Samantha Cassidy

Sacrosanct.

For so long, the city name had given Samantha nothing but comfort when she'd considered it. It had been her home. Where she had found friends. A family. A lover. There, she'd found comfort in the fae being she'd become, and even discovered how to use the powers she'd been gifted. She had felt safe there. Comforted. Loved. And yet, just as quickly as all of that comfort had been given to her, it had been ripped away in a series of mistakes. Mistakes that made her lose the one person she loved most. Though she hadn't issued the death blow, it had been her actions that had led to Aiden's death. And though she'd tried to forgive herself and to believe the friends that told her it wasn't her fault, in the end the guilt had driven her out of the city.

For two years she'd travelled, allowing herself no more than a few months in any place. It was easier this way. To not make friends or get attached. If there was anything she'd learned from her time in Sacrosanct, it was that no one could be trusted entirely. She'd thought the blonde Were had been wanting to help her, after all, and look what had happened. Samantha had promised herself that she would never, ever allow herself to be so naive again. Despite that, however, she'd found herself back in Sacrosanct. It was almost intoxicating in the last few months the way she'd felt herself drawn back to the city. So she'd packed up what little things she'd taken with her and returned to the apartment in the West end of the city. The apartment had been the one thing she'd been unable to part with. She could remember when Aiden had surprised her with the apartment and all the moments they'd shared together within it. One thing. She'd allowed herself one thing, and returning to it had been just as painful as she'd expected it to be. Everything had been left where she'd last placed them. Even one of Aiden's leather jackets that she'd taken from the Ark was still left on the back of the couch. It was as if she was returning to a museum of her old life, and it would certainly take work to return it to the state she'd last left it.

It had been nearly a week now since her return to the city, and it was finally time to venture out past the walls of the apartment. Perhaps, she found herself thinking, she'd be able to reconnect with the people she'd left behind. Nadya, Dorian, Vhalla, Raven, Toby... their names had been on her mind more than usual as of late. And still, there was that fear that none of them would forgive the faerie girl for her past sins. But she had to try. She had to at least attempt the contact, even if it would prove futile. It was that in her mind as she'd ventured out of her home and towards the eastern part of the city. Though she lived in the West, she had yet to allow herself to venture out in it, and certainly not near the water towards the Ark. No, it was far too soon for that. The east was safer. There were less memories that lingered there to torment her. Instead, she lingered on the streets, trying to muster up some sort of bravery to track down the people she wanted to find. If they were even near to be found, that is.

Even through her sweater and the leather jacket of Aiden's, the cold seemed to pierce her skin. She hadn't meant, really, to wear the jacket anymore. She'd promised herself upon returning she would be rid of that nostalgia, and yet that was a promise she seemed to be failing on. Stop thinking about that, Samantha told herself, opening the door to the bakery to give herself some relief from the cold. She didn't truly look up as she ordered herself a coffee, to-go, from the counter. Nor did she look up as she spun around, her body crashing into the person standing behind her.

"I'm so sorry. I'm terrible at watc-" Samantha began, checking first to make sure that her coffee hadn't spilled on the male in front of her. Fortunately, she'd saved herself from that embarrassment. Her words, however, were cut off as she looked up and was met with a familiar set of green eyes. She was sure her mouth hung open awkwardly as she studied the face she knew so well. Green eyes, caramel skin, a mop of messy black hair. Aiden. Aiden Tetradore. She opened her mouth to speak, hoping to muster up some sort of coherent string of words. Instead, what came out of her mouth in broken stutters was: "You're... you're dead. I... I saw it."