Welome back, I hope you all had a wonderfull New Year.

I need to thank my new beta, falconsblade. Realy, thank you so much for taking on this task

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Mina:

My head hurt and I felt somewhat dizzy. Never had I wished to feel Abe's emotions more than in this moment.

I felt every beat of my heart in my head, the boys blood coursing through me and Abe's hand in mine was a cool, soothing anchor.

When we reached my chambers, I was almost asleep already. I can't even remember how I lost my corset and got into bed. What I DO remember, however is that I pulled Abraham into my bed behind me and that I fell asleep wrapped in his arms.

The next day I woke to the shrilling of my phone and the bright morning sun creeping in through the windows.

With closed eyes I reached over to the bedside table and groped for the receiver for a moment. "Yes?", I asked. My throat felt sore and my voice sounded hoarse.

"Rise and shine, honey!", I heard Kate's voice and growled. "Whoa, you sound seriously wasted. Did your talk with Abe go ok?"

Abe!

"Talk to you later.", I said hastily and threw the phone back on the table. Where was he? In a frantic movement I threw back the covers and suddenly a sharp, stinging pain ran through my shoulders. My whole body felt sore and abused, but I was still "alive". More tentatively I got up, rolling my shoulders and kneading aching muscles. I disentangled myself from my skirt and pulled the blouse over my head. Quickly I dressed in the clothes of yesterday evening and went to search for Abe.

The halls where already bustling with activity but, as usual, most of the Agents scrambled to get out of my way. It was nothing. I was used to the fear humankind felt for my kind, and I was long ago over the hurt and sadness that fact used to make me feel. At the moment I couldn't have cared less.

I searched for any and every hint of the Ichtyo Sapien I could find in the feelings of the humans around me, like a blind person pushing herself along a wall towards her destination.

I almost stumbled upon entering the small cafeteria, but my heart jumped when I saw him sitting at a table, holding a cup of tea and smiling at me. He motioned for me to sit in the chair opposite him and when I did, he examined me carefully. "Good morning. Are you alright?"

I smiled and nodded: "Yes, a bit tired and hungry, but alright."

Abe blinked curiously and I laughed lightly. "Sorry.", I said, taking his cup from him. "I am alive right now, you know?", I took a sip of tea and closed my eyes.

"Did you sleep well?", he asked somehow tentatively. When I looked at him, he was fiddling with his fork.

"Yes, very. Thank you.", I smiled and reached over. "And you?", I touched his hand slightly, ignoring the looks from the Agents around us.

He blushed a dark shade of blue and smiled at his plate. "Very good.", then he looked at me pensively. "You should get ready for your flight … let's talk when you get back."

I took another sip from his tea and gave him back his cup. I got up then leaned over to kis his forehead. "I hope you will come see me before we leave."

He smiled up at me and nodded. "Sure."

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Abe:

I felt like my heart was going to jump from my chest when Mina pulled me to bed with her. There was nothing sexual about it, but with her warm, soft body curled against mine, I felt unbelievingly satisfied.

It was so strange to feel her heartbeat under my hand on her stomach. She was alive … for a certain amount of time anyway.

I remembered that I had once read a book in which the author claimed that he had had close contact with a vampire. One that had vowed not to kill and that had retained his human self. Until recently I had forgotten about that book, because I thought it utter nonsense at that time.

Now my mind was racing to find everything that I had read. Every time the Vampire had fed, the author claimed, he would come back to life, or at least the body of the Vampire would start working again. Heartbeat, breathing, blood flow. Obviously the Vampires power would increase tenfold, perhaps greater, the more blood he drank.

Somehow I had the impression that I should have felt hurt, that Mina had never told me about that and yet… well, to be honest, I wasn't thinking very clearly at that moment, with her in my arms.

I am to this day unsure of when I fell asleep, but I know that my night was not very long.

I woke stiff from the unusual position, Mina was still curled up in my arms. Her make-up was slightly off and dark circles had formed under her eyes from her mascara. She was unbelievingly beautiful nonetheless.

For a moment I revelled in the luxury of watching her oh-so-peaceful expression before I carefully disentangled myself from her and got up.

I felt it was better to leave and let her decide how to deal with everything that had happened that night.

When I left her quarters I felt very light and happy. I would have thought that her revelations from just a few hours earlier would have shocked me. She had killed her husband after all … I had an idea of what had happened through the images I had received from Kate.

I found myself in the cafeteria and got a sandwich and a cup of tea.

"Good morning.", a young Agent greeted me, smiling. I had worked with him a few times and we had always gotten along quite well.

"Good morning.", I greeted back and the young man chuckled.

"Someone is in a good mood.", nodding he sauntered over to a few colleagues of his.

I shook my head and finished my sandwich. All that had happened in the last 24 hours stretched before me. Why was it not a big devastating shock to me what had happened with Mina's husband?

Deep inside I had always known that she was dangerous. She was a Vampire and the Beast inside her was a murderous monster. I had always known that she had killed and that she was sorry for it.

"What's done, is done.", I had told her only a few hours ago. There was no changing the past, but I know that Mina is a good person. I had always known..

Suddenly my heart fluttered when I felt her approaching. She was searching for me and almost stumbled when she entered the room.

I watched her scan the cafeteria and smiled, when her green eyes settled on me.

I made an inviting gesture for her to come over.

"Good morning", I greeted her, when she sat down. "Are you alright?", I asked, trying to sound casual but her answer made me blink curiously. She had fed the night before and judging by her unusually healthy complexion she was still very much alive.

Laughing, she took my cup from me and explained: "I am alive right now, you know?"

I had not thought about everything that being alive would mean for her and wondered what else happened to her.

I watched her take a sip from my tea and wondered … "Did you sleep well?", anxiously I waited for her reply. Of course she would know the implied meaning of the question … would she?

"Yes, very. Thank you.", when she reached over, I knew she understood. "And you?", through our joined hands I felt her pleasure at the contact and a warmth spread over my face.

"Very good.", I gave back watching her for a moment. Her expression was relaxed, not unlike earlier when she was still sleeping.

Suddenly something came to mind. "You should get ready for your flight."

I did not want her to leave, but maybe it was not a bad thing if both of us got a chance to think about all that had happened … between us. "Let's talk when you get back."

She gave no indication, if she even heard me, Mina just took another sip from my tea and got up. For a moment, I thought she would just leave, but she came around the table instead. She smiled, leaned down and placed a sweet, gentle kiss to my forehead.

"I hope you will come see me before we leave.", despite her casual tone I felt her anxiousness to see me. "Sure.", I said and watched her leave.

The feelings I had picked up from her just now confused me. Up until now she had never shown any sign of feelings anything for me beyond friendship. Now she had liked and even wished to retain the physical contact. She had liked, that I had held her … was that not more than friends should share? Maybe it was just wishful thinking on my part and I was imagining things. Then again, maybe not.

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