Another One (Book 3 of selection fanfics)

Chapter 3- Derek's POV

Derek's POV

Genevieve's hand was warm, the steady beeping of the heart monitor and the whir of the machines keeping my twin sister alive the only noises in the room. The walls and bedsheets were stark white, giving Gen a lifeless pale pallor. It was a huge difference from her usual vibrant self.

"Come on, Gen. This isn't funny anymore," I leaned back in my chair, loosening the tie around my neck.

Nothing.

"I'm not kidding, Genevieve."

Still nothing. I groaned and stood, rolling up my shirtsleeves to the elbow. She had been the same for weeks now, motionless, hair hanging limp to her waist. Thick white bandages hid her stitches and tubes encircled her everywhere.

The door opened and James walked in, dressed in a plain shirt and jeans instead of his guards uniform. His hair was messy, eyes tired as if he hadn't slept in days--I didn't think I had either.

"Where's Everly?" I asked as James stepped into the room. My sister seemed to be with him 24/7--I supposed my parents had asked him to be a sort of bodyguard for her after the attack. Of course, James was the only one blind to her obvious crush on him.

"With Marlee and Cade. Kile's with them, too." He added after the look of concern on my face.

I nodded, taking a step back from my sister. James still stood by the door, hands stuffed awkwardly in his pockets. He only had eyes for Gen.

"You should get some rest. Wearing yourself out by staying with her all the time won't help anyone." James spoke quietly, looking at me briefly.

"I'm her twin brother. I can help her more than anyone." I retorted-I was tired of people telling me that being with her didn't help anything.

"You're not exactly the best person to ask for help in a crisis." James crossed his arms.

I raised an eyebrow, confused. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Need I remind you that I'm the one who had to pull Erika away from her dead sister's body while you stood there? She was screaming for help and you did nothing." His voice was sharp and cruel, every word intended to hurt me. Still, I deserved it.

"I regret that. If I could have changed it, I-"

"Well, you can't," James glared at me. "And instead of comforting her during the worst moment of her life, you threw her out of the palace as if she were a deranged criminal. I thought you loved her."

"I do-I did." I corrected myself--there was no future for Erika and I, not after what I had done. Not after what had happened.

"I don't get you," James gritted his teeth in frustration, hands running through his hair. "You tossed the one girl that you loved out of the palace, the one girl who you said made you laugh, the one girl who would love you even if you weren't a prince. You said you wanted to marry her; and somehow, you act as if her being gone hasn't seemed to affect you at all."

"It hasn't. I don't love her anymore."

"You're a liar, Derek. You've lied to me, to Gen, to Erika. But most of all, you lie to yourself," James spat out the words as he moved closer to Genevieve. "I know you felt betrayed. But that's nothing compared to what Erika felt."

I clenched my jaw. All I could do was stare at James, his face hard and unmoving as he stood beside my sister. I hadn't realized how much anger he'd been holding against me. I felt a pang in my chest--I'd lost too many people in the past couple weeks to count and James was just another to add to the list.

I turned on my heel, walking out of the room before either of us could say anything else. The halls were filled with guards, extra precautions in case the rebels decided to attack again. Their activity had been quiet, nothing since the attack at New Years, but my parents didn't want to risk any more lives. Background checks were more extensive and each of the remaining five selected had been interviewed extensively by James' father, Aspen, and his best men.

I found myself walking away from the next set of stairs, remaining on the second floor. The Elite were spread out now, likely finishing dinner and preparing for bed. I turned down a corridor into a secluded hallway where no guards were stationed--there was nobody here for them to protect anymore. Liana's door was closed and had already been emptied the day before New Year's Eve. Erika's, as I opened the door, had been so last minute that not everything had been cleared out.

The bed was still outfitted in a blue comforter, fluffy pillows perched atop it. The Grand piano was still in place, open and ready for someone to play it. I tore my gaze away; the last person sitting there had been Erika.

All of her personal items were gone but it still felt like her room. Her dresses still hung in the closet, all of them elegant and beautiful. My heart stopped as my eyes caught on a silver and blue flowered day dress; she'd worn it the first time we met, when she tripped and fell into my arms. In a sort of trance, I pulled it off the rack and sat down. It still smelled like her, like the gardens and sunshine. Flashes of her smile, her laugh, the way her brows scrunched when she teased me flitted through my mind.

I groaned and tossed the dress back into the closet. I needed to stop this, stop thinking about Erika. I'd sent her home and that was the end of it. There was nothing else for me to do except find someone else. The worst part about what James had said was that he was right. I was lying to myself, to my family. I still loved Erika and I wasn't sure if that would ever stop.

But even if I still loved her, I couldn't face her. I'd sent her home after her sister died, after I'd found out her older brother was a rebel. I could still see his face, the horror as he saw that the bullet meant for me had hit his youngest sister. I regretted what I'd said to Erika, how I'd yelled at her and accused her of being a rebel. The look of fear on her face as she shrank away, knowing that it was because of me, would haunt me for the rest of my life.

I could still see her look of confusion once I mentioned her bracelet. How had I not seen that she didn't understand? That she had no idea the star charm was the symbol of the Northern Rebels?

I'd been blind in my anger, my fear that Genevieve would never wake up and that Erika had been lying to me. But it was too late now. All I knew now was that if Genevieve woke up, she'd kill me once she found out.
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2 updates in one day! Wow! I hope you guys liked this glimpse into how Derek's been doing since the attack and elimination. Both my babies are sad and it breaks my heart, but it has to be done!

QOTC: If you could speak to Derek what would you say to him? If you could speak to Erika what would you say to her?

AOTC: To Derek I'd say end the whole frickin thing and marry Erika. To Erika I'd probably just give her a huge hug--she's gone through enough sh*t, mwahaha.

Please comment and vote!

xoxo, _lovemultifandoms_