Author's note #1: This is my first Lost Boys fanfic in a long while. The story takes place shortly before Michael becomes involved with the vampires. I play with Dwayne and his background just a bit, so forgive me if it all comes off as OOC. I thought it made sense in my head.

Disclaimer: The Lost Boys is property of its respective owners and all others associated with legal rights.

"Ghost"

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Dwayne? Did you have a family before this one?

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

"I had a son. He was a little younger than you last time I saw him."

Laddie's dark eyes grew wide with interest. "Is he a vampire, too? Or is he all grown up?"

"No. He's… gone." Dwayne almost couldn't get the last part out. It was something he never spoke about in public. It still troubled him, countless years later, to know that his little boy's disfigured corpse had long since rotted away, while he continued to exist. It didn't seem fair to outlive your own child but life was sometimes cruel that way. It was just one of the reasons why he joined Max's coven in the first place.

"I'm sorry," Laddie apologized dolefully as he looked down at his half eaten slice of pizza.

It normally pissed off Dwayne whenever someone said they were sorry about a situation that was completely out of their control. It was stupid and pointless to feel sorry for something that they had nothing to do with. Although Laddie, being so young, didn't know any better. He really did feel bad that his boy was gone.

"Ummm…" Laddie held up his soda with a straw sticking out from the bottle's neck. "Want some?"

He shook his head. "Drink up, bud."

Drink up, bud.

Ummm… Daddy, when is Mommy coming back?

… I don't know.

She's been gone a real long time… I miss her.

Yeah, I know… but guess what? I'm not leaving you alone. You understand? I'll be here for you no matter what.

He was a young father but he was also a responsible one. The mother of his child had been a reckless and wild girl who didn't have a care in the world. She often left the two of them alone, sometimes for days on end. It was rather poignant, seeing as how her daily routine was the one he mirrored as a vampire. Unlike her, however, he and his brothers had all the reason to party: they would never grow old. They would never die.

Too bad the same couldn't be said for his first family. He surely wasn't sorry to have his son's mother dead - she was better off that way. Selfish witch that she was.

But his boy… his little boy…

It was the first time he ever encountered Max and David and needless to say, he had no idea what they had in store for him or that his life would change forever. He hadn't heard them approach, too consumed in his grief, too busy making sure everything about his son's gravesite was decent, until a sympathetic voice from behind spoke out to him.

"Unfortunately, I know all too well what it's like to lose a loved one. I hope you're not thinking about joining your little one soon."

Dwayne was startled to see two men standing a respectable distance away. These woods were so far from any open road; how did they happen to make their way to this supposedly isolated location? Why so late at night? Why did they choose to stick their noses into his affair?

Dwayne snarled at them, "Get away from here."

"Please, we mean no harm," Max said genuinely as he made no move to approach. He even held up his hands to show that he wasn't going to try anything funny. David acted indifferent to the threat as he casually smoked a cigarette. "My son and I just couldn't help but come across your predicament."

Dwayne rose to his full height and clenched his fists at his side. "I'm in no mood for any games. Leave."

Coolly, David blew smoke into the crisp night air and replied, "You'll like this game, Dwayne."

He frowned. How the hell did he know his name?

David flashed a wicked grin. "You can play this game as long as you like. In this game, you will never grow and you will never die."

He wasn't about to lower his defenses, especially with such uncanny scrutiny coming from the likes of him. Max adjusted the glasses on his nose and cautiously asked, "Would your child want you to be sad forever? Wouldn't he want you to eventually move on and continue living? With a loving family, no doubt?"

Dwayne didn't respond. Most people were intimidated by his appearance alone, with his long dark hair, piercing gaze, and stoic demeanor. Yet he should have known something was off about these two if they didn't leave when he first ordered them to. In fact, the more he studied them, the more he felt an odd sense of strength coming from them.

He knelt down in front of the grave once again as his gloved finger traced a nonsensical pattern along the dirt. His boy was gone and thinking about never seeing his smile again or being able to hear his bubbly laughter made him feel so old and defeated. As long as he remained here, he would doom himself to forever mourn what he'd lost.

He felt a hand touch down on his shoulder. Max was now kneeling next to him with his kind eyes studying his every move. David stood behind him, a stark contrast compared to the older man. Physically he looked to be the same age as Dwayne with platinum blond hair and ice blue eyes that could freeze anyone on the spot with one glare. Despite their eccentric words, Dwayne couldn't help but feel that there was something truthful and alluring about what they presented to him. Or maybe it was the grief still kicking him around that he wasn't too sure what he wanted to do anymore.

"Family, huh?" he mused as he met Max's concerned gaze full on.

Max squeezed his shoulder. "Yes, family. Together we'll be the family you need, Dwayne. Let us take care of you."

"Not to mention help you get some much needed fun," David added as he reached into his black trench coat and produced a strange looking bottle. "Save the questions until after you have a drink of this."

Dwayne wanted to burst into laughter. First his son's death, then the arrival of these two strangers, now booze (at least he believed it was booze). What a night. Well, what else did he have left? He had no more home to go to. His home was with his boy, who was now six feet under…

"Your home is with us now," Max re-enforced as he slowly climbed to his feet. "Don't forget, Dwayne. You have a home. Now drink slowly…"

"Do I get to ride with you guys tonight?" Laddie asked as he munched on the rest of his food. His fingers and lips were greasy and he was all out of clean napkins. Dwayne fetched some more and took the liberty of briskly cleaning him up.

"Star may have found someone to snack on," Dwayne remarked as he disposed of the dirty napkins. "David wants to go check up on her. You'll have to watch because you're gonna do the same thing one day. Can you handle that?"

Laddie nodded eagerly.

"Then it sounds like you're coming along."

"Cool!"

As Laddie excitedly slipped away to get ready, Dwayne recalled when he killed his first human. A carnal urge awoke inside of him that night. Covered in rich, warm blood with the pitiful dying moans of the fallen surrounding him, he felt more alive than he did when he was mortal. He craved more of this sensation, the feeling of being stronger and being able to deliver fear upon those weaker than him. It could all be done without regret and to know he could live forever, and most importantly, knowing he wouldn't feel anymore pain. With the later additions of Marko and Paul to their family, the memories of his pain retreated into the darkest depths of his mind. His new family helped him live, to kill without remorse, and engage in never ending fun.

However, decades later, when Max introduced the vulnerable and frightened Laddie to their family, the paternal instincts Dwayne thought he buried long ago were unearthed quite unexpectedly. Laddie had been naturally terrified of the boys and wouldn't stop crying the first night he was presented to them. The others were more than willing to create a little "accident" that would have resulted in his premature death, despite Max's mysterious intentions for such a young vampire-in-the-works. But Dwayne, acting upon experience, simply pulled the weeping Laddie close to him and allowed him to cry and scream as long as needed. Eventually the boy fell asleep and from then on out, he would always stick close to Dwayne. Even if Dwayne didn't appear very approachable, Laddie would edge his way to be near him somehow.

While David and Marko more or less grew to tolerate the child's existence, Paul was the only other brother who interacted with Laddie if he was in the mood. Dwayne quietly took it upon himself from day one to watch out for the kid. He never imagined finding a place in his soul for another child other than his own. While Laddie looked nothing like his boy, it was little quirks, like the way he picked at his food or the way he stared at something intently that offered him brief reminders.

No one ever questioned this relationship nor did anybody seem to mind, as Dwayne's viciousness when he was hunting with the boys never once wavered. Interestingly enough, Dwayne and Star, the only sister and former new addition to the family, shared the roles of being attentive to Laddie. While they rarely spoke to one another, it was a harmony they firmly agreed upon.

"Dwayne!"

Laddie was standing by the entrance of the cave, dressed and ready to go. David, Marko, and Paul were already filing out to the surface, their gleeful and maniacal laughter bouncing off the walls. With a feral smirk, Dwayne went over to Laddie, ruffled his hair affectionately, and led him to where the others were waiting.

Author's note #2: Please let me know what you thought of the story! Was I wildly OOC? I hope I didn't make Dwayne too much of a wuss 'cause he's definitely NOT one in the movie. None of the boys are!