So I have finally finished the next chapter after who knows how many months! I apologize for the stupidly long delay but life got in the way lol Hope you still enjoy (Y) Need to point out that this whole story does occur after 4.05: Hold the Front Page (you'll see why in the latter half)

The Days that Followed: "There was a definite process by which one made people into friends, and it involved talking to them and listening to them for hours at a time." – Rebecca West

In the strange moment between sleep and full consciousness, Hal found himself recalling the smell of violets, the pressure of another form against his and the feel of a cold body lying along the full length of his. And, for once, he didn't feel the ever present hunger. The monster in him was at peace for those few minutes. In an attempt to hold on to the moment he rolled on to his side, eyes still closed and stretched an arm out. Instead of a smooth shoulder or the curve of a waist his hand merely felt the indent of where someone had been.

She was gone. Of course she was gone.

The vampire finally forced himself to wake up. The duvet was still partly thrown back where she had left it; the sheets still crumpled; the fabric still clutching on to her sweet, dead scent. Hal looked beyond the bed to find that the origami figures had been rearranged, although some were creased and torn. Hal shifted on to his back and stared at the ceiling. He shouldn't have expected to find her there in the first place. He shouldn't have raised his hopes.

Oh well. Hal figured that if she was gone it would cause less hassle for him. He could get back to his routine and she would just be a blip. If she had only woken earlier and gone back to her room or downstairs then that would alleviate some of the awkward "morning after" conversation.

-x-

Elizabeth was sitting at the breakfast table with her back to the living room, a newspaper folded up just by her right hand. Tom was to her left, clad only in his underwear and gulping down large mouthfuls of Cheerios. Eve's was securely clipped into her carrier which was placed on the chair beside Tom. Just as Hal walked in Annie swooped through the double kitchen doors with two mugs which were full to the brim.

'Two teas,' she beamed, setting each mug down carefully in front of the vampire and werewolf. 'Morning Hal!'

'Good morning,' he said uncertainly, straightening out his shirt and glancing at the back of Elizabeth's head.

'Coffee?'

'Err…yes, please.'

Hal sat beside Elizabeth as naturally as possible –the last thing he wanted was for Tom or Annie to notice a change in his character. Elizabeth passed him a subtle smile, but quickly hid it behind her mug as she took a sip of tea. The edge of Hal's mouth twitched but he stopped himself from responding.

''Ow d'ya sleep?' Tom asked.

'Fine,' Hal responded bluntly. He didn't want to give anything away.

Annie re-entered the room, placing Hal's mug on a coaster in front of him and took up the space beside him. 'Have you boys got work today?' At the sound of Annie's voice Eve began to whine. The ghost carefully removed her from the carrier and cradled her in her arms instead.

'Yup,' Tom replied. Hal nodded in agreement. The werewolf's spoon clanked at the bottom of the bowl; he had already finished and Hal had only just arrived. Then again it never took Tom very long to at anything. 'Don't be too long, 'Al, we gotta go soon.' Once Tom had put the bowl on the sink he ran upstairs to dress. The breakfast table was instantly left in a momentary silence.

Hal took a deep gulp of coffee – perfectly made as usual – and glanced at Elizabeth over the rim of his mug. She was immaculate; not a trace of last night left on her person…and the necklace was nowhere in sight. Why did that please him so much?

'Elle was telling me how you two settled your differences last night,' Annie stated, smiling. Hal almost choked on his coffee, causing surprised looks from the women on either side of him.

'Just that we had a good, long talk,' Elizabeth confirmed for Hal's benefit. She noted how the muscles in his face relaxed again, as he regained his original composure. Annie's smile turned into a full grin and she gave Hal a friendly punch in the shoulder.

'Well done, Hal! Reconciliation is good for the soul!'

'Of course it is,' Hal responded dryly, rising from the table. 'If you would please excuse me.' Before anyone could respond he had vanished down the hallway, past the reception desk. Elizabeth finished her tea and also made to leave the room.

'Thank you for the tea,' she smiled pleasantly at Annie.

Left alone, the ghost looked down at the baby in her arms. Eve gently waved her arms about, clutching for the soft wool of Annie's cardigan. 'We won't let them know what we heard last night, will we?' Annie cooed, tickling Eve. The baby gurgled happily. 'Will we? No we won't.'

Elizabeth caught up with Hal just outside his room. She didn't reach out for him, she didn't even enter his personal space; she kept the width of the Hallway between them. Hal could smell the perfume she had already sprayed on, it crept through his senses as it always did. He wanted to feel it again, feel her against him, feel the absolute peace that came in succession.

'I didn't say anything to Annie,' she confirmed. 'Although I don't think these walls are very thick. Who knows what she and Tom picked up.' Elizabeth appeared to find the situation rather amusing, but Hal didn't seem so convinced. Not that there was anything he could do about it.

'I thought…,' Hal begin passing his gaze from the floor then back to Elizabeth, 'I thought you might have left.' The vampire shook her head with a sympathetic smile. She wanted to move closer, but she wasn't quite sure what the dynamic now was between them. One step and she could wrap herself up in him again. Instead of giving him a physical response she gave a more sarcastic, human response.

'Why on earth would I leave so abruptly when everyone here makes me feel so wanted?'

The most illusive of smirks tweaked at the corner of Hal's mouth. He was starting to get the gist of the human need to respond to emotion with a joke. 'I have to go to work,' he pointed out, checking his watch. 'Mustn't be late.'

'Yes, of course,' Elizabeth moved away towards her room. 'I suppose I should say: have a good day.'

Hal huffed. 'Yes, that is the correct term. I will see you later.' His voice sounded uncertain, questioning even, but Elizabeth nodded all the same in response. Hal was just about to open the door to his room when Elizabeth called out from down the hall.

'By the way, you know your room smells of demon?'

-x-

The café was predictably quiet for the most of the day and in the evening when Hal and Tom returned they sank into their usual spots on the sofa to watch The Antiques Road Show. Annie and Elizabeth were more concerned with Eve; raining attention on her. Elizabeth secretly enjoyed pretending that Eve was part of her family, something which she would never truly experience. She would make the most of it now. Annie had commented again how good the vampire was with the baby.

Later, when Tom had gone to his room and Annie had put Eve in her cot, Hal and Elizabeth lingered in the living room. They took the chance to talk, openly and unhindered, no longer restrained by their lust for blood or their unhealthy relationships. Hal explained the recent issue with the succubus. He was very serious about the whole ordeal, but Elizabeth laughed whole-heartedly about it. Upstairs the vampires said goodnight, although Elizabeth didn't quite make it back to her room.

-x-

Elizabeth didn't allow herself to sleep in that morning again. Not that she didn't like the image of Hal only just covered by a tangled bed sheet, but she knew that loitering would imply something of a relationship forming between them. It is not a relationship. Besides, she would have to leave at some point today. Her flight was early tomorrow morning. Elizabeth quietly climbed out of bed and found her clothes as quickly as possible, taking a few seconds to slip into her underwear. Just as she had bundled up the rest of her items Hal woke up.

'Morning,' Elizabeth said with a smile.

'Trying to make a hasty escape again I see.'

At this, to deliberately contradict the Old One, Elizabeth sat on the edge of the bed and set her clothes aside. Hal was now sat up and had pulled the sheet across to cover his lower half completely. His lips were parted as if he was preparing to speak, but remained silent. To prevent an awkward silence Elizabeth spoke up.

'You kept looking at my neck yesterday,' she began, her fingers rising to play with the necklace that was no longer there.

Hal responded in a nonchalant manner. 'I simply noticed that you had removed your necklace.' Elizabeth knew otherwise, rolling her eyes statement. She knew without a doubt that Hal was pleased she was no longer wearing something that reminded them both of Fergus. It had been a present from him after all. She had been attached to the jewellery, but she had to agree it was time to get rid of it.

'It was time for a change,' she shrugged.

Hal found himself smiling. 'Good.'

At that moment Hal's bedroom door was flung open and the bright, cheery face of Annie appeared. 'Hal,' she sounded slightly breathless, 'don't forget…' Annie's voice soon trailed off when she spotted Hal was naked. In embarrassment he quickly pulled the sheet further up his body. The ghost was far more surprised to see Elizabeth half-clothed at the other end of the bed. 'Oh God!' she exclaimed shielding her eyes. 'I didn't realise you two were…You know…Urm, Hal don't forget you've got to feed Eve in 10 minutes…Yes.' The ghost shut the door hurriedly.

'Christ!' Hal grumbled.

Elizabeth began to laugh. 'Come on now, you have to admit looking after Eve isn't all bad.'

'That's not was I'm concerned about. What if she says something to Tom?'

'And what are either of them going to do?' Elizabeth shook her head. 'You over-react sometimes.' The other vampire wrinkled his nose and passed her a resentful glare.

'No, I react just the right amount. I can't believe you are so unconcerned by this.'

Elizabeth's bout of chuckling subsided and a more thoughtful gaze took over her features. She cocked her head mindfully. 'Do you ever wish you had a family?' she muttered, almost inaudibly but Hal heard her all the same.

'Occasionally. I suppose Annie and Tom count as family in some sense.'

Elizabeth nodded in agreement, gathering up her clothes once again. 'I'm sure I'll miss them,' she mused. The vampire rose from her seat and headed towards the door. However, when she did reach for the handle she paused and looked back at Hal. 'Don't take it for granted – everything you have here I mean. And remember what I said about being human: go out and do something human, find a nice girl to take out on a date or something.'

'I couldn't do that,' Hal interjected firmly.

Elizabeth leaned over and kissed Hal quickly on the lips, her hand just gracing his jaw. The action was hurried but desperate all the same. 'Don't forget about Eve,' she said, vanishing through the door and down the hallway.