DISCLAIMER: Sadly I do not own Cirque du Freak or any of the cirque characters though I would love to have my very own Larten Crepsley. I do however own Roxxi, James, Leila, Sienna and Danny.

SUMMARY: Roxxi Clarke is special; she has a gift and that gift may be the one thing to keep Crepsley alive. When Mr Crepsley realises that Roxxi is special, he tells her that her power must be used to fulfil her destiny but can Roxxi really make the ultimate sacrifice to save the orange haired man she has been dreaming about since she was a little girl?

A/N: This is not based after any specific book but does contain references from the books and the movie.

Assumes that Darren has not been taken to Vampire Mountain.

Thanks for the reviews so far, it's nice to know that I have your support.

TITLE: A Change in Destiny

Natural Born Fighter

A week had passed…seven dreamless nights…and Roxxi was starting to worry that her dreams would never return. She had wondered if the lack of blood she had been drinking was a factor so when Crepsley had asked her the evening before if she wanted to go and feed with him and Darren, she had said yes. It was still an odd sensation but the second time had indeed proven to be easier than the first and this time she hadn't felt quite as bad at her actions. Pulling on a clean t-shirt, Roxxi sighed to herself. Tonight she was having her first lesson since that fateful night she had snapped her nails and sliced her fingers. Crepsley had told her to have a break from physical training to let her nails heal and, now that she was drinking blood, strengthen. Instead, he had been teaching her about the vampire ways and traditions; lecturing her but allowing her to ask her own questions in between.

Heading out of the tent, she passed Darren and Rebecca who were sitting on a log eating dinner together. Vampires still ate normal food and Crepsley had told her that they needed a balance between nutritional human food and blood. Smiling at them, she waved but didn't stop to talk; not wanting to intrude on what Darren was clearly trying to make a date. Very rarely did Darren and Rebecca leave the Cirque camp grounds and in the week and a half that she had been there she had only once seen them go for a walk in a field not far away. Quickly making her way to Crepsley's tent, she knocked and waited; she had learnt her lesson last time and had no desire to replay it.

"Who is it?" Crepsley's voice was strained and Roxxi's eyes widened at the sound. Had she interrupted something?

"It uh…it's me Roxxi." She tried to keep the horror out of her voice, what if he was busy doing something…something with someone? Pushing that thought aside, she tried not to gag.

"Oh good, perhaps you can come in and help me with something." The voice was still strained and Roxxi's eyes impossibly widened again.

"I uh…I'll wait if you're…busy." She had no idea what was going on but was quite sure that she wanted no part of it.

"No do not be silly, come in." He let out a small grunt but said nothing else.

"Are you sure you want me to do that?" All sorts of lurid thoughts ran through her mind; she was eighteen years old and although she was less clued up on vampires than Darren, she was a hell of a lot more clued up on human…activity.

"Please." He quietly mumbled something which she didn't catch and then groaned loudly.

Sighing, she closed her eyes and entered the tent; dreading what was going to greet her. "Is everything okay Mr Crepsley?" Her eyes remained closed as she stumbled slightly before regaining her balance.

"No." The reply was muffled and when Roxxi cracked one eye open slightly, she burst into a fit of laughter. "It is not funny." His voice was still muffled but this time annoyance laced his words. "Would you please help me?"

"Okay, okay…keep your cape on." Chuckling, she stepped forwards and gently set about untangling the vampire who was flailing his arms above his head and trying to free himself from his cloak. Once she had disentangled him, she rolled her eyes and smiled. "Dare I ask?"

"I would rather you did not." She nodded and muttered something under her breath but fake-winced when Crepsley spoke up. "I heard that."

"Sorry." Mumbling her apology, she lowered her head…to hide her smirk.

"Are you ready for training?" She nodded but said nothing in response as Crepsley straightened his cape. "Very good, follow me." Heading out of the tent, he led Roxxi into the forest where they had tried to train the week before.

Half an hour later, Roxxi was starting to get frustrated. She had tried to copy Crepsley's actions, tried to slice into the tree bark and only succeeded in making a fool of herself. Every time she tried she got her nails stuck and although she hadn't broken any of them, she was starting to get sick of having to dislodge them. Once again glaring at the tree, she slashed at the bark and groaned.

"You are not concentrating." Crepsley's voice was also irritated; not because she couldn't do it but because she didn't seem to realise how important this skill was. If she were to be attacked in the middle of nowhere, the chances were that her nails would be her only weapon.

"I'm trying!" Snapping, she whirled around to face him.

"Try harder." His voice was calm as he offered her a challenging look. She muttered something under her breath but did as he told her and once again swung her nails at the tree. "Focus all your anger on the tree and remember to extend your fingers."

"I am extending them, it just isn't working." Annoyance filled her voice as she once again got her nails stuck in the bark. "This stupid goddamn tree won't…"

She was interrupted as Crepsley cut in. "It is not the tree…it is you. You need to try harder Roxxi; this is an important skill for a vampire."

Sighing, she took a deep, calming breath. "Maybe I'm not cut out for being a vampire." Her voice was quiet and ashamed, she was almost certain that Darren would have picked up the skill straight away but she was useless.

"Well whether you are or not, I have blooded you…it is too late. You will have to learn." Crepsley's words were meant to anger her into fighting against the tree; he had every faith in her but she needed to gain some belief in herself. Once again sighing, she let Crepsley's words wash over her and pointed her nails. Lashing out, she connected with the tree but once again failed. With a frustrated cry, she walked away from both Crepsley and the tree before she hurt someone…namely Crepsley. "You cannot run away from this Roxxi!" Calling out after his young assistant, he rolled his eyes.

"I'm not; I'll be back in a second I just need to calm down." Walking away, she disappeared behind a few trees as Crepsley smirked; a wicked grin crossing his lips.

Silently chasing after her, he waited for the right moment and pounced; pinning her to a tree. One hand wrapped around her throat as he lifted her from the ground. This was not how he had wanted to teach her the lesson but if it was the only way then it would have to be done. "You are going to have to learn to fight your own battles Miss Clarke."

She gasped, trying to breathe but upon finding that she couldn't she started to panic. "Ouch, Crepsley let go…you're hurting me." She begged him to release her throat but when his grip tightened, she snarled. "Bastard, I said let go!"

"No, you are going to fight your way free." Smirking, he leant in close to her face. "Or are you afraid that you will lose the fight?"

Spitting at him, she kicked his leg hard and caught him by surprise. He immediately dropped her to the ground but when she tried to run away, he tripped her up and laughed. "Leave me alone." Wincing, she looked down to find that a sharp branch was now sticking into her leg and blood was dripping from the wound. "Crepsley please…" She looked up at him through green, tear filled eyes. "Let me go."

It saddened Crepsley to see how hurt she was…how betrayed she looked. "I am sorry, I did not want to have to teach you like this but it is the only way." Crouching beside her, he grabbed her arm and yanked her to her feet as she let out a pained wail. Thrusting her back against a tree, he pinned her arms above her head. "Now, how are you going to escape?"

"I'm not." Dropping her gaze, she let one lonely tear fall. "Kill me if you must."

"I would never do that." Releasing her, he watched as she fell to the floor in a heap. "One day you will need to protect yourself, I will not always be there. In this life it is 'kill or be killed' Roxxi and the sooner you learn that the better." Turning, he started to walk away.

She looked up and glared at his back, feeling the anger rise up inside of her. Who the hell did he think he was? She was every bit as good as him…every bit as deserving. Pulling herself to her feet, she threw herself at the taller vampire and knocked him to the ground. She then got to her feet and kicked him hard in the stomach. When he got to his knees, he wrapped his arms around his middle and tried to get his breath back but before he had chance, she kicked him to the ground and stuck her nails into his shoulder. He yelped as she painfully twisted and drew blood from her mentor. She then leant in close to his ear and snarled. "I am every bit as deserving of life as you…never forget that." With that she staggered away, slumping against a tree and missing Crepsley's proud smile.

Crepsley meanwhile, pushed himself into a sitting position and started to take care of his wounds; rubbing spit into his cuts and over the spots which he knew would bruise in the morning. He had been shocked at exactly how strong Roxxi was and when she had kicked him he had never expected it to hurt that much. Maybe she was a natural born fighter after all. Once he had taken care of himself, he set off to find his aforementioned assistant. It wasn't difficult to find her because as soon as she pulled the small branch from her leg she let out a wounded cry. When he found her she was leaning against a tree; both hands covering the gash and tears streaming down her cheeks. The cut was deeper than Crepsley had first thought and he felt a stab of guilt when he saw how much blood was flowing from it. Quietly strolling over to her, he sat beside her and sighed. "You should get that seen to."

"What do you want?" Cold and hurt, angry and…betrayed.

"Look, perhaps I came on a little too strong; I sometimes forget that you are a woman…you are different to Darren." Leaning back against the tree, he sighed again. Let me help you."

"I don't need your help and I may be a woman but I am every bit as strong as you and Darren." Her words hit him hard; she reminded him so much of Arra Sails…stubborn, headstrong and tough and at that moment Crepsley realised that someday Roxxi would make a fine vampire. "Being a woman does not make me weaker than you."

Looking down at her he smiled softly and shook his head. "No, it certainly does not." Covering her hands with one of his, his eyes softened. "Let me help you…please." Eventually she nodded and watched as Crepsley used saliva to seal the wound. The pain ceased almost immediately and when he pulled his hand back, he raised an eyebrow. "Better?"

"Yeah…thanks." Looking down at the tiny scar she smiled slightly before looking at her mentor. "Guess I've just earned my first real scar huh?"

He chuckled slightly and reached over with his other hand to wipe away a few stray tears from Roxxi's cheeks. "Yes, I suppose you have." Pausing for a second, he thought before saying. "You will earn plenty more before your time as a vampire comes to an end."

She nodded and looked down at the floor before quietly mumbling. "I'm not sorry."

"For what?" Confusion filled and somewhat naïve, Roxxi had to smile.

"For letting you blood me." After a moment's silence, she looked up and was greeted by a tiny smile.

"In that case, I am not sorry for blooding you." Patting her leg, he chuckled. "Ready to try again?" She raised an eyebrow and he elaborated. "The tree."

She sighed but nodded as Crepsley got to his feet and helped her up. "I suppose so."

Together they walked back through the forest towards the tree which she had been practicing on and this time, her nails went straight through. She may still have a lot to learn but perhaps Crepsley was right; perhaps she was a natural born…vampire. Tonight she would practice and tomorrow, she hoped, the dreams would come back to haunt her because as chilling as they were, they were her last hope and after tonight she had proven to herself that she was no quitter.

A/N: Thanks for reading and by now you get the drill…pretty please review and let me know if you liked, loved or hated it.

XxxoxxX