Thank you all for being so patient with me! I have finally written the next chapter *fanfare* Warning: Sauciness/ explicitness in the latter half of this chapter. (Never have I written anything at 3 in the morning, I do apologise).

Present Night II: "The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed." – Carl Jung

Hal felt the sudden need to run. Maybe to the high street. Or the café. Somewhere she wouldn't find him.

His bottom lip was shuddering, but his brain had gone blank. It was impossible to make up a plausible excuse when she was watching him so closely. Perhaps he should defend himself with another question. No. She would just bully him into answering hers first. Bloody hell! Of all the things she could have wrenched up from the sea bed. Something which reminded him of how awful he used to be.

'I err...was on my way down to tell Fergus to get a move on.'

She knew he wasn't lying, she could sense it in the steadiness of his voice. But for some reason she was still passing him a scrutinising look across the room. 'Come on now,' she picked up his origami crane. 'You wanted us to be honest, and that question has been waiting on the tip of my tongue for over a century.'

'Hold on a minute,' Hal pointed an accusing finger at her. 'You left me that note.' He could practically feel the anger burning in the pit of his stomach at the memory of that day. 'You already know the answer.'

'Well you did storm off like a moody teenager.' The paper bird twirled about in her fingers. 'It's very pretty – I could only assume what was going through your head. Of course, I wanted to tease you at the same time.' He spotted the flirtatious glint sparkle in her eyes. It vanished quickly. 'But I want to hear you say it.'

Hal's arms had dropped to his side and he kept flexing his fingers at a steady pace. It felt so awkward. Part of him wanted to tell her the truth. The other part wanted to tell her to go away. Then there was that tiny voice right in the dark recesses of his mind – a corner which he had not listened to for years – which wanted to pounce and do unspeakable things. She has shut herself in your room. Do it.

'I don't want to talk about...anything from back then.'

'Why not?' she asked, cocking her head.

'Because I hate the things that I've done in my past!'

The sudden outburst caught Elizabeth by surprise and she took a step back. She knew that even as he was now, Hal might just take a sudden U-turn and do something drastic. Now it was Elizabeth's turn to keep her cool in the presence of anger. Hal had moved slightly closer.

'I can't just be so casual about everything like you can, Elizabeth,' Hal continued, his fists clenched at his sides. 'I need to block it all out! I just can't give my past the chance to ruin what I have now!' It only annoyed him more when he realised she was giving him that blank yet calculating face. 'I can't afford to make any mistakes and talking with you is a mistake!'

Elizabeth set the crane aside. 'You know your poetry, Hal. "To err is human" and all that. Trying to block out everything you've ever done is not going to do much good.'

'You said earlier, and I quote, "you of all people should know emotional baggage doesn't just go away"!'

'It never goes away, but it doesn't have to rule you. This routine rules your life.' Her hair was being temperamental again; she tucked some loose strands behind her ear. He watched her fingers brush against her neck. 'You've been trying to cut yourself off, to become more human, when really everything you're trying not to do is what is preventing you from being normal. Humanity makes mistakes. If you do the same you're one of them.'

'Oh, how would you know?'

'Because I'm trying to redeem myself too! And the only time I ever feel remotely human is when I'm around them! Interacting with them! Making a fool of myself to amuse my students! When I make a mistake or "err", whatever it is!'

Hal had to admit, despite the constant possibility that he might murder one of them, serving the customers at the Café on the Corner had taken his mind off things. That and meticulously organising the condiments. 'You're not as old as me,' Hal retaliated, but now with a more docile air about him, despite his trembling jaw.

'Old enough,' she scoffed. However, her condescending tone faded. Elizabeth looked for a moment, really looked, at the vampire standing opposite her. He was physically and mentally struggling. She was too, clearly just not to the same extent as Hal. She felt bad, responsible even, for some of his pain. And despite all this, she still wanted to know the answer to her question. What kind of flattery-seeking fiend did that make her? 'How hard is it to answer a question, Hal?'

She's practically asking you to do it.

'Do you really want to know or are you just trying to boost your self-confidence?' His question came across like venom.

Elizabeth suddenly became defensive, folding her arms under her chest and scowling. 'If I was really lacking in the latter department, I would have come in here wearing nothing but my undergarments to get your attention. I really just want an honest to God answer.' Her shoulders slumped again and she let out a defeated sigh. 'I need to know. I've always needed to know; to know that the friendship I feel for you is reciprocated in some way or another and that someone in this world has thought of me as something more than a slave or a whore.'

'You're...' he started with a firm voice, which quietened suddenly. Hal licked his lips. 'You are neither of those things.' He hadn't sounded at all sympathetic, but the certainty in his voice reassured her. The room fell silent for a few seconds; Elizabeth unable to press him further for an answer and Hal finding his own words choking him the more anxious he became. His fingers began fidgeting again. 1, 2, 3, 4. 4, 3, 2, 1. He inhaled to ease the constriction in his airways. She wasn't even doing anything and she was making him feel uncomfortable. She always, somehow, managed to do that. 'I…err…' At the sound of his voice Elizabeth raised an eyebrow expectantly. The edge of his mouth twitched.

Elizabeth waved a hand in dismissal. 'Look, I shouldn't have intruded,' she stepped away, towards the door. She was being far too casual; he knew that she still wanted her question answered. 'It was brash of me and -…'

'No.' He looked like he was still mediating whether to speak even though his voice had been so firm. 'You're right. I should tell the truth.' His eyes turned to the floor, but he soon forced them to look Elizabeth in the face. 'I was jealous.'

She physically shifted backwards, but inside Elizabeth's malicious demon was crawling its way to the surface. It was a side of her she had tried to tame, but it was worse than the beast which hungered for blood and this was the perfect opportunity to tease Hal. A bright sparkle came to her eyes. 'Jealous of what?' she asked with an impish smile. 'Or who…?' The demon wanted him to respond in fury and he did.

'Does it really matter now?'

The glint vanished. She was so erratic around him. Surely it was because of him? She had been perfectly fine until she had shut herself in his bedroom. 'What I meant to say was: why would you be jealous?' This time her voice was not so provoking. 'You were an Old One for goodness sake!'

'Oh yes,' Hal retorted. He had tried to keep his past at bay, but she had made it inevitable, like a witch conjuring up the evil in Pandora's box. 'And I could have everything I wanted! But, don't you see?' His chest his heaving, his voice now a low and intimidating hiss. 'I couldn't have you; physically have you! You tempted me – do you realise how dangerous that could have been? – but always stayed with Fergus! I couldn't comprehend why you, a vampire who was older and more superior, would stay with a shit like Fergus!' Hal unexpectedly fell quiet, breathing out through his nose. 'I was jealous because you wouldn't acknowledge me, when I was clearly the superior being.' Thank God, that wasn't the person he was any more. In fact, if he was still the same vampire he would have been far too arrogant to admit anything of the sort.

Elizabeth didn't react for some time and her words arrived in a hesitant stutter. 'W-would you like me to apologise?' Again, Hal sighed.

'No,' he shook his head. 'I've moved on.' Elizabeth watched the corners of Hal's mouth tremble and, now he had vented, he had hunched his shoulders like a shy child.

'Well, it's only taken 140 so years to get all that out in the open.' Her attempt at easing the dark mood which had fallen was such a human response to everything. Hal still didn't quite understand why the natural response to sombre news was humour. It was unnatural, but the vampire actually found himself smirking at the thought of it all. His smile quickly vanished when he realised she had moved closer again. Her fingers were teasing her necklace as she thought, but her other hand was reaching for his.

She didn't smell of violets any more. Hal could just smell her: fresh from her shower but stale with death. All vampires smelt of death, it was inevitable and natural, like a human smelling of the iron in their blood. Hal was staring at the floor between them, unable to look into her hazel brown eyes.

'I know you have a thing about physical contact,' she began quietly, 'but you could make an exception to that rule…Just for me.' She didn't sound like she was trying to seduce him – he knew all her tricks from the old days – but he felt like she was. Her voice was gentle, but inviting at the same time.

He became very aware of her fingers on the back of his hand, both of them watching the movement of their hands. Hal instantly withdrew his quickly, but, where he'd normally tense up and hurriedly back away, he moved his hand forward to feel her touch again. Could he really do it? This would be breaking a rule – a big rule. He knew how to do it. Of course he did; just because he hadn't for 56 years didn't mean he had forgotten. But to think of the repercussions…

His fingers found her hand with a tentative brush.

Hal bit his lip. Focused his mind. Let out a weighted breath through his nose. Clasped her hand suddenly and pulled her against him. His whole body was shaking, his mind trying to convince him that he should be repelled but at the same time conflicting with what his body wanted. When he kissed her the first time he was delicate and wary. It was as if he was experimenting how far he could go. His unexpected move had taken Elizabeth by surprise. When Hal drew back he realised her eyes were closed, her lips slightly parted. Jesus Christ. She wasn't even trying and he wanted to kiss her again.

He was much more determined the second time, as if his body had realised just how desperate it actually was. And he knew instantly he wasn't going to stop. He just couldn't deny himself this chance. Do not lose control. Do not lose control. Elizabeth responded with as much fervour, although, for some reason, he could feel her holding back. He didn't want her to. If they were going ahead with this they would do it properly.

Elizabeth gasped when he grabbed the small of her back and forced her hips against his. Hal's mouth swallowed the moan she let out. The blood had already rushed from Hal's brain and relocated in his nether regions. She felt it, rubbed against it. Hal groaned. He knew she was going to make it thoroughly impossible for him to slow anything down. Fine.

He hooked his fingers under the hem of her shirt and, breaking the kiss, in one quick swoop he pulled it off over her head. Hal glanced at her lace clad breasts; it would have been so easy to bite down, taste the blood under the soft flesh. But somehow Hal stayed himself. Elizabeth recognised the blood-lusty stare in Hal's eyes, realised he wasn't lunging for her.

'Well done...' she murmured, clutching his hair and bringing his lips down to crash against hers. She let his tongue roam into her mouth. She tasted of tea and sugar. He still had coffee lingering on his tongue.

Her hand was at the nape of his neck, teasing the short hairs, while the other sneaked under his navy polo shirt and stroked the sensitive skin below his navel. Hal nipped at her bottom lip in frustration. He could live with this foreplay but not for much longer. He whipped his own shirt off, throwing it into some distant corner. His cold skin pressed flush against hers, deliciously dead and electric to the touch. He couldn't stop his hands and mouth roaming, his tongue tasting her skin and revelling in the gasps and whimpers he extracted from her. His arousal was rubbing against his trousers and pressing into her hip. He needed her right now.

Hal reached for the hem of her pants, keeping eye contact with her as he pulled them down her legs. Elizabeth kicked them aside, all the while focused on Hal's pupils, which had turned dark and lustful. He was still stooped in front of her and now his curious tongue had found its way to angles of her hips. It trailed along the curve of the bone and swirled across the hollow skin beside it. He did the same to the other, occasionally nibbling but never hard enough to draw blood. Elizabeth let out a loud moan, wishing he would go lower. Hal didn't. His teasing side had risen and he was tormenting her. She placed a hand under his chin and pulled him to his feet.

She popped the button on his trousers, pulled the zip down and pushed them until they hung loosely about his hips. Without hesitation her hand slipped into his boxers and wrapped around his hard length.

'Shit,' he hissed, his eyes closed tight as a malicious smirk came to her face. Hal momentarily lost control of the situation, before finally regaining his composure and slipping his hands down to her thighs. Without warning he lifted her up and pressed her back against the nearest surface. Elizabeth hit the mantelpiece hard enough to rattle the origami figures Hal had lined up. He tried to hold her there with the force of his body, but almost lost his footing in the fire place.

Elizabeth released her grasp on him and busied herself searching for a firm hold. She narrowly missed knocking the radio off the mantel. Hal shifted, pushing her up against the solid wall, never once detaching his lips from hers. He paused and drew back for a minute. Her chest was heaving, glistening with a thin sheen of sweat. Her lips were bruised, swollen. And in that instant Hal couldn't help but remember the moment in the cellar; the first he really remembered looking at her. And whether it was that little voice convincing him or his body giving into its natural instinct he couldn't stop now, even though his body was beginning to shake.

Hal pushed her knickers aside with his fingers, positioning himself at her entrance. She glanced down at him, her eyes begging him to do it. He didn't need much convincing. He entered her quickly, all the way to his hilt. She stifled the moan which threatened to pass her lips. Hal waited, also finding himself gasping at the contact. After all, he hadn't done this for all of 56 years. Elizabeth moved against him, letting him know she was ready.

He pulled out slowly, before thrusting all the way back in. He continued in the same way, keeping a steady rhythm. Elizabeth tilted her head back, neck arched. It would be so easy for him to literally snap at the opportunity, rip the skin from her throat. He didn't. For a split second Hal saw her eyes turn as black as a starless night, but she closed them quickly.

'Nngh, harder,' she whimpered, clutching at his hair. He increased his pace, bucking hard against her and moaning loudly when she began to move against him in time. She had had plenty of practice to learn what drove men closer to the edge. Her thighs clutched tighter at his hips, drawing him deeper. Her free hand searched for something to hold on to. Hal's hand found hers, weaving his fingers through hers and supporting himself.

Elizabeth could feel her muscles beginning to tighten. Clearly Hal did too. He let out a particularly loud groan, but hurriedly cut himself short. It only just dawned on him that Annie or Tom might hear, come running in and discover...this. It was so hard to keep himself in check. He was beyond that. They were both close. So very close. Elizabeth clenched her hand so tight in Hal's her knuckles turned white. She had forgotten her rhythm. She was on the verge of coming undone.

Her nails dug hard into Hal's back. 'Oh sh-! Hal!' she cried, her body convulsing. It sent Hal over the edge also. He pressed his face into the side of her neck, snarling against her skin. He was trembling all over. His legs failed him, his muscles turned limp. Before he lost his grip on her completely, Hal set Elizabeth back down on the floor. She realised their fingers were still weaved together and quickly disentangled herself from his grasp.

He half expected Annie or Tom to burst in, but everything was silent except for his and Elizabeth's staccato breathing. Hal was surprised at how gently, affectionately even, her hand ran through his hair. He caught her wrist. He was trying to force himself to feel guilty, but he knew it was impossible.

'You didn't bite me,' she muttered in a tone that suggested she was surprised by the fact. She stopped herself from adding: And you're better than Fergus. Hal wasn't in the mood to talk. He didn't really want to do anything other than retain the contact they had. 'Would you like me to leave?'

'No,' he responded quickly. His hand which had been resting on her hip gripped tighter. Maybe it was just his own trained sense of control or maybe it was just being around her, but Hal felt no urge for blood. It gave him a wonderful sense of ease. He might as well exploit it while he could. He pulled away from the wall, taking her with him, one hand on her lower back, the other on her thigh.

In one quick move he reversed their positions and laid her down on his bed, so the length of his body covered hers. His lips were at her ear, grazing along the shell. Elizabeth shivered at his newly reawakened seductive side, as he whispered, 'We're going to make up for lost time.'

They did. Well after the street lamps had died and given way to the sun.