This could be read as a one-shot or even a multi-chapter fic if people want it. I certainly want to keep writing for this fandom. I own nothing.
The Wild Youth
Being alone in this world was not what she had ever intended after her supernatural run-ins with death. Hell, she was already a ghost, how many times would she have to go through the pain and loss that seemed to follow her everywhere. Being her friend or lover had consequences, being friends with any of those she held dear in her heart came with a sacrifice. When you walked, sometimes literally, hand in hand with Death it was only plausible that there would be a price. And Mitchell had paid it whilst Annie lived in her new version of Purgatory.
He was worth it though; a minute in Mitchell's heart was worth millennia of agony. And that was why she endured. If he no longer existed then she would endure the agony of the memories because they kept Mitchell alive in her head and heart. He would be forever embedded in her soul.
George and Nina had tried to help, as best they knew how but George was in mourning himself whilst Nina continually shifted between anxiety and guilt at knowing that her role in Mitchells final fall from grace. Annie wished she could be angry with her, angry for making her realise Mitchell's role in the Box 20 massacre. Mitchell had been forced into a corner, and due to this he had felt it necessary to ask George to lose the last bit of innocence that the wolf had left him with and stake his dearest friend.
But looking back Annie couldn't blame Nina because they had all played their own roles in Mitchell's demise. Both George and Annie had been aware they were losing him to the Bristol vampire branch especially after George had killed Herrick. Mitchell had literally moved heaven and high water to find her and bring her back from Purgatory or whatever the other realm that ghosts resided in was called.
One person however whom Annie had no qualms in laying the blame upon was Wyndham. As far as he was concerned, death would be easy. And to think he tried to black mail them. Annie had been lucky in that she was in one of her more solid states when she had left to get shopping and walked across the vampire trying to beat Nina. She had been so angry that she hadn't even noticed when the bins on either side of her in the alley suddenly slammed into the vampires knocking them some 30 feet away and unconscious. In her rage she hadn't even thought as she allowed the rest of the rubbish in the street fly towards them covering the unconscious vampires in filth that would take them a while to climb out of. In the mean time she ran towards Nina and dragged her back towards the house.
George had almost dropped the baby when he heard Annie making a commotion and saw the bleeding Nina in her arms. Carefully they got her upstairs and into the bath where they methodically bathed her before dressing her wounds and helping her into bed. Nina looked gaunt but her face carried more colour than it had when they had first gotten her in. Annie absently stroked the soft downy hair of the baby in her arms as she watched George slowly feed Nina some warm broth to keep her strength up.
Annie knelt down and placed Eve into her wooden crib and gently backed away after checking Eve's breathing was still steady and she was fast asleep. She gave George a warm pat on the shoulder and pressed a kiss to Nina's forehead before she walked out the door. George was in completely another world as he attempted to coax the still healing Nina and barely registered her leaving. Perfect.
Walking up to the new Stoker franchise that had opened in Barry she blasted the front door open unconsciously and she moved through the room with all the vampires looking at her with a mixture of fear, amusement, curiosity and anger, especially after the report that this silly ghost had delusions of grandeur and dared to attack two of their own.
Annie paid them all no mind, like vermin, crawling around the place. She had only one person in this building that she wanted to talk to. Walking towards the back room where she knew Wyndham to be lurking she squeezed a fist and the two burly looking vampires in front of her were blasted out of the way.
"It's a pleasure, little ghost."
"That isn't a shared sentiment. Leave my friends alone. You have taken enough from us. Leave us."
Wyndham attempted a smile but Annie could see nothing joyful about it. "Ah yes, still mourning little Mitchell." He stopped himself and snorted. "Whatever Herrick saw there, I admit I never truly saw myself. Weak."
"Mitchell was anything but weak, his cravings got the better of him but Mitchell was and is so much more than his urges."
"You talk of us as if we are the animals."
"Pot, kettle, black is the phrase that comes to mind."
"You should watch that mouth, I've cut people's tongues out for less. I've even made them eat it."
"Pity I'm already dead then."
"Not necessarily, I could make you do so many things Annie."
"Please, you and your threats cannot harm me. I have met people whom have explained my existence and its strengths and weaknesses. And nothing that can hurt me, associates with the likes of you."
Wyndham looked up sharply before schooling his features. "You'd be surprised."
"You're lying."
Wyndham's fangs dropped and he stepped closer to her. Annie didn't budge. "How dare you."
"I can see it. When you lie. When anyone lies. I can read your auras. You may be undead Wyndham but you are not unsusceptible to this. Your threats are useless. I can do a lot more damage to you than you can do to me."
"I'll kill all of your little friends and you will be left along, until you fade into nothingness where you should be already you little bitch."
Annie snorted. "Touch them, and I'll unleash hell on you."
"You don't have the power to back that up."
Annie smiled. "Perhaps, perhaps not. But I've been to hell, and purgatory. I've actually died and crossed over. Have you?" Wyndham stiffened and this time Annie stepped closer to him to whisper in his ear. "No, I had thought not. You walk amongst the living as one who is dead yet still require living blood to survive. You are slaves to your nature just as much as the humans and the wolves. I've heard people talking you know, about what happens to vampires when they pass over."
"Like your dear Mitchell?" Wyndham sneered.
Annie smiled sadly. "Yes, like my dear, dear Mitchell."
"Is this the part where I quiver with fear?"
"That's up to you isn't it? If you stay away from my friends, grant them immunity and left them live out their lives then I will leave you alone."
"Is that supposed to be frightening?" Wyndham challenged.
"I know more than you do about this, and my friends have earned their peace with every tragedy they have suffered. If you do not fear me then let me remind you that I know some very interesting…creatures whom would love the chance to try and give you a fright. You will see horrors you will never survive if you don't leave us."
"Your threats are empty."
Annie smiled and clicked her fingers. Wyndham frowned at the door that materialized. "Have you ever wondered how vampires never cross through a door like everyone else? No? Let me elaborate. Traditionally, when a vampire transitions into being said vampire, they lose the thing that links them to the other plane of existence: their humanity. But did you know they can still go there? They just have to be in contact with humans…or ghosts."
Wyndham flinched as Annie's fingers slowly trailed down his arm to grab his wrist. His thousand years as a vampire meant nothing as Annie grasped his wrist and yanked his closer and closer to the door. He struggled yet the ghost's grip was ironically unyielding. "Stop this."
"You know what stops this, give me your word. Your oath."
"Fine, fine." Wyndham replied thoroughly shaken. Annie perked up immediately.
"Brilliant. Hop to it."
Wyndham seethed quietly as he shuffled towards the safe behind his desk and pulled out an elaborately carved knife. Annie looked at him as he proceeded to go through the blood oath, thankful she had listened to Mitchell when he had thoroughly explained everything. Regarding vampire rituals and she kept a keen eye to ensure he wasn't faking. He poured the blood from his wrist into the cup and sprinkled it around the circle hissing over the religious element of the ritual before Annie noticed the tension in the room lessen and Wyndham visibly relax. "It is done ghost."
Annie nodded. "I hope I never see have to see you again." She moved towards the door but Wyndham's voice held her back.
"I was thinking about something whilst doing the ritual. If you dragged me with you, to the other place, you would be gone forever too."
Annie nodded a yes. "You are all so noble."
"Noble? No. Loyal? Undoubtedly. I will tear the world down around me if it keeps them alive. And everyone in it."
"Even yourself?"
"Yes."
"And what of your precious Mitchell then?" He couldn't help but get in one last dig. Annie smirked at him.
"Mitchell moved oceans and mountains in his own ways to bring me back. You think I won't at least try and return the favour?" Wyndham gasped.
"It is impossible."
"We'll see won't we?"
Wyndham turned to regard her only to find her gone. He sighed as he moved towards the outer ring to give his new decree on the leniency to be granted the wolves. Interesting little creature and surprisingly dangerous. If she wasn't dead already, Wyndham thought ironically, she would have made a magnificent vampire.
George was pacing frantic when Annie returned home.
"Where the bloody hell have you been?" He growled and Annie looked back out the window to see the moon was nearly full. No wonder he was being grumpy.
"I've taken care of it." Annie dismissed him and went to the kitchen to make tea and George quietly followed after her.
They sat in relative silence whilst George drank the tea Annie lovingly made for her friend and Annie brooded over hers. Before long Annie began to tell him what she had done and she and George never broke eye contact as tears welled in both their eyes and George reached across the table and grabbed her hand bringing her knuckles to his lips as he bowed his head in reverence and whispered a quiet. "Thank you."
Annie smiled and suddenly a door appeared before her. George looked startled and began to weep. Begging. "No Annie, please. We're all getting better. It's finally getting better. Why now?"
Annie smiled as she pressed a kiss to his brow and hugged him tightly to her.
"This isn't goodbye Georgie."
"Then what is it?" George wept openly.
"This is the beginning." Annie smiled. "I'll be back you'll see."
"Where are you going Annie?" George asked frantically.
Annie smiled and George felt warmed. "I'm going to find Mitchell, Georgie. I'm going to bring him home. To us."
And before George could speak she was gone.