Chapter 28: Farewell to the past, welcome to the future.


David's P.O.V.

After the funeral, we decided to call it a night. None of us were really in the mood to party after all that effort and standing before Elizabeth's cross kinda sapped our strength a little. The ride back was quiet, lacking the loud crazy vibe we all loved and lived for, putting a major downer on all of us. In fact, if it weren't for the tight grip of her arms wrapped around my waist and the constant roar of our collective engines, I would've sworn I was riding alone. I could feel Elizabeth's sorrow through our bond and could even sense guilt, no doubt feeling somehow responsible for that dipshit's death. I'll need to put a stop to that but for now I should probably let her cool off on her own.

Once we were back at the cave, we all wondered down the stairs and congregated in the foyer. Dwayne B-lined for his usual place, making himself comfortable on his couch, surrounded by books, content as always to just sit and read. Paul wondered over to the new rock box and took the time to browse through the tunes. Most of them sucked but he did manage to find some more Metallica tracks for us to chill to before rolling up another joint for himself. Marko had wondered over to what was once the mural for Poseidon, examining it like an artist planning his canvas. I made a mental note to help him find some spray paint tomorrow night so he can work on his craft. Everyone needs a hobby after all… and Elizabeth… she was just standing there, staring into the fire from the oil drum closest to the fountain.

Every once in a while, the boys would cast a glance in her direction but they honestly didn't know how to comfort her right now. This is not normally something we'd feel bad about, y'know, killing some punk who was making a move on one of our own and trying to kill the rest… so it was up to me to try and make things right… it's my fault anyways. With a sigh, I wondered over to stand behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist. She immediately relaxed into me, which in turn, caused me to relax since she was most definitely not angry with me anymore… merely sad. Personally, I prefer the anger. This solemn expression just didn't suit her.

I gently kissed her pulse, earning a shiver as she rested her arms on top of mine, before resting my chin on her shoulder. "Are you going to be alright?" I murmured into her ear.

Elizabeth reached back and gently held my cheek, turning her face just enough so she could see me. "Yeah…. Just gimme some time…"

She yawned suddenly and let go of my cheek to rub her eye instead. "You're tired. Why don't you get some shut eye?"

"Yeah…" She sighed before continuing "sleep sounds good."

"I'll be with you soon. It's too early for me and I need to discuss a few things with the guys as well."

Elizabeth slowly leaned out of my grip and walked towards the tunnel entrance. She smiled over her shoulder and waved to everyone. "No worries David. G'night guys. Thanks for everything…"

"It was no problem Liz." Called Marko with a small smile of his own.

"Really, it was the least we could do." Echoed Paul as he followed her to the tunnel and held the barricade open for her. Dwayne had nod quietly and waved good night as well.

Elizabeth stopped in her tracks and looked rather solemn but to her credit she didn't cry again. She stared at the ground and nod slightly as she spoke. "Well… I appreciate it all the same."

With that, she turned and entered the tunnel complex, trusting Paul to close the 'door' behind her. I sighed and rubbed my face, scruffing up my hair a little as I dropped into my wheelchair. Paul took a drag from his joint before asking "So wassup David?"

"Yeah, what did you need to talk to us about?" Asked Marko as he dropped down from the ledge and parked his butt on what's left of the fountain. Dwayne also marked his page and looked up to pay attention.

I wriggled in my chair until I felt comfortable and leaned slightly to the side, thinking long and hard on just what I was going to say. They waited. Patiently until I finally spoke up. "With… With Elizabeth being pregnant and the baby on the way… I'm thinking we may need to reconsider our living conditions."


Elizabeth's POV

I felt pretty damn waisted by the time I reached our room. Heh. Our room. This place will always earn a smirk, no matter how messed up I'm feeling. Here I was ambushed and here is where everything changed. I sighed as I closed the door gently behind me and took my time peeling all my clothes off, tossing them into a pile with my boots and knife placed on top before crawling under the sheets. It's too damn hot for the blanket with the pillows acting as insulation. Still, at least it was comfortable.

My eyes drooped as soon as my head hit the ground but sleep eluded me. I couldn't stop thinking about Jimmy. He was a damn fool to fight David toe to toe… But I guess he thought he'd fare better than most, being a soldier and all. I felt terrible that he had died because of me but most of all I felt confused. How could he have had any feelings for me? He never really knew 'me'… only an illusion of me. A front that I created so that I could hide in plain sight. But the best lie is told with ninety percent truth… I suppose in a weird way he did kinda know me… but that had a weird consequence. Even when we hung out I always had to stay on guard. Had to make sure I laughed when something was funny, pretend to give a damn when someone was hurt, other than Jimmy or myself. Despite working together, I always felt so alone.

'No. I was right the first time. He never really knew me. And the poor bastard paid the ultimate price for his gallantry.'

With a heavy sigh, I closed my eyes and rolled onto my side, trying to will myself to sleep. I must have dozed off slightly because I suddenly felt an arm curl around my waist and gently pulled me into a firm, naked chest. I knew it was David, somehow recognising his… scent. My mind seemed to be processing things a little differently now, but nothing to worry about. At least not yet. I could feel his breath gently on the back of my neck, making the goose bumps rise a little but I made no move to show I was awake.

He murmured in a low, quiet voice "faker", teasing me gently with a hint of amusement.

Despite myself I giggled and rolled over so I could face him, causing him to adjust his grip on me as I moved. "How could you tell?"

"Your heart is beating is too quickly for you to be asleep." He smiled as he gently traced my cheek with a feathered touch.

I smirked and drew circles into his chest with one hand as the other was curled under my chin. "So when I turn you won't be able to tell?"

"Oh, I'll know" He smiled at this as his eyes lit up with laughter.

"How?" I frowned, not believing him although I know I should.

He paused, narrowing his eyes slightly but they continued to hold their amusement as he whispered "magic."

"With a K?" I teased without missing a beat, grinning brightly.

He chuckled "yes" and flicked my nose for being cheeky.

"Ow." I pouted and reached within the limited space between us so I cold rub the sting away. "So… what did you need to talk to the guys about?"

He sighed and rolled onto his back, taking the small amount of warmth that had generated between us with him and folded his arm behind his head. "Just a few things to think about."

"Like what?" I asked as I curled up into him, resting my cheek upon his chest.

David wrapped his arm around me and glanced out of the corner of his eye. "Living arrangements… like maybe moving or… renovate the cave to make it a little more… child friendly." He paused for a moment when I frowned then quickly added "I was going to bring this up with you tomorrow or after you had some time to grieve… They say you shouldn't make huge life altering changes after a loss…"

"Yeah…" I lowered my gaze and sighed. "coz you're not thinking straight… I get it."

"Yeah…" He looked away and frowned slightly, going very quiet all of the sudden.

I could sense his concern and closed my eyes to truly focus on his aura. I followed the hint of the emotion and felt his inner turmoil. It was… intense. His thoughts were so deep and brooding, multi tasking like you wouldn't believe. I was having trouble following them until I locked onto a surface thought. 'How can she stand to be anywhere near me? I royally fucked up… hurt her. Said shit I didn't mean. Killed someone she owed a life debt to… her best friend… Will she leave me? She has every right to… in fact. By rights, she should have killed me by now…'

His expression hardened as his thoughts turned darker, making his expression unreadable as his mind drifted further away. I didn't like his train of thought. I could follow his logic and it was sound. He did not need to beat himself up over this. He needed to understand, that despite everything I would never leave him… because I love this crazy bastard. I love how dark he is, I love how psychotic and fucked up he is. I love his laugh, his smirk, the way he looks at you before he kills you, the way he looks at me… the way he makes me feel safe, welcome, wanted… needed. He needs to know this. But how can I show him?

I frowned as I thought about it, then the most basic thought occurred to me. Intimacy is meant to solidify a bond, right? With that in mind, I gently reached out and tilted his face towards me, forcing him to look at me as I leaned up to kiss him gently. He seemed surprised by this for his lips did not respond and his expression remained the same. I cupped his face and deepened the kiss as I moved to straddle his waste. This caused him to move his arm from behind his head, dropping back slightly as he flinched and grabbed my hips to make sure I didn't fall off. He still wasn't kissing me back and that was beginning to annoy me.

I bit his lip. Hard. Hard enough to make him bleed and earned a muffled yelp in surprise. His mouth opened on reflex and it was my turn to take advantage of that. My tongue slithered inside his mouth, tasting his blood as I coaxed his tongue to come out and play. His blood… it sent a jolt of pleasure and excitement to all the right places, driving me to be rougher and grip his hair into a very tight grip. My mouth began to hurt a little but I didn't care because now he was beginning to kiss me back.

He groaned as he finally responded, sliding his hands along my back while we made out, biting me in return so we could taste each other's blood… somehow that amplified everything. I was literally aching with need, desperate for a release. We were grinding our hips together, my juices running, coating his base as I felt him harden beneath me. I didn't realize I had closed my eyes to enjoy the sensations until I opened them to see a vampiric David. This face never frightened me… but this time… for some reason… I found this to be very attractive, This is him. This is David. I broke the kiss so I could trace his features, staring into his eyes, trying to expressed how I truly felt for him to see.

I think he did.

The expression in his eyes changed into adoration. He panted as he stared back, leaning into my touch with a sigh before leaning up to kiss me again. I could feel his tongue curl around my canines and that's when I realised they had grown. That's why my mouth hurt earlier. I broke the kiss again and reached to touch my mouth, feeling how sharp they were with a look of surprise and confusion upon my brow. I quickly touched my cheeks but they felt normal… I guess this early in the halfway stage doesn't have such drastic changes at first.

David gently took my hand and pulled me to lay across his chest again. Staring with hooded eyes as he reached and used his nail to cut his throat. My eyes locked onto the deep crimson substance and it took quite a bit of effort to look back into his eyes. He smiled as he purred "bite me."

I didn't want to hurt him but it was like I was in some kind of trance, leaning closer to the small wound, scenting his very essence before licking the blood from his skin. The thirst was over powering and before I knew it, I had latched onto his neck. My new fangs punctured his flesh like a hot knife through butter, moaning with how damn good it tastes! It was him. I could taste him… I could feel him. Our minds linked as he moaned in pleasure, his entire body shivered and could feel he was solid and throbbing with need. I moaned as I drank from him, too caught up in the moment to notice he had gripped my hips and lifted me slightly until he brought me roughly down onto his cock.

I ripped away from his throat to sit up with a yell of pleasure. He was so damn deep! I could feel him deep inside, filling me completely, stretching me to accommodate his girth. It hurt so good. Then he thrust himself, groaning as he lifted me and pushed me back down, guiding me with how to move from this position, feeling him hit my cervix with every bounce. My head was practically swimming with pleasure overload. I followed his lead and soon didn't need his help to maintain his pace, so he released my hips and trailed his hands along my body until they reached my breasts.

He squeezed and fondled them as I leaned forward and braced myself against his waist, riding him roughly as we pushed each other to our release. The bloodlust made the orgasm last forever as I felt his seed explode inside of me… God… I wanted more. And that's exactly what I got. We switched positions so that he was now on top, resting my legs on his shoulders as he gripped my hips again. A fierce look of determination was on his face as he thrust back inside me, spilling his cum everywhere as he fucked me through the damn floor. He seemed determined to make me cum repeatedly and he made damn sure I came before he did by rubbing my clitoris roughly to the point where I was seeing stars.

After who knows how long and our energy was completely spent, we crashed back into the ground, panting heavily and covered in sweat. David removed himself from me and laid on his side, watching me closely as I tried to catch my breath. Once I could see straight again I rolled onto my side and curled into him, kissing his pulse, then his lips, then pushed him onto his back so I could use his chest as a pillow. He chuckled as he curled his arm around me again and reached to pull over a sheet to cover us… just in case we were walked in on or something.

He held me close in both of his arms, sighing contently before kissing my forehead. I smiled as my eyes drooped closed and whispered. "I forgive you."

I could feel his smile against my forehead as he held me just that little bit tighter. The sense of relief just flowed from him, making him relax completely at last. He whispered "thank you" before I fell asleep.


David's POV

'Damn that was sexy!'

I watched her sleep as my thoughts continued to try and process what just happened. She had never been this forward before, not sexually but then again this is all still quite new for her and I gotta admit, I like her being a little bossy. I grinned as I gently tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, still buzzing from the rush and seriously enjoying the challenge to my authority. If she really wanted to… she could lead the pack. But I don't sense that from her. Which is a relief because if she willed it to be so, I can't actually say 'no' to her. I should probably talk to her about this but I'm still not so sure I want her to know yet.

Dude… I still have serious trust issues.

She forgave me… I'm ecstatic to know this but I can't seem to bring myself to completely trust her. Which is not fair since I am encouraging her to be open with me. And when our minds linked… I saw, I felt how she feels. I know she won't leave. I know this for a fact. I can't believe she… she really feels that way about me. How did I get so damn lucky? To find a mate, my mate, that is so much like me that she can understand me? To forgive my darkness? For fuck's sake, I ripped her best friend apart right in front of her and she's all cool with it?

I shook my head. This needs to change. I have to tell her everything. If not for us, for our kid. 'Oh man… I can't believe I am going to be a father. I am NOT 'dad' material. What the hell am I going to do?'

I guess I'll be having a long chat with Dwayne about all this. He's the expert out of all of us when it comes to parenting and kids but… it's a sensitive subject and it always will be. I frowned as my mind drifted back to when he was human. What happened to him. Why he turned. But I shook it off. That is his story to tell and he'd much rather leave that buried. Hopefully, with a kid in the pack again, Dwayne will come out of his shell. He wears a smile but I can feel his pain. I know him too well for him to hide that from me. Granted, he has been genuinely happy with Elizabeth, more talkative too. She has, a positive effect on us all.

So many new possibilities… I have absolutely no idea with what to expect with the future. That is both exciting… and unnerving. Hmph. Being a head vampire sucks. I always worried about everyone before but this… this is a whole new level… a shit load more responsibility. Maybe everything will be a little clearer in the evening. Yeah… I'm just overtired. A lot has happened in this past week… almost two weeks and with Elizabeth being so badly hurt I really didn't get much sleep. The dawn had finally arrived and the curse of the sun forced my mind to shut down and succumb to slumber.

I'm surrounded by fog. Its dull grey seemed to seep into everything, making the environment monotone… almost like a film negative but not quite. Since it's so damn thick I can't see past my nose, I'll assume I'm back in the spirit world. But it does not have that persistent, oppressive feeling of dread that usually permeates from that place so… maybe it's just a fog. Somehow, I know it's daytime so again, this place does not make any sense.

I can hear something in the distance, something creaking with a repetitive rhythm, like an old swing that really needs the hinges to be greased up again. There was also children's laughter coming from the same direction so headed that way. Why the hell not? As I approached the source of the sound, I found myself walking into an old playground. There was a sandpit with plastic spades sticking out of the ground, next to a broken bucket, a seesaw, slide, some kinda jungle gym and a swing set.

There were three children playing on the swings. I wasn't close enough to see who they were yet but I could tell that a boy was pushing a girl on one swing while another boy swung on the other from their laughter alone. This boy was standing on his swing and jumped off when he saw me. He ran towards me and I immediately recognized the little Indian boy I hadn't seen in a really long time. In fact, I only met him twice… he wasn't alive the second time. The poor kid was only five years old.

"Mr Sutherland!" His long dark brown hair flicked with every hurried step he took, just like his father as he charged at me. I wasn't expecting the tackle hug, but I was quick to catch him and brought him back to the ground quickly, squatting beside him.

"Hey Chavez. Is your mother around?" I asked him, wondering why he was alone… even if he was a ghost.

"She's over there." He pointed to where the benches for parents were placed, showing his mother, whom looked like a traditional Navaho woman, sitting patiently with a firm, patient expression on her face.

She nods in greeting, which I returned before focusing on the boy in front of me. "What are you doing here?"

"Playing with my new friends. They can't stay here long but I know they can play with my daddy soon so that's ok. We'll go back to the bright place when they leave." He smiled as he took my hand and led me towards the children on the swings.

It was weird that he wasn't scared of me anymore but I felt compelled to just let him lead me, so I followed without any fuss. "Where is here, by the way?"

He hummed as he thought about it. "Umm… I think it's a sanctuary. The girl knows. She's pretty smart with this stuff."

"Does the girl have a name?" I asked sarcastically as we reached the swings.

"Not yet." He giggled then waved the children over. 'Guys! Meet Mr Sutherland! He's my daddy's best friend!"

Now that I was closer I could see the mystery children. They both supported a head of platinum blonde hair. The boy's hair almost looked like a mop that desperately needed a trim. The girl's, was quite long, reaching the base of her back. They were both dressed in a black T-shirt and jeans, matching clothes. The boy pulled the swing to a stop, allowing the girl to hop off as they ran together in almost perfect synchronisation. They stopped just in front of me, looking up to show two pairs of grey eyes… Elizabeth's eyes… Filled with mirth and mischief.

They grinned together but it was the girl that spoke first "Hi daddy!"

That… That was the voice that pulled my mind and showed me where to find Elizabeth when the Mistress had her. I had dropped to my knees and shivered at just how creepy this was. "I… uh… hi."

They giggled. The cheeky little shits giggled as the girl… my daughter held her hands behind her back and twisted herself back and forth on the spot while my… son folded his arms and smirked. He spoke with a very familiar pattern. "We knew you'd be surprised…"

"… but not speechless." Finished my daughter. They are twins. Psychically connected twins.

I looked to Dwayne's son and he just smiled that bright smile only happy kids can pull. I guess the bright place was good for him. With a frown, I turned to my kids to see my daughter whisper into her brother's ear. He nods as she leaned back and took a step forward. "You won't see us again, not until we're born. We only have enough strength to say hello to mommy."

"But… how are you even here in the first place?" I asked, feeling way more confused by the second.

"Umm…" He looked to his sister and she shrugged in response. "Your guess is better than ours."

"But you have to go now daddy." Finished the girl as she stepped forward.

I was about to say something when her eyes began to glow and she reached to touch my forehead. I looked to Chavez but he just waved goodbye as my world turned black.

I woke up with a start, bolting upright as I fought to stop myself from shaking. The surprised yelp from Elizabeth, reminded me that she was still in my arms and I had pulled her up with me. "What!? What is it?"

"Oh shit… sorry… weird dream…" I dropped back but Elizabeth stayed sitting up, rubbing her eyes then looked at me like I was nuts.

"Weird dream? It couldn't have been weirder than mine." She laid down next to me and snuggled into my side.

I held her close and fixed the sheet to cover us properly before rubbing my eyes. "What did you dream about?"

"You first" she mumbled, almost asleep again.

I paused for a while before answering "I dreamed about our kids."

"Wow… me too… and a little boy… I don't know who he is…" She didn't quite finish her sentence and soon fell asleep.

I don't think it's quite registered that we have shared a dream or that she is having twins. But I do know one thing. I need to tell Dwayne that he can visit his family in this 'Sanctuary'… wherever it is.


Elizabeth's POV

I woke with that weird arse dream still fresh in my mind. Two little angels with bright grey eyes and platinum blonde hair. They were playing with a little Indian boy… he couldn't have been older than six or seven… but the more I tried to focus on the dream, the further it seemed to drift away. I hate those dreams. They feel so real and very important, but they disappear, as if you never dreamed them in the first place. I had a theory once, that these kinda dreams are breaching the boundaries of reality… like you're not meant to have them.

Still. The dream I can no longer recall, left me with an odd need to reach out and sense the life growing within. With my eyes still closed, I followed the channel that was within myself, focusing on my womb and smiled when I could feel them. Them. My eyes popped open when it clicked. I am… carrying twins. David was still asleep so I grabbed his arm and shook him roughly, snapping him awake then grabbed his hand to place it against my womb.

"What?" He asked, alarmed with being woken up like that, then confused with having his hand pressed against me. With his vamped out form it's quite an… intimidating yet amusing expression.

"Twins!" I blurted out. My emotions running a mile a minute. Surprise, fear, confusion, and… joy? It's mostly fear though.

He sighed and relaxed, then gently traced his fingers along my belly while his face morphed back into his human form. "I know."

"How?" I frowned, squirming a little since his gentle touch was tickling me.

It was his turn to frown as he spoke. "We dreamed about it. Remember?"

I paused for a moment then shook my head. "It's fuzzy… no I don't remember."

"Hmm… That should change eventually." Then leaned to kiss me sweetly. "Don't worry about it."

I nod then suddenly didn't feel so food. I felt nauseous, and pulled myself to sit up, holding my hand over my mouth as I fought the sudden need to vomit. David sat up too, looking concerned but before he could ask me what was wrong, I had stumbled to my feet and was out the door. I was about to make a dash for the lobby, but a firm grip on my arm yanked me further down the hallway and I was lead to a rundown bathroom. The bathtub looked like someone had a go at it with a sledge hammer but it was pretty big and probably pricey. Beside it was a cracked, dirty, busted toilet and that's all I cared about.

There was no lid to lift up so I grabbed the sides and hurled up a mixture of blood and pre-digested food down the bowl. David gently pulled my hair out of my face and rubbed my back as I continued to empty my stomach. I could hear a collective "What's wrong?" as three voices spoke over each other but all stopped suddenly when David told them to "Piss off". I was feeling to lousy to be nice about this so I didn't chide him for being a prick. I wanted them to go away too.

"Woah uh.. yeah sorry" laughed Paul as he grabbed Marko half-awake state and bolted down the corridor. Dwayne lingered slightly then walked away.

After another hurl from me, I could hear fabric being moved about then felt a coat being draped over my shoulders. David sighed "Thanks Dwayne." And resumed keeping me steady while I panted and rested my head against my arms. This is gonna be a pain in the butt to clean.

"No problem." Answered Dwayne as he moved to walk away.

I looked up to see that David had also been given his pants and currently had them draped over his shoulder. "Hey Dwayne…" Dwayne stopped and looked back to David while he thought about what to say next. "I gotta talk to you about something later. It's important."

He nods before walking away. I sighed and leaned back onto my knees, holding my stomach and my head as another wave of nausea hit me. "Talk about what?"

"Something we saw in the dream. Are you ok?" He asked as he moved my hand to feel my forehead.

I felt a little better but damn that sucked. "Yeah… I'm fine. I don't have a fever. Must be morning sickness."

He snickered slightly and helped me to my feet before moving to pull his pants on. "Sucks to be you."

I hit him once he was off balance, making him hop and stumble a little while I laughed. "Nope, it sucks to be you."

"Woah easy there!" He laughed then managed to pull on his pants properly.

I sighed as I looked at the mess and pulled on his jacket to make myself decent. "Let me guess… The plumbing doesn't work."

"Nope." He leaned against the wall and folded his arms, doing a damn fine job at ignoring the smell.

"So why'd you let me throw up here?" I frowned again then pinched my nose. "Damn that's gnarly."

He shrugged then leaned off the wall and lead me back to our room. "Kinda figured you'd be embarrassed by running past the guys to get outside. We overslept."

I blushed at the thought of the others seeing me as naked as a jay bird, throwing my guts up for all to see. At least here they wouldn't have seen much. "Thanks."

I stumbled inside and started to pull on my own clothes, giving back David's jacket once I was done. I really needed a shower and I was seriously craving some cotton candy of all things. And something to drink… Ah the joys of being pregnant. I shook my head with a smile and headed for the lobby. Once there, the guys seemed to be making an extra effort to avoid eye contact with me, all standing around the oil drum next to the surfboards. Either they were trying to be respectful or they were bummed out for being told to piss off. Either way, the awkward silence was not welcome.

"Chill guys. I'm ok… and you've seen me naked before so it's no worries, right?" I grinned, trying to lighten the mood.

"Uhh… not really Lizzy. Heh." Paul bashfully looked my way and rubbed the back of his head. "David made sure to keep you decent whenever we patched you up."

I looked to David for confirmation, to which he nods so I looked back to the boys and laughed. "So now you're embarrassed from seeing me… or not really seeing me naked? And being sick?" They all looked to each other, then nod in unison. I shook my head and walked past them, heading for my bag. "You guys are weird."

They laughed and relaxed, all moving to sort through their gear while David and Dwayne stood close to the exit. They were speaking quietly to each other so I guessed this was a private conversation. I fished through my bag to find my tooth brush, tooth paste, towel and soap, then used the towel to bundle it up like a satchel. Once ready I headed towards David and Dwayne but was stopped by Marko. He looked concerned so I followed him as he leads me to the fountain.

"Are you sure you're alright Liz?" He asked as he sat down.

I sat next to him and rubbed my eyes, still feeling a little messed up but was fine. "I'm ok Marko… It's just morning sickness."

"How long does that last?" He looked so worried. It was cute. I almost teased him for it but instead I smiled.

"I don't really know. Maybe for the first trimester? I'll have to look it up."

"Hmm. Maybe there's like a pregnancy book in town? We can hit the book store and see what's what."

I laughed and shook my head. "It'd be faster to brows the net. We should hit the library and use the computer.

"Woah woah woah. Hold up." Paul piped up from his corner and jumped down next to me, so I was now between him and Marko. "Since when could people use the internet? Didn't you have to have access to one of those super computers, like at a university or something?"

I stared at him for a moment before bursting into a fit of laughter. I was laughing so damn hard I almost fell into the pit and I would have had Marko and Paul moved a little slower. Marko couldn't help but laugh at Paul for he really looked confused before asking "What on Earth is so damn funny?"

"Oh God…" It took a while for me to calm down. After a few breaths, I managed to sigh "I have SO much to catch you guys up on." And shook my head.

I looked up to see Dwayne shaking his head no to David, looking pretty freaked out, then sad. David was holding his shoulder and asked "Are you sure that's what you want?"

Dwayne nods and stared at the ground. I couldn't catch what he said but their conversation had been interrupted by my manic laughter. They both looked my way and spoke quietly to each other again before walking over to us. David cocked his head slightly as he spoke "What's going on?"

I looked to Dwayne but he was still staring at the ground, so I glanced at everyone before summoning my best showman voice. "Come one, come all to Elizabeth's school of the 21st century!" I stood to my feet then jumped onto the ledge so that I was taller than everyone else here for once. "A place where the internet is always at your fingertips, where there are portable computers, small enough to fit in your very hand, where music has become digital, where a gigabyte is too damn small and everybody is into a fandom of some kind or are a gamer".

"Bull shit" Called David, not believing a word I said. Paul and Marko laughed in agreement while Dwayne finally looked up with a smile.

"I shit you not my dear David." I cooed as I bounced down from the ledge. "Paul, do you still have that phone?"

Paul patted his pockets down, pulling out a bag of weed here, a joint there, until he found the phone in his back pocket. He handed it to me as he said "here."

I took it and activated the screen, seeing it only had about 2% battery power left and mumbled "damn it needs to charge." I looked up and smiled before continuing. "Now Paul, you managed to find the camera on here... How'd you do that by the way?"

He shrugged and looked a little sheepish again "I just pushed a bunch of buttons and it started recording what I was aiming at."

I nod then continued. "Well… According to modern standards… This mobile phone, or cell phone, is actually quite old."

"Woah…." Paul and Marko leaned closer, almost squishing their heads together to get a closer look at the phone.

Marko took the phone from my hand and waved it above his head "So you're saying that there is more advanced stuff than this?"

"Yup." I smiled at their collective looks of befuddlement.

Finally, Dwayne spoke up as David took the phone and examined it carefully. "So what else is out there?"

I shook my head and smiled "It's be easier if I showed you guys and explained as I go. But first. We gotta talk about your look."

He pointed to himself, looking a little shocked "mine?"

"All of you." I pointed to Dwayne then panned to point to everyone.

"What's wrong with our look? It's bitchen!" pouted Paul as he folded his arms defensively.

As much as I loved their look I just knew it won't fly these days. Well… aw hell you know what I mean. "Yes they are, but they just won't work nowadays. I mean. This is THE place to pull off an edge look but seriously. Marko." He looked at me, almost afraid to hear what I had to say. "Lose the chaps. And the singlet? Look, either wear no shirt or cover your stomach. Showing your belly kind makes you look… well…"

"What?" He asked.

"Gay." I bit my lip as Paul started laughing his ass off.

"Aw man…" Marko rubbed the back of his neck and stared at the ground. Then he looked up with hope in his eyes. "But I can keep the jacket right?"

"I wouldn't dream of depriving you of that master piece." I smiled as he relaxed a little. "Oh but one other thing." He looked worried again until I directed my attention to David, pointing to him, them Marko. "Mullets died in the eighties guys. You're gonna have to ditch the tails."

"What? Aw c'mon!" Marko pouted again then sat down. "It took me forever to grow this…"

David had long since handed the phone to Dwayne and frowned. "Really?" To which I nod. He huffed and whipped out his cigarettes again. "Bummer. What about the rest of me?"

I folded my arms and mulled it over, thinking long and hard. "No… stubble and spikes are still in. Can't go wrong with all black… and since we're a gang, being politically correct is not high on our agenda so no need to hide the cross… maybe lose the waist coat?"

He shrugged and glanced at his medal. "Politically correct huh…?" He lit himself up and watched me closely.

I sighed and rubbed the back of my neck. "Look I'm probably biased since I'm not like everyone else… But we live in an age where the truth is watered down because people are too damn sensitive to handle it."

"Get the fuck out!" He coughed on his smoke then laughed. "You're serious?"

I nod then laughed "Yup. It's really easy to offend people now and only the people who grow up on the streets or the roughest parts of the world know how to fight. Bullies can walk all over you, even if they beat you up. The system is screwed because the people let social workers rule the world." I shook my head then looked to Paul and Dwayne. "Anyways, I'm off track."

"Damn, I was hoping to avoid the fashion appraisal." Laughed Paul as he shuffled on his feet.

I smiled then gave him a once over. "Ok… fishnets are normally associated with goths and punks so I dunno about your shirt. I mean, really I'm not an expert in fashion, I'm just picking out the stuff that's really obvious. But your hair needs to be cropped back. Super long hair usually stands for Heavy Metal and that does not go with your current outfit."

Paul nods but looked a little bummed out. I quickly waved my hands in front of me and stuttered. "Guys your looks rock! I love your looks! They just won't work as they are. With a few minor tweaks, you guys will be the hottest crew on the boardwalk. Honest!"

Their cheeky smiles crept across their faces, making me wanna throw something at them for making me feel bad before turning my attention to Dwayne. He stood as though he was facing down a challenge and it was very hard for me to keep a straight face. "You know what Dwayne… You can get away with your look due to your heritage."

"Yes!" He did a low fist pump then pointed to Marko and Paul. "Ha! In your faces!"

"Douchebag!" Yelled Paul, to which Dwayne flipped him the bird.

"Let's get him!" Yelled Marko as they both tackled Dwayne at the speed of light. He almost made it out of the cave before they caught him and they proceeded to rough each other up.

David extinguished his cigarette as he walked pass the wresting group and offered his hand to me. I took it and walked hand in hand towards the bikes, getting ready to go to town to freshen up and to give the boys a crash course to the advancement of technology.


AN: Well guys what do ya think about their looks? Any examples of fashion or hair styles you think would look fantastic on our favourite Lost Boys? Should they move out of the cave or renovate it? And we're gonna need baby names! Review any suggestions you have and i'll be happy to include them. Oh just a heads up. The next chapter WILL be the last one for this book but don't worry! There is a sequel in the works :) If you guys are interested in one of course!