A/N: I know it's been ages but today my muse finally came back from her C/A vacation and I finished the story. Hope you'll like it.

A month had already passed and Lindsey kept taking care of her... and she really seemed to be grateful. But during the last couple of days she'd been weird, which worried him quite a bit.

"What's the matter?"

Once again she was looking at the stars outside. It had become a kind of habit of hers and seemed to soothe her when she didn't feel well.

"Nothing," she answered absent-mindedly.

"Really?"

They'd gotten to the point by now where she'd tell him everything and he had always thought she'd appreciate his concern. But this time her eyes just wandered over the gleaming city.

"I've just been thinking..."

"Don't wanna tell me about what?"

He never got his answer...

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The next night was the first of many to follow she went out without telling him. At first he was worried but when she came back home and didn't even apologize, he got angry. They ended up shouting at each other and her telling him that she didn't need a babysitter. Lindsey started to realize that something was changing again, which made him sad. After all he shouldn't forget that she was still a vampire - and unpredictable. But there were still nights she was so helpless when her child's soul seemed to overwhelm her. So he didn't give the danger he lived with everyday much thought. What he was thinking about was that she stayed out longer and longer each night and once she didn't even come back for a couple of days. Part of him feared the day she wouldn't come back at all - though it'd probably be for the better. He knew too well he had ended up in that vicious circle again that he thought he'd left behind in L.A.

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The next time she was gone she stayed away for about two weeks and he'd already started doubting he'd ever see her again. By the end of the second week his life almost seemed back to normal - working at the gas station, performing in that small club... but when he entered his apartment he couldn't help but miss the danger that was Darla. He wondered if she and the baby were alright.

Lost in memories he didn't notice that he wasn't alone this time. Not until she greeted him in a sweet voice,

"Honey, I'm home."

Something in the way she said it should have scared him but strangely it didn't. She radiated self-confidence he hadn't seen in her for a while.

"Where you've been?"

"Around."

She sat down in his chair and let her legs dangle over the side of the armrests while watching him closely.

"How's the baby?

"Fine. Still has its pesky little soul but I can deal. How have you been? Missed me?"

The sudden coldness in her voice put some small part of his reason on alert and told him to be cautious but still he wasn't afraid.

"Why did you come back? You don't need me anymore, do you?"

She got up slowly and came closer till she stood right in front of him and looked straight in his eyes.

"Maybe I do... Maybe I don't... But you still need me, don't you?" she said in a tempting whisper before she kissed him. Lindsey honestly wanted to draw back but somehow he couldn't. It was as if he was under her spell. He probably was.

"I knew you couldn't resist me." She smiled seductively. "That's what you've been dreaming about the past few weeks, haven't you?"

Instead of responding he just captured her lips again and she started laughing. Too well it reminded him of Dru's and her little visit at the office after the massacre, which made him finally take a step back.

"What do you really want, Darla?"

"Maybe I just like to play games..."

And before he could react, she was near him again. She bent to his neck, changed into vamp face and bit down hard. Lindsey just gasped and tried to struggle against her but her grip was too strong. He felt he was getting weaker while she slowly drained him. When he already thought he was going to die, she suddenly let go of him. He fell to the ground unable to move. His eyes just followed her when she morphed back into her human face and made her way to the door.

Hand on the doorknob she turned around once more, smiled sweetly at him and said,

"It's been fun. See ya around."

And left him and his life for good.