Savannah didn't believe in luck, nor did she believe in God, but in the weeks following their little pow wow she thanked both her lucky stars and the aforementioned deity that the meeting had turned out as it had.

It was extremely tentative at first, not that she could blame the woman, and she saw a completely different side to the powerful redhead. There was the mask she put on in public, the mask she wore even at home, and then there was her true self, an insecure, abused woman desperate for but afraid of affection. It was hard at first, when Adri would shy away from her touch or flinch when she came near, but gradually she'd gotten her past that stage, and could now hold her and show her affection without the risk of a panic attack.

It was so hard at first. One wrong word, one quick move would send Adrianna running. She could barely touch her and she'd flinch, and that hurt both of them more than words could express. What made it worse was the clear longing she could see in Adri's eyes and face, the longing to be touched, to be comforted, to be loved.

That was perhaps the biggest demon they had to face, her fear of love. Savannah's tactic was to let Adri set the pace and be there for her as much as the redhead would allow. She hoped that it would show her she was there to stay.

Their relationship continued to crawl, Savannah afraid to push and Adri afraid to commit, until one day in late June. Savannah was curled up on the couch reading a book and Adri was off doing something elsewhere. The sounds she made as she moved around the house provided a background to the brunette's reading. It soothed her knowing that the woman had become comfortable enough to go about her business as though she wasn't there. It was progress, small though it may be.

She turned page after page, becoming engrossed in the story. It wasn't until she registered the silence that she looked up. Adri was standing the doorway looking afraid and unsure, and Savannah had learned to be still during these times and allow her to figure it out on her own. Even from so far away she could see emotions racing through emerald gems before the woman gained a determined expression. Adri never took her eyes off of her as she crossed the room and settled herself beside her on the couch. She held her breath as the woman slowly slid closer, Adri's confidence faltering as she got close enough to feel her body heat. She bit her lip but didn't stop, not until she was tucked securely against her side.

Savannah froze, stiffening as Adri's soft curves pressed against her. It was more from shock than anything. Slowly, so she wouldn't startle her, she raised her right arm and wrapped it around her girlfriend's shoulders, pulling her just a tad closer. She felt her relax after a few tense seconds and breathed a sigh of relief, pride and happiness exploding through her chest as she went back to her book, dropping a kiss on fiery hair as she did so. Adri sighed quietly, enjoying the comfort the girl gave.

By the beginning of July she was actually starting to become comfortable with their relationship, which pleased Savannah greatly, especially since their relationship had faltered after the story of her scars came out.

Savannah knew they needed to talk about it, needed to get it into the open and lay it to rest. She'd promised Adri that they'd talk about it, back on the day that felt like a lifetime ago. But she didn't know if she could.

How were you supposed to tell the person you loved that they were the reason behind your self-harm?

Especially perfect little Adrianna. Adrianna, who went above and beyond to show her how much she loved her, be it with little gifts or loving looks or kind words. Adrianna, who was so damaged herself. Adrianna, who had only just grown comfortable with their relationship. Adrianna, who might run.

How could she risk all of that?

But she had promised, and one thing she had vowed never to do was to lie to her girlfriend. So as June waned and July approached, and they grew closer, she sat her down and told herself it was time. She knew the woman wondered about the scars, could feel her tracing them unconsciously while they cuddled. She sighed, taking the redhead's hands in her own, more to ground herself than her partner.

Adrianna's eyes darted from their joined hands to her face. It was drenched in sadness and pain, usually bright blue eyes dull and dead. She felt her heart speed up, subconsciously tracing her thumb across the palm of Savannah's hand. The brunette looked up, giving her a weak smile before looking away once again.

"Adri, there's something I need to tell you," Savannah began, and she knew without looking that pure terror had replaced the concerned look on the woman's face. "Do you remember when you asked what these scars were? Well-"

Adrianna's face was a whirlwind of emotions as Savannah's story came out. How she had steadily grown more depressed after her harsh rejection to the point that emotions ceased to exist. How eventually the only way to feel anything at all was to cut, until even that failed to provide release but became a habit that she was unable to function without. How it was all her fault.

The last bit, though not voiced or even implied, was clearly understood by the redhead, and she felt her heart twist with the knowledge that she had caused her girl so much pain. The thought that she had put the girl through so much resonated around her mind and it was all she could do to remain still and listen to the rest of the story.

"But none of that matters now, because it's over," Savannah said, voice thick with tears. "I owed you this explanation, and I felt like now was the right time to tell you, because I think I've finally begun to heal, and you've helped me get here. I love you so much, Adri."

She looked up then, for the first time since she'd sat them down, and immediately felt red flags raise in her mind. Adrianna had the blank look she'd get when she was lost in a particularly painful memory, the look that usually promised lots of tears and reassurances that everything was fine. Green eyes were far-away and cloudy, the life seeming to have gone out of them, and there were tear tracks decorating her cheeks.

"Adri?" she said quietly, giving the delicate hands she held a light squeeze, her concern mounting when she received no response. "Adrianna? Sweetheart?"

She jumped when emerald orbs snapped up to face her, pale hands jerking out of her grasp. Her eyes darted to the woman's face, alarmed when she saw the shields and masks slamming into place.

"It's my fault. All my fault," the woman murmured, her eyes unfocusing once again. "I didn't even notice."

"Adri-"

She was gone before Savannah could blink. Her eyes darted around, hoping there was something to alert her to the Vampire's whereabouts, but she found nothing. She swore, her hands flying to her hair. Her fingers entangled in it, tugging and providing the pain she needed to refocus and ground herself.

"Okay, okay, she has to be around somewhere. You can find her, you've done it before. Just because she ran doesn't mean she's giving up, she's probably just overloaded. Just breathe and find her."

She took a deep breath, shifting and ignoring the voice that told her Adri's reaction had been inevitable. Growling as the world sharpened around her, she opened her eyes, ears swiveling as she searched for any sign of her girlfriend. She caught her scent leading out of the house, and huffed at the predictability of the situation. When Adri ran, she ran.

She trotted out of the house, using her weight to force open the ancient front door. Adri's scent led her toward the woods, and she rolled her eyes. Of all the places she could have chosen, the woods had to be it. Shaking her head, she released a howl, knowing the woman would hear it and know she was coming. One panic attack for the day was enough, no need to cause another by surprising her.

As she ran, she couldn't help but notice how unusually hard it was to track her scent, and the thought that the redhead was deliberately avoiding her hurt. Her insecurities nagged at her and picked at her emotional scars, and she did her best to ignore them and focus on the task at hand. But that didn't stop the tears from emerging and rolling into her fur, staining it a darker shade of black.

Finally, after being led astray twice and losing the the trail once, Savannah spied Adri curled against the base of a large oak, her hands listlessly tracing the scars in the bark. Her eyes were far away, a sign that she was still in whatever world her mind had created. The wolf turned and backtracked about a half mile, releasing another howl as a final warning before returning to the tree. Adri hadn't moved, though she had tensed.

Huffing, she approached slowly, unsure if she would run again. She bumped her shoulder with her head, and when no result was forthcoming deemed it safe enough to shift back. She sat slightly behind her and to her left, careful not to touch her. The silence between them was suffocating, and it wasn't long before she broke it.

"It wasn't your fault."

"It was."

"No," she said firmly, "it wasn't." Adri turned her head just enough so that she could see her. "It was a combination of things, but I won't outright lie and say the rejection had nothing to do with it. It was more like that was final straw. Between that day and my parents' rejection and about a thousand other things, I just lost it."

Tears began falling as she recalled how she'd felt back in those dark months, and how she'd felt after watching Adri run from her again. This had the woman turning to face her fully, and though she seemed hesitant, she pulled the brunette to rest against her, using the tree trunk for support. Savannah curled against her, basking in the unexpected but not unwanted comfort.

"And then when you ran earlier, it just brought all those feelings rushing back to the surface. I know you didn't mean it, that you would never deliberately hurt me, but it did."

Adrianna was silent for a few moments as she contemplated what to say.

"I know, rationally thinking, that your ordeal wasn't entirely my fault. But when you told me that the trigger was what happened that day, I just couldn't help it. I assumed, and I got scared, and I felt guilty, and I just couldn't take it. I do care for you...greatly." She stumbled, still unable to admit her love outright.

She buried her nose in black hair that carried the scent of the forest and sighed, realizing how broken they both truly were. Not for the first time she questioned if they were really meant to be together. How were they supposed to work if she kept running and Savannah couldn't even talk to her?

She pushed those thoughts away, using the body pressed against her as a weapon against her mind.

Savannah laughed breathily at her girlfriend's words, reaching up to trace the side of her face.

"Look at us," she whispered. "All jagged pieces and dark colors."

Adri hummed.

"And yet, here we are," she replied, lifting her head to stare at the sunlight slanting through the leaves.

"Here we are," Savannah agreed.

She tucked her head into the crook of Adri's neck, following her gaze to the leaves. The woman looked down, marveling at her luck, and promising herself to do better, to be more open.

The following days were tense, Adri fighting her own mental demons and Savannah trying to support her, all while worrying that it was the end of the happiest time of her life. The woman could barely look at her scars without remembering the woods and how hurt the girl had been. Guilt was threatening to eat her alive but she pushed back, forcing herself to see the situation differently.

By the end of the tumultuous period of emotions, Adri had found a new confidence. She understood that while Savannah was young, she wouldn't leave her. She understood that together they could help the other heal. She understood that what they had would work if she would allow it. So when the opportunity arose to show her girl that she loved her, she proudly held her, and was the rock she needed as she recovered from a particularly nasty flashback.

Since then, Adri had been more receptive to nearly everything, though she still tensed when Savannah said the 'L' word. She had actually taken the upper hand in the relationship, and Savannah found the changes not only amazing in comparison to the broken woman Adri had been, but also very attractive. Of course they still had their moments, and in such times it was a toss of the coin as to who would hold it together enough to comfort the other, but they kept trying, and gradually those moments began to come with less frequency. They were healing, slowly, but it was happening.

And by mid-August, well, things were getting interesting to say the least.

"Just wear it, please? For me?" Adri begged, holding out the offending item.

Savannah looked at it and then at her as if she'd grown two more heads.

"You realize you're asking me to wear a collar. A dog collar."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Well we can't very well go around holding hands in public can we?" Adri asked sarcastically. "I thought this way we could go out and not be questioned."

Grudgingly, Savannah took the collar.

"So you want to pass me off as an enormous dog?"

"Yes!"

Groaning, but unable to deny the woman, Savannah shifted, dropping the collar at her feet. Nearly squealing in happiness, Adrianna picked it up and fastened it around her neck, quite pleased with the results. Savannah turned to look in the mirror, and though she'd never admit it, wasn't too upset. The collar was made of a sturdy black leather that matched her fur perfectly, the jewels embedded in it (emeralds and sapphires of course) glittered in the low light of the room, as did the golden pendant engraved with a delicate 'S'. She still wasn't sure where the woman had gotten the thing, but she could definitely think of a few more uses for it than just a disguise. Shaking her head, she shifted back, slightly surprised when the collar remained. It looked even better on her human self, and she couldn't stop the smirk from curling across her lips.

"Okay, maybe this isn't so bad," she admitted, deliberately ignoring the woman's look of satisfaction.

"Told you so."

"Yeah, yeah," she said, rolling her eyes. Internally, she was marveling at how far they had come in three months. It almost reminded her of back when they were merely friends and had spoken to each other without fear of consequence or anxiety attacks. She turned to look at herself once more, tracing her fingers across the pendant. "You know, if it wasn't so wide, this could almost pass for a necklace," she mused, missing the subtle widening of verdant eyes.

Adrianna had to remind herself in that moment that, no, Savannah did not know what she was unintentionally implying, and that she was too young to know of such things. She could not, however, control the the light blush that spread from her cheeks to her chest. Sapphire orbs locked onto the color change, smirking as her eyes traced it to the neckline of the woman's tank top. Adri coughed, turning away before she did something stupid, like kiss the smug look away and teach her just what kinds of things that collar could be used for on a human body.

The brunette grinned, pleased she could cause such a reaction. She wandered over to the woman's side, wrapping herself around her and resting her head on her shoulder.

"Come on, I know I look good, but not that good," she teased, successfully causing Adri's embarrassment and arousal to fade into thin air.

She started laughing, unable to help it, thinking that if the girl knew how beautiful she actually was she'd never hear the end of it. She shoved her away playfully, rolling her eyes.

"Have you ever heard of modesty?" she joked, emerald eyes shining and momentarily distracting the younger of the two.

"Nope!" she replied with a grin, snapping herself out of it.

They laughed, the sound mesmerizing in its purity. Savannah regained control of herself first, sobering and taking the rare opportunity to watch the older woman in all her glory. She lived for moments like these, where they were normal and unburdened and Adri laughed freely. It was beautiful. She was beautiful.

As the redhead calmed she noticed the incredibly focused stare the younger woman had on her. It wasn't intense exactly, nor did it make her uncomfortable, in fact it nearly made her feel attractive. She blushed, this one lighter than the first, and wrapped her left hand around her waist in a half hug.

"What?" she asked, almost shyly.

Savannah didn't reply, merely stepped forward, leaving only a few inches between their bodies. Adri's breathing picked up for some inexplicable reason, and she felt her stomach flip pleasantly. Remaining silent, Savannah leaned ever closer, and time seemed to slow. Soft pink met darker rose, and two pairs of eyes slipped closed.

For the rest of her life, Adrianna would swear that the moment their lips touched sparks flew, and her heart literally stopped beating.

It seemed as though the world had stopped and it was only them and the soft beams of the late afternoon sun that warmed them as they finally shared what they had yearned for for so long. Savannah took it all in. The warmth and softness of Adri's mouth, the way it felt pressed against hers, and how her very soul seemed to sing. Adri simply kissed. She lost herself in it, drowned in the absolute happiness and complete fulfilment she felt, and reminded herself to never let go.

As the kiss came to an end and the world resumed turning they leaned back, drawing a simultaneous breath. Adrianna was the first to open her eyes, and she was astounded by what she saw. Savannah still hung in the moment of bliss, her lips slightly red and her cheeks flushed. She practically glowed, and in that moment Adri understood that there would never be anyone else she loved as much as the brunette in her arms.

Slowly, azure eyes flitted open, locking with her own as a breathtaking smile settled on the girl's face.

"Wow," Savannah breathed, lifting her hand from Adri's shoulder to run it through her hair.

She couldn't remember when her arms had settled on the woman's slightly taller shoulders, but if she was touching her then she wasn't going to argue. Adri chuckled, tightening her arms around the brunette's waist that she, like Savannah, didn't remember encircling in the first place.

"Wow is one way to put it."

"At the moment it's the only word my recovering brain can come up with."

"It was that good?" Adri asked, shocked that the girl felt the same as she did.

"It was better than good, it was perfect. It was one hell of a first kiss." Savannah said tenderly, though her tone carried a hint of seriousness.

"First kiss? But that wasn't our first kiss," Adri said, remembering the day she had kissed her and before everything had gone to hell.

She tensed unconsciously, and Savannah knew what she was thinking of. She shifted her hold so that she also held her by the waist. Her hand lightly traced circles on her lower back, her eyes never leaving the redhead's face.

"As far as I'm concerned, it was." The woman tried to protest but Savannah barreled on. "Because," she said, cutting the woman off, "now we both know what we want, and where we belong. So this, right here, was our first kiss. Okay?"

Adri didn't even need to think about agreeing.

"Okay," she said, accepting the offer as the fresh beginning it was.

"Good," Savannah said with a grin, pulling away. "Now I can brag to my friends that my incredibly hot girlfriend blew my mind with her kiss."

Adri laughed, unable to help herself.

"I sincerely hope I witness that conversation."

"Oh, I'll be sure to let you hear," the brunette said with a wink, pleased to have diffused the tension.

"So you think I'm hot?" Adri asked, the word sounding foreign in her mouth.

"Oh yeah, definitely. Quite possibly the most beautiful woman I've ever seen."

Adri sucked in a breath, her heart fluttering.

"Do you mean that?"

"Of course," Savannah said, wondering not for the first time what had been done to her girlfriend to make her doubt herself. "Now would my incredibly beautiful girlfriend like to test out this collar?"

Once again, Adri ignored the surge of arousal that shot through her, though it was harder since she had felt the girl's lips on her own. She played it off with a smirk, seizing the opportunity to poke fun at the wolf.

"Of course, but just because you're posing as a beast doesn't mean you get to act like one."

"And just how would I do that?"

"By growling at anyone that you deem to be 'too close' to me."

"Since when have I done that?"

"Does last week at the library ring any bells?"

Savannah blushed as she recalled how she had startled the college boys that had been eying Adri a little too closely.

"I didn't like the way they were looking at you," she said sulkily, bringing a chuckle out of the redhead.

"You don't like the way half the people in this town look at me." she shot back playfully.

The girl grumbled something under her breath that resembled "Mine," and Adri had the common sense not to press. Instead she turned and picked up the (purposefully short) lead that matched the collar. She waved it teasingly.

"Ready?"

"As I'll ever be," Savannah sighed, shifting and trying not to sulk.

Adri attached it and practically beamed with happiness.

…..

Savannah decided, later on after she'd suitably terrorized half the town, that if being walked on a leash like a common pet made her girlfriend happy then she'd gladly comply if for nothing but to see her smile, though she could do without the jokes afterward. Even then, she mused as she allowed the redhead to lie across her and doze, it was worth it.

Ethan was not pleased. Though he rarely saw or spoke to his daughter, much to his displeasure, he wasn't oblivious, nor was he stupid. He could smell the monster on her whenever she bothered to come home, and the scent lingered in the air far longer than he'd like. He couldn't even pass the doorway to her room without gagging, it was so prevalent.

He moped around the house, successfully annoying his wife to the point that she threatened to buy him an actual doghouse to sleep in. He was more subtle about expressing his opinions after that, though he couldn't hide his growing joy as the day he had been waiting for for months drew near. He could sense his friends closing in, could feel their magic pulse more strongly the closer they drew to his domain. Marissa had only dared to ask once what he was so happy about.

"I have a few friends coming for a visit," he answered nonchalantly.

Something about his answer put her on edge, though she wasn't sure if it was because of the way he said "friends" or the fact that they never had anyone over. She settled on the second, a pool of dread forming in the pit of her stomach. She decided to keep calm, hoping she was overreacting due to the tension that had invaded the house for months.

"Oh, do I know them?" she asked.

"No, I don't think so. They're some guys I grew up with, back before we knew each other."

That alone told her that whatever the outcome of the meeting would be it wouldn't be pleasant. She hummed noncommittally, keeping her calm façade.

"That's nice. When should I expect them?"

"Anytime now. We didn't settle on exact date, conflicting schedules and all that, but they'll definitely be here before the thirty-first."

"Alight, dear. Just let me know when you find out when they'll arrive."

Ethan agreed, pleased to have kept his secret, though he suspected she thought something was amiss. No matter, in less than two weeks the whole mess would be resolved and he'd have his family back, normal, just like before.

Marissa was worried. Not only for her daughter, but because she just knew deep down that something was going to happen, something horrible. She suspected it had something to do with Adrianna Jeepers, though what she didn't know, and didn't want to know. Her main priority was her daughter's happiness, which if she was correct was in jeopardy.

She may not like the red headed Vampire, but she couldn't deny that her daughter had blossomed since she had begun seeing the woman. She wasn't blind, she knew they were together, and though she disagreed not only with Savannah's sexual orientation but her choice of partner she didn't want to see her daughter revert to the hollow shell she had become for a few months after she'd accidentally come out. Since about May she'd been slowly returning to the world of the living, and recently she positively glowed with happiness. Who was she to take that away from her, different though it may be?

She'd had several weeks to think after Savannah's little slip up and their subsequent argument, and she'd decided that she could at least support her daughter even if she would have preferred her date a boy her own age. She'd been trying to subtly communicate as much when the teenager was home, though she wasn't sure if she was succeeding. She also knew that her husband would rather pluck out his fur one hair at a time before he accepted their child's choice of partner, but she hoped that with time he could learn to at least tolerate the woman for Savannah's sake. She doubted it, but she could hope.

Regardless, she would allow it, because it made her child happy, beyond happy actually, more like euphoric, and to her, that was all that mattered. Shouldn't that be enough for Ethan too?