A/N: I have returned to this story after a very, very long hiatus for personal reasons. It deserves to be continued. So, without further ado:

Never

Part two: Awoken

Ivy

Sitting on my bed, I rubbed at my temples and groaned. This wasn't like me, this pathetic and unending self-pity. I couldn't face what I saw in the mirror. Not only a vampire was I, but an angry quitter. With a new sense of resolve, I cleaned myself up and walked to the back yard to practice my katana form. If I hadn't cleared myself of this angst in my 'talk' with myself, I would destroy it the way I always had – through repetition and concentration. If I had to be in unrequited love, I might as well at least hold on to a shred of my dignity.

Rachel

I stood in the living room, frowning. What right did Ivy have to speak to me that way? My quick temper was awakened by her casual dismissal of me.

I forced it down. This wasn't the time. Ivy was upset, and it definitely had to do with me.

Her song had cut into me deeply. I recognized it, something I may have heard on the radio maybe. The irony of Ivy, a vampire, singing about putting a spell on….me, a witch, wasn't lost on me.

Of course it was for me. Glenn hadn't lasted long, and he certainly hadn't rejected her. I wasn't so oblivious that I didn't know the extent to which Ivy pined after me. But I did hope that it would lessen over time.

Jenks interrupted my thoughts.

"Beautiful, eh? By the faeries, that girl loves you," he quipped none too gently.

"Shut up," I muttered. What was I supposed to do?

"You can't exactly deny it, Rach. Mattie always told me she wanted to be there when you –" he trailed off, voice straining. Matalina, love of his life, mother of his many children, had recently passed on.

"When I what, Jenks?" I asked in my most gentle tone. I was curious. Did she think I wanted Ivy the way Ivy wanted me? Because, whoa, people always guessed I did, but we were just friends, Ivy and I. Even if she wanted more.

"When you'd realize how good you and Ivy would be together."

In no mood to talk further, Jenks buzzed off wearily to the garden to play with those of his children who hadn't left to forge their own names. He was losing his will without his wife.

It had been some ten minutes since my confrontation with Ivy and she came back out of her room. She didn't catch my eye, just walked outside, sword in hand. She was quite the sight: slight frown, set jaw, leather pants and hard boots. The light caught her hair and I was hard put not to note that she looked beautiful. Deadly beautiful.

Ivy

I went through a few exercises before the eyes boring a hole in my back rendered my practice impossible to finish. Stop, Rachel, I groaned in my mind. I couldn't concentrate with her looking at me, even if I couldn't see her. Her gaze filled me with a bittersweet desire. Jerkily, I headed over to the tree stump that Jenks and co. had made their home.

I chatted with Jenks somberly for several minutes before I felt Rachel move on to some task that didn't involve staring at me. He was distraught, crying tiny pixie tears. A stranger to comfort, I did my best to help him. That he stood on my shoulder and spoke quietly about Matalina to me told me that I was doing the right thing. If nothing else, I could offer him my ear.

Rachel

There's nothing wrong with admiring a friend. Nothing at all. So Ivy was skilled with a sword, and it was impossible not to watch her. So what? These sorts of thoughts about her came to me from time to time, and there was nothing wrong with it.

Stupid me.