Will Things Change? :

"The reason…" Brianna started, as she too, was trying to find the right way to say this, but found there wasn't any way to sugarcoat it. She silently swallowed. "The reason Gunther and my brother were…..that they were able to stand up against those vampires….and fight them…" She continued. "It's because…it's…." She let out a defeated sigh. "It's because they're vampires… more precisely we're….we're vampires." She finally confessed. Both girls going silent for a bit, being that they didn't know what to say at that moment.

The more both girls thought about it, Jackie found it more to be true as she stared at them, before looking down. Her mind just continued to race. She was able to rationalize what they just confessed was possibly true, if not completely true since she remembered how the fight went, how he saved her, and all the strangeness about it. However, her mind still couldn't help but confirm one thing for her now, if this was the truth. If Gunther was some super natural that she read about only in fiction books or mythologies, why would he be with her? 'I'm….I really am….not….not enough…' Her mind started to conclude, as she was still trying to not cry.

Kendall glanced over and could see the thought process Jackie was beginning to have. Even though she had been holding her hand, hoping to keep her calm with all of this, she knew she couldn't completely stop her thoughts. Especially since she could see that Jackie was really trying to hold back her tears. She suspected Jackie didn't want to cry in front of the others, because it might make it that much more painful and worse for her, given what was going on in her thoughts. She gave Jackie a light squeeze of the hand, before looking back at the three.

"Vampires…" Kendall repeated. "I see…" Her voice was quiet, as she was able to understand this.

"We're not bad." Brianna immediately began. "We're…we're the good ones, we don't…"

"Brianna." Both boys looked at her, which she just returned another look right back.

"No, continue…" Jackie mentioned, her voice a whisper, but loud enough for them to hear. Kendall could hear the pain in her voice, knowing she was feeling hurt. Gunther glanced at her worried, being that he assumed she was becoming more afraid. Brianna let out a small breath.

"I promise we don't hurt people." She commented. "We wouldn't hurt you two." She added.

"How…how long have you been…" Jackie wondered.

"All of our lives." Brianna replied. "Our whole family is…"

"Whole family…for both of you?" Kendall was surprised to hear this, while Jackie just kept listening her mind continuing to torture her. The boys just nodded.

"Yes, our families are also vampires." Brianna told them. "In fact…" She let out a breath. "There are a lot of vampires here…" She confessed. "It's the point you girls don't live in the normal, sane, "human" world you think you do." Both girls realized they heard that before, which now really wasn't sitting well with Jackie. "There is more than you girls will ever realize around you both." Brianna continued. "And we have been trying to keep you both safe from it, however tonight…" She glanced at the boys. "It's like I said though, we're the good ones, and we're here to protect you two." The girls just continued to listen unsure how to respond again, although Jackie couldn't get over where her mind was racing, hearing all of this.

"Brianna, I think that's enough." Kick warned her, Gunther also giving her a warning stare given he saw how Jackie was reacting.

"No, this is enough." Brianna barked back. "I told you both, you couldn't keep this forever." She pointed. "And now it's time the girls knew." She defended. Both girls just kept circling the information around in their heads.

"Is it…is it just you guys?" Jackie finally asked. The three glanced at her.

"What do you mean?" Brianna inquired. Kendall also looked at Jackie, she had an assumption of where this might be going. Jackie glanced up at them.

"You said….said there was more…." She spoke. "That there…there are a lot of…vampires here." She clarified. "What….what exactly did you mean by that?"

"I meant that this world is full of them." Brianna replied.

"What…what about this place?" Jackie continued. "About Mellowbrooks?" She wondered.

"Yes…" Gunther finally answered. "Even here in Mellowbrooks."

"Mellowbrooks is full of them." Brianna informed.

"Meaning?" Jackie swallowed.

"A lot of our friends are vampires." Kick commented. Kendall wished Kick hadn't had said that, because she could tell the look Jackie had as the information surprised her, but was making things worse. Kendall couldn't say she wasn't surprised herself, however, she was now more worried for Jackie.

"Like who?" Jackie had to question, her body trembling more, hating what she was feeling. 'He doesn't….I'll never….why?' She wanted to break down, but was trying her hardest not to.

"A lot of them…" Brianna was a bit reluctant to reply seeing Jackie in her state.

"Who? Teena…" She started to get upset again. Kendall trying to squeeze her hand to help, but it was doing nothing.

"Yes. Scarlet and Teena are." Kick answered.

"Any of your fans…Sally or…any of them…" Jackie further questioned. Gunther let out a breath.

"Yes. They are too, Sally and Ira." He responded. "And some of our fans, not all but some." Jackie felt like she couldn't swallow, she had a lump in her throat, and the air was stuck. 'He wants…I'll never be….why am I not….why?' She felt her heart start to break.

"Like we said…there's a lot here." Brianna told them. Kendall tried to rub her thumb on Jackie's hand to soothe her, but it wasn't helping. Jackie glanced away, keeping her stare down.

"Can I ask why you two were out?" Jackie was curious, the question mainly for Gunther as she wanted to know now. "You said…said you were staying home." Jackie recalled. Gunther glanced away, keeping quiet for little longer than she liked. Kendall noticing both the boys' hesitation.

"I had a few errands to do." Gunther finally replied.

"And then I called him so we could meet up." Kick added. "We were going to do something before…well you two got attacked." Jackie didn't like the fact they hesitated. 'Does….does Kick know…do all of them know…do they not care he's….' Her mind raced. 'Am I irrelevant? Will I….Will I never match up?' She couldn't help the many thoughts clouding her head now. She hated it. 'Why…why did he keep this…and what else….why doesn't he…' She felt betrayed from all the lies, as her mind couldn't stop racing.

Kendall knew she couldn't soothe her, not with simple friendly, comforting touches. She knew what Jackie was going through, however, hoped Gunther could clear it up. She let out a breath, though, knowing there was something else pressing for her to do. The tension ever growing at this point that she needed to do something, she needed to say something, speaking with the very person who was being just as tense as Gunther was. She got up, which Jackie noticed. Kendall gave her a small smile, placing her hand on Jackie's shoulder, giving her a comforting, encouraging squeeze, before she glanced at Kick, heading to the backyard.

Kick felt nothing but anxiety as he dreaded this. He watched Kendall head to the backyard, letting out his own breath, he hadn't realized he was holding, knowing this was inevitable at this point. He swallowed, hoping he had the courage for what was about to come. 'Good luck…' Brianna gave him a sympathetic look, as he read his sister's thoughts. He nodded. 'I just hope…she doesn't hate and fear me forever…' Kick breathed as he went to the back as well. Brianna glanced back at Jackie, who was avoiding their stares. 'She's completely….completely afraid of me… she hates me…' Gunther thought, as he felt the pain of all of this. Brianna gave him the same look she did to her brother, before glancing back at Jackie.

"Hopefully….hopefully she'll eventually get over this…" Brianna whispered really low so Gunther would hear. She hoped the same thing for her brother and Kendall as she looked towards the direction they were.

(*)

Kendall went outside, leaving the screen door open for Kick to come through. She let out another breath, before hearing him step out onto the back porch, closing the back door. She glanced back with her eyes, seeing he was nervous. She leaned against the porch railing, a small smile crossing her lips again.

"So…a vampire…" She mused. "Does this make me like some of the female characters I've read about who end up in these situations in my fiction books?" She asked with a small, light chuckle. This surprised Kick, even more as he wasn't expecting it, to the point he wanted to remind her exactly what this meant.

"Kendall…this is serious." Kick tried to remind. "You could have…both you and Jackie could have been killed." He countered. "This is real…this is…this is dangerous and…"

"You wouldn't let that happen." She retorted softly, which shocked him. "You and Gunther have always protected us, so you guys wouldn't have let that happen."

"That doesn't make it any less serious, especially to the fact you could have died." Kick argued. "Think about this Kendall, logically, tonight could have been way worse."

"The thing is, it wasn't." She simply replied. He was amazed she could argue him like this. "You guys saved us tonight. You guys protected us, even more you both kept us alive." She turned around, speaking to him. "You kept me alive."

"Damnit Kendall, don't try and tell me you're not afraid." He fired back. "Especially with what happened."

"Kick, even if I was afraid, that doesn't mean I was afraid of you." She shot back, stepping closer to him.

"You should be afraid of me." Kick countered, looking away.

"Why, you're the good guy?" She commented. "I have no reason to fear the person who saved me Kick. And you've done that many a times." She recalled.

"That doesn't make me any less dangerous here Kendall." He argued. "Think about it, I know you're smart, and I know you have to realize one thing with me being a vampire." He continued. "And you haven't asked nor talked about it." She stared up at him, before swallowing.

"What you eat…or shall I say drink?" She responded.

"Exactly." He replied. "Ask me Kendall."

"I don't have to." She countered, which only made him question that. "You're a vampire Kick." She spoke. "You drink blood, I know that."

"Then you should be afraid of me." He retorted. She let out a small huff, a small smile crossing her face again, which confused him.

"Will you drink my blood?" She questioned.

"Kendall, that's…" He bit the inside of his mouth.

"You have had ample opportunities." Kendall stated. "I have been bleeding, in your arms or presence quite a few times." She mentioned. "So even if you drink blood, you clearly don't want mine." She had a small laugh.

"Kendall that's not even remotely true." Kick shot back. She quirked an eyebrow.

"Then you have some, if not a lot, of self-control." She concluded. "Meaning you're different. You're different than those that attacked Jackie and me." She added. "You're the good guy."

"Even if I am." He started. "That doesn't make me any less dangerous. That doesn't mean you shouldn't fear me." He warned. Kendall just shook her head, still keeping her smile.

"Kick, you can try as hard as you want." She stepped forward, placing her head and hands on his chest, which he really wasn't expecting. "But I'm not going to fear you. I can't." She admitted. "I love you Kick. And that means all of you, from your dangerous dare-devilling life to this. And everything in between." She told him. "I won't be afraid of the person who has saved me countless times and who I love. Especially when it comes to having a few skeletons in the closet." She looked up at him. "I'm no stranger to that Kick." She reminded him. He placed his hands around her, holding her close. "You can't change my mind here Kick, I love you." He never thought she would say that. That she would be so accepting and even more, still want to be with him. He brought her closer, pressing his lips to hers. When he released them, she was a little breathless and dizzy, but enjoyed being in his warm embrace.

"And here I thought I was the only reckless one." Kick couldn't help but snicker at her actions, even if he was extremely happy, he still had to call her out on it.

"I guess you're rubbing off on me." She remarked. He let out a breath, shaking his head. He kissed the top of her forehead, before releasing her from his embrace. He grabbed her hand, their fingers intertwining, before he opened the door so they could go in.

(*)

Jackie had just been deep in her thoughts. She was really wanting to break down, but also trying not to, being she just didn't want to admit she lost Gunther, admit that she wasn't enough for him. She hated everything that was circling in her mind, but she still loved him. However, if he didn't love her, if he didn't want her, what could she do? She didn't know what she could do, but she never wanted to lose him like this. Never.

The whole time Kick and Kendall were talking Gunther just noticed how afraid Jackie was. She wouldn't look at him, wasn't talking anymore, her body language told him that she was just…terrified. She was trembling and he hated to see her like this, however what he hated more was that she was like this, completely because of him now. Forget just the rouges who attacked her, but now she was terrified of him. And he hated it. The silence and tension in the room, killing them both in many ways.

When Kick and Kendall came back, Brianna was surprised to say the least, but she was happy for him. He didn't lose Kendall, even more, it seemed she accepted them like it was nothing. However, when she looked over at Jackie, she had hoped for the same thing. Kick and Kendall could feel the tension in the air as Kendall glanced at Jackie, who when she came back, looked at her slightly, before turning away, biting the inside of her cheek. Kendall knew why. Kick looked over to Gunther and could see his friend was going through his own torment, which he had hoped things maybe would get slightly better, except that wasn't so.

Jackie felt her own toppling point, given she thought everyone knew that Gunther didn't want her. That he might be with Sally, Teena or any of his other blonde, beautiful fans that were vampires, because that's what he preferred. She just hated it, she loved him, and she felt like she would, at this moment, never… she would never be enough for him.

"I…I can't do this anymore." She finally let out, standing up. "I…I have to get out of here…" She placed the ice pack on the table in front of her than headed to the door before she could break down from everything in front of them. She didn't want to do that. She wanted to be in her room for her breakdown.

"Jackie…" Kendall wanted to try and help, since she knew why Jackie was in this state. However, when Jackie glanced at her, the pain strikingly clear in her eyes. Kendall couldn't say anything. Jackie did a small final glance towards Gunther, who just stayed where he was, looking away as soon as their eyes met. And it hurt. She hated it. She was quick when she went out the door. It didn't slam but it shut firmly enough. Brianna, Kick and Gunther letting out their own sighs about it.

"She's afraid of us…" Gunther couldn't help sliding down the brick on the wall, the pain and hurt evident in his voice and features. He sat near the fireplace as he was on the brick, leaning back, holding one leg, hating this even more, but knew this might happen. "Afraid of me…"

"Gunther that's not…" Kendall tried to counter.

"It's okay Kendall." Brianna came in. "We…we always had to assume something like this…..that you two….that this reaction would happen." She confessed.

"But she's not afraid." Kendall argued, still feeling saddened by the whole thing.

"Trust us Kends…" Kick commented. "We know when somebody is afraid of us. And she was definitely afraid."

"No she's…she wasn't…she's just…" Kendall wanted to tell them, but remembered her promise to her. Now she wished she hadn't promised it. "I promise you, I know her….she's not afraid." Kendall tried to assure. "She just has a lot on her mind." She glanced towards Gunther, hoping he know, hoping he would understand. "Just give her…give her a little time…"

"Sure…" Gunther didn't believe it given he saw how Jackie reacted.

To be continued…

Thank you for reading, hope you enjoyed and shall see you soon!

Please keep safe! Bye.