"Fashionably late, I see." Dante spoke at her. Gabby tightened her jaw and forced the nervousness in her head to leave.

"Hello, Dante." Thankfully, her voice came out calmly, evenly and without a hint of emotion. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jeff start in the room, sitting alone at a table out of her direct line of sight, but where he could keep his eyes focused on them.

"I haven't seen you in years, my dear. You do still look the perfect picture of refined beauty." A waiter came by, dropping a bottle of mine and pouring them each a glass. It flowed thickly into the glasses, coating each one with red. She couldn't help but wonder if it was as old as he was. She gave the waiter a tight-lipped smile as he retreated, then turning her face into a stoic mask once again. Keeping silent she noticed how little Dante had changed in all the years it had been since their last encounter, or even since their first. His light brown hair fell down his back and he still wore red. He'd always worn red. Leaning closer, Gabby saw red in his eyes, and drew back quickly.

"Why am I here?" She questioned him firmly, almost stating it rather than asking. He smiled mysteriously, simply a small upturn at the corners of his mouth.

"You show none of the formal politeness of the Gabriella I was, and still am, betrothed to." Clenching her fists in her lap, Gabby resisted the urge to leap across the table and claw his head off.

"That was four hundred years ago. I'm not the same person, and it disgusts me that you think like that."

"Maybe. But I still follow the traditions set for us. By those laws, I should have your lovers head. You live in sin, Gabriella. You are damned." Her eyes darkened almost immediately at his words.

"We are vampires. Living dead things, demons in our own rights. No matter how many pretty words you sugar-coat it with, we're damned regardless." A small laugh escaped from his lips, and he leaned closer, into the candlelight.

"We're beautiful, deathless souls. What we are doesn't damn us. Its what we do that damns us. If I had been your sire, you would have learned it all. You would have been an intellectual masterpiece of my own design. But you're his." The venom in his words was painfully obviously, though well hidden, and she was almost visibly taken aback. "I staked my claim on you before he did. By law, you're - "

"Those laws no longer exist! They haven't for more than three centuries." She raised her voice in anger and frustration, then quickly lowered it as she felt eyes upon her. "You live in the past." She whispered harshly and felt Jeff's eyes on them both now, and knew he was concerned. Dante looked at her with cynically amused eyes.

"Dear, you're making a scene. You know you're supposed to be mine. It's in your destiny. Sooner or later, you'll be alone." He paused, gauging her reaction, which was one of annoyance. "Desperately alone and you'll wonder why, all those years ago, you didn't chose me over him."

"I will never be alone. I have friends, people who'd never leave me. But I guess you can't even begin to understand that concept." The red in his eyes grew fiercer as he sat back in his chair, glaring with blind emotion.

"There is a difference. I've grown in my solitude, gained wisdom because of it. You have never been alone, and it will kill you." Flinching, she drew back, sitting up straighter in her chair.

"We’re finished here Dante, I have nothing else to say to you. I don't understand you."

"Of course not." He told her simply with a shrug, rising. "I don't expect you to." Pushing her chair back Gabby rose, silently telling Jeff to meet her outside.

"If you pursue this obsession again, you're going to be killed." She turned her back, walking away and hearing him talking behind her.

"We'll be in touch." Repressing a disgusted sigh, she continued walking until outside, leaning back against the wall and closing her eyes. Jeff was there right after her, pulling her up with an arm around her shoulders, starting to question her before he was cut off.

"Just take me home."

Heather was startled awake when the door opened and all three of them rushed towards it with relief. She immediately bolted towards Jeff and threw her arms around his neck. Gabby calmly stepped forward to Christian and he clutched her to him quickly. Adam stood awkwardly behind them, his eyes falling to the floor.

"How'd it go?" Heather whispered to Jeff curiously. He took her arm, pulling her into the living room and shaking his head.

"It pissed her off, I know that much. But he didn't try anything." Heather nodded, sitting on the couch close to him. Christian followed them, his arm around Gabby's waist and her head on his shoulder. They took to the loveseat, Gabby curling up uncomfortably on Christian's lap while Adam sat beside them slowly.

"I'm so glad you're okay." They heard Christian whisper, and Gabby nodded wearily.

"I hate him even more." Christian smiled sadly at her, smoothing down her hair.

"You don't need to talk about it now. You should change. You can't be comfortable." She nodded again and rose off his lap, grabbing Adam's hand and pulling him up.

"Come." She said quietly and he obeyed, following her back to her room. Christian frowned as she left, and Jeff eyed the pair walking down the hall inquisitively.

"What's that all about?" Jeff asked them, looking confused. Heather sighed.

"Sometimes, for one reason or another, she can't talk to either of us, so she talks to Adam." She explained slowly. "Even we don't get it sometimes." Christian nodded in agreement.

"But they're incredibly good friends, so," He broke off with a shrug, "It's nothing. They're comfortable together. We just let it be."

As Adam undid her corset, she let out her breath and let the stiff material fall to the floor. He turned around abruptly as she changed into baggy black pants and a hooded shirt of Christians, chuckling a little when he turned back around.

"You're still not embarrassed to see a naked chick in front of you, are you?" He rubbed the back of his neck, grinning a little.

"One that’s been screwing my brother for almost half a millennium, yeah." Gabby rolled her eyes, sitting down on the edge of the bed and patting the spot beside her, which he quickly claimed.

"You're gonna hate me for asking this…but how you holding up?" He sighed at the question.

"Why does everyone keep asking me that? I'm as fine as I can be…"

"Given the situation?" She finished for him, and he nodded. "I was just wondering because of stuff Dante said and - "

"He was talking about me?" Adam interjected with surprise.

"No." She answered with a small, quiet laugh. "He just said something about how I'd…" She stopped talking and sighed. "He said I'd be alone sometime, and that I wouldn't be able to deal. It just made me think about how you were doing." Adam shook his head, lightly resting his hand on Gabby's shoulder.

"You've got to stop thinking about me though. You've got bigger problems to deal with besides whether I'm happy or not. Be selfish for a while." She shrugged.

"I just want everyone to be comfortable."

"We are. As comfortable as we can get at least."

"I know, I'm just…My nerves are shot right now. I can't think straight."

"Want me to get Christian so you can sleep?" Thinking a moment, she nodded, crawling back on the bed.

"Please?" He smiled and walked to the door.

Jeff stumbled into the kitchen, still half-asleep, noisily rousing up a mug and coffee, and sitting down at the table, noticing for the first time that Christian was also there.

"Where's everyone?" He asked sleepily, noticing that no one else was around either. Christian shrugged.

"Gabby's still sleeping. I didn't wanna wake her up…and Adam said he was going out." Jeff nodded. "Heather still sleeping?"

"Like a baby. At least when I left but she's probably up now." Christian smiled, then returned to slowly sipping his own large mug of coffee as the two sat in silence for a moment. Jeff quietly spoke up. "Hey, man, I've really got to ask you something that’s been bugging me since last night." Christian glanced up inquisitively.

"Yeah, sure. Ask away."

"Maybe it's just me, but last night when Gabby left with Adam for a bit, you seemed…a bit jealous." Jeff told Christian slowly, almost nervous at his reaction.

"Jealous? What do I have to be jealous of?" Christian answered with a small laugh. Jeff shrugged.

"Sometimes they just seem really…comfortable together. Almost too comfortable as near as I can tell." Christian frowned in thought, and Jeff rose from the table, busying himself with another mug of coffee. "But maybe its because I haven't been here that long, and I haven't really figured out the interaction between you all yet. Its probably just me."

"I think…I don't know. He's never given me reason to be jealous. He's never made a move on her to my knowledge because he was always with Heather…" Christian rose as well, dumping his mug into the sink. "And he's pretty comfortable with her too. Always flirting and…I can't imagine what that must do to you." Jeff walked away, looking out the glass balcony doors.

"Nothing really. I know she loves me, and she can't just ignore him. That would be…All she's trying to do is be nice to him and I don't want to seem like a possessive, insane person and tell her to stop." He broke off, stopping to think. "And if she wanted to be with him again, I wouldn't stand in her way."

"You really love her that much?" Christian started as Heather walked in the kitchen, making a beeline for Jeff.

"You guys talking about me? That’s rude." Jeff spun around, grabbing both her hands and she grinned at him. "Only good I trust?" He grinned back.

"With you, there's only good." She rolled her eyes.

"Such flattery. I might do well to question your motives, sir." He swept her into his arms, dipping her backwards as they heard heavy footsteps thumping down the hall. An annoyed looking Gabby showed her face in the doorway.

"You know how loud you frikkin' lovebirds are?" Christian poured her a mug of coffee, setting it down on the table as she sat down.

"They weren't being loud." Christian told her quietly, and she sighed loudly.

"Well, I need someone to blame for me waking up when I could be sleeping. And Adam's not here. So its them." She waved her hand over to Heather and Jeff who were staring out the balcony doors together, talking quietly and privately. Sighing again, she looked over at Christian who was staring at her with a serious look. After shooting him an odd glance, he shook his head with a smile, mentally noting that he had to talk to Heather about Adam, and his newly placed suspicions.

Christian sat down on the couch next to Heather. "Where’s Jeff?"

"He wanted some time alone to be artistic. What about Gabby?"

"She went to the bedroom mumbling something. Figure I better leave her alone." Heather nodded and looked back at her book. "Can I talk to you a minute?"

She marked her place. "Of course Christian. What is it?"

He fumbled in his mind for the words for a minute then began. "Jeff and I were talking and he got me to thinking. I wonder if I have anything to worry about with Adam and Gabby. I mean they seem to flirt a lot. And Jeff said it doesn't bother him when he's that way with you and I feel I shouldn't be bothered either! But something keeps bugging me."

"Christian," she spoke softly holding his hands in hers "Adam is a flirt. We both know that. But I never worried about them when I was with him. I don't think you have anything to worry about."

"What about Gabby. Even if I don't have to worry about Adam in particular..."

"Christian, she loves you, don't worry. Adam isn't going to do anything to make this place any harder to live in. If you want to know if I think there's something special between them…Yes, I do. But I don't know how far it goes. It could be friendship and it could be something else. Have I ever been jealous? Yes, remember when he used to drop things he was doing with me for a few minutes, which turned into hours sometimes to talk to her? Neither one of them ever cheated on us. So I don't think we have anything to worry about. Just like I explained to Jeff, we are a family here! We are not about hurting each other on purpose! Don't worry Christian, she loves you and he is your brother, truly in spirit."

Christian smiled. "I feel better."

"You do?"

"Yeah, Maybe I just needed reassurance."

"You aren't mad at Jeff?"

"No! He wasn't trying to cause trouble. He was just wondering. It's okay."

"Thanks," Christian turned to the hall where the whisper had come from to see Jeff. "I didn't want to cause trouble." He looked at Heather. "There's something I need you to read."

She stood to follow him to the bedroom. "You sure you're okay Chrissy?"

"Yes, I’m fine go ahead."

She hugged him and kissed his cheek before following Jeff to their room. Christian smiled getting up to go try and talk to Gabby, hoping he could fix whatever she was grumpy about.

Gabby stalked into the kitchen, sighing heavily, and began pulling out mixing bowls and various bags of foodstuffs from the cupboards. Christian, who had been on his way to find her anyway, poked his head in the kitchen.

"You're not baking..." She ignored him, pulling down the large cookbook and setting it on the counter. Christian walked in further, starting to put away some of the bowls and blocking her access to the fridge. "I said, you're not baking."

"And I ignored you." She told him plainly, trying to push him aside. Christian stared at her for a second, then grabbed her arms, pulling her out of the kitchen and onto the balcony. "Hey! I was gonna make a cake!"

"Like fuck you were gonna make a cake." He said, sitting down on the bench and pulling her with him. "You're gonna tell me why you're being such a moody little bitch."

"I am not!" She protested with a pout, trying to get up before he pulled her down again. Sighing with defeat, she leaned against him. "I can't take any of this anymore. Its so…tiring."

"I know it is, but hopefully this is the last time we have to deal with it." Looking away, Gabby pulled something from her pocket and flung it to Christian.

"Whatever happens, it happens tomorrow." Christian quickly opened the letter addressed to Gabby, and without reading, looked at her questioningly. "He sent that to me to tell me in advance that you're getting a letter later tonight…a challenge to a dual for tomorrow."

"But…that’s good! Then we can finally get this all over with. Don't you think its good?" He asked her almost excitedly, and she turned back to him with worry on her face.

"I don't know if its good or not…" She trailed off, added with a whisper, "I don't have a good feeling."

"To tell the truth, I don't either, but I promised I'd finish this off for you. I have to." She let a small, hopeful smile creep onto her lips as she nestled closer to him, aware for the first time of the cold night surrounding them.

Jeff sat on a park bench writing in his notebook next to a new drawing. He had gone out alone to find some place quiet. Everyone was wrapped up in what Dante would do next, he needed to write as an outlet. He figured they should be able to beat him up and he’d go away. At least that seemed to be the pattern from what the others had told him. He glanced up feeling uneasy. As he looked across the park, he saw Dante walking down a path. The church bell tower struck 2 am, and Jeff packed up to leave. As he was standing up, he saw someone approach Dante. Staring he realised it was a girl with long hair batting her eyes and talking softly to him. Curious as to who the friend was he paid close attention hoping to help the others with their battle plan. Dante brushed her off but she wouldn't leave. Jeff saw eyes glow red as the vampire turned on the unsuspecting girl.

Jeff moved behind a tree as not to be seen watching the scene before him. Horrified, he watched as Dante ripped into the girl with his teeth. Dante held her by her long brown hair at the nape of neck and viscously drank her blood until every drop of life was gone. The girl had been screaming at first, but it didn’t last long. Jeff watched as her body turned limp and pale.

Dante stood strait, still holding her by the hair, he looked around as if he could feel someone watching, but didn’t see anyone. He threw the girl into some nearby bushes her hair tangling in the leaves keeping her from falling all the way through. Her hair glistened with what little blood he had let carelessly spill. He went over, pushed her body down into the bushes, and calmly walked away, as if nothing had happened.

Jeff was horrified that he had even witnessed such a brutal attack on a helpless human. At that moment, he realised the evil they were up against. Turning away, he ran back to the house never stopping until he had closed the door behind him. Heather looked up from her book worried. "What's wrong?"

"Where is everyone?"

"Gabby and Christian are on the balcony and Adam is in his room."

"Get Gabby and Christian in here now! I’ll get Adam." When they had all finally gathered Jeff told them what he had seen. Gabby looked serious

"Sounds like the same vicious Dante to me."

Christian spoke up. "Did he see you?"

"No, I hid, but even if he had, he wouldn’t have connected me to you guys. I think he sensed something but he never looked at me."

"Good, now you realise what we are up against."

"Yeah, why can't we attack him first?"

"How?" Adam spoke up. "We don't know where he stays. We have never found Dante’s lair in 500 years. Did you see where he went?"

"No. I wasn't hanging around after what I had seen. I wanted to get away from him." Jeff held Heather tighter she clung to him, seeming truly afraid of what could happen to their family.

As soon as silence filled the room, an envelope passed under the door. Christian grabbed a sword from the wall and rushed to the door flinging it open. As he looked out onto the silent street, he couldn't even pick up on a presence of any sort. Suddenly he had more doubt creeping into his mind on his ability to defeat Dante. Fearing for his and the others safety, he turned to see Gabby holding the letter.

She frowned as she read it, then handed it off to Christian.

"Well?" Adam asked quiet and expectantly, rising from his chair to walk over to her.

"It's like I told Christian before. A dual, tomorrow night. The address is there." She motioned over to the paper in Christian's hand, then went to sit in chair Adam had occupied. "And he wants all of us there."

"Even Jeff?" Heather spoke up with concern for her lover. Gabby nodded.

"He knows about Jeff." She told heather quietly, all of them wondering how. Christian broke into their thoughts with a clatter as he put the sword down on the table.

"Tomorrow at midnight. Some factory. I'm trusting you guys are coming with me." They nodded and mumbled affirmative answers. "Good. We’ll get up at sunset and start making plans, I guess…Just get a good sleep, and I'll see you all tomorrow." He spoke quickly and firmly before retreating to the bedroom. Gabby called after him, saying she'd be there soon. Heather and Jeff held each other on the couch out of fear, and Adam sat down on the arm of Gabby's chair, putting his arm around her shoulder.

"You know this is the end of it." She nodded in response. "Then everything's gonna be the way it should be." He leaned down, softly kissing her forehead before retreating to his own room. After a few moments of sitting across from Heather and Jeff and feeling like an intruder, Gabby got up, said her goodnights, and quickly went to her and Christian's room, falling asleep within seconds of curling up in his arms.

Christian was jerked awake out of a dream he couldn't remember, and figured it was better to forget. The alarm clock beside the bed said it was 4:17pm; almost time for them to get up and start whatever preparations were necessary. He looked down at Gabby, sleeping in his arms like she always did. A smile crossed his lips at the thought of 'always'. All the years they hadn't been together seemed wasted and forgotten. When he turned her, he'd found that certain something, that 'joie de vivre' he'd been waiting for, all because he decided to be noble for once in his life and save her from the clutches of evil. The memory he carried of their first immortal night together was forever fresh in is might as if it had just happened. Trying not to disturb her slumber, Christian tightened his embrace and kissed her forehead, letting his lips linger just a moment too long as she stirred, letting out a contended sigh. She slowly opened one eye, squinting at him, then smiling, shifting her body on top of his.

"Go back to sleep." He whispered in between the small kisses she was placing on his mouth. Gabby shook her

head soundlessly, starting to let her mouth roam lower, eventually shooting him an evilly sensual smile.

Heather curled up against Jeff not wanting to wake up just yet. "You know we have to get up soon." He whispered.

‘Yeah I know" she sighed. "Jeff, I'm scared."

"Scared?"

"Yes. He wasn't supposed to know about you. You were supposed to be a surprise. Now you are just as likely to be ki..."

"Stop! Don't think like that okay?" He held her tightly as tears streamed down her face. "Baby, everyone is going to be okay. We are going to kill him, come home, and have a big celebration. Then the two of us will have our own celebration."

She looked at the clock. "We still have a few hours. It's not as late as we thought."

"And?"

"And..." She smiled "I think we should have a precelebration celebration seeing as you are so determined we shall be partying the rest of the night." Jeff rolled over pinning her down to the matters.

"Sounds like a plan."

Adam was standing by the door waiting when both couples emerged grabbing their fighting gear. A chorus of apologies were mumbled and he sighed. "I can blame you guys. Come on. We don't want him getting aggravated or thinking we are scared."

"But we are." Heather spoke up.

He walked over holding her face in his hands. "I know. We have a pretty good track record with him though don't you think?"

She smiled. "I guess so."

He stepped back looking at Jeff, Gabby and Christian. "So what are we waiting for?"

The five of them pilled into the van and nervously headed to battle.

The factory rose high above the dark ground, shrouded in as much darkness as it contained. The black van slowly pulled to a stop in front of it, and everyone got out as nervously as they had piled in. Christian grabbed his sword from the back, and Adam carried the duffel bag packed with whatever other weapons they thought they'd need. Jeff and Heather walked warily to the large doors, jumping at every noise around them while they were followed by the weapon-toting trio. At the heavy metal doors, the couples paired off to their own darkened corners away from the garish streetlight, and Adam busied himself with the bag of various weapons, setting out the stakes they'd all carry for protection.

He watched them discreetly; Gabby and Christian not letting a millimetre of air seep between them, telling each other the same words they'd said in this situation for years. Heather and Jeff just quietly held each other, nodding when they figured it was time to go in. Adam already envied their wordless communication. He walked over to join them, waiting at the doors, wondering if Christian and Gabby were really ready to face this evil can, and evidently, they were. She turned around, grabbing Christian by his free hand and pulled open one of the doors, walking into the foggy, damp darkness first. Everyone shot everyone else uneasy glances, but approached nonetheless, quickly scooting against the closest wall. Most of the windows had been blackened, but it wasn't clear if the dirt was from age, or if there was a purpose to it. After a few shared strategic whispers between then, Christian advanced to what seemed to be the centre of the room, prepared to call out Dante. He stood still for a second, then banged his sword on the ground, eyes surveying the dead air before him. There was no movement answering his call, just a strange hollow echo.

"Dante!" Christian yelled, growing impatient. "It's now or never, Dante!" Gabby clenched her fists in nervous anger, waiting for Dante to show himself. A gust of air blew in as the door opened, colouring the floor in an orange pool from the street light, before it became obscured with a shadow.

The sound never registered, nor did the motion, but before anyone could react, a stake flew through the air, implanting itself deep in Christian's chest. He fell backwards from the impact, a stunned look on his face. Gabby just stared as he fell, finding her breath harder to come by as she realised what had happened. She ignored the tall dark figure looming over Christian's prone body and rushed over, kneeling down as she tried to think quickly.

"Christian?" She questioned, able to still detect a slow vampiric heartbeat, growing slower with every second. He opened his eyes slowly, then turned his head away from Gabby, coughing up blood before looking back up. "You'll be okay, right? It...It's not through your heart…" She looked critically at the stake in his chest, and realised she couldn't tell exactly where it had hit. In what seemed like a strained act, he shook his head, his words and breath coming out raggedly.

"its..halfway through…I think." Gabby sucked in a deep breath and turned her head away for a moment, only to try and hide tears. She knew the second they pulled the stake out, he'd crumble to ashes. They were dimly aware of someone behind them sobbing, but lost all sense of space and time.

"This is it?" Gabby finally managed to choke out, hating the words as soon as they escaped her lips.

"I'm sorry…" Christian faltered to make his thought clear. "I didn't…I couldn't kill…" She shook her head, then craned it upwards to see Dante still standing over them, smiling his devious tight-lipped smile. Gabby leaned down, kissing Christian softly on his lips before commanding Jeff to take him to the corner in the shadows where he couldn't be hurt. As she grabbed the sword from his hand, she smiled as best she could to reassure him. He offered only minor protests, but she silenced him.

"Christian, I have to fight him. For you…" He nodded and she knew his blessings were with her. But as she walked toward Dante, Adam moved into her way, standing there almost imposingly.

"I can't let you fight him, Gabby. I can't." Her expression hardened and her jaw tightened as she looked past Adam for Dante, who seemed to be waiting.

"Adam, get out of my way." He stared her down firmly, and neither expression wavered.

"I told you I can't."

"Adam…" She started firmly, raising the sword to his neckline. "Move, or I'll move you. I have to do this." Adam stood in front of her for a second longer before his face softened and he moved aside, hearing her whisper thanks as he did so. As she stood before Dante, he lowered his sword.

"I will not fight you, Gabriella. A gentleman does not fight a lady." She spat on the ground in response before speaking.

"You're no gentleman. What just happened was not a dual, Dante. You cheated us." Gabby tapped the blade of his sword with hers, sweeping it upward. "Either you fight, or I'll kill you." A slow smile crept on his face, holding only evil characteristics, and he pressed his blade against hers, accepting the challenge.

"What fight you have in you!" Dante remarked as he brought his sword around to slash at her side, finding only the sharp clatter of her own weapon there. "Such a surprise."

Heather raised her head from Jeff's shoulder to watch the combat, amazed at how long it lasted, and at Gabby's almost perfect handling of the sword. Almost perfect. Her and Dante were locked together at the blade, staring each other down. Either Dante would wait for her to submit, or Gabby would move too quickly for him to anticipate, but now, out of fatigue, they simple stared each other down.

"You might as well give up." Dante informed her smugly, even though his physical wear was showing through. "You're as good as dead." It was almost true. They were both wounded, but Gabby more heavily. Her back ached from the almost constant motion, as well as from the deep gash cut into it, but she still didn't falter, continuing to stare coldly at him.

"And you might as well be dead. You've wasted your life." His eyes narrowed and his sword gave an inch. Gabby took the opportunity, spinning out of his range, swinging her sword around in a perfect arc, the blade passing smoothly through flesh, bone, and more flesh as Dante carried the surprised look he was to die with. His head fell, and his body was ashes. But Gabby was already turned towards where Christian was propped up in the corner, amazed that he'd held onto his fleeting life this long. She threw the sword down as she darted over, kneeling and placing his head in her lap. Through heavy lidded eyes, he looked up and smiled.

"I'm proud." Her throat constricted when she heard his words and tears well of their own volition. His voice has barely above a harsh painful whisper.

"You don't need to talk, love. I know." She put a finger on his lips to try and quiet him, but it didn’t work.

"You…you know what to do." She nodded, looking down briefly at the stake in his chest, then back to his eyes, the crystal colour they were when he was careless and joyful. "And just…don't...don't stay alone."

"I said be quiet. You're so stubborn. I miss you already." She added the final phrase as the softest whisper she could. "And I don't want anyone else. I'll be with you soon enough." He nodded in agreement, starting to feel his mind and body slipping away. Gabby sensed the approaching departure, leaning down closer for one finalising kiss. "I love you…" Christian's soft breath brushed at her cheek and she felt a last surge of energy as he placed his hand on her face, trying to brush away tears.

"I love you, Christian." Gabby leaned down further, lightly pressing her lips to his, putting her hand over his, while with the other, she pulled at the stake until it was out. Christian's body tensed then fell slack to ashes, leaving a dust of grey across the right of her face.

Gabby sat, her hand over where his hand been, not aware of crying behind her, or of Adam's hand on her shoulder after many moments she couldn't recall.

"Home?" He asked gently, sympathetically, and she let out a large breath, pulling herself up with his help, shakily making her way to the van through a haze of tears and confusion. Later, she wouldn't recall even walking to the van, or curling up in the spot Christian had taken not an hour earlier, because his very scent was comforting. She didn't remember making her way into the house with Adam's help, or sitting on the couch, surrounded by everyone for the rest of the night, and well into most of the day. In her mind, she was sitting on the balcony the whole time, secure in her lover's arms, as he kept away the freezing reality of night.