Maris is back in England for college and from the moment she gets off the plane, she's haunted with memories of her first and only other trip across the pond two years before. She's reminded of things like the way things used to be with Derek and wonders whatever happened to Adam and Vicky the two lovable Forrest children.

Had to basically keep a British slang dictionary nearby constantly XD

Maris looked out of the window of her dorm at the University of London, not believing she was here again. As she had gotten off the plane earlier that day, her legs had shook so that she had nearly just went back to the states. It had only been a year and a half since Derek had died. Since then she had had to find her own way in the world of werewolves. She was now able to stomach regular food and was almost able to swallow without gagging. She could pretend that everything was normal and she slept through the night until it was almost time for her to hunt again. Now she was staying up because of choice. And of fear that being here might resurrect memories of two summers ago in that little village. For the trillion and tenth time she wondered if Adam and Victoria were all right, wherever the poor children were. Had they begun to show signs of their father's gift/curse? God help them if they had.

She understood what Derek meant now, about how exhilarating it is at first. To tell the truth ever since this secret cost Derek Forrest his life and nearly Maris' too, she hadn't been quite the same about her other self. The door of the dorm opened and her roommate, no, it would be flatmate here, returned from a friends. She was a peppy blond who probably wouldn't be in the dorms for long. Sorority rushes were coming up.

"Maris! You've got to come see this!" Maris just smiled and waited for her to bubble on. "Emily's flat looks right into Damien Locke's!" Maris continued to smile but cocked an eyebrow and she sighed in friendly exasperation. "Oh, you yank, he's only the most adorable guard on the football team!" A small question raised in her head for a moment when the words guard and football were put together then it connected: football in England is soccer in America.

"Um, no thanks, Liz, I think I'll stay here." Both of Liz's eyebrows rose.

"You camp or something?"

"Uh. What?" She sighed again.

"Are you gay?" Maris jumped.

"Oh! No, no! Of course not!"

"Well, come on then." Liz smiled. "He was about to start working out when I said I was coming to get you." She grabbed Maris' arm and pulled her off the window seat with surprising strength. She laughed. "Let's go! Hurry up, will you?" They half-ran down the hall, when a guy came around the corner, he narrowly missed Liz whose grip broke when Maris stopped dead as she ran into the boy. He automatically caught her and she muttered a sorry.

"You all right? Totally my fault, I should have-..." Then she looked up and they both froze. "Don't I know you from somewhere?" He asked.

"... Kerry?"

"I do know you don't I?"

"Your friend Brenda set us up one night a couple of years ago. You guys spiked my lemonade with vodka?" He looked at her hard.

"Maris? Blimey, you grew nicely. Not that you weren't totty before but... you know, I'm just gonna belt up now." He looked a little ashamed. Liz cleared her throat.

"Hey there, I'm trusting you're in good hands. Emily's flat is number 23 whenever you two finish playing catch up." She turned and left.

"So... you never called me before you left."

"A lot happened. I was an au pair here. And then there were... accidents."

"Oh."

"Yeah..."

"Any chance I might get you to go out with me sometime now? I mean, you're obviously here on a slightly more permanent basis, right?" She sighed and weighed it out.

"Will I be allowed to stay sober?" He laughed a little in embarrassment.

"Of course. No pubs if you like."

"I don't see why not. What harm could it do?"

"Excellent! Um. Could I get your number? I'll give you a bell sometime."

"Uh..." She was still trying to remember the dorm's phone number. He laughed.

"Fine. Flat number then?"

"Oh. Liz and I are 14." She said, gesturing behind her the way they had come.

"All right. It's great seeing you again, Maris." She grimaced.

"You too, Kerry." He laughed.

"Don't lie. I know you're probably beating yourself up right now. I promise I won't trick you." She smiled.

"Well.... uh... I really should go..." She said, stepping back and moving to go around him.

"Of course. I... I guess.... yeah." She laughed and started for Emily's room. When she got there she opened the door and saw a gaggle of girls at Emily's sitting room window.

"Oh, Maris, you're just in time!" Liz shoved playfully at some of her friends to make room for Maris who didn't come closer. It was too close to time to go hunting. She'd noticed that while she was talking to Kerry. One, two people nearby, she could handle. But not a crowd like this.

"Actually, Liz, I was coming to tell you I was going out. Didn't want you to think Kerry abducted me or something."

"Oh. All right, have fun." She nodded and left, going out to the tiny rental car she had until she could get a cheap permanent replacement. She drove a ways out and 3 hours later, she was in the countryside. She found a pull-off next to a patch of woods and looked each way down the road to makes sure no one was coming before going into the trees.

Just one run. She told herself. Just an hour or two and I'll be able to get through the next few days.

She undressed and then dashed through the trees as a wolf.