And the fifth review is finally in!!!! -is all smiles-

So, this is just a flashback which means it won't be all that long. Technically, this was supposed to be a part of the previous chapter but...it just wasn't meant to be (blame the confusing amount of documents I can't merge).

Ashley: I'm glad you like it. Here's the next part for you.

angel-phantom-babii: Thanks!

witchdoctor: The cliffie wasn't really needed, no...but it was either that or not hook the reader and make them want to come back. : )

I'm not a member: I'm working on it. ...by the way, maybe you should become a member. XD

Neither am I: ...I take you read the reviews before submitting your own, or you're the same person as above. ...don't flip too hard, I wouldn't want you to get hurt.

And, without further adue (sp?), you may read.

Vlad turned around, fear permantently enscribed upon his face.

He almost wished he hadn't.

Sprawled upon the ground was little Alicia. Her once vivid eyes were now shut and locked in a pained expression. A small trail of smoking whispered into the air.

Butterbuscuits. He had HIT HER!

Immediately, Vlad swooped to the ground and returned to his human form. Tears began to well in his eyes as he carefully lifted the girls small frame into his arms. Alicia...

She was his only light, and he had hurt her in his rampage over his darkness. He had pierced his own heart, and each look at the limp child dug the blade further into his soul. He was in such shock, he didn't notice when Dr. Raiyn rushed in and rush Alicia to another room, shouting orders in every direction. Vlad didn't even notice Nurse Raiyn shaking his shoulders, trying to figure out what had happened to her child. It wasn't until she herself was out of hysteria that she realized Vlad needed to be back in his hospital bed.

Two days later found Alicia in a coma and Vlad in his hospital bed, pouring over the days events.

Jack.

Coma.

New Family with Maddie.

May not wake up.

When can I be released?

My fault.

Not anytime soon.

A week into Alicia's coma, Vlad finally gathered the wits to change back to his ghost form. He hadn't transformed since he had hit Alicia, but he felt he needed to clear his overactive mind through a flight. First though, he made sure to stop by Alicia's room on the third floor.

It was the first time he had seen her in her comatose state. The poor girl had wires hooked everywhere and was breathing through a tube. Something stirred in the man's heart. There was an overwhelming sadness for his friend, but at the same time...

...at the same time, he was marveling at how powerful his ghostly state really was. If it could send a child into a coma, what other possibilities existed?

His musings were interupted by a voice. At first, Vlad thought that maybe someone had walked into the room, but the door hadn't opened. A flash of white appeared to his right.

A small angel sat on the edge of Alicia's bed, pouring out her heart. The song that flowed was majestic; it tickled Vlad's ears and relaxed him. Nothing had moved him like this before, not even Maddie. This song, the angel's song, could only be described as heavenly.

"What song are you singing, child?" Vlad asked the tiny angel.

To his suprise, when the angel turned to him, he recognized the face immediately. "Alicia?!"

Alicia gave a saddened smile. "My song? It doesn't have a title..." She turned away, a tear forming in her eye. "If it did though, it might be Sadness or Sorrow." There was a sniffling sound.

"Are you alright? What happened Alicia?" Vlad questioned, a darkening feeling surrounding him. Had she died?

A tear trickled down her face that confirmed his guess. Murderer, his thoughts rang out.

"I...I...there was a light and I was in the clouds." So there are clouds in Heaven, Vlad thought. "There was a man. He smiled at me and gave me a hug. He had two holes in his hands, and when I asked him what they were, he smiled softly and kissed me. I asked if he would sing with me. He gave me the biggest smile I had ever seen and told me I was to be called Lyric." A small smile spread across her face.

"We sang and sang. I liked it alot. He stopped though and told me I had to go. I didn't want go." Lyric's smile disappeared and the tears began to fall. "I wanted to sing again. But he told me it wasn't the time, like Mommy tells me sometimes." Overwhelmed, Lyric flew into Vlad's arms. Suprised, he paused a moment before returning her hug.

"He sent me back...he sent me away from him and said I needed to be down here for awhile. But I don't know what to do! That's me lying on the bed, but I can't get back. I can't go see Mommy, 'cause she would be mad I wasn't wearing the angel outfit she gave me. Vladdy, what should I do?"

Vlad looked down into the heart-wrenching gray (wait- GRAY?) eyes of Alicia Raiyn, now Lyric, the angel denied Heaven. How was he supposed to help her? He owed it to her, that was for sure. But how? ...maybe if he was a ghost hybrid, there would be a way to make her an angel-hybrid. How did he become one? A large burst of ectoplasmic energy, hmm?

What effect would it have on her? Would another personality be created? Maybe one he could control? Control...power...riches...

"Don't worry," he smiled through his vampirical teeth. "Everything will be fine."

Five reviews gets the next chapter.