Sorry guys! I was going to post this chapter before I went to the airport to pick up my mom on Saturday, but then I got rushed and wasn't able to get on until now! Gah, my apologies! Forgive me! Anyways, yay, a little shorter than last time I believe but still(!) an update, woo, so here ya go!

**I don't own anything except my OC and whatever convoluted thing that's not recognizable from the actual plot line. Also whatever else I decide to add – be it by someone else – all rights to them.

It was like a montage; the afternoon went by really fast and some awesome background rock instrumentals were playing in the background courtesy of moi. Benny and I were sitting outside sitting on the hay bales and talking about the new Flash comics he had bought, "You so have to let me borrow them," when Ethan ran out of the house with a hammer and crowbar in his hands screaming out, making me jump across to where Benny was. I ended tackling him to the ground really, and blushing so hard afterwards because they wouldn't stop laughing at me. I was splayed out across Benny, looking up I could see he had red across his cheeks as well.

"Ugh, you guys are so mean to me." I grabbed the hammer and started getting the nails off the fence. About ten minutes in, Benny accidentally hit Ethan's thumb with the crowbar.

"Dude!" Ethan exclaimed putting his thumb in his mouth when Benny's eyes widened, just shrugged and went back to work.

After about another ten minutes I started complaining, "This isn't going to work, it's taking too long! We need-" and out of nowhere Sarah pops up using her vampire strength and pulls off the pickets and tosses them towards us one by one. Ethan just stares at her in awe, Benny gets really excited and goes off towards our designated training area and I thank her quietly before getting up and moving towards one of the scarecrows Ethan had put up earlier. We spent about an hour trying to get Ethan and Benny stable with their footwork; at first they just kept falling over and missing the target when they went to stake the scarecrow. However, after about the hour mark they got the hang of it and started goofing off and having more fun with the training. If I'm being truthful, Ethan was trying really hard to impress Sarah, so while she was helping me stake the scarecrow harder he and Benny went inside to get their vamped up Nerf toys and decided to put mini-stakes in it and shoot at the targets. They spent a good thirty minutes practicing with those, jumping around and turning while running and shooting at the targets. After a while I lost track of them for a bit but when they came back, they came back with even more Nerf guns they had dipped in Holy Water, Benny even brought back a huge jug of it so Sarah and I could pour into the other gun toys they had.

"You don't have to do this Sarah, really, I don't mind." I said looking up from my jug of Holy Water and Nerf gun to see her wearing a protective mask, goggles, sunglasses, and her leaning away from the water as she poured it into the toy gun.

"Nah, don't worry about it! I think I'm getting the hang-OUCH!" She dropped everything as a little water splashed onto her exposed arm.

"Okay, just stop, go help them make mini-stakes, I've got this." I giggled and took her things from where she dropped them.

"You sure?"

"Oh my gosh, just go!" laughing I shook my head.

I was sitting there, filing the Nerf guns with Holy Water for a while until I heard someone come up behind me, and on instinct I tossed the water over my shoulder, completely soaking whomever was behind me.

"Dang it Clare!"

"Benny?"

"Yes! Benny! Benny, who is now soaking wet! What'd you do that for!?"

"You can not sneak up on me! We're about to go crash a vampire movie soul-sucking event that could possibly end all our lives and you thought the best thing to do at this moment was come up behind me and scare me?"

"I wasn't trying to scare you!"
"Then what were you trying to do?"

"I just wanted to come and talk?" he scratched the back of his neck.

"Oh? About what?" I looked back at the Nerf guns and jug of water.

"Well, like you said we may not make it out tonight- what I mean to say is that what we're doing is really dangerous and life threatening and-"

"Benny, this isn't making me feel better. What's the point you're trying to make other than the fact that tonight could be our last night as humans…or our last night period?" When I looked back up at him, I was shocked to see a serious look of determination on his face, not that I've never seen a look of determination on his face, it's just normally when I do…he's playing Halo or something.

"Clare, I think – I know I'm in –"

"Clare!"

"Damn it Ethan!" Benny yelled over.

"Sorry Benny! Sarah wants Clare's help inside." Ethan said grabbing the empty jugs from the table.

I stayed seated looking at Benny for a moment, "Okay, thanks Ethan." Then I got up from the table, "I guess we'll talk later?" I placed a small kiss on Benny's cheek while my face heated up, fist-bumped Ethan and made my way to the house.

As I walked in I saw Sarah finishing up some mini-stake (pencil) guns, "Hey, Ethan said you wanted to see me?"

"Yeah, can I just stay over at your place till we have to get ready for tonight? Ethan's mom thinks I'm baby-sitting again. And you'd be a life saver?"

"Sure, it's no problem, you didn't even need to ask. I may not have known you as well as Ethan and Benny or for as long as I've known them but you're welcome to act like I have and just be my best friend. Well girl friend best friend…Benny's my best boyfriend – wait no – I meant boy who is a friend – oh don't give me that look." I laughed grabbing my bag and motioned for her to follow me. "Come on, lets go see about this math homework that most probably won't get done." She laughed, grabbed her bag and ran to catch up to me.

As we walked outside we saw Ethan and Benny arguing and slapping each other with the empty jugs.

"Do you know what that's about?"

"Nope, none. Hey! Boys!" They either didn't hear me or decided to ignore me because they just kept hitting each other. "Okay then, Sarah and I are going to my house! See you later?" Still no response, I looked at Sarah and shrugged my shoulder, looking back to the boys I yelled, "Sarah and I are going to do a wet t-shirt contest!" And just like that they looked over at us eyes wide. I could hear Sarah howling with laughter behind me as I shook my head at them, "Eh, oh well. See you guys when it's time to defeat the dead! Come on Sarah, you can even meet my cat Nala."

As soon as we we're settled Sarah asked, "So what's been going on with you and Benny?" making me spit out my water on Nala who was on table next to me.

"Wh-What? Nothing, there's nothing out of the ordinary with Benny. And me. Benny and me. Benny and I. Why would that even be a topic for discussion? He's my best friend? My BFF. There's no Benny and me…"

"Woah. Bit defensive there?" Sarah teased.

"Defensive? Who? Me? Why would I be defensive about this?" I widened my eyes as I heard my voice go up like sixteen octaves. Clearing my throat I gave a weak smile, "What made you bring something like that up?"

She gave me a sympathetic smile, "Clare…" she got up from her spot across the table and walked over to me, sitting down she put her arm around me as I leaned my head on her shoulder, "It's okay if you like him you know? I mean he's a huge dork, but then again so are you," I gave a cry of protest as she shushed me, "I'm one hundred percent sure he likes you too."

"Am I really that obvious? Who else knows? Oh my god everybody does don't they?" for some reason I started to tear up, "oh my god, do you think Benny knows?"

"Awe, sweety it's okay! And…truthfully I think everybody but Benny knows…the kid isn't exactly good at keeping his feeling for you a secret either!"

"What do you mean?" I sniffed as she rubbed my arm.

"Well, before we all found out you and Jesse were related I'm pretty sure I saw Benny hurt his foot kicking the wall when you got in his car that first day of school. And recently he's been acting weird."

"Benny's always weird. His last name is Weir…it has four of the five letters for weird in it already."

"As funny as that is…and it is funny-wow I actually never even noticed that before," she moved me so I was looking straight at her, "Benny's been spazzing out whenever you're not with me or him or Ethan and I don't mean physically but he just acts weird when you're not with him…well when you're not in view really. And whenever I show up without you he starts asking all these questions. I really truly believe that you need to talk to him about how you feel, please. I promise, he feels the same way."

"You can't possibly know what he feels Sarah-"

"Oh yes I can." She smirked, "Both your hearts speed up whenever you see each other." Blood rushed to my face as I looked down trying to cover my face with my hair like a curtain. "Seriously, you need to talk to him. It's especially important now, since we don't know what's going to happen tonight."

"Okay, Okay, I'll talk to him." Looking at her from the side, "Well what about Ethan." I heard her choke, and exclaim loudly.

"What about Ethan?"

"Well, you have to know, he likes you. I mean, personally he's too self-conscious and short for me, not that I have anything against his height, just that I like wearing heels on dates and Benny's like super tall, but-"

"Whoa, stop. Okay, there's no Ethan and I, I'm just his baby sitter." She laughed.

"Which I still think is hilarious by the way. I mean he's in high school and needs a baby sitter… well, I mean you're really meant to babysit Jane. But truthfully you have to know Ethan sees you as more than that."

"I really don't know what you're talking about."

"Okay, fine, then next time listen to his heartbeat instead of mine and Benny's…whose heart doesn't speed up because he doesn't like me like that."

"Denail ain't just a river in Egypt."

"Right back attcha."

I was right. We didn't do any of the math homework that was assigned…but I mean if you were about to face a bunch of soul-sucking vampires and ultimate doom…would you be able to focus on an algebraic expression or some Pythagorean theorem, that I swear to the angel Gabriel, you will not use again in your life (unless you're going to major in something math related). We ended up playing with a deck of cards, video games, and a board game to pass the time. And as the time slipped away quicker and quicker I was starting to get more agitated and freaked out I had gotten up to pace around my living room but ended up in the kitchen when Sarah gave me a death glare.

"Clare, stop, you're making me nervous." Benny said coming into the kitchen with me. He and Ethan had come over a little while ago claiming they needed to get away from Jane's constant questioning and the thought of tonight by playing some games with Sarah and I.

"Benny you're in my house." I stopped to look at him for a second, "Hey, you wanted to talk to me about something before? We can do that now if you want?" He looked down for a second then away towards the living room, "Come on Weir, and provide your mistress with some distraction!" I walked over to him and hopped up onto the counter in front of him. "Not mistress in the olden days when they'd have a wife and someone on the side. Hey, side chick! I finally get it!" I grinned in realization.

"Wow, for someone so smart you are so-" I stopped him by kicking my foot out and grazing his hip.

"So what? Come on, I know Kung Fu, you ain't got nothing on my!" Bending my arms I held my hands in front of me for a second then moved them in a slicing motion.

"You are adorable. Seriously, I mean swear on my life and hope the Death Star explodes."

Now that just made me blush. I looked up at him through my lashes and smirked, "You're just distracting me. Come on, what is it you wanna say to me?" It was quiet for a few moments until I heard Benny mumble at himself to man the heck up.

"You remember the time we first time we actually spent time with each other as kids? Like the first time we officially met?" Benny shuffled closer.

"Whoa buddy, way to change the topic."

"No, it's relevant I promise. Now answer the question."

"Of course I remember. We were at the public playground; you knocked my sandcastle down which I still think was not on accident. You are lucky I like you otherwise…I hold grudges until the end of time pal."

"Yes, yes, lucky…do you remember what you said to me?" Benny grabbed my hand and smiled.

"'Viva la Empire!'" I held up our hands and grinned, "Then I threw sand in your face and took your Han Solo and Chewy shovel and bucket and chucked them over the fence." We were laughing when Ethan and Sarah walked in; they stopped for a moment then grinned at us. Looking down I realized that Benny and I were still holding hands, blushing I looked away and rolled my eyes. I glanced over at Benny to see him smirking and nodding at Ethan, "What do you guys want?"

"Oh ho ho, is someone a little upset we interrupted?" Ethan smirked and lifted his hand to put it on the wall but missed and ended up falling backwards. He shot up from the floor awkwardly chuckling, "I meant to do that."

Sarah rolled her eyes, "We wanted to let you know that it's time to get going, we're going to Ethan's to meet up with Benny's Grandma and get everything for tonight." She grabbed Ethan by the upper arm and dragged him out of my house.

"Well, I guess we should…" I nodded my head to the door and was about to hop off the counter when Benny's arms went around my waist his head against my neck, I put one hand on his back and one on the nape of his neck.

"Please, please, please, do not do anything stupid. I'm going to do my best and keep you safe but do not be a hero, promise me you won't do anything to put yourself in harms way. I can not lose you."

"You can't ask me to just sit back and let the people I care about-" Pulling back I scrunched my face up in shock.

"Yes I can."

"No, Benny, you can't. That's just hypocritical. You think I want to see you hurt? If anything happened to you-"

"GUYS! LETS MOVE IT!" Ethan shouted from outside. "OW, SARAH!"

Sighing I think about hitting Ethan where the sun don't shine, "We better get going…" I jumped down, still holding his hand and started walking towards the front door, "Out of the frying pan and into the fire!"

Coming downstairs from Ethan's room we were holding some bags with our makeshift weapons Ethan called to Jane, "We'll be back soon, kay?"

"If we don't get sucked dry."

"BENNY!"

"What?!"

Jane and I exclaimed at the same time. I reached out to slap him over the head except he ducked at the last minute. But didn't notice Sarah reach over, she slapped him and looked back to Jane, "Nothing. Benny's just hoping he doesn't cry during the movie."

"Because he's such a wuss." I nodded and smiled at Jane.

Benny made a face, "Nice." Looking around the dining and kitchen area, "Anyway, see you, Grandma!"

"Oh, wait! I have something for you boys." She said coming over and setting her purse on the table.

"Oh no…Grandma," he looked at me like he needed help, "We've really got to go. Uh, I already ate. I don't really think we need any…" as Benny was talking I looked back at his Grandma to see her turn around unfolding a handkerchief to reveal three – , "decorative knives."

She raised her eyebrow, "If you're going to be battling the blood suckers, you're gonna need these."

"Grandma Weir you are so badass!" I exclaimed and grabbed at one as Ethan went for the other.

"Wh…where'd you…where'd you get those?" Benny looked from the knife I was holding to his Grandma.

She looked exasperated, "Spend almost a century in this town and you pick up a few things." She gave a small shrug and then her eyes went wide, "Oh! I almost forgot. Now. I bookmarked a few spells for you. But be careful! They don't always do what you want them too when you haven't practiced." She looked at me and winked. Handing it over she held it between Benny and I before waving it a little, sighed then looked me in the eye and handed me the book. I looked at Benny then at Grandma again, "Oh yes, you too, for both of you."

Benny huddled closer to me as I gently opened the book and flipped through the pages, "Whaaat."

"Are you a witch?" Jane's voice came from behind Grandma.

"Oh, goodness, no! Not a witch, honey; I'm an Earth Priestess. Very different! And much more fun!" she waved her hand towards Jane's drawings and by magic the Bunny holding a purse started dancing as everyone exclaimed in awe.

"Benny's…grandma…rocks!" Jane looked over at us grinning and bouncing on her seat as the picture stopped dancing.

"So, you're…uh…HOW?" Benny's voice rose at the end.

"Well, I didn't want to tell you before you were ready. I thought it might freak you out. But there's a reason that you're drawn to the unexplained. You have the makings of a first-rate spell master. Ethan here, he's a seer. That's his path!" She nodded while smiling then looked at me, "You my dear, are not just one thing. Your lineage allows you to decide between three. High Priestess, a Healer, or a seer…If you choose the first, you and Benny will be very powerful." This was all getting to be too much, my however many great's grandpa is a vampire hell bent on evil, Ethan, Benny, me? Overload.

It didn't seem Benny was listening because he looked up from the book and grinned, "I'm the spell master!"

"Wait, what? A Seer?" Ethan scoffed.

Grams looked shocked, "Well you get visions don't you?" Her eyebrows rose, "They're supposed to start around puberty." Sarah and I burst out laughing as Benny and Ethan cried out trying to get her to keep quiet. "Oh, fine." She turned around and shuffled through her purse, "Here. Take my keys." She handed them to Benny as I looked through the book again, for some reason the words on the page made complete sense even though I knew that I had never seen the language before. "And remember: evil is always at a disadvantage. The Earth is good! You're fighting on the right side." She clapped her hands together in glee.

"All right. Shall we?" Benny smiled and started walking towards the door when Sarah reached over and grabbed the keys.

"And if you scratch my car I'll turn you into a toad!" She pointed at us deadly serious. Oh snap…

After that we decided to hurry and get in the car before she changed her mind. As we strapped in Benny and I decided to sit in the back and read the spell book together and let Sarah drive while Ethan sat shotgun. We had been driving for about ten minutes when Ethan decided to break the silence, "I think the cubile animus works as a kind of soul vacuum. Jesse will try to capture two hundred and nineteen souls tonight. Then, I don't know, somehow trade them to bring back all his followers." He looked back at us and then back to Sarah.

"Ugh. 'Soul for soul.' It's so evil! I can't believe my first kiss was with him." She said looking back at me.

Before I could even say anything back to her Ethan felt the need to comment, "He was your first kiss? But you're seventeen! I mean…you're so pretty—I mean…" throughout this weird moment Benny and I just kept looking back at one another and giggling at Ethan's word vomit.

"Well, I don't know. I guess I just wanted my first kiss to be memorable." She gave a small shrug when Ethan asked if it was 'mission accomplished'.

"Grandma failed to mention that this book isn't even in English!"

"Wait, you can't read it?"

"What?! You can?"

"Well, yes? I mean-" grabbing the book from his hands I started glancing through the spells, "there are some words and phrases that I just don't understand." I ignored Benny when he mumbled back at me about 'words and phrases'. "But the majority of it, I can grasp. Like this one, I can't tell if its I want peanut butter on toast or if it's make everything roast…like roasted…as in fire." I handed him back the book and leaned my head against his shoulder.

"You should become High Priestess."
"And what makes you think you have any say in what I become?" I smirked.

"Well…I had hoped as your best friend that you would take what I had to say about it to thought but I can see now you've got it all planned out, right? I mean Grandma did say we'd be very powerful together." I glanced up at him when he started babbling, "Not…together, together…Well…we could-"

"We're here guys." Ethan announced.

"Damn it, Ethan, again?"

Anybody catch that Mark Twain reference though? Ya know…like the Nile? It's a river in Egypt and then Denial… No? Okay Lol :'D I'm trash, I know

Thanks for the follows and fovorites! Raccoon Girl, ReynicoCaleo502, evemarie07 !

TiredOfBeingNice Thank you! Yup there was a lot of Clare and Benny interaction in that last chapter, they're so cute.

ImAliAndImFabulous0218 Aww! Your review really made me smile! Thank you so so much! I'm glad you like it! I'm trying to keep Clare and Benny upbeat since Sarah and Ethan are normally so serious around each other! Buuuut this chapter they're very concerned for the other...there will be more (light hearted) banter in the future!

.gallifrey Thank you! Neither can I, while I write I just keep thinking "WHEN DANGFLABBIT!"

Thank you, you guys! I loved hearing from you!

College is really busy since we just started but I should have another chapter up by this time next week or earlier. Kisses!