(A/N: Guess what guys…this story is now over 200 pages! This is the longest thing I've ever written in my life! ;D Now on with the story!)

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

Van Helsing sat by Beth's side as he waited for her to wake up. His eyes were slowly drooping down in a desperate want of sleep. He couldn't rest now. He had something he had to tell his daughter. It had to be said the instant she woke up. After thinking about it for a while, he had decided to call a truce with Mori. Of course, Mori had to wake up first if he was ever going to carry out his plan. Carl was watching her. She had yet to wake up. If she did, Carl had been instructed to come get him immediately.

Beth's eyes fluttered open. Her head felt like it was splitting in half. She moaned slightly as she felt it throb in pain.

"Beth? Bethany?"

The girl knew that voice, but it still took her a few moments before it registered with her. The girl turned her head to see that Van Helsing was sitting next to her bed. Beth was about to say something along the lines of 'what do you want' or 'leave me alone', but her father cut her off.

"Before you say anything, I…I want to…to apologize."

Beth looked at him confused. Was he, Van Helsing, actually apologizing? The girl was so stunned, she decided the best thing to do was to remain silent. She could tell that this was hard for him to say. If she interrupted him now, then he may never finish what he was going to say.

"I should have trusted your judgment on Mori's character…and I'm sorry I didn't. I shouldn't have tried to make you abandon her." the seasoned monster hunter continued.

"Are you…" Beth stopped and thought for a moment. If he didn't really mean it, then he wouldn't have said it. But could it really be that simple? Maybe it could be. The girl pushed herself up and her expression softened. "I forgive you, but I'm not the only person you should be apologizing to."

"I know." Van Helsing replied. "She is still unconscious. Carl is with her to make sure she'll be alright."

The two sat in silence for a moment, neither one really sure what they should do now. They had been fighting so long, it felt a little odd to be on the same side again. Finally, Van Helsing broke the silence.

"Come here, midget."

Beth shifted herself toward him and Van Helsing wrapped his arms around his daughter. After a moment, she did the same. The girl relished in the comfort of his protection. It felt like a great weight had just been lifted off her. She felt lighter. Her soul felt lighter. She was beginning to feel like her old self again. Finally, the two pulled away from each other.

"I missed you." He told her.

"Dad." Beth replied smiling softly. He was being silly.

"I really missed that."

- - -

Two days later, Beth was up and walking around, but Mori was still unconscious in her bed. Bethany wasn't allowed to visit her, but didn't know why Carl wouldn't let her. Maybe it was his crazy 'must heal in quiet' philosophy. The girl ended up filling the time with reading in the library. Her father would come in a lot and talk with her. He was doing his best to find out what she was like when she was little. Most of the time, it triggered a long forgotten memory to spring up. In return, Van Helsing told Beth about all his past assignments. The girl was fascinated by them. Mostly it was because he was a good storyteller. Also, the stories were very exciting.

"Van Helsing," Carl said as he came in the library. It had been one week since Beth woke up. He had just interrupted Van Helsing telling Bethany about a nasty demon assignment in Spain. "may I speak to you out in the hall?"

"Sure."

Van Helsing got up and followed the little friar into the hall. The man shut the library door behind him. Bethany, meanwhile, returned to her book. After a few minutes, Van Helsing returned with a solemn face. The girl looked up when he entered. His expression wasn't comforting.

"Beth," he started. It was difficult for him to say what he needed to. Even he himself couldn't believe what Carl had just told him. He never thought it could happen, but it had.

"What's wrong?" Beth asked, worry written all over her features. She had closed her book and stood up so she could move toward her father. The monster hunter took a deep breath and just let it come out.

"Mori is dead."

Beth stopped dead as her blood froze.

"What?" she asked. Her stomach began tightening till she thought she would throw up. It couldn't be…I just couldn't. Mori was immortal! She can't die! It was impossible! "Mori can't be dead."

"Her heart stopped and she wasn't breathing." Van Helsing told her as calmly as he could. Bethany began shaking her head. Tears were welling up in her eyes as she hugged herself. Something inside her had cracked. The dam she had built broke and her sadness came spilling out. Van Helsing then put an arm around her shoulders.

"No!" Beth cried as tears raced down her cheeks. She then fell into her father's arms weeping uncontrollably. Van Helsing just patted her back, trying to comfort and calm the girl.

"No. No. No. No. No." Beth said between her sobs. "Not Mori. Please…not Mori!"

"Shhh." Gabriel said stoking her hair. "Everything will be alright. Shhh."

Beth sat in his arms for what seemed like an eternity, crying. She just couldn't believe that Mori was gone. Mori had died to protect her. Mori had died…for her. This was her fault. Because of her…Mori was gone forever.

- - -

The next few days were a blur for the teenager. The day after Mori's death, Beth and Jen stood in the doorway of her room. Mori's room was dark, as it had always been. The only light it had streamed in from the hallway. Van Helsing had to pick up Mori's body off the bed and Carl silently lead him elsewhere. The teenagers didn't even bother to follow. They didn't even want to know they were going. The thought was too depressing.

"I don't believe it." Jen said. Beth remained silent. She felt different, like something was missing. Bethany knew perfectly well what that something was, of course. It was her best friend. And there were always those two horrible thoughts in the back of her mind. Mori had died to save her and (no matter how much she tried to deny it) there was no fixing this. The girl angrily brushed a tear from her cheek. Not only was the young huntress filled with grief, but she was racked with guilt. Mori's death was all her fault and the thought would never leave her alone. She knew it never would till the day she died (which could be sooner than she planed).

"I can't believe that one of us…died." Jen said quietly.

"Someone usually does on a mission like this." Beth replied softly, all the emotion gone from her voice. She was too troubled to even bother with feelings anymore. They only exhausted her.

The two girls looked at each other for a moment before Jen walked off. Beth was left alone staring into Mori's dark room. Things were just has they had been while she was alive. The books were placed neatly on their shelves and even the piles on the floor were left untouched. On her desk were half finished notes and a partially used bottle of ink, which had been left open. The candles in the room were half used up with the wax left frozen as it dripped down the sides. Beth remembered the conversations she had with Mori in this room. When she needed the blood, Mori was here. Bethany had been sitting in the chair by her bed. Then, more recently, when Mori asked Bethany if she was alright. Beth had been in that same chair. That was during the fight with Van Helsing. Now, Van Helsing would never make peace with her. Beth would never get to tell her that she really was fine. If only Mori wasn't dead…but that was just a wish. Most wishes never come true. 'If only' was never going to be a reality.

With a deep sigh of regret and pain, Beth closed the door.