A/N: Okay, so I posted this story once before but felt that it needed a lot of revising... so here it goes. Please read and review. The ratings may change at a later date depending on if this takes a new turn from its original destination.

The letter held in the woman’s hands was that of heart wrenching complexity. With the core of her being pounding and aching within her chest, she let the letter fall to the ground in a feather like manner, grabbing her keys to get into her beat up Plymouth Acclaim. Tears streaked her face in more emotions as she swerved in and out of traffic to get to her destination before the present turned to past. Spinning her car into a parking spot at the town mall, she saw the two culprits that put her emotions on spin dry. Only pulling up the emergency break instead of completely parking the car, the door swung open and a body charge from it. Running with a life depending on it, she saw the glints of the dagger being withdrawn from one of them, speeding in the adversary’s direction.

They all watched with pale expressions, the blood pooling from their face while time froze around them. The man holding the athame cowered his hand over the dagger now, panic stricken when the other demanded emergency assistance over a cell phone. The supposed-to-be-attacked only took the woman into his arms to move her trembling body to the ground. The movement had been so swift that no one felt the ripping of skin or the sudden onslaught of crimson tides now gracing the woman’s blouse. Sana trembled from head to toe, watching her friend who had given her the letter fall back in shock against a post with his hands inches from his face, trying to make the blood stains go away.

The ties that Sana and the man in front of her had together were ones of friendship and an awareness of magic. Sana had become a Pagan/Druid over a short period of time through her ex-lover, inheriting most of her powers from Jack who now held her. He was a Necromancer, a Vampire, or so he liked to consider himself only without the fangs or the hindering part from the sun, just your average Joe.

Once the two of them broke up, Sana’s soul mate took her back. She had crushed Demetrius’s heart by leaving him for Jack only to help Sana realize that the mysterious life she was desperately trying for was not the one meant to be had. Sana then realized that Jack’s life was a life of lies and weakness.

The good thing that Sana felt was that she could get her old life back by being with the man she truly cared for, along with his undying and devoted love. She had cried many nights because of the comprehension of what had truly gone on, spending those moments afterwards obtaining the life’s path that had her name reserved for it.

The letter she had read was one stating that Jack was going to die, that night. Although Jack and she had their differences, she still cared for him, even if he had hurt her so deeply. Jack became well protected from Sana’s friends as well as she being protected from his, having a hidden fear of Sana hurting him and visa versa. Even though both parties knew of her gentleness, her friends would have a different say in the matter as far as pain being granted to this man, Jack, who rightfully deserved it, giving Sana pain out of his own satisfaction.

After all the time it took Sana to get over Jack as well as his friends following and harassing her, she didn’t need anything to be brought back again. That was what confused Sana about her friend, feeling that he understood she wanted to keep Jack in the past where he belonged.

“Why? Why?” were the only things that Jack could manage to get out of his frightened lips.

“Because I still… care…” Sana choked as pain rushed through her veins again, her hand gripping the hilt of the athame protruding from her chest.

“You shouldn’t have…”

“No, I knew… that this was going to happen. It was my choice… to save the life of someone with my own. Just tell… Demetrius… that I love him… and I will always be with him…” she flinched where she lay for a moment, choking back the sobs that wanted to be released, blood trickling from the corner of her ruby lips.

The ambulance finally came to her rescue, only to be seconds too late. The two men that had recoiled at her side snuck into the shadows, hoping to wash away the forever stains on their souls.

XxXxX

A funeral was held a week later in remembrance of a wonderful woman who had touched so many hearts, even when her own needed mending. People from all ages came from different memories of Sana’s life, hoping to make emends in one form or another. Flowers had been donated from a variety of shops, decorating the funeral home like a forest of colors… just the way she had always wanted. Speeches were made in her honor of the many delights she brought to the world, sometimes funny memories and sometimes heartfelt ones. Sana had hoped to see the age of being wrinkled and grey; twenty was good enough for her, having fulfilled her purpose.

“She was a woman who always went out of her way to make others happy, even if they didn’t want it. There was always something about her that caught you deep within your soul that helped you to realize there was nothing you couldn’t do. I will miss her,” a teary eyed co-worker stepped away from the podium, wiping away tears that wouldn’t stop.

Someone Sana was once in love with, which slowly turned into a best friend and brother, walked up to the dark oak casket and looked into Sana’s face, wishing things had been different. He himself had been in love with her as well, but thought it better that she was to be with her true love…

Thomas reached in, checking to make sure that no one was looking, and snipped off a good size piece of her hair. He gave a piece to Demetrius, who had joined Tom moments later to put a piece into his own pocket. They gazed at each other with a knowing of what was going on, but signs of this wouldn’t be for years to come.