Author's note: Well, I finally finished this chapter, which hopefully straightens out a few mix ups I made with the timeline. Anyway, thanks to all my reviewers!! I'm so glad you like these chapters. From now on, chapters will most likely focus on only a couple of characters, which will make this story longer, but will help to keep it from being one giant puzzle of perspective switches. Lucian is back in this chapter. I'm not yet sure who should play Erik though. But I'll put who when I do find someone for him. Next chapter should go back to Michael and Selene and the lycans, with a possible scene between Marcus and Erika. And Marcus' attraction to Erika will be more detailed soon. Well, hope ya'll enjoy and please review!!

Disclaimer: I own only the characters that weren't in the movie and the novel, which are: Xander, Anya, Erik Drake, Katharine, and Zahra. They come from my imagination. Please don't sure me, I mean no harm. But I can't stand that Lucian died, and that he most likely will stay dead. So this story was born. Not my fault you killed Lucian off. But please don't sue me.

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CHAPTER 4: OLD FRIENDS & PAST LIVES

It was cold and storming outside when Leila walked out of her apartment complex. She wrapped her coat more closely around her small frame and rushed towards the Metro station. It was nearly eight o'clock, but she should arrive at the hospital in time before her nine o'clock appointment with the Gorog family. Today was not going to be a pleasant day, she could tell, and not just because of the weather. Though that was a bloody pain as well.

"Why does it always have to rain?" she asked the sky, glaring up at the oppressive clouds that flashed with lightening. Of course, she was no stranger to rain, since it often rained in England as well. But here it stormed. It was as if the country was trapped inside a horror movie.

But it's probably the other way around, she thought wryly. She smiled at the thought and breathed and sigh of relief when the stairway to the station came into view. Brushing a stand of soaked hair out of her face, she carefully hurried down the stairs

It was amazing to her just how many people always crowded the Metro station, but she supposed it shouldn't really. She wished she didn't have to always come here, but she could barely pay her rent, much less own a car.

So much for being a well-paid doctor.

***

Lucian sat in the back of a cab, staring at the city of London as it seemed to pass by. He could see Big Ben in the distance, silhouetted against the misty sky, a dark gray growing lighter as the sun rose in the distance.

It has been too long, he thought to himself. He closed his eyes, remembering the first time he had ever laid eyes on the shores of England, the first time he had traveled to London and many other cities of the country.

It had been the early eighteen hundreds, not long after one of the war's grittiest battles since his "defeat" nearly four centuries before. He and many of his clan had come to England in search of rest and healing. Lucian had bought a large, old castle far outside the city limits of London, and his lycan brethren had lived there, almost never leaving for fear of coming across traveling vampires.

But Lucian had not been content to sit inside another castle, doing nothing. He was a fighter and a doer, not just content to plan and lay low. He had been that way since his escape, since her death. And so he had often visited the city during their twenty year stay.

He had made friends and enemies, had even killed at least seven wandering vampires, five of which were Death Dealers who had come because of rumors of lycans hiding in the country. He had easily enough dispatched of them. And had given he and his pack something to feed on.

Many humans had been brought into the war during that period. Many more lycans had been born. When the pack had grown nearly three times its original number, Lucian had seen fit to return to his home land. Though he had left a small pack in England, seeking to spread his people to make sure they would always survive.

But upon the return to his native land, he had already acquired a very strong British accent during his stay in Britain, and it still amused him how many people truly believed him native to this land.

"Here we are, sir," the driver stated, alerting Lucian that they were stopped. "That'll be,"

Lucian handed him a larger amount of money then needed, he had made sure to get British currency upon his arrival, and opened the door. "I know how much. Keep the change," he told the driver and stepped out of the cab.

He looked up at the British Museum, smiling slightly. "Well, let's hope you still work here my friend."

***

Leila entered her small office, closing the door and leaning against it for a moment. She sighed and rubbed a few wet strands of hair away from her eyes. She was soaked through and freezing and tired and still had a long, hard day ahead of her.

Maybe I shouldn't have taken that trip to see mother, she thought dryly. But her mother had needed a familiar face, and Leila was an only child. Even if she had sibling, she wouldn't have been able to abandon her mother during this period in her life.

Walking over to her desk, she went through her papers and files, making sure she had everything prepared for the day.

"The Gorog family is here," one of the nurses told her, opening her door.

It was time. She nodded and walked towards her door. "Thank you, if you'll go call them to room twelve."

***

Lucian entered the museum, looking around. So much had changed, but that was no surprise. It had been so long since he had set foot inside the old building. Quickly heading towards the front desk, he cleared his throat to get the attention of the woman sitting behind it.

Looking up from her papers or whatever she had been going through, she raised her eyebrows, staring at him curiously.

Probably not used to someone being here the moment they open, he thought wryly.

"May I help you?" she asked. She gave him an almost suspicious look.

"I was wondering if a man by the name of Erik Drake still happens to work here?" he inquired politely, smiling at the mortal woman. "He and I are old friends, but have not spoken in quite a while, so I am unsure of his whereabouts now," he explained.

Her eyes widened slightly, and she looked at him closer. "Is your name by any chance Lucian?"

He grinned. This seemed promising. "Yes, it is."

"Erik will be thrilled! He's told all of us here about you!! Of course he still works here, he's the curator!" she informed Lucian. "Hold on just a moment, and I'll go get him."

***

Leila slowly drank her cup of coffee, looking over her files. She was in one of the doctors' lounges, at a small table. She heard Adam sit down across from her, but didn't look up.

"Don't even ask," she warned him. "So," she finally raised her eyes, emerald eyes, to meet his, "how has your day been? Hopefully not as bad as mine."

Adam shook his head. "No, probably not. It's actually been ok, although I did get a call from the police again, looking for Michael." At the mention of his loner friend that had gone missing about a week and a half ago, Adam's expression to grim. "I just don't get it. He never seemed like the type to get involved. And I know, that never means anything, but he always seem to really care about saving people."

Leila shrugged. She had never met Michael, he hadn't worked during her hours except once or twice and always on another floor.

"Maybe he is, somewhere. Perhaps he just needed to get away from everything. I'm sure he's fine, and that there's more to it than a simple, 'He got in with the wrong crowd'." She sighed. "Well, I have to go."

Adam looked up as she rose from her seat. "You taking off early today?"

She nodded. "Yes, I need to catch up on my sleep and get some things. I'm almost out of food at the apartment, and I don't want to starve. So I'm just going to stop by the store on the way home, get the groceries, and when I get home, go to sleep until tomorrow morning, after the sun has risen preferably."

She smiled at Adam. "Don't worry, something will turn up. He'll turn up. And not in the morgue."

With that, she walked out and headed towards the elevator. Absently rubbing her eyes, she pondered over everything that had been going on lately. She needed a vacation, badly. First this whole Michael situation with Adam, then her mother's illness.

I'm going to have gray hair before I'm twenty-seven, she mused.

***

"Lucian! It has been too long, far too long," Erik Drake greeted his sire warmly. "I was worried about you, it's been over a year since I last heard from you."

Returning the warm smile, Lucian embraced the younger lycan. "I know, my friend. But what is a year to us?" he asked with a wink. "I hear you've been telling tales about me, good things I hope."

"Only. So of course all of it has been lies," Erik teased. "But I did tell them what you looked like last I saw you, and that you would never change you appearance." He smirked. "And I was obviously right, I see."

Lucian mock-glared for a moment before smiling. Then he became serious. It was time to get down to business, no matter how much he would have loved to have caught up with Erik.

"Could we speak in private, I have come for a specific purpose," Lucian stated.

Erik nodded, his expression also turning grim. "I would not have expected otherwise. Emma, Lucian and I are going to my office, I am not to be disturbed unless it is an emergency," he instructed and led Lucian to the curator's office. "Now, what has happened?" he asked after closing the door. "What has kept you form keeping us informed of the events taking place in Hungary?"

"So many things, Erik. So many things." Lucian's voice sounded weary and as old as he truly was. His eyes closed and he sat down in on of the plush chairs. "I'm afraid I bring bad tidings as well as good. Viktor has fallen,"

"Viktor is dead? The Elder?" Erik asked in shock, cutting Lucian off. "But I didn't think it was even his time to awaken, form what all you have told me."

"Patience, Erik, let me finish and then ask your questions," Lucian told him. "Viktor was killed. By Selene, the infamous, female Death Dealer. She and the hybrid defeated the Elder, whom she herself raised. She discovered his true, vile nature and his betrayal against her. We were finally able to create the hybrid. Michael Corvin, an American."

Lucian paused, gathering his thoughts, trying to decide what to tell next. "I was shot, silver nitrate, the vampires' new weapon against my kind. But I got Amelia's blood in time. The others do not know yet of my survival though. I have chosen to remain in the shadows for now."

Erik took everything in. Not even two centuries yet, it was slightly overwhelming to hear of all that had happened.

"But there is more, so much more. I believe that Marcus, the last Elder left, is a hybrid as well. I'm not sure how, exactly. But I snuck onto the grounds, it is easy enough for anyone over two hundred to do, and upon seeing him, his eyes were black." Lucian looked up at Erik. His eyes now the color of midnight. "Just like mine are now."

Erik stared in wonder at Lucian's transformed eyes. He had never seen eyes like that, never completely black, not on anyone in human form. But there Lucian sat, looking perfectly normal. Except that his eyes were black, all black. Like two holes.

"I think we need to go see the pack, right away."

***

Sonja slowly entered the room, smiling as her eyes fell on the back of Lucian as he stood at one of the windows, staring up at the half moon. He was bathed in the silvery light, the few pieces of armor still on him glittering in the glow.

Hearing her silent entrance, he turned and came to her, his lips growing wide in a smile only for her. He reached up, gently caressing her cheek, his fingers moving to her hair. They ran through it before traveling to her bare neck.

She let out a gasp as his warm hand touched her cold skin, bringing her next to him. She felt the cold metal of his armor through her velvet dress, but ignored it. She reached up with both slender hands, and her fingers entangled in his hair as well.

"Sonja," he moaned and leaned down, his mouth hungrily claiming hers. He moved both hands to her slim waist, holding her firmly to him.

Warmth and passion flooded her senses, and she felt herself become lost in the heat he wrapped her in. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders, her fingers seeking to remove the rest of the cold metal on her lover.

"In a hurry are we, my love?" he asked her tauntingly, nipping at her nape playfully. He smiled against her skin at the soft whimper she made. "Perhaps you should learn patience."

"I have patience, I must to go through the day without you, now take this accursed metal off!" she ordered him, her voice barely above a whisper.

Lucian readily complied, for he too was ready to get rid of the armor, and to be nearer to his beloved. As soon as he was finished, he took her back into his embrace, kissing her mouth, her cheeks, her jaw.

"Beloved," he whispered huskily, and Sonja felt a shudder rush done her spine.

She had to tell him. Had to tell him now.

"Lucian, you must know this."

***

Leila jerked up, her breaths coming in labored gasps. She felt slightly sweaty, and her heart was racing. She still could feel burning fingertips on her shoulders, warm lips against her neck. It had been so real. Even now, it was more like a memory, not a dream.

It's happening again, she thought to herself. I thought they were gone for good.