Okay, I know it's been a long time for me to get another chapter up, but I haven't exactly had the motivation. It's back for the time it takes me to write this chapter so please forgive me enough to see how Shane and Eve react to vampire Claire.
Claire and Michael arrived at the Glass House. Claire just sat in the passenger side looking out the windshield. Michael got out and waited for a full three minutes before sighing and walking over to her door. He opened it and knelt down next to Claire.
"Claire," he began. "You can't change what has happened, and you most certainly can't change how Shane and Eve feel. As much as you want to, you can't hide it from them. You have to face them."
"I know," Claire's voice shook and her bottom lip trembled.
"Then come here." Michael stood and pulled the door open even further while she stepped out. He held his arms open and she stepped in them. Burying her head in his chest, she realized she never wanted to step out of his arms. They felt so right around her.
Michael pushed her out of his arms, thinking she didn't step away because she was scared. He took her elbow and led her up the pathway and into the house. The scene before them was one no one could have expected. There were suitcases and trunks around the living room.
Michael gained a new hardness in his eyes and Claire inwardly flinched. He walked to the base of the stairs and yelled up them, "Shane! Eve! Get DOWN HERE!"
Claire knew she would have come running and still expect to get her head ripped off, but Eve and Shane took their precious time coming down the stairs, as if they've just been called to supper.
Before Michael could yell out the air he was sucking in, Claire stepped in, "What...what's going on?"
Eve turned to face Claire, but she stopped dead. Claire knew then that the red that was left must have been very little, but still noticeable. Eve's eyes looked so big they were going to fall out of her skull, and Shane's hands clenched into fists so tight not only his knuckles, but his fingers were white. Eve's eyes filled with tears and she looked like she wanted to give Claire one of her killer hugs, but she was also scared.
"W-what happened, C-Claire?"
Claire was careful not to flick her gaze over toward Michael, so it wouldn't look as if he did it, "An accident. Not that important anymore. What's done is done. Now what's going on with you guys?"
Eve's eyes fell straight to the floor, "Well, we were going to invite you too, but you can't leave anymore either."
"Invite her where," Michael asked through clenched teeth.
Shane whirled on Michael, "For your information Mike, my dad called again, and they offered me and anyone of my friends a place on their squad. Claire would have been going, but you had to turn her into one of you bloodsucking motherf-"
"Shane!" Eve gasped. "You know Michael couldn't have changed Claire. The only one that knows how is Amelie. Why would she turn you?"
Now Claire's gaze fell to the rug she was standing on, studying the pattern of crazy stray fibers, "I-I killed Myrnin."
Silence filled the house for a few seconds before Shane started to laugh, a humorless eerie sound, "One less bloodsucker in the world and Amelie just has to replace him, with my girlfriend nonetheless."
"I'm sorry Shane. I'm so sorry. I couldn't stop it and neither could have Michael. Amelie is not someone you want to mess with. You should know that better than anybody."
Shane flinched, "I don't blame you Claire. I just...I wish it had been different."
"So do I."
Shane picked up some of the trunks and Eve picked up a couple of the suitcases, to bring them out to a van no one saw out in the drive. Michael helped, but Claire was frozen with shock, knowing that their little family was splitting. They would probably never see each other again.
Tears had unknowingly run down Claire's face as she stood their. Shane came in and took Claire into his arms, temporarily forgetting Claire's change. He kissed the top of her head and repeated that he was sorry for what was happening. That's when Eve came in and practically plowed Claire over to give her a huge hug. Tears ran down both of their faces. They promised each other that they would find some way to communicate with each other, even if they had to buy owls.
They got into their van and Michael and Claire stood in the doorway, waving at them goodbye, too afraid to blink so they would miss a second of the last they would ever see of their friends. After they had gone they made their way into the living room. Neither spoke for a long while, but when they did, Michael spoke first.
"That went a lot better than it could have."
Claire whimpered and the sound tore in Michael's chest.
"Come one Claire...It was obvious they were going to eventually branch out. You would have left eventually and forgotten all about us, when Amelie decided to let you go."
"But it was so sudden. We got to say goodbye but..."
"But you wish you hadn't had to."
Claire nodded and started crying. That did Michael in. He held her close to him and started rubbing her back. She cried for a long time, eventually calming down to little coughs after he had stood with her, lending her his strength.
After she was down to those little coughs he cupped her chin and made her look up at him. Tears were still evident in her eyes, but they hadn't fallen. She looked abandoned.
He bent his head down closer to hers and whispered, "No matter what happens, from here until forever, I will never leave you. I love you Claire."
Then he kissed her.
