"Hey Schuyler where are you going?"

Schuyler turned to see Jack sitting in the plush chair by the front door. The book he had been reading was lowered and he was giving a Schuyler a hard look.

Jack and Mimi had moved in a week ago and so far everything had been semi-peaceful. Lawrence had treated his other grandchildren with respect and for the most part Jack and Mimi had returned the favor.

"Nowhere…just the Repository," said Schuyler shrugging.

"With Oliver, your Conduit?" asked Jack trying and failing to keep the jealousy out of his voice.

"Yes," said Schuyler defensively, "He's my…my friend. Why shouldn't we study together?"

"Everyday this week? We're vampires remember? We don't need to study everyday…why don't you two just come here to hang out?"

"Jack…please I don't comment on how you spend your time please don't comment about spend mine," said Schuyler checking her watch testily, "I'm late. Look Jack I don't mean to be rude but I really have to go."

With that she walked out the door leaving a hurt and determined Jack in her wake.

"Congratulation children," said Ray first thing when they entered the black room, "today you get to play with swords."

Schuyler, Bliss, and Oliver exchanged excited glances; finally they were going to learn how to defend themselves against Silver Bloods with swords, no more poles.

"Bliss…will you and Oliver stand to the side while I star with Schuyler, it's easier to learn this one on one."

Bliss and Oliver stood in the far corner while Ray faced Schuyler with a sword drawn.

Suddenly a mischievous glint reached Ray's eyes and out of nowhere thick rope binds twisted themselves around Bliss, Schuyler, and Oliver. They couldn't move, they were trapped.

Ray pointed the tip of her sword at Schuyler's neck and grinned.

"Don't touch her," came a harsh, angry voice from the doorway.

Schuyler wanted to cry out with joy but Ray had magically sealed her throat as well so that she couldn't speak.

"Ah Abbadon," said Ray smirking slightly not even bothering to look, "it's been a while."

"Get away from her," snarled Jack stepping into the room.

"The years have been kind to you I see," Ray said turning to face him, "very kind indeed."

"Let her go," said Jack in a dangerous voice that scared Schuyler slightly, his fangs were bared and there was an aura of ferocity about him.

"If you want her," said Ray pointing her sword at Jack grinning like a Cheshire cat , "Then come and get her."

Jack stuck out a hand and a black sword similar to the one Ray and Leon had used in the fencing demo and the one Ray was holding now flew into his hand.

"With pleasure," he spat raising the sword to her level.

"Age before beauty darling," said Ray with a small mock bow.

Jack suddenly lunged.

Ray met him with a quick parry and push him back.

"You haven't changed a bit," she mocked in a low voice so that only Jack could hear her, "You're still a moth drawn to a flame."

Jack gave an angry grunt and push her roughly with the blade of his sword.

"What makes you think she'd even have you?" Ray taunted dodging Jack's attacks with complicated twists and flips, "Her mother fell in love with human familiar and you know what they say…like mother like daughter. That Oliver is a handsome fellow."

Jack felt anger lick his insides like a flame. He'd never felt so much hatred and anger in his life. He'd thought his insides were going to burst when he saw that…bitch pointing the sword at Schuyler's neck. Now she dared taunt him about what he already knew. Still Jack felt a pang in his heart when Ray confirmed what he had already suspected.

Schuyler and Oliver…

A vampire and her familiar…

History seemingly repeating itself mockingly in front of him.

Sensing his momentary weakness Ray smirked and hissed, "Poor Abbadon, the two Angels of White who captured his heart reject him, from mother to daughter. Both reject an Angel for a human."

Jack felt his heart break a little at her vicious words but it only fueled his determination to run her through.

Jack lunged at her but Ray blocked and wagged her index finger condescendingly at him, "No, no, no."

"She never loved you, you know," Ray whispered in Jack's ear, "She's just like her mother…she will never be drawn to the Dark."

That was the braking point for Jack. Letting out an almighty roar of fury he blindly lunged at Ray who in turned parried and knocked Jack's sword out of his hands.

Schuyler's eyes widen in fear. JACK! She mentally screamed.

Ray pointed the tip of her sword at Jack's neck smirking triumphantly.

Jack, hearing Schuyler's silent scream turned his head slightly towards her, sad desperate eyes boring into hers. She would be the last thing he saw.

Suddenly Ray lowered her sword and said in a smug, playful manner, "I win."

Jack stared at her as she sheathed her sword and handed his back to him.

"You haven't changed a bit Abbadon you know that don't you," she said in a friendly manner, as though not two minutes ago she was trying to kill him.

Snapping her fingers Oliver, Schuyler, and Bliss all were released from their bonds. Jack noticed Oliver and Bliss and jumped, he hadn't realized that they were there as well.

"You were faking it the entire time," said Oliver shock.

"Uh-huh," said Ray unconcernedly handing Schuyler, Bliss, and Oliver swords.

"You…you were egging me on, on purpose?" said Jack who was very, very confused, "But I saw you pointing a sword at Schuyler!"

"I'm teaching them how defend themselves using swords…see the logic here?"

"Then why'd you tie us up?" asked Bliss indignantly.

"I felt Abbadon coming and I needed to know if I could trust him."

"By pretending to be evil?" asked Schuyler incredulously. She really didn't get Ray's logic at all.

"I wanted to see if he was still as strong as I remember," said Ray shrugging, "You are by the way…but you get goaded way to easily…we're going to have to work on that babe."

Jack shot Shuyler a confused look, she only shrugged in return.

"So Mr. Force," said Ray now fully facing Jack, "Do you want to join our little club?"

"Alright I will see you all tomorrow," said Ray at the end of the session.

Jack had decided to join and since his skills were already well matched to everyone else's.

"Jack…may I speak to you for a moment?" asked Ray quietly.

Jack nodded confused.

"I'm sorry about what I said when I was testing you. I needed to pick out your weak points so that you could toughen your skin against them."

"And how did you know Schuyler was my weak point?" asked Jack slightly unnerved.

Ray smirked and said, "You never noticed that Bliss and Oliver were in the exact same predicament."

"Mmmmmmmm" Shuyler gurgled disengaging her fangs from Oliver's neck.

She felt refreshed and satisfied. Pulling a groggy Oliver towards the leather couch she pulled him down and the two of them sat and watched Ray and Jack practice.

Bliss had pleaded illness that day so it was just the four of them. Jack had taken to the sword especially well, the only one who was as good as him was Schuyler.

"C'mon Jack you can do better then that," teased Ray dodging another wimpy blow from Jack.

"Mmmm Sky…," murmured Oliver drunkenly kissing her neck, "You smell good."

Schuyler giggled and gave him a kiss.

THWANG!!!!!!!!

Schuyler and Oliver looked up to see Ray bent over as though she was going to do the limbo, Jack with his hand outstretched, a murderous look on his face and the sword he had previously been using lodged in the brick wall behind Ray's head.

Slowly Ray bent to an upright position and walked over to the wall and pulled the blade out.

In the brick there was a deep gash.

Looking at Jack disbelievingly Ray said, "That was four inches…you sent a sword flying through four inches of solid brick."

"Correction," said Ray getting pissed off, "you sent a sword flying through four inches of solid brick that could've been MY HEAD!" She smacked Jack hard across the arm but seemed not to notice.

He was too busy glaring at Oliver and Schuyler.

Abruptly he stormed out of the room without a backwards glance.

"Jack!" called Schuyler abandoning Oliver for a moment, "Jack wait up!"

Whether Jack didn't hear or if was just ignoring her Schuyler didn't know, all she knew was that he kept walking.

"Jack stop," she said grabbing his arm.

Jack spun around to face her and Schuyler gasped.

His face was so…so harsh. A painful mixture of anger, jealousy, pain, and…desperation.

"Jack…" Schuyler didn't know what to say, what could she say to such a mask of pain?

Jack kissed her knuckles, gave her a sad smile and said, "Be happy, be healthy, find love…that is all I wish for you."

With that he turned and walked out of the Repository.

Schuyler walked back into the room, deeply confused.

Oliver was sleeping and Ray was packing up the room.

Schuyler sank into the nearest chair and buried her head, tears rolling softly down her cheeks.

Suddenly she felt a warm hand on her shoulder.

"'Real love stories never have endings', only beginnings…remember that Schuyler." With that she left the room, leaving a confused Schuyler and an unconscious Oliver in her wake.

"Blissssss…"

"Blisssss…"

"Noooooow isss the tiiiiiiiiime…"

It was horrible. Red eyes with silver pupils, a great beast.

She was running, running harder and faster then she had ever run in her life.

"Bliss," came a smooth voice from her right, "don't be afraid…now is our time."

She turned to see Kingsley Martin standing next to her, a calm look on his face.

"Get away from me!" she shrieked running as far from him as she could.

Kingsley suddenly became more demented, his skin drier and rougher, taking on a reddish tint. His nails became longer and blacker, his entire mouth full of teeth became sharp jagged fangs

"Come to me pretty girl," the beastly Kingsley growled.

She screamed and began to fall. Looking up she saw the brightest pair of amethyst eyes looking at her.

"Forgive me," the face the eyes belonged to mouth and suddenly she was falling into the clutches of the beast.

Bliss shot up screaming at the top of her lungs, crying hysterically.

Finally after she'd calmed down a little Bliss could only think one thing…

'I forgive you.'