"Hey, guys sorry for the dely," Erik said as he walked into the drama room. Damien had put on one of Erik's illegal copies of Wicked. He was crying on Zoey's shoulder through Defying Gravity Jack's favorite song. Erik remembered how the three of them stayed up all night watching his secret collection of never before seen Musical footage. Erik had given Jack this right after he Changed. "Thanks for holding down the fort you guys," Erik said to Zoey and Damien as he flicked the lights on. "I'm sorry that I left you guys hanging especially in the wake of what happened to Jack. However, I'm glad we get to use all of these feelings for something good and productive," Erik said getting a brilliant idea for a lesson before he had realized it. "I want you guys to take these feeling and turn them into a play. I want you to write the greatest teen drama ever."

-"What do you mean you want us to write it?" Becca asked eyeing Erik in the most inappropriate way he thought to himself.

Erik cleared his throat and wrote The Healing Project on the broad. "I'm not going to pretend like things haven't been off the past few months. I want you guys to tell me how you feel, how do you deal, and how has Nyx been there for you. You guys are going to inspire the school to keep going and its starts with your homework assignment. Write a monologue about what beginning Marked means, not only as a vampire, but as a kid that was once human with a limited future and family," He said looking under his desk for the stack of journals Professor Nolan kept for the sixth formers. "Each of you take one of these and feel free to babble your little hearts out. I'll put you guys in groups tomorrow and you can put your work together to make scenes for Act One."

"Erik, what if we write things that don't fit together?" Starr Manning a petit blonde asked from behind Zoey.

"That's for you guys to work out tomorrow. If you come to a point where you need my help I won't give it to you," the class looked shocked and really annoyed when he said that. Erik found himself smiling at the reaction he got. "Damien is going to be sitting in as my assistant for a while and he'll be directing and critiquing you guys. Whatever it is you need seek him," Erik said smiling at Damien who look stunned. Erik did this for two reasons. One he needed the class to believe this wasn't something he just pulled out of his ass, and two he wanted to give Damien something positive to do while he's healing. The bell rung and everyone started to rush out the door. "Don't forget to write," He yelled as he headed over to Damien and Zoey.

"I can't thank you guys enough for covering for me I really lost track of time," Erik smiled, but he could feel something off with Z, she was way too quiet. "Are you okay Z?" Erik asked looking down at her.

"Um my mom died she was stabbed at my grandma's last night," she said in tears. Erik held her and looked at Damien. He couldn't believe Zoey had to deal with all of this. She couldn't handle Nerefet, Kalona, helping Damien, Dealing with Jack, School, being a high priestess, and all her family drama. That was really too much to ask of one person.

"Z, I'm so sorry about your mom I know you haven't been getting along too well lately, but still this hast to be hard. Was you grandma hurt?" he asked hoping Sylvia was fine. Everyone loved Z's grandma she was sweet and loving.

"She wasn't there," Damien said comforting Zoey.

"Maybe you guys should go hang at the movies or with your Grandma. School will be here tomorrow, and I'll just talk to your teachers and get your lessons for the day," Erik offered but Zoey sniffled and shook her head no. Damien gave her the box of tissues he had sitting on the desk he was using.

"We can't hide from the world because something awful happens to us. As a High Priestess in training it's my job to be here for you guys and to be strong," Zoey said throwing her façade back on. Goddess forbid Zoey be vulnerable for more than a second.

"Zoey if you change your mind you know where to find me," Erik said smiling at her. He was proud of her for trying to be strong, but felt now was a time for her to be with her family and let the gang be strong for her.

"Thanks a lot Erik," she said briefly finding a smile then Stark knocked on the door post. Something about him made Erik want to punch his face in. Today the feeling wasn't as strong. "I'm on my way out now," Zoey said grabbing her bags and notebook. "See you guys later," she said drawn into Stark's arms like a moth to a flame.

"See you guys at lunch," Stark said taking Z to her next class.

"Erik, are you feeling okay," Damien asked giving Erik the oddest look. Erik knew what that meant he'd seen it time and time again, but mostly from Jack.

"I'm not in love with Zoey at least not like before," he said and it was true those feelings were resolved and long gone now. "She's with Stark and their happy, and I'm happy for them."

"I know love and I can see it all over your face," Damien said. He was right, but Erik was unsure if he should tell him about Roxanne and what was going on with that. Damien was dealing with a lot and his first insistent was to always got out of his way to help. However, he appeared to be dealing better than Erik ever suspected.

"Look I'm going to tell you something but you can't say a word to anyone," Erik said sitting on the desk behind him. He didn't know why he was doing this but it was happening.

"I promise," Damien said taking his messenger bag off his shoulder and leaning on the desk behind him.

"My sister is in town visiting an old friend of mine and we've been reconnecting," Erik said and Damien didn't respond. "Are you okay D?" Erik asked placing a kind hand on his shoulder. He didn't expect him to react this way.

"I remember Jack searching the internet to find her so you guys could Skyped. He thought she was a lot like Zoey," Damien said looking out into the hallway at all the faceless passersby. "How is she doing?"

"Clara's great and she was really upset to hear about Jack," he said. "Damien are you sure you're okay?" Erik asked. He wasn't sure what it was but something about Damien wasn't right. His eyes were really glossy and he seemed to be somewhere else. Maybe he just needs some rest or something to take his mind away from Jack.

"Yeah, I didn't get much sleep," he said but Erik knew he was lying, and Damien rarely did that. Jack's death was slowly taking its toll on Damien and Erik had to do something before he turned into Dragon.

"Damien if I was over stepping earlier let me know, I'm sure the twins would love to get out of trig," Erik said and it seemed as though Damien was lost in thought. "Damien?"

"No, you weren't I'd love to do this," Damien said grabbing his bag. "I should go before I miss another class."

"Damien if something is wrong you'd say something right?" Erik asked as he grabbed Damien's arm.

"Erik I'm fine end of story," he said yanking his arm back.

"Damien I'm just worried about you," Erik yelled as Aphrodite walked in the room. She stormed over and slapped him square across the face. He didn't know what to do. The prickly burn had him at a loss for words.

"What the hell is your problem? For once in your sad little life could you try to not be such a dick," she said pushing Damien to the door. Her brown eyes held Erik's gaze for a moment. Erik wanted to say something, but there was no reasoning with Aphrodite, especially when she thought she was right.

"I'm sorry Damien," Erik said looking to him instead. Aphrodite huffed and puffed and dragged Damien away before he could say anything.

The last few hours went by painfully slow every time he looked up at the clock only a minute passed by. Erik needed to speak to Professor Lenobia about Damien. Something was wrong and it was up to him to fix it. "Erik," he heard Stevie Rae's voice from behind him as he cleaned the class room. Her short blond tussles swaying as she stormed over to him. "What are you doing picking with Damien like that have you lost your mind," she yelled at him.

Erik stayed calm and sat down on a desk. "I'm guessing you talked to Aphrodite and not Damien," he said and the look of shock on her face gave him his answer. "Look, I know Damien is hurting about Jack, but there's something more there, it's like he's trying to pretend Jack was never here. Every time he's brought up he looks dazes and stirs the conversation in another direction. It's like he's hiding from it and he's never going to heal if he keeps doing that."

"Erik that's not your choice to make," she said and he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"We have to help him, we can't just sit here and watch him slowly slip away. You remember telling me someday I'll have something worth fighting for or something like that? Isn't Damien worth fighting for?" he asked her and she was still for a moment.

"Damien just needs time. If it doesn't get better you know I'll be the first on your side," Stevie Rae said giving him the cautious answer he was afraid of.

Erik looked at Stevie Rae. He truly looked at her past the façade down into her core. She was tried and scared. Her big brown eyes had the slight reminisce of bag under them, and her pale skin didn't have its normal glowing luster. Everyone was being pulled too far and this was going to be up to Erik. He had to save Damien before it was too late. "Okay," he said hugging her.

"Make sure he knows how sorry I am," Erik said leaving the classroom. Something really needed to change around here. He was going to be the one to do it.

"Ah, Erik just the man I was looking for," Neferet said pulling him into her classroom. Her beauty startled him; every time he laid eyes on her his heart skipped a beat. Have you given my proposal anymore thought?" she asked inviting him to have a seat.

"Look I'm not doing anything that doesn't involve the students. I'm fine with being a Tracker I don't need you doing any favors for me. So if there's nothing else I'm going to leave," he said turn to the door.

"I want something you have and I'm going to get it one way or the other. You can hand it over and we can be friends, or I can pry it from your cold died hands," she said in her nice warm motherly way. For some reason the calm soothing tone made her words more powerful. Erik stood in the door way not believing this was the same woman that welcomed him here with open, loving arms.

"Look I don't know what happened to you, but there's nothing left to take from me. If you haven't noticed I'm the school dick and people are repelled away from me," he said picking up Roxanne's sarcastic tone. "Everyone I care about hates me so…yeah," he finished hoping he put a hole in her plan.

"I wouldn't be so certain of that if I were you. The past has a way of repeating its self," she said giving him an icy smile. Erik just walked out acting as though her threat didn't faze him, but it did. Meanly it bothered him because he had no idea of what she meant. "Goddess let me find Lenobia," he said as he walked out to the stables. Usually when classes were over you could find her tending to the horses. "Lenobia!" he shouted out looking around the stable.

"I'm in the back," she replied. He heard her giggle and the mumbling of a different voice. When he rounded the corner of the stable he saw Beverly the new Spells and Rituals professor. Her tattoos made him wonder what Roxanne's would look like. Beverly had what looked like music notes framing her eyes. Beverly was really young and short.

"I could come back later if you're busy," he said and Professor Lenobia looked over at Beverly. Erik didn't know what the look they exchanged meant, but when they return their gaze to him they both had big bright smiles on their faces.

"No everything is great. I wanted to introduce the two of you anyway," she said her long hair flowing with her gestures. Lenobia was short, but Beverly really wasn't much taller. They both had the same whimsical look in their eyes.

"Hi," Erik said grabbing Beverly's forearm in the traditional vampire greeting. "It's nice to meet you," he said as her eyes widen in the way he was used to. Girls looked at him like that all the time mostly without meaning to, he ignored it. Beverly was beautiful, but then a lot of girls were beautiful, however, none of them were Roxanne.

"I couldn't wait to meet you," she said her smile widening. "It's going to be nice not being the only theatre buff around."

"Yeah, you're in good company here. The students are really passionate and really talented," he said looking up at Lenobia who was staring oddly at them.

"Umm, I need to speak with you about Damien and Neferet," he said turning to Lenobia.

"What's wrong with Damien?" Beverly asked. She seemed really concerned and she was the Spells and Rituals professor maybe she knew something the gang could try for him.

"He just really doesn't seem like himself anymore. I understand he's upset and he needs time, but there's something more going on and I don't know what to do," he said looking defeated.

"I think Damien is really fragile right now, and all we can do for him is be here, and pray," Lenobia said. Erik was sure she understood what he meant. She had lost Dragon to Neferet's insanity.

"She's right Erik only the Goddess can help Damien. Mourning is a very curious thing people do in various ways, but there's a prayer for easing it. I can write it down for you if you like," Beverly offered.

"Thanks a lot," Erik smiled at her. "I guess I'm tired of waiting for bad things to happen and I just want to prevent one for once," he said on a heavy sigh. "Damien's a really great kid and I don't want to lose him as a friend."

"I'm sure Damien will be fine," Lenobia said comforting him. "He has a really good head on his shoulders and the love of Nyx in his heart. I'm sure it'll be okay."

"Thanks, again for this," Erik said going off into the night. He only made it to the door before his phone started to ring. "Hey you watsup," he said waving at Beverly and Lenobia before walking off.

"I just felt like you needed to talk to me," she said sounding really excited to hear his voice. He didn't know what it was, but Roxanne made his world complete and he felt horrible that Damien would never experience this again. "Did something happen?"

Erik honestly didn't know where to start. He knew Roxanne was the one person that would be on his side no matter how wrong he was, but he was right this time, he was sure of it.