Dwayne frowned, looking out towards the light house in the distance. As the harsh, white beam of light periodically illuminated his face, it highlighted the hard set of his jaw, the storm brewing behind his eyes.

"Dwayne?"

He looked over his shoulder, seeing Marko approaching from the depths of the woods. Giving his head a jerk of a nod in greeting, he looked back over the ocean.

As the wind howled and the waves beneath crashed into the jagged rocks, the otherwise silent night surrounded them.

Dwayne, lost in his thoughts, made no move to break it.

"This is what Paul means when he talks about you being constipated, you know? This rigid, steaming seriousness you have going on" Marko told him, coming to stand a comfortable distance away, his voice light.

Dwayne understood what Marko was saying but couldn't find it in himself to reply. He didn't know what he was doing. A feeling, a deep and unfamiliar sense of foreboding had fallen over him and he was unsure. He didn't know how to deal with it. He didn't know if there was anything to deal with.

For the first time in a long, long time he felt almost confused.

Confused, unsure.

It wasn't him, he didn't like it.

A perfect evening with his mate sullied by a sense of foreboding that he couldn't shake. Thinking about it made everything feel worse yet he was unable to forget it.

He hated it.

He had taken Elizabeth for her after midnight snack, a fairly sizable portion of thick and still warm caramel drizzled popcorn. Despite her wanting the caramel, her eyes had kept flicking to the bright yellow, over buttered popcorn too. Forgetting her jokes, her laughter about using him just for sex and food, she had asked politely and almost shyly if she could have a half and half mix. Her tone of voice, the grateful and polite way she spoke always made him want to scoop her up in his arms, to hold her and keep her, to possess her and protect her from the world. His mate. Confident, playful, shy and innocent. His and his alone.

If he had taken her in his arms in front of the popcorn kiosk, he knew she would have been embarrassed. She would have squealed and giggled, protested weakly, blushed and looked up at him with laughter and love. Her dress was a little short and her panties were stuffed, torn but tantalizing in the pocket of his jeans. It would have been dangerous and exciting, his action would have probably led to another bout of passion...but he had merely kissed her, his arm wrapped around her shoulders, assuring her she could have whatever she wanted.

In that moment, he had wanted nothing more than to take her to her house, to keep her safe and to find David.

He needed his brother.

He hadn't vocalized any discontent to Elizabeth, he didn't want her to worry. He had helped her eat some of the popcorn, though he had no real desire to. She had insisted, he had acquiesced as he always would. He had gotten her home safely and left swiftly, knowing that she could see herself to bed.

It was easier now that he and Marko had instructed her family not to worry about her.

If only he could do the same.

It usually hurt him to leave Elizabeth. Ending their nights was something he did with a heavy heart, though he would rarely admit to having one. It was difficult and it was the only time he could honestly say that he was losing patience with her mortality. He would not force her, never push her...but it was hard to wait. Being with her and then letting her go? It was painful, it was almost an impossible task but tonight it had been a necessity.

He had left her, safe and warm in her house without a look back. He had to, he had to think and-

"Dwayne?"

Blinking himself out of his thoughts, Dwayne looked over at Marko.

"I spent the night with Paul. His jokes are terrible but they never usually result in this kind of silence" the curly haired blonde said, "did I butcher my delivery that badly?"

"I was looking for David"

"Oh?"

"I can't..." Dwayne shook his head. He looked at Marko's eyes once before staring back out at the light house, almost ashamed to admit his troubled thoughts, "I can't pin point it but I feel like something isn't right"

"Is that why you're solo tonight?"

Dwayne nodded once.

"I know you and David have your thing-"

"-same as you and Paul" Dwayne interrupted.

"Exactly. But when have I not taken you seriously?" Marko asked easily, his voice unobtrusive as he came to stand closer beside his friend, "if something's on your mind, I can help"

"I know" Dwayne assured, not meaning to be harsh with him. His thoughts were jumbled and he hated it. He was never weak or confused or unsure and now a sudden feeling of worry had settled over him and it had left him on edge. He didn't worry. That wasn't him, "I'm just feeling snappy...sorry"

He knew his words were blunt and curt, his apology half hearted but he couldn't help himself.

"What's up?"

"I don't know, man" Dwayne shook his head, trying to shake himself free of his thoughts.

"David's gonna be a while" Marko informed him, "Paul dumped a body in the sea, David's making him fish it out. Wanted them burned and there's a pretty strong rip..."

Dwayne gave a tight grin despite himself, "he's a fucking clown"

"Yeah" Marko agreed with a grin of his own before seriousness took over, "so come on. I've got your back. Is it Liz?"

Marko offered him a smoke from his pack of cigarettes and as Dwayne nodded the affirmative, he asked, "where is she?"

"She's home, she's fine..." Dwayne replied, liberating one of the smokes before taking the whole packet. As he glanced sideways at Marko, he tried to take stock of his thoughts, "I don't know if I'm just being protective of my mate or if I'm being dramatic or-"

He was interrupted by Marko, "-I've never known you to be dramatic. Stoic and cold sure. Kind of an arrogant dick, yeah. You and David have that in common but dramatic?" he shook his head, bringing a cigarette to his own lips, "start from the beginning, man"

Frowning over at the still beaming light house, Dwayne began, "Elizabeth mentioned that someone had called her fat"

"Who?"

Dwayne shrugged, un-surprised that Marko wanted names the same way he had, "she wouldn't say, she didn't want me to hurt them. I thought..." he looked at Marko, "...what do you think about them?"

"Who?"

"The Emerson family"

"A walking cliche" Marko murmured, not unkindly, "asshole father out of the picture, loving mother doing all she can for her kids. Crackpot but endearing Grandfather. Three siblings who love each other and and a well mannered dog, to complete the picture"

"You think they're close? Elizabeth and her brothers?"

"Absolutely. She was lucky. Most kids in care don't get adopted but she winds up with a family that close? That loving? It's a bit much for me but all things considered, she is one lucky little mortal" Marko exhaled with a smile, before asking with mild confusion, "why? You don't think so?"

Dwayne nodded, "no, I do"

Marko had nailed it. There was no denying the love, the strong sense of family the Emerson's all had. There was no doubt Elizabeth loved her brothers, that she was loved in return. Santa Carla collected all manners of strays; runaways, people looking for an escape, a fresh start, people thrown out, people with nowhere else to go. It was populated with the young and parent-less. Elizabeth was lucky to have been adopted by the Emerson Family. He had seen what could happen to girls otherwise.

"You're worried about whether she can turn?" Marko asked, his voice easy.

There was no patronizing kindness, no softness in his voice and Dwayne was glad. He wouldn't have stood for pity but it wasn't hard to be honest with his brother.

"No. I was, you know that...but not now. Too much has happened, I know she will. It's fate or whatever we're calling it"

Marko nodded, "I think so, too. But I gotta be honest man, if it's not that then I'm lost. What is it?"

"Remember when Michael was toeing the line between good guy and party animal?"

"We thought he was our in but we didn't need an in. She was yours from the start"

Nodding at Marko's words, Dwayne continued, "you remember when he and Elizabeth's younger brother had a fight, she was upset by it-"

"-and David and I went to give Michael a little pep talk. Sure, I remember. What? You think Michael told Elizabeth she was fat?"

"I thought so"

"Then let's pay him a visit"

Dwayne shook his head, "I took Elizabeth home. Michael's scent...it's barely there. Hardly a whisper, barely a hint of him. He hasn't been in his room, there's no question of that. I doubt he's been at the house at all, really"

Marko was watching him with a small frown of his own and Dwayne continued, not wanting to. Vocalizing his thoughts was doing nothing but confirming his concern, as he spoke he felt certain that something was wrong. He wasn't superstitious but it felt like he was bringing truth to his thoughts by voicing them.

"Dwayne?"

"Fuck" he hissed before saying, "I asked Elizabeth if her brother had called her fat and straight away she laughed. The idea was laughable to her, she told me that "Sammy would never, ever hurt me like that"..." Dwayne shook his head, "and I waited for her to say the same about Michael-"

"-because that's who you suspected in the first place-"

"-and she didn't"

"She didn't...?"

"She didn't mention him. Not a word, not a breath about him. I prompted her, I tried..whatever, she didn't so much as even mutter his name...Marko, she hasn't mentioned him since that night" he flicked the stub of his cigarette to the ground, helping himself to another from the packet he still held.

She hadn't mentioned her older brother once and Dwayne hated to admit, "I didn't pick up on it before but it's all I can think about right now"

The last time he had heard of Michael, it had been the night of her brother's fight. He and Elizabeth had been eating kebabs, overlooking Santa Carla. She hadn't mentioned him since. She hadn't talked about Sammy either, but upon prompting she had done so. Obviously being with him and the pack was taking up her time and thoughts and he understood it. There was no reason for her family or brothers to come up in conversation. She hadn't been spending time with them and he got it. As the family settled into their lives in Santa Carla and everyone got on with their own interests and friendship groups, it made sense for them to have less interaction...but for Elizabeth to completely forget Michael? To only talk about her younger brother?

It felt odd. It felt more than odd. They were close. As a family, they were close. It was wrong.

Mortals didn't just forget their family.

"I don't.." he shook his head, still frowning, "why would she bring up one and not the other?"

"You're sure she hasn't mentioned him?"

Dwayne nodded.

"And his scent? You're sure-"

"-barely there" Dwayne repeated. He looked at Marko. He would have been hesitant to ask David, to open his oldest friend's wounds unnecessarily but it felt important, imperative almost that he ask, "what about Star?"

"I mean..." Marko began, slowly. He was obviously taking Dwayne's words seriously and it did little to settle his concern, "not a peep from her but we haven't been actively searching her out, you know?"

"Santa Carla's not that big..." Dwayne muttered.

Both of the men looked off into the distance, the threat of morning not so far away.

"Paul said something though..." Marko began, speaking as if he was only just appreciating whatever their energetic brother had said.

"What?"

"He said she that Star has a sensuous sexuality about her"

Dwayne shrugged. He could see it but, "so what?"

"She's a half vampire and she's desperate..."

Dwayne didn't want to believe it. He shook his head, "she didn't have any skills. She's weak-"

"-that doesn't mean we should dismiss her or not consider it" Marko said, still frowning and sounding like David with his considered voice. His words were still slow, "you know I don't want to think about her but this is...I get it"

Dwayne looked at him.

"I get what you're saying. This feels weird, it doesn't feel right"

"How does it feel to you?" Dwayne asked.

"It feels like Elizabeth has forgotten Michael"

Dwayne silently agreed. Cursing as he flicked the stump of his cigarette over the cliff and into the raging sea below, he shook his head. He had been searching for David because he wanted to have a reasonable, rational and logical conversation about his worries. If there one one thing David could do, it was detach himself from all emotions and speak with a clear head and a clear voice. He had wanted to be dismissed, he had wanted to hear that he was paranoid, that he was dramatic, that he was just being overly worried about his mate. He could take it, he could take the teasing that would inevitably come. He would welcome it, he would welcome anything over the feeling of dread that seemed intent on consuming him.

He didn't want confirmation that his feeling of unease had any merit to it, yet here he was.

"Mother fucker" he cursed again, shaking his head.

"Wasn't the kid raising hell over Michael?" Marko asked, his frown mirroring Dwayne's.

Dwayne nodded again, remembering what Elizabeth told him. It had sounded like Sam Emerson was ready to go to war with his older brother over his antics.

"And then it just..ended?"

"I don't know" Dwayne murmured, "she hasn't mentioned it since. I can't believe I didn't notice this before. I've been to her house a hundred times, how did I not realize his scent was-"

"-why would you? You were there for her, not him" Marko shook his head, "we need to find Star tomorrow"

"What do you think?" Dwayne asked, looking at his brother.

He knew that Marko didn't have solid answers any more than he did. Marko couldn't possibly know if his hunch was actually something but Dwayne trusted his judgments, trusted his thoughts.

"Star expects to be mortal. She's desperate, she's in love, or at least she thinks she is. She wanted out, she wanted Michael and...I mean, we didn't take her seriously in the end. She wanted out and we fucking wanted her out...we don't know what power she has. I doubt even she knows herself.." Marko shook his head, "she could be luring Michael to her..that could be why he fell as hard as he did...then again, it could be..."

Marko couldn't finish his words and Dwayne knew why.

He wasn't a liar and he wasn't one for doling out platitudes.

"Shit"

"Dwayne-"

Shaking his head, Dwayne flicked his cigarette onto the ground. He had barely even smoked, he just seemed to be tossing them to the ground, "-everything that happened with Star-"

"-it was different then" Marko said, his voice firm but calm, "Elizabeth is the first mate. We didn't know. Any ideas, any arrangements that were discussed...it was new for all of us, we couldn't have known she would be yours from the start"

"Star wanted out, she wanted to be mortal" Dwayne said, his voice tight, "she's still in, she's still half"

Star wanted her mortality and she expected the pack to give it to her. Hadn't that been her deal? She would get Elizabeth in to the pack if she could keep her freedom and her mortality.

Marko nodded, "yes"

"Why the fuck did we not follow-"

"-everything was working well, why would we?" Marko interrupted, his voice serious.

"Everything was working well for us. For me" Dwayne muttered, his jaw clenched so hard it was a wonder he managed to speak at all, "it's not going like she wanted, she's the one who hasn't gotten what she wants-"

It felt like everything was imploding. From nothing, it felt like things were falling apart.

"-she's dangerous. We need to play this carefully, we don't know if anything has happened, if anything will. We have to be careful with how we approach this"

Marko didn't even try to pretend it could be nothing.

Did he feel it, too? Now that it had been spoken, could he feel it?

Dwayne was furious. A worry, a niggle, a bloom of foreboding had suddenly erupted into a genuine, serious problem. A problem that could have devastating ramifications for everyone.

If they were right, if Star was out there..angry, feeling betrayed.

She held more cards than she probably even knew.

"Fuck" Dwayne hissed, "how did I not-how did we not-"

"-bed time bitches! Down in the hole!" Paul boomed, pointing in the direction of the cave below them. He was sopping wet, grinning and animated beside a smirking, amused David.

As Marko and Dwayne stared at them, both their faces drawn and hard the two new comers glanced at each other.

Paul laughed again, looking at his brothers as if they were crazy, "...what? What'd we walk in on?"

A/N: thank you so, so much for the reviews and the support! I appreciate it beyond words. I certainly hope Dwayne is worrying for nothing. Everything has been going so well for him, Elizabeth and the pack. I hope his realization about Elizabeth all but forgetting Michael turns out to be nothing, I hope Sammy no longer worrying about his brother is just down him spending time with his friends...I hope, I hope, I hope. But then again, who knows what could happen with a Lost Girl on the loose?