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Chapter 1: Until Next Time

Of course he could hear them as they left, he's a vampire for goodness sake, but he didn't want to. It changed everything.

He heard her every sob and it pained him, when she finally stopped, her breathing eerily calm, he heard her walk towards Coreen.

"I should get you home, there's no reason to extend our unwanted presence."

"But Vicki, what about Henry…"

"He's fine, dead till tomorrow and he'll be good as knew. So listen, a few days off, maybe even an 'I'm sorry your life was threatened again' raise, how does that sound? Then we can work on getting on with things, we should change hours, we still have those cases from last Tuesday I need to bill but you put the files on my desk so no problems."

She hurriedly walked around gathering things as she said this, she felt as if the room was a little too congested, hot. Coreen's face filled with worry.

Vicki looked up, in a breath, "So, are you ready?"

Henry could hear her heart beat faster as she ran around the living room and talked to Coreen, it was pounding in his ears as if to say please stop me from leaving, but he couldn't move. Coreen knew what was really on Vicki's mind. She wanted to leave before she broke down again. Vicki stilled as the intensity of what had happened hit her once again, her face dropped for a second before completely going blank, as if a final wall had been raised.

"Coreen, we should go, rest would do you good."

She grabbed her coat and handed Coreen her own, but she wasn't going to let Vicki leave it at that, she had to ask so that she could get some answers if not for her, for Henry.

"Why would you just let him go, Vicki? Why did you choose Mike? You've never even given Henry a chance."

Coreen looked curiously at Vicki in her tired state, she had seen, or in better words heard the entire showdown between the three adults. Vicki hadn't given up either man easily, but she had decided. Vicki glanced at Coreen as if slightly perplexed by the question before looking away.

"I never said I chose Mike," Vicki blankly stated as if the answer had been obvious.

Vicki looks around as if nothing is really there. Coreen gaps at Vicki as she opens Henry's door prepared to leave with ease. Coreen is unable to move when she looks back into Henry's living room to see Henry. He opens his mouth then pauses. His head bows to the side slightly.

"I didn't know," he says simply.

Coreen couldn't tell if he was trying to apologize or beg Vicki to stay, she was hoping both. She was also hoping this meant he wasn't going to move away. Vicki keeps his door wide open not turning around but closing her eyes, Henry could hear her breath shake slightly, and she wasn't going to let him see her cry.

"But you thought you did," Vicki says cryptically and hastily walks out.

Coreen looked to Henry as the door was left open wondering why he didn't run after her.

"Please don't leave Henry, not after everything, you can't both give up."

"How do you give up on something that never existed?"

"Aren't you and Vicki the ones who overpower the impossible?"

"You exaggerate."

"I'm only speaking on behalf of what I've seen. I've been a direct witness and sometimes, even a part of what has gone on these past few months. Henry, stop kidding yourself."

"How do you know this won't end like I thought it already had?"

"You're a 480-something year-old dude who drinks blood to live, shouldn't you have realized that no one knows everything? Even if at times I don't believe it myself, this is where faith comes in, which I think, you happen to know a lot about."

"I'm glad you survived this Coreen, I think it may be the one good think that came out of this."

"Well with all the drama you three cooked up it wouldn't be right if I weren't the comedic relief."

"Trust me you are much more than that and I hope that your future doesn't change the person that I've known you to be."

"Seriously Henry, don't make this sound like good bye. I don't want you leaving Vicki like this."

Coreen walks out the door not knowing if that had worked or if he was still leaving.

He closed the door behind her, and went to his window to see the speck of Vicki's head waiting for Coreen across the empty street. He sighs as he asks Vicki one last question for the night, which she obviously would never hear.

"Good bye or until next time…?"

A/N: My first Blood Ties story, it was bound to happen just like your review is bound to happen, which by the way will make me super happy! Please give some feedback. Review.