Okay, so this is my first fanfiction! *screams in excitement* When I read The Morganville Vampires there was one pairing I felt was neglected severely. Namely because the pairing didn't exist. But that's what fanfic is for, right? There are some amazing Myrnin/Claire stories on here and I thought I'd add my own :) They make a great couple if you ask me, so please, if you don't like the pairing, don't read. So, here goes, my first ever fanfic. Please R&R, constructive criticism is welcome, just please, try to be gentle? Hope you enjoy! :)

*I OWN NOTHING* But how I wish I did. Especially Myrnin.

Chapter One

An Unwelcome Visitor

Claire Danvers sighed. Glancing around, she realised that things in the Glass House had not changed a bit in the couple of weeks she'd been gone. Same game controllers left on the sofa from last night's sparring. Same coffee cup left in the sink beside a thermos flask whose contents she's still rather pretend were cranberry juice. Home. She'd missed it in the few weeks that she'd been away on an errand for Amelie. It had been tiring, and she had constantly wished for the familiarity and safety of the Glass House. She had yearned to see her friends again, Eve, Michael, and especially Shane. She couldn't wait to see him, to feel his warm arms envelop her as he told her how much he'd missed her. She'd even missed Myrnin. She smiled at the thought of her crazy vampire boss. He had been furious with Amelie for sending her away for so long, he'd said that he'd needed his apprentice in the lab. She doubted it, Myrnin's mind was incredible and it wasn't as if she could suggest much that he hadn't heard before. No, it was more the fact that when in a good mood, which he nearly always was with her these days, he simply enjoyed her company. Not that he'd ever admit to such a thing. Sighing once more, Claire began to make her way up the stairs, ready to sleep for a few days. She had reached the end of the hall when she heard muffled voices coming from Shane's room. Was that a giggle? She approached the door silently and pressed her ear to it. Yep, there was definitely some talking going on, that was definitely a female voice she heard, and it wasn't Eve's. Anger boiled under the surface of her skin, red hot. Seething, Claire stepped back and flung open the door with as much force as she could muster. It banged off Shane's wall and allowed her a full view of the room within. There, perched on Shane's lap, sat a girl. The opposite of Claire, she had bright blonde hair and blue eyes. And very little clothing. She was giggling as he laid feather light kisses along her neck and shoulder. In the second before the door made contact with the wall, Claire had seen enough. As the boom reverberated around the room. Claire stood in the doorway, frozen. Shane looked up from the girl and froze similarly. "Claire?" He said, shock colouring his tone, "what are you doing here? I thought you weren't coming home 'till Tuesday?" Rage ran through Claire, thick and hot, and blood roared in her ears as she registered his words. Without a second's hesitation, Claire ran across the hall and into her room, almost slamming the door off its hinges. Facing the blank wall, she conjured up an image of the first place she thought of. Myrnin's lab.

Myrnin's POV

It had been weeks since he'd seen his little Claire. She hated when he called her that, whenever he referred to her as little or any other word that hinted that she was vulnerable. He chuckled softly at the memory of her telling him so a month ago. There had been a fierceness in her eyes and a fire to her as she told him that never, under any circumstances, was he to call her little again. A grin formed on his face as he realised now that she hadn't objected to him referring to her as his. He quickly realised where this train of thought was taking him, and shook his head to rid him of the thoughts. There was no way that Claire would ever want him, an old crazy vampire, who was her boss no less, the way that he found himself wanting her. Wait, did he just admit to himself that he wanted her? Such foolishness! She was nothing but an apprentice, and a weak human to boot! But...there was just something about his little bird that he could not get over. He had not felt this way since Ada. In fact, this was worse. He found himself thinking of Claire more and more these days. Her smile, her faith in him, her intelligence...he had to stop! He wandered over to a half finished experiment at one of the wooden tables that adorned the room. Claire had shown him what she thought would work, and, of course, it had. But he just couldn't bring himself to finish it without her. He had a feeling that she would arrive to the lab any day now, even though she wasn't due home for nearly a week. He could not explain it, he just had a gut instinct that his Claire would be here soon to fill his lab with sunlight and l- wait! Had he just been about to say love? This was truly getting out of hand. But the longer he thought of the little four letter word, the more he realised. It was true. He loved her. Uh-oh.

Claire's POV

As the portal shifted between frequencies, Claire tried to get a hold of herself. Concentrate, damn it! How was she going to get out of here if she couldn't conjure up a portal? She would not walk past his room. She couldn't. "Claire!" Shane boomed, "Claire, wait! Let me explain!" He barged through her door and stood behind her, breathing heavily. He spun her round to face him just as she felt the portal click into place. Tears, hot and unwanted, streamed from her eyes as she faced the boy who betrayed her. He was holding her arms in a vice-like grip, refusing to let her go until he had said his piece. He opened his mouth but Claire quickly silenced him with an unearthly scream of frustration. "Explain?" she exploded, "Explain what, exactly, Shane? How after I've been gone for a few lousy weeks you just fell into the arms of some slut? Well, I'm all ears. Please, do share your lame excuses." She could her the trembling in her voice and hated herself for it. Why should she show how upset she was to him? He deserved nothing from her but anger. He flinched at her words and she could see the torment in his eyes. "Claire, please, you don't understand. You were gone for so long, I missed you. I missed us. I got so lonely, i missed all the things we used to do together. But, please Claire, she meant nothing, know that she meant nothing to me. I love you." Claire let out a short, bitter laugh at that one. "You love me?" she spat, "well, you've sure got a funny way of showing it, Collins. I can't believe you. Just stay away from me. You honestly expect me to forgive you for cheating on me because you got lonely? You think it's ok that you got a stand in 'till I came back?" Her voice had risen to a scream and she whirled around to face the portal. She had one foot through when he grabbed her wrist and yanked her back. "DON'T TOUCH ME!" she wailed, "STAY AWAY FROM ME! I NEVER WANT TO LOOK AT YOU AGAIN!" She shoved him with all the strength she had, but he still kept her wrist in a steady grip. "Look, Claire..." he began, but she didn't want to hear any more lame excuses. She'd had enough. "I loved you," she whispered. She did the last thing she could think of. She just hoped the portal was still open and he could hear her. She sucked in a shaking breath and shouted his name.

"MYRNIN!"