One from the archives - literally, this poor blog post has been sitting around as a draft since 2016.
Note this post contains spoilers for Redefining Innocence.
Those of you who are observant will have realised that book #2 of the Innocence Cooper series, Redefining Innocence, is a little shorter than the #1 or #3. These things happen. Some books are longer, this one ended up shorter.
But it wasn't always that way. I cut two whole chapters shortly before publishing. Why?
They weren't bad chapters, it was just that #2 was sort of packed with break-ups and break-up like events, and it really didn't need another one. Plus it was a bit further than I really wanted to go with the pairing at this point. But, you did miss a few things, so... deleted scene time!
The (deleted) chapter this scene snippet is from was originally chapter 7 - right after Innocence and Bullet break up, and before Elliot and Innocence meet up again. It's from Elliot's point of view, and Elliot and Erin are talking in a meeting room at the Queen Street base. It's part of a longer scene where they discuss Innocence's plans etc.
“You’re going to go back to her, aren’t you? When we finish talking, you’re going to walk out the front door of my base and transport straight back to her,” Erin said.
Guilt stirred in my stomach. “I was going to go and see my dad first.”
Nodding, Erin said, “That’s good. That’s really good. Give him a chance to say goodbye to his only son.”
“There won’t be anything stopping me from visiting anytime I want.”
“You know... you don’t have to go back to her. I can protect you.”
“I can save her.”
Erin closed her eyes. She picked up her glass to take a drink, but the water had turned to ice. She set it down sadly. When she looked at me again her eyes were filled with tears. “I would have loved you forever,” she promised me. “I would have protected you and stood by you. I... I would have died for you.”
“I know,” I replied, realising that deep down I truly had. “I’m sorry.”
She just shook her head at me, over and over. She blinked and the tears spilled down her cheeks.
I felt awkward just watching, so I placed a hopefully comforting hand on her shoulder.
“I saved you,” she insisted. “I saved you.”
“In more ways than one.”
Through her tears she smiled as she heard those words. “Just remember, Princess of Darkness or not, even Innocence Cooper isn’t immune to a blast of golden light to the eye.” Erin gave me that advice at least three times a day, but there was something different about that time. Something final.
“It won’t ever get that bad.”
“Just remember it. And keep in touch.” After a moment she added, “I hope you know what you’re doing.”
I held back the, ‘Me too,’ that I was thinking.
I walked to the door, but as I set my hand on the handle, Erin called, “Wait.”
She sprung from her chair and ran the four or so metres between us. She pressed her warm body against mine, hooked her arms around my neck and kissed me. I gently pulled away. I could hear my heart thudding as our gazes met.
For the first time, for a moment, I saw Erin in a different light.
“You can’t tell me you didn’t feel anything,” she whispered, still closer to me than was normal. I could feel her breath on my skin.
“Shock comes to mind.”
She shrugged. “Just... wanted you to know what you’re leaving behind.”
Just for those who are wondering, no this doesn't count as canon. It was cut, so it didn't happen.
Note this post contains spoilers for Redefining Innocence.
Those of you who are observant will have realised that book #2 of the Innocence Cooper series, Redefining Innocence, is a little shorter than the #1 or #3. These things happen. Some books are longer, this one ended up shorter.
But it wasn't always that way. I cut two whole chapters shortly before publishing. Why?
They weren't bad chapters, it was just that #2 was sort of packed with break-ups and break-up like events, and it really didn't need another one. Plus it was a bit further than I really wanted to go with the pairing at this point. But, you did miss a few things, so... deleted scene time!
The (deleted) chapter this scene snippet is from was originally chapter 7 - right after Innocence and Bullet break up, and before Elliot and Innocence meet up again. It's from Elliot's point of view, and Elliot and Erin are talking in a meeting room at the Queen Street base. It's part of a longer scene where they discuss Innocence's plans etc.
“You’re going to go back to her, aren’t you? When we finish talking, you’re going to walk out the front door of my base and transport straight back to her,” Erin said.
Guilt stirred in my stomach. “I was going to go and see my dad first.”
Nodding, Erin said, “That’s good. That’s really good. Give him a chance to say goodbye to his only son.”
“There won’t be anything stopping me from visiting anytime I want.”
“You know... you don’t have to go back to her. I can protect you.”
“I can save her.”
Erin closed her eyes. She picked up her glass to take a drink, but the water had turned to ice. She set it down sadly. When she looked at me again her eyes were filled with tears. “I would have loved you forever,” she promised me. “I would have protected you and stood by you. I... I would have died for you.”
“I know,” I replied, realising that deep down I truly had. “I’m sorry.”
She just shook her head at me, over and over. She blinked and the tears spilled down her cheeks.
I felt awkward just watching, so I placed a hopefully comforting hand on her shoulder.
“I saved you,” she insisted. “I saved you.”
“In more ways than one.”
Through her tears she smiled as she heard those words. “Just remember, Princess of Darkness or not, even Innocence Cooper isn’t immune to a blast of golden light to the eye.” Erin gave me that advice at least three times a day, but there was something different about that time. Something final.
“It won’t ever get that bad.”
“Just remember it. And keep in touch.” After a moment she added, “I hope you know what you’re doing.”
I held back the, ‘Me too,’ that I was thinking.
I walked to the door, but as I set my hand on the handle, Erin called, “Wait.”
She sprung from her chair and ran the four or so metres between us. She pressed her warm body against mine, hooked her arms around my neck and kissed me. I gently pulled away. I could hear my heart thudding as our gazes met.
For the first time, for a moment, I saw Erin in a different light.
“You can’t tell me you didn’t feel anything,” she whispered, still closer to me than was normal. I could feel her breath on my skin.
“Shock comes to mind.”
She shrugged. “Just... wanted you to know what you’re leaving behind.”
Just for those who are wondering, no this doesn't count as canon. It was cut, so it didn't happen.