Title is not what you think.

Tonight's chapter is dedicated to everyone's second favourite HAP (because Henry will always come first, sorry) HAPsdontkill who actually went through and reviewed each and every chapter earlier this week! And to ZaraShade who caved to peer pressure :D

Also, I'm just going to do a happy dance right now because I am on the last freakin' chapter of the sequel to this :D Cheer everyone! It has made me giddy all day :)

Also (double also, ick), these are all occurring at the same time. Keep that in mind or prepare to be mightily confused...

Hugs for all the reviews, they're amazing and you are all spoiling me!

xx

"Any idea as to what we're looking for?" Kate grumbled as they waded through the surprisingly thick under growth.

"Haven't a clue," Helen replied, trying and failing to restrain her glee. That was, until she tripped over a root, barely catching herself before a nasty little face plant. Straightening herself out, Helen reminded herself to stay on task. This was a mission and she needed to keep in mind that it was a particularly dangerous one.

"You get off on this, don't you?" Kate huffed moodily, shoving roughly at a low hanging branch only to have it swing back and hit her chest.

"On what?" Helen asked, picking up the pace.

"This, missions, endangering your life for the good of mankind," the younger woman offered darkly.

"Are you honestly telling me you don't feel it too?" she replied, smiling at Kate briefly before turning her attention back to the compass in her hand. They'd started out with the GPS but as the trees became more and more densely packed they'd begun to lose the signal. At the time she'd silently thanked whatever had made Henry cautious enough to pack the more old fashioned equipment.

"All I feel is the need for a shower and a proper nights rest," Kate groused. "Henry snores like you wouldn't believe."

"Oh come on Kate," Helen enthused, a little taken aback by her own excitement. "You're enjoying this every bit as much as I am. You crave the adrenaline kick."

"Yeah but walking into a vampire den isn't normally how I get my jolly's."

Helen said nothing, focusing instead on the ever darkening forest around them.

"But I suppose you're right," Kate allowed with a sigh. "There is something... you know..."

"Invigorating," Helen supplied with a smile.

"You're a walking thesaurus," Kate quipped, rolling her eyes and Helen chuckled good naturedly.

"But it is, isn't it."

"Best kick this side of legal," Kate replied with a cheeky grin and Helen laughed once more.

"Some days I wonder if I ought to keep a better eye on you," she said, shaking her head as Kate scoffed.

"Reformed mercenary for hire, doc. And don't you forget it," Kate said with another grin.

"Wouldn't dream o-... Did you hear that?" Helen asked urgently, voice dropping to a whisper.

"Hear what?" Kate asked, instantly on edge. Both women drew out their guns, standing back to back as they pointed their guns out into the dark forest.

"All I'm saying is that you're meant to be the vampire here," Will explained carefully. "So with all that immortal strength you should be at least able to carry your own damn pack."

John chuckled and Nikola scoffed.

"How many times do I have to explain to you Huggybear? I need all my faculties focused on tracking down the more irritating branch of my extended family and you, with all your youthful vim and vigour are more than capable of carrying two. Though I suppose you could always ask old Jack here for a hand if you so require."

Nikola smirked at Will as he blanched, eyeing a rather peeved looking Druitt cautiously.

"Your manners are nearly as foul as those of you less than faithful mistress," John said softly to Nikola. "Don't think I'm past running you through again if you test my patience much further."

"Oh can it Johnny," Nikola said flippantly, striding ahead through the cool forest. "We all know you're just jealous that Helen prefers the attentions of me to you. Hell, she'd probably even take Rose over you at this point."

The low growl that slipped from John's mouth was quiet but menacing none the less.

"Let's not do this here, yeah?" Will interjected uncertainly. "I mean, can we focus on killing the vampire before we kill each other?"

"You forget, young William that before us is a vampire. And it would be very much my pleasure to kill him," John muttered, flexing his fingers.

"And then Helen would rip you limb from limb," Nikola replied, sounding bored as he spun around to face them, hands on hips. "So can we please get back to the task at hand before I'm forced to call mother on both of you?"

Will sighed, John growled and Nikola rolled his eyebrows, opening his mouth to say something only to shut it abruptly again. His eyes flashed to John's warily and the other man nodded in agreement. Instantly both spun on their heels to face the eerily silent forest around them.

"Hey!" Will cried in shock. "What's goin-."

"There is something out there," John whispered in his ear, not relinquishing the hand he'd wrapped around the other man's mouth. Will's eyes grew wide in fear but he stopped fighting, listening for anything other than their own breathing.

The sound of a twig cracking echoed out from behind them and, as one they spun around to face the source of the distraction.

"So?" Rosie asked with a grin, raising her eye brows as she jumped over a log.

"So what?" Henry answered uncertainly.

"So are you going to tell me about her?" she enthused with a grin. Henry blushed slightly and she giggled at his unease.

"About who?" he tried and Rose rolled her eyes, reaching out to push at his shoulder.

"Erica."

"Wasn't planning on it," Henry admitted with a sheepish smile and Rose let out a scoff.

"Were too," she said, tapping the side of her head as she grinned once more. "Out with it. I want to know everything from her shoe size to her favourite Rolling Stones song."

"Is this why you paired us together? So you could interrogate me?" he accused sulkily.

"So what if it is," she said with a shrug.

"Shouldn't we be concentrating on the mission?"

"The other's are fine," Rose said dismissively. "Helen and Kate are bonding over adrenaline and the boys are bickering about whether or not they ought to kill Nikola. So, out with it. What's she like?"

Henry groaned, shoulders slumping in defeat as he side stepped a few bulging roots.

"Oh come on Henry," she insisted. "You knew you were going to have to tell me eventually."

"Rosie," he started with a sigh.

"Yeah, yeah, you really like her and you don't want me scaring her off, I get it but I promise I won't. Not this time I swear."

He pulled a face but remained silent.

"I always thought that..." Rose began softly, eyes downcast as she bit on her bottom lip. "I mean I know how you felt about... Ash and I'm just... pleased that, you know..." Henry blushed at the words, sending her a small smile before focusing once more on the uneven terrain.

"I miss Ashley," he admitted quietly. "It's not the same without her around."

They were both silent for a minute, the only sound made by their boots as they continued to walk. Then, after a while, Rose returned to her original train of thought only this time on a more mental level.

Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please...

"Ugh, quit it," Henry exclaimed. "You'll give me a headache."

"Then tell me about her," Rosie replied with a mischievous grin as she continued her mental pleas.

Henry sighed and held up his hands in defeat.

"Alright then!"

Rose fell silent, waiting for him to continue.

"Erica's... she's great," he said softly. "She's really funny and great with computers and... and she's..."

"Gorgeous," Rose supplied confidently. "You'll have pretty babies."

Henry flushed but grinned at her words.

"I don't get to see her much but she's pretty much fantastic."

"She better be," Rose said firmly. "And she ought to know I'll come and give her what for if she even so much as thinks about breaking your heart." He snorted at that and Rose grinned, pleased with herself.

"I think she'd like you," he said after a minute.

"Ooo, does this mean I get to meet her?" she enthused with a wide smile. "I promise I'll behave, I won't say a word about that time I walked into Helen's lab and found you-."

"AH!" Henry cried in alarm.

"Oh right, it's 'the Unmentionable'," Rosie muttered, rolling her eyes. "I don't see what the big deal is though. Really Henry, it's perfectly natural to want to-."

"NO!"

"Who'd have thought that the men of this age would be more prudish than those of several previous centuries?"

"Can we please focus on finding the killer vampires?" Henry moaned.

"You'd really rather stumble across them than discuss what I caught you and-."

"Yes!" he said forcefully and Rose chuckled.

"Oh you poor thing, look how red your cheeks are!" she exclaimed with a grin. "Poor Henry's all hot and bothered..."

"Stop, stop, stop!" he cried, shuddering at her words. "Vampires, please?"

"If you insist," Rosie muttered with a sigh. "Though I still don't see why you're so on edge. Helen was perfectly under-."

"You told Magnus?" he wailed, looking positively terrified.

"Of course not," Rose said with a chuckle. "I just wanted to see your reaction."

Henry shot her a dark look but just as he opened his mouth to respond his eyes widened in shock.

"Did yo-."

"Yes," Rose breathed, her eyes wide in similar fear. "On all fours, Henry," she instructed gruffly, turning and dropping her pack before sprinting into the forest. Henry whipped his pants off and, in a matter of seconds was racing ahead of her, ears attuned to the muffled screams that had been heard both internally and externally.