Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the plot! Thank you to everyone who reviewed, I'm sorry it took me so long to update. I got distracted by, well, life, school, exams and other stuff like that. I only write when I have spare time. Sorry. The lyrics are Coldplay's. Hooray for Coldplay!

2. Stars and Plans

They held hands the whole way up the hill, each enjoying the sensation of the other being right next to them.

"I haven't been up here since you left. Anytime I came close, I just couldn't make my legs work. I'd sit down and cry."

Ash gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Do you feel like that now?"

"Not a bit."

They lay down at the top, hands still clasped. Ash had his back against a tree, his arms around Mary-Lynette. They both looked at the starts for a long moment, talking of what Ash could see and what they both could. They spoke of what they had been doing, Ash telling Mary-Lynette about his work with Circle Daybreak and Mary-Lynette about school and Briar Creek.

"What are we going to do next? If you're going to Oregon State, we still won't get to see each other very often. I'm based in Vegas, and that's a long way off."

"What do you think of LA? Could you move there?"

"Probably, why?"

"I applied to UCLA as well and didn't tell anyone. I got in there too, for the same degree. I thought it would be easier for you to visit me there, or for e to visit you, even if you couldn't move out there."

Ash stared at her in astonishment. "You know what, you're amazing. LA would be perfect. I have a cousin living there at the moment and they've got heaps of rooms, enough for both of us. Circle Daybreak's out there too and when I need to go to Vegas, I'll just drive out and you can come too."

"Me? But why would I go?"

"Because the only reason that I stay in Vegas is because there are people there who understand what I've been going through. Other people who have soulmates."

"Really?"

"Yeah, my cousin in LA is one of them. His soulmate was human, but he had to change her into a vampire because she was dying of cancer."

"Wow, that's pretty drastic."

"She didn't want to die and my cousin didn't want her to either."

"So are all the people who you live with in Vegas like... like us?"

"Yeah, pretty much. I'd love for you to meet some of them, and I know they'd all like to meet you. And it would finally stop them from bugging me about you all the time."

"What do you mean?"

"I was the only young one whose soulmate wasn't there. Thierry didn't have Hannah for quite awhile, but he found her recently. He's sort of used to being without his soulmate though, because he's a few thousand years old. The others didn't tend to ask him about how he felt without his soulmate, but they didn't seem to mind asking me. I did though."

"A few thousand years old?"

"He was the first made vampire. My ancestor, Maya, the first vampire, bit him and exchanged blood and he was the first made vampire. But that was back when humans lived in caves."

"It really is another world, isn't it?"

"Yeah."

"I'm sorry that the others bugged you about me."

"Don't worry about it, it doesn't matter now."

They sat quietly, looking at the starts again, Ash stroking Mary- Lynette's hair.

Look at the stars,

Look how they shine for you,

And everything you do...


A twig snapped in the darkness. Ash jumped to his feet, standing in front of Mary-Lynette. "Ow!" she hissed at him, as her head banged into the tree behind her.

"Shh, there's someone out there. Over in the bushes," he whispered back.

Mary-Lynette got up as slowly and quietly as she could, knowing that she wouldn't be able to do it with the grace or stealth that Ash had. She peered into the darkness, seeing only shadowy shapes. "Can you see anything?"

"No, but I can smell something." Louder he said, "Do you know anyone who wears Gillette aftershave?"

There was a groan from the bush.

"And eau de deer's blood?"

An irritated noise was heard. "Ash you're such a loser."

"Sounds like my brother and your sister."

"I wonder what they could be doing, out here alone, in the middle of nowhere..."

There was an outraged silence.

"Well, well, look who's talking!"

"I see you've learnt the fine art of irony while I've been away Jade."

There were further exasperated noises and then a crunching as they moved over the scrub, snapping more twigs. Mark and Jade appeared, brushing off excess foliage. "Are you going to come home soon Mare? It's kinda late."

I think he's trying to do the protective brother thing.

Maybe you should go. I haven't spent much time with my sisters yet anyway.

"Fine. See you tomorrow Ash."

"'Night Mary-Lynette," he replied, giving her a quick kiss.

That night as she drifted off to sleep, Mary-Lynette had never felt more content.

Don't worry, there's more to come, it's all in my head, and I will write it... eventually. If anyone could update me on what happened to book number 10 I'd really like to know. We're a bit out of the loop down here in ol' Aotearoa. All I've heard is that it was never published, and if that's changed HOW MUCH DO I WANT TO READ IT?!?!?!?!?!?!? cough Thanks for reading!