I have decided to re-upload this story as a one-shot because I finished writing and it seemed like it would be better as a one-shot. So, yeah, I hope you like it. Review if you do!

Jazz-asaurus Xx

Carnival Magic

SPOV

I swear any minute now I was going to fall face first into my pile of cereal. The exhaustion I was feeling was immense – I'm not even exaggerating. 10am on a Saturday and I am already awake, well when I say awake, I don't feel awake. I mean come on, even the Goth queen hasn't escaped her coffin yet, why am I out of bed? Michael seemed to be showing signs of concern as well, he was already up of course, due to his un-natural sleeping patterns.

"Err, Shane what are you doing up, it's only …" He questioned me as I entered the kitchen, peering over the top of the newspaper he held in his right hand, his left being occupied with a mug of coffee. Glancing down at his watch, he managed to complete his sentence. "ten?"

"I don't know man; I just had this strange feeling that I needed some food." It really did puzzle me.

"Right, cos' that is totally unlike you." Michael replied in a sarcastic tone, amused at his own joke.

I simply chose to ignore it, grunting back a reply of something like "Whatever."

Now I sat here, at the dining table, my head hovering dangerously close to a bowl of Lucky Charms. Trying to sum up the strength to lift my spoon from the tired bowl to my tired lips.

Somewhere in the back of my mind I heard approaching footsteps. The volume grew to a fair comparison of a herd of elephants – once again, no exaggeration!

"What do you know it wasn't a herd of elephants, just the one." Eve had trampled into the kitchen and the first thing to greet her was my sarcastic remark, not the best possible start of the day for me. She certainly did not appreciate it.

It earned me a clip round the ear and the reply of, "Nice to see you too, Collins."

"It is nice to know you value my sarcasm Eve."

"As always Collins."

Our polite conversation was disrupted by the rumbles of laughter that Michael could no longer hold back. Charmingly sarcastic Goth princess was instantly back to grumpy sarcastic Goth princess, when she turned to face him. "You think it's funny do you? That he insults me with comparisons to elephants?"

Her (totally fake) stern voice did not intimidate Michael however. He simply laughed at how strict she was trying to sound and replied "yeah."

Uh, oh. Perhaps that was a little too far. "Fine then, if you don't appreciate my body then you can't have it." Eve aimed at Michael, with a high pitched "hm" at the end, matched with the sticking out of chin, crossing of arms and quick movement back up the stairs to prove she was serious.

Like a puppy that had just had its ball snatched away from it for misbehaving, Michael's face portrayed a mixed pallet of confusion, shock and guilt.

"Uh, oh. You've really gone and done it this time." The amusement was black and white in my voice, I found this whole scenario hilarious.

Michael made it blatantly clear that he did not feel the same way, "Fuck off." Was apparently all I deserved, before he chased after his ball.

SPOV

Triumphant of my achievement I stood up with perhaps a little too much force and dropped the metal spoon into the finally empty bowl. Unintentionally making a mixture of rather load noises – from both the chair falling to the floor and the risky clang of spoon to bowl. It's not like I could help it, I was proud of myself, managing to find the energy to accomplish the humungous challenge of breakfast; that was big.

It turns out that wasn't the only noisy thing occurring in the glass house. By the sounds of it, Eve's whole 'if you don't respect it, you can't have it' preach didn't seem to be withstanding its regulations. In fact Eve may have been rewarding Michael for the receiving of his ball. "Disgusting", I thought allowed, at least sound proof your room before throwing a party with no clothes.

As if to complete the level of high volume, the fourth member of the glass house decided to chime in, a sudden high pitched squeal came from the living room. It must be Claire, I thought, not that I allowed myself much time to do so, I was running towards the door before I could contemplate the movement of my legs.

Much to my relief it was not anguish that spread across her face, but excitement. If I had attempted half the amount of bouncing around Claire was doing there would, without a doubt be a large whole in the wooden floor boards.

"Look, look, look!" She screamed at me, however I was not able to read the piece of paper being thrust in my face, due to that very fact, it was being thrust in my face while Claire continued to jump like a kangaroo and squeal continuously.

"Look!" She finally handed me what seemed to be a leaflet yet continued to dance around the living room.

It read…

Come, One and All

To the most Magical night Morganville has ever seen.

For one Night and one night only The Carnival is coming to Morganville,

Be prepared to dance, laugh and sing,

Under the dazzling stars of your loving home town.

"A carnival advert? Why are you so excited about a carnival advert?"

"It's happening tonight, here, in Morganville, the place with the dullest nightlife ever! Now that I mention it, kind of dullest life ev-"

"No way! You want to go?" She nodded, most of the excitement drained out of her face, confusion left in its place. "Claire! This is Morganville, you know home of the scary monsters, home of the vampires," I used our miming action for vamps to emphasise how serious I was, "It's practically the definition of dangerous."

"Well yeah but this is different, come on Shane it's a carnival, my Dad used to take me to them all the time when I was younger, please!"

"No Claire, I'm sorry." I hoped the gentle embrace would prove how sorry I was, if I had it my way she would be on the next plane out of here and heading to the opposite side of the world, anywhere as far away from this hell whole as possible. "All I want is for you to be safe."

She sighed deeply into my chest, "Yeah, I know Shane, you always want me to be safe." That last comment felt slightly painful against my raw skin but I sucked it in. I brushed our lips together just before she turned away, grabbed her bag and told me she was heading for Myrnin's lab.

"Love you" She said, leaving me no time to reply before shutting the door behind her.

That didn't stop be, "Love you too." I whispered to her absence.

CPOV

When I was younger, ever since I can remember, the carnival came to town every year. Without fail every single year my Dad would take me, just me and him, father-daughter bonding time I suppose. The bright twinkling lights hanging from stalls stood up the far away stars, and the carnival music that filled everyone with such joy, all of it was simply…magical.

"What are you daydreaming about now, little Claire" Myrnin queried, a sigh heavy in his lungs, not that I'm sure he needed to use his lungs anyway. I still get confused by all the ins and outs of the vamps bodies'.

"Well the carnival is coming to Morganville tonight and it reminded me of when I was younger, you know before I moved here, my dad would always take me, every year and we would listen to the music and dance with all the sparkling lights and-"

"Nether the less child, back to work."

Charming. I thought, but didn't dare say and focused back on the pile of junk Myrnin forced me to sort through. He told me there was something he had misplaced but couldn't remember where and couldn't remember what. So I had to riffle through a pile of crap not even knowing what I was looking for. Wow, I love my job!

"Myrnin, isn't there anything else I could be doing rather than filing through your junk."

His tone sounded truly offended, "I can assure you young Claire, that many scientists would be thrilled with the opportunity to 'file through my junk', as you so put it."

My snort in derision evidently did not please Myrnin. He had a mixture of hurt and distaste plastered onto his face, not realising that I could clearly see the amusement in his eyes.

Then they had hot, passionate sex (Jokes, this isn't Clyrnin)

SPOV

I felt like shit. I was a total a-hole to Claire earlier, it means a lot to her this carnival thing and yet I didn't stop to think about her. Well I did in terms of her safety; I don't trust this town, especially after dusk. But that shouldn't matter, she is her own women (as she keeps on telling me) she can look after herself – stand on her own two feet. I know she's right and I am trying to get better, to be more relaxed and not such an overprotective douche bag.

I managed to finally drag my gaze away from the space previously occupied by her and run up the stairs. A man with a plan. I reached Michael's door but quickly remembered what happened earlier this morning and made sure to press my ear to the door in order to avoid any unwanted embarrassing 'walking in on something I shouldn't' kind of situations.

"What is it Shane?" Fuck, how did he know I was out here? Oh wait, the whole vamped out, heart beat hearing thing.

"God that's creepy man," I replied through the door, still not sure whether to go in or not. "I wish you wouldn't do that."

"Sorry, you can come in."

I opened the door and was surprised to be greeted with only Michael, lying in his bed. "Where's Eve?"

"In here room, sleeping."

I raised my eyebrows suggestively, "cos you're just that boring in bed right?" I love teasing.

"Fuck you." He moaned, flipping me off simultaneously.

Then we both broke down into laughter.

"What are you two witches cackling at?" Eve asked when she walked into the room two minutes later.

"Nothing" I replied and glanced at Michael by mistake, we both started up again.

"Hey, what's so funny?"

"No really, nothing. Anyway, I came in here to ask you something. Fancy going to a carnival?"

Eve's high pitched squeal gave me all the answer I needed.

CPOV

I felt utterly relived when Myrnin finally told me that was 'enough searching for one day' and that I 'may go home'. Out of pure exhaustion I decided to take the portal home.

It wasn't until I managed to sum up enough energy to carry me through the portal to the glass house that I felt fully awake. Fear suddenly overtook me, all the lights were out and curtains drawn, the house was eerily quiet, this can't be good.

"SURPRISE!"

After the initially shook of going from a silent, pitch black, murder mystery worthy house to a booming noise, light filled, love filled house, with three house mates jumping out from behind a coach. A huge surge of relief flooded through my veins – everyone was all right. Then I just felt confused.

"Err, Guys, my birthday isn't for a few months yet…" My voice trailed off towards the end, I don't know why they would think it was my birthday today. Perhaps they didn't, considering the amount of laughter they were producing right now.

"What?" Eve said in a fake surprised tone, still trying to supress her laughter.

"We thought it was." Michael decided to join in.

"Well seen as it isn't your Birthday," and lastly Shane. "I'm guessing you don't want your present. I mean we were going to take you to the carnival but seen as it isn't –"

He was unable to finish his sentence because I ran straight for him, hugging and squealing with 'thank yous'.

"Hey enough hugging" complained Eve. "We've got a carnival to get ready for." So with that she snatched me away from Shane – who was slightly resistant, considering he had started kissing me – and pushed me upstairs to my room.

CPOV

"Right then," Eve started, riffling through my wardrobe while I sat on the edge of my bed waiting for her to work her fashionista magic.

Five minutes past and still no luck. "Seriously CB, I'm gunna have to take you shopping as soon as possible for anything to resemble a reasonable outfit. I mean your wardrobe is so random."

"Hey!"

"Honey, I'm only looking out for you, it's for your on health that we go shopping, like tomorrow."

I didn't attempt to argue, I'm I couldn't exactly disagree. "Fine, we'll go shopping soon. But what am I going to wear now?"

A few seconds later I regretted asking, she had and evil, mysterious smirk stuck to her face. She grabbed my hand and led me to her room before sitting me down and opening the doors to her cave of clothes.

"Oh no, I am not going Goth."

All she replied back with was, "Just you wait."

SPOV

Both Michael and I were beginning to get annoyed now, we had been waiting for what felt like hours for Claire and Eve to retreat back downstairs so we could leave. Seriously though, it was only a carnival, it's not like we were taking them to prom or something. I never even went to prom, which I am l totally glad about by the way – all the teachers glaring at the awkward students who tried to dance but kept stepping on each other's foots. Not even any alcohol in the punch, I mean come on! What is a party without alcohol?

I was pulled out of my train of thought by Eve shouting down the stairs, "Are you ready?"

"For what, Christmas? Cos it feels like we've been waiting that long." I replied back.

She walked down the stairs in some gothic, Halloween type dress with a massive puffy skirt and her always loud doc martins. "Oh shut up Collins." I probably would have given her some snarky comment or at least my Shane-Collins-so-popular-the-neighbours-talk-about -it-cheesy-grin but I was distracted by the next person who walked down the stairs. I don't think I could call her my girlfriend, she looked so different, but damn did she look good. I mean like super amazing fucking hot kind of good.

"What do you think?" Claire asked me when we were face to face, clearly nervous for her new look (not that she had any reason to be).

"What do I think?" I reiterated, not able to develop a worthy answer. Her eyes were focused onto my shoes so I used my hand to gently lift her chin, locking our eyes. Before I locked our lips. I wanted to prove what I thought. "You look beautiful." I whispered on her lips and lent back to see the edges of her mouth curve up into a smile.

She did look beautiful. She was wearing something I would never imagined she would. A tight black dress consisting entirely of lace with sleeves that reached just below her elbows. It hugged her body in all the right places and reached just above mid-thigh. Her hair hung loosely in gentle waves, caressing her rosy cheeks whenever she shifted her gaze.

We all clambered into Michael's car, with Michael driving (of course – due to the highly tinted windows). Eve called shotgun so sat next to him, but I wasn't even going to try. I wanted to spend as much time with my new girlfriend as possible.

"Quit staring Shane" Claire moaned; I hadn't taken my eyes of her since we got in the car.

"No way." I said, refusing the idea completely. She tried to ignore me by looking out her window, not that she could see anything out of it.

CPOV

"Isn't it magical‽" I exclaimed, hearing the excitement in my own voice. There was no way I could focus on any own thing, my eyes raced to see it all, my feet spinning around with worrying speed, arms outstretched.

"It is wonderful Claire Bear." Eve chirped in with comparable fascination. "Hey look I want to go on the ferris wheel." Her hand pointed towards a gigantic spinning ring in the centre of the fair, lights smothered the entire loop, entwined into the structure, illuminating the midnight sky where they shone. Smaller, faster (and slower) rides scattered around it. Red and White candy stripped stalls lined the outskirts of the carnival, sparking lights hanging from the roofs off the canopies. The remaining darkness abolished by the torches and glow sticks the many people carried as they walked from sweet selling stalls to hoop throwing games to rowing boat rides.

It was just as I remembered. Perfect.

SPOV

Tonight was amazing, taking Claire to the carnival. Seeing the look on her face when we told her, when we arrived, when I won her that teddy she wanted! I am still very proud of that. Not just a pretty face you know, turns out I am amazing at knocking over coconuts as well. I put down the bar of soap I was using and the water ran cold, interrupting my train of thought.

Damn, there is going to be an extra-large serving of Shane at Eve's butcher shop if there is no hot water left for tomorrow. I can imagine the headlines now; 'Boy murdered and served for dinner by fellow housemate due to lack of hot water'. I let out a small chuckle and turned off the now icy hail. I carefully stepped out of the bath, one foot at a time, being a big guy can be hard sometimes, you know, getting super clumsy and all that, you can't really get away with it if your clumsiness could result in world destruction! (Possibly a slight exaggeration … perhaps.)

The turquoise towel that draped on the radiator soon sat around my hips, the white towel underneath being used to roughly dry my hair. After a quick wipe of the bathroom floor, to rid of absconding water droplets, I headed towards the door of the bathroom. It was not until I opened the door that I realised quite how much heat my shower had produced, fluffy clouds of steam puffed into the hallway, the entire hall coated in white, mysterious smoke. Opps! Eve would totally stake me right here right now if she saw this, possibly Claire and Michael as well actually, (as in they would stake me, not Eve would stake them). Thinking quickly, I dashed for Claire's bedroom, the steam guiding my way, and quietly opened the door.

I allowed a sigh of relief to pass my lips once safely inside. A light murmur came from Claire's bed; there laid the most beautiful girl in the whole world, my perfect princess, Claire. She lay curled up in the top corner of the mattress, she seemed so small in comparison to the giant bed she lay on, so small, so fragile. She was spooning Mr Cuddles, the also giant, teddy I won her earlier today. I approached the bed and as gently as I could, slipped the covers from underneath CB and tucked her in, along with Mr Cuddles. She didn't stir until I got under the covers with her.

"Shane?" She questioned thin air, eyes still closed and back to me.

"Shhh," I whispered in her ear, "Yeah, It's Shane. I was going to come and hug you but I see you have already replaced me with a certain Mr Cuddles." Hoping to release my inner actor, I pretended to sound upset.

Obviously I didn't do a very good job, Claire new straight off that I was faking so instead of feeling sorry, she played along. "Yeah, sorry Shane, but you no longer fulfil my needs, Mr Cuddles does." She said, giggling at our little drama performance.

I made sure the gasp I pulled in was completely over exaggerated, along with the "Miss Danvers!" She giggled at that too, I loved her laugh, so light and bubbly, just adorable, it was ten times more amazing to know that I was the cause. This may have slightly affected my next move, I tickled her. Lightly at first, just above her hip, then the amount of tickling increased, along with the amount of laughter. Her laugh was contagious, before I knew it; I had collapsed, lying on top of Claire bellowing with laughter while she struggled to catch her breath from all the previous amusement.

"Hey, shut up would you? Some of us are trying to sleep!" Eve screamed through the door. It may of accidently slipped my mind that it was two in the morning.

"Sorry Eve." Claire said back, still giggling slightly.

I clambered off of my beautiful girlfriend, possibly taking a little more time than I needed to and snuggled up beside her. One arm providing her with a pillow, the other resting on her waste. Claire pulled this arm further forward, bringing us as close as possible and snuggled onto it like she would never let go.

"Thank you so much for today Shane, it meant a lot to me."

"You're welcome babe."

"I love you, Sha…ne." Her voice trailed off into the distance as she drifted into a peaceful sleep.

"I love you too, Claire." I'm pretty sure she didn't hear me but that didn't matter.

I adjusted my head onto the pillow to get comfortable and ready to join Claire in deep slumber, when my eyes noticed something on the floor.

Mr Cuddles. Oh yeah! How's the boss now Mr cuddles? I held onto my girlfriend tightly and switched of the lamp. Dreaming about our future all through the night.

Well, I hope you liked it.

Love you!

Jazz-asaurus out. Xx