A/N: Can I just say that the Morganville fanfiction page has EXPLODED since I was on here in 2010. I got 5000 extra views on my story when I updated last week than I had overall. Wow, and there are so many stories now! When I used to come on here there'd be a few good stories but not too many, but now there's so many good stories! So good to see more people getting into Morganville Vampires!

"Shane, we can't just leave Morganville. You may be thinking of Taylor and I, but you're not thinking of Michael and Eve or my parents."

"It's the only way we can do this. If we want to keep Taylor safe then this is what we have to do."

As much as she hated to admit it, Shane was right. When Claire had become a mother she'd had to give up thinking of just herself, because she had someone so dependent on her. It would be hard. She wasn't really sure how she would leave her parents behind, and she knew she wouldn't be able to leave Michael and Eve behind. They were Taylor's Godparents.

"Let's do this then." Claire whispered, in a barely audible voice. She herself was surprised she was doing this. She was leaving Morganville. Her stomach felt empty but full at the same time. She was nervous, too nervous to even talk properly. The only thing that would get her through this would be the fact that it would keep her daughter safe, and that was her sole priority.

Shane smiled in a yes-I-knew-I'd-win way and went to the fridge. He pulled out two cans of coke and threw one at Claire for her to catch, which she almost didn't. Claire looked quizzically at the icy red can in her hand and looked back up at Shane. Is this supposed to mean something? She wondered.

"No the coke has nothing do with our plan, I just thought we could do with a drink," he said, reading her mind. "It's not as if we can do anything until Taylor's up from her nap," he said in that knowing way of his.

Claire went into Myrnin's lab the next day trying to act nonchalant and like she owned the place. It was a wasted effort; Myrnin was nowhere to be seen. She ushered in Shane and together they went to see Frank.

Claire got a call on her cell phone, and she answered and put it on speaker, knowing it was Frank.

"What do you two kids want?" He asked, bored and resigned.

"We need your help, Dad. We really need your help." Shane replied. "We need to leave Morganville."

There was a slight gasp of breath, so slight that it might not have been there at all. Surely Frank didn't breathe. "Son, I've been waiting for this day. I knew it would come sooner or later."

Shane visibly relaxed. Claire hadn't realised he'd been tense beforehand, but she could see it now.

"So let me guess," Frank continued. "You need me to let the barriers down so that you can escape. I can do that. Of course, I'll be punished for it, but it'll be worth it. There will be no one around at 10am tomorrow. I'll call you telling you the portals have been let down and you'll have five minutes to get out. I can't guarantee anymore, I'm sorry."

"That's perfect, Dad. Thanks for that."

"I figured it's the least I could do. Just make sure you get out safe. Don't harm my granddaughter."

"Your granddaughter is the reason we're doing this, Dad."

"I'm sorry Eve, we just have to go. We don't have a choice." Claire mumbled to Eve. Eve had grabbed onto Claire and wasn't letting go. Tears were streaking down both their faces. Shane and Claire leaving meant there was a good chance that they were never going to see each other again.

Eve, Michael, Shane and Claire had all been through so much together. They had grown with each other. If Claire hadn't come to Morganville for college then everything would be different. She wouldn't have found the love of her life, she wouldn't have met her best friends Eve and Michael and she wouldn't have Taylor. Her heart constricted at the thought of not having any of these people in her life. She had to sacrifice Michael and Eve for the sake of her family.

"I love you so much, Eve. I'll never forget you. If there's a way we can see each other then we will." Claire tried to gather herself together and stop crying but Eve was helping, she was openly sobbing. Both girls were standing on the front porch. The car was packed and ready to go. Claire didn't know where Michael and Shane were. They had packed lightly so that it wasn't too suspicious. Suddenly Shane was pulling Claire to him. They needed to leave. Everyone had said their goodbyes.

Claire picked a wandering Taylor up and strapped her into a car seat in the back. They all gave each other one last hug and reluctantly Claire and Shane got into the car.

As Shane drove away, unreleased tears plunged down Claire's face. Shane took her hand.

"It's for the best. We'll see that, eventually," Shane said in a soft tone.

Claire knew that deep down, but it just seemed like everything was falling apart. Leaving Morganville, the town she'd come to call her home, and especially leaving Michael and Eve was the hardest thing Claire had done.

It was a gloomy day, a rarity in Morganville, adding to the atmosphere. As Shane and Claire approached the barrier using back streets to be discreet, it started to rain. Just small beads of water hitting the glass windscreen.

It was the end of an era.