A/N: New chapter! Kelsey is borrowed from, and with the greatest respect towards, dryginous. I recommend that you go and read her fics, as they are brilliant little pieces, with such fantastic characterization. And yes, one of the characters featured is going to become a recurring character. Could you please, if you review, tell me what you think of this character; as I want to make sure they don't become a badly place Sue. Enjoy the chaoter, and please leave a review!

"They want to go to this convention that's happening tomorrow," Robin said to Vlad, "they have costumes and everything." He watched as he flicked through the newspaper with a thick black marker. There was a faint look of annoyance on his face, as though what he was reading was annoying him.

"So take them," Vlad replied, crossing at something in the paper with a little bit more venom that what he would usually use. "You're pretty capable of looking after the brats."

"They want to go with you," Robin said, making clear that he had discussed this issue with Jack and Barry many times, and still got the same stubborn response. Well, they were related to Vlad and Ingrid, the stubbornness was to be expected really.

"And the problem is?"

"It's during the day," Robin said, frowning at the back of the paper that seemed to be annoying Vlad so much. He'd been in the same attitude for the past few days, and he wasn't sure what was causing it. Robin had asked, many times, but always got the same 'it's nothing' in response.

"... Difficult, but doable," Vlad said with a shrug. Robin stared.

"Have you lost your mind?" he asked, in a genuinely curious tone. "Because, last time I checked, an adult vampire plus the sun? Makes for burning times Vlad, and not in a good way," he deadpanned, an eyebrow raised in challenge.

"For most vampires, that's the case," Vlad conceded with a nod of his head. "But, come on Robin, I'm the Grand High Vampire," he rolled his eyes slightly, "I get a few privileges that others don't get."

"Is one of the privileges some kind of protection amulet?" Robin asked, leaning forward with a sense of childlike wonderment.

"You'll see."

xXx

As it turned out, Robin was completely right. Vlad, in his position as Grand High Vampire, had a specially made amulet known as the Gem of Amara. Robin accused that he had lifted the name right from an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer to which Vlad blinked; he'd never heard of the show in his life, let alone seen an episode of it. This gem allowed Vlad out during the day, he just didn't like using it all that often because – in a stark comparison to his 13 year old self – he didn't want to tan.

"So, erm, pretty big thing," Vlad said rather pathetically, looking round the room. The convention was related to a children's tv show that had become extraordinarly popular. Though it was mainly directed at children, it had found it's legions of fans across the ages. "Bigger than I thought."

"You going to be okay?" Robin asked, looking over at Vlad with concern. Vlad nodded, imitating the art of breathing in deeply. "Sure?" Vlad threw him a scathing look. "Just making sure you aren't going to vamp out and bite everyone here."

"I have got more control than that," Vlad smirked, looking over at Jack and Barry – who were playing some video game that Vlad had not one single clue about – to make sure they were okay.

"Well, well, well, if it ain't little Vladdy Count," a breathy female voice spoke from behind the pair, "an' he's got Branagh with him. Always did say those two were attached at the hip." Vlad winced, as Robin grimaced, both realising at the same moment who the voice belonged to. They turned to face her, knowing that they couldn't really get out of it.

"Kelsey," Vlad muttered sonething unpleasant in Romanaian under his breath before plastering on a fake, bright smile. "Charmed, I'm sure. It's been so long.."

"Seven years, I reckon," Kelsey replied, looking at Vlad with suspicion. "We all thought you'd topped yourself, heard rumours of your weirdo sister killing her fit boyfriend."

"That'd be Will Clarke yeah?" A new voice joined the trio, and Vlad found himself wishing to be locked back in the comforting darkness of his room. Delilah was every bit the same person she had been when they had first met, and Vlad found him stomach clenching unpleasantly at the sight, rather than the exicted feeling it once brought. Robin stepped backwards from the two girls slightly, remembering just how vicious some of their words had been in his last few years at school. "So fit, too fit for her," she sighed somewhat dreamily. "They broken up yet?" she asked Vlad, sneering down her nose at him,

Vlad clenched his fist lightly, making sure that his face remained the picture of calmness. "My sister and my brother-in-law are currently residing in Bistriz, in our old family castle, with their children," he told them, speaking as evenly as he could manage. Both he and Robin resisted the urge to smirk when they saw Delilah's face fall.

"What are you two doing here?" Robin asked, curious. A convention like this was entirely not the type of thing that either Kelsey or Delilah would do. The girls looked between them, before pointing over at a smaller girl, dressed in the costume of one of the characters of the show. She pushed at Jack, trying to get into the game, only to have Barry pushing her back, informing her sharply that she'd get her turn. "...Should we stop him?" Robin asked in a low mutter.

"If you want a particularly vicious puppy bite," Vlad muttered back. "She's … something," he spoke loudly to Kelsey and Delilah. "Your … niece?"

"My kid," Kelsey responded sourly. She looked very annoyed by the fact. "An' before you ask, you do know the dad. "Bloody Davis."

"What 'bout you two then?" Delilah asked, speaking quickly in the effort to stop Kelsey getting into one of her rants about the useless father of her child. "Fans of the show?" she sneered, before smirking as though she'd stumbled on the legendary pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

"Vlad!" Barry ran up, pulling at his brother's arm. "She's picking on Jack and she won't stop and can I bite her to make her stop?" he garbled, looking up expectanly for an answer. Vlad gave it a second of consideration.

"He can't bite my daughter!" Kelsey cried, pressing a hand ot her chest in outrage."Stupid little..."

"Best not Bazza," Robin spoke up quickly, ruffling Barry's hair – something which he knew the boy disliked. The distraction worked, as Barry wandered back over to where Jack was, muttering the most unpleasant words his seven year old mind was capable of in the direction of Robin, attempting to fix his hair.

"They yours?" Kelsey asked. Vlad shook his head.

"My brothers," he explained. Kelsey looked at them.

"You seem like you'd be a good dad," she said, eyeing him slightly as thought trying to determind something. Delilah gave a snort of laughter.

"As if either of them could get a girl, let alone get one preggers," she laughed. "Count the sad one and Branagh the weirdo?" she cackled, looking over at them with a critical eye. "They may be halfway decent looking now, but they're still freaks."

"I dunno," Kelsey licked her lips slightly, looking between Robin and Vlad with heavily lidded eyes, "there's an appeal in the freakish." Vlad stepped backwards slightly, finding himself bumping into another girl. The girl had apparently overheard the situtation, as she linked her arm with Vlad's, taking his hand in hers.

"Darling, there you are," she said brightly. Vlad was slightly amused, as Robin frowned. Of course, he wasn't there at the tube station, so he didn't know that this girl was a slayer. Of course, to be fair, that was all that Vlad knew about her. He almost didn't recognise her. The last time he'd seen her she was dressed in leathers, and looked – to be frank – a bit of a mess, with hair that was sticking togther in clumps from the heat of the tube. Now she was dressed in a rather elegant trouser suit, with her hair neatly styled. "Who are these … ladies?" she said, pausing for a while in the middle of the sentence as she looked at each girl in turn.

"We're just going," Delilah snapped at her, not enjoying the look she was given. "Bye losers," she muttered to Vlad and Robin.

"Stay as sweet as you are Delilah," Robin shot back with a sarcastic smile, giving Vlad a look that suggested he wasn't surprised that Delilah had shown no signs of maturity. "See ya Kelsey," he nodded at the girl, who gave a small smile back. He couldn't help but feel a small pang of pity for her, every guy knew what a creep Davis really was. It was just unfortunate for Kelsey that she hadn't realised in time.

"See ya," she muttered, looking at Vlad with a longing glance before hurrying along to get her daughter.

"So who are you, mysterious and beautiful stranger," Robin grinned at the girl, "who deems us worthy of your help?"

"...Selene," she replied with a tight smile, letting go of Vlad as though she had experienced a sharp shock. "Your friend there bumped into me, and I had the misfortunate of overhearing some of the conversation," her smile loosened a little. "I dislike girls who can't seem to move out of the high school frame of mind when it comes to dealing with people they once knew."

"Thanks for the help," Robin grinned at her. He looked up. "Okay, Jack and Barry are now attacking each other."

"Then deal with it," Vlad said, keeping his gaze level with Selene, who was becoming more of a mystery to him, and yet more guessable by the passing second.

"I'm not your slave," Robin said, but went to Jack and Barry anyway. He knew from his tone of voice that something was bugging Vlad, and this was one of the few times that he didn't want to know any more about it.

"Why did you help?"

"Call it a professional interest," Selene replied, folding her arms and regarding Vlad with a cool air. "For the life of me, I can't seem to recall any truthful recountings of a vampire being out in the sun," she said slowly, "why aren't you dust in the wind?"

"Professional secret," he replied. "Why don't we both go our seperate ways and forget today happened?"

"I agree," Selene said, "but you do realise I'm still hunting you down."

"I know," Vlad smirked slightly, "and I'm looking forward to it."