Chapter 1

Claire woke to the sound of tapping. Like a persistent bird was pecking at her window. She blinked into darkness, felt across the bed to the cold spot where Shane should be. Pain wrapped around her heart as the realisation hit her - he was gone, he'd never lay next to her again, never see their little girl grow up. The tapping continued, drawing her thoughts, at least momentarily, away from the pain in her chest.

Her eyes adjusted to the darkness and Claire saw the outline of a figure at her window. She should have been frightened, or at least startled, but that would require an emotion other than heart break, and she just didn't have anything else in her. She flicked on the lamp, blinked until the light brought the pale face into focus.

"What do you want?" She asks quietly.

"Can I come in?"

"If I say no, will you go away?"

"Afraid not."

She sighs, "very well, come in Myrim."

The widow slides up and he steps in, one bunny slipper after the other, like he'd been floating on air, and not precariously balanced on a slim branch.

"I'm sorry for your lose." He says quietly.

Claire's eyes light up in surprise and quickly fill with tears. She dabs at them with a tissue from the box next to her bed. "Thank you Myrim. That means a lot, coming from you."

He approaches and sits on the edge of the bed next to her. "I never liked him. He was never good enough for you." Claire cracks a grin and the beginnings of a laugh escape her lips.

"That's ok, he didn't much care for you either."

"Yes, but I feel that was due to our common… interest, rather than anything to do with my personality. I'm quite charming, you know." Again Claire smiles. "Speaking of which, I wanted to talk to you about it."

"Your charming personality?"

"No, my interest."

Claire tenses, she didn't need one of his crazy schemes right now. "Myrnin, I just buried my husband." She says quietly.

"I know, that's why I have to talk to you now."

She sighs, blows her nose, and nods. Sometimes it's just easier when it comes to Myrnin, to let him have his crazy five minutes and then try to reason with him. Although, it was odd for him to remain as calm as he was, for as long as he had. She was half expecting him to break out into a rant at any minute.

"You're a widow and a single mother. It is not a very fitting position for a respectable young lady."

"Oh Myrnin, you're thinking of the wrong century." She says softly.

"Nonsense, in no time is it a fitting situation for a lady to be in."

She shrugs, he had a point there. "Is this the part where you tell me you've built a time machine and we can go back and move Shane out of the way of the drunk driver?" It had been two weeks since the accident yet she still couldn't believe it. Not that Shane had died, short life spans come with the town, but the way he had died. He'd told her once that he'd always thought that it would be a vampire that killed him. It made sense giving how badly he managed to piss them off over the years. So when she'd gotten the call, been told what had happened, she didn't believe it at first. Her first reaction, when she'd come too from the initial shock, was that it was some kind of cover up. Who could blame her in a town like Morganville. But it wasn't. It was a human affair. Despite Amelie's promise of change, a promise that has been kept for years now, it didn't mean that all of Morganville's problems had completely gone away. Alcohol was much of the town's inhabitants way of coping with years of vampire oppression, and now, it was their way of coping with past oppression.

He pauses, "A time machine… you know I've often thought that the math is possible, the problem comes when you…"

"Myrnin, as much as I enjoy our chats, it is late."

"Yes… yes of course, to the point." He stands and flourishes out his 19th century coat. He would actually look really smart if he hadn't matched it with orange shorts and a Hawaiian shirt. Claire never did understand how a man so smart, couldn't seem to grasp the concept of matching colours. He drops to one knee and produces a small black box. Claire's eyebrows furrow in caution. Half suspecting him to be about to present her with one of his pet insects, she clutches her duvet tighter. His pale long fingers open the lid and to her utter amazement, her eyes fall upon an enormous diamond.

"My dear, I have wanted to present you with this since you first shouted me down in my lab. You were so brave, just a flint of a girl, standing up to a crazed vampire. I will be a good husband Claire. I will raise your daughter as if she were my own…"

"Please stop." She gasps through tears.

"I am not expecting an answer from you just yet." He stands and places the ring box on her bedside cabinet. I wish merely to make my intentions clear. I have waited a decade for you Claire, a thousand more would mean nothing if you were at the end of it." He returns to the window and slides it open. "As much as it kills me, to see you human, vulnerable, breakable, I would not change you, not without your permission. As long as you are mine, I will protect you."

"Myrnin, the only person I need protection from, is you."

A smile breaks out on his face, "Claire, you've always been able to control me, even at when I was not quite myself." He says tapping his temple. He had been losing his mind due to a sickness that was attacking all of the vampires, when they had first met. His moods would change faster than the wind, from manic to real, heart breaking tears. "Don't you see? I'm better with you."

"I love Shane." She says matter of factly.

He nods. "I'll wait, as long as it takes."

He vanishes out of the window before Claire can even think of a reply.

I will continue upon request.