Hiya everyone!

Well, the release date has been put back to March, so I guess we'll have to wait even longer.

I don't think that my prediction in my last fic. is completely accurate- I think I read some where that Dexter isn't their biological father, after all. Maybe he's Sally's brother or something………. I still like the idea that Sally was Lorcan's donor, though - it makes more sense. That way they could have had a deep, plutonic relationship and Lorcan and Grace can still be in love without any freaky complications. Anyway,

I was going to publish this as a sort of second chapter to Complications: Trust the Tide, but then as I was writing it didn't end the way I had originally intended. So I'm going to post it separately. It isn't a separate story as such- just a different idea and a different way in which things could happen. Maybe I'll write some more and publish them as a collection……..

Thanks for all you're reviews before- and don't worry- Grace's hair is brown in this one! (Well, actually her hair colour isn't mentioned but….oh, well.) I don't know why I thought it was black before………but anyway!

Please review and please enjoy!

(Btw, I'm not 100 percent sure where this fic's location is (maybe Sanctuary) but it doesn't really matter.)

Disclaimer: if I owned Vampirates; it would be very different. All rights belong to Justin Somper.

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Grace was lying on her bed in her room; trying to absorb herself in the moment of silence. She was trying to get the recent events sorted in her head. Everything had happened far too fast and she felt like her mind was about to go into over-drive.

She hadn't made much progress when she heard a slightly tentative knock on the door. Mildly annoyed at being disturbed she called out,

"Who is it?"

A reply came,

"It's me, Lorcan. Can I come in please, Grace?" All traces of annoyance disappeared virtually instantly at the sound of the pleasant, Irish brogue. Grace sat up and swung her legs down to touch the floor.

"Sure. Come in." She said, trying to remain nonchalant, when already she could feel her pulse speed up subtly and her cheeks begin to flush. Lorcan opened the door, peering into the small room with his dazzling, azure eyes to see Grace, before completely entering the room. He smiled softly at Grace and she felt her heart flutter and glow and melt, all at once. Lorcan walked over and sat next to her on the bed.

"How are you?" he asked, concern filling his eyes, "You must be tired after everything that's happened the past few days."

Grace's voice came out barely more than a whisper, "I'm fine. I was just thinking everything through."

Lorcan nodded once in understanding,

"Of course. Sorry, I must be disturbing you, I wasn't thinking." He stood up, as if to leave. Instinctively, Grace reached up to catch his arm,

"Don't go." Her eyes pleaded more than her words.

Lorcan smiled down at her affectionately and sat back down. They were both silent for a few moments.

"We-"

"I-" They both began at the same time.

"Ladies first." Lorcan offered.

"No." Grace refused, "You first; I insist."

Lorcan was silent for a while. Grace wondered whether he was actually going to say anything or not.

"That day….with Johnny," He began slowly, unsure how to find the right words. There was another pause, "Grace, I have to tell you……I… I love you. More than I ever thought possible, but……"

Grace felt her heart spasm. A surge of joy so overwhelming, so pure; rose up from within her. She wanted to laugh and dance and shout and cry all at once. She felt positively aglow with love. Until her mind registered the 'but' and she came crashing back down with a painful thud. She hardly dared to ask,

""But" what?" Her voice was so timid, so unsure she barely recognized it as her own. She glanced up at him with moisture engulfing her shining, green eyes.

"I'm not good enough for you." He said forlornly.

"Wh- how?" Grace began to protest, but Lorcan just shushed her.

"I'm dead." He said simply, "But you have so much to live for, Gracie. So much to do, so much to enjoy. Don't waste your life on me."

"Now hold on just a second." Grace began, her courage returned and her anger slightly roused. "Don't you dare use being dead as an excuse. Because I know that you're not."

Lorcan looked at Grace- confusion mixed with worry, painted vibrantly over his features.

"Ok," Grace admitted, "You're body doesn't age, doesn't change, doesn't grow. But you are still alive. I have proof of that, at least." She paused and took a deep breath. Grace looked straight into Lorcan's eyes, so that he knew that she really meant what she was about to say.

"I love you; Lorcan and I know how it feels. If you love me, even the smallest fraction as I've learnt that I love you; I know just how alive it feels. You can't deny that. 'Alive' isn't something as trivial as a beating heart. 'Alive' is what you do," she reached out to put one of his hands in hers, "and what you feel. I'd be the 'dead' one, without you, Lorcan. You make me alive."

"Oh, Grace." Lorcan sighed deeply and wrapped his arms around her, in a close embrace. Grace returned his hug and waited in silence- savoring the moment, yet worried about what Lorcan would say next. Worried about what they would do. Worried what would happen to them- in the present, now and far into the future. Eventually the silence was broken:

"That doesn't make up for the incredible danger that I'm putting you in, by having you near, every second of every day." Lorcan said quietly.

Fed up of this same old phrase, Grace was a little sarcastic in her reply;

"So you keep saying. But maybe this grave danger that I'm supposedly in will hurry up and kill me because then I can cross and spend all of eternity with you."

"Grace! You mustn't say things like that!" Lorcan held her at arms length now, so that he could look at her face. So that Grace could see his pleading, serious eyes.

"But I'm serious, Lorcan." Her eyes were equally serious and just as pleading.

"I know that you are and that's what scares me the most!" Lorcan exclaimed before sighing with exasperation. Silent moments passed.

"You would though, wouldn't you?" Grace asked, suddenly slightly anxious, the need for reassurance reflected in her eyes.

"Would what, Grace?" Lorcan asked, softer, calmer now, but still missing the point somewhat.

"Spend eternity with me." Grace whispered, her gaze almost pleading now.

Lorcan smiled slightly and instead of replying with words, tilted his head downwards, till his lips met Grace's.

Into his kiss, he put his sheer love for her- all of his affection. Through that kiss, he reassured Grace, comforted her and confessed his feelings all over again. Much to Lorcan's delight, Grace kissed back with as much emotion and tenderness.

When the kiss ended- much to Grace's disappointment- she pulled back slightly, to gaze into Lorcan's blue eyes. In them, she saw how far they had come, together, as people. But she also saw how much further they still had to go. It was bearable though, enjoyable even, because they'd be together, she promised Lorcan and she promised herself.

Grace then nestled into Lorcan's chest and let time -just for a little while- trickle by.