Hello everyone.

This is exclusively Hal. It's also longer than normal.

So, what's happening to Hal, is he evening out? Is he keeping it all in? Who knows!

As I said in the last chapter, my life has gone hectic, or as Alex so eloquently put it 'Shit just got real' while she meant outside the pub, I borrow that phrase to describe my life at the moment.

So yeah, not sure when I will get another chapter out, poss next Tuesday (coz of the Bank holiday).

As always, I own nothing.

It had happened too easily. Hal was half surprised it hadn't happened earlier; like it had with Fergus at the café; only a matter of time.

Hal's blood seemed to freeze, but an eye twitch was all that gave away his sudden shock when he saw the look of recognition on the vampire's face. He was down on the beach, Hal was outside the hotel, heading back from another tiresome day at work.

Hal thought, he'd not waited for the encounter to take place in the open, instead, after a beat, he'd signaled to a street a little way off, at this distance, the vampire – Sidney Robins or Sid to those who knew him – wouldn't notice anything different about Hal, not yet anyway.

He'd weighted up the options in his head - as always. One, he could deny it; Sid wasn't the cleverest and anyway, he was human; a doppelganger was more believable that a cure to vampirism. But Sid wouldn't leave it at that, he'd come back, or worse still; stay and make his own Hal-look-alike. Two; stake him, but Hal didn't want to kill either; he'd always been fond of Sid, he had a good sense of humour and – although Hal had find it infuriating at the time – Sid had always had a strong moral code, keeping a fatherly watchful eye on his human family decades after recruitment – a rare thing.

'Hal, thank fuck I found you! I knew you were here! Ha! Fan-bloody tastic! I…' His voice trailed off the nearer they got to each other.

'Hello Sid,' Hal said. He was going to face this head on.

'Fuck man, what… are... is that a heart beat?' Sid had said after following Hal into the street that was narrow and empty, even if it was still daylight.

'I'm human Sid, I don't belong in your world anymore, please leave.' He said without much hope – even in his own head he sounded ridiculous. Sid ignored it.

'What the Hell man? How did this happen? Wha-' Sid's tenuous grasp on language was making him look like a fish out of water. Finally, after a mouth gaping pause one thought seemed to clarify in his head. 'How are you not slitting your wrists right now?'

Hal blinked. He hadn't expected that question. 'I want to be human Sid. I am finally happy. The man you saw, well that wasn't me.'

'Ya mean your 'episodes'?' Sid replied with incredulity, 'So what, you're like harmonized or something? And the two yous together, are both happy with this?'

'Yes, they, I mean I am.'

'But how? I mean, you were big! Some people enjoy their work, you fucking lived for it! Even if that's just half of you, how can you just ignore that?'

'Sid, please.'

'Nah, there are thousands of vamps out there that kill for fun, but you said it was your calling!'

'I was lying.'

Sid refused to buy it, getting more and more agitated. 'No you aint! You may've been skittish or what, but you never ended yourself did ya when you were 'im.' He moved forward in earnest. 'Hal, I was there in 1914, through that war, then right up to the 50s. Being Lord Harry was your calling, any of us can kill someone, you made it an art-form. We still talk about it, 1702, that whole village, that nunnery, 1855; those twins, that regiment in the Somme, you had vision and imagination none of us could beat. The ideas you came up with.' He shook his head in wonder at the memory.

Hal shifted. 'That's not me anymore. I'm not him.'

'You just said you were both of you. So you are him, an he's part of you, and you know you're him and…' He trailed off, his face contorted in concentration.

'Don't hurt yourself trying to work it out,' Said Hal a little harshly, 'You never were a thinker Sid.'

'Now that sounds like the old you.' Came the vampires' reply as a smile cracked on his face.

'I'm not the old me,' Said Hal firmly, 'That part of my life is in the past.'

There was silence, Hal was getting anxious; he didn't want to be here, he needed Sid to go, why hadn't he just pretended he wasn't Hal? Why hadn't he just run? He couldn't deal with being faced with his whole life right in front of him, he couldn't! 'It's where it belongs.' Was it paranoia, or did that phrase seem to be getting hollow?

'But you've,' Sid looked around in confusion, 'You can't just. The life. You've gotta be missing it! How could you not?'

'I have the memories to remind me of what I did, and I don't miss that.'

'I'm not talking about the memories,' Sid spat, 'I mean it, how can you not be going crazy mental because you can no longer have the taste of it?'

Blood

'I-I don't want it.' Hal said inhaling shakily.

'Bull shit! Sorry Hal, all respect and everything, but bull shit! You told me that it was the life, it was all about savoring it, the anticipation; to experience every last second until that last spark of life filled your head and you could feel their screams warming your bones. You were fucking tantric about it!'

Hal's mouth twitched.

'Look, alright, I can turn ya.' Said the vampire holding up his hands as if suggesting a compromise. 'It would be my honour, really. To bring you back. You were like Yoda to us, we need you. We're all fucked right now. There was Hetty for a bit, or so we heard, then she went. It's a fucking battle ground out there now, you've got little punks barely out of their first fashion era setting up in Mayfair giving it the 'I am'. That's why I'm here. There had to be others left. We'd heard you were around. But.' He looked bewildered at Hal, 'Look at you, you aint just in one of your 'intervals' you've…'

'I've gone Sid. There is no other way to say it. Hal the vampire is dead. And he's not coming back again to lead your or anyone's merry little band. I don't want that life, any part of that life is that clear?'

'I don't believe it.' Sid said shaking his head.

'Sidney,' Hal said, his eyes serious, 'Believe it.'

'You're a shark Hal! You always were. Even human, you said you lived for the thrill, even when you tried to be good you were just dressing up, you knew it, we knew it, that's why we left you alone and waited. You say them two parts of you are one now, well all I see is the fancy dress, and it's getting ragged.'

He pulled at Hal's coat collar, Hal batted his hand away; he was getting angry now. 'I just want to live in peace, I want to live a normal life with no killing, or blood or death.'

Sid shook his head. 'So now you're one with yourself? Well then why are you still trying to be him, Mr Opt-out Abstinence? That aint you Hal, and you know it. This aint no fairytail, you keep this up and you'll flip, like always. Because you can never sustain it, because you never want to.'

Hal was silent, his body numb, he felt his heart beat slow and strong, he was surprised it wasn't racing, why was he so calm?

'We've been sending vamps by here lookin for ya.' Sid continued, just like they were talking about the weather. Hal looked around nervously, this was taking too long, someone could see them. 'Sent one by the house but said a bunch of heart thumpers were there now… well clearly.' Hal shifted.

'Then he never made it back, so we sent more and when none came back I came and, well here you are!'

'Why were you looking for me?'

'Because you're the last Old One.'

'I was the last, Sidney.' Hal replied his tone becoming harsh as he pronounced the vampires full name, 'As you have pointed out, I am not anymore.'

'But we need you Hal!' Sid looked desperate, Hal let a sneer encroach on his face; he'd always hated whining. 'London's a mess since Griffin left for Barry a year ago, Bristol still has no one, we were all waiting for the Old Ones to come back but now…' His arms flailed around. 'The Highlands picked a fight with Edinburgh and now both are dead, York's back at it with Lancaster and, Hal, they've got fuckin Walter in London!'

'Christ,' said Hal, his brows raised. 'Not Walter.'

'Yeah! You know his relationship with the police! 1888 may be a long time ago, but they still know he's the ripper and he likes reminding them too! You shoulda heard the meeting with the Commissioner!'

'I remember, Sid, I was the one who had to clear up that political mess when he decided to branch out from painting.' Hal gave him a dark look.

'Exactly, you kept him in line, now he's fannying around talkin recruiting the whole of Scotland Yard.'

'Jesus.' Fuck-wit Walter couldn't even imagine the logistical nightmare let alone prepare. Hal's mind was whirring through the details. Families to deal with, Coroner's would have to be recruited too, then every ten years move everyone around. Press embargo, fuck, all press would have to be on side, no more police interviews, digital and camera images taken before the recruitment so they could be archived if necessary, and that's just if they managed to keep the whole thing secret from everyone else- There no way an ex-painter with an inferiority complex could organize that but if he- No 'No.' He said shaking his head, 'I'm not getting involved anymore. I'm out of it.'

Sid blinked, his look of perplex horror slowly turning into anger. 'Why? Because you're now human?' His hands balled into fists and he took a step closer, Hal's eyes narrowed at his former colleague's body change, 'It's an easy thing to remedy.'

'Now, Sid' Hal said. 'Don't go getting ideas, they never were your strong suit.' Said Hal, not backing off as he reached slowing around to the stake in his belt.

'Maybe not, but this one will sure save us problems.' Sid growled. 'And once you're back, I know you'd thank me.'

'No I won't.' Hal was losing his cool; suddenly aware that he was faced by a vampire, and not a young on at that. 'I trained you remember,' Continued Hal taking a step back as Sid circled. 'You can't win.'

'No, the Old One, Lord Harry Yorke trained me. And as you keep sayin, you aint him,' he looked Hal up and down, 'You're just a human.'

The vampire lunged, Hal knew it was coming, but the speed was still a shock, he barely had time to step to the side so Sid's body punch ricochet off his ribs. So he's going for the rough recruitment then thought Hal wincing at the impact.

'Easy Sid,' Hal weazed hotly, 'That's no way to treat a potential is it?'

Cid grinned, 'It is mine.'

He lunged again, but Hal was ready, and he was angry. He left the stake at his back, he wasn't going to make this quick. He batted Sid away, swiveling on the spot, grabbing him by his collar and reaching down to his belt and launched him into the wall face first.

The vampire crumpled but didn't fall. He staggered, turning so his back was to the brickwork and regarded Hal wild eyed; he hadn't expected that. Hal remained calm, his jaw set. Sid blinked, his eyes black, his fangs bared. 'Please,' drawled Hal, 'Is that supposed to impress me?'

Sid pushed himself off with a snarl, aiming for a tackle; Hal kicked him hard in the face, bringing his foot down in front of the dazed vampire, using the forward momentum to deliver a cross punch to the gut, jab to the side and upper cut to the jaw, cracking it. Then he ducked under Sid's arm, brought his back leg around so he was facing Sid's back, raised his left leg and brought his boot down onto the back of the leg and then kneed the spine.

His opponent stumbled at the impact but managed to put his hands down before pushing himself back up, so Hal bent down and side swiped his feet from under him. Sid fell with a gurgled thud. 'Stay down.' He warned as the vampire edged towards the wall and pulled himself into a sitting position.

Sid stayed where he was, his shallow breath betraying his surprise. Hal turned away, checking to make sure they hadn't attracted a crowd, sure in the knowledge that Sid wouldn't dare move. He ran his finders through his hair and gingerly touched his ribs when Sid he landed his lucky shot. Bruised, fucking waste of space couldn't even break a rib; he looked at Sid over his shoulder and smirked; unless his was mistaken – which he wasn't – he'd broken two ribs, crack the jaw, shattered some teeth, dislocated some vertebrae, dislodged the kneecap and caused a very satisfactory concussion.

'Wha-what you gonna do with me?' Sid gurgled as he spat out a mouthful of blood and teeth.

Hal paused, was he considering, or just letting the fear wash over his victim? Hal smiled to himself. 'I'm going to let you go Sidney.' Came Hal's response as cool and calm as ice. He turned and fixed the bloody mess that was Sid with a stare that made him squirm, God I miss making them squirm. 'I am going to let you go, you are going to return to London and you are going to report that you found nothing; I am not here, nothing of interest is here ever. South Wales is now out of bounds.' He crouched down slowing so they were face to face. He reached behind him and drew out the stake, gently letting the point run up Sid's prone belly and rest just slightly off left of his chest. 'If I get one hint that you are sending people to look for me, I will not just hunt you down, I will remove every trace of you from the earth, I will hunt down all your beloved recruits like Jessie and Amy and then I will go back and kill every last member of your human descendants.' Cid's eyes widened. 'Yes, you always were a family man, and consider; with technology as it is today, tracing a family line a hundred years really isn't hard.'

There was a pause, Sid's eyes never left Hal's; his face, once filled with surprise, pleading, anger now just registered the full devastating impact of Hal's words. 'And if you think I'm bluffing Sidney,' Hal continued smoothly, 'Just remember; I am Henry fucking Yorke; I may not be back, but I'm definitely not gone.'

'Yes sir.' Sidney rasped.

Hal stood up and turned away, hearing the stumbling scamper of Sid as he hobbled away in the opposite direction. Hal closed his eyes, letting out the breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. He looked over his shoulder to where the vampire had been, a small spattering of blood slowly working it's way down the wall. Hal swallowed; transfixed by the sight. In his head all he could hear was Sid: 'You can no longer have the taste.'

References:

'Hal, they've got fuckin Walter in London!'

'Christ,' said Hal under his breath. 'Not Walter.'

'Yeah! You know his relationship with the police! 1888 may be a long time ago, but they still know he's the ripper and he likes reminding them too!'

Walter: Refers to the painter Walter Sickert 31 May 1860 – 22 January 1942. Who was one of the possible candidates of being Jack the Ripper of London. The Ripper was a serial murderer of prostitutes in Whitechapel London, who mutilated the bodies including face, abdomen and neck in 1888 – the newly formed London Police were heavily ridiculed and shamed for their ineptitude in not catching the killer. I read Patricia Cornwell's book Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper – Close Closed in 2002, it's a good read!

The warring vampire factions;

The York and Lancaster factions – well that's right from the Wars of the Roses that happened when two sons of King Edward III both claimed the title of king and went around kill each other to settle the matter from around 1455 to 1485. This was finally resolved when Henry Tudor (very tenuously linked to House Lancaster) killed the last Plantagenet claimant Richard III (of York) and married his daughter in 1485