"You survived" David told her with a smirk, bracing his arm as she used it to carefully ease herself off his bike.

"I did.." she agreed with a smile, running her hand through her very windswept hair.

It had been surprisingly fun to ride with David and she was thankful for that. She had worried that riding with him could have been awkward and uncomfortable, more so than when she rode with Michael, but it hadn't been like that at all. It had been easy and she'd even let out a few breathless laughs. David was controlled in his actions, it felt like everything was planned to perfection, every jump and acceleration. He was in control. She had felt it, she knew that he was a true leader in every sense of the word and she had felt safe riding with him because of it. Not entirely at ease but safe and able to relax a little.

David had parked his bike beside Paul's, a little away from the intense crowds of the boardwalk and, ruffling her hair a little, trying to make it look as presentable as she could without a brush, she took in the sights as his dismounted silently.

She could see punks and rockers and girls in swimsuits, heels, dresses, she could see the occasional family hurrying their excited child away from the rides...but she couldn't see Dwayne, nor Marko or Paul. As she watched a security guard waddle through the crowd, looking very much like he would rather be working anywhere else, she tilted her head.

She couldn't see Dwayne but she had a very distinct feeling that he wasn't far from her.

"Would you like me to wait with you?" David offered, his voice cold but the offer not unkind, coming to stand easily at her side.

She jumped a little. She'd been looking at the passing people so intently and David had moved so silently, she couldn't help her jolt of surprise. She laughed a little at her reaction, "umm, no, I'm good..." Elizabeth said, scanning the crowd once more with a small frown, "..Dwayne's here, somewhere.."

It was strange but for the first time she had a very distinct, very clear feeling that Dwayne was close to her. It wasn't that she could see him or smell him, it was just something she knew. Like a gut instinct but an utterly infallible one. It was a new and strange feeling but she was so sure of it, one hundred percent.

He was here.

"What?"

She turned away from the crowd and met David's eyes. For a second, she thought his question was one of rebuttal, a cold little query to remind her to use her manners, "I'm OK but thank you" she repeated with a small, apologetic smile, turning to the crowd once more.

Why could she feel Dwayne? Where was he?

She could hear the smirk in David's voice when he replied with, "I'm not your father, Elizabeth"

She turned back to him once again, this time with a small hint of impatience. She knew Dwayne was close to her and she was trying to work through the new and clear knowledge she seemingly suddenly had access to. She was trying to pin down where he was exactly because it felt like the information was there, just there, beyond her reach but David's conversation was proving to be an unwelcome distraction. She was pleased that they had put their wrongs to right but she was trying to focus on her feeling, trying to center on it despite the thrumming atmosphere of the boardwalk, "huh?"

"I don't care about niceties" he told her and, as she nodded and moved to look at the crowd again, he carried on, "what did you mean about Dwayne being here?"

"...um? I meant...that he's here?" she said, a little stupidly but answering honestly.

"You saw him?"

She shook her head, "no..but I feel it.." a sudden thought occurred to her, "do you?"

He watched her closely and Elizabeth took a step back, away from the heavy crowds and stepped closer to him, suddenly intrigued. She turned to face him fully, her back now towards the throng of people weaving their way around, "..do you? Is..do you feel that, too?"

"I know exactly where he is" David confirmed with a nod.

"Is this a..you know? A-" she didn't want to use the word vampire, "-special thing?"

"Not so special to us" he confirmed, "but yes, it is indeed a special thing.."

"Really?" she asked, eyes a little wide.

"Really"

"Wow.." she murmured with a nod, "it's very..it's really clear...I'm so sure that he's here. I know he is, I'm sure of it but I don't know why I'm sure, you know?"

"No, I don't. You didn't feel it before?"

Elizabeth thought for a moment, "...I don't think so? Not really..."

"You've always been surprised to see him?"

"I mean, we make plans but yeah.." she had never known he was near until he presented himself, it wasn't like he phoned ahead and she knew to expect him. This was the first time she'd felt his presence. She hastily added, "I'm always pleasantly surprised though-"

"-I didn't doubt it" David replied dryly, "so where is he?"

"He's here" she gestured to the crowded boardwalk behind her.

"But you don't know where exactly?"

She shook her head, "no..do you?"

"Yes"

"Oh. Does he know where I am?"

"Definitely"

Elizabeth nodded and bit her lip a little, wondering what would happen if she really, really concentrated. If she closed her eyes and thought with all her might, would she be able to know exactly where Dwayne was too? Is that how it worked? Was it something David saw, could he see Dwayne and what he was doing? Or was it a feeling, like hers?

"You'll give yourself hemorrhoids if you strain like that" David told her.

"Ew.." Elizabeth cringed, looking up towards him. She laughed a little when she saw his amused smirk, finding it pleasantly odd to hear him crack a joke.

"Do you feel where the others are?" the icy blonde certainly didn't waste time in being playful, she had intrigued him and it was obviously straight back to business.

She shook her head, before pausing and murmuring, "wait is..Marko isn't far away either, is he?"

"Are you guessing?"

"No" she said with a decisive little shake of her head. Now that she was thinking about it, she knew he was fairly close too. It wasn't a certainty, like with Dwayne but she had a feeling Marko was close by. She'd never made a bet before in her life, but if David asked her to put money down, she would. Marko wasn't far away, either.

"Paul?"

She thought for a moment, her body still as she turned her head to the side, eyeing the passing crowd through her peripheral vision. She tried to think where he was but she was coming up blank. She hadn't even had to think about Dwayne to know that he was near and when prompted about Marko, she had gotten a vague feeling that he was also around but with Paul...there was nothing.

No feeling, no sense.

"I don't know.."

David nodded.

"Why?" she asked.

"Why what?"

She turned away from the crowd again and frowned a little at David, "now you're being deliberately dense" she accused mildly. Michael used to play stupid when he wanted to annoy her, she was quite used to the tactic, "why can't I feel Paul, too? Is he here? Did this start because you used your magic on me?"

David laughed without humor, "force of habit...I don't know why, Elizabeth. Paul is here, yes. Currently flirting with a blonde near the carousel. And it's not magic, don't be stupid, you're better than that. I think it's because you know what Dwayne is and you've chosen to accept him, all the same. Perhaps your connection, your bond is stronger as a result?" he shrugged, "you seem to have accepted Marko, too..but you're still uncomfortable around myself and Paul-"

"-so I don't have that kind of, uh, connection with you two?"

David shrugged again, "possibly. I don't know, I'm just guessing. You're the first mate we've come across..and like I said, I'm still trying to figure you out"

"I do like you and Paul" she protested feebly.

"I'm not offended. I'm sure you'll be able to sniff us both out in the future, too"

"...does it feel the same for you? Like...I can't see him or smell him but I know, I just..no question, I know he's not far from me.."

"It's different for me"

"How so?"

"...I have infinitely more skills in this regard than you do, Elizabeth-"

"-right-"

"-but I don't want to scare you off again so soon.."

She understood. Swallowing, she smiled, "this is...it's really cool and really weird at the same time?" she admitted, "and it feels so sudden.."

"Probably nothing to get excited over" the cold blonde said with a smirk, moving back and away from the confused girl.

"Why?" she asked, following him with her eyes as he took another step back, his eyes glittering. He had brought their conversation to an utterly complete and abrupt end. There was a pleasant, underlying playfulness to his actions and it unsettled her more than his detached coldness had.

"...because whatever burgeoning little skill you're acquiring? It's pretty weak..." and, with a smile, he spun on his heel and moved on without another word.

"...what the...?" she mumbled, watching him go, losing sight of him as he eased his way into the crowd.

What did that mean?

As her arms erupted into goosebumps, she suddenly understood. Turning her head to the side once more, she gasped in surprise.

"Dwayne?!" Elizabeth all but gaped, jumping a little, taking a shocked, stumbling step back. She had been so sure that he was near, that he was close but she'd had no idea just how close he had been. David was right, whatever skill she was acquiring was incredibly weak. She didn't even feel him walking right up behind her.

He blinked, his eyebrows contracting for just a moment at her reaction and she swallowed, feeling guilty for the brief look that marred his proud features.

He the briefest of seconds, he looked stung.

"I-I'm sorry-" she shook her head, "-I was just surprised...you surprised me"

"Then I should be apologizing" he insisted as she protested, "no, no..please..I-"

She let her words trail off and looked up at him, a small and unsure smile flickering over her face. She swallowed again, wetting her lips a little.

There were a lot of things to be said, they certainly had a lot of things to discuss. She felt like there were apologies to be made, kisses to be shared, secrets to be outed, stories to be told but it was almost overwhelming. Their last meeting had been brief, briefer than she had ever wanted. So much had happened and changed between them and in such a small space of time, so much had happened to her. It had only been a day but she felt different, she felt like a different person entirely from the girl she had been just last night.

She had been frightened and uneasy and weak but now..at that moment, she felt ready. Ready for what, she couldn't quite articulate but she felt it very clearly all the same. She had reestablished her relationship with David and Paul, she had seen some light, some wonderful brightness in the darkness that they had showed her before and she felt good.

She felt refreshed, restored and there was so much to do, so much that needed to be done but she had no idea where to start.

She was standing before him, suddenly overwhelmed.

It was stupid.

She had spent a desperate afternoon all but pining for Dwayne, needing and wanting him and now here she was, standing in front him. She was with him, finally. She had what she had wanted but she suddenly felt unsure.

God, it was so stupid. She had wanted this moment all day and now it was here, she was lost for words. There was so much she wanted to say to him but she felt unsure and she felt shy, like they were meeting for the first time all over again. She was reminded of how stoic he had been, charming yet somewhat distant, deep and compelling and she swallowed again, looking up at him.

"Dwayne?"

He met her eyes, watching her with an intense, stormy and troubled but unwavering gaze.

He was so handsome, so perfect...and he was hers. He was charming, he was deep, he was compelling but he was wild, too. He was powerful, he was the epitome of a bad boy but he made her feel alive, loved and wanted. He was sweet, he was caring and he was hers.

He was her secret.

Elizabeth felt her eyes water a little at the depth of the love she felt and Dwayne looked at her with a deep frown. He was confused and she knew that he was hurting for her, too. He didn't know why her eyes were filling with tears, he didn't know what he could do to help her and she knew without doubt or question that she would always have him. No matter what, she would always have his love.

She loved him.

Unconditionally, without doubt. She loved him.

How could she be lost for words? How could she be unsure?

She had him.

She knew what she had to do.

Without another word, she stepped towards him, extending her hands and tugging at the loose, low collar of his torn tee. She had no physical power over him but he followed her command and met her step, his arms wrapping around her waist in an immediate embrace as she stepped up onto her tip toes.

Words would never be enough.

As she pressed her lips to his in a chaste but meaningful kiss, her eyes fluttered closed as he deepened it with an urgency, a need and relief that she fully understood. She let her hands run up his neck and into his hair, cupping his head as she pressed her chest flush against his.

She had been the one to start the kiss but he was the one to own it, to dominate it and she moaned a little as his own hand traveled up the length of her back before curling against the nape of her neck.

"I've been thinking about you all day" she told him thickly, breathlessly, pulling away for air.

"Are you OK?" he questioned, dipping his head once again to kiss her and she nodded a yes.

Now that she was with him, she was without worry or fear. She was happy, she was content.

She was complete.

A gaggle of girls stumbled past them, laughing loudly and already merrily drunk despite it being early into the night and suddenly, Elizabeth was aware of where they were.

"Can you take me somewhere?" she queried, her fingers moving down and away from his hair, gently tracing his chiseled jawline, "please, I..we have so much to..."

She shook her head, rolling her eyes internally at her words.

What? They had so much to talk about? So much to discuss? It felt so silly now. All the hesitance, the nervousness.

In that moment, she found that she didn't care about anything.

She just wanted to be with him.

"I want you, Dwayne..I just want-"

"Say that again" he commanded, his voice deep.

"I want you" she whispered, "I don't care about anything, it's just you..I need you, nothing else matters-"

He pulled her in for another kiss and she sunk into it, into him.

"Where shall I take you?" he murmured against her lips and she smiled, "anywhere.."

She trusted him. She knew wherever he took her would be the right place.

"I trust you, Dwayne..with everything..I trust you"