It was a dark, moonless night. It was just before Christmas, in New York. Bishop and Aiden had lived in the city for the past six years; Bishop decided he liked the town. But like anything else, Bishop grew tired of the city that never slept. And of course, he wanted to go out with a bang. He, Aiden, his ever-faithful companion, and a few others descended upon a rundown quadplex in Brooklyn. Soon twelve bodies were scattered around the building.

Aiden stood, so gorged he felt a bit dizzy as he watched another vampire sprinkle gasoline through the halls. The deaths would be chalked up to a simple arson. Aiden was walking down the stairs when the faint sound of a pulse came through one of the doors. He stopped and listened, who could have been so foolish not to finish the kill?

But as he listened, he realized it was the pulse of a child- a small one at that. Aiden could never hurt the children; he always left them for the others. Against his better judgment, Aiden grasped the doorknob, and peered into the room. In the darkness, he could see a tiny huddled form curled under some blankets in a corner. A woman's lifeless body lay feet away. Bloody footprints quickly explained that the child saw it's mother, and scurried to hide.

Aiden walked closer. He didn't fear hurting the child, even though the smell of blood wafted through the room. He was simply too full. Gingerly, he pulls at a blanket, revealing a mop of blonde curls. He quickly let go, as the boy emitted a sharp squeak.

Aiden could smell the gasoline. They would be lighting it soon. He began to panic a little. He couldn't let the boy die in the fire. And he couldn't kill him.

His thoughts were quickly interrupted.

"Aiden, come," Bishop's cool voice called from the hall.

Aiden looked to the hall, and then back at the now shaking boy. Bending down, he quickly scooped the child up, holding him tight.

"Shh…" he coos, as the child begins to whimper.

He walks out into the hallway, looking to Bishop.

"Bringing along a snack?"

Aiden frowned. "I want to keep him-"

For a moment, Aiden looked like a child asking his father for a pet. Bishop rolled his eyes. He knew his Aiden was eccentric, but this would be a first. Thinking this would be like Aiden's other past pursuits- and quickly end- Bishop just nodded. Aiden just smiled like a fool.

Aiden avoided the looks of the other vampires with them, and once they were back in their town home, Aiden quickly moved to his room. The boy had been quiet, his only movements were his fingers clenching and unclenching into Aiden's shirt.

Gingerly placing the child down, Aiden wasn't surprised when he quickly covered himself in his blanket again. Squatting down next to the bed, Aiden smiles softly.

"I'm Aiden."

The boy didn't move.

"I'm going to take care of you."

The boy peeked out from the blanket, Aiden could see tears forming. "Mommy," he demanded.

Aiden frowned. From his limited knowledge of children, the boy seemed about three or four.

"I'm going to take care of you," he repeated, gently, quietly, leaning closer to the boy, a smile on his face.

"What's your name?"

The boy pushed a few curls away from his face, obviously contemplating on whether to throw a fit or comply. Aiden watched with baited breath. Was this a mistake?

"Jack," he finally mumbles, before quickly disappearing under his blanket.

Aiden stood, allowing Jack to hide. It was a lot to process. Aiden walked about his room, turning the television on, locking his bedroom door. Not to keep Jack inside, but to keep the others out. Not that it could do much- but the leave me alone was implied. Walking into his adjoined bathroom, Aiden runs himself a shower. As he washes the blood away, he keeps his ears tuned as he hears others approach his door, Jack rustle the sheets.

Walking out of the bathroom, he's surprised to see Jack sprawled across the bed, sleeping. Shrugging, he sat on the edge of the bed, watching tv. Eventually, he slowly moved back, allowing himself to have an unneeded nap. The high from earlier was wearing off, and even though he could hear Jack's pulse rhythmically thumping, he found no desire to have the boy.

Aiden jumped awake, feeling a tiny finger poke at his ribs. Jack squeaked, and quickly shuffled across the king size bed.

Aiden stared at the boy, a confused look on his face. "What's wrong?"

Jack squirmed in his seat, shrugging at first, biting his lower lip.

"I'm hungry," he whines.

Aiden's eyes grew wide. He forgot he'd have to feed this thing… food. Glancing to the clock, he could see it was well past lunchtime for a normal person.

"Well, we're going to have to find you something to eat," Aiden says with a smiles, standing up, offering his hand to Jack.

Jack looked at the extended hand, frowning, biting his lip again, before he slowly reached out to take it.

"Stay close to me, okay?"

Aiden smiled as Jack nodded. He knew Bishop probably already declared the boy off limits, but Aiden wasn't going to test that assumption. Walking out of his room, Aiden listened carefully. Bishop made the others get jobs, and it seemed everyone was doing what they were supposed to, because Aiden couldn't hear anyone.

Holding Jack's hand loosely, Aiden walked down the hall. He was amused when they came to the stairs and Jack insisted on having both feet on each stair before moving to the next. Aiden stopped at the bottom of the stairs, seeing Bishop waiting for him in the living room. He gingerly pulled Jack close, a hand resting behind the boy's head, making sure he stayed close.

"And where are we going, Aiden?"

"Jack's hungry," he simply replied.

Bishop looked to the small child, nodding. "We certainly don't have anything here for him, I guess that will have to change."

Aiden nodded. "He'll need… things. Kid things… So I was going to go shopping as well."

Bishop nodded. "I assumed as much, why don't we all go out?"

Aiden raised a brow. This was interesting. Bishop usually left Aiden to his own devices, especially with his pet projects.

To Aiden, the day was an odd one. First they went to some diner for breakfast. That was the first time Jack amazed him. The boy ate everything that was placed in front of him. Aiden knew in this day and age, they probably looked like a family- they didn't stick out too much while they shopped.

They were currently standing in a toy store. Bishop had dragged both Aiden and Jack through the necessities, clothing, shoes, boring things. Aiden had been waiting for the toy stop all day. Hell, he was almost remembering what feeling like a child was like. Jack held Aiden's hand most of the day, but in the toy store he was practically shaking with excitement. Ever since lunch- where he amazed even Bishop with his appetite- when Aiden announced the toy store was going to be a stop, Jack was non-stop jabbering about this and that. This made Aiden happy. He hadn't been happy in a long time, but this was making him insanely happy.

Bishop wandered off, allowing Aiden and Jack to wander aisle by aisle. Aiden watched as Jack pulled two plastic dinosaurs off a display. Watching a toddler weigh the pros and cons of each, and eventually choosing a Brontosaurus, actually made him chuckle. Jack held out the dinosaur to Aiden. Aiden took it, and placed it in the basket he carried.

"Why don't you get the T-Rex too?"

Jack looked confused, and with eyes turned to Aiden. "I can get both?"

"Anything you want," he chuckles.

Bishop eventually found them, raising a brow at the amount. How could a child actually use all of these things? But he said nothing, seeing how Jack was jabbering away in Aiden's arms. After allowing Jack to pick a few toys to carry home, Bishop arranged for delivery.

Back at the house, Aiden scooped up Jack as soon as they entered. He could tell the others were home. Bishop saw his companion tense.

"They've been warned not to harm him," he says coolly.

Aiden nodded, although he didn't put Jack down, even though he was begging to go play.

"Let's go upstairs, buddy," Aiden says, effortlessly balancing Jack in one arm, a bag of toys in the other.

"I'm hungry."

Aiden rolled his eyes. "You just had ice-cream, you're good for now. I swear you have tapeworms or something."

"What's a tapeworm?"

Aiden just chuckled.

Bishop watched as they went up the stairs, before quickly turning his gaze toward Marcus. He had turned Marcus nearly fifty years ago, and he always seemed to be jealous of Aiden and what he could get away with.

"Are you sure he can take care of a pet, Bishop?"

"We'll see," Bishop says, walking past the other.

He didn't care what the others thought. He wanted Aiden to happy like this for a long time. That was the Aiden Bishop loved.