I sat pressed between Michael and Star on her bed in the cave with my head resting against the former's shoulder.

David, Marko, Dwayne and Paul were asleep deeper in the bowels of the cavern, while Laddie was curled up with his head resting in Star's lap – who kept nodding off herself.

Sam was outside with the Frog's; neither David nor I were allowing the brothers inside, and Sam had offered to keep an eye on them.

Sam wasn't entirely on board with leaving the vampires alive, but he had relented at the threats and pleading from his older brother.

He wasn't going to act on complete defiance.

My head was throbbing from a lack of sleep, but I didn't have the luxury to rest then. Sunset was soon. I needed to be ready.

"Hey, come on."

My head shot up at the sound of Michael's voice. He shifted from under my weight and slid off of the bed. I shot a glance towards Star and Laddie, who both looked dead to the world – no pun intended. With a silent nod, I pushed myself away from them and followed him to the other side of the cave to sit down on the edge of the stone fountain, "What is it?"

"I wanted to talk to you without waking her up," Michael smiled as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me into his side.

It was such a simple action, but Michael's touch was worth so much to me.

"What do you want to talk about?" I said as I turned my eyes up to meet his. "You've been pretty quiet since last night… well, this morning, technically."

"You're my daughter."

I tensed. It was the first time he had said the words out loud, "I am."

Michael released me from his grasp so that he could turn and we were completely facing one another, "Am I a good dad? I mean… are you happy – you know, aside from all of this soul mate business?"

I frowned just slightly – I knew where this was coming from. He wanted to know if he was anything like Grandfather – his father, a man that I never met. I took his hands in mine and gave him a small nod, "You are the best Dad that I could have ever asked for. So much of who I am is because of you." Michael finally broke a smile at that. "I love you and Mom so very much. And let's keep this between us, but you're my favorite." I winked as he chuckled and brought me in for a hug.

"I barely know you, but…" Michael paused as he tried to find the right words. "I'm already so impressed by you."

I bowed my head with a tight smile, "All I ever wanted was for you to be proud of me. How you viewed me mattered more than anything." A small chuckle left my lips. "I'm an only child. I liked it that way, but… I think I always had something extra to prove. I wanted you to always feel like one was enough."

Michael tilted my head up with his forefinger, "I can already tell that you are."

"Thank you," I breathed out with a shaky voice. "That really does mean a lot to me."

We were silent for a while after that.

That is, until tears started pouring from my eyes without warning. Michael tensed as he felt water droplets graze the back of his hand and he looked down with a startled glance, "What is it, Rhi?"

"I need you to promise me something," I whispered out as I met his eyes. He gave a small, silent nod. "Promise me that you and Mom – Star – will stay safe tonight. I don't know what's going to happen anymore. If either one of you…" I let out a rough cough. "I don't want this to all be for nothing."

"Don't you worry about us," Michael commanded of me. "We are all going to come out of this alive."

"Well, maybe not all of us," I chuckled under my breath as my eyes traveled over to the opening of the cave, which was starting to darken. "As long as the ones that matter are safe, that's all I ask."

Michael gave me a knowing look, but kept further comments to himself as images of Edgar's throat clasped in my hand passed through my mind, "How much longer are you here?"

I rolled by bottom lip between my teeth. I hadn't told them that there were only two ways to send me back to my time; divine intervention or death. It didn't seem necessary to mention the latter of the two, "When this is all done, I'll be called back home."

"Will you have time to say goodbye?"

I gave a soft smile, "Of course." I pressed a kiss to Michael's cheek in time for a gust of wind to zoom around us.

The boys were awake.

Michael, after a lingering look towards me, moved over to Star and Laddie to prepare them for what was to come.

Paul and Marko came barreling out of the caverns in a fit of brotherly punching and laughter. Dwayne emerged shortly after, shaking his head at the antics of his younger brothers. David, of course, was last.

I wondered if my head would swim every time I set my eyes on him.

"Are you sure that you're willing to do this?" I asked as I made my way over to David.

David smirked as he slipped an arm around my waist, "If I wasn't, you and everyone else would be dead already."

I scowled with a roll of my eyes, "Well, that's comforting."

David pressed a kiss to my cheek – which was the first sweet action I had ever witnessed from him – before moving away and towards his brothers.

"It's time."

This chapter is mostly just a filler. Sorry. The real fun is coming next.