Guinevere (Ahhh, dark and angsty. But our girl's tough. She's gonna make this work. BTW, the reference to the French Revolution is just me being a history dork. But it works. so hehehe. I'm also really shocked that everyone doesn't hate Marshall, but I'm glad cause they're friends.)

Charlie once again slept in her tub of cold water. But upon waking, she received a phone call from an unknown number.

"Hello," said a pleasant woman's voice. "I am calling to inquire as to whether you want to continue to have a retinue of donors or if you'd prefer a delivery of bottled blood?"

"Who the hell is this?" Charlie asked in confusion.

"Forgive me, Jane. Mr. Koston's secretary," the voice replied.

"I think I'd prefer the bottled. But tell him I can get my own sustenance," Charlie thought for a moment, "And you can also tell him where to shove his donors."

The voice, Jane, bit back a chuckle, "I surely shall. I'm also instructed to tell you to expect a rather large delivery tonight around ten. Not blood."

"What then?" Charlie asked exasperated at Josef's impertinence.

"You'll see. Good day Charlotte," Jane, the voice, said hanging up.

So Charlie was not at all surprised to see a delivery truck pull up several hours later. If Josef said something you could believe it. However, she thought of her own current situation, if he didn't, well then, you were SOL (Shit out of luck).

She opened the door and signed the invoice held under her nose. "Do you know what this is?" she asked gesturing toward the rather large box with her head.

"Don't rightly know, ma'am. Half of my job is discretion," he replied tipping his hat to her.

"Well, thanks," she said letting him out.

She took a moment and looked at the rectangular shape he'd left, sitting in her living room floor. Pulling off the sides of the box, she realized it was a freezer. Built just for her.

It was heavy, but she had no trouble dragging the thing to her room. She arranged it on the far side of her bed, out of view, and plugged it in.

Out of curiosity, she opened the lid to see if there was a note. Had she been human, her heart would have been racing, as she saw that there was a note, taped to the inside of the lid.

Unfolding it, she read

If you need anything, blood, money, or
otherwise, or if this freezer needs
servicing, call me 555-1118

-Jane

Nice brush off, Josef, Charlie thought. That note did not have the anticipated reaction however. Come hell or highwater, she vowed that she'd figure it out herself. She wouldn't survive being Josef's obligation. With that in mind, she dialed a number remarkably similar to Jane's.

She grinned at the familiar voice at the other end. "Papi! How the hell are you?"

"Chica, I haven't heard from you in a lifetime!"

Charlie grinned at his unintentional joke. "Papi, you know how you're always begging me to tend bar for you at Jack Rabbit's?"

"Yes Chica, haven't changed your mind have you? Can always use good help," he laughed boisterously.

"Yeah, actually. So when can I start?" she said seriously.

"Immediately, but why the change of heart? Chica, I told your pa that I'd take care of you, if you need anything, just ask Papi," he replied gently.

"Just a job, Papi. I find myself a bit of an insomniac lately," she joked.

"Ci. Come into tonight, if you like Chica."

She'd learned to tend bar just as soon as she could, anticipating needing employment through college. She hadn't had to work much, but she knew she could pick it back up. And really, the hours were utterly ideal.

A couple of nights faded into a week, and she got a pretty good handle on her new routine. Beth had come into the bar once or twice, and they were talking every couple of days. (She was using Mick's supplier Guillermo for blood. hehe)

At the end of the week, Charlie was surprised. Surprised that breathing was no easier. That she missed Josef more. That she wondered what to do with eternity.

She was also surprised at a familiar face in the bar.

She had her back turned to the bar, reaching for a new bottle of Jack, which was Jack Rabbit's house wine, it appeared, when she heard a pleasantly deep voice say, "Where have you been all my life?"

She turned with a sneer, only to recognize Marshall. "Hey stranger," she said hugging him across the bar.

"Since when do you work here?" he asked.

"Since a week ago," she smiled.

"Well, this must be fate," he winked dramatically. "You didn't call me and fate saw fit to bring us back together."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Fate, I don't know. Booze, maybe."

"Such a cynic," he replied.

He stayed until after everyone else had left, and helped her clean the place up.

As they were walking out to the parking lot, he asked, "So do I need an excuse, to come back or can I just come back to see you?"

She looked at him deeply. "I'd like to see you again, excuse or no excuse, but you should know it's just because you're a nice guy and you take my mind off the fact that my heart is broken. I'm not the girl you want. I can't be."

"That's pretty intense," he sighed. "So no hope, huh?"

"I'm sorry," she said looking at the ground. "You shouldn't be wasting your time with someone who is both emotionally and literally undead."

"Hey, hey, look at me," he said tilting her chin up. "That doesn't mean we're not friends. I mean, even without the fangs, you are still the most interesting friend I've got... And consequently you're the only person, human or otherwise, that I'd rather hang out with than read medical texts," he concluded lightly.

She smiled, "That's because I'm dangerous."

"Ha."

After such a water shed event in her life, Charlie thought it would be harder to go back to normal. The French Revolution changed the course of the history of Europe, paving the way for many smaller Revolutions, and marking a new century a few years earlier than the calender did.

As for her own personal revolution, well, she went back to her apartment, and continued to go to school. She wore the same clothes, and liked the same music.

It would seem very few things had changed. And it certainly didn't herald the coming of a new century. Oh well. She did get a few things out of it... Immortality wasn't so bad.

And truth be told, of what she gained, and what she lost, she could not decide which was more important.

What she gained was only possible because of what she lost. Control over her new nature because she was with Josef. Beth's friendship because she was with Josef. A broken heart because she was with Josef. A job and a new friend because she left Josef.

So she trudged on.

Guinevere by Eli Young Band (LOVE this song. The metaphor about forgiveness gives me goosebumps.)

She carries memories around like souvenirs
Down in her pockets
She should have let some go by now
But can't seem to drop it

Says forgiveness ain't nothing
But a lifeless tire on the shoulder
Of her soul
It'd never roll...

She don't hold on to nothing new
For very long
And she'll write you in it just one more time
And then you're gone
Cause she once fell hard
Cause she dropped her guard
And no one gets to stay
It's just too late.