Marc took a deep breath as he pulled up to Simone's house. Tonight was going to be the end to a lot of things in his life but he hoped it would be a new beginning for Simone. They had been dating off and on for years, never letting anyone know they were an item. It wasn't his choice but hers. She had problems with a lot of the people at school, most of them she created herself. She had a lot of problems at home, none of which were her fault. Marc had hoped that by them going to the prom together she could let people see what he had seen over the years. Yeah, she had her issues but beneath it all she had just been a very troubled person and when she felt safe she could actually be a very caring and kind person. She just kept that hidden behind the bitch facade so people would think she was tough and not mess with her.
Looking at the house he felt bad for her; the place was run down, no upkeep done on it. The grass was brown and over grown, the paint peeling. It was like no one cared if it fell in on those that lived within it. Things were going to change though, they had both applied to the same college and both had gotten accepted. They were going to go together and see where it went. Even if their relationship failed, at least it would get her out of this hell hole in his mind. It was worth the risk. Stepping out the car he adjusted his bow tie on his tux and strolled up the broken pathway to the front door, knocking several times and taking a step back; standing there waiting. As the door opened her
father gave Marc a look that nearly made him run away.
"Good evening Mr. Carter," Marc said respectfully.
"What do you want?" he sneered
"I am here to escort Simone to our prom," Marc said sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his neck.
"She ain't here," he stated flatly, stumbling a bit before catching himself on the door frame. Marc raised a quizzical brow, confused.
"Are you sure sir?" "I ain't daft boy, she left an hour ago, climbed into some car and off she went, now get off my porch," the man snapped before slamming the door in Marc's face. Marc cleared his throat and stood there for a moment dumbfounded. Why had Simone already left? They had been planning this night for months. Sighing he dropped the corsage he was carrying on the porch and walked sullenly back to the car. Climbing in he made his way to Kai's, they were supposed to meet up there before picking up Ada. Looks like he was going stag after all. Least no one would know he was stood up.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Once they got there, Marc tried to keep his mind off of Simone but he kept an eye out for her and began to get worried as the night dragged on without any sign of her. When Ada wandered off he forced a chuckle at Kai's remark. He was right, if he had opened up to Ash things might have been different but there was nothing he could do about that now; plus she was there with Jackass. Last thing he wanted to do was to make a scene at the prom and ruin things for Ash. So he kept his mouth shut around her when they passed and simply made cordial speak before stepping off again.
"Yeah, yeah, well not all of us can land the perfect girl or wear dreads with such flair," he teased. As the announcement began he couldn't help but making this off handed comment about Atlas getting named prom king. That was all the guy needed, more hot air for that ego of his.
I know I know," Marc laughed as he pretended to block the feigned blows.
"Think Ada preformed a miracle getting you off the stuff, she might be up for sainthood for that," he said smirking as he crossed his arms over his chest. He enjoyed the tit for tat's that he and Kai shared. The two had become best friends over time. At first he wasn't too keen on Ada dating Kai, didn't think they would work well together but in the end he was happily proven wrong. Ada was like a little sister to him and Kai had become a sort of big brother. The two were good for each other. She seemed to give Kai the drive he always lacked and Ada had become much more relaxed and less stressed out because of Kai.
Things were going great for the evening, even though he had been stood up. It hadn't been a bad evening and the trio had been having a lot of fun just hanging out. He didn't even feel like a third wheel, he never did around them. Then all hell broke loose and as soon as he saw Simone up there the world seemed to pause around him. He had to choke down his terror and feelings right then to keep from breaking down. It wasn't the time or place. Once Kai had taken care of Ada and Ash and got them out of there he kept helping to get people out of the gym; even pulling Cynthia out from under the dripping blood and ushering her outside.
That night was supposed to be magical and one to remember; it turned out it was but in the worst way possible. Marc never could shake the look in Simone's eyes out of his mind after that moment.
Five Years Later....
Marc sat down on the grass in front of the tombstone and began to pull away the weeds and overgrowth in front of it. It was clear that no one but him did anything to keep up with the care and he was only able to make it out there once a year. Resting a bouquet of flowers on top he shook his head as he continued to work. It was Simone's birthday, or would have been if she was still alive and each year he made sure to visit no matter what was going on. It was time for their yearly talk.
"Hey sweet heart... How are things going where you are? Hope better than how they were when you were here. Has to be right? Only solace I can take these day is thinking that you are free from everything that haunted and tormented you when you were here. Me? Working as usual. Out of the service now, working for the FBI but I don't know how long I will stay there; thinking maybe I am tired of the action and want more of a desk job. Can you picture that? Putting the life away for something more calm. I dunno, maybe it was time I slowed down and tried to have a family you know? No, things with Ash aren't happening anymore. You know how it goes. People drift apart and well I still just can't seem to open up to her. I know, I know. I just need to open my mouth and let the words come out but I can't exactly speak about work you know? Yes, I know, I don't have to talk about work but anything outside of that it hard for me, it always has been. Well I opened up to you because you were relentless. More stubborn than me, I didn't know that was possible. I miss you." Sighing he rested his hand on the tombstone and shook his head. Even now he could still open up to her. Hearing a twig snap behind him he spun around and his eyes widened as he saw Ada standing there with a small potted plant. Rising up he dusted his hands off and walked over to her, hugging her tight. How long had she been standing there? Why was she standing here? Leaning back from the hug he gave her a confused look and Ada pursed her lips somewhat.
"Wasn't expecting to see me here were you? I didn't mean to interrupt," Ada said sympathetically as she stepped around him and rested the plant in front of the tombstone.
"No, it's okay. The plant is beautiful, I am sure she appreciates it." "It's not from me. It's from Cynthia...." she said and Marc became even more confused as he looked over to the plant and then back at Ada. While he didn't think Cynthia had killed Simone it still didn't make any sense to why she would have sent Ada to do this for Simone. The two hated each other in high school.
"Why..." "Let's just say that the woman in Shady Pines isn't the same one we went to high school with," she said, giving just a vague explanation but it was enough for Marc, himself giving a brief nod of acceptance.
"So, how's the talk going this year?" "Same as always. How about you?" he asked as he gathered his things and the two started wandering through the cemetery together. He might not open up much to Ada but he was always there to listen. Ada shrugged slightly.
David passed away," she said looking down at her wedding band. Marc looked to her stunned and wrapped an arm over her shoulder.
"Oh Ada, I am so sorry.... what happened?" he asked but then thought twice about it, maybe it wasn't his place to make her talk about it.
"It's okay," she said looking over at him and noting the look of regret in his eyes.
"It was an IED." "How are you holding up?" he asked concerned.
"Not bad, I lost a friend so that hurts but it... well it isn't hitting me as hard as some... well you know.." she muttered as she took the ring off and shoved it into her pocket. Marc understood what she was saying. David and Ada hadn't been in love. They cared about each other but more like Marc and Ada cared about each other. They had dated and eventually just decided to get married because it was either break it off or take the next logical step. That was all Ada was about these days, the next logical step. She didn't let her heart get involved with things. She had basically shut herself off from people in that manner since Kai had broken things off with her.
Marc remembered the day it happened. Ada had shown up at his window in the middle of the night, drenched from the rain and crying her eyes out.....
"Ada.... what happened?" Marc asked as he pulled her inside and grabbed a blanket to wrap her up in. Ada just sat there balling her eyes out. He had never seen her like this, Ada was always so composed.
"Kai..." she whimpered.
"Kai? Is he okay? What's happened?" Marc asked worried. With the murder of Simone, his first thought was that someone had attacked Kai. The town was on edge since the murder a few months back.
"He... Ended us..." she sobbed before dropping her head into her hands.
"What? He dumped you? Why?" Marc couldn't believe it. They were so good together and Kai seemed happy with Ada, hell more than that. Marc was sure the man loved Ada and not in that silly high school puppy dog manner but that real love and he knew Ada felt the same.
"Said it was better this way. That he didn't want to hold me back..." she managed to get out.
"Ada.. I don't know what to say. What did you say?" he asked as he knelt down in front of her and handed her the box of tissues.
"I tried to explain he wasn't holding me back but his mind was made up. I thought he was joking at first but once I realized he wasn't I just broken down. I just couldn't think straight, I should go back. Try again right? What do I say? Marc... help me."
Marc didn't know what to tell her. He wasn't one for opening up about feelings and such, just wasn't easy for him. He wished Simone was there right then, she would have known what to say. Sighing he sat down next to Ada and listened to her as he spoke between the sobs. The woman looked broken. Marc was angry that Kai had broken up with Ada, it just didn't feel right. He had decided to go talk to Kai himself but in the end it was Ada that help him from saying anything and actually gotten him to calm down. They talked all night but the longer they talked the more Ada convinced herself that Kai had done right thing. Not for her but for him. That if she didn't end up going as far in life as he thought she should he would blame himself. That maybe he didn't care about her the same way she did him. That it was an excuse because he just didn't want to be tied down by some high school sweetheart when he went out into the world. Marc didn't believe that but once Ada made up her mind about something there was little anyone could do to convince her otherwise.
"Maybe you should talk to him Ada. Tell him what you just told me. Make him see you are a better person because of him just like he is when he is with you. Come on, I'll go with you." Marc was convinced if the two just talked this out and really opened up that they would be able to work through this. Ada just shook her head. She had finally stopped crying but the look of just absolute abandonment in her eyes broke his heart; he didn't like seeing his little sister in pain, not like this.
"No, this is what he wants... I just want him to have everything he wants... If he ever wants to speak to me again he will..." she said hanging over the blanket to Marc and climbing out of his window. Marc just sighed as he watched her climb down the tree and walk off. The next morning she was gone, off to college. That was five years ago and there they stood, wandering through the cemetery. Ada held true to her words. She hadn't spoken or reached out to Kai all those years. The first year was the hardest for her, she just lost herself in her studies. Year two had been a little better. Year three she had met David and Marc had hoped she was actually beginning to heal. She hadn't, David was just a bandaide. They dated about a year and then got married. Marc was there, as well as a few other close friends. Marc hadn't had the heart to tell Kai about what Ada had been going through. That and he knew if he did Ada would have killed him.
Even though she hadn't spoken to Kai she did ask Marc about him.
"How is Kai doing?" she asked, she always asked.
"He's good. He moved back to Hawaii." "I heard about his mom, visited her grave yesterday," Ada admitted sheepishly. Ada had always liked Kai's mother, she was a good woman. She knew Kai must have been devastated to lose her. She almost reached out to him but felt it was better to stay away. She had come into town for the funeral when her parents called her to let her know but opted to stay at home. It wasn't until the day after the funeral that Ada had gone to pay her respects. She left a small token on the tombstone, a
Uli-Nana-Pono.
It may have seen odd since Ada was no where near a Hawaiian but when she and Kai had started dating all those years ago she had learned everything she could about his culture. His mother was great to speak to about it, especially the religious aspects of it. Ada had always been one that loved to read and his mother had let her borrow a lot of books. She had learned a lot and respected the woman deeply. Every year since then when she visited Grimm she made sure to visit the grave and leave another Uli-Nana-Pono. Ada didn't believe in religion, but had a great respect for the spiritual aspect of things. It was her way of telling his mother she still remembered everything she had taught her.
"I was wondering where the little trinket came from, looked familiar," Marc said as they continued to walk. Ada nodded as her hand came up to her chest and began to fiddle with something beneath her shirt.
"You still have it don't you?" he asked as he glanced over to her. Ada stopped walking and nodded as she pulled it out. It was a worn hemp necklace with a
Ke Ao-Ulaula strung on it. Kai had given it to her while they were dating, she still hadn't taken the thing off. She kept hoping it would do what he told her it was supposed to do, heal a broken a heart; among other things.
"Never take it off unless I need to fix the hemp," she said as she looked at it, her fingers running over the symbol carved and burned into the little wooden coin. A depressing smile coming to her lips as she touched it. It was one of the few things she still had of her and Kai. She may have kept her distance all these years but she never really gave up hope that one day he would at least call her. She knew it was naive and now knowing he had moved back to Hawaii that hope was all but crushed but hope was all she had anymore. She didn't want to try the dating thing again. It just made no sense and wasn't fair to anyone else she got involved with. She still loved Kai, she doubted that would ever change. Only thing she had now was the memories and knowing he was alright thanks to Marc and Ash kept her going. In the end that was all she wanted, him to be happy. Seemed even through everything he was doing well in life. She hoped she played a small part in that.
"Should call him Ada, I could give you his number. You know, just to say hi. I am sure he would love to hear from you," Marc said as the two started walking away and Ada began to make her way to her car. Shaking her head slightly she gave Marc a hug.
"No, he seems to be doing fine without me. I don't want to disturb him. He has better things to do than have an awkward conversation with an ex he wants nothing to do with," she said before telling Marc goodbye and driving off.
March just nodded and watched her go, muttering under her breath as she drove off.
"Five minutes, I need to lock those two in a room together for five minutes..." Shaking his head he looked back over to Simone's tombstone. A quick inhalation of breath and he ran back over to it. Stomping on the now burning flowers and plant in front of it.
"What the fuck!" he yelled as he looked at the tombstone, part of it now beaten off and crumbling on the ground. Spinning around he noticed a figure running off in the distance carrying a baseball bat. Marc took off after the figure but was never able to catch up, they had too much of a head start. All he was able to tell the police was that he saw a flash of blonde hair from under a baseball cap. They never found out who did it, he suspected they never even tried.
Adelaide Grimaldi
Cyn sat there, twitching as Ada tried to calm her down and she was to some extent. Ada sighed to herself, the girl was obviously a wreck. This probably wasn't the best place for her to be right then but there really was nothing that could done about it now. She was there, so was everyone else; well almost everyone. So she would just have to try to get Cyn through it with as little bit of a scene as possible but that really couldn't be helped at this point. The woman entering the place and screaming her lungs off had kind of thrown things for a loop.
Riley coming over surprised Ada, that anyone would come over and try to help Cyn at this point surprised Ada. Granted they didn't know what Ada knew but she had kept her mouth shut all these years. Cynthia begging her to not let anyone know what she told her, that she would when the time was right. Seemed right then it was time for at least part of that. Cyn looked over to Riley, wringing her hands and pulling at her own fingers as she tried to look the girl she had tormented so relentlessly through out high school.
"Yeah... Riley.. I um, well I need to tell you, that um, well and this is from me, and not the voices. Yes it is, not it isn't. Now hush. Fine, do this on your own. You'll just screw it up. No I won't. Yes you will. She doesn't want to hear what you have to say, no one does," Cyn began, talking more to herself than to anyone else and carrying on a rather confusing conversation. Ada shook her head as she looked over to Riley and bit her bottom lip slightly.
"It's okay Cynthia. I am sure Riley will be happy to listen, go ahead. I'm right here," Ada said in an understanding voice.
"Right, um... Riley. I'm sorry. I was a bitch, no a cunt and you didn't deserve that you know? Yes she did. No she didn't! No you didn't. I um, know that well like you won't forgive and that um like okay cause like I know um that I wouldn't if I were you, just um know that yeah, I am sorry," she muttered, stumbling over her own words. Ada slipped back some. She knew Cyn meant it even if it was coming out a jumbled mess. It was the best the cracked woman could manage right then. Cyn slowly looked over to Ada, chewing on the inside of her cheek.
"Did I do that right?" "You did fine," Ada said before hearing her phone go off in her back pocket. Looking down at it she perked a brow. It was Marc, he was supposed to have been there an hour ago to help her set up.
"Riley, can you sit with her just a minute I have to take this," she asked as she stood up.
"Hey, where are you? Oh, um I'm in the middle of the gym with Cyn and the rest of the group. Oh, okay, yeah, give me a minute to step out," she said before putting the call on hold.
"I'll be right back," she said and Cynthia nodded over and over again as she sat there pulling at a strand of her hair and rocking slightly. Standing up Ada began to make her way towards the door and saw Ash. She smiled and darted over to the woman, hugging her tight.
"Bitch! About time you showed up!" she exclaimed as she kept hugging Ash before her phone beeped; reminding her she had a call on hold.
"Crap, it's Marc, I'll be right back, I promise," she said before darting outside of the gym. She hadn't made it more than a few steps outside of the gym before the scent of something all too familiar hit her senses. Turning she followed the smell. Maybe Mr. Black had shown up to say
high to everyone.
Then she saw him and froze in her tracks. It was Kai... Of course it was Kai. She just stood there with her phone in her hand, hitting the unhold button without thinking. She felt a lump grown in her throat as she looked at him. He was as devastatingly handsome as ever even without the dread locks. The look on her face was anything but hatred though; the look that came over to her was the same mix of love, disbelief and sadness that had overcome her the night Kai had broken things off with her. The same look that had been the last time they had seen each other was there as if all those years hadn't passed; as if they had just been frozen like that all these years.
"Ada!" March chimed in from the other side of the call and Ada snapped out of it, blinking a few times as she tried to regain her composure. Clearing her throat she walked over to him and snatched what he was smoking right out of his hand and tossed it to the ground, crushing it under her heel.
"You're better than that Makana," she said quickly, not even realizing that she had called him by the nickname she had called him while they were dating. She had started calling him Makana at times after she had read about the word in one of the book his mother had let her borrow. It meant gift in Hawaiian and she wanted to remind him that he was a gift to her in her eyes and to never sell himself short.
"ADA!" Marc chimed in again, this time with much more force. Ada narrowed her eyes at Kai and shook her head as she stared at him, taking the phone and placing it to her ear.
"What?" she nearly growled.
Marc Tender
Location: His Parents --> Grimm County Library
Interacting With: People in person and Ada on the phone.
Marc had arrived in town the night before; late. Settling in he tried to get some sleep but not before visiting Simone's grave once again and having a heart to heart with her like he always did when he visited. He didn't sleep well that night, wondering what just was going to happen at the reunion but thinking things out did nothing to help him get an rest. He had finally passed out well into the wee hours of the morning and by the time he stirred his phone had been ringing for sometime with a slew of voices mails on it. Groggily he reached over and picked up his phone.
"Special Agent Tinder," he muttered as he tried to wake himself.
"Marc, hey it's
Timothy Grayson. Listen, can you come down to the library?" the voice at the other end asked. Tim was part of same graduating class as the rest of them. He was a bit of a stoner back in the day but now was a member of the sheriffs department and would call Marc from time to time if he was stumped.
"Why, someone have a late fee?" Marc asked as he sat up in bed and rubbed his eyes.
"I wish it were that simple, just get over here. You need to see this," Tim said before hanging up after Marc agreed to come over.
Getting dressed quickly he opted to wear what he was going to wear to the mixer that evening in case he didn't have a chance to change before hand. He was no longer the gangling kid of his youth. His shoulders had broadened and he had filled out nicely in all the right places; years of being in the military and working for the FBI had done his stature well. He no longer walked with his head held low but high and looked people right in the eye as he passed them. He had gained a confidence he hadn't had in his youth.
Quickly he made his way from his parents to the library, stepping out of his
car, adjusted his tie and made his way into the building. He was perplexed to what was going on, the place was surrounded by law enforcement and taped off. Marc flashed his GBI badge and was let in by some wet behind the ears new comer. Tim was standing inside the door waiting on him and shook Marc's hand as it was extended to him.
"Is this how you always dress for work?" Tim asked with a smirk.
"Pretty much but we do have the mixer tonight," Marc reminded Tim.
"Yeah, I don't know if we will make it, come take a look at this," he said as he lead Marc through the library to the reference section and pointed up to the second floor. There, tied to the iron railings in a net was
Jessica Flaggstaff, one of the librarians. Her head was crushed in the same was Simone's had been the night of the prom and she was dressed in the same dress that Ada had worn that night so long ago. Marc cupped his hand over his mouth. He had known Jessica. She was a bit of a bookworm back in high school and was voted most likely to to write the next great American Novel.
"Oh god, when did it happen?" Marc asked as he lowed his hand.
"Time of death looks to be between five and six yesterday afternoon," Tim told Marc. Marc furrowed his brows as he pulled out his phone and pulled out some files he kept on it. "What is is?"
"That's the same time of death the coroner put for Simones death. This can't be a coincidence," Marc said as he doubled check.
"Yeah, I doubt it is either. Same type of murder, same set up, same time of death, even down to the prom gown. Well the dress is different but it's still a dress," Tim said taking his hat off and running his hands through his hair. "Probably another one of Cynthia's. It's got to be her, she was released, is back in town."
"I don't think it was her. That dress I know," Marc said as he pulled up his photos and scrolled through them. Eventually he found what he was looking for. It was a picture of himself, Kai and Ada at prom. In the picture was Ada in the
black dress.
"That was Ada's dress? You can't think she did this can you?" Tim asked and Marc shook his head.
"No I don't but I think whoever did this is trying to send a message," he said flipping through his contact and pulling up Ada.
"Give me a second," he said as he stepped to the side. Tim nodded and went back to work as Marc made his call.
"Ada, are you at the gym alone? Okay, then step outside, we need to talk," he said quickly and waited for Ada. It was a while and then he heard the phone go off her hold music.
"Ada?" he said trying to get her attention. Then he heard it. Ada was talking to someone and soon as he heard the nickname he knew who she was speaking to. Not a good time but it couldn't be helped.
"Ada!" he yelled into the phone.
"What!?!" she snapped back.
"What happened to your prom dress?" he asked quickly.
"Why do you want to know that?" she asked, still looking at Kai and turning her heel to crush what was beneath her heel even more.
"Just answer the question." "Should still be hanging up in my closet at my parents house. Why?" Marc didn't answer as he looked back over to the body of Jessica as the local law enforcement started to cut the body down now that enough evidence and images had been taken for later.
"Marc? What's going on?" she asked as she finally broke her gaze from Kai and looked down, biting her thumbnail slightly.
"It's Jessica... She was killed yesterday," Marc said as he paced about the library and leaned back against one of the racks of books.
"Jessica's dead???" Ada asked in shock as she slunk down and crouched there. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"What does that have to do with my dress?" Ada asked in a shaky voice.
"She's dressed in your prom dress..." Marc replied and Ada's grip on her phone went loose, the phone dropping to the ground at her feet.
