Dylan's hands were woven in Amy's hair and the couple fell against the car. A minute later they pulled apart. "Okay," she whispered. "Wow."

"Wow is definitely correct," he agreed. Silently they got into the car. They sat in silence for a few minutes before looking at each other. He smiled slightly. "You never answered my question." She had to laugh.

"Okay," she said. "I know that this will sound strange after we've only known each other for a few days. Well, we actually knew each other for a long time, but we didn't *really* know each other then-"

"Hon, you're rambling," Dylan said with a slight smile.

"Okay," she said. "Especially after what just happened and last night, I think I'm falling in love with you. I know how crazy this probably sounds but I believe in destiny, and I believe that it led me here; to you."

He reached out a hand and gently traced her jaw-line. "I almost said it last night," he told her. "I barely stopped myself. I didn't want to be rejected. You're so different from anyone that I've met. I didn't say it because I didn't know what I'd do if you didn't feel the same way."

They looked into each other's eyes. She found that she had been trembling. "I love you," he whispered in a soft voice. "More than I thought that I could care about anyone." Their lips met again, he was the one who pulled away this time. "We have to go."

"Yeah," she admitted reluctantly. He starts the car and they drive away. After hunting they went home. Both were shocked when they saw the house on fire. They jumped out.

"It's alright," Michael said coming out to greet them. "I took care of everything. But we've got to go before the police show up." He handed them a few suitcases. "We gotta go now." Without any more words they all got into their cars. Sonny rode with Amy and Dylan.

"What happened?" Dylan asked.

"The hunter's showed up," he told them. "We tried to just get them to leave, but they kept coming. We killed them. To cover up for everything we caught the house on fire, then waited for you." Amy sat there starring into the darkness ahead of her as Dylan drove.

"They really weren't that bad," she felt compelled to say. "They had all lost family to vampires, like me. They shouldn't have died."

"Hey, it was either them or us," Sonny said defensively.

"I'm not passing judgment," Amy told him. "Just stating a fact." She felt tears surface to her eyes and begged herself to be strong. Dylan took one hand off the wheel and took her hand.

"Honey, it was bound to happen," he told her.

"But it didn't have to," Amy said.

"Two of ours died too," Sonny said.

"Who?" Dylan asked.

"Mia and Luna," Sonny told him. "Luna took on the leader. He drove a wooden cross/stake through her heart." He looked at both of them seriously then spoke addressing Amy. "That, next to a bath in holy water is the worst death for vampires. I beheaded her so she wouldn't go through the pain." He sighed.

"They never did that before," Amy said softly. "Our mission was supposed to be to free the souls not hurt them as much as possible."

"Who led them before?" Dylan asked.

"Me," she said.

"There you go," he said wisely. "Without you they followed that other guy."

"Connor," Amy supplied.

"Apparently he has no qualms about the kills," Dylan said then glanced at Sonny. "Like some of us. Hunters and vampires really aren't that different. That's part of the reason you adjusted so well after you were turned." He gently squeezed her hand still trying to calm her. "Everything will work out in the end."

"One of them got away," Sonny told them. "A big blond guy."

"Aden," Amy said softly.

"Whatever," Sonny said not caring. "Look, all I know is he's alive when Luna and Mia are dead. That's not right."

"It would just be so much better for him to be dead too," Amy said sarcastically. She then said in a normal tone, "It's not right either way."

"You're actually defending them?" Sonny demanded.

"Yes," Amy said.

"Dylan," Sonny said in a soft angry voice.

"Honey-" Dylan started.

"You are not going to get me to shut up," Amy said. "I'm not them, Dylan. I don't obey you like some dog."

Dylan looked at her helplessly. "Baby, please," he said softly.

"I have an opinion and I'm not going to act like I don't," Amy said angrily. Dylan sighed softly.

"Are you going to take this?" Sonny demanded. "Be a man."

"Shut up," Dylan said in a low growl.

"We're almost there," Sonny said breaking the tension.

"Where are we going?" Amy asked.

"A cabin to wait the reporters and police out," Dylan said.

"How long will that take?" Amy asked.

"A year," Dylan said thoughtfully. "Maybe more."

"A *year*?" Amy asked shocked. "We have to stay in one place for a year?"

"It's really not that long," Dylan said. She didn't respond. /A year in a cabin with Michael,/ she thought. /I have a feeling that one of us won't be making it out alive./ She looked into the dark woods noticing things that she never would have before.

/Maybe this life isn't so bad, she thought. If I stick to feeding from animals, then it's not that bad. Besides, I love Dylan and I don't want to be away from him./ It felt strange admitting that even to herself. They pulled down a driveway and stopped at a large cabin.

"We're here," Sonny announced. They got out, got their things, and went inside. Kevin and Ethan were already there.

"Where's Michael?" Amy asked.

"Getting dinner," Ethan told her. An image of bound and gagged humans flashed in her mind. /Great,/ she thought. /Now I'm referring to them as humans or mortals. I can't do this. I can't live this life./

Dylan seemed to sense her uneasiness because he whispered. "Not humans."

"Then what?" Amy asked.

"At times like this, feeding from humans is the worse thing that we can do," Kevin told her. "People begin to get really suspicious. If they began to notice a large amount of people showing up dead from blood loss, they may figure out what's going on."

"People are normally really dense," Ethan said. "They don't believe so- every so-called 'supernatural' death is thought to be caused by a cult."

"Do any of the other creatures exist?" Amy asked. "Like werewolves?"

"Yeah," Dylan said. "There aren't many of them anymore. Many of them were killed during the witch trials and The Crusades. Most of them aren't that bad. They're just like witches really, they normally just protect humans. Only a few will kill a human. Those that do are risking being killed by the others." He yawned then looked to the brightening sky. "We should all get to bed, it's late." They walked to their rooms. Amy was once again put in Dylan's room. It was decorated in the same dark colors.

"There's only one bed," Amy informed him.

"I usually don't have company," he explained in an almost bashful voice. "But don't worry, I'll sleep on the floor." She was shocked by the offer. "Unless you want me to." he trailed off. She laughed softly thinking: That's the Dylan I know. He did end up sleeping on the floor.

The next night she, Dylan, Kevin, and Ethan hunted together while Michael went out and Sonny stayed inside. Amy found herself forgetting about being a vampire hunter. She loved this part of life. Being with her brothers and her boyfriend. It was nice to be normal, in any sense of the word. Afterwards they came back and hung out in front of the fire.

"It's strange," Amy whispered. "How life can change. A year ago living like this seemed worse than death; now, I like it."

Kevin smiled. "If we could just get you to forget about father," he said. "Our lives would be perfect."

"If he forgets about me, I'll forget about him," Amy said. "He may not be that worried about me, but he doesn't exactly harbor warm and fuzzy feelings towards me either."

"I don't think he has warm and fuzzy feelings towards anyone," Ethan said. "`Cept Sonny. Sonny's more of a son to him than us."

"True," Kevin admitted. "Sonny's his true son, and Dylan's his lap- dog." Dylan threw a pillow at Kevin who deftly dodged it.

"I prefer 'reformed lap-dog,'" Dylan said causing the others to laugh. Amy laid her head on Dylan's shoulder.

"I think you coming here was good for all of us," Ethan said. "I never would have thought that I would have had the guts to actually stand up to father before. Now, I

can."

"It wasn't me," Amy said.

"Yes it was," Kevin said. "I totally agree with Ethan. You brought that strength out of us. You made us stronger."

Amy started to disagree then just looked at the faces in the room and felt her heart swell with love. "You know, I've felt alone my whole life, but now, I have all of you. I love you guys."

"Group hug!" Kevin yelled dramatically. Everyone laughed softly. After a while they all went back to their rooms. Amy and Dylan sat on the bed in the dark looking outside. He took her hand and held it tightly in his own.

"Being alone in the woods with Michael makes me nervous," Amy admitted to him after a few minutes.

"Amy," Dylan said. "We aren't going to let him hurt you."

"He can pull rank on you," Amy pointed out.

"Damien and Xavier Quinn killed their sire," Dylan told her tracing his hand gently through her hair. "I won't kill him unless he leaves me no choice, but I love you, Amy. I don't want to lose you."

"Conspiring against my sire," Sonny said walking into their room. "That's punishable by death. You know that, right, Dylan?" Amy heard thunder in the distance and felt a pang in her stomach, a voice in the back of her head whispered: Tonight.

"Sonny," Dylan said softly.

"You used to be cool," Sonny said. "Before she came along."

"Sonny, Michael's not here so if I were you I'd leave right now," Dylan's voice quietly dangerous.

"Michael *is* here," Michael said stepping into the room. "And I would shut up if I were you." He looked at Amy and smiled dangerously. "This is really great. Now I can do what I've wanted to do since you were conceived." He paused. "Of course, I'll have to kill Dylan too. That I'm not happy about." He looked at Dylan. "You used to be one of my most trusted minions."

"Then I got a mind of my own," Dylan said.

"No!" Amy cried stepping between them. "Dylan was just trying to make me feel better. I'm the one you want to kill Michael. Leave him out of this. It was all me. I wanted to kill you not them."

"Well," Michael said brightly. "I suppose that this finally gives me the right to kill you." He regarded her seriously. "This is how it ends."

"I agree," Amy said. They circled each other wearily. The thunder rumbled in the distance and the rain began to fall.

"We both know how this is going to end," Michael said nonchalantly.

"I know one of us won't be leaving," Amy said. "But could we just fight?"

"Are you sure you want to end your life so quickly?" Michael asked. "I could give you a moment to say your good-byes."

Amy glared up at him. "My mother never had that chance," she said her voice cold.

"Shut up!" he yelled losing his temper and startling everyone. "You don't know how hard that was. You don't know how much it hurt."

"You killed her," Amy said her voice deadly and unforgiving. "I don't care about your so-called reasons. You supposedly loved her."

"I did!" Michael yelled.

"You loved her and you killed her!" Amy yelled back. "You killed her, Michael. It was your decision and your fault. No one drove you to it. You did it of your own will."

"You know nothing!" Michael practically screamed. "You thought you understood our kind and you were wrong. You're wrong about this too. Ignorance is death in our world, little girl."

"I know enough, Michael," Amy said meeting his gaze levelly. "I'm not scared of you. I stopped being scared a long time ago. Why'd you kill her, Michael?"

"Actually," Kevin said as he and Ethan walked into the room. "I'd like to know why. Why did you kill our mother?"

"Boys," Michael said warning them to stay in their place.

"No, father," Ethan said his voice it's usual deadly calm. "Tell us."

"She cheated on me," Michael said.

"We all know that you weren't exactly Mr. Faithful," Ethan said.

"Back down," Michael said.

Dylan stepped next to Amy. "Or?" he asked. The next moments seemed speed by for Amy. Michael had out a stake one moment, the next she was on the floor. She didn't feel any pain.

She got to her knees shakily and looked for Dylan. He was beside her. She crawled to him. There was a stake sticking out of his chest. She wasn't sure if it had missed his heart this time. She understood instantly. He had pushed her out of the way and got staked himself. Ethan and Kevin rushed to their sides. Sonny just stood back in shock.

"Stay with him," Amy ordered her brothers. She stood and noticed that Michael was gone. She walked outside into the storm. The pouring rain soaked her instantly. She looked around in the darkness not seeing him anywhere. Then she hit the muddy ground when he kicked her from behind. She leapt up to face him.

"You should have been killed at birth," he snarled. They stood at odds waiting for one another to make a move. It was him, he went for a roundhouse kick but ended up in the mud himself when she blocked it. He was up quickly glaring at her. She gave him a sharp uppercut to the stomach then kicked his legs out from under him. Amy then kicked him in the ribs several times. She would kill him for her mother and now, for Dylan or die trying.

"You're a coward you know," she told him as he stood again. "You attacked a helpless woman and a child but you wouldn't fight fair."

"I'm here now," he told her.

"Even now you tried a sneak attack," she said. "You're a pathetic coward. You're afraid of me. I can feel that. You're afraid of what I mean to your 'happy home.' Michael, you've caused me more pain than you'll ever know."

"Now, its time for you to pay," she whispered. She punched him letting all the fear, anger, and hatred out in that one punch. He flew backwards landing again in the mud. She pulled out a stake and paused only for a second to say: "You were right."

She looked at him feeling upset. "This is how it ends." She brought the stake down hard and fast. Amy stood suddenly crying. They regarded each other for a second. He looked at her with shocked admiration.

"You did it," he whispered before he died. Amy's tears mixed with the falling rain. He was dead. She had done what she had devoted her entire life to. What was next?