The great duties of life are written with a sunbeam.

-John Jortin

As she watched her aunt hug the older woman, Vicki wondered what they were to each other. Nope, better stop that line of thinking right now! Vicki stepped forward and waited for Kit to perform the introductions.

"Elizabeth, may I present my niece Victoria Nelson. Victoria this is Elizabeth Harrington, a very dear friend of mine. She looks after this house for me when I can't get away to visit."

It took Vicki a second to process what she had just heard.

"You mean you own this place! Its huge!"

And indeed it was. Situated right on the Gulf side of the island, Kit's home was a gorgeous three story with plenty of windows and wrap around porches. And as Elizabeth ushered them into the foyer, Vicki could see that the inside was just as amazing as the outside. High vaulted ceilings and a wide staircase greeted her and she couldn't keep her jaw from dropping when she saw the large living room with its equally large fireplace. Vicki didn't know what to say, but that was fine as it seemed like her aunt's friend was doing all the talking anyway.

"Now never mind what your aunt says, you just call me Liz alright. Now I bet ya'll are tired and would like to get settled and unpacked, so let me show you to your room. Kit you have your rooms as always, you know where they are. Victoria, you follow me and I'll show you where you'll be. This way." And she proceeded to lead Vicki up the sweeping staircase to the second floor and then past what seemed like a dozen bedrooms, but was really only four, before they arrived at what Liz said was going to be her room.

Stepping in, Vicki immediately felt peaceful. The room was done in shades of relaxing blues, greens and white trim, meant to reflect the water outside. Which, Vicki realized, she could see from the windows lining one wall. She knew that she had made the right choice in agreeing to come here. She could feel it.

"Well my room is just down the hall on your right if you need anything, and your aunts rooms are the entire third floor, so you can't miss it. Lunch is in a little bit, I held off eating so we could all sit down together. I hope you like chicken. If you want to go down to the beach you can, there is a separate staircase right outside your balcony there. You just come on down to the kitchen whenever your ready." And without waiting for Vicki's reply, Liz swept out of the room as quickly as she had entered.

After leaving Vicki, Liz went upstairs to see Kit. She wanted to know what was going on; Kit had never brought visitors to her hideaway before and Liz was determined to discover the reasons behind these first-timers. She let herself into the suite of rooms Kit used while she was here, and Liz didn't bother with small talk before she got down to her reason for being there.

"Alright Boss Lady, what do you have up your sleeve now?"

Surprised, Kit turned from the French doors, and away from her perusal of the beach and instead focused on the other woman. For a moment Kit felt that she had stepped backwards into the past.

Years ago Elizabeth had been Kit's personal assistant while Kit was a journalist in the late 1970's. Kit had been shot reporting on the blackout of '77 in New York City and Elizabeth had seen firsthand what happens when Kit is injured. But instead of panicking, Elizabeth had acted as if nothing had changed; like she hadn't just seen her boss and friend take a bullet to the chest and walk away from it. Elizabeth was one of the rare people outside of the family that Kit had shared her entire story with and Kit had never regretted the decision to do so.

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean."

"Yeah right! You forget that I know you and I know how you get. Now tell me right now why there is a dead guy in the darkroom and why I am not allowed to tell your niece that he is here."

Oops. Maybe I should have given Elizabeth a few more of the details than just, 'I'm coming down with my niece and a friend is going to need the darkroom for his sleeping arrangements. By the way don't go in there when the sun is up, he'll fry. Literally.'

"Well you see, its like this…"

Meanwhile Vicki had decided to take Liz up on her offer of a walk on the beach and was currently relaxing, listening to the waves crash on the shore. She even decided to take her relaxation one step further and let the water splash around her ankles. She knew she had made the right choice in coming here. Maybe this was just what she needed to finally move past her- whatever- with Henry. Vicki snorted and thought to herself, maybe I'm not ready to move on if I can't even identify what my feelings are to begin with! Maybe it was all just a crush. I mean he has that whole vampire magnetism thing workin' for him and I just fell for it a little. She snorted again, Yeah right! I can't even lie to myself, how am I supposed to make anyone else buy that?

Vicki finally decided to just forget about Henry for the moment and concentrate on relaxing for once.

"… and so that's why Henry is in there and why you can't tell Victoria he is staying with us. At least not until Henry wakes up. Alright?" Kit concluded and waited to see what her ex-assistants reaction would be.

For a minute it seemed like Liz didn't know what to say and then her natural level-headedness kicked in and she immediately started calculating all the things that could go wrong with this plan.

After she wound down, Kit smoothly replied with, "That's why your part in this whole endeavor is so vital. We need you to pull it all off. So, will you help me to unite these two star-crossed lovers?"

Liz scowled, hating that Kit knew her so well as to manipulate her with the idea of helping to bring about a romance between Kit's stubborn niece and the vampire Prince. Damnit I wish I had thought to go on my own vacation when Kit first called and said she was comin'.

But all she said out loud was, "Fine, what exactly is it you want me to do?"

And then she heaved a dramatic sigh, as Kit outlined Liz's part to play in this final phase of The Plan.

Later as they all sat down to their late lunch/early dinner out on the patio, Vicki couldn't help but to notice the special attention the two older women paid to the setting of the sun over the water. It wouldn't be until later that night that she discovered the reason why.

For now though, Vicki decided to try and find out more about her mysterious aunt. Who better to ask than her old assistant?

"So Liz, maybe you can help me with something I have always wondered about. Why does Auntie Kit always wear gold?" This question produced a round of laughter from the whole table, as Kit had changed into a floaty summer dress that was indeed gold, and it was a few minutes before Liz was able to answer.

"I actually asked her that same question years ago, and all she would tell me was that it was a color she felt comfortable wearing. Maybe now she'll finally give us both a real answer."

"Well it was the color I wore while at the temple and I just became accustomed to it. When I left, I took the clothes that I had worn whilst there and over the years it just became a quirk of mine that I wear gold all the time. I've actually tried wearing other colors, but they just never felt right, and I eventually stopped trying."

Vicki nodded, understanding what her aunt was saying. She herself had become that way with her glasses. If she didn't have at least two pairs with her at all times, she started to panic. It wasn't exactly the same thing, but Vicki still understood.

Suddenly a voice spoke up from the doorway into the house, and hearing it, Vicki froze.

"Hello ladies. Mind if I join you?"

A/N: I know that this chapter is kinda rambling but it is an intermediary chapter and the next few ones are better I promise. Till then- Goldie