(((***)))

"Em, are you sure?" Ellie was not so sure about this herself. "Maybe we should stay for Thanksgiving."

Her and Emma stood on their front porch and Sean was packing their bags in the truck to go to Alberta. It was a beautiful sunny day.

"You and Sean have beenenough help." Emma shook her head. She would not allow Ellie to bail on this trip! It'd be so good for them.

"I know but, what's going on right now..it-it's not easy." She tried to say it as nicely as she could.

Emma promised as she put her hands on Ellie's shoulders, "Jay has me. I'll take care of him. Shouldn't I be the worried girlfrien-"

Ellie nodded, understanding that slip. Emma called herself his girlfriend. Ellie cringed and whispered so Sean nor anyone in the house could hear, "Don't forget you are dating Kelly, Em."

Emma flushed, looking down and crossing her arms now. "Yeah. I know. That just came out."

"Someone needs to take care of you." Pouted Ellie, and the door opened as she spoke. Manny came out and put an arm around Emma's waist, giving her a squeeze.

"I got that job." Manny nodded at their redheaded friend, "Go, El. You and Sean deserve this."

"What if he doesn't want to come back?" Ellie pouted and feared this for a few weeks now. Sean didn't shut up about wanting to show her the 'mountains'. He even packed them an extra suitcase 'just incase'. Whatever that means. "Sean loves Alberta. A-and it'd be normal there and away from here-"

"Maybe that's a good thing, Ellie." Emma cut her off and looked honest as she added, "Maybe you should think about staying.."

Ellie looked between Emma and Manny, both of them looking sincere about it. Her shoulders fell sadly but she nodded. She knew it'd be safer. This town was a shit show, waiting for more and more evil to enter it. "I'll miss you guys." She began to tear up and they all moved in to hug.

"Thankyou, Ellie." Emma whispered in her ear before pulling away with Manny and Ellie looked at Emma with tears down her cheeks now. She really wasn't sure if they were going to come back now..

"El, you ready?" Sean called over by the truck, before waving to the girls. He eyed them when he noticed them crying. His shoulders slumped also and he turned towards his truck, taking a moment to think and inhaled a deep breath.

They must know. Ellie must of said how they've been thinking about staying in Alberta. It wasn't that they didn't love their friends or want to stay, but it was dangerous and they've faced death once too many. They've done their parts and they've been hero's, but the longer you stayed in this town- you might live long enough to become the villain.

"I love you guys." Ellie snuffled and then turned, walking down the porch and towards Sean. Sean helped her in the truck and turned to the girls. Manny smiled sadly, waving, then left Emma on the porch to wave slightly to Sean too. He now looked as if he too had tears in his eyes and him and Emma shared a moment before the blonde whipped her tears and walked back into the house. Sean looked away and blinked past his tears, getting back into his truck.

After closing the door and hearing Sean get into the truck, Emma shut her eyes. Tears rolled down as she heard the engine of his vehicle pull out of the driveway and faded into the distance. She was more than sure that was the last time she'd see Sean and Ellie. She didn't blame them. She loved them and wanted them to be happy. They could be 'normal'. . as much as they could be.

She stepped into Sean and Ellie's room, seeing their bed still there but sheets off of it. Lamps still on the side tables, but none of their personal things on it.

Emma sadly exited the room.

"Are you okay?"

Emma jumped as she walked into her room, turning to Jay who was supposed to be asleep in her bed but he was awake, leaning up against her bedframe. He seemed to be getting color back, and his eyes were the old grey-blue she remembered. His eyes weren't that cold anymore either but warm. Also the love he had for her still clouded in them, but she wasn't brave enough to see that yet so avoided his eyes.

She had to remind herself of Kelly. Twice. She was even going to go meet up with him.

"I'm fine." She lied. She stood at her dresser and was just getting some clothes out for tomorrow but she felt her fingers shake as she grabbed her favorite t-shirt.

Jay swallowed and looked down. "I should take the guest room now. I-"

Emma whirled around to see him trying to get up from bed, wincing as he did so. "No, you're still weak. Just stay there." It's like she said it because she didn't want him to get up though. That would mean that he could stand and come closer to her. That scared her, and he could see it. She couldn't stand even the thought of being close to him.

He stopped, and fell back against the bedframe slowly with a bit of hurt written across his face. He tried to hide that as much as he could. He had no right to be 'hurt'. He asked quietly, "Are we going to talk?"

"No." she admitted, walking back out her door, "Not now." With that, she was gone. She had plans with Kelly. But as she raced down her steps, her heart was pounding rapidly from Jay and the tears threatening her eyes were caused by him and nobody else. It was a such a confusing feeling, wanting to make sure he was alright and wanting to take care of him, then to wanting to be far away from him as she could.

((**)))

"I was wondering, that charity event, do you want to go?" Kelly asked Emma, sitting with her and Manny at the Diner now.

They were having dinner with Lucas as well and having almost a 'double-date', if only Lucas would be a little more friendly to Kelly but he wouldn't. Emma belonged with Jay and he knew it.

"Charity event?" Emma repeated cluelessly. She had been so wrapped up in the warehouse and bringing Jay back to health this week that she had lost touch with her school life, and love life with Kelly.

"Yea.." he drifted and awkwardly repeated, "Well? Do you want to go?"

She blinked and then nodded, "Y-yes. Ofcourse. You know, i-if you want to."

"Well I do it you do." Kelly informed.

Manny sent a look towards Lucas who rolled his eyes but spoke up, "Let's just agree that's a 'yes'."

Emma forced a smile and nodded before looking back down at her empty drink. Knowing there must not be much to be looking at, Kelly asked her "Do you want me to get you another drink?"

Emma snapped out of it. She was wondering if Jane was doing okay with her shift on watching/nursing Jay tonight. She hated being out here when he was still bed ridden and what if he needed her? She tried to push those thoughts away and answered Kelly.

"No thanks, I'm not thirsty." Emma's reply only made Kelly's suspicion grow. What was going on in that head of hers?

Manny noticed Kelly's distant look and tried to wheel him back in for Emma- since Emma didn't seem to even give a damn. "Emma's been wanting to invite you to our thanksgiving dinner for a week now!"

Emma's mouth gaped at Manny. She couldn't believe she invited him- yes, she said she would but that was BEFORE Jay came back. She couldn't have her ex and new boyfriend together at the same dinner table!

"Sure. That'd be great!" Kelly agreed. Emma forced a tight smile and then her shoulders fell, fading out again as Lucas and Manny began another conversation. She wondered if maybe she should stop by the butcher's store later and grab Jay some blood.

She scoffed at herself quietly, wishing she'd just for once stop thinking about Jay.

(((**))))

It was getting late. Jane had watched Jay for hours until he got the energy to finally demand she leave him be. I mean, she wasn't even mad, it was great he finally had the energy to do that! That had to mean he was getting better and he was even walking around again.

He paced, actually, alone in Emma's house now. Jane had agreed to leaving him be, since she knew he didn't need a babysitter but it was Emma whom asked her to stay to help him and she was scared she'd cross her tomorrow.

As Jay paced back and forth in the living room for Emma to come home, his head snapped up when he thought he heard a noise. He carefully stuck to the shadows, and tried to gaze out the window. He could see nothing though. No car in the driveway either.

Jay walked to the front door slowly, seeing it start to shake and turn as someone struggled to open it until he finally ripped it open to see Emma standing there, a little startled by his alarmed but ready to kill state.

He jumped back a little. And Emma came in. She held a small paper bag. "It-it's just me." Emma told him then handed over the bag, "Here."

Jay took the bag and opened it cautiously. Then he walked back into the living room. Emma followed him, but kept her distance. Jay remained facing away from her as he pulled the plastic container of pig blood out of the bag.

"Thanks." Was all he muttered. He put it back in, and just stood there, still facing away from her.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

He still didn't turn around to face her. "It hurts..less."

"Good." Emma whispered. She tilted her head, waiting for him to face her but he still couldn't. Unsure how to continue, Emma decided to turn to leave and go to her room.

"You're with somebody else now?" his words cut her like a knife.

Kelly would never be Jay. That was a known fact to Emma. But maybe right now, it was a good thing. A suffocating sort of love like she and Jay had wasn't healthy and even if it's the only passionate love she's ever known- she needed a break. For her sanity and her heart. But nobody would compare to Jay. It would always only be Jay.

"I'm going to make sure you get better." Emma promised but then looked down and cringed, "Everything is just different now."

"I understand." His quick reply sent daggers to her heart. He still didn't turn back.

She saddened, "I'm in college, I'm working really hard. Yes, I met someone.. I.. I moved on." She didn't know why she said those words either as soon as they escaped her lips. She just wanted to make him think she did. Why was she trying so hard to convince him though and not herself? She had a hard time believing that, she knew he probably wasn't buying it either.

The sad thing was, he did believe it. "I'm sorry for what I did. To you, and everyone else."

"It wasn't you!" Emma knew that. She did, honestly! It was just hard to see a monster with her lovers face do the things he did. "It's just….it's not easy." and his return was horrible timing! I mean- two weeks before and she didn't even know Kelly! Why couldn't of Jay showed up then?

"Yea." He sighed and finally turned back to her. The coldness back in his eyes sort of scared her for a moment but he gave her a reassuring glance, "So…we're friends? Who fight evil?"

"Friends who fight evil." She repeated, but couldn't help but frown. God that sounded stupid. Friends? With Jay? No such thing…

She was about to figure that out the hardest way.