Erin had been looking for Vlad all through the school day. She hadn't wanted to go to school, not after that conversation with Wednesday, but she felt like she needed the mind numbing distraction that only double maths could provide. It wasn't until lunch-time that she heard that Vlad had stormed out of his first period class and hadn't been seen since. She couldn't help but feel a twinge of worry in the pit of her stomach. Something serious must have happened; Vlad would never ditch class unless he had a serious reason to. She couldn't skip her last two classes however, she was doing really badly in them and couldn't afford any chance to try to improve her grades. She did still hold some dreams of going off to university to gain a degree of some sort; she just hadn't put as much thought into it lately. Since she started dating Vlad, actually, if she was to really think on it. Not that she did, she loved Vlad after all, and their relationship was going to prove breather-vampire relations could work. Yes, she might be keeping her being a slayer from him, but … she would find the right time to tell him, she would.

As soon as lessons were over, she ran up to the Dracula quarters, mentally preparing herself for the worst. She flung to the door open, and came across the sight of Wolfie and Pubert playing with a minature gulliotine. Erin didn't even want to think on where they might have gotten their hands on that, let alone why they were being allowed to play with it. Honestly, vampires and Addamses had no idea of what was appropriate for children. "Wolfie!" she called. The young half-vampire, half-werewolf looked up, tilting his head in Erin's direction, silently questioning her with wide eyes. She didn't shiver, but no doubt he had picked that up from the bad influence that was Pubert Addams. "Where's Vlad?" she asked.

Wolfie gave a shrug, turning back to the gulliotine. "I dunno," he answered. He gave a rub of his nose, "but he went down to the crypt ages ago. Not seen him since," he added in a disinterested tone of voice. He clapped happily when Pubert decapitated one of the toy soliders they had found lying around and once again, Erin found herself realising just how odd her life was now. Shaking her head as if to rid herself of the thought, she continued on through the quarters, making her way down to the crypt. She had no idea as to just why Vlad would choose to go down there; he usually avoided it as much as he could, considering it a trappings of what he called the old ways of vampirism. Erin loved the way he kept looking to the future, wanting to improve things for... Well, not really for vampires so much, but rather the benefits that would come for everyday, normal people. If only more vampires could be like Vlad, but she knew that was impossible. He was one of a kind, sweet, sensible, reliable. She was sure now that Wednesday had been lying about his sleeping with her. Vlad wouldn't betray her like that. They were too important to each other to just causually dismiss the other's trust.

Then she saw Wednesday sitting on a chair in the crypt, reading what appeared to be a collected edition of the works of Shakespeare. Leatherbound, but Eriin had come to except such high quality from the books that Count Dracula kept in his library. "You're a fan of Shakespeare?" She did her best to make her voice sound causual, almost disinterested in an interested sort of way. "Didn't really see him as your sort of thing."

"I'm a fan of many classics," Wednesday answered without stopping in her reading. "Hamlet happens to be among my favourite of his comedies." Erin blinked. Wasn't Hamlet a tragedy? She opened her mouth to say as such, but – again without looking up – Wednesday continued to speak. "If you're looking for Vladimir, I suggest coming back in a few hours once the sun has set." She closed the book, laying it in her lap and looking up. "The sun tired him out."

"Vlad doesn't usually sleep during the day," Erin's voice was hesistant though – to be fair, she had caught him having quick naps in the afternoon, but she had always assumed that was because of the time consuming schedule he was on between school and his various lessons in … whatever it was he needed to be the best vampire leader he could be with Bertrand. It was never usually longer than an hour at a time though; it was as though his body was used to surviving on as little rest as possible. For him to be asleep now... "Is he sick?"

Wednesday gave a look up, and Erin felt a chill in the back of her neck. "That depends on exactly what you mean."

"I... I don't understand," Erin frowned. "What do you mean … it depends on what I mean?" She took a cautious step towards the girl who, she was fairly certain, was sizing her up as some sort of competition. Not that there was one. Vlad was her boyfriend. He may have agreed to pretend to be engaged to this girl to get them out of arranged marriages, but that was because they were friends. Had she been of a clearer mind, Erin may have noticed that she was reducing Wednesday to an enemy status without really getting to know the girl simply because she believed the girl held a threat to her relationship, and that would have been against her feminist prinicples. It is here that it must be noted that teenage girls are, like their male counterparts, slaves to their emotions. "That makes no sense."

"On the contrary," Wednesday replied, "it makes perfect sense." She stood, placing the book on the chair, clasping her hands in front of her and stepping forward. "Do you mean to ask if Vlad is physically unwell? If that is so, then the answer is no." The girl stepped forwards again, and Erin didn't notice herself stepping backwards. "If you are referring to his mental health, well, then it's obvious that Vladimir suffers from many aliments that have been caused by events that have happened over his life. When combined with his recent merging with his one thousand reflections, it's arguable that some form of multiple personality disorder may appear. If not that, then surely a delightful head torture." There was an almost smirk on her face, and that slightest twitch terrified Erin, even if she didn't know why. "As regards to anything else that could make him sick … well, that's entirely a matter of personal taste."

"Vlad doesn't have …" Erin paused, not entirely sure she could finish that setence upon the realisation that this was the most she'd heard the other girl talk to anyone other than a family member or Vlad since she had arrived. Was that really only a couple of days ago? Somehow it felt like months. "Vlad's - " she began again, only to find herself being interrupted.

"Awake, and not really in favour of people talking about him while he's sleeping nearby. It's kind of rude." Erin didn't jump but noted with some shame that she didn't hear the coffin open. She was getting too used to these noises, it was a bad trait in a slayer. Even if she wasn't sure she was a … No, she was a slayer, it was just that Vlad had opened her eyes to the possibility that maybe some vampires just wanted to live a quiet, peaceful life. That was all. Think first, then stake if proven to be a danger. That's all she'd learnt from Vlad. "And Wed, seriously, multiple personality disorder? It's just me up here." He tapped his forehead. "Yeah, I've got a dark side, but..." he trailed off, shrugging his shoulders as if to say who hasn't.

"Wednesday," was the Addams girl only comment, eyes narrowing only slightly. "I do prefer my full name, Vladimir."

"And I've told you that it's Vlad, not Vladimir. Hi Erin," he added, turning in Erin's direction and giving a grin. "Don't usually see you down in the crypt," he added conversationally, as he began to pull himself out of the coffin he had been resting in. He stood, and stretched, and didn't notice that the action had drawn the attention of both girls in the room, though both would deny it if the other questioned. In a surprisingly fluid motion he jumped from the coffin and landed steadily on his feet, stretching his arms out as he stood on the ground. "I swear, the old-fashioned coffins are just … cramped."

"Why didn't you go for a sleep in your own room if you were tired?" Erin asked. Vlad looked at her, blinking.

"Because I was talking to Wednesday," he explained simply. "By the way, you didn't need to sit beside me while I rested," he added, turning to the girl in question. Wednesday simply looked back with her usual emotionless stare.

"And let you be prey to anyone who may walk in?" Erin frowned, could this girl know...? "If anyone is going to kill you, Vladimir, I shall be the one to do it. It's my right as your wife-to-be, after all."

Oh, yeah, Erin was hoping to forget about that.