Vicki sat behind her desk letting her mind think about her current state of affairs instead of working on the case file that lay open in front of her while Henry was out looking for dinner and Mike was on a stakeout. The three of them had fallen into a comfortable pattern since the events of last winter. Who would have thought two vampires and a human could live under one roof and not end up killing each other especially when both men loved the same woman and the woman in question loved the both of them.

It was Vicki's fierce determination along with a deep abiding love for both Henry and Mike that held them together . But in her heart she knew the time was coming for her to make some tough choices.

Vicki knew Mike hated that she and Henry were vampires. He tried to hind it as he teased about their feeding habits and lying about all day while he had to go to work, but trying to remain close to his family without answering embarrassing questions and keeping secrets from them was beginning to wear him down. Vicki could see it in his face every time his family called. The clinging family and the fact she didn't want kids were a few of the many things that had kept her from committing to Mike before ever meeting Henry.

Vicki needed to break away from Mike without hurting him worse than she all ready had in the past.

On the other hand staying with Henry beyond a year might not be possible either. Henry had warned her that vampires were territorial, solitary creatures except during the year of turning. It had been over ten months since the accident at the cabin and lately she'd started feeling annoyed when he came too close and from the unguarded looks on his face, she could tell that he was sharing the same feelings.

The sounds of two men sniping at each other as they made their way up the sidewalk to her office door made her smile and gave her enough warning so that she had a pleasant look on her face as Mike and Henry fought over who was coming through the door first.

Henry dropped back and made a princely gesture for Mike to go first. Mike made a low bow and quipped, "The prince must go first." And stepped aside as Henry acknowledged his royal due and entered Vicki's office first.

Vicki held up her hand and said, "Let me guess. Henry, dinner was less than adequate and Mike, the stake out didn't go so good."

Together they said, "Pretty much."

Henry shrugged, "Thanks to a quiet night there were slim pickings on the dinner menu."

Mike added, "I sat watching the wrong door for the last six hours while the other team got the collar."

"So boys, what's next?"

Mike looked away before saying, "I'm going out to Molly's for the week-end. She's been pressuring me about spending more time with the family and I'm beginning to think she's right."

"What about you, Henry? Any thoughts for the week-end?

With a wave of his hand and slight bow of his head he said, "Your wish is my command."

Vicki stood and said, "Let's go home. If it's okay, I'll ride with Mike."

Mike gave Henry a smirking smile as he followed Vicki to his car.

Henry gave Mike a 'whatever' shrug.

In the car Vicki said, "Take your time driving home. In fact go the long way around. I need to talk to you without Henry hearing."

Mike let out a long slow breath and turned the car away from the house, "Okay, so talk."

"I love you Mike. For years I couldn't admit it to myself or to you, but now I can after it's too late for us to have a real life together. Because I love you, I have to let you go."

Mike's grip on the wheel tightened as he kept his temper and protests in check and whispered, "I loved you too. What is it you're trying to say?"

"Loved. Past tense. We both know the Vicki you loved is gone. She's been gone for almost a year while you've been stuck with me. You don't like vampires. You hate everything about the 'other' side. It's time for you to get away from the things that go bump in the night."

"I don't know how, besides, what makes you think I'd be happy without you."

"It's got to be better than where we're at now. You're torn between family, friends, me and Henry. You need to move on and so do Henry and I."

"How do you propose I forget about you and Henry?"

"Not necessarily forget about us, just blur a few details about vampires, ghoulies, and freaks."

"How soon is this going to happen?"

"I've got to talk to Henry first, but it won't be too much longer."

Mike pulled into the driveway of his house and turned off the car. Vicki leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "Mike, sometimes love is about letting go of a relationship that causes pain."

Henry was deep in thought when he caught the scent of vampire and snarled and took a defensive pose. Vicki about to look over Henry's shoulder jumped back snarling ready for a fight.

Both held up their hands in peace when they realized what they were about to do to each other.

Vicki leaned back against the wall as far from Henry as she could get, "We don't have much time left."

Henry ran his hand through his hair and said, "No, another few weeks and we'll be trying to kill each other with the slightest provocation."

"I suppose you have a plan?"

"I've been working on a few ideas. I've spoken with others of our kind that have working relationships. It's a matter of planning along with respect, a strong desire, and lots of love. We've got the respect, the desire and the love, so Vicki, let's get to the planning."

Mike pulled into his driveway on auto pilot thinking about the week-end spent with Molly and the family. It had gone even better than he had hoped. An old friend from his high school years had showed up with her teenagers and a big chocolate cake. They laughed and shared school memories of dances, movies, football games, and teachers. During the evening Mike found out she was a widow and had recently moved back home. He thought about calling her sometime soon and see if dinner was possibility.

He was greeted by Henry and Vicki in the front room. From the look on their faces he could tell something important was about to happen. He dropped his duffel bag by the door and said, "Out with it."

Henry tipped his chin at Vicki and she said, "Henry and I are moving out by the end of the month."

With a twinge of jealousy he asked, "Are you two going to be living together?"

Henry answered, "Not exactly. We'll be in the same territory but not under the same roof and trying to be together as much as the vampire instincts will allow."

"What about me?"

"It's your call, Mike. What do you want?"

"Drifting apart the way friends do when they move on to different jobs, different cities while exchanging cards at Christmas, e-mail jokes and a rare phone call sounds about right. Knowing that you're okay but no details works real well."

Henry brought his hands together and nodded before saying, "So be it."

The first few flakes of winter drifted slowly by Mike's face as he watched Henry open the car door for Vicki. They'd spent this evening talking about all that had happened since they first met. They were pleasant memories along with a few that weren't so good, but for the most part they all agreed they wouldn't have missed it for the world. As Mike brought up a topic Henry or Vicki would change Mike's perception just enough that the idea of vampires became less real. There were better explanations for the incidents that had happened other than paranormal and Mike accepted them without question.

Henry turned back, shook Mike's hand one last time leaned in and looked at him with black eyes, "There are no such things as vampires, magic or mythical monsters. Vicki is moving in with Henry Richmond a man she met after leaving the force. You've bought her investigation agency and have promised to keep in touch with the happy couple, but soon you will forget about them."

So ends The Winter Story.