. Demetrius would always comfort me when I was scared, or help me through my bad days.

Then, one day, he made the Watchers mad through some means I didn't understand, and they decided to take it out on his family. He lost everyone, and when I tried to comfort him, he got mad, hitting me and yelling at me to go.

I still remember the shock of feeling his hand slap me across the face. How my eyes had filled with tears and I had run away, scared of what he'd do if I stayed.

Then it happened again, a week later. I can't remember much after that, only that it became more frequent and painful, the caring man I used to know was taken over by a harsh, terrifying person I could hardly recognise.

"The reason I wanted you to come here is because I'm... no longer needed."

"What do you mean?"

"They're going to kill me Nora"

"WHAT?! They can't!"

"The search for Grian hasn't been productive, and that was the only reason they're keeping me. They're going to send out the strongest they can to try and get him back. You have to stop them. You know what they'd do with his magic. You can't let this happen."

"But what about you?" I ask, tears streaming down my cheeks

"Don't worry about me, I'm going to a place where I'll never hurt you again. And it's best this way, alright?"

I nod, and he smiles, gently wiping a tear from my cheek.

"I'm proud of you." He tells me, pulling me into a hug. "Please remember that"

"I will" I promise, pulling out of the hug. He smiles one last time.

"Goodbye Nora"

"...Goodbye."