Claire sighed, exhausted. She, Eve, Michael and Shane had spent the day re-painting and re-wallpapering and re-everything. The Glass House needed a lot of fixing up. It had been nearly a month since the druag had been defeated. Claire turned from where she had been painting to see Miranda –or Miranda's ghost, rather- standing right behind her. Claire jumped a little then Miranda began to speak,

"Hello Claire."

"Hey Miranda, wassup?" asked Claire, taking a sip of her energy-giving coffee.

"Nothing much, but I like it here."

"Good to hear." Just then Shane came running down the stairs, chased by Eve. They each held their paintbrushes at each other. Shane turned his back to Claire to face Eve. That's when Claire noticed he had a huge line of paint on the butt of his jeans.

"Stay way Eve, I have yellow and I'm not afraid to use it!"

"Bite me skid mark!" They laughed, after a while of fighting Shane called I truce and walked over to Claire. He was covered in paint from the paint war. He stretched out his arms for a hug. He started to walk closer, knowingly. Claire ducked just as he was about to cover her in paint.

"No hugs till you change your shirt." Said Claire quickly.

"You just want me to take my shirt off." He joked.

"Totally." With that he ripped off his shirt and pulled her into a soft kiss. He tasted of chilli but it didn't matter. Claire ran her hands down the muscles on his back as his ventured through her hair, pulling her closer.

Worst time to get a text. She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. She looked at the screen to see it was Myrnin. It was probably another text asking her to come to the lab. No way in hell, after what he had done, nearly letting Shane die, using her as bait. There were many other things he had done before that. Claire knew she wouldn't be able to ignore him forever, but she could try. She was about to return to Shane when she got a call. But it wasn't Myrnin's ringtone, it was Amelie's. Claire knew this couldn't be good. They weren't exactly in Amelie's good books now that Eve and Michael were married. She knew she couldn't hang up. What good would that do? It would most likely just piss her off more. Claire picked it up and held it to her ear with a sigh.

"Claire, you must go to Myrnin's Lab now." Claire was about to protest before Amelie butted in, "I don't think I need to tell you the consequences if you don't. I don't care about any… personal problems you may have. You are to see Myrnin in thirty minutes." Amelie hung up.

Claire slammed her phone shut angrily, she felt like throwing it out the window. But that would just mean more DIY work.

"I have to go." She said to Shane sadly. He opened his mouth to protest. "I have to go. And anyways, I have two stakes in my back-pack that say no crazy vampire is messing with me."

"Can't you just quit?"

"I wish." Claire sighed, "I'll be back before dark."

"Ok, be careful." He gave her one last kiss before she left.

Claire walked into the Lab to find Myrnin reading; his glasses perched neatly on the end of his nose. He looked up as she walked in, his face lit up with glee. It almost made her want to forgive him. Almost. He jumped up, forgetting his book completely.

"Claire!" He exclaimed, excited to see her again. She simply gave him a thin smile, no happiness to it. "Amelie made you come didn't she?" His face fell in dismay as she nodded. It clearly hurt him when she was like this. Good.

"So I guess it's time to get to work," Said Claire, blankly.

"Yes, I guess so. I believe you all heard about Frank." Yes they had. Unfortunately Frank hadn't lasted long. His brain gave out and the machine shut down. Claire nodded and he carried on, "Well I guess it's back to square one."

"Well we still have the machine; we just need a way to power it." Myrnin nodded, it looked as though he had lost all interest in the subject.

"Claire. I'm sorry. For everything….but I must also say that I have no regrets."

"Whatever Myrnin, let's just work." It was cold and harsh but he had just as so when he told her Shane was gone.

Then Myrnin lunged on her again. He hand one hand on each of her shoulders. Claire tried to struggle but he held tight.

"No Claire. Don't do this. Please don't do this to me."

"Myrnin, let go." Claire said, trying not to let her fear slip through. She looked into his eyes and saw a pleading man. His eyes were filled with sorrow and anger and frustration. He gripped harder, making her gasp in pain. That was going to leave a bruise. "Myrnin!" she yelled in his face, her voice leaked hate and anger.

The shock made him let go. He looked at her with a mix of sorrow and pain. She had hurt him. He sat in his armchair. And whispered, almost inaudibly, "Don't do this."

"Myrnin?" Claire walked towards him tentively, reaching in her back-pack and pulling out a stake. She held it in her hand, in case he decided to grab her again. "Myrnin, I know you're sorry but I can't just forgive you like that. You tried to make me think Shane was dead."

"I already told you what I thought. I didn't think we would find him alive and…"

"And what Myrnin?" Myrnin kept silent. "Well then. Let's just get to work. If you have nothing left to say."

"I didn't want you hurt." It came out quiet and sudden.

"What?"

"I didn't want them to get you. I didn't want to…. Lose you." Myrnin looked away from her. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. He coughed and stood before she could even respond. "Anyway as you said, back to work."