I dedicate this chapter to xerxes-grin, a dear friend and greatly devoted reader, without whom I doubt this chapter would be written, the character Midnight belongs to her, I was just lucky enough to have been able to borrow him~

Enjoy~

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A face looked out of the foliage, up at him, violet eyes watching his every move... "What's the matter, moon child, didn't expect the foliage to fight back?" a soft voice teased.

Theo only just caught the voice, and a flicker of purple before the face vanished, "Well, that is the general idea... plants are just plants in most respects" he muttered, his voice underling a light howl, sourcing around for the voice.

"You are foolish, wolf boy" the voice retorted from behind him, causing him to turn to face the source, a tall woman with vibrant skin, that was a mix of different shades of leafy green and golden yellows, most of her body wrapped in a thin sheet of meshed wild flowers, leaves and mosses, clothing her like a long floor length dress. Petals decorated her forehead and cheeks, her deep and intense violet eyes shining, empathised by the dark green of her eyelids, her pulp lips a similar emerald green. Her hair was a vast length of dark green hair, intertwined with long vines, small brightly flowers running throughout it's length, a theme that spread over her entire form, ivy wrapping itself around her torso, securing the organic matter in place, wild blooming flowers decorated her legs and arms.

Theo's eyes widened at the sight of her, no matter how dramatic the changes to her appearance, he knew that the woman he was looking at was Veronica... even with the overpowering fragrance of the flowers the same scent underlined it.

"And you wonder why I don't wish to be your companion, you don't see how your actions effect all that is around you... you attract so much attention, you stomp around, acting as you please, doing what you please, consequences be damned." she hissed sharply, raising her hands, summoning vines to wrap around his limbs...

Fighting to free himself, ripped and gnawed at the vines, to no avail as the wrapped tighter around his limbs, forcing him to the ground, as they lashed him too the spot. He moved to say something, but was silenced by the vines that encircle his mouth...

A winged creature appeared in front of Theo, setting to work to set him free, slicing through the confining vines with a small hand held knife, cutting him loose in a matter of minutes.

"What the hell do you think hurting this man will solve? Is this charade really that important that you would go against everything you stand for to keep it up, despite the fact it is doing nothing but make you miserable?" he demanded sharply, getting to his feet...

Her eyes slide closed, placing her face in her hands... "what else do I have?" she retorted...

"As much as or as little as what you allow yourself to have"

"How can I allow myself anything when I couldn't even protect what I did have?" she mumbled, her hands falling away, revealing the dark tears that made tracks down her cheeks.

"How were you to know that they would betray us in such a way? None of us could have done anything to stop it" Benjamin reassured sadly, stepping forward her, reaching out and rubbing across her forehead, just above her eyebrows, a trick he found soothed her back when they were children. "We are at peace, have been for a long time... it's more then about time you let yourself find peace"

"I shouldn't have trusted him so easily..."

"That is just who you are, dearest sister, your heart is just too caring to allow anyone to be left behind" he argued, smiling softly as he pulled her into tight embrace... "you need to stop punishing yourself"

She clinged onto him, sobbing softly into her shoulder...

Benjamin held her closely, as he covertly watching the down hearted, silver haired werewolf, who was currently sitting on the side lines, silently observing the interaction between the two of them. He could tell that there was something more then natural attraction and curiosity, something deeper, more complex... but he just couldn't but his finger on just what.

Once she had calmed down, Veronica slipped out of his arms, moving deeper into the clearing, looking upon the 30 foot wide circular memorial of eight life sized stone statues facing the centre, where a 4 foot high pillar with a bronze dedicatory plaque depicting the story of their deaths. In all the spaces in between the statues, with a set of foot stones leading into the middle, sat flower beds teaming with all sorts of vividly coloured wild flowers.

Stepping through into the inter circle, walking round and taking in the perfectly preserved stone faces of her beloved friends...

"Hard to believe it's been 420 years since that faithful day..."

"21,840 months, 153,405 days..." she replied deep in thought, before seemingly snapping out of it "not really, there hasn't been a day that has gone by that it hasn't played on my mind one way or another..."

"I know, I've been watching over you since then..." Benjamin mused, smiling sadly down at her, his crystal blue eyes shining with sympathy and understanding. "Comes with the territory..." he shrugged at her look of bewilderment, thumbing at his wings...

Veronica nodded, sighing deeply as she summoned a dozen of her speciality silver roses, laying them down at the base of the pillar.

"Everyday avoiding contact with others, keeping everyone at a safe distance... always alone..."

"I've always hated being alone... but I learnt how to get along because it was a necessary" she mumbled bitterly

A figure appeared by her side standing in front of the statue commemorating his past life, a peculiarly strange being by the name of Midnight, a tall being with a slender build, shoulder length dark brown hair, handsome features with a mischievous edge that makes you wander what he's brain is cooking up this time. He placed a hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze "being alone is never necessary, it's all in your head" he smiled gently, tapping her forehead to empathize his point. "Things don't always repeat themselves, it's just a matter of learning from what's happened. There's someone who wants to help you, a reason to try again... I believe you should give living life another chance." he said warmly

Soon joined by another who slipped his arm round Midnight's waist, his life partner Ezekiel, a slightly shorter man, with wild and wavy chestnut brown hair, honey brown eyes that held a mischievous glint, angular features, and a liking less then conventional clothes. He chuckled softly as he contently concurred with his other half "my gorgeous hubby does have a point, dearie, while you continued to devote yourself solely to the past, all the possibilities for the future will be wasted"

"It is as the sweet man over there says~ you cant keep your head stuck in the grave. Get you head out of the soil, breathe some fresh air, and see life~ look what I found when I did? best man I could ever have the luck to meet~ absolutely gorgeous too~" he grinned, winking at Ezekiel.

Ezekiel grinned as he purred playfully and rubbed his cheek on his partners, causing Midnight let out a happy 'woof and grinned back.

Veronica rolled her eyes at the over expressive couple, her attention instantly grabbed by a somewhat musical female laugh, her eyes moving towards the base of the sound.

There stood a tall, slender, fair skinned, attractive woman with long blonde hair and the stature of a dancer, dressed in a deep red, figure hugging dress and fashionable high heels. Her painted lips curled into a playful smirk as she looked upon Veronica... "Jeez sister, 420 years and you still look just the same, must be something in the soil" she teased with a wink, leaning into her own statue "Mister and Mister attached at the hip do have a point, you need to move on... find a man who will and give you a good seeing to"

"Luciana, behave yourself" a voice scolded disdainfully, its owner appealing in a flash of white smoke, the angel to the red dress devil, a dark brown haired woman in a floor length, billowing white dress with off the shoulder long sleeves. She was almost the exact duplicate of the other woman, but she held herself differently, she was far more timid and humble looking to her twins confident and imposing stance.

"Katrin, do you always have to ruin my fun? No doubt you'll be sticking in your ore telling her about how she needs someone that can support her emotionally... and how they should settle down and raise a little tribe of shrubberies..." Luciana grumbled, animatedly waving round her arms and pulling a face...

Katrin sighed, blowing a piece of hair off her face "And you're just going to make some obnoxious comment, exercising the fact that you find the notion of being abstinent for so long is a great crime..." she retorted crossing her arms over her chest.

This only seemed to encourage the other woman, her grin widening as she took advantage of the opening her sister presented "Now you mention it, I wouldn't mind my body being attended to by that Undertaker. I've seen what he looks like under that guise... and man he has a body to die for~" Luciana purred, practically openly drooling as she stared off into space...

A throat clearing grabbed the three females' attentions, as Midnight spoke once more "so, veronica~ if I can find such a sweet man, it is without saying you could too~ you're far more attractive than I~" he playfully tickled her throat and chuckled. "And a far sweeter woman, when your not being so grumpy~"

Ezekiel giggled softly as he nudged Midnight, whispering in his ear and pointing to something behind Veronica...

"You need someone to love you, dearest heart" interjected a gentle, deep voice... a mere soft whisper on the wind "you always bloom so much brighter when you are happy"

Veronica's eyes flickered closed as his voice caressed and warmed her soul... "Samuel" she breathed, not daring to move a muscle just in case it would break this enchantment.

"Unlike our friends I was reborn into another body shortly after death, in hope that one day we would reunite..." Sam's voice whispered, "turn and there we will be... he may not remember you, but he feels the pull, as though he had spent his whole life searching for you alone... the rest it down to you." he finished, the voice fading to nothingness.

Veronica turned one hundred and eighty degrees, just to be confronted with the reality that she had been foolishly refusing to acknowledge... the vast amount of unexplainable similarities between him and her soul mate, Samuel.

Theo stood before her, several feet in front of Samuel's statue... his face completely blank mask, eyes glazed over, arms hanging loosely at his sides as he tilted haphazardly on his feet... only managing to remain upright for mere moments before collapsing.