I know I said this would be earlier, but life got unpredictably in the way. I hope you enjoy this slightly longer chapter.

Claires POV

Amelie sat at her desk, her cold gaze upon me. She clearly didn't like the idea of me leaving Myrnin, of using up more time without any clear answers for her. It was frustrating for me as well, but I liked the challenge. As concerning as Myrnins condition is, I can't stop myself from feeling good when I figure out what's wrong.

" Clearly you have used whatever resources you have found to asses him. From your results, I can see your cause of concern. The concern I have is if you can find anything in that lab of his that would assist you." She put down the notebook that I scribbled on. There wasn't much in it, 2 pages at most. I didn't answer straight away, and the pause seemed to have pressed some urgency into me, emphasising the potential danger.

"I don't know if I'll find anything, but I know I will regret it if I do. As sophisticated as your lab is, it doesn't have the equipment that I'm familiar to and could possibly use to help him." I hurriedly spilled my words, word babble that I'm too familiar with.

" I'll have one of my guards take you. Be as quick as you can, bring back anything that could be useful." She seemed to dismiss me as she got up and a guard appeared at my side. It was the same guy that trudged off to give Amelie my message.

I was about to thank her, but Amelie picked up a bunch of papers and walked out to the lab area. I wonder if she was briefing her other guards.

I scanned the room, but the guard was leaving so I followed. Shane should be here. We left Amelies quarters and stepped into the waiting area. Empty. Maybe I took too long and he left, I don't usually notice the time when I'm working on something. It's a bad habit.

I followed the guard through the building and into the underground parking lot. He didn't speak at all.

"What's your name?" I asked. The silence was too awkward. He didn't answer, only opened the car door for me after a bored stare. Somebody's grumpy. I clambered into a typical vampire sedan, windows so heavily tinted I couldn't see the outside, just my reflection.

"Can I call you Steve?" I guess this was both stupid and brave of me. I took his typical lack of response as a yes. It's not like he objected.

It would be about ten minutes to get to Myrnins lab, and I wondered how Steve the guard knew where his lab is. Maybe it was his job to know. He seemed to be prepared for the sun, wearing black clothing, even a black cap over his brown hair. He looked to be in his 30s.

He seemed chatty.

I fumbled for my phone in my pocket and nearly dropped it as we turned a corner. I wasn't sure if he did it on purpose, his revenge for calling him Steve. I checked my notifications, and there seemed to be a lot of them. A few from Amelie, a missed call from her and a missed call from Michael. Also a text message from Shane.

M needs me.

I felt guilty about the missed call from Mike, I knew he wouldn't call if it wasn't urgent. But I couldn't get out of this situation until whatever going on with Myrnin was resolved. More motivation I guess. I quickly texted back replies to both of them, just as the car rolled up on the pavement and stopped.

Michaels POV

Shane staggered a bit, maybe from my crazed expression or from my words, I couldn't tell. His eyes widened and his pulse quickened. It seemed forever until he spoke.

"What do you mean a heartbeat? They don't believe you?" He seemed to be still in shock, looking around, anywhere but my face. I couldn't relax my expression, I've been trying to act calm before, but things were finally being addressed, I couldn't possibly do anything about that. He glanced at those who looked at us as they passed by, a crazed vampire and human confrontation. They were smart enough to keep out of it.

"They think I'm in grief,t-that I'm hearing what I want to hear. I have to get in there." I could feel the pain building again, being weighed down by the world. It was a second chance and I'm messing it up.

"We'll sort this out Mike." He said it like it was the simplest thing in the world. I did need him here, they would listen to him. Not the grief stricken vampire talking crazy.

"She's still being evaluated. I can smell her, her live scent." I didn't go into detail of the differences between dead and alive people, but it was definitely her. Even I could hardly hear the heartbeat, but the scent of her blood was also weak with every slow pump her heart gave out.

"Lead the way. I've been in hospital enough to know most of the nurses." He was going to try to talk around it, I could tell. What if it failed? What if those people were doing this on purpose, glad to see her die, just because of our relationship? We both knew the risks, saw how they reacted to us. Nothing would surprise me at this point.

I quickly led him down the hall, almost tugging him along with me. I waited outside the white door, barely controlling myself from ripping the door off and taking her out of there myself. Every muscle in me wanted nothing more, twitching to just do it.

Shane rested his hand on my shoulder, and knocked loudly and urgently on the door. He continued his knocking until the door opened to reveal a grumpy nurse. It was the same nurse that nearly kicked me out, and he gave me a sigh.

"Sir, you should-" He started to repeat what he had already told me, but Shane cut in with his calming tone.

" There seems to be a misunderstanding. My vampire friend over here has made it clear that you have diagnosed incorrectly." At another time I would have laughed at the language he was using, but I knew it was intentional. He seemed to emphasise the fact that I was a vampire. " Just let him in. He should be able to see her, he's the closest family she has. You can't be saying that you don't trust vampire's senses?" The nurse sighed, tired of the bother he was getting. I didn't have time for this.

I disappeared through the open door, leaving Shane and the hassled nurse. I only stopped when I saw her, on a cold metal table, covered in a sheet, official papers beside her. Her skin was pale, as pale as her rice powder makeup, and she really did look like a corpse. A lump formed in my throat, and with shaking hands I gently felt around her neck for a pulse. It wasn't easy.

The nurse came in, shouting words that I didn't listen to, I merely flashed my fangs in reply. I kept searching, my fingers brushing her neck, her wrists. I could hear it, faint but definitely there, but I just had to prove it.

Maybe I was hearing things, maybe I just couldn't let her go, couldn't deal with a life without her, couldn't-

Pressure. I felt it.

"Right there, faint, but its there." I held the place gently with my thumb, and the nurse came closer, and took over from me. I moved towards her head, brushing some of the stray hairs away from her face. The panic has subsided, but it was still there, tearing at me, threatening me.

"I don't feel-" The nurse spoke quickly, then stopped to take in a sharp breath. He took her papers, her chart and pressed a button on an intercom.

" Moving patient to critical. Prepare space." He rushed off, ignoring the garbled speech that came out in response. I was still stroking her head when he took the table and began to wheel it out. I moved out of the way, I didn't want to get in the way. But I kept close.

"Open the doors"

Well there's that. I hope it wasn't too dramatic, and that you enjoyed it.

I will have another update this week, so look out for that!

Also, a quick note to thank for the reviews, its really nice to receive them, and always gets me excited about updating and finding out what you guys will say next!

Till next time!

~Cheesepuffzapper xx