A million thanks to DragonWriter, Candika, amy, and jiana weasley for the wonderful feedback.

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"Hi. I was told I to come here." Ash was three days late, although he hadn't missed much besides the other Daybreakers getting to know each other better. Thea was teaching Gillian and Poppy how to use their powers, Rashel had sparred against James and Lupe, and had beaten them both. James had been teased a little for losing to a human girl, until Rashel had challenged everyone else to a fight. They had all backed down. David and Eric had decided that as the only "normal" humans they should team up, especially since their soulmates were spending so much time together and probably telling secrets, judging by how often the two girls looked at them and started giggling. Quinn and James were slowly becoming friends, James actually getting to know Quinn as more than a cold-blooded killer. Thierry spent a little time with all of them on a one-on-one basis, getting to know them, but spending time with the soulmated couples depressed him, so he didn't socialize too much. And now, a week after Gillian and David had shown up, Ash was here.

"So who are you?" Lupe looked at him curiously. She had beat Nilsson to the door, but he was coming up behind her, hoping to interrupt before she could be too rude.

"I'm Ash Redfern." Ash smiled flirtatiously. "And who might you be?"

Lupe grinned and opened the door wider, motioning him to come in. "I'm Lupe. You're late. Everyone else's here."

Ash shrugged and sauntered past, giving her a charming smile. "I like making an entrance."

"Hello, Mr. Ash. The others are... around somewhere. We had almost given up on you." Nilsson looked at the younger vampire disapprovingly. "I shall tell Lord Thierry that you are here. Finally." He walked off and Ash made a face at his back. Lupe giggled. Nilsson pretended not to hear and kept walking.

"So who all is here?" Ash asked lazily. Lupe shrugged and grinned at him. She'd heard about Ash Redfern, and thought everyone's reaction to his presence should be fun. She knew he had a history with James, Thea, and Quinn at least.

Ash wandered around the ground floor of the apartment, peeking into rooms but not seeing anyone. Lupe followed, not wanting to miss anything.

"Hey, don't I know you?" Gillian asked the blond boy who had just come into the room. He looked familiar.

Ash looked at the petite girl sitting on the couch next to a tall boy, trying to figure out where he had seen her before. He'd met a lot of people since leaving Briar Creek and wandering aimlessly around the country, "slaying dragons." "I'm Ash Redfern."

"I remember! You're the boy who got me out of that club!" Ash frowned, then remembered. "Yeah, in Sterback. The Black Iris club. What are you doing here?"

She frowned thoughtfully. "If you're a Redfern, we're probably cousins of some sort. I'm Gillian, recently-found-witch, and this is my soulmate, David."

"Hey."

"Thanks for getting Jilly out of that place," David said.

Ash waved the thanks off. He sat down, lounging on the couch across from the couple and Lupe perched on the arm of the chair across from the door. They talked for awhile, Gillian and David explaining how they had gotten together and found out about the Night World and all four of them trying to figure out the Harman-Redfern family trees and how Gillian and Ash were related. They weren't having much luck and David had just stood to go in search of paper and pencil so they could map out the relationships when Poppy, Thea, and Rashel came in. Thea gasped when she saw her cousin, and Poppy gave a little scream.

"Oh, my god, Ash! What are you doing here?"

Ash had gotten up and stalked towards them. It had been awhile since he had scared anyone, and he was in a playful mood.

"Hello, little dreamer. It's been a while. And Thea. I thought you had forgotten everything and were living as a human." He smirked, looking at the third girl. She had fallen into a fighting stance. She must be new to the Night World, to think she could take on a vampire. Especially one her vampire and witch friends were afraid of. "Now, who is this?" He gave the human one of his most charming smiles.

Rashel grinned fiercely back. She hadn't forgotten James mentioning a boy named Ash when they fist met, and had asked Poppy who he was. Poppy had told her the whole story, and she was ready for this leech. "I'm Rashel, and you're dead." Her foot snapped out in a sidekick, kicking him in the jaw, followed with a punch to the stomach. Then she swiped his feet out from under him and knelt on his chest, pinning his arms. He hadn't even had a chance to defend himself or fight back. He looked slightly dazed and very surprised.

"Rashel!" squeaked Gillian. "Stop! He's a good guy!" The three girls turned to look at her in surprise.

"Ash?" Thea asked incredulously. "A good guy? Do you know what he is?"

Poppy nodded. "He's a creep, and a jerk, and a firm supporter of the Night World."

"Actually, Gillian's right," Lupe announced cheerfully. "He got soulmated and Lord Thierry invited him here. He's one of us now."

"Am not," Ash said petulantly. "I may be soulmated to a human, but that does not mean I have to be a Daybreaker. That's where I draw the line. I'm just here because Thierry invited me and I didn't have anything else to do. Thought maybe there'd be some good parties. Do you think you could get off of me now?"

Rashel frowned. "Do you think we can trust him?"

"Trust who?" James asked, walking in. He looked at the boy under Rashel. "Ash. Joy." He went and put his arms around Poppy, hugging her to him protectively. "Did you beat him up?"

"A little."

"Beat him up more."

"Don't worry, I'm fine," Ash said, rolling his eyes. "Glad you're all so concerned about me. Would you please get off of me now?" He was pretty sure he could knock her off, if he wanted, but thought keeping still and not fighting would make a better impression. If he wanted to fight, he could certainly take on a human girl. She'd just surprised him, that was all. And he was trying to be good and not hurt the humans anymore.

"Gillian and Lupe say he's good now, and he says he's soulmated and that Thierry invited him." Poppy looked at Ash doubtfully.

"You're soulmated?" When Ash nodded, resigned to staying on the floor for awhile yet, James grinned. This was better than Quinn being soulmated. "Told you, didn't I, that it'd happen to you. I think you told me I was a lousy prophet."

"Shut up."

"Maybe you should get up, Rashel," Thea suggested. Ash wasn't acting very threatening or boastful, so maybe he was telling the truth. And he hadn't attacked anyone yet.

"Yeah," Lupe agreed. "You wouldn't want Quinn to get the wrong impression."

"What wrong impression?" Quinn asked as he, Thierry, and Eric walked in. They looked at Rashel sitting astride Ash's waist. Quinn cocked his eyebrow. "Have you been beating people up again? Not that I don't understand. It is Ash, after all. He gets that response a lot."

Ash scowled at him. "Very funny. And what are you doing here?"

"Rashel, please let Ash up." Thierry was quite calm about the whole thing. Rashel got up, but she kept a wary eye on Ash as he stood and rubbed his jaw. "What happened?" Thierry asked.

"Ash and Lupe came in and we talked for awhile, then Rashel, Thea, and Poppy came in, and they seemed surprised to see him and a little afraid, and when he went over to talk to them, Rashel kicked him and sat on him. They didn't really believe me when I said he was a good guy. Then James came in and then you guys," Gillian explained, still rather puzzled. Thierry just nodded and started to perform introductions.

"Ash, this is Eric, Rashel, and," he paused. "I believe you've met everyone else, actually. Everyone, this is Ash Redfern, and yes, he is soulmated to a human and is on our side now."

Rashel looked at Ash carefully for a second. "Sorry I kicked you. And punched you and knocked you over."

"Yeah, whatever. Who are you? What are you?"

"I'm a vampire hunter."

Ash looked at her with even more respect. "So what are you doing here?"

"She's my soulmate," Quinn put his arm around her, not liking the way Ash looked at her.

"You're soulmated?" Ash started to laugh.

"So are you. Where is your soulmate anyway?"

Ash sobered. "She's at home. We decided we needed time apart while she finished school and I righted old wrongs." Ash looked unusually solemn and sad.

"What's her name?" Thea asked gently. She'd always had a soft spot for Ash, and if he was truly reforming, she'd try and help.

"Mary-Lynnette." He glanced at Quinn. "She's one of the humans from Briar Creek."

Quinn stared at him for a second while he tried to remember where he had heard of that town before. "Briar Creek. Isn't that the town your sisters ran away to?" Ash nodded. "You were soulmated when I came back to get you?" Ash nodded again and Quinn narrowed his eyes. "How much of that story you told me was actually true?"

"Very little. I'll tell you the whole story sometime. Maybe."

"I know a truth spell now," Poppy said wickedly. "We can make sure he tells the truth. And we can ask him anything we want."

"Now, what do you need a spell for? Don't you trust me?" Ash looked at Poppy with wide blue eyes, the picture of innocence. No one in the room believed him.