Disclaimer: Kerry Nowicki and Michel belong to the divine Vivian Vande Velde - much to my chagrin -, while Sean Jones and Frederick Chase belong to moi - I couldn't resist throwing in some French there. . .

Comments: I have tried to keep this as Vivian-Vande-Velde-like as possible. . .I've even tried to keep as many original CotN characters as possible - that reminds me: we might get a little visit from Nelle later. . . Remember? The one who convinced Kerry to get a perm after her mother left.

Notes: This takes place almost three years after the events of Companions of the Night. Kerry is now living and going to university in Canada - Canada rocks! Michel has returned to North America for the first time since his little adventure in CotN. Oh, and to all fellow CotN fans: just try and remember that Ethan Byrne's real name is Michel - he says so at the end of

Chapter One: The House with the Purple Picket Fence

Sean Jones watched from his car as Frederick Chase walked down the street with a young woman. When they were a good block ahead of him, he got out of his car and started out in the direction they were going, making sure he kept at least half a block in-between them and himself. He followed them for a good ten minutes before they left the main street and started to head toward the university campus. Being that the time was two o'clock on a Friday afternoon and the campus grounds had students all over them, Sean could move closer to Frederick and the girl without being conspicuous. Within the next ten minutes they led him to an old Victorian house with a purple picket fence. Sean watched as they walked up the porch and unlocked the door. He checked the house number and then headed back to his car.

~*~*~*~*~

Michel sat in one of the many bedrooms of his house staring at the phone. He wanted to phone her - to tell her that he still thought about her and that he was back in North America. But he was hesitant, he didn't want to hurt her again - he loved her too much to see her hurt for the second time. He still longed to talk to her, to hear her voice, to see her laugh, to feel her lips against his - he longed for something that he had never longed for before: love. Not the love of a girl who is attracted to a man, because of his looks or money, but the love of someone who loves you for you - your personality and your satire. That was what Kerry had loved him for, and she had been the first. All those other girls had liked him because of trivial things - or because he was a vampire. Kerry had swam in Michel's thoughts for the past three years and now that he was so close to her, he didn't know if he could stay away. Michel of course, had no clue of how close he really was to Kerry. Nor did he know that if he saw Kerry again he might more than hurt her - no, he might kill her.

Note: Chapter two will be up soon - when I get over some writer's block -, please review.