A/N: Shay does some reconnaissance at the Fellowship and we see another glimpse of Anne and Godric.

Chapter 11

Trust in Me

Shay pushed her housekeeping cart through the hallways. She was wearing a loose-fitting uniform that had to be the most shapeless and unflattering thing that she had ever worn. She had tied a handkerchief over her hair and was wearing plain white sneakers and socks on her feet. She passed a full-length window and looked at her reflection and had a hard time recognizing herself. But, that's the look you were going for, she told herself. She had memorized Emma's drawing and, with her newly minted identification from the glamoured janitorial supervisor, she made her way through the church sanctuary. It was a fact that society tended to ignore those persons who fulfilled such menial tasks as housekeeping and the Fellowship's members were no exception. Shay rarely received even a passing glance, although, there didn't seem to be very many people inside the church. Emma had said that, during the day, Steve and Sarah kept themselves busy with the new recruits and with indoctrination classes. Shay unlocked a closet and removed a vacuum cleaner. As she plugged it in and began vacuuming, she thought that this was one flaw in her plan. She actually had to do some cleaning. She stealthily observed her surroundings and moved ever closer to the basement entryway.

Finally, she finished vacuuming and pushed the cart into another closet and concealed it. Armed with some cleaning supplied from the cart, she made her way down the stairs. She didn't expect to run into anyone down here, but the cleaning supplies would give her and excuse for being there. She could always plead ignorance if asked why she was down there since it was her first day on the job. Down a stairway that seemed to go on forever, she found herself in a maze of rooms and hallways. The walls were wood paneled and it seemed like a dark and foreboding place. Be calm, she told herself. She took out the master key chain and began opening doors and searching the basement. She passed what was obviously a cell, complete with bars. What kind of church has a jail in its basement? It was then that she heard heavy footsteps on the stairs. In a panic, Shay rushed down the hallway and opened a door and slipped inside. She breathed a sigh of relief until she saw that she had found Godric by accident. She could still hear the footsteps coming down the hall and knew that this room was his destination. Still holding her supplies she looked for a place to hide and moved behind some large boxes that were stacked high in a corner. She put the cleaner down and removed an aerosol container from her pocket. It contained pepper spray and she gripped it tightly in her hand. She held her breath as the door was unlocked and opened. Peeking around the corner from the shadows, she saw a huge man come into the room. He was wearing gray sweats and his hair was closely shorn. His sweatshirt was emblazoned with SOS on the front and Shay knew from her research that it stood for Soldiers of the Sun, which was the paramilitary branch of the Fellowship. This man had a cruel look to his features and Shay felt a tremble of fear. She watched as he walked closer to Godric. She gripped her vial of pepper spray tighter. Did he mean to harm Godric? Even a blast of pepper spray to the eyes would incapacitate a man this large long enough for her to escape or attack him with something more lethal. But, he stopped and only gazed down at Godric.

"Soon, you'll light up like a Roman candle in the sun," he said. "And, I'll have a front row seat to the show. I can promise you that you won't be the last."

He continued to stare at Godric in malice and then simply turned and left the room. Shay let out the breath she was holding and put away the pepper spray. She waited a couple of minutes in the shadows to make sure that he wasn't coming back. What an evil man, she thought. She feared all over for Godric. She got up and made her way to where he laid on some old sofa that had been stored inside the room. He peacefully slept unaware of the hate that plotted for his death. His hair was shorter in these modern times, yet it still flattered him. He was so beautiful, she thought. It was remarkable that with everything that had happened to him that he could still look like an innocent teenager. Being a vampire, ensured that time would never leave a physical mark on him. Yet, Shay knew that his scars ran much deeper than surface of his skin. She reached out and touched his hand. As she slipped her hand into his, she knew that she had held his hand before. In another life, she thought. With his hand enclosed within hers, Shay remembered that past life.

Anne had brought all the correspondence and legal matters for Godric to sign off on. She sometimes found it curious that Godric seemed to take responsibility for most of the official duties of the manor, but Eric seemed to have other interests. She smiled as she thought that those interests seemed to concern the new servant girls. But, he was dashingly handsome and the girls didn't complain. Godric signed off on everything and Anne waited patiently. She tried not to remember their little walk in the gardens the night of the ball. She tried not to remember the touch on his hand on hers. Nothing good ever came out of having a relationship with your boss, she told herself. No matter, how much you dreamed of how the moonlight seemed to shine in his eyes.

"Thank you, Anne," said Godric, handing the paperwork back to her.

"Of course, Sir," she replied.

"You don't need to be so formal. It's just Godric," he said.

Anne looked at him and gave a faint smile. She never knew what the boundaries of their relationship were. He seemed to try to keep his distance from her, yet sometimes, he was utterly frank and unguarded with her. As she looked into his eyes, she knew that one of those frank and unguarded moments was happening.

"I have some business to complete in London," he said. "But, I was wondering if you would be interested in joining me. There is a new theatre that opened called Blackfriars and it is holding a nighttime showing of one of Shakespeare's new plays."

"Yes, of course," gushed Anne. "I have wanted desperately to see one of his plays, since I've heard tell of how wonderful they are."

"Then, it's settled," replied Godric. "We leave for London tomorrow evening, right after sunset."

"Thank you," said Anne.

With a smile that she could not conceal, Anne breezed out of the study and felt as if she were walking on the air.

So, just after sunset, they had left the mansion in a horse drawn carriage. Anne had chosen a dress that she had never worn before. She had found it in her closet when she came to stay in the mansion. It was highly expensive and much too fancy a dress for a simple scribe. It was made of silk and it had a fitted bodice that tapered to a V shape in the front. The sleeves were also fitted to her arms and Anne wondered how it fit her so perfectly. Yards of silk made up the skirt and it made a rustling noise when she walked. The bodice was detailed in rich satin ribbons and gold braiding and the neckline dipped a little lower than Anne considered proper. Yet, when she had tried it on and stood before the mirror in it, she felt as if the dress had been made just for her. It was a rich emerald green that matched her eyes. She had never felt prettier. She pulled on a shawl and rushed down the stairs to find Godric waiting for her. He was wearing a dark brocade jacket that fell to his knees in the front. A matching vest was underneath and a crisp white silk shirt trimmed in lace made up his doublet, which was held in place by a fine-jeweled pin. The normal short trousers and stockings of the time were replaced by tall, black riding boots. He looked very handsome and older than usual, but she was always struck by his maturity. Sometimes, it seemed as if he was more mature than his brother.

"You look lovely, Anne," said Godric.

"Thank you."

Godric offered his arm and she hesitantly slipped her hand over his as Eric watched them leave in silence. Once inside the carriage, she saw that a blanket was inside to help keep the chill out. The estate was not very far from London in miles, but it was an entire world away in other things. Anne had not been back to London since her father had died. So, London always represented the life that she used to have and the future than had been denied to her. She couldn't keep the shade on the window down and looked out into the darkness, even though, her eyes could see very little.

"You must think me a foolish country bumpkin who is all excited about a trip to the city," she said.

"Your excitement is very enchanting," replied Godric. "Sometimes, I feel as if there is never anything new in this world."

She wondered at such a strange statement. Surely, he giving her an insight within himself. It was such a sad revelation and she realized for the first time that Godric had been touched by something traumatic in his life, much like she had herself.

Blackfriar's Theatre was the first theatre in London to have indoor lighting and offer nighttime performances. Although, it was smaller than the Globe, it could still seat 700 patrons. Godric protectively escorted her through the crowd. He bought their tickets and together they made their way inside. Anne's eyes gazed in wonder as she tried to take it all in. The floors and rows of seats were all wooden along with the boxed seats that were to the sides of the main floor. A raised stage occupied the far end of the grand room and oil lamps and burning candles gave illumination. Several large hanging chandeliers of burning oil lamps were set into the highly peaked roof that was also adorned with wooden beams. She headed towards the middle, but Godric guided her to the side and up a staircase. He finally delivered her to an exclusive and private seating box. From that position, Anne watched the preparations in eagerness. When the actors took the stage, she let out a gasp like all the other patrons watching in wonder. Tonight, she was going on a journey to someplace faraway. She gave Godric a brief smile and realized that they would take that journey into the playwright's world of make-believe together.

"So, did it live up to your expectations?" asked Godric.

They were journeying back home from London. The carriage rolled and pitched over the bumps in the road. The shades were drawn against the night chill now and a small oil lamp gave off a faint light inside the carriage.

"Yes, it was wonderful," replied Anne. "The costumes were gorgeous and the actors were all very good, even the ones who were playing women."

Godric smiled at her enthusiasm and reached out a hand. He brushed the back of his finger against her cheek. That simple touch caused a stirring of all kinds of sensations with her.

"You see the world through such untarnished eyes," he said. "It makes me envious, sometimes."

Anne stared back at him as his finger still played across her cheek. She raised her hand to his and held it against her cheek. She closed her eyes and gently turned into his hand as it cupped her cheek. He started to remove his hand, but she held onto it as if it were some kind of lifeline. He gently extracted his hand from hers and touched a curl that had managed to escape from the confines of her hairstyle.

"I would be flattered by your affections, Anne," he said. "But, I feel that it is just misplaced gratitude. I think too highly of you to take advantage of those feelings."

He withdrew his hand and seemed to turn away to be alone with his thoughts. Anne lightly trailed her fingers over his hand.

"It is true that I am very grateful for everything that you have done for me," said Anne. "But, my feelings are not solely based on gratitude. You can tell me that I am just a foolish girl for wishing for something that is beyond my grasp. I can handle the truth, My Lord."

"I doubt that you can, Sweet Anne," sadly replied Godric. "Sometimes, the truth is not a noble thing at all. Sometimes, the truth is a thing that is best kept hidden in the shadows."

"I find that hard to believe," said Anne.

"That is the difference between us," replied Godric. "You don't belong in the shadows where my truth lies."

Shay shook off her daydream and stared down at Godric. Her hand still held his lifeless one, yet even that cold touch caused an ache inside her. These feelings in her dreams had become like her own. She felt that there was a part of her that had always loved Godric, even before she had met him. She clenched his hand and wondered what would happen to her and Godric. None of these lives had ever ended in a happily ever after. Was she destined to find him and then loose him again? A feeling of turmoil and helplessness welled up in her as she wondered how she could find a way to help both of them. It was then, that Godric's hand tightened over hers. Shay gasped as Godric opened his eyes and saw her. Eric had said that he would have the power to awaken during the daytime, but that they could not remove him from the church until sunset.

"Shay?" he said.

"Yes, it's me."

"I must have felt your presence," he said. "But, what on earth are you doing here?"

"I'm trying to rescue you," replied Shay.

"Just a hint, but the daytime isn't exactly the best time for me to leave," said Godric, with a little smile.

"Give me some credit," replied Shay. "I am doing reconnaissance."

"You should go home, Shay, before someone finds you," said Godric. "I tried to warn you that you would develop feelings for me. It's just the blood and those feelings can't be trusted."

"You might be a two thousand year old vampire, but you don't know everything," replied Shay. "There are things that have been happening to me that not even you could have guessed."

"You have a straightforward manner, Shay, so I know that you will appreciate the same from me," said Godric. "Go home, your life is waiting for you."

"I can't do that," replied Shay. "Don't you remember that I said I would save your life the next time?"

"What am I going to do with you?" asked Godric.

"Trust in me," replied Shay. "You've done it before."

"I don't remember that," said Godric.

"I remember for both of us."

A/N: I get the feeling that Godric fell for Anne just as he did with Drusilla. We know that he invited her into his home when he knew that it wasn't a good idea to have contact with her. And, once there, she had became more attractive to him because of the person she was. She saw the world through eyes that weren't as disillusioned as his. She reminded him of those things that he had forgotten and I think that he found it hard to let those feelings and her go.

Will Godric trust in Shay? And, can she find a way to reach him? Perhaps, she needs to find out the end of Anne and Godric's story to help her understand Godric better.

The Blackfriar's Theatre was a real theatre and was one of the first in London to hold indoor performances, usually during the winter months. Shakespeare did hold his plays there around the turn of the century (1600).