Who: Jane (closed, narrative) What: A farewell. Where: California When: The days around Christmas. Warnings: ...sad?
On Christmas Eve, Jane's father had a heart attack. She rode in the ambulance with him to the hospital, and on the way, she realized she wasn't going back to New York.
As she sat in the waiting room she weighed this decision, looked for faults in it, could find none. Her father needed her. His most recent girlfriend had left him and her siblings, scattered across the country, barely came for holidays--there was no way that she could expect them to be of any help when her father was in his hour of need.
What was behind her in New York? Daniel, who she cared too much about and was hurt too much by. That was it. There had to be a time for realizing you ought to sever ties, to know when it would just hurt you both more to stick around, wade through it, pretend things might be alright again some day.
So she stayed in California, and she didn't go back to New York. Her letter to Daniel was brief, and sent to Piper--if he felt like Daniel could handle it, he'd give it to him. She wasn't stupid, she knew how bad things had been for him. If it was better for her to simply disappear, all Piper would have to do was burn the letter.
Daniel,
After I came out here for Christmas, my father had a heart attack. I have to stay here and care for him. I won't be coming back to Bellum Letale.
I know you wouldn't let me help you, but find someone who will. Don't shut yourself away just because someone insists that you do it. Let people help you find out who that woman is. All I want for you is to find someone who makes you happy. I don't think I'm that person, but I think you deserve to have her.