Wow, I feel really stupid. I completely bypapssed a real chapter. I didn't mean to forget to upload it. My apologies for confusing everyone. Here's that one chapter that was missing. Hope this clarifies everything! I'm sorry! Hope you all enjoy.

A/N: Hope all you Shane fans enjoyed that little bit of Shane. So, let's see what Shane does knowing the truth now.

Claire's POV:

It's been nearly a week since Michael left Eve. He was caring enough to let her live there. She hates how awkward it feels, but she knew she had nowhere to go. I made her promise to stay with me though; I needed another girl living under this house to keep me sane. And no one kept me sane better than Eve. Dinner's been beyond lonely lately. Everyone's always eaten in the dining room together, but this past week, I sat by myself, while everyone ate in their own rooms. It was disheartening to be honest.

I spend a lot of my time at the lab. Myrnin always was good at keeping me distracted. He'd pile on the work more than ever.

Friday afternoon, Myrnin and I were sitting in the lab, reading some books on alchemy, when he said, "Claire, why so glum? Your mood is creating quite a dismal atmosphere."

I shrugged. "Sorry, I just have some trouble at home. Nothing important."

To my surprise, he set the old dusty alchemy book he was reading down on the coffee table I'd made him buy and relaxed into his chair. "Tell me, my little Claire, what seems to be the problem?"

Should I bother telling him? Would he understand? No, probably not. He only ever really saw me or Amelie. Sure, he wasn't quite the Trapdoor Spider, well expect to Grandma Day, but still, he wasn't exactly out on the town every night. Eh, what was the worst that could happen? If anything he says to forget it and get back to work.

"My friends are acting weird. Michael dumped Eve. Than something must have happened between him and Shane because they barely even look at each other. Shane avoids me, and Michael followed me around like a dog. He's gone all protective older brother on me, worse than he is now. You've seen him, he picks me up every time the sun even gets close to setting. He makes sure I'm home by dark. I don't understand why. Shane and I fight all the time. This week's been fairly quiet but that's because he barely even looks at me lately. Michael and I are actually closer than ever, that is when he drops the overbearing brother act. And to top it all off, I think I'm falling in love with him." I'd been saying all that so fast that when I finally finished I breathed in a deep breath, cling to it like it was the breath of life.

Myrnin just stared at me, his expression blank as he processed that. "Well, um, I must say, you've actually stumped me."

I rolled my eyes. "Thanks Myrnin. That's so helpful. Whatever. Forget it."

He leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees, and looked at me. "Claire, dear. Was something said between the who human boys to make you think their fighting over something specific?"

I shook my head. "Nope, nothing."

This time Myrnin was the one to roll his eyes. "Claire, dear. The common denominator is you. Even in this vicious state, at a loss for today's understanding of teenage angst, and I managed to grasp an understanding for that."

Okay, he'd lost me. "Uh, what?"

He sighed and tried again. "Shane feels threatened by the sudden proximity the Glass fellow has for you. And him, Michael correct, perhaps has developed some sort of romantic feelings for you. Which would explain his need to be more overprotective, and have such a nearness to you constantly. It would give a logical explanation as to his constant presence and sudden cancellation of the nuptials. Your boyfriend Shane is 'pulling away' because, it's possible, he's threatened by the idea that you show preference to Michael, or that Michael would be more suited for you. Wouldn't you agree?"

I couldn't speak, my head was reeling. I just stared at him, wondering who slipped him something in his drink because Myrnin was at a serious loss of understanding to human relationships, let alone teenage ones. Where on earth did he get that idea. Myrnin, lord of logic and science, came to that assumption? "Riiight…well, I'll consider that. Thanks. Let's just get back to work."

He said no more on the subject until I left. Michael picked me up just before dusk. Throughout the entire ride home, Myrnin's words were on a constant replay in my head. Michael had noticed something was up with me, he was sneaking peaks at me every few minutes, a worried look in his blue eyes.

When I came home, Shane actually met me at the door. He took my book bag from me for the first time in days and kissed me lightly on the lips. There was something different in his eyes. They were darker, nearly dilated I noticed. Was he drunk?

"Hey, babe, can we talk?"

"Sure."

He took my bag to the living room and dropped it in the middle of the floor before walking upstairs. He was walking like he was brain dead or something, like he couldn't control what he was doing. What the hell was wrong with him?

I followed him to his room and closed the door behind me. The room was nearly dark. He'd dimmed the lights until it was nearly off. I noticed he was standing at the foot of his bed, just standing there. When I walked over to him I saw his eyes were fully dilated, but it wasn't from being drunk, I couldn't smell any alcohol on him at all.

He had a conflicted look on his face. He sat on the bed, pulling me into his lap. I instinctively put my arms around his neck and kissed him. He seemed to enjoy it at first but then he pulled away abruptly. "Stop," he said.

"What's wrong?"

He looked teary eyes, and pained. "You know I love you right?"

I shrugged. "Of course."

"and you know I'd do anything to make you happy right? Even if it kills me?"

Okay, that sounded a bit suspicious. "Yeah? Shane, where are you going with this?"

He didn't say anything. He kissed me again, stopping my words and thoughts in their tracks. It started out slowly, sweet, like when he used to kiss me. When we first got together. Nothing but love behind the kiss, and it sent an ache through my heart, in a good way. A few minutes later, it turned hotter, more sexy. Within a few seconds he had me on the bed, his shirt off as he lay on top of me, kissing the line of my jaw. His lips whispered at my ear, "Make love to me, Claire. Please."

I just nodded and kissed him, like I'd never kissed him before…

It was a few hours later. I was curled up in Shane arms, wearing his favorite killers tee. Okay, it was his only one. I'd gotten it for his birthday, to replace the last one that was torn by vampires. It reached down to nearly my knees. He kissed my forehead and enclosed me in his arms in a tight embrace.

"I love you. So much. You know that right?"

"And I love you." He looked at me for a second but sighed and sat up to put his pants back on. He looked upset like I'd said something wrong. "Shane what's going on?"

He sat back down and faced me. "I need you to be totally honest with me. Promise?"

"Of course. Anything."

He stared at me a second, a hesitant look on his face. "…Do you love Michael?"

Shit, why did he have to ask that? "Sure, he's my friend." That wasn't a lie.

That pissed him off. "Dammit, Claire! You know what the hell I mean!" I didn't say anything. "Answer me Claire!"

"I don't know! Okay?" I yelled. A few tears slid down my cheek, and suddenly all the anger drained from his face.

"I saw this coming." He said to himself. He took my hand and pulled me off the bed to the door. Not roughly. He seemed so upset. What the hell was he doing?

"Shane, what are you doing?"

He stopped just before he reached the door of his room and looked at me. "I'm doing what is right." He said cryptically.

He turned and opened the door, pulling me out into the hall and down to Michael's door. He knocked but there was no answer.

"What are you doing?" I asked as he knocked again.

"I told you. I'm doing what right…what's best." He knocked again, annoyed. "Michael, open up dammit."

"I don't understand." I heard the strumming of a guitar stop. "Michael's downstairs."

"No I'm not." I turned and saw Michael standing at the top of the staircase, looking at us as we stood outside his door. He was still dressed in the dark blue jeans that hung low on his hips and a grey muscle tee. He seemed as confused as I was. "What's going on? What's up man?"

Shane breathed deeply and walked me over to stand in front of Michael. "This." he took my hand and put it in Michael. I felt so delicate next to him. His hands were cool to the touch. We hesitated a second than let go.

"Shane what are you talking about? What is this?"

He looked at me and frowned. "You love him, don't you?"

I froze. "What? Shane, I don't-"

"Don't bullshit, Claire. Do you love him?"

I looked at Michael, he was confused, but there was something in his eyes? Hope? Hope that I'd say no? Say yes? What? God, I wished I was I mind reader. I hesitated. I couldn't be honest. Michael didn't love me. Why make a fool out of myself?

I looked back at Shane. "No," I said. It was the worst lie I'd ever told.

He shook his head. "Don't play innocent Claire. I know you do. I see it." He looked at Michael. "Come on man, tell her what you told me. You love her right?"

Michael looked annoyed. Before he could respond, Eve had stepped out of her room, clutching her black robe shut. "What's going on out here? Why wasn't I invited to this party?"

Shane rolled his eyes. "Stay out of this. Michael, be straight. You love Claire. You told me. Don't fucking deny it. Just tell her."

"What the fuck is wrong with you Shane? Why are you throwing me off on Michael like this? is this your messed up way of dumping me?"

"No, and yes in a way." He sighed and looked deep into my eyes. "Claire, I love you. I always will. But I've come to learn recently that you deserve better. I can't treat you as well as other can. If I could keep you I would. But I've got too much shit weighing me down, shit from my past. You deserve better than some douchebag that has emotional turmoil following him around all his life. Michael, he's different. He loves you. He said so himself, no matter how much he doesn't wanna own up to it. Believe me, of all the selfish things I've done in my life, keeping you would be the worst, and I wish I had the heart to do it. But you deserve someone better…Michael deserves you. I don't."

Michael, Eve, and I were all frozen. Eve was staring at Michael, I was too awe struck to stare at anything other than Shane. "Shane, I…this…" I closed my mouth and started again. "Shane, that's really sweet. Really. But Michael and I …we don't feel like that for each other. He loves someone else. He told me so."

Shane groaned. "Goddammit Claire, it's you. He told me it was you." he turned to Michael. "Michael, tell her. Be a man and own up to your feelings."

He was breathing heavy, a dead look in his eyes. His eyes never left mine. "There's nothing to own up to. You heard her. She and I don't feel like that for each other."

Before Shane could speak again Eve had cut in. "Michael, downstairs…now." She grabbed his arm and pulled him to the staircase. His eyes watched me a second, cold and lifeless. Then he turned and followed her.

I leaned against the wall, I wanted to faint. But instead, I let a few tears escape silently…

Michael's POV:

I wanted to hit something so bad, that or go crawl in a hole and cry. I couldn't tell which one was more powerful. Claire didn't love me. Of course she didn't. I never should have gotten my hopes up. This was such a waste of time. I wanted to wring Shane's neck. How could he do that? I made him swear to never let our conversation leave my room, and he goes and tells her what I said, in front of Eve as well. The cold hearted, insensitive bastard.

Eve grabbed me by my shirt and pulled me to the kitchen. She stopped and let go of my shirt to face me. "What is this about you and Claire? What the hell is Shane talking about?"

"Shane's a prick. How the should I know what the hell is going on in his head?"

She watched me with careful yet gentle eyes. She knew… "Michael…Claire's the other girl isn't she?"

I swallowed. I didn't have the heart to tell her that I left her because I fell in love with her best friend. But she knew. No point in hiding it now. "Yes," I whispered.

Her eyes glossed over, she was ready to cry. She tried as hard as she could to compose herself. "Does she know that you do?" I shook my head. "Why? Why don't you tell her?"

"Because she doesn't feel the same."

She shook her head. "You don't know that."

I didn't mean to snap, but thinking about what just went on upstairs, set the monster loose inside of me. "Bullshit! She just said it Eve. Were you not listening upstairs? She just said she doesn't feel the same."

She slinked back ever so slightly but quickly regained her control. "She said that because she thinks you don't feel the same." She smacked the side of my head. "Hello! Earth to idiot. Did you tell her you like her? No, what girl in their right mind stands up in front of her boyfriend and best friend saying she loves her best friend's ex? No one. It's girl code. We can't date exs' without permission. And Claire's too big a person to ask for my approval." She paused. "If I'd known, I would have given it to her."

I looked back to her. I had been avoiding looking at her for the most part. "Why?"

She watched me a moment before she said anything. Her tone was so soft and gentle, it nearly broke my heart. She was being genuine. "Because I see the way you look at her. It's the way you used to look at me. I saw it for weeks, but I never thought anything of it. I thought it was just pre-wedding jitters, my subconscious looking for an excuse to get out of the wedding. Turns out it was true."

I shook my head. "Well, whatever. It's done. She's said how she feels. I'm not trying to hold on to a small bit of hope that's still inside me because you think she MIGHT like me. I can't take that agony. She's said how she feels and now it's done. Okay?"

She put her left hand to my cheek, turning my gaze back to her again. "Michael, it's okay. You're scared. Just…just tell her how you feel. What's holding you back? Don't tell me you haven't seen how she feels about you? If Shane, lord of the oblivious noticed, than I'm sure you did."

I shrugged. "I did, I thought it was just my imagination messing with me."

She shook her head. "Just tell her. Trust me, in my life I've seen some messed up shit. Especially living in Morganville. But of all the things that I've seen, this, you and Claire, are the one thing that I know will actually have a happy ending. But that is never gonna happen if you don't stop being a chicken shit and do something about it."

I chuckled. "What about you? I can't hurt you like that. By going for your best friend."

"Don't worry about me. I care enough about you two to get past what we were if it means you two will be happy. I want you two happy. I mean, hey, I can always join a dating site. But, there's something with you two. Trust me, you'll never find that again. Just…take a chance. Do you need me to say it? I approve. Okay? So go…go up there and tell her how you feel."

Eve, I don't know what I would do without here. I nodded. "Thank you." I kissed her forehead and hugged her.

I hadn't heard footsteps approach before I heard the little, "Oh," out of Claire's mouth.

I spun to see her standing there, fully dressed now, or at least in her pajamas. She looked upset, more than upset. It nearly broke my heart in two. "Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt the love fest in here."

"What? No, Claire, I-" but she cut me off.

"No, don't mind me. I just came to see if you two were alright. Shane was worried. But I see you two are getting along great. So I'll leave you to it." And she walked out…more like stomped.

I stared at Eve, freaking out beyond belief. She thought I wanted Eve again. Eve just rolled her eyes and pushed me to the door. "Go after her you idiot!" I let my feet take over and just started running after her, not letting my brain have even a split second to talk me out of it.

She was already half way up the stairs when I started running after her. "Claire, wait!" but when I called to her she took off running.

I reached the stairs as she rounded the corner down the hall. I heard a loud shriek from her and I froze. "Shane!" she screamed.

I bolted up the stairs at vampire speed and Eve came up behind me. I saw Shane lying on the floor, collapsed. He was pale, like vampire pale, and he was breathing heavy as he was sweating bullets. Claire was at his side, holding his hand, crying hysterically. She looked up to me, scared.

"What happened?" I asked.

Eve pulled up behind me and stared at Shane, stunned. "Oh my god!"

"I don't know what happed. I went downstairs to get him water because he said he was feeling a little feverish. And when I come back he's like this! I don't know what happened."

I walked over and knelt beside Shane. He was hot to the touch, he had to have had at least 103 temperature. "We need to get him to the hospital."