AN: Okay so this is a fresh idea that came after watching Season 5. I feel like maybe this is an unpopular opinion but I quite liked season 5? It wasn't my favourite but I REALLY loved the family moments between Sally, George and Vlad. It really broke my heart to see Vlad so close to everything he had ever wanted ya know.

So I decided to write a fic where I tear it all away from him just in a completely different way.

Enjoy!

His breaths came in huffs as he vaulted over a fallen tree, the damp moss nearly causing him to slip and his feet squelched into the dirt. The moon hung like a ripe fruit above him, heavy and yellow with the harvest, allowing him to find his path easily enough.

He loved the hunt, the thrill of it sung through his veins and his heart soared with delight as his legs propelled him further. The trees blurring around him, their spindly arms grasping at his t-shirt tearing the fabric.

The wind howled in triumph and his eyes landed on his prize ahead amongst the shadows of the trees. He pushed himself harder, sweat slicked his forehead and ran into his mouth, leaving him tasting salt. The familiar wooden stake fell into his hand with practiced ease, its weight leaving him calm as he felt victory in his grasp.

The figure ahead turned in a swirl of shadow and midnight hair, the creature had seen him, eyes wide as he descended upon her. He held his stake high, "Please!" the creature begged as he snarled, pushing the monster into ground using the creature's shock to topple them.

In a graceful arch the stake descended, blood rushed in his ears as it pierced the heart of the prone figure beneath him. The look of shock upon the girl's face quickly disintegrated into ash.

He panted, as he sat in the remains of the beast, his hands covered in dust. He smeared them across his pants as he stood.

"Well done slayer!" the jubilance of Mr. Van Helising radiated from him as he switched on his torch, climbing from the tent. His claps echoed through the empty forest, a few of the stuffy onlookers joined him, marking down secret notes upon their clipboards. Mr Van Helising walked up to the boy, patting him on the back and bringing him into a fatherly embrace, "Brilliant work Adam, a perfect slaying. They'll make you the youngest person to join our ranks I'm sure of it!" he was beaming, and Adam felt himself smile looking towards the ash that coated the ground.

"Where did you find her?" he gathered the ash into a small vial that he produced from his jacket pocket.

"The vampire you mean?" Van Helsing asked.

Adam rolled his eyes, "Yes the vampire."

One of the suits cut in, a serve looking man whose bald head shone in the moonlight, "Picked that one up in Cardiff actually," he looked down at the dust with disgust as Adam corked the vial that shimmered in the semi-darkness, "Congratulations Mr. Giles, in all my years I've never seen someone as green as you pull of such a clean slaying and so swiftly. You are now officially apart of the Slayers Guild. Drop by headquarters and we will have your ID ready," the short man turned on his heel and walked away. Adam thought his face was going to split in his happiness, "Oh and Adam," the man looked over his shoulder with a smile, "I just have one question. How did you see her?"

Adam just grinned, "I dunno sir. Always been good at seeing in the dark I guess."

The bald man pushed his glasses up his nose and inclined his head with a smile, leaving the two in the forest alone.

"You know," Mr Van Helsing sighed shaking his head, "I don't think I've ever seen that man smile."

Adam laughed at that, helping the man pack away the tent, his muscles sore from the exertion, "They did seem a bit stern. They always like that?"

Mr. Van Helsing shrugged, "Sometimes. I think a lot of them are just jealous you know…don't get to be out in the field! Like we do!" he clapped Adam on the shoulder, "Come on let's get you home, I'm sure your mum is excited to hear how you went!" Mr. Van Helsing said, swinging the tent bag over his shoulder.

Adam, smiled, putting the vial of ash back into his pocket and pushing the stake back up his sleeve, "Ah!" he hissed, as the skin split underneath the sharp point of the stake. Pulling up his sleeve quickly as blood pooled in his palm. Adam watched in detached fascination as the blood dripped from his fingertips in a steady rhythm.

"Jesus Adam! For the best slayer seen in the last century you're so clumsy," he put down his bag looking at the wound on his arm, the blood glistened like ink in the darkness, "You have to be careful with those things!" the man tutted as he looked at the white scars that littered the boy's arm, all from stake accidents. He wrapped the wound in gauze tightly causing Adam to gasp, tearing him from his reverie.

"Yeah yeah, I know! It just happens. Maybe stakes hate me?" the boy said with mischief, pulling his arm out of the older man's grasp.

Van Helising laughed, dragging him from the forest and to the car, "I don't know if that's possible! Stakes only hate vampires," he turned the key and the engine coughed to life, the car shuddered as they took off down the pothole filled roads of Stokely. The churning in his gut made itself known in a sicking twist at the thought of vampires. His eyes caught the castle that loomed over the village like an unwanted storm cloud, where he knew they resided.

They came through the door of the Giles residence, met with the joyous shouts of his mother and sister. George's curls bounced as she clapped running over to him, confetti falling from the ceiling in festive swirls around the smiling face of his mother.

"Congrats darling!" the soft eyes of mother met his as they hugged, he buried his head into the crook of her neck breathing in her comforting scent, "Fifteen and already a slayer," she pulled back a small smile playing on her lips, "Your father would be so proud."

Tears pricked his eyes at the thought of his father, if he were standing here in this room Adam was sure he would have been cheering the loudest.

"How did you know I passed?" Adam asked, ruffling his sister's hair.

George just laughed, "Don't think you would have been back so quick if you had failed," she said, "Besides they would be mad to fail you!"

He smiled at that, looking around at his family, swimming in the warmth of their presence, "Well thank you for the vote of confidence."

"He did very well Mrs. Giles," Mr. Van Helsing said, shucking off his brown trench coat, "I've never seen such a natural in all my years of slaying!"

"It's Sally, Eric! Come on let's have some dinner and you can tell us all about it," Sally said, dragging them into the kitchen to help her set the table. George was running around the house, yelling of her exploits as a future slayer and generally getting under foot with her boundless energy.

Dinner was warming, conversation flowed over Adam like waves and despite its raucous nature it calmed him, knowing that his family was safe for tonight. Mr. Van Helsing gave his mum and George a dramatic retelling of the test, using the large mash potato spoon as an impromptu stake. It seemed that there was a lot more screaming on the vampire's behalf than there actually had been, but Adam didn't mind letting the older slayer have his fun. Pride shone from the man like a beacon, he had trained Adam after all.

The night came to a close with little fanfare. Mr. Van Helsing left with a wave, saying that he had to go to sleep early as there was a teacher meeting in the morning.

George giggled as she turned to Adam, "My big brother, a big scary slayer now!" she flexed her muscles and pulled a face at him that he returned by sticking out his tongue, "Mum can we have some ice cream?" she said to her mouth begging with a pout.

Sally sighed with a smile, "Sure, just not too much! It's technically a weekday and you both have school in the morning!" both kids ran to the freezer, pulling out the chocolate ice-cream with eager fingers, "I'm going to bed, I'm exhausted. Just make sure you wash the bowls when you're done."

"Yes mum!" the two chorused as Sally walked up the stairs, scrubbing some dry paint off her face.

The two sat on the couch, snuggling up under the blanket. Adam knew that many of the boys at his school would think it was really uncool how close he was to his little sister, but he didn't care for the opinion of teenage boys anyway. George was a shining light in his life, she was in many ways his exact opposite, all fizz and fun, while he tended to shy away from attention as much as he could. They even looked pretty different, same funny ears and puckish noses but George had a slight tan from their beach days, while Adam just turned into a human lobster before fading back to milk white. It was a genetic trick that he was quite annoyed at, wishing he could catch at least a little bit of the sun's rays upon his skin.

She looked at him, her eyes shining in the artificial light of the lamp light, "What do you think dad would say if he were here?" she whispered, holding onto her bowl tightly as if it might disappear.

Adam gulped, staring down into the brown mush of his ice-cream, the words stuck in his throat. He knew what he should say, something about how proud he would be but in some ways, he resented his father; he had died at the hand of a vampire. He had dragged them into a life, into a world that was darker than any of them could have imagined. His father had left him a job to do now, targets were drawn upon his family's back and in a way his father had drawn them with his own hand.

He sighed and pulled her into a hug against his side, "I think dad," he lifted her chin with his finger so she would meet his eyes, "would be very proud of all of us but especially you! You're the brains of the whole operation!" he said grinning.

George groaned, "Aaadam!" a giggle escaped her lips, "get you're freezing hands off me," she shoved him away.

"I'm serious George! I might be a slayer now, but you have to be the cleverest girl to ever," he put down his bowl in preparation for his attack, "live!" he tickled her side holding her in place as she squirmed and shrieked pushing him off her and taking a lungful of air.

"Adam," she gasped, laughter bubbling up from between her lips as she fell onto the floor, "Please stop!"

He raised his hands, "All right, All right. I've stopped."

She settled back on the couch, eyeing him the mischievous wariness. They settled down again, finishing their ice-cream in comfortable silence.

"Thanks Adam, I think I needed to hear that," George said, grabbing both of their bowls and placing them in the sink, the rush of water filling the silence for a moment, "I just wish he was here."

Adam thought that sometimes she acted far too old for her age, he stopped her hands and took the dish brush from her, "Me too. How about you go up to bed and I'll finish up down here?"

George just nodded, rubbing her eyes sleepily as she turned and walked up the stairs. Adam slowly did the dishes, letting the water warm his hands and chase away the perpetual chill that lingered there. His thoughts strayed, wandering through his promise to his father the last time he saw him alive. He had made him vow to protect his mother and his sister. At the time he thought it was a little archaic of him to think that his mother and his sister couldn't protect themselves. But that promise had seared itself into his skin after the death of his father. He could not disappoint him, even if it was just his memory.

Adam finished the dishes and dried his hands on one of their novelty holiday tea towels. Creeping upstairs, Adam quickly got ready for bed and checked all of the window locks. The locks themselves were nothing to a vampire however, the Argentillium glaze upon the glass would definitely make any balk away from their house.

Padding into his room he relished in the quiet. Robin had said once that the cleanliness of the space had freaked him out, but that was coming from a boy who didn't quite know what laundry was. Adam kicked off his shoes and pulled the vial of dust out of his jacket, holding it as if it were a holy relic and in some ways it was. He first slay of many, or at least he hoped so.

It had been drilled into him that vampires were unfeeling creatures, worth less than mercy and he believed it, but the vampire they had chosen looked about his age. It was in hindsight probably intentional, to make sure he didn't fault. She had been scared and alone when she had died, her eyes were dark pools of terror that he had only seen for a split second. It didn't feel like murder, he was sure of that, there was no tidal wave of guilt, but it was more like a dripping tap. Each flash of the pale skin ripping under his stake left him feeling just a fraction colder.

He shook the thought of her head and placed the ashes upon his dresser, it was his first slay, but he was sure it would not be his last.

Robin, Adam and Jonno were the three misfits of their grade and they knew it, or at least the other kids at school made sure they knew it. Adam was admittedly larger than many of the kids in his grade, going through his growth spurt early which kept many of the kids off their backs. But a few pegged his shy, non-confrontational nature and still tried it on sometimes.

"Oi bat boy!" Tommo yelled, his face was about as handsome as oatmeal, but he towered over Robin, bumping his chest into the boy.

Adam just sighed, they had only just walked into the school, "Lay off him Thomas," he growled, making sure to lace his voice with threat.

"Oh yeah and what are you going to do about it Giles?" the boy said, turning on him poking a finger into his chest.

"Come on guys," Jonno said, looking around the gates for teachers, "Let's just go, he's not worth it," he grabbed the backs of the boy's blazers and pulled them towards the large glass door.

"I don't think so," Tommo grabbed Adam with a meaty paw, pulling him back towards him. Adam just groaned in annoyance, which caused Tommo to go a bright shade of puce, "Gotta show this freak some respect," he raised his fist and brought it down to Adam's face. Eyes widening minutely, he dodged the blow the boys knuckles barely grazing his cheek.

He crouched down out of Tommo's grip and in a flash he pulled the boy's arm behind his back easily, making the larger boy buckle to his knees in front of him with little effort. It was as if his limbs were moving like water, the smooth movements of his muscles quickly incapacitating the larger boy. He felt something crow within his as he subdued his victim. Victim?

A few onlookers watched Adam warily and he whispered, "You going to leave us alone now Thomas?" hissing into his ear, "Or do you want more people to see that you got beaten by me?"

The older boy growled, his body shaking, "Go fu—"

"What is the meaning of this!?" a voice bellowed from the entrance and Adam felt his heart sink, his eyes trailing up the stairs to see Mr. Van Helsing looking down at him as if the devil had just walked up to him and spit on his shoe.

"Adam! Thomas! My office now!" he seethed, obviously struggling to keep the anger out of his voice. Adam shot Jonno a pleading look, but the darker boy just shrugged, Robin gave him a subtle thumbs up and a wink. Just typical.

He trudged up the stairs, making sure to steer clear of the large boy who was side eyeing him with murderous intent. The hallways were aflame with whispers as they walked by, some pointed at Adam's face. He lifted shaking fingers to his cheekbone, his fingers came away wet and bloody, but it wasn't the crimson that he was so used to seeing. Swirling within the red there were veins and whirls of what looked to be ink hidden before the crimson surface tension. He grabbed the cuff of his sleeve and pressed it into the small wound on instinct, making sure to apply pressure as they walked.

Coming to Mr. Van Helsing's office he pulled his hand away, the stain on the white fabric was nearly black, much to his horror and he tucked the sleeve under his blazer. He hoped that he had staunched the bleeding well enough to avoid questioning. He did not plan on seeing the mad school nurse thank you very much.

Van Helising pointed at the two threadbare chairs that sat in front of his sparse desk. Adam had spent a lot of time here through the years, training and learning with his mentor, the familiar scent of garlic hung cloying in the air leaving him feeling slightly ill. He had never liked the smell, despite the bulb's usefulness. He sat on the chair next to the window, looking out to the grey broiling clouds, waiting for the rapture of Van Helsing's speech on discipline.

"So, either one of you want to tell me what happened out there?" Van Helising said, swooping in front of them and leaning back on his desk with an air of informality despite the steel in his voice.

Adam kept quiet, resolutely staring out the window, unable to meet Mr. Van Helsing's eyes.

"It was Giles sir!" Tommo piped up, holding his arm with pain stricken across his face, "He just went mad and attacked me! I didn't do nothing sir!"

"Is this true Adam? Did you attack this boy?" he asked, eyebrows raised in disbelief.

Adam just nodded, even Tommo's head swivelled at that as he stared at Adam who just hung his head.

Van Helsing stuttered bug eyed, "Right, Thomas you may leave. Get out of my sight and I better not see you in this office again," he said, and the boy bolted from the room as if he had been shocked. Van Helsing sighed wearily, and Adam felt his stomach flip with guilt. He knew that his mentor had been awake at the crack of dawn for the teacher's meeting and he had just given him much more work. Van Helsing looked him over, "Did Thomas give you that?" pointing at his cheek. Adam nodded tightly, feeling a headache bloom in his temples. Van Helsing stood from his position, "Then why didn't you say? Why did you let him get away with it?" he gestured wildly to the door that Tommo had just disappeared out of.

"Because," Adam hissed, causing Van Helsing to take an involuntary step back, "I let him get to me and I shouldn't have let him. He's a child!"

"You're a child Adam! I respect your decision but it's frankly too bloody noble of you!" Van Helsing said, "What would your mother think? Huh?"

Adam stood from his seat, his control snapping like bands in his chest, "Don't bring my mother into this! If he got in trouble, he would just attack Robin and Jonno at the next opportunity he got. What if I wasn't around?! It's just best he thought he'd won."

Van Helsing looked at Adam, watching him as his breath came in short gasps, "This is a schoolyard bully not some vampire Adam."

"I know just…" Adam scrubbed his face, "I just lost it okay and I can't —I can't just attack people when they're mean to my friends can you just…give me a detention or something?"

"Right, just come back here in the afternoon, I'll let you off with a warning this time okay. Just don't do it again," Van Helsing said, hanging his head as he went behind his desk shuffling papers.

Adam bobbed his head and stood from his seat; his limbs felt heavy as he dragged himself through the door. Clinging onto the door frame he leaned back into the office for a moment, as Van Helsing's head snapped up towards him, "I'm really sorry."

"I know Adam, just…get to class."

He rushed out of the room, stones rolling in his stomach as the sound of his footsteps clashed loudly in his mind and the air stuffed itself hotly down his throat leaving him breathless. Barging into the bathroom the fluorescent lights were nearly blinding and dark spots danced in his eyes as he splashed his face with water trying to chase away the heat that clawed at his skin. Looking up into the mirror he saw his own pale reflection, inspecting his face he noticed the scratch Thomas had gifted him had disappeared. What was wrong with him?

With a woozy roll in his stomach, he promptly fainted.

AN: Hey! Hope you enjoyed this chapter! This probably won't be my main writing focus at the moment as I'm writing The Rising Sun at the same time as this but who knows...let me know if you liked this story and if you want it to continue.

Ta ta for now!