A/N: Thanks to Anglchic340, Bookworm since birth, jEaNs 'N' tEe GiRl, Niffer01, Love.Always.Alice.and.Jasper, guardian music angel and Cara Mascara for their reviews. (And their OMG's).

It's nice to hear that so many of you didn't want Talia to die, she was one of the main characters after all. However, I have to say that the plot will continue the way I've planned it, regardless.

I'm submitting two chapters at once, and I hope they'll clarify a few things.

Happy birthday to Toby Hemingway! I pushed hard so that I could get Reid's birthday chapters on the same day. I think I'm going to go and sleep now...

Review and Enjoy!

Tyler watch Jess as she slept, savouring the peacefulness on her face, knowing that when she woke it would be replaced by gut-wrenching pain.

It had been a long night. They had returned to the motel, the seven of them crammed into his hummer. They had waited for the clean up crew to arrive, watching brainless TV, none of them able to sleep. The crew had finally arrived early in the morning, listening as Jess explained what happened. It felt very official, like talking to the cops, and they even had to sign statements.

The people they spoke to had no idea what might have happened to Talia or Will, as they didn't even know the particulars of the case until Jess had tearfully filled them in. They had said that they would take car of the bodies, and any issues that might come up, and that they would contact them if they heard anything. All very official, all very cold.

While they had been waiting, Jess had called her pack, explaining to her Alpha, Talia's brother, what had happened. Jacob had told her he was sending someone up to help her deal with the mess. Then she had tried Will and Talia's cells, but had got nothing.

They were all in shock. Pogue had found Reid and brought him back, and now he was sitting in the corner, his back against the wall, his arms crossed over his knees. He hadn't said a word since the…since it happened.

When Sarah, grasping at straws, had asked, "If she was dead, Will would have called right?"

Jess had shaken her head sadly. "Talia's other brother Josef, the one she never talks about, died on the job a couple years ago. Will was there. He took off, not telling anyone what had happened, and we didn't here from him for six months until he called from Atlantic City asking us to bail him out on a drunk-and-disorderly. If she was alive, he'd call."

That had put an end to the questions.

After the clean up crew had left, they'd all gone their separate ways. Reid had declared that he was going home – back to his empty house. Sarah was staying at Caleb's, and when Pogue had basically told Alex that she was coming with him, she hadn't argued. Tyler had decided to stay at the motel with Jess, knowing that she'd need someone.

He wasn't even worried about school; he knew that none of them would be going in today. He didn't know what was going to happen, but he knew no matter what, he would stay with Jess, even if he had to leave Ipswich. But first, they had Reid's Ascension to deal with. It was just a week away. Tyler was worried about his best friend; concerned by the darkness he had seen in Reid's blue eyes last night. Talia had been the only thing holding him together, and now she was gone.

As he was trying to think of a way to help his friend when there was a polite but loud knocking on the door. Jess stirred a little, but didn't wake. Tyler went over to the peephole, wondering who it could be. When he pressed his eye to the small hole, he saw two people standing outside. One was completely unfamiliar, a tall, broad shouldered man with grey-streaked corn-colored hair and amber eyes. The other sent a shock of recognition through him. It was a short woman, she looked around forty, and she had short red hair and exotic brown eyes. He looked back at the bed, knowing the woman outside was Jess' mom.

He opened the door and smiled. "You must be Ms. Li. Please come in, Jess is sleeping."

The two newcomers were momentarily shocked, but nodded, entering quietly. Jess's mom spoke in a low whisper. "You seem to have me at a disadvantage, young man."

He held out his hand. "Tyler Simms. I'm…I watched over Jess last night."

She watched him for a moment, then nodded, shaking his hand. As she moved towards the bed, the man shook his hand next. "Garret Rawlins," he drawled, his southern accent thick. Tyler nodded.

Rena Li sat on the bed next her daughter and gently stroked her hair. Jess began to stir, her voice sleepy. "Mom?"

"Yeah, sweetie, it's mommy. Jacob sent me up to see you."

"Mom!" Jess cried, throwing herself into the woman's waiting arms, sobbing and telling her what happened.

At the mention of what happened to Talia, he saw the same pain flicker in Rena's eyes too, and he could tell she had loved her like a daughter. Garret was sitting listening, sombre but intent.

Finally, when Jess's mom had put her back together in the way that only mothers can, she stood up and walked over to Tyler, taking his hand. "Mom, this is Tyler," she said simply. "I love him." Tyler looked at her sharply, a slow smile spreading over his face.

Garret gave a surprised grunt. "Huh."

Rena watched her daughter and Tyler for a moment. "And what about you Tyler?" she asked quietly.

"I love Jess, m'am. If she's going back to Chicago, I want to go too. I'll get my parents to transfer me or something, but I don't want to leave her," he replied honestly, hoping she would understand his intentions were honourable.

"You want me to kill 'im for ya, Re?" Rawlins asked, deadpan.

Rena looked at Tyler then said, "I don't think that will be necessary, Garret, but thanks for the offer."

"You'd really do that? Leave Spencer and your family, just to be with me?" Jess asked in wonder.

"Yeah," he smiled back.

"Good thing you won't have too, 'least not yet," Rawlins drawled, settling back.

Jess frowned. "The Council said we'd need to move on, that the witches are taking over."

"That Collins took blood from one of ours without cause. Jacob called blood right. Unless they want a war with the Shifters, they can't stop us huntin' 'im down, and there's one place we know he's gonna be."

"Here," Jess finished, grinning. Then her face fell. "How did Jacob take it?"

Rawlins chuckled. "Slammed his fist right through one of them pillars at the club. Seems there might be structural damage."

Jess winced, "Again?"

"Don't worry sweetie, Anna's there to look after him, he'll be okay."

"What about Will?" Jess asked. Her mother just shook her head.

Alex woke to find herself wrapped in warm, comforting Pogue.

Last night was a blur. Pogue had brought her back here, helped her change into one of his t-shirts, then wrapped her in his big arms without a word. She could barely believe what happened. She felt the grief tear through her at the though of loosing Talia, and for the second time in three days, tears began to flow down her cheeks.

Pogue felt her body shaking against his and turned her onto her back, resting his head on his bent arm and using his free arm to gently stroke her face. Gradually, her breathing slowed and she looked at him with lost eyes. "I knew her for less time than you did. But, but…she was nice to me."

He continued to stroke he face, content to let her continue in her own time.

"I never had friends, my family didn't want me, but they just took me in, no questions. They even offered me a home with them, if I wanted. She didn't care what I was, she just accepted me. I never had that, I never had anyone before."

"You've got Will, and Jess. You've got Caleb, and Sarah, and Reid, and Tyler. You've got me," he answered, wanting her to know that she wasn't alone.

"Do I?" she asked, her eyes searching his.

He lowered his lips to met hers, kissing her slowly, sweetly, as if they had all the time in the world. "Yeah, you do."

"What about Kate?" she asked uncertainly.

He sighed. "Kate and I are really over. The reason why she left before was because I wouldn't tell her the secret. It's taken me a while to figure it out, but I couldn't tell her because I knew deep down we wouldn't last, that we weren't right for each other. There was always all this jealousy, I didn't trust her."

He smiled faintly. "You're different. I know you'd never cheat on me, that's not the kind of girl you are. You make me laugh. Plus you already know the big secret, so that won't be an issue."

"And you don't mind me being a Void?" she asked hopefully.

"To be perfectly honest, I don't know what that really is. But as long as you don't go 'round eating small children, I think we'll be okay."

"Nah, they get stuck in my teeth," Alex laughed. She kissed him then, a quiet acceptance, then went back to sleep, his arms wrapping protectively around her.

A week later, the rage still burned through Reid. His room was torn to shreds. Curtains ripped, furniture smashed, eyes black. Always black. Ever since he woken on Monday and realised it wasn't just a nightmare. He had skipped school, Tyler lying for him and saying he had the stomach flu. Reid could care less.

He was currently in the forest behind his house, violently firing power at the surrounding trees. A part of him knew that if he stopped being angry, then the grief would take over, and then he'd fall apart.

Today was his birthday. Big freakin' whoop. In fifteen minutes, he'd Ascend, and he didn't care. The power would consume him, and he didn't care. The world could end, the four horsemen could appear in front of him, and he still wouldn't care. He'd watched her die, and he could never forgive himself.

He made his way back to the house, brushing silently past Caleb, ignoring the others as they waited in the parlour; their pitying looks too much to bear. He ran up to his attic room, only pausing at the door when he heard familiar music coming from within.

He pushed open the door, ready to meet his fate.

"Hello, Garwin."