My lack of fear held until I reached town. I was shaking slightly, and one hand was in my pocket, curled around a can of mace. Well, it 'looked' like mace, in reality it was a spray can of holy water, not my idea, so thank god for Zoe in the thirst. I figured it was a good thing to carry around.

"You?" I jumped at the voice, my hand tightening in my pocket momentarily until I realized who it was. Star. I guess some people would be not speaking to her in my situation. But at the time, I had wanted to die, and she had given me that.

"Scared the hell out of me." I said softly.

"Sorry," She said, and I could tell she didn't mean for scaring me.

"It's fine, you were helping me, besides." I turned around and smiled at her "I'm alive aren't I?"

She smiled back "Do you know what's going on?"

"No," I shook my head "I've got Sam and the Frogs in my house, and David's been invited in by my aunt. I'm confused as to how you're all here, and both Frogs don't believe me. Sam is worried about Mike, and Edgar has me sent on what is bound to be a suicide mission." I said it all in one breath, and now I was gasping for air.

Star stared at me, clearly lost for words.

"Do you, by any chance, know where Michael and Laddie are?"

She nodded "Yes, they're both at the hotel still, that's where we ended up, just, suddenly, there." She paused "Someone had paid for the room beforehand."

"And you're not surprised, at all?" I asked

"Surprised, of course. But it's like they were expecting us, the tv was on and-"

"The movie." I predicted "It played the movie, so you've had a few days to try and figure it out."

She nodded.

"Tomorrow, uh," I paused my eyes darting across the street then back to her "you know what, just, meet us at the boardwalk tomorrow, I know Sam will be happy to know Mike's fine."

"Where are you going?"

"I told you, Edgar sent me on a suicide mission. Bye Star." With that, I all but ran across the street.

I continued walking toward the edge of town, toward the edge of the water. My fear had spiked again, and I almost laughed at myself. I mean, I used to want this, dream about having it. Now, there was no other word, I was terrified. But determined, if this was the plan, well, why not. It worked for Chris and Nicole. Of course, Edgar knew what he was doing then.

"Not that he does now." I muttered to myself. "One little glance and I can go out like a light. Damn my mind, damn it and its wishes to meet them." Because how on earth were they even here. How did that work! They. Are. A. Movie. Not real. Fiction! So why were they following me! My aunt, how could I explain this to her? Could I even try? For the first time in months, I truly wished my mom was still alive. I needed someone I could trust absolutely, I loved my aunt, but, she's not the same.

"Don't cry," I murmured "not now..." Too late, tears were falling off the sides of my face, more than tears, I was sobbing. I hadn't cried like this since the funeral. My legs were shaking, they wouldn't support me much longer. I practically collapsed onto a bench, head in my hands. Why, why did she have to be gone. I needed her, I needed someone. But I had no one but my aunt. My father was gone, has been, my only grandparents live in New York. I see them at Christmas and that's it. Maybe I should tell my aunt... Maybe...

I sniffed, rubbing my eyes dry on my shirt. I couldn't afford to be weak right now. Not when they were around. There was no moon tonight. If not for the streetlights I'd be blind out here. I yawned, what time was it? Too late for me to be wandering out here. It could wait until tomorrow night, I needed sleep. Today had been too weird, I should go home. I took my phone out, glancing at the time. Eleven, it was only eleven? Why was I so tired then? Well, I had had an extremely weird day. What with the trying to explain everything to Sam and the Frogs, running into Paul, David in my house...Ugh...Scratch that, I don't want to go home. Where did Star go? Maybe I could stay at the hotel with them, just for tonight. Although my chances of finding her again were slim, I was so far from where we had been. My thoughts kept rambling, and I was so caught up in them that I overlooked something I shouldn't have. And by the time the wind died down, before I even registered footsteps, everything was black.

My head was pounding when I woke up, and on top of that, I had no clue where I was. I'll admit that I panicked for a minute, looking around. The room was brightly lit, full of sunlight, but, where.

"Casey?"

I jumped, turning toward the voice, though I recognized it. My eyes meeting my grim faced fake cousin's.

"Where the heck are we Edgar?"

"I figured you knew."

I shook my head "Absolutely no clue, my own fault, I wasn't paying attention."

"They found you?"

I nodded "I guess, I don't really remember, I didn't see them. I did find out where Michael is though." I paused "How did you get here."

I could have sworn he blushed then.

"I, well, Alan and I were worried about you."

I raised my eyebrows "I don't see Alan in here."

"He was asleep."

"And you think I'm not capable of taking care of myself?" I asked

He crossed his arms and glared at me "Clearly you aren't."

"I don't need you coming to help me!" I snapped.

"I know you're lying about dreaming all this." He told me with perfect certainty. I rolled my eyes.

"I am not lying Edgar." I said

"Riiiiight, I'm not an idiot Casey, neither is Alan. We both know why you freaked out during the movie."

"Shut up," I muttered

"That was the night you came back muttering 'kill me'."

"I said shut up!" I shouted "So the dream was real. Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't. But that does not justify all of you being in my reality! Or why I'm not dead!"

He only stared at me, clearly confused by my last comment. I gave him a twisted smile.

"Oh you believed me then? When I said Half vampires turn human when staked? You kind of are idiots." I paused "I came down into their sleeping chamber right when you staked Marko. By the time you guys were gone, there was to little noise for me to get out. Paul, twisted sister, whatever, found me afterwords. I wasn't faking it when I wanted you to kill me."

Edgar now gained an expression I had never seen on his child self, but frequently in both the tribe and thirst. Sort of half glaring and half stern parent-scolding-child look.

"Well, while you're sitting there like a dead fish, I'm going to go, and look around."

The windows were high up, but probably reachable, that was only a backup plan if I didn't find a door. Which, big surprise, I didn't.

"Hey, Rambo jr. Get over here and help me." I said, as there was no furniture in the room and I couldn't pull myself that high up.

He didn't reply, gave me a disgusted look, and then resumed staring.

"Come on Edgar, it doesn't matter anymore." I said "And since you had just killed Marko I really didn't have a choice. So that makes it your fault too." That got him up. Thankfully, I hadn't thought it would work.

"Help me up and then I'll pull you out."

He stayed silent, but did what I asked. I recognized where we were. Though not in a good way. This part of town was riddled with pretty much the scum of the earth. I knew my way back into town from here, and I could get home from there. The sun was bright, but not very high, probably still morning.

"Come on, before Sam and Alan freak out too much."

"I think, I'm going to go to sleep. You guys can go, Star, Mike, and Laddie are gonna meet you at the boardwalk. But honestly, I'm too tired." I said. It had taken a little while to explain everything to Alan and Sam. And Alan had not been happy about his brother going off by himself.

I'm not really sure when I fell asleep, only that when the phone woke me up, the sun was going down.

"Head Case! Would you pick up the phone?" I smiled a little, grabbing it off my bedside table and turning off the answering machine.

"Hey Lily,"

"You sound like you've been asleep. What's the matter?"

Oh, Lily, if you only knew. Wait a minute...

"Can you come over? I'll explain when you get here?"

"Sure, need anything?"

I paused "Bring all the supplies you have." The other end of the phone was silent for a minute.

"You aren't serious..."

"Lily, I'm dead serious, and if I were you, I'd get going before the sun sets completely."

"On my way," Her voice sounded faint. But I think she still thought I was kidding.

It wasn't long before I heard her car. I opened the door and rushed out to help her with the suitcase. Which probably weighed as much as she did.

"Okay, I'm here, now tell me what the hell is going on." She said once we were in my room. She was twisting a little silver cross in her fingers, eyeing my suspiciously, like she was trying to see me slip and prove this was all a joke.

How to explain. Well...Better start at the beginning.

"You remember the dream I told you about. The one with the Lost Boys?"

"Yeah." She nodded slowly.

"Well..." I was saved from the rest of my explaination by Sam's voice.

"We're back."

Lily froze, I think she had stopped breathing.

"Calm Lily, I know it sounds crazy-"

"No, it is crazy, they are not real, they are a movie, make believe-" She stopped, her eyes on my doorway.

"Who's this?" Edgar asked

"Edgar, Alan, Sam, this is my friend Lily. Please, just, I don't know, she's freaking out right now."

"You...You're...Casey? If they're here...Does that mean-?"

"Yes." I said.

"Shit." She muttered, and collapsed, I managed to catch her before her head hit the floor.

Chapter uhhh five, four or five, I'm not totally sure.

Enjoy

- Jen