Javon crossed his arms over his chest and looked at me. "What the fuck did you want to sell your soul?"

"I didn't! It's a long story, but look, Miss Witch person, I need to go back to the living world. Please, my-my son needs me. He can't—" I took a few steps forward when the thing in the water started to rise up.

The long black hair somehow grew longer and perfectly covered the naked, pale body until her upper thighs. Her feet dangled a few centimeters from the muddy water and her hands lay still at her sides. The black eyes were still locked on me and I took a small step back.

"What is done cannot be undone." It said in a gentle breeze-like voice. It almost put me at ease when her words sank in.

"There-There has to be something I can do! Please, I know I have probably begged before, but please. I have a son. He went through hell because of what your shadow monster put him through!" I paused, swallowing down a lump in my throat, "Please, I want my son. I want to be with him."

"No. What is done cannot be undone." She repeated, the voice becoming more firm. She moved her hand in a go-ahead motion and suddenly the fog around us started to pool around our feet. It moved around us in a clockwise motion until it started to twirl up behind the witch. It took a shape of two monsters that reminded me of the shadow monster, but somehow it looked tamer.

The shadow monsters started to come forward and Javon grabbed my arm.

"We gotta go, Varia." Javon whispered.

"No, no. Wait, please! I can do something for you! Please!" I shouted as Javon pulled me back.

"What is done—" She started to say when I yanked free from Javon's grip.

"It can be undone!" I cried out, making the white fog things stop in its track, "Tristian made a deal and he broke it, right? What if I make a new deal with you?"

The witch cocked its head and the corners of its lips tugged up. "That deal has been closed for a long time."

"But he never finished what he started. What if I picked up where he left? In exchange, you give me my life back with no more death and being reborn."

"You do not wish for immortality?"

I shook my head. "I want to live until I die of old age... with my son and Tristian by my side."

The witch started to hover towards us and Javon took a step back. I stood still as I locked my eyes with hers.

"Anything else you desire?" She asked. I blinked and thought for a moment.

"I want you to let Harry Vale rest in peace. I want your monsters to leave me and my family alone. I want my life back... and I want Javon to come back," I looked back at him and he stared at me in shock, "He had nothing to do with this and he shouldn't be dead because of me."

I looked back at the witch and her lips were pulled into a straight line. "Harry Vale is one of my most prized monsters. I cannot simply let him go."

"Like Javon, Harry did nothing wrong. I was the one who hurt him when I fell in love with Tristian. I heard after some time of my first death, he moved on and died happily. He deserves to rest peacefully."

"You want so much out of me and yet, you offer such little in return. I would say that is a bit unfair, wouldn't you agree?" She leaned over me, her cold face a few inches away from mine. I opened and closed my lips like a fish out of water as I tried to think of something else to offer when she leaned back and turned around, floating away. She waved her hand over her shoulder and the shadow monsters grabbed me and Javon.

I struggled as it took my arms and started to drag me back to the woods. Javon also struggled and tried to dig his heels in the dirt but it only lifted him up.

"I'll take Harry's place!" Javon shouted.

I stopped. The monsters stopped. The witch stopped and sharply looked over her shoulder.

"Excuse me?" She said. Javon glanced at me from the corner of his eye and locked eyes with the witch.

"Harry. He's the big shadow monster, right?" He asked as the shadow monster holding him put him down.

"Correct." The witch said, turning around slowly.

"What if I took his place?"

The witch chuckled. "What makes you think I would trade for something I can take free of charge and exchange with something that is going to cost me?"

Javon hesitated and shrugged his shoulders. "I wouldn't argue against you. I would do whatever you say. Wouldn't you rather have someone who will walk alongside you instead of dragging some poor sucker who only wants to escape you?"

The witch's eyebrows rose and she crossed her arms over her chest, bringing one hand to her mouth. She tapped her pale lips with a finger and shifted her eyes at me.

"I want your soul, Varia. I want Tristian's immortality back, but I keep his soul. I want Javon to replace Harry. In exchange, you go back to the living world, no more reincarnation. I also want the deal with Tristian to be continued until the end of your days; bring me a new soul every new month."

"No, wait. I want Javon back!" I pleaded, looking at him. He smiled a small smile and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"It's okay, Varia. There's nothing for me back in the living world anyway."

"Yes, there is. Me, your son, your friends—"

"You found someone new," He cut me off, walking up to me and cupping my frozen cheeks with his surprisingly warm hands, "Someone who will probably take care of you better than I ever did. Someone who will sleep with you and you only. And Drakon doesn't need me. He has you. And I'm sure this someone new will also take care of Drakon. He's a strong kid. He'll manage without me."

My vision blurred with tears and Javon lightly bumped his forehead with mine.

"You'll always be my best friend." I whispered, hiccupping at the end as a sob escaped my throat, "I'll find a way to get you out of this mess. I promise."

"No need for that. I'm sacrificing myself because I want you to be happy. You deserve to. After everything that has happened since we were kids, you deserve it. I wish I could erase all those horrible things I did when I was possessed. You know I never wanted to ever lay a hand on you or Drakon."

"I know. I knew that since it was revealed that Harry was controlling you. Drakon knows that too." I sniffed. Javon smiled and lowered one of his arms around my waist and held my hand close to his chest.

"I love you, baby. Trust in me when I say..." He sang, swaying lightly. I started to sob as the song brought me back to our wedding. Can't Take My Eyes Off You by Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons was the song we danced in our first dance.

"Oh, pretty baby. Don't bring me down, I pray." I continued, my voice barely above a whisper.

I blinked and all the trees and fog faded away to the beautiful venue we had booked for our wedding. The lights were dimmed down and a crowd circled us as we swayed to the music. I was still dressed in the same dirty, wet clothes. Javon, on the other hand, was dressed his black tuxedo, his hair brushed back except for a small strand that hung around his right eye.

"And let me love you, baby. Let me love you..." Javon finished and smiled, "I'll find a way to hold the deal with the witch so you wouldn't have to hurt anyone. I know you don't have the guts to do that."

"Neither do you." I sniffed. Javon scoffed.

"Do you not remember who almost beat up your bullies to death back in high school?" Javon said, lifting his head as if he was proud. A tear slipped from his eyes and his lower lip quivered. I let out a sound that sounded something like a sob and a laugh as I remembered how worried we were when the police showed up at his house. We even made plans to run away once we heard they were in a critical condition.

"It's the least I could do," Javon continued, "Drakon needs one of us with him to help him in whatever he needs. To help him become the best he can be. To watch him grow old. To give him the best advice in anything life throws at him. And out of the two of us, you are the one who could do it... You let him how much I love him, alright?"

I nodded, not trusting my mouth as my chin wobbled. Javon nodded back and leaned forward. His lips touched mine and I closed my eyes, kissing him back. I pulled away for a second, not opening my eyes yet until I heard a whoosh.

I opened my eyes and found myself staring up at the sky. It was starting to turn pink, meaning it was dawn. I quickly sat up, looking for Javon, but I was alone in the woods. A breeze passed by, blowing a few leaves around me and I touched my chest.

No hole.

I stood up and looked around. This was different from where I was with Javon. These woods looked... lively. A couple of birds flew around the trees and a squirrel darted past my feet and up a tree with a nut in its mouth. The breeze picked up the pace and threw my hair over my shoulder. I gasped, realizing my hair was longer. It reached all the way to my hips—the longest I ever had it grow.

This meant a lot of time has passed since I died. As that thought crossed my mind, I heard something thump in the distance. On its own, my feet walked me towards the direction of the sound until I stood behind a tree. There was a clearing in front of me and someone was piling a few logs. He threw the ax he was holding onto the stump, the handle sticking up.

I swallowed hard as I remembered that brown hair. It was also a bit longer, currently tied up in a bun. His brown gloved hands reaching up to wipe away something from his forehead.

His tanned arms glistened in sweat and I put my hands around my mouth as I realized this was the first time I ever saw him without a jacket or a sweater. He was there, out in the open, with a tank top, jeans, and boots. No long jacket, no sweater, or mask or half mask.

For once Tristian dressed... normal.

I almost took a step forward when someone else came out from the edge of the clearing, holding another pile of logs. His light brown long-sleeved shirt was drenched in sweat. He sniffed and dropped the logs next to the ones Tristian piled up. He took off his brown glove and took off his blue cap.

I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding in and held onto the tree as my legs almost gave out.

Drakon wasn't a child anymore. His hair was longer; almost long enough to tie into a ponytail. He brushed his hair and put the cap back on. He took off his other glove and stuffed it in his back pocket, making his semi-tight jeans sag a little. He blew a gum bubble from his lips and sat on this ground. He brought his knees up and rested his elbows on them.

Drakon looked like to be about sixteen years old. My baby was a teenager. He wasn't a kid anymore. My baby... He grew up.

"I think this should be enough to last a month or so." Tristian spoke, taking off his gloves and going over to a bag where it hung by a low branch. He grabbed two water bottles and handed one to Drakon.

"Thanks." Drakon said, his voice deeper than I remembered. My baby wasn't a kid anymore.

Tristian took off the ax and sat on the stump, taking a sip from his water. Everything was quiet and I felt the need to go hug my boys when Drakon got up and put the gloves back on.

"Where are you going?" Tristian asked.

"To look for more firewood." He responded, already walking away.

"Drakon." Tristian stood up and Drakon stopped, turning around.

"What?" He asked. Tristian sighed and put the cap back on the water bottle.

"I heard you had another dream of her." He said softly.

Drakon sighed and rolled his eyes. He turned to walk away, but Tristian rushed over and gently grabbed his shoulder.

"We'll get her back, Drakon. I just need some more time." Tristian assured, lowering his arm. Drakon grabbed his gloves and roughly put them back on.

"Yeah, sure. You keep telling yourself that." Drakon muttered.

I couldn't help it anymore and I finally stepped forward. The twigs snapped under my feet and Tristian and Drakon quickly looked up. Drakon drew a knife from somewhere behind him and Tristian grabbed the ax. I walked further until I wasn't hidden by the shadows of the trees.

Drakon's shoulders dropped and the knife fell from his grip. Tristian lowered the ax and let it slip from his fingers, his eyes widening. I took a deep breath, feeling my heart pound inside my chest as they stared at me in disbelief. I parted my lips to say something when a black cat came out of the woods.

Like Tristian and Drakon, Tom aged too. He was bigger and gained a few pounds. He spotted me and froze. His nose started to twitch as if he was sniffing something when his ears perked and he meowed. He ran towards me, rubbing himself around my legs. I chuckled and scooped him up, surprised by how heavy he had gotten.

"Is Tom the only one who's going to welcome me or are you guys going to continue to stare?" I smiled as Tom rested his head at the crook of my neck.