Present Time

I stared out the window as the black car I was traveling in came closer and closer to the wrought iron gates surrounding my destination. My stomach flipped over as the large church like building came into sight and the driver rang the bell that would open the gate.

As we drove up the long winding driveway and a new feeling of dread washed over me. What if they don't want me back? I've been gone for two months, what if they've replaced me with someone who is better than me? I told myself to shut up, attempting to push my insecurities away. Of course they wouldn't have replaced me. I was a part of the Sanctuary family. I had been for the past seven and a half years. Hadn't I?

The car slowed and then came to a stop outside the large double doors that would lead me inside to the even larger foyer of the building. As I stared up at the beautiful structure from the window of the car I couldn't help the slow smile that crept across my face. I was home. With wave of emotions that had plagued me since I had stepped onto the tarmac at the airport I hadn't taken the time to realize that after two months in another country, I was finally home.

I reached for the door handle but was beaten to it by someone on the outside. The door opened slowly and my heart began beating faster and the smile on my face grew bigger. I knew who would be on the other side of that door.

"Biggie!" I squealed, attempting to jump out of the car but realizing I was still secured in by my seatbelt. He chuckled at me as I awkwardly attempted to pull the thing off of me. Once I'd freed myself, I leaped towards him and hugged him fiercely. His long, somewhat furry arms circled around me and hugged me back just as tightly. I pulled back after a few more seconds and looked up at the smiling face of the Sanctuary's Bigfoot caretaker.

"It's good to see you too, Eliza," he said laughing. I ducked my head as a blush crept up my face.

"Sorry," I mumbled, now rather embarrassed by my actions.

He laughed at me again, before putting a hand on my shoulder, "It really is good to have you back."

I looked back up at him and felt the smile I had previously wore come back onto my face. He smiled back and then retrieved my bags from the trunk, ignoring my attempts to help him.

"Go inside, Eliza. They're waiting." He looked at me, and it struck me just how much I had missed him. All of them really.

"You're sure?"

He nodded. With that I turned around, bolted up the stairs and pushed open the heavy doors that lead inside.

I stopped in the foyer and stared around in surprise. The banister for the staircase had been covered in multi-coloured streamers and balloons were strewn all over the floor and gathered in bunches at the corners of the ceiling. Just in front of the staircase were the people I was most happy to see. I walked over to all of them, my eyes looking from them slowly trying to catch up on the physical features that had changed while I had been away.

"Welcome back. We've missed you," Will said stepping away from the group and coming to hug me tightly. When he pulled away, I could see his blue eyes were twinkling the way the always do when he's happy.

"You have no idea how happy I am to hear you say that," I tell him, all my previous insecurities washing away from me like a wave on the beach.

He looked a bit confused but let it pass as Magnus stepped up to hug me. Her warm arms surrounding me like the mother I had never had.

After she had finished hugging me I looked over to the group that Biggie had managed to join with out me even realizing it. Will. Biggie. A few of the residents that I had come close to over my time here.

I looked back to Magnus, confused. "Where's—"

"Eliza!" Without finishing my sentence I span around to see Henry racing towards me, his classic goofy grin plastered in his face. As he reached me he put his hands on my waist and lifted me in the air spinning me in circles as he hugged me close.

"Henry," I managed to choke out in between the fits of laughter as the put me back to the ground.

"I missed you," he said simply, and buried his face in the crook of my neck. I could have sworn I felt him sniff me, but I probably imagined it.

"I missed you too," I replied. I felt him smile against my neck before he pulled away and let me go. For a second I felt cold without him in contact with me, but then he slung his arm over my shoulder, making sure I was as close to him as I could be.

"I'm sorry I wasn't down here when you first got here. I had to take care of some, uh, things." He quickly looked over to Magnus who almost imperceptibly nodded at him. I looked back to Henry confused, but didn't mention it. He would tell me later if he wanted to.

"It's fine H, really. You're here now and that's all that matters." I squeezed him again, letting myself finally relax. I was home. I was wanted. I was happy again; nothing was going to ruin that just yet.

After quickly catching up, Will and Magnus both had to leave for some government video conference thing. They both said goodbye and told me how glad they were I was home again after such a long time away. Soon after they left Biggie went off grumbling about a Nubbin that needed feeding. Then it was just Henry and I.

"So tell me. How was London?" he asked as was started slowly walking in the direction of the elevator.

"It was Londonish, I guess. The weather was pretty much grey the whole time I was there. The Sanctuary was amazing though. Everything was just so different and new. I felt like I was in a completely different world."

"So you enjoyed yourself then?" He asked, laughing at me as we walking into the awaiting elevator.

"Yeah, I enjoyed myself. But I'm happy to be home." The elevator doors opened with a ding and we both walked out grinning.

"How's the jetlag?" He asked as we reached the door to his bedroom and went in.

"Hasn't hit yet," I said, flopping down onto his bed. "But I can feel it coming."

"So you won't want to attend your homecoming party then? Ok, I'll just call the Doc –"

"Homecoming party? Please tell me it involves some kind of cake with chocolate frosting," I asked.

He laughed at the eager expression on my face.

"Dude, Big Guy would kill me if I told you that." I frowned at him. "Oh, don't look at me like that! I'm not going to cave, Liza. He's scarier than you are."

I had to agree with him on that one.

"Fine, but can you at least tell me what this party entails?" I asked.

"Sorry, Liza. My lips are sealed." I glared at him.

"So when do we have to leave for this party?" I asked, realizing it was now almost eight in the evening.

He glanced at his watch. "About now. Do you want to get changed or something?" He asked. I looked down at myself, realizing that I would probably look like a mess after my flight.

I laughed. "Um, yeah. I'll meet you in the foyer in about half an hour?"

"Sounds great."

After leaving Henry's room, I walked down the hallway to the room that had been mine for the past seven and a half years. I pushed open the door and walked in and smiled. Everything was pretty much exactly as I had left it two months ago.

See, told you they could never replace you. The little voice in my head said. Completely contradicting what it had been saying on the drive here.

I walked into my bathroom and started getting ready, the smile on my face never coming off.

Half an hour later, I was showered, dressed on my way to meeting Henry in the foyer. When I finally got there, I realized he had beaten me to it. He was sitting on one of the steps of the stairs, continuously looking at his watch.

"Hey," I said as I closed the distance between the two of us and stood in front of him. "Sorry I'm late." He smiled, yet said nothing as he grabbed my hand and lead me down the hallway to the dining room. He placed his hands over my eyes and then opened the door and led me inside.

"Welcome home Liza," He whispered in my ear as he uncovered my eyes.

A/N - So, I know what you're going to say, about time right? It's been what a year and a half since I last updated this and I'm literally on the first chapter! I recently got a few reviews asking for me to continue this and I went through the old work I had done and decided, why not. It might take me a bit to get into the swing of things, but I'm hoping to update regularly, and not every year :P Thank you for staying with me, I hope I do this story, both the one I have created and the original I hope to try and continue, justice.

xxLucy