A/N: Two out of three Aw Triplets agreed this would be a good idea. They also agreed on his name. I, for one think this chain of events is quite appropriate and it is my story after all. LOL! ;)

Finally - note to PCGirl. Your IM away message is responsible for one line in this chapter. )

Until 79! xox-G

Chapter Seventy-eight

He looked around, unable to believe he was even walking around down here, let alone in a place so far from where he called home. This had to be a joke.

"Ed! Hey Ed! You're kidding me right? I mean you have to be putting me on – teaching me a lesson. That's it right? How in the world do you ever think I'd succeed in this assignment if you send me someplace WHERE I DON'T SPEAK THE LANGUAGE!!!!!"

Ethan paced back and forth, pushing his sandy hair out of his eyes and shoving his wire rimmed glasses back up the bridge of his nose. He began whispering loudly again. "Because I know you're worried about your granddaughter and you want me to look out for her but are you honestly telling me no one from Romania has died recently?? Is it true what they say? The place is overrun by vampires and they live forever?"

The only response he got was silence. "I mean what about Florida? Florida's cool – there's got to be someone there I could look out for. Or – even you know – London. Rainy, damp but hey – I can at least understand them. I think you're losing it, because this was a dumb idea. C'mon. Give me a clue. Why did you send me boss? Huh? Why me?"

Ethan kicked the wall and his voice rose slightly. "OK – well. Ha! Ed. HA! I'm going to tell her. How do you like that? The minute I meet her I'm telling her who I am and what I'm doing here. Then you can yank me up and send me to Alaska if you want."

"Romania. Of all places." He muttered as he kicked the wall again.

"What did that wall ever do to you?" Lynnie said softly.

He whirled around to face her. "What?"

She smiled slightly, not quite sure why she wasn't incredibly shy around this person she'd never met. There was something about him that immediately put her at ease.

"Do you always talk to yourself?" She asked him then.

"No. It's a new habit." Ethan gave her a grin. He wondered what she was doing here. This was probably Ed sending him someone who spoke English to prove he could do his job. Though Ed was beyond annoying, he'd have to thank him for sending someone so pretty.

The girl in front of him was so tiny, she barely reached his chin. Her chestnut colored hair was bound in a loose bun on the back of her head. She wore these serious looking glasses and was dressed in khaki capris and a blue button down shirt. She had tiny pearls in her ears and looked so prim and proper. But her eyes killed him. Deep rich blue. If she wasn't wearing glasses he'd swear they were contacts. All he could think of as he looked at her was what she would look like with her hair undone and her glasses off.

Lynnie looked at him solemnly and had no idea the way she nervously chewed on her bottom lip was making him lose his train of thought.

You're on the clock, kid. He could almost hear Ed scolding him now. Don't get any bright ideas.

Whatever it was, he wanted to keep talking to her. He took a step closer to her and said, "I'm having kind of a rough day."

"You're American." Lynnie commented.

Among other things, Ethan thought. "What was your first clue?" He asked with a grin.

"Lucky guess?" Lynnie smiled back, still stunned she was still here talking to him. It was so unlike her to approach a stranger, especially a guy. It was like she couldn't help herself. Blushing a bit, she spoke again. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop. I feel so useless. I don't speak Romanian so when I heard you talking I just wondered if you could help us."

He looked around the corridor. It looked to him like she was all alone. "Us?"

"Yeah." Lynnie tore her gaze from him and stared at her feet. "I'm here with my uncle. We're trying to find my cousin, Kate. Maybe you've seen her?" Lynnie looked up at him hopefully. "She's about 5'5" with long blond hair and green eyes. You'd know if you saw her. She's absolutely gorgeous."

As gorgeous as you? He wanted to say. Where the hell did that come from? Shaking his head to clear it he muttered instead, "Must run in the family."

"What?" Lynnie asked.

"I'm sorry. No. I haven't seen her." I've got enough trouble figuring out what the hell I'm doing here. He said to himself, gazing up at the ceiling again.

Why is the cutest guy she's seen in forever all the way here in Transylvania? It was just her luck. She sighed as she said, "OK." Lynnie was reluctant to walk away. She took a few steps and then turned back and said, "Well if you do, could you let us know?"

"No." Ethan said with a smile.

The words 'thank you' were on her tongue but his reply threw her for a loop. "No?"

"I don't know your name or how to reach you." He flashed her a smile.

"Oh. Yeah. You don't." Her palms were suddenly sweaty. "I'm Lynnie - Lynnie Donovan."

He took her hand in his and shook it, gently. Her nails were painted a delicate shade of pink and as she stood closer he caught a scent of some frangrance she wore. It was clean and soft, like lavender or something. She was a bundle of mystery. Something lurked behind her eyes and he wanted to know what it was. If he wasn't working he'd stay here and see just what made her tick. He'd been staring at her so long Lynnie started to blush again. He cleared his throat and said. "Nice to meet you Lynnie Donovan. I'm Ethan.

"Ethan?" She prompted with a grin.

He smiled. "I'm sorry. Ethan Thomas."

"You have two first names." She giggled, not realizing he was still holding her hand.

"No. I have a first name and a last name." He said, puzzled.

"Which is also a first name." Lynnie replied still smiling. "But I understand. Thomas is a good name. It comes from the Aramaic word for twin." She added matter of factly.

"The Aramaic word?" He asked, more confused than before.

Before she could stop herself she said. "It's part of an important group of languages known almost from the beginning of human history, like Hebrew and Arabic. But Thomas is more of an English or Welsh surname, so I'm guessing your ancestors were English or Welsh."

Ethan simply stared at her. He tried to keep a straight face as he said, "Well. Not to be outdone, I went to a pub in Ireland called Donovan's once so I'm guessing your ancestors were Irish."

She looked away and dropped his hand then, kicking herself. Do you wonder why you're alone Lynn? Now he thinks you're a total bookish freak. "I'm sorry. I read alot. My mom owns a bookstore and my dad writes for a living. We're big into facts at my house."

He was more intrigued then before. He gave her a smile and said, "Don't apologize. That's cool. I never knew that." Ethan could see she was feeling uncomfortable. He gave her a playful shove. "I bet you're hard to beat playing Jeopardy."

She smiled up at him gratefully. "You haven't met my dad."

They stood and stared at each other for a long minute.

"So. Who am I looking for again?" Ethan finally broke the silence between them.

"My cousin you mean?"

"Yeah. Your cousin."

"Her name is Katrina Kovich. If you see her can you call this number?" Lynnie pulled a notebook out of her bag and wrote it down.

Katrina Kovich, Ethan said to himself, happy he was finally catching a break. Ah ha. Thanks Eddie! This was why she was talking to him. Maybe he'd see her again after all. Ethan thought hopefully.

"You'll be the first person I call." He said softly.

"Thanks!" She said.

"Lynnie!" Grant called from the end of the corridor, looking on suspiciously. Who the hell was she talking to? He thought, wanting her to get away from him as quickly as possible. "Let's go. She's not here."

And enter the boyfriend. Ethan sighed to himself, his hopes sinking. The guy who just called her name didn't look like someone he wanted to mess with. It wasn't an issue anyway. It's not like this was going to go anywhere you idiot. You're dead - remember?

"I've got to go. It was nice to meet you, Ethan Thomas." Lynnie whispered as she began to walk away.

"Nice to meet you - Lynnie Donovan." Ethan replied, giving her a smile in spite of it all.

"Lynnie! C'mon." Grant said again, his voice rising.

"Bye." Lynnie said with a little wave and a sigh as she walked towards the door.

"Bye." Ethan replied. He couldn't resist adding since he knew it would be true. "I'll see you around."