Always and Forever

by Rebeca Aguila

  She sighed deeply. “My life. I have nothing. Well, I have my parents and my brother but that doesn’t give me any excuse.”

  “What are you talking about? You want to commit suicide? Karina, I don’t think you’re thinking. What about your family?”

  “What? I don’t want to commit suicide. I just want to run away from this world, from everything.”

  “Again, what about your parents? What are they going to think?”

  “I don’t care about they think. They just make fun of me day after day and, frankly, I’m getting tired of it.”

  “Well, can’t you tell them to knock it off?”

  “Well, yes, I do, but they think of it as funny. But I don’t. I see that they don’t care at all. They just make fun of me every chance they get. Even my little brother. He’s turning 15 soon and he still makes fun of my disability even though it was a year ago. I had a stroke, like your sister.”

  “Well, how about I talk to your family? See if I can see what’s going on?”

  “You really think that they’ll listen to you?”

  “I hope so. But your brother, phht. I can get him to talk. Heck, I have friends at the FBI that I can get to talk to your family. They study behavior.”

  “OK, sure. That’ll work, I guess.”

  She called up her friend Morgan. “Hey, Morgan.”

  “Hey, what’s wrong? Don’t tell me that you have another serial case.”

  “No, no, no. It’s nothing like that. It’s my friend Karina’s family. They make fun of her and she can’t get them to stop.”

  “OK, I guess I get Reid over there. Where are you?”

  “Florida. I’m in a hospital because I have HIV.”

  “Whoa. Um, OK. Well, I guess I can get the whole team over there.”

  “OK, thanks, Morgan.” She hung up.

  “OK, so what did he say?”

  “He said he’s going to send Reid, another BAU agent over. He’s coming with the whole team.”

  “Who? Morgan?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Wow, that’s amazing to have friends like that to care about you. Especially your fiancée.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Well, I hope he’s coming.”

  In the doorway, stood Spencer. “Karina? Hi, I’m Dr. Reid.” He looked at Rebeca. “Hey, Rebeca. What happened to you?”

  “Um, blood transfusion. Long story.”

  “Hey, guys,” Morgan said. He and the team came closer to where Rebeca was.

  “Girl, what happened?” Emily asked.

  “Blood transfusion. It’s a long story,” she said to Emily. “Um, guys, this is my friend Karina, the girl that I was telling you about.”’

  “Hi,” Karina said, shyly.

  “Hi, I’m agent Aaron Hotchner, and this is agent Emily Harris, agent J.J, and agent Morgan.” He held out his hand and she took it.

  “How are you?” she asked them.

  “We’re great,” Emily said.

  “So, how’d you get HIV in the first place?” J.J asked.

  “She told me she doesn’t want to talk about it. She’d rather talk about Karina.” Spencer said.

  “Hey, guys, what are you doing here?” Spencer, Rebeca’s fiancée, asked.

  “Hey, babe,” she said to her fiancée. “Guys, you remember my fiancée Spencer?”

  “Yeah.” J.J laughed. “Hey, to me, it looks like Spencer’s mad because Rebeca’s fiancée has the same name.”

  “Um, no, no.”

  “Hey, Karina, forget about dinner, we talk about Rebeca’s medicine right now.”

  “OK, sure, that’ll work,” Rebeca said. “So, anyway guys, Karina has been having a few family problems. They’ve been making fun of her and she can’t make them stop. Can you help her?”

  “Sure, what’s the problem?” Emily asked.

  “Well, my brother has been making fun of me, too much, especially my dad and my cousin. He’s staying with us for 3 months. He came from Cuba a month ago.”

  “And? Have they actually made physical contact with you in any way?” Aaron asked.

  “Well, my dad, he actually gives me hugs and kisses me on the cheek. My brother doesn’t touch me at all. And my cousin, well, he basically does everything with my brother and sometimes, without me knowing, stays in my room to sleep, while I write my novels.”

  “So? Then, if you can’t tell us anything, then we can’t do anything about it. Come on, guys.” Morgan said. He looked toward Rebeca. “I hope you get better, Rebeca.” They left and headed toward their hometown, Quantico, Virginia.

  “Sorry, Kari. Listen, if it makes you feel any better, you can stay with us for a few days.”

  Karina wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and looked at her. “Really? But the thing is that I’m only 18 and I can’t leave my parents.”

  “Do you want to feel less affected by your parents bullying?” Spencer asked. “Or do you want to stay with us?”

  “I guess I can stay with you guys.”

  “Great,” Spencer said. “So, if you want I’ll help you get settled.”

  “OK, sure. That’s not going to be a problem at all.” Karina said.

  “OK, then, let’s go,” Spencer said. He looked back toward Rebeca and winked, sending her a shiver down her spine. I love you, he mouthed toward her, kissing her.

  “I love you,” Rebeca said.

  “We’ll see you soon,” Karina said.

  “Bye, babe. See you in a little while.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  As soon as Karina and Spencer got to the house, he said, “OK, let me show you the guest bedroom.”

  “What’s this?” Karina asked, looking at the pellets.

  “Oh, that’s for me. I have to take those for everything, like for growth and stuff.” He chuckled. “Let’s get to the guest bedroom, now, shall we?”

  “OK. Sure.” She followed him until she spotted a big scar on his back searing through his shirt. “Hey, Spencer?”

  “Yeah?”

  “What’s this scar on your back?”

  “Oh, that’s a scar that I got a long ago. It doesn’t hurt anymore, anyway.”

  “Can I look? It looks pretty bad.”

  “I guess you can.”

  “OK.” He took off his shirt and she gasped. “Oh my goodness, Spencer.”

  “What? What is it?”

  “You’re bleeding and it’s too much blood. Hold on, let me call Rebeca. Does she know anything about this?”

  “Um, yeah. Why?”

  “Well, this is serious. You might be entitled to having hypothalamic hamartoma. Do you know anyone in your family that has it?”

  “Um, well, my mother had it. Why?”

  “Well, let me call her and ask her, and then I can call Robert and Catalina to see if they know anything, OK?”

  “OK.” She grabbed her phone and dialed Rebeca’s phone number. Rebeca picked up.

  “Hey, what’s up? Are you enjoying your room?”

  “Um, yeah, it’s-it’s great. Hey, quick question.”

  “Sure, shoot.”

  “Do you know anything about Spencer’s back scar? It needs medical attention.”

  “Um, yeah, it’s a scar he got from Jacob when he tried to hurt me a long time ago. It’s been a few years now.”

  “How long ago exactly?”

  “4 years ago. Why do you ask?”

  “Because he has that huge bruise and it requires medical attention, it’s bleeding. Is that,” she swallowed. “Normal?”

  “Um, no. No, it’s not.”

  “Well, what should I do?”

  “Bring him to where I am and I’ll try to see what the problem is.”

  “OK.” She hung up and looking at Spencer’s scar, she looked away.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked, putting his shirt back on.

  “Um, nothing. Um, Rebeca said that we should go to the hospital to see her.”

  “Um, OK. But what about you? I mean, shouldn’t you get set
tled first?”

  “I don’t care about that right now. Let’s go.”

  * * * *

  “Hey, honey. Let me see the scar.” He stood in front of her and turned around. “Hey, Karina. Um, it’s kind of bad. Take him to the operating room. I’ll call Alex to check on him and Katherine, see if he can come over here.”

  “Wait, baby, listen to me, I’m not dying but, just kiss me and all of this will be over.”

  * * * *

  “Rebeca? Babe? Can you hear me?” Spencer asked. He was standing next to her bed, along with her parents and Hannah and Edward. She opened her eyes, looking into his gorgeous mahogany colored eyes.

  “Hi,” she whispered. “What happened?”

  He chuckled softly. “You had some dream, huh?”

  “Um, what, what are you t-talking about?”

  “You were in a coma, honey. We brought you to the hospital and you had a surgery.”

  “Huh?”

  “Hey, sis. You had that headache; the paramedics came and brought you here.”

  Rebeca’s tongue felt heavy and groggy. “I-I still don’t understand.” She looked at her parents, then at her sister and Edward, then at Spencer, finally at herself. “I-I don’t even know who I am anymore.”

  “You don’t?” her sister asked Rebeca. “Mom, I think she’s lost it.” She looked toward Edward and started crying into his shoulder.

  “Hey, hey, hey. What’s wrong?” he asked in her ear.

  “Edward, if she can’t remember who she is anymore, then what do I have to lose?”

  “Well, you still have me and your parents, all right? Now, dry up those tears, hmm? You’re making me want to cry.”

  “OK.” She laughed slightly. “I love you,” she whispered into his ear.

  “Hey, Dan, we’re going to go,” he said to his father-in-law.

  “OK. Sure, go ahead.”

  Edward looked toward Rebeca. “See you later, Becca.”

  “Bye Becky.” her sister said. She came next to her bed and kissed her forehead. “I love you, sis,” she whispered into her ear. She, then, left with her husband.

  “Hey, Spencer? We’re going to go, too.” Selena, Rebeca’s mother, said.

  “OK. Sure. See you both later.”

  “Bye, honey,” Selena said to her daughter. They, then, left them alone in the room.

  “So? All of this is real?” Rebeca asked Spencer.

  “Of course it is, babe. What makes you think that it isn’t?”

  “Well, I had this dream that Edward and Hannah were married, that you and I were engaged, my parents were dead, and that Jacob killed his wife and daughter and Katherine’s girls to get to me. You bit me to suck out venom from my arm and body.”

  “What? Honey, well, part of your dream is real and part of it isn’t.”

  “So what part is real?”

  “Well, Hannah and Edward are married, and we are engaged. That’s real. The rest, your mind made up.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, Lilly and Hadassah aren’t dead, and Jacob isn’t a sexual sadist.”

  “Well, I also dreamt about you and me and Hannah and Edward being bionic.”

  “Well, that’s not true. We can’t be bionic. Bionic people don’t exist.”

  “What about Karina and Robert and Catalina?”

  “They’re here.”

  “So, anyway, in the end, you had a huge scar on your back, it was bleeding, and you told me to kiss you to make it go away.”

  “Wow, well, look.” He lifted up his shirt and showed her his back. “Nothing, see?” He bent down, next to her and whispered, “I love you so much.”

  “I love you, too. When are we getting married again?”

  “Two months from today.”

  “So what day is today and when did you propose?”

  “A few weeks ago and today is February 2nd, 2024.” He chuckled, kissed her forehead, and then her lips.

  “I love you, honey. I really do.” He laughed lightly and kissed her again.

  “I love you too, babe. I love you so much.”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  With that said, Rebeca was finally released from the hospital a few weeks later.

  “Hey, honey,” Spencer said when she got home. They were at Hannah’s house. “How are you?” he asked, walking toward her and Hannah.

  “I’m good, I guess. Well, I’m actually, not great. I feel horrible.” She looked toward her sister. “Hannah, can you leave me alone with Spencer for a moment?”

  “Sure thing.” She gestured with her hand for Edward and her to leave. Once they left, Rebeca sighed, making her cry.

  “Hey, honey, what’s wrong?”

  “I just, I can’t do this.”

  “You can’t do what?”

  “I can’t marry you. Not like this. I mean, look at me. I’m hideous.”

  He bent down next to her and cupped her face in his hands. “You’re not ugly, babe. You’re the most beautiful and intelligent girl that I’ve ever met.”

  She stopped crying for a moment. “Really?”

  “Of course. In fact, the first time that I saw you, I thought, ‘Wow, that’s the girl I’m going to marry someday.’ And here we are, engaged.”

  She wiped her eyes and hugged him. “Wow, that’s what you really thought about me?”

  “Mmm-hmm”

  “Wow, but I mean, I can’t go like this. I can’t even walk without a walker.”

  “Well, I can talk to Edward and see if his dad can do anything about it.”

  “OK, well, I guess that’ll help me.”

  “Of course it will. I’ll be right back.” He kissed her nose and left to call Edward.

  Rebeca sat there thinking about the wedding and how it’ll be like. She closed her eyes and her mind left the present. I can’t believe this isn’t real, she thought to herself. Wait, if this isn’t real, then what am I doing here?

  With that, Rebeca woke up and looked around the house. “Hey, sis. What’s wrong? You look like you just had a nightmare.”

  “Um, no. I-I’m fine.” she stammered.

  “Then what’s the problem? Couldn’t sleep?” Edward asked.

  “Yeah, but it-it doesn’t matter.”

  “Yes, it does. It’s Jacob, isn’t it?”

  “Um, yeah, how-how’d you know?”

  “I read minds.” He winked at her and she smiled weakly, trying to hide her feelings.

  “Um, yeah, can one of you guys take me home, please? I’m getting antsy.”

  “Um, OK, sure, sis. I’ll take you.”

  “Well, OK. Sure, thanks.”

  “You’re my sister. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you.” They went to the front door when Hannah turned around and, looking at the guys, she said, “I’ll be back, guys.”

  “OK, no problem.” They left the guys by themselves.

  “Wait, what did she mean by ‘antsy’?” Edward asked.

  “I’m not sure, but I’m going to find out,” Spencer said. He left Edward alone and left to find Hannah. He soon found her and Rebeca walking home. “Rebeca?” he asked. Rebeca turned around but then disappeared. “Where’d she go?” he asked, worried.

  “Oh, no, no, no,” Hannah answered, terrified.

  “What? What is it?” he asked, even more worried.

  She sighed heavily and spilled, “I asked Rebeca was the problem was, and she told me. Then, she said and I quote, ‘You can’t tell anybody about this. Not even Spencer. I don’t want to hurt him.’”

  “So, what happened to her?”

  “She turned into a vampire, but she doesn’t want to hurt you, so don’t try to find her.”

  “Why not? She’s my fiancée.”

  “Oh, one more thing. She told me that since she didn’t want to hurt you, she left this. Keep it.” she said. She went to him and left, dropping something in his hand. When he opened his hand, it was her engagement ring he gave her. He panicked.

  “I have to find her,�
� he whispered. He went to Edward and told him everything.

  “Well, go, then, if you want to find her. I’ll stay here with Hannah.”

  “OK, thanks, man.”

  “You’re welcome.” He, then, left to find Rebeca.

  * * * *

  “Babe? Where are you?” he asked. He was on the phone with her.

  “Spencer, don’t. Please, I’m begging you, don’t do this. I don’t want to hurt you. Please.”

  “Baby, I don’t care what you look like, I just want to be with the woman that I love and cherish.”

  “Really? Well, I want to be with you, too. But I-I can’t.”

  “Honey, why can’t you? I want to, have to be with you.”

  “Because vampires hurt humans, and I don’t want to hurt you. That’s why you’re, I guess, better off without me.”

  “I doubt that.” He was standing in front of her with his phone on his ear. She looked away and was almost ready to flee when she heard something rustling in the bushes. She looked toward the bush that was making that noise. A tiger came out from the bushes and attacked Spencer. Rebeca, her instinct kicking in, attacked the tiger and killed it by ripping out its heart. Spencer looked at her with wide eyes. “Wow, you took out that animal like it was nothing.” She almost ran away but she didn’t. She felt him grab her arm. “I love you, Rebeca. I’ve always loved you and I always will.”

  “I don’t want to hurt you. I don’t want to get you into this mess.”

  “What mess?” He chuckled. “You killed that animal like it was nothing.”

  “Babe, you don’t understand. There are other vampires from where I’m from and they want to kill me. If they find out that you found out about me, the family is doomed. Dead. Finished.”

  “Wait, then, what about Hannah and your parents?”

  “They’re going to die, too.”

  “We have to do something about this.”

  “We can’t. If they even found out that you, Edward, and Hannah or my parents are humans, they’ll kill you, too.”

  “Well, then, what can I do?”

  “I can’t turn you into one. That’ll just make everything worse.”

  “Wait, that’s it.” he said excitedly.

  “What is?”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  “Babe, you have too.”

  “Do what? Turn you into one? No. I could die if you were turned into one.”