Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Never Gone ❯ Never Gone...? ( Chapter 1 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

Seven years... that's how long it had been since her funeral. And since the day Cain found out about his daughter, Schuylar. Will the love of a lost soul prevail in the ever darkening light of hope? This is actually a side story from my upcoming Lyric Series, and the prequel to another story, 2 Sides 2 Every Story.

Miscellaneous: Original Stories Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Drama | Type: One Shot | Uploaded On: 09.26.2005 | Updated On: 01.30.2007 | Pages: 2 | Words: 1.5K | Visits: 493 | Status: Completed

Disclaimer: Original characters, etc. belong to me. Quote towards the end belongs to DelKaidin.

~*~*~*~

Seven years. It had been seven years since the day of her death. And since the day of her funeral, I had never returned to visit her gravesite. That was until today. I had flown up to Seattle for a few days with our daughter, visiting my love's uncle and aunt.

I stood in front of the blue-granite headstone. My daughter stood to my right, her hands tightly gripping the deep charcoal-colored silk of my shirt. She had always known her mother wasn't alive, but this put any of her child-like hopes into a puddle of mud, especially as she read what the grave had written on it:

Isabelle Ryla Lane

May 11, 1988

April 13, 2006

Forever You Will Stay In Our Hearts

“It's still so hard to come here every year. Izzy, she was so much more than most people thought she was.” John, her uncle spoke, placing a rose on her grave. “She could have gotten so far…”

I looked at Schuylar, her midnight colored eyes brimming with tears. She was identical to Isabelle, save for her eyes. “I just wish she would have told me. I would have more than gladly helped her out.” I admitted to the elder couple that stood with us.

“Cain, you are doing all you can right now. You managed to raise your daughter while not only attending high school at first, but college as well. Just how old was Schuylar when you graduated with a degree?”

Looking at Arlene in the eyes, I answered. “She was six when I received my Masters. I spent so much time away from home with my job and school for almost two years.”

Both nodded, before heading back down the gravel path to their vehicle. The cemetery was quiet, with the only sounds being that of the soft rain that began to fall hitting the leaves of the trees and bushes that surrounded the property. I began to get lost in an alternate world where Isabelle was still with us, by our side, when Schuylar pulled me from my dreams.

“Daddy, what did Mommy look like?” she asked, her eyes burning into mine.

Fishing out my wallet, I pulled out a ratty picture from our junior year together, before her mother had committed suicide. “Just like you.” I answered, showing her the photograph. When I put my wallet back into my pocket, I noticed another figure standing behind us.

“Excuse me,” a soft male voice spoke, “would you mind if I put this down?”

“No, go ahead.” I stepped aside a little to allow him to place down a single, vibrant pink tulip. He seemed familiar, but I couldn't remember just who he was. I had probably seen him at Izzy's funeral. His dirty blonde hair was spiked and his hazel eyes showed no emotion.

As he looked to me, he must have noticed Schuylar. “Were you a friend of Isabelle's?” he asked.

“Her boyfriend,” but to myself I added, `her lover, her other half, her sanctuary after her mother died…'

“I remember you, I saw you seven years ago.” He began, “I'm Allen, you and I fought over who was and who wasn't her boyfriend at her funeral.”

“Thought I remembered you from somewhere. I don't think we ever properly introduced ourselves. I'm Cain Riese.”

“Allen Wills. May I ask,” he said, waiting for me to do something. I could only reply, `Yes?', “Who is this beautiful little girl?”

Schuylar looked up at us. “My… I mean, our daughter,” my eyes flickered over to the headstone. The man had a questioning look come over his face.

I listened as he seemed to muse to himself, “So that was why Isabelle wasn't in school for five months…” Allen bent down to be eye level with my baby girl. “Hi, I'm Allen. May I ask, what your name is?” he asked, sticking his hand out in greeting.

In a voice so soft it was barely audible, “Schuylar,” she answered shaking his hand.

“Beautiful name.”

There was a moment of silence before another figure appeared behind the three of us. “Allen, we need to get going.” A feminine voice spoke. He rose up from his crouched position, and turned to look at the woman.

“I'll be there in a minute, Marty.” He called to her. We watched as she walked away. Allen turned to me, “It was nice to see you again. Hopefully we can meet up again.”

“We're here for the week; give me a call when you might like to get together.” I handed him a business card for my father's company that had my cell number on it.

“Will do,” with that he walked down the path and away from us. Finally it was just the two of us, in the silence of the cemetery.

Placing down a white rose and a letter, I let one lone tear fall to the already damp ground. “You don't know just how much I miss you…” was all I could whisper to her grave. Standing, I grabbed a hold of Schuylar's hand. With one last look behind our shoulders, we walked away, down the graveled path to our rental car.

Isabelle,

My love, my life, my inspiration, my heart. You still hold my soul within you. There is so much you have missed in seven years. Schuylar is the spitting image of you, my love. I seem to be following in your footsteps. I've been working with the high school for almost four years now, and I'm doing what you had suggested I think about as a career. I love working with the students, watching them enjoy learning.

Izzy, I never told you, but if it wasn't for Schuylar, I would have followed you in death.

A wise author once wrote that, “There is only ever one person for you who is deserving of love, that when they die, your life ends when they're gone.” You, Isabelle, were that person for me, even though we were only seventeen.

Always yours to have,

Cain

As we drove down the highway to Arlene and John's home, the grey clouds began to clear, leaving a rainbow in their wake.