"Um, this is for Gabrielle…its Mary, I was just wondering if she wanted to go out or something." Her voice was even more childlike and innocent on the record tape of their ancient answering machine. "I hate these things, just give me a ring." She finished after a long pause. Heather shook her head and laughed under her breath,

"A guy in bed and a call from a friend. Gabby's rackin' em up." Gabrielle stuck her tongue out and flopped down on the couch, flipping on the television. "Wait, you're supposed to call her back." Heather reminded her, standing behind the couch.

"Yea but - "

"But?" She asked, eyebrows raised. Gabrielle shot her a 'you know' look and Heather drew a breath. "Edge, right? I forgot that dark brooding man of mystery is going to continue his conquest to get down your pants by sweeping you off your feet again." Gabrielle rolled her eyes.

"First of all, you're just jealous, and second, I'm going to let him." Heather scoffed, moving Gabrielle's legs off the couch so she could sit.

"You damn well better, or I'll scoop him up." She said, only half joking as she remembered his breath on her neck and the shivers his eyes gave her. Surely there was no shame in being attracted to him.

"She's got a nosey as hell roommate." Edge told his brother upon entering the house. Christian shrugged.

"So kill her." Edge shook his head thinking.

"No, they're best friends. But I can make her question her friendship and leave my girl alone."

"So do that." Christian told him. "The mental tricks and everything." Edge grinned his most feral grin.

"Oh yeah. And it starts tonight."

Mary sat by the black phone in her black room, waiting for Gabrielle's call. Something in her knew she could never give up on Gabrielle, even if it killed her. They had to Sighing and grabbing her also black side bag, Mary left her room and began the walk to Gabrielle's apartment.

"You really should call that girl." Heather told Gabrielle again. "Its not nice to leave your friends hanging." Gabrielle merely shrugged and started to belt out "Otherside" as it came on the television. Heather sighed, then joined her in nearly screaming out the lyrics to a cherished song until Gabrielle stopped.

"Did you hear a knock?" She shouted eagerly over the music.

"What?" Heather returned, turning it down.

"The door!" Gabrielle narrowed her eyes in concentration and leapt to her feet as the knock came again. "Get it!" She squealed excitedly, "Its him!" Heather rolled her eyes, but was on her feet to get the door.

"Geez, Gabby. I'd say you're acting like a regular 17-year old girl right about now." She joked, bracing herself for the feeling she knew she'd feel around Edge. And sure enough as she opened the door and saw him, those eyes, that body, that total look, her head fluttered, and she struggled to wave it off.

"Hi again Edge. You want me to get Gabby?"

"Sure, but can I come in for a few minutes?" He half asked, half told her, once again brushing past. The heat from his body was fantastically overwhelming for a second and it took a few moments before Heather could come to her senses. Edge was now seated on the couch beside Gabrielle, talking quietly. After a second, he put his arm around her, and she snuggled close, her head on his shoulder. Heather almost frowned. It was too much, too soon and she knew it.

"Heather, come sit. We’re watching whatever the hell this is…" MTV had been replaced by HBO and what appeared to be 'Oz' was running on the television. Heather sighed and seated herself no the plush chair, leaving Gabrielle and Edge to stretch out on the couch. Half an hour of quiet whispers and giggles later, Edge and Gabrielle left for a walk, and as they left, Heather swore she saw Edge wink at her.

Mary hugged her jacket closer around her small frame as the turned down the street that housed Gabrielle's apartment building. She held her jacket even closer as a tall figure appeared arm in arm with someone just ahead. As they coupled walked closer, she realised it was who it was

"Gabrielle?" She questioned, stopping short. She heard Gabrielle swear under her breath and whisper something to her companion.

"Hi Mary…sorry I didn't call, I was just - "

"Who's he?" She asked her, almost pouting.

"That’s Edge…he's new around her and - "

"No need to explain, I was just on my way to drop by and see if you were busy, but I guess…I guess you are, so I'll be getting home now. I'll see you Monday." Mary said, rushing and stumbling through her words, turning quickly and walking away.

"Wait!" Gabrielle shouted after her, "Do you want us to walk you home?" She heard a muffled 'no' as Mary went on her way, her footsteps echoing dully as she left.

"She's infatuated with you, Gabby. As in, in love." Edge told her as they continued to walk hand in hand.

"What?"

"She is, and she doesn't want you with me, or anyone else."

"You're full of shit." Gabrielle remarked, but began thinking seriously. He did have a point.

Wiping the mascara streaked tears from her face, Mary threw her bag down on the couch and started upstairs. Of course Gabrielle would be with a man, she thought, of course she wouldn’t want me. Opening the door to her room, she took the silver fabric off of the black wooden trunk by her bed and collected the necessary items. Digging under her bed and brushing away more jealous tears, she pulled out the leather bound book and brushed off the cover. The arcane silver etchings glittered and shone from the small sliver of moonlight from Mary's window. If she had to give Gabrielle up, it wouldn’t' be without a fight.

Christian sat in the dark living room, watching the front of the house. There, by the streetlight, were Edge and the girl of his conquest. Her long dark hair flew behind her, and she shivered. Edge responded by pulling her into his arms, and warming her without a word. Walking away from the window, Christian sighed. For his brother's sake, he hoped she was the one. And for her sake, he hoped she didn't try and get away.

Edge pushed Gabrielle away reluctantly and started into her warm brown eyes before speaking.

"See that house?" he pointed at the small two story house in front of them. She nodded. "That’s where I live. I want you to spend the night." Strangely, his request did shock Gabrielle. She just sighed.

"Edge, I've only known you for a day and a half and I've already warmed up to you more than almost anyone, except Heather and I do like you but - you want me to spend the night at your place and - " She shook her head. "I can't do it. I'm sorry." He blinked at her, then took both of her cold hands in his.

"Gabby, please, I loved this morning and it wasn't enough…I want that all the time."

"Don't Edge." She said softly, looking down.

"But I need you forever…all the time." He told her with a seeming tremble in his voice.

"Edge, stop it." Her voice was tern and unwavering as she let his hands go. "I'm going to spend the night with you. I'm going home - " Gabrielle tuned to leave, but was stopped by his hand on her shoulder, spinning he around.

"I won't let you go…" He said sharply through clenched teeth.

"I'm leaving, Edge. Keep this shit up and you'll never see me again. You've been nice so far, but if this is you, then I don't want it. Now let go." She squirmed out of his grasp and almost ran down the sidewalk without looking back. Edge stood watching her as she ran, and knowing better than to stop her again. When the wind whipped too cold for him to stand, he finally turned and went inside, knowing he would hear from his brother about the events of the night.

The brown bottle cast its glow over the white tabletop in an eerie shadow that crept all the way to Gabrielle's face. The bottle was only half finished and it was only after midnight. Heather was asleep, or else Gabrielle wouldn't have started the bottle of whisky. Smiling to herself, she remembered when it used to burn going down. Now, it was comforting, like a lovers touch or a soothing word in her ear. It made everything better, for a little while at least. Until the last drops from the bottom of the bottle seemed to make her remember her anger at Edge, more anger at men for, in her few experiences, being utter assholes. With her last few thoughts, she sent the bottle reeling into the wall with a shattering crash before stumbling over to the couch and passing out.

Heather was startled awake by the crash and immediately leapt out of bed. She hadn't even heard Gabrielle come in. As soon as she opened the door, she could see the moonlight from the window glittering on the broken glass that littered the floor. On the couch was Gabrielle, her head cradled in her arms, her face deep in a concentrated sleep. Heather shook her head and went back to her room, to sleep. She'd deal with this once familiar scene in the morning.

The dream came again. Gabrielle's blood dream. It was changed. Edge was by her side, helping rather than overseeing proudly. She could almost taste the blood flowing from the victims pale open neck and she felt the pulse flitter and die in the small body that seemed so familiar to her. As the body was pulled away by Edge, its steel grey eyes were still open, but dead eyes flashed her a vision of an innocent loving friend she may have lost.

The sunlight hit Gabrielle full force and she saw red as her eyes snapped open and her head commenced the pounding that had once been well known. Rolling over and burying her head against the maroon fabric of the couch, the television blared a sudden loud noise increasing the pounding. Rolling onto her back, Gabrielle focused her eyes on the figure standing overhead, and recognised Heather's angry disposition.

"This is why you got kicked out of your house, remember?" Her tone was firm and almost parental. "Two months, Gabby, you've gone two months sober and now you down an entire bottle of whatever the hell you drank. I can't even tell because the goddamned bottle is in a million pieces on my floor!" Her voice rose to an angry shout. "You're lucky, you know what? I thrust you and I keep alcohol around and you blow it. That’s the kicker, Gabby, you blow it after such a good stretch." Gabrielle sat up, rubbing her eyes and Heather sat down beside her, sighing deeply. "But at least I know you have your reasons." She added quietly. "Aspirin?" Gabrielle smiled at her with relief.

"God, Heather, what would I do without you? Thank you."

"You owe me." She said, rising to get aspirin and water, shutting off the television and closing the blinds as she went. "So what happened?" Heather inquired, walking back and setting the bottle of aspirin and glass of water on the table in front of Gabrielle. "You wanna tell me?" She asked gently as Gabrielle sighed, downed the aspirin and water, and put her head in her hands.

"You know how I thought Edge was perfect?" She began quietly. Heather nodded. "Well, he's not." Her bottom lip quivered with eminent tears as she continued. "He walked me to his place and he wanted me to stay the night and I said no because that seemed like the best thing to do and…" She stopped, sniffling and running her hand across her eyes.

"Take your time, Gabby." Heather put an arm around her back comfortingly. After a moment, she continued.

"He just got so possessive. He said he needed me, and he wanted to be with me all the time and I tried to pull away but he wouldn't let me and - God, why was he like that?" She practically wailed out the last sentence, tears beginning to over flow.

"Because he's either the biggest prick on earth…or he really does care enough about you to never want you to get away."

"Equally cursed and blessed." Gabrielle said brokenly. "How do I know what's going to happen next?" Heather shrugged.

"For now, we assume the prick part. Which means ice cream, chocolate and chick flicks."

"No, vampire flicks." Gabrielle corrected, trying to cheer up, but already feeling lonely without him.