It was a beautiful morning and all Diana could do was swoop through the house following the mouthwatering aromas emanating from the kitchen, faint tones of cumin, coriander, and amchur, lovely. Her talented daughter was busy frying as she entered, taking her seat Alexa flipped a fresh aloo paratha onto her empty plate, next to a glass of milk. Appreciative Diana looked at it content but unsure of how to deal with the new parental problem on the horizon. "Not that I don't appreciate the breakfast but Alexa it's Thursday. And 10 am." She mentioned as she dipped a corner into the chutney laid out, but couldn't bring herself to take a bite. Alexa kept herself busy piling her creations up. "I'm sure you're supposed to be doing something better today."

"What do you fancy huevos rancheros?"

"You know that's not what I meant."

"Then what?" Her daughter turned slowly, towering over the small woman. This not being taller than her Alexa was getting frustrating.

"Alexa I received a call from your school you haven't been going for a couple of weeks." The alien genius tried to stay calm but how had she not noticed, parenting level 1. If the school had know she was the same person the principal Mr Bright would have torn into her, he was very scary for a human. All eyebrows and frown.

"Why should you care what I do?"

"Because I do, school, this final month is incredibly important!"

"Why did they call you, you're not my farther!"

"No but he asked me to look after you, and that includes your future. Why aren't you going?"

"My future? I'm a vampire hunter destined to probably die at the first mistake I make!"

"You could do more and you know it! Besides maybe what D told you about destiny's was wrong, look at Paul, not all vampires are bad."

"You don't get to speak for D, you won't even tell me where he's gone!"

"You don't want to hear from him. Let me put it this way, he's a scholar what would he think if he came back and you had failed all of your GCSEs?" Her new body sass! "So he is coming back?" Alexa hardened by frequent battles of whits with vampires, raised her glared through it. "Yes, no, he didn't tell me the specifics. Just go study with Sarah, instead of that musty library." Diana tried to appease her, Sarah always mellowed Alexa out. The sixteen year old's head bobbled down slightly and sniffed. "There's no point." Her daughter mumbled.

"There is! There always is a point to learn and better yourself, just go this one day and make D proud."

"I told you not to speak for him!" Alexa screamed, and stormed out. Her own breakfast forgotten. Diana sighed as she heard the front door slam, how had she, as D made her daughter's life only about vampires, and how could she possibly fix it with this appearance. She slowly sunk into her chair, and lost herself in thoughts of her inadequacies.

She is totally a chick now, Paul judged as he walked into the kitchen to find Diana crying over what looked to him like a pancake and a glass of milk. What had happened? He could smell the air thick with spices, milk, and blood. He studied for the blood, none was visibly seeping though her clothing. Diana had halted her crying as she noticed him hovering. "Good morning, what's up Paul?"

"Nothing what's going on here? Has she's finally left the house on her own?"

"Yes she went to school…" She looked away from him uncertainly, but reclaiming some composure asking the earnest question "Am I a bad parent?"

"Have you thought about who you're asking?"

"Oh yes, you probably don't remember yours. How old are you?"

"I do, and… at least you've tried."

"Put what if I've pushed her to focus on the wrong thing? She is the vampire hunter but she has the potential to be so much more."

"Okay, this has been bugging me. Why is Alexa's destiny to hunt vampires?"

"Because that was all I was told when I got her. A name, a little red baby, and a purpose."

"What?"

"Oh never mind I'll show you, how about a field trip to the past, I could do with a change of scene."

"Marvy, I've been waiting for time travel!"

Diana had chosen the room because it calmed her a little whenever she walked in, because she had scattered red and orange objects to remind her of home. The large upturned chest was exactly where she had left it, and it welcomed the both of them, noticing it's pilot's emotional head space it's lights dimmed to a rusty crimson colour. Diana wisked into work mode, pressing a multitude of buttons and leaping at a leaver. "Oh blow, Paul can you put in the coordinates 48.418900, 8.375717 to that panel over there, and then pull the leaver over there down." She said sweetly to him, before tuning back to the machine. "Sorry old chum, we've got some modifications to do." Then push the final, big red button, that said in bright white letters 'parNkIC'.

To Paul it felt like the world disappeared, nothing made sense for a split second. He was everywhere at once, and could see everything. The beige was everywhere, stars, comets, galaxies. Large and little green men. He let out a 'very manly' yelp, "You get used to it!" Diana beamed at him. And she did beam, her smile was like the sunshine filling the whole room, she was in her element. An alien, etherial, with very pale glowing orange skin, yellow hair with auburn roots, and glimmering amber eyes. She'd told him she'd seen planets rise and fall, but her smile didn't show it, or maybe she snatched joy in every moment because of it. On earth he had been looking at her and judging her by human standards, beautiful. But now in a working space ship, his mind was finally catching onto her so much being an alien. He settled into watching her shine like his sun again. She scratched at her slim nose for a moment, "Paul? So we're here." She tapped a ting green button which opened the door, to the sight of a burning manor house.

Diana gazed into the dancing flames. It had been around 15 years since she had to look at the carnage she had rescued Alexa from, a large old and beautiful house bombed for no apparent reason. It stood in the middle of the forrest, with no civilisation, around she hadn't questioned it at the time. "We've only got a few minutes, my past self will be arriving soon." She lead the way and the couple of time travellers surveyed the mighty building, crackling, falling brick by brick. "We can't change anything." The air was hot and metallic, encompassing them. "But this is were I was called to. You can see down there, a small red baby in pain, that's her. No parents, no protection, no one coming to help."

Paul's senses were being hit in every direction from the fire, he wheezed a bit. But as he watched and followed he still watched her. The glow she had in the spaceship had dulled, but now he knew. "You'll come to help." Paul whispered helpfully, she glanced up at him, the flames dancing in her amber eyes.

"I'll be called by a stranger, asking me to come to some coordinates, and save a special child, a daughter of the earth destined to rid the world of vampires." She took one last look then sniffed her wistful emotions away. "Why don't we try somewhere more fun next? Actually I forgot to eat breakfast." She chimed, dancing back into her ship.

Diana was very hungry now that she though about it. She tapped the purple button to close the doors, and cranked the return leaver. Her greatest invention! They landed back in an instant, and she sped to the kitchen. Only to find Alexa sitting at the table looking sour. "I thought he may have gone and killed you?"

"Oh we just went out for a bit."

"I knew that, so are you eating dinner?"

"Yes, I do declare I'm famished. Paul?" Paul glided into the room and took the seat in between the two women. "Don't worry about him, he's already eaten." Alexa swatted away her question. She took a long look at the young vampire, he had changed his outfit, from sleek blazer and tie to-to a leather trench coat and well, lots of leather. Alexa dished the uncertain alien up some sous vide portobello mushrooms, caramelised celeriac, and remoulade, garnishing with a little thyme. "Why did you go out for a hair cut? Don't get me wrong it looks a lot better than that messy bob. But wasn't it your look?" Alexa squinted back at Paul accusingly.

"You think I copied you? Don't you?"

"Excuse me, I am in lycra, leather is b.a.d."

Diana sat in silence, she couldn't eat, she could barely move when it dawned on her. The mistake you don't make as a pilot… she'd left him in the past!

"Well I rock it." He quipped back, more effortless than before, calmer.

"Vampire logic right there. You're truly selfish."

"How was school?"

"How was your life?"

"Alexa honey, they gave you homework right, better go and study some more?"

Alexa swivelled in her seat to give Diana an accusatory eyebrow. "Why? Why are you still trying to parent-" Then she noticed, there was tension between the blondes, that had never existed before. "Yes I do, everything was good today. Eat up." With that she strode out of the room, straining to holding back a giggle. School had been far better than she had imagined, Sarah had almost smiled at her.