Aiden couldn't make up his mind, but has always been a notoriously bad decision maker. But after 257 years of life experience he figured that he would have been a bit closer to an answer by now. Fate or free will, nature or nurture, he had tried to live by both principals.

Long ago he had tried to carry on his old life with the hand he had been dealt and tried manage his new existence by force of will. He failed with devastating consequences. Free will and nurture does not work when up against a primal urge for the thing you need to physically survive.

Defeated he gave in and surrendered to the fates. That led to a very dark and destructive period. Nature can be cruel in its cycle of pray and predator, and who is to say that the top of the food change doesn't get to make or break all the rules.

So at this point in his endless journey he was tiring to take a Zen like approach, walking a tightrope, living a balanced lifestyle, striving for the good and accepting the ugly necessities of his condition. All of his debating came to an abrupt end, he knew the answer the instant he saw her across the courtyard.

A voice from her past speaking French that her mind could not quite place interrupted her thoughts as she flipped thru the photo album. When she looked up she gasped not believing her eyes. It was him, the vampire, the one she had loved so long ago. Over the years she had almost believed that she had dreamt the entire relationship, but her hand moved unconsciously to rub her neck in a spot where only the slightest scars remained.

Leaning against the doorframe he looked just as she remembered, young, handsome and smiling. Still she had to know, as he approached the bedside she reached out to grab his arm. It was solid not a ghost like at all. She ran her hand across cold pale skin and felt the energy and strength that lie just below the surface, but it was the look in his eyes that convinced her that he was real.

After his shift ended Josh located Aiden, he was frozen in a trance standing by his locker hand on his chest staring blankly off into space. Concerned that his friend was further losing his grip after the janitor incident that morning, he approached cautiously

Standing just out of his reach in a quite voice he ventured " Yo, Aiden" no response, a bit louder this time "Hay, buddy you ok?" still no response. Tentatively taking a step forward and leaning in closer Josh tapped his arm and managed to snap him out of his thoughts. "Are you ok? I see you survived the rest of the day."

"What? Oh yeah, I'm fine."

Relieved Josh reached into his locker to grab his backpack full of stakes. "Good, let's head home?"

"No… not yet I have to visit an old friend."

Immediately concerned Josh knew by now that when Aiden didn't come home after his shift that some thing was up. The thought of Aiden visiting and old friend made Josh very nervous. Fearing that his paranoid friend might be up to something, his face contorted with worry and suspicion "Oh" was his only reply.

Seeing the look on Josh's face Aiden quickly blurted, "it's ok, it's not what you think." Seeing that Josh's still held a look of mistrust Aiden sighed heavily and added "Come on I'll introduce you."

"Really?" Josh, perked up and rocked on his heals. This was unusual; Aiden never introduced him to anyone. In fact he purposefully tried to keep things from him, either out of shame or protection he wasn't sure which.

After they meet Aiden hurried Josh out the door so he could spend more time alone with Celine. They talked, and talked some more and held each other tight. He offered he the only gift he could. If she accepted she would be the only one he had ever turned, he was ready. After Rebecca he was sure that he could manage things better, make it work for both of them. Celine was now mature enough to understand, not like before when she was so young and she was still so beautiful to him.

This time when he went to her bedside, it was not to give a gift but to receive one. Thanks to Bishop things changed dramatically. She came to his bedside, she helped him home and she was going to save him. She was determined.

He held her hand as they spoke than she leaned into him, taking her in his arms and holding her close, he could feel her pulse quicken. Words were useless; reaching out to her face he pulled her into a kiss. With that they both knew there was nothing more to say and that this is how it was destined to be, with him ending her life. It was what he had always feared, but he never imaged it would be like this.

She broke the kiss and extended her neck toward his lips. Not wanting her to see his true nature he buried his face into her chest, and like a rising tide he felt the blackness take over and his fangs extend. With a useless sigh and the turn of his head he swiftly and gently pierced her artery. Removing his fangs he drank her in savoring every healing drop. He felt every breath, sigh and moan of pain and pleasure she experienced. He listened to her heartbeat quick at first, than slowly fading as he continued to feed. His hands caressed her face, tousled her hair and roamed over her still familiar body giving her as much pleasure and comfort has he could. Time passed and her still beating heart became too week to pump blood to her artery. Slowly he pulled away from her neck, kissed her on the lips and thanked her. Silently he cursed his condition as he kissed his way down to her limbs, only to puncture and feed some more. To truly drain someone was a slow and agonizing process for the sufferer, it was something he did not wish to do, but she had insisted he take all of her. Disgusted by his actions but determined to not waste an ounce of her sacrifice he coxed as much blood from her body a possible. Toward the end before it was too late he cradled her, and took her hand and placed it over his heart and on her name. With his clear blue eyes locked into her fading ones he whispered "forever" into her ear, as her life ebbed away.