"I still can't believe you remember," Brie told Caitlyn as they sat at her dining table, sipping tea.
"Tell me Brie, what happened?"
Brie told the story, cried as she neared the story of Sam's death. She also eventually realized what the lesson was. When she did, she knew that there was a reason why she was worried about Sam's calmness as the date of Caitlyn's death anniversary grew nearer. But when she figured it out, it was too late, Sam had already died. "A life for a life Cait. He called on dark magic to revive you, that put the scale out of balance and nature always needs everything to stay balanced. If he wanted to keep you alive, nature demands a life for the life that was given. So knowing that, he saved you and sacrificed himself."
Caitlyn stood up, angrily. She's feeling a mix of emotions right now. Anger, frustration, sadness, pain but underneath all of that was guilt. How could she forget? How could she not know.
"You two are so alike, you know that?" Brie smiled a bit. "I could literally hear you feeling the guilt of his death. Cait, I love my cousin, and I'm telling you, don't feel guilty. Live Cait, that's why he sacrificed himself, so you could live. Your memories are not punishment but a gift. Would you rather not remember him?"
Caitlyn stopped, looked at the ceiling, and the tears that she has been trying so hard to stop from flowing out finally came. She fell to her knees, tears flowing down her face. "How do I do that Brie? How do I live without him?"
"By remembering him Cait. If we remember him, he lives, if not in the real world, in our hearts. Live for him Cait, it's what he would've wanted," she said as she walked towards her, laying her hand on her shoulder. She vaguely remembered that she did the same thing to her cousin not too long ago and struggled to hold back the tears that were starting to form.
Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Both of them were startled, no one was expecting a visitor. "Are you expecting someone?" Cait asked.
Brie shook her head and slowly went to the door. When she opened it, a boy was standing at her door. "Can I help you?"
"Hi Miss, I'm really sorry, I got lost and couldn't find my way back. I got turned around and eventually ended here. It's already getting dark and I'm really scared, can I stay for the night here please? I swear I don't steal," the boy said looking at her with puppy dog eyes.
Brie looked at the boy and felt like she knew him somehow. He seemed oddly familiar. "Sure, come on in. What are you doing out so late anyway?"
"Well… you know…. Um…. Alright alright you caught me!" he pouted. " I ran away from the orphanage and can't afford them finding me so I need somewhere to hide.."
She looked at the boy in the light and saw the bruises on his neck, on his arm and knew why he ran away. "Alright. You don't have to worry, what's your name boy?"
He looked up, happy that he wasn't getting kicked out. "It's Sam, miss. Samuel Bartley."
Her jaw dropped. She looked up, saw Caitlyn at the door of the kitchen, her eyes locking with her and understanding dawned on the both of them. A life for a life.. "How old are you?" Caitlyn asked.
"My parents were killed when I was born, so I'm not sure, but if the orphanage records are correct, I'm about 6."
"Oh my God," Caitlyn whispered. She walked towards the boy, dropped to her knees, and hugged him tight. "Stay, Sam. Stay as long as you need." She looked up at Brie and tears fell from her eyes. Her heart, though still in pain, is now at peace...