~ CHAPTER 9 ~
Bad Blood


Blaine wrestled with the urge to turn back around with every step he came closer to the hill and Dalton House; the urge to flee, to disappear with Kurt where everything could be normal; the urge to double back toward the forest and track down Edward from his hole of a mansion, and kill him for doing this to his father; and the urge to find Santana and demand why she lied to him. Why she said he was dead?

But he is, Blaine told himself, stopping at the foot of the hill. He is dead. UNDEAD, but still.

Only now he noticed, as he came out of his miserable thought bubble, that he was attracting a lot of attention. The few cars passing by the main road slowed down, people staring out the windows at him. The passer-bys on foot were also looking back over their shoulders at him; some even dared to double back for another look.

He wasn't disturbed by the suspicious looks. He, as a Warbler, was used to it since very early in his life. No, what bothered him was the fact that now he could almost read on their faces who believed him, and who didn't.

Some people bore on their faces, open looks of hatred and contempt. They looked as if they were just waiting to nab a chance to clap him in irons and shut him away in some facility.

Others, very few of them, most of these he knew by their Sworn family names were also Andy's customers of years, looked sympathetic. He caught a few teenagers and ladies giving him piercing looks. Looks which said, "You don't even worry, Blaine" or "We are with you no matter what" or "You are not alone." Looks which bore intense sort of kindness that for the first time he realized what it meant to be a protector. What it meant to be an Anderson. A Warbler.

He nodded assuredly at those who were sympathetic, letting them know he was OK and still fighting. They moved on, looking satisfied.

To those who were frowning at him, and typing at their phones, trying to tell their friends about how they were observing the freak Warbler perhaps, Blaine flipped them off with his middle finger, watching in satisfaction as their faces went red, purple and blue in anger and infuriation.

His mind was now made up. No more would he grieve. No more hiding. It's time that the Warblers told the unsuspecting people of Hilltown exactly who they were. It was time to prove Edward wrong.

He jogged up the hill, and wasn't surprised to find all his brothers waiting for him in the garden, heavily armed, just in case. They all were positioned on different trees around the hill, examining the town below. Some were watchful on the telescopes. Nick and Cooper were the only ones who sat on the grass, soaking in the sun's warmth, looking morose and silent.

They all abandoned post when they spotted Blaine. Cooper was the first to reach him.

Blaine scooped his brother in his arms and held him close, allowing his grief to overcome him for just a moment. Then one by one, he hugged each his brother close, as they murmured to him that they didn't care what Edward said, or what Andy said on the news. They didn't care that Andy was under influence. They loved him. And they were with him till the end.

Just then, Blaine truly realized how blessed he was. He had support and love of so many incredible people. He wasn't sure if Kurt's feelings were the same as his own (the kiss was still a fresh memory in his mind, like a burn, but he had to be sure) however he was even glad that Kurt hadn't felt sorry for kissing him. That he had promised to never leave him alone.

"OK, Listen up!" said Blaine after they all were a bit under control. "Seems all of you have heard the news, watched that—" he stuttered a bit "that Andy is alive. Sort of. That he's one of them."

There were sad faces around him, but no more tears. They were attentive and full of determination.

"If Edward had somehow asked Andy to convince and manipulate the townspeople about us and our true motives, it falls on us to repair the damage." He looked around at each of them, in their eyes, emphasizing what he was saying. "We NEED to leave the Shadows. We NEED to come out to the world. We NEED to show them, to PROVE, that we aren't what Edward had accused us of."

Jeff and Trent nodded viciously. Cooper looked down sadly, hiding the tears which had escaped his thirteen year old eyes. Hunter, Thad and Wes gripped their rifles with force, looking ready.

"We NEED," continued Blaine, "to show who the real enemy is. We need to go to the funeral. But the question is, are you with me?"

Jeff cursed shamelessly and snapped, "D'you even need to ask, dude? FUCK, YEAH!"

And Blaine smiled. It wasn't the first smile since this morning. He had smiled a lot because of Kurt. But his brothers—who had obviously been worried sick when they hadn't found him in his room at waking up—hadn't seen him smile since Andy's news. They were relived to see him smile.

"Get armed," Blaine muttered a soft order. "Get presentable. The funeral's a-waiting."
-----


Quinn hung back when the media people started clamoring around the podium in Smyth Mansion. Anderson's word against his son had been received with honest shock. He had been so convincing that Quinn, herself, had gasped in horror.

But then Anderson had met her eyes over the heads of all the humans. He had blinked once. She didn't know if it was the blood connection which they shared (she hadn't sired anyone before) or if there was something about being his Master, but she had understood his meaning perfectly. He was doing exactly what she had said. He was pretending.

When the questionings had finally come to a close, Quinn had taken up an umbrella and crossed the crowded pavilion toward the parking lot. The sun was beating down hotly over the town now. There was no escape. She knew that was exactly why Edward had called the media in. It showed good faith with humans if the vamps came out in sunlight for them, despite the problems.

She was covered from head to toe in black, thick woolen clothes. If she had been an ordinary girl, she would have long fainted due to the heat. But as it was, she felt nothing but a calm sense of protectiveness. The thick maroon scarf which was warped around her neck and over her head, covering half her face, felt soft against her cold skin. The shades protected the rest of her face. It was not an effective protection, the clothes, but for the short journey to the car, it was enough. The umbrella proved a friend till she reached Santana's BMW.

She knew Santana was holed up inside the Mansion along with Brittany, so there was no chance of her noticing that the car was gone. Nor would any of Edward's guard notice her absence due to the sun. As soon as the conference would end, they'll lock up inside the Mansion and not come out till it was cloudy enough again.

She slid inside the car, making sure the windows were all up, and the AC was running full blast. Not that she needed it, but it felt like an extra protective sheet against the sunrays. Santana's car was remodeled to add extra speed, even more than the standard BMW speed, and blackened windows, including the windshield. They didn't need the transparent glass because of the fact that their eye sight was perfectly uncanny.

She checked the time, it was 4 o' clock in the evening. The funeral would be starting.

She arrived a little late, on purpose, and wasn't surprised at the crowd of people outside Hilltown's only church. Michael Jones had been a well known person in town. A good man; hard working farmer; a good father. It wasn't a surprise that so many people had come to attend, to say goodbye.

She parked the car furthest away from all the other cars. The BMW was well known in the town too. She took out the umbrella, hoping with all her might that people wouldn't notice her too much. The Hilltowners loved sun just as much as the rain. Because it was always rare and short lived. A lady in umbrella in such a good weather will definitely seem suspicious. But she thanked her lucky stars, as she finally entered the full to bursting church. She closed the umbrella and sat on the corner seat, in the very last row.

She took off her shades, and slipped the scarf just a bit off her face, not to seem too suspicious, and took off her woolen over coat. Underneath she wore the simple clothes, also black, the standard funereal dress up. And voila, she was like everyone else. Sad, lonely, black clad, and waiting for the ceremony to start.

She started noting down everything. Who had come? Who hadn't? Some of the families were in attendance in full, every single person was here. Some only had one or two representatives. In the fourth row, she spotted a group of people who seemed a bit nervous. At the head of the group was a woman with short cropped blond hair. Sue Sylvester. The Deserters had also came to pay respects. Around Sue, the people were all underfed, wearing old clothes and bearing serious expressions which were normal for a Deserter living in forest and fending for their lives in toughest times.

The rows before the Deserters were the Puckpeople. Puckerman males, and their friends, and workers and close family friends all sat there looking sad. A few of the boys, Quinn noticed, bore scars from the battle last night. There was a nasty gash across Jake's face. Sam and Ryder wore splints for broken arms. Riley had injured his leg; he supported it on a chair in front of him. Rory and Joe Hart looked tired but unharmed. Quinn acknowledged their unscratched appearance with a frown. Clearly, they were good warriors. As a warrior herself (she tried not to think too much on the fact that her skills were used as a tool for Edwards's tyranny) she appreciated and admired other warriors.

Then she noticed in the very front row. The Joneses. The black family was the silent and saddest of the lot in the church. Mrs Jones, who had been once a lively lady, looked empty, broken and fragile. Next to her, her children sat. Her son Michael, named after his father, had his arms around her. Mercedes sat alone, staring in the space somewhere ahead.

Quinn followed her gaze and spotted the coffin on the altar. The lid was closed. Quinn felt a stab of guilt. Closed lid ceremony. Meaning Mr Jones had been murdered in the worst way possible.

Right then, another family entered the church. Quinn looked down, hiding. She had recognized by the scent that it was the Hummels. Carole, Finn and Kurt made their hasty way to the front, to the Joneses. Mercedes looked up and then with a sob, that Quinn could hear over the babble of murmuring voices easily, threw herself in Kurt's waiting arms. Carole started to comfort Mrs Jones. Finn talked a while somberly to Michael, who seemed to be listening with a small frown. Quinn guessed that he was telling Michael about the news broadcast. For the Joneses surely wouldn't have heard the news in their grief.

The crowd started to fall silent gradually. The seats near Quinn were empty, but the attendants and some of the men who couldn't find seats, sat themselves in her row, ignoring her completely. They waited for the ceremony to begin.

Mr Hart, the town's cleric and Joe Hart's father, climbed up the altar behind the podium, ready to begin the ceremony. People fell silent at once, their faces washed in sadness. Mr Hart had a bandage on his head. Clearly he had been injured too last night.

But before he could speak, the church doors, which had been closed off, opened up again. And another group of people entered.

Quinn cussed under her breath as murmurs rose all over the hall. It was the Warblers.
-----


I am trembling uncontrollably as Burt stops outside a long line of cars and trucks in the street leading to the church. We start up a brisk walk to the church already teeming with people.

Calm down, Kurt, I tell myself. It will be OK. But all the same, my hands shake and I try to take in huge breaths. Burt notices my discomfort and garbs my hand to stop me. Finn and Carole keep walking.

"Are you sure you don't want to wait in the car?" asks Burt.

I was sane enough to realize that, with the sun shining brightly above us, the Vampires wouldn't dare attack me. Besides, by now they must know, if Santana had told them, that I am Sworn. They can no longer hurt me, unless they want to break the law.

"No, I wanna be there for Mercedes," I mumble.

"Kurt, I know it's difficult for you. You weren't given a chance to attend Paul's funeral, which is miserable enough. So I am sure she will understand if you want to avoid facing this..."

"NO!" His tone decides it for me. "No, I need to go in there. She must be so sad. She's my friend. I want to be there."

Burt nods, smiling at me proudly. "All right. Let's go."

We find Carole and Finn waiting for us at the church doors. We enter the church and I scan the whole crowd. A blur of faces is all I can see. I can't find him. He said he'd be here...Oh, Mercedes.

I follow Finn and Carole and touch Mercedes softly on her shoulder. She comes back to earth with a jolt and looks up at me. Her brown eyes are wider than ever, tear streaked; her face beaks. And I know I was right to come here. So what if I hadn't experienced a funeral before? Who cares? She needs me. So here I was. Personal problems be damned.

We seem to be the last family there is. The church starts to quiet down and I see Joe getting up and closing the doors, signaling the start of the ceremony.

Mercedes has her head on my shoulder, she is silent now. I scan the crowd again. I meet the eyes of my friends, noting in worry how they were injured in various forms. But they don't look bothered. No, in fact, they look as if it is a routine thing. Which it may even be, I realize with a shudder. Mercedes looks up at me and I see her smile sadly, the first one since this morning.

"You OK, boo?"

"Yeah, honey," I tell her. "You?"

She shrugs. "If you can survive a tragedy like losing a father—so can I. But..."

"But it needs time," I agree. "Did you hear about...?" I can't tell her. Not just like that.

"Blaine's Dad?" she says with some amount of interest. Yes, Finn was saying something to Michael. "Is he really allying with the Mayor?"

"Allying isn't the word I'd use," I tell her softly, watching Mr Hart take the stage. "He's...turned. I think."

Mercedes look at me in utter disbelief. Then she does something so insane, I have to literally stop my airways to prevent from giggling.

"Those motherfuckers!" she hisses in indignation.

That's when Mr Hart clears his throat, and I wonder if he heard her. But he's only asking for silence. Silence which envelopes the whole church within a millisecond.

He has a bandage around his head, Mr Hart. But he looks as agile and hale as ever. He opens his mouth to speak but the door to the church burst open with loud creaking.

I turn so fast my neck cricks. And I smile. Barely. He came. He had promised and now...here he is!

But the reaction of the people in church distracts me. They are murmuring, looking at Warblers in something close to distrust and even malice in case of a few families.

"Settle down!" Mr Hart raises his voice. Everyone has decency enough to stop murmuring and look back at him. "I shall begin now. I suggest that the Warblers stand by the rear walls, thank you, as there are no more seats left."

People who had stood up at the shock of Warbler's entry sit down again. I see in amazement a little boy who stands beside Blaine. He is thirteen, I think. And looks somewhat familiar. Blaine leans down and tells the boy something softly. The boy nods once and settles down in the lap of an old lady wearing nurse's outfit. She doesn't looks bothered but smiles down at the boy in sadness.

Was he also a Warbler? One of the orphans or maybe Deserters that Blaine had rescued? But I don't have time to dwell on it much as Mercedes tugs at my hand. I sit down with a last glance in his direction. He stand leaning by the wall with his brothers. He is looking straight at Mr Hart, who has started speaking.

"Dears," says Mr Hart, his voice turning mournful without much pretense. "This is a sad day for us. Saddest one in the many sad days we, as the people of this town, have faced in recent years.

"I know not what you may have heard or what you believe. But every one of us must know that last night, some things happened which couldn't have been avoided. Last night, my sons, my friends, fought against those wretched demon spawns who are ruling over us, keeping us slaves!"

There are a few vehement huffs and even curses at this pronouncement. No matter what the people thought of the Warblers, underneath God's roof, we were all against the Vampires.

Mr Hart starts explaining about the fight last night, conveniently editing the gory details or even the fact that I was the root cause of the trouble. Everyone listens in dismay the tale of death of Michael Jones. Mr Hart even tell about Jack Anderson's "death" and the news of his turning.

I see as a few people look guilty and compassionate toward the Warblers at this. But still many are looking disbelieving, suspicious. Though they don't cause any more trouble, thank goodness.

Mr Hart concludes with hopes and well wishes for the unfortunate family, and poor Warblers who were left alone without any adult on the hill. Then he allows us to one by one, walk to the altar and place gifts, flowers, or any other beloved items on Mr Jones' coffin as a parting gift.

Families go to pay respects right after the Joneses. Burt had brought flowers on the way here for us all to place on the coffin. First, Finn goes, then Carole and Burt.

Then it's my turn. There are a few people who know of the alliance between us and the Warblers. They acknowledge me with nods and smiles. But there are some who suspect my involvement in all this but are still not part of our little renegade group. They look at me with shrewd eyes, not even caring to hide the suspicions. I duck my head and slowly walk to the altar.

As I stand before the closed coffin, memories from last night's attack bloom in front of my eyes. He had saved me. He had pushed me away and taken the blow for himself. He was the true hero. I remember how Sugar had ripped his throat with her long nails, the splatter of blood and his dying scream...

The tears brim over my eyes. I place my roses on the coffin and say softly, just to Mr Jones, "I owe my life to you. And I will not rest till you are avenged. It's a promise."

I don't know what make me say this. But it feels right. It feels like a plan.

I walk back down the altar and for the first time, look straight up, at the end of the church. Blaine is looking at me. He is looking at me as if I'm the only person here. And then, ever so slightly, he smiles.

I can't help but smile back at him. I don't even care if the people gathered think I'm loony. Then I am at my seat and I sit down, Mercedes back in my arms, tucked close to me.

It takes a long while. But when the last family is done paying respects, Mr Hart requests us to gather in the pavilion erected in the church grounds for the funeral feast. The people start leaving in groups to have some food.

The Puckpeople and the Warblers are the only ones who gather in front of the altar. Sue Sylvester stays too with her group of Deserters.

"Well, Hummel," she says, "what of us?"

"Why you should have feast too," Mr Hart reply before Burt can. "Don't even bother what others think."

Sue smirks at Mr Hart, but I see honest gratefulness in her eyes. I wonder how hard life is for them. If they even have enough to eat. She looks at her people and says, "Go and eat. I'll join you shortly."

Her group leaves too. Only the Berrys and Sue stay with us. I notice, with some amusement, Finn is suddenly standing close to Rachel. She doesn't seem unhappy though. And I can see the love in their eyes as they shyly meet each other's gazes and look away.

"It was brave, coming here," Burt says to Blaine. "With all your brothers, I assume?"

"Yes," Blaine says. "It is time we show this town what we truly do. And that what Andy said, isn't right."

I notice how he says Andy, and not Dad. Burt seem to have noticed as well.

"Son, what are your plans against your father?" he asks instead.

"If he tried to 'deal with us' as he said, we'll have to defend ourselves," says the half-Asian guy who is Wes, I think. "No other choice, is there?"

"No I suppose not," Mr Hart says. "But I think its time we come up with a plan that involves less fighting and more political and logical approach. I suppose everyone agrees that we can't have another funeral here anytime soon."

"My father must be avenged," says Michael with passion. "It will involve fighting, Mr Hart, like it or not."

"What he means," says Burt before they can argue more, "is that we have to make sure the Smyths can't use their rules against us as weapon. What ever we do we'll have to stay within the circle of the law."

"I agree," says Blaine. "If my father hadn't gone out of town so boldly, we wouldn't have fought last night, and wouldn't have lost Mr Jones."

Silence descends on us. They all seem to be thinking of solutions.

Then the nurse who was still sitting far away gets up to go for the feast as well. The boy comes toward us with shy steps. Blaine looks at the boy and smiles. This smile is so different than the ones I've seen on his face before. There's a fierce, protective, fatherly hint to this smile.

Everyone is now looking at the boy, astonished.

"Hey, little guy," says Mrs Jones. "I haven't seen you before. Are you new here?"

Riley chuckles, shaking his head. "No he ain't. Tell 'em Blaine."

And Blaine smiles abashedly. "Everyone, this is my brother. Cooper Anderson."

There's an audible shock at this. Everyone speaks up at once.

"Brother?"

"Anderson?"

"Wait, I didn't know you had a brother?"

"Holy shit!" says Puck.

"Noah, not in the church!" Mr Hart snaps.

"How many are you?"

"Are there more?"

"SHUT IT!" Mercedes yells and we quiet down.

"No, there aren't more," says Blaine. "What you see before you is the total number of the Warblers. There are just us left. And the reason you don't know about Cooper is because we protected him. Ever since Mom died, Dad and I took strict measures to make sure that nobody knew about Cooper. It was the only way to save him. He was only one year old back then."

"But how do you know?" asks Puck from Riley.

"Well I go up there more than any of the people in town." Riley smirks. "Seen this little one running around the big house, talking and teasing his brothers."

Cooper smiles and goes red. "I don't tease."

"Yeah, right shorty," Jeff says with fondness.

It's easy to see how much the Warblers care for this little guy. The way they look at him makes me realize that they are a family. Just like any of us. And what Edward had forced Mr Anderson to say on TV was cruel. Warblers are nice, good. Family. I shudder at the thought of them trying to defend against their own 'dead' father. What a miserable fate.

Everyone is asking Cooper questions, where he goes to school, what he does in free time, what he likes to eat. His presence is so heart lifting that Mrs Jones and Mercedes are smiling as they talk to him. Slowly they lead Cooper outside for the feast. Warblers start leaving too.

"Let's go then," says Riley at last. "We might as well go and eat before the good things are gone."

Someone (Sue, I think) curses at this, earning a glare from Mr Hart. "It's the food from your own restaurant, bumble bee!" she says in sarcasm.

And just like that, I find myself walking beside Blaine. Nobody notices us at first. Or even if they do, it holds no meaning for them. Only Finn and Burt look at us and realize that we may, or may not be talking about something important. They urge others to move fast and go out the church to the pavilion.

We are left alone.

For a while I just look at his face. Trying to see any trace of regret. I find none. He is looking at me the same way as before. Like I'm the only one here.

"So..." I say awkwardly. "Cooper, huh?"

"Yes. I was adamant about keeping his identity still a secret but he insisted that if we were coming out in the world, we all should be together. Do it with a bang, you know."

"It really was a bang," I acknowledge. "Everyone was shocked!"

He shrugs. "I don't care anymore. Our days in hiding are over. Whatever Burt and Riley will decide, we'll help. That's the least we can do now."

We fall silent again. I meet his eyes and look away. His lips are still swollen. From the kiss.

STOP THINKING ABOUT THE KISS! I tell myself firmly. You are in a church for god's sake!

But there's a blush on his face as well. And he raises his hand and touches my jaw again with a soft stroke of his thumb.

"How's the jaw?"

"Hurt. But it'll heal."

"Look...I don't know if Burt told you or not—the things you must know. But I kinda agreed to help you train, you know." He shifts his feet nervously, looking away, through the open door toward the pavilion far away.

"You d-did?"

"Yep. After the fight with Dave, we kinda decided you were ready for the big stuff. So—as I'm the only one trained enough in Vampire slaying—I volunteered to help you. If you have no arguments, that is."

I blink in confusion. OK. Vampire slaying? Training? Me? That is too much. I can't be that good that they'd choose me over—over a hulking boy, like Puck.

"I don't have arguments, no. But...me? Are you sure I'll be even able to do anything? I mean...last night I—I barely survived. And that's with Santana saving my ass. How can you be sure that I would be able to be as good as you guys?"

"You will be," he says with a proud firmness in his voice that I've only heard from Burt. "I'm gonna train you so well that you won't need Santana anymore."

I remember how Santana had told me to train hard and resist Sebastian. So I guess this is the golden opportunity. Golden, because hello? Blaine! HE is gonna train me. Not Puckpeople. Not other farmer boys. But Blaine.

The thought gives me chills and I blush again, looking down at my feet. I search for a change of topic and my stomach growls. Wow, awkward.

"I'm hungry now," I admit. We didn't have breakfast (or lunch, in truth) in the hurry to leave. And I had just tea with Mercedes ages ago.

"Let's go then."

We shut the crunch doors firmly and join the others in pavilion.
-----


Blaine kept his eyes peeled. He didn't let Kurt notice but he was being over careful because he had a feeling that this gathering might not go unnoticed by the Smyths—or one of their pawns at least. Yes, the sun was bright. But he had heard of ways the Vampires could, for a little while, endure the sun if certain precautions were taken.

He thought he saw someone leave under an umbrella not long ago, but maybe someone felt too hot and had brought umbrella just in case. He didn't dwell much on it. He was distracted as it is.

On the outside, it would seem to the people that Blaine and Kurt were nothing but good friends, mingling, talking and eating as they made a circle in the pavilion. Always staying close. Always talking in soft voices.

But he knew they were not friends. Not Just Friends, in any case. He caught himself, not for once, staring at Kurt's lips. His smile. The way his eyes lit up whenever Blaine told him something really engaging about Cooper or any of his Warblers.

Blaine was, in fact, beyond surprised that he could talk to Kurt so easily. He never had been much of a chatterer. With his Warblers, even, he hadn't been much talkative. But with Kurt, he could talk about the most mundane things with ease that made him happy and self-conscious all at once.

But the memory of Kurt's soft lips against his own always made him blush and the conversation turned awkward. Then Kurt would change topic at once and they will be back to talking again.

Blaine saw with irregularity what was happening around him too. Just because Kurt was distracting him doesn't mean he forgot his first instinct as a Warbler. He observed where his boys were, spread all over the pavilion. Wes and Thad were near the entrance. On the face of it, they were only eating the deserts by the table near the entrance, but Blaine knew they were keeping track of who left and who came. Trent and Hunter kept close to the Jones ladies, who were still Cooper's companions. They talked in their small group, oblivious to the world around. David, Nick and Jeff were with Puckpeople.

Some citizens were against the Warbler's open friendliness with Puckpeople; they muttered and complained to Burt and Mr Hart but were snubbed effectively. Then the time came to return to homes. People started leaving after saying goodbye to Joneses, who thanked them for coming and showing support.

The burial would be tomorrow. And only a few chosen people were invited for that.

Blaine stayed with Kurt through it all. Cooper joined them as well, and asked Kurt out right, "You are my brother's friend, aren't you?"

Kurt blushed a lot and mumbled, "Yes, I am."

"I saw you once," Cooper went ahead. "You were scared. You were running."

Kurt frowned a bit and then his eyes went wide. He looked at Blaine in question. "W-what? What does he mean? When?"

And Blaine felt embarrassed to admit that he'd seen Kurt running after the encounter with Karofsky. Kurt looked a bit troubled at this but mostly he was also embarrassed that there had been witnesses.

But it was what he asked Blaine that confused and bothered him the most.

"Why didn't you...help me then? If you were there...you could've helped me."

Blaine didn't know what to say to that. "I—uh—I was outside. I didn't know what was going on and you were just running to Tavern so..."

The silence was long lasting this time. Kurt looked very thoughtful and sad for some reason. He kept looking at his friends in turn. Puckpeople. Warblers. Then his family. His uncle who conferred at the other end of the pavilion with Sue and Riley in hushed voices. Kurt frowned and then gave Blaine a smile. A smile which did not reach his eyes.

"Well, what's done is done right?" Kurt said. "Let's just forget about it. New beginnings, that's what we should be looking forward to."

"Yeah, right."

Blaine felt the palpable distance between them. Even though Kurt was close enough that he could easily reach out and touch him, it still felt there were miles between them. Blaine's heart thudded painfully in his chest. He felt as if he was walking on thin ice and any moment—crack—and he'll fall.

"Well, I should go to my family," Kurt said.

He seemed to be very precise. Controlled. And Blaine suddenly realized Kurt was holding back tears. He wanted to hug Kurt. Wanted to kiss him. The way Kurt had kissed him this morning to ease the pain. But he couldn't.

"Well, ahem, bye," Kurt whispered, turned and walked away, fast.

Blaine's heart was definitely aching now. He didn't know what he'd done wrong?

"Blaine?" Cooper called his attention. "Are you OK? Did you had fight with your friend?"

"No, Coop. It's OK. Just nothing."

But all the same, Kurt was sitting in the lonely table, staring at his hands as the world around him moved and talked and mourned. There was something in his face which Blaine couldn't really understand. Something heavy. Like a burden. Or responsibility.

"Shall we go?" Wes came up behind him. "People are leaving. Have left, actually."

And, indeed. Apart from family friends, every other soul had left. Blaine just nodded. He walked over to the Joneses, to say farewell and then they left for Dalton House.

As he exited the tent, Blaine looked back one last time. Kurt was looking at him go. There was nothing but sorrow in his eyes.

Blaine held up his hand, and smiled hopefully. But Kurt looked away, not acknowledging him. Blaine felt like he was drowning, his breaths leaving him.

Since when did his life depend on Kurt Hummel? Was this how it felt to be in love? So excruciating and, at the same time, so right?
-----


Quinn stayed for as long as the ceremony lasted. Then as the people rushed out of the church to the food outside, she hid behind an alcove, looking toward the front where Puckpeople and Warblers were gathering. She had to hide further in the shadows when the Deserters too left after a word from their representative, Sue Sylvester.

Then she heard as they talked about what to do next. How to better plan against the Smyths? But she was curious as to who the child was. The one who had sat on Dorothea's lap while the ceremony, the one who came with Blaine.

As if her wish came true, Dorothea bid the boy goodbye and went outside too. She hadn't seen Quinn come in, so she didn't know if she was being watched. Quinn made a mental note to ask about the child from her later.

But then there was no need. The child was Cooper Anderson. She was quiet amused when she realized Andy had two sons, not just Blaine. But she heard with fascination the reasons behind Cooper's secret existence.

She could understand why they would do it. He was, after all, a child. And Quinn started to worry that somehow, Edward would find out. Blaine Anderson had a weakness after all. And that was his brother, the child.

She'll have to make sure that it wouldn't come to it. But then they were leaving for food too. She wanted to storm out of her hiding spot and yell at Blaine as to why he was letting Cooper outside in front of all of the town! What if Edward found out? But she reined in her anger and watched them go.

Blaine, however, stayed behind with Kurt. Which she thought was really odd. But she was confused. The way they looked at each other—it was wrong. Weird.

"So...Cooper, huh?" Kurt asked. There was faint note of filtration in his voice.

Blaine looked down with a smile. A smile which Quinn thought was new on his face. She hadn't seen such a smile. Not even when she was human, and they used to come here in church every Sunday.

"Yes. I was adamant about keeping his identity still a secret but he insisted that if we were coming out in the world, we all should be together. Do it with a bang, you know."

"It really was a bang. Everyone was shocked!"

"I don't care anymore. Our days in hiding are over. Whatever Burt and Riley will decide, we'll help. That's the least we can do now."

Quinn also thought it was wise of them, thinking studiously about the plans next. But she was still rolling this puzzle over in her head. Blaine. Kurt. There was something there.

And then she suddenly realized what it was. Because Blaine blushed suddenly. And Kurt was really red too. Then Blaine touched Kurt on his jaw. It was a kind of touch that was really tender, loving.

"How's the jaw?" Even his voice sounded tender.

Quinn frowned, realizing. So...Blaine had certainly changed.

"Hurt. But it'll heal."

"Look...I don't know if Burt told you or not—the things you must know. But I kinda agreed to help you train, you know."

Here it was. Nervousness. Longing.

And Quinn felt her whole world shake. Blaine had a weakness. Not one. Two. Cooper. And Kurt. Whom Blaine Anderson loved. Because if that look on his face wasn't love...Quinn didn't know what was. Now the plan to help these pathetic creatures seemed even more difficult to her. She'll have to keep both these things secret. Unless these idiots give themselves away.

"You d-did?"

"Yep. After the fight with Dave, we kinda decided you were ready for the big stuff. So—as I'm the only one trained enough in Vampire slaying—I volunteered to help you. If you have no arguments, that is."

Quinn personally liked the idea. Kurt, undefeatable, will be a very challenging obstacle for Edward. And anything which made Edward's plans a dud was fine with her.

"I don't have arguments, no. But...me? Are you sure I'll be even able to do anything? I mean...last night I—I barely survived. And that's with Santana saving my ass. How can you be sure that I would be able to be as good as you guys?"

Wait? Santana? Quinn listened in attentiveness. Trying to guess what was going on. When had Santana saved Kurt?

Then she vaguely remembered last night. Something had happened after their trip to the forest. She knew without judgment that the Warblers may have gone to the explosion site. But something else had been happening while she was busy taking care of Anderson.

Edward had been mad because a large part of his guard had gone missing. And Sebastian was also not there. Not answering his cell.

Was it possible? Had Santana saved Kurt from Sebastian at the last moment? Was Santana of the same mind as Quinn?

She waited till they left to eat as well. Then she located a window which was unlocked and opened her umbrella. Walking with fast strides, she made her way to the car. It was a bit difficult, weaving through the crowd, but she made it.



The moment she returned to her room in the Mansion, she was faced by Santana herself.

"Quinn." The Hispanic girl said archly. "Why were you gone in my car?"

Quinn shed her scarf and coat. Then she met Santana's eyes. "Why did you save Hummel?"

The both girls stared at each other. Reading minds. Understanding the reasons. Then Santana smiled.

"Looks like we play on the same team."

"We do. But we need to plan. And the humans are gonna need help." Quinn though of the way Kurt and Blaine couldn't keep each other's loving gazes in check. "A LOT of help."
-----


I finally know what it means. The looks they keep giving me. I can't believe all this time I've been so blind.

Blaine had seen me that day. Could it be that he was in on the 'test' Puck had decided to take of me? Is he also part of their grand schemes?

I had come to realize long ago that the wrestling matches on the fields weren't just play and games. They, my friends, wanted me toughened up. A reason I can understand and am actually grateful for. From what I've experienced so far in this town, self-defense of any kind is welcome.

Then Burt had refused to tell me the whole thing. He'd tell me a bit about the order of things in Hilltown, yes, but I still remember his words. "Things work according to a system in Hilltown. The sooner you become a part of this system, the easier it'll be for you."

I had accepted that excuse. I had even accepted the way I got treated afterwards. Field work. Wrestling. Stares and hatred of the Smyths.

I had accepted the fact that, the reason why I sometimes caught my friends looking at me from the corner of my eyes is, they are worried for me. They had to make sure I am safe.

But IS it their reason? Is it really?

Blain's sudden offer is astounding. Train me. OK I can live with that. Train me to be a Vampire assassin, now this is what I categorize as a joke.

I sit and ponder in my corner table. The world around me is oblivious.

Blaine had left a few moments ago. I couldn't bring myself to wave goodbye. Not so soon after this glorious dream has started. I still love him; this much I'm sure of. But I am also angry at him. For not telling me what he knows.

Santana's words echo in my head. At first they had been vague and indirect. Now, it makes sense. Somehow.

"You aren't an idiot," she had said. "I know that much. So I'm guessing that you've noticed how everyone's so protective of you. How they train you all the time? How they sometimes force you to fight or respond as if they are waiting for something...? It's because you are unique, Kurt. I have no idea how that is possible or what you are capable of. But rest assured, you have something about you Kurt that made Edward very frightened; and made Burt and Puckerman hopeful. Something that was the reason why Paul ran away with you."

And that look in Blaine's eyes as they had talked about coming up logical and political solutions. It had been the same as he looked at me. Same as the looks I got from my friends. From Puck. From Burt.

It wasn't worry. Or fear for my life.

It was anticipation. Hope.

They are hoping I will be able to somehow save them. They are waiting for me to train and change so that I can help them. I am a weapon.

I start to realize why it must be the reason my Dad went away. Family had been his everything. I still remember how devastated and broken-hearted he was when my Mom left us. He used to say to me, "Keep your loved ones close, Kurt. If you lose them, you can never refill the void it causes in your life. No amount of regret, of happiness is enough to make you forget."

He had sacrificed his happiness for me. He must have known that his family would use his son as a weapon in coming years. So he had left. No matter how much he missed his brother.

But why tell me to return to Hilltown in his will? Why after going to such extreme lengths to protect me from this place and its demons?

"...OUT OF YOUR MIND! We can't even consider it, Daniel!"

I flinch as my Uncle's urgent, raised voice intrudes on my ears. I peek up from the corner of my eyes and see him yelling in Mr Hart's face.

"Me and Paul made sure the we would never do any such thing and you expect me to..." his voice fades away again.

I promptly lay my head down on the table and listen. With all my might.

"You misunderstand me, Burt," Mr Hart try to placate my uncle. "But once it all comes to this. Once Kurt doesn't achieve what we expect of him. What do you think the others will do?"

"I am never doing it no matter Kurt emerges in talents or not!" says Puck. "He's my boy. I stand by him even if he is powerless."

"Nor would I betray him," Sue says. "Porcelain has good heart. Anyone can see that. He's the spitting image of his mother too, and she was my best friend. I'd rather die than betray him."

"See Daniel?" Burt says and there's fierceness to his voice that makes me cry. He sounds so much like Dad sometimes. "All of us are willing to take chances. Blaine may train Kurt. Kurt may not be able to achieve greatness we expect of him. But we are not trading him with the Smyths, even if our lives depend on it. Death, chaos; its part of who we are! We've survived this long—few more years wont matter. Just five more years, and we are free of the treaty. We are free to set foot out of this land."

"Yes but—"

"Seems to me you are the only one who is even considering the possibility of an exchange, Daniel," says Mrs Jones and she sound angry. "I've lost my husband. He died to protect that boy! I'll not have you tarnish my husband's sacrifice in that manner!"

"Do you—I would never!" Mr Hart says outrageously. "But I would expect us to come up with some form of out course if our main plan fails. Kurt is too fragile. Too—human. So you see my dilemma?"

Joe speaks next. He sounds disappointed in his father. "For a man of faith, father, you sound really faithless. I have faith in Kurt's abilities. The Lord won't disappoint us after giving him back to us so soon."

This seems to be the last word. Their little meeting disbands. I sense someone come up behind me, only noticing now that I have 'fallen asleep' just like that.

A hand shakes my shoulder and I take my time waking up, appearing groggy. It's Burt.

"Are you well, son? Shall we go home now?"

I search my Uncle's face. Trying to trust him. He's just like my father. Same blue eyes. So intense and open. Same nose. Same smile. And right now, same expression of love and concern for me.

"I'm still not rested enough, I think," I mumble and he seems to buy my story.

"Let's get you home then. You missed school today. Understandably. But you can't again."

We say good bye to Joneses and others. I hug Mercedes, looking at her sad face in question. How much she knows of this? And when is she planning to tell me?

As we walk to our jeep, I tell Burt as causally as I can, "Blaine mentioned something about training me today. He said you asked him to help me get ready."

"I did. If you have any objection we can..." I am glad that, like Blaine, he is making it my choice at least.

"No, I like it. I think it'll be cool. Learning to defend myself." And I will get to stay with Blaine more often. Maybe I should call him and apologize? I do have his number.

As Burt drives home, the sun seems to be traveling fast to the west. Half the sky is already engulfed by the standard, brown dusty clouds again. Three days of grace, and now Hilltown is gonna be the same as it was when I first came here.

I remember vividly Santana's parting words to Burt this morning.

"Oh and before I forget, I'll tell Kurt the truth now before its too late, Burt."

The truth. I need the truth.

As Carole and Finn get out of jeep, I say, "Uncle, I need to talk about something with you."

Burt frowns but sits down in the jeep again. I slide into the front seat. We turn sideways to face each other.

"What was it that Santana said?" I say without preamble. "This morning. About telling me the truth."

Burt sighs the same way he does when he tries to change the subject or distract me from purpose. "Kurt...you are not yet..."

"Ready?" I say with more force than is appropriate. "When will I ever be ready Burt? How can I ever be ready if I don't know what I'm readying myself for?! I NEED TO KNOW, Burt. Please. I can't make sense of anything any longer. And before I completely lose my mind...I need to know the truth."

The tears form up in my eyes again. Why can't he see that I trust him? That I have trusted him ever since Dad's death? If it wasn't for Burt and his kindness, I'll be still out in the world, wandering and looking for my mother who may or may not be alive for all I know. He needs to see that I loved him and wanted to stay here. But for it. I needed the truth.

"How can I know that you won't hate me?" he whispers at last, his eyes are teary too. "I love you Kurt. Son. You make us happy. You remind me of...of your mother. Of Paul. But if I told you everything...you'll hate me. And I can't see you hating me. I can't stand to see the hatred in your eyes. I can't!"

I grab my Uncle's calloused hands. His rough skin feels comforting in a strange way.

"Look at me, uncle. I love you. I love Carole. I love Finn. You guys are my family. And where would I go if not be with you? I don't have any house in this world for me. At all. I belong here. But I can't live under shadows anymore. Please, understand this."

He looks in my eyes, sees the truth of my words. And nods.

"OK, son. It's time I tell you the truth."

We get out of the jeep and as the sunlight fades under the fast approaching clouds, we settle down on the grass of our front garden. It's still wet from the previous rains. The earth smells wonderful, wet, and mouthwatering.

Carole calls from the den window, "Are you boys coming in? I'm making lemonade!"

"How about you give us some here?" Burt tells her. "Kurt and I are—having a chat."

Carole understands the need for secrecy and nods. "I'll bring it over then."

"So," says Burt warmly. "Where do I begin? What do you wanna know first?"

"Everything!" I huff out. "About me. About why you guys always protect and train me? I can't be that important. There are many untrained people out there who need more protection and the Smyths seem to be just focused on me which is odd." The questions rush out of me like a flood. "And what is it about this Treaty? What kind of rule is it that we can't leave town? Why settle for such rules in the first place?"

Burt chuckled. "So you wanna know from the beginning of it all! Well, it'll take a long time explain, but hey," he crosses his legs under him and smiles, "we aren't going anywhere."

As Burt start to speak, his voice becomes far away and mellow. It's tinged with sadness and longing. It's filled with unseen memories of days gone by. I almost feel myself slipping inside his story.



** "VAMPIRES," he begins, "are the creatures of mythology. Or so we believed. What we led our children to believe. But there are people out there who set much store in these myths. Who believe in them.

We didn't believe in such nonsense. As a reserved area and an isolated town, we were even more narrow minded than the city folks. The worst news in this town used to be taxes, or deaths, or crazy diseases with no cure. And even that was once in a while. I remember when the first person died of AIDS. I was five and the news went around the town like wildfire. We were scared. AIDS! What a horrible thing. The disease of big cities come to haunt us. How tragic!

We were just that innocent and fragile, you must say. But things started to change when I turned sixteen. I was in high school, same one as yours. I told you it was old (he gives me a smile.)

Riley was the oldest of us. Twenty-one. Married and had a son, Jacob, who was our class mate. He was also the quarterback of the football team I played for.

We were all there. Friends. Me, Michael Jones, Jacob Puckerman, Leroy Bose, Abe Bosky, Sue Sylvester, Shannon Beiste and Ulfred Figgins. It was my group of friends. We all used to hang out together.

Paul was a year junior than me. He was more, you can say, geeky. His love was books and theories and sciences while the rest of us were sporty and too loud.

Paul had his group of friends too. Cooter, Ken Tanaka, Carole Scott, Luke Hudson, Millie Rose and Elizabeth Conner. These were his friends.

As the years went by—I started feeling things for Elizabeth Conner. She was so beautiful, Kurt. I can't even explain. She was a shy creature. Always keeping to herself. But she was Paul's good friend. And later, when Sue and her were thrown together as class partners for Chemistry, she became Sue's close friend too. That's how I got introduced to her.

The first time I saw her I was astounded. I didn't believe someone could be so beautiful and fragile like that. And my fascination grew as I started observing her. Watching how small things made her happy or sad without apparent reason. How she sometimes seemed to loose herself in thoughts, while the world around her went by.

It wasn't until I was seventeen and a senior that I finally had the nerve to ask her out. The senior prom was months away and as a star jock of the school; I wanted to be ready ahead of time. So, I convinced Sue of my love for Elizabeth. I told Paul as well—and guess what he told me? She had a crush on me as well. I was so happy!

So with Paul and Sue helping us, we finally met. And then I asked her on the first date. We went to the Tavern, obviously. I sat there the whole night, mesmerized by everything she said. She told me that she was from a poor family; her mother died giving birth to her. But her father was a very good man and worked hard in the Town Hall as Janitor to support her education long enough so that she could go out of town for college.

She inspired me. And I told her of my own plans. I wanted to join the major leagues and play for some bigger team. If I'd won a scholarship in the big upcoming game, the University would offer me a spot themselves.

So the days went by. She told me she loved me too on our third date, right after I won the championship. We went to her house. It was small and I could see how really poor she actually was. There was a room in the house with a hospital bed and various hospital setups. I asked what kind of room it was?

She said that it was her father's room, he was sick most days and they couldn't afford hospital treatment so they had brought the necessary things over. Eliza was trained by now to administer whatever treatment if her Dad felt off sorts.

All these little insights in her life, it made me in love with her more. Everyday, I fell in love with her. Every time she smiled, my love grew stronger. It didn't matter she wasn't rich. It didn't matter we were not of same standard, family wise. I loved her and she loved me.

I remember the first time we (Burt and I blushed at the same time) we made love. It felt like we were finally, completely one. It was the happiest night of my life.

When I said that we weren't suitable in regards with family I meant it, literally. My father was, a that time, town's Mayor. So you must understand that in my father's office, Eliza's Dad was a Janitor. The difference was too much.

But I told my father about her. My mother met Eliza and she loved her too. My father told me that if I really loved her, and wished my future with her, I should tell her. I should be honest and I should never do her wrong.

And so, we got engaged at the prom night. With my parent's blessing on my side, and with Mr Conner's consent, we decided we'll get married in a few months. That was the happiest time of my life, Kurt. My whole life was exposed in front of me. My love, Eliza. Our wedding. Our future together in college. Our own house. Our kids.

In my happiness I didn't see what was going on in the town. We heard news of disappearances, yes. We heard that my father was having troubles in office. He was getting these visitors who left him tensed and worried through the sleepless nights.

But we were young and lost in our own world. During that time, Carole got married to Luke Hudson. And Paul made a new friend. Lily.

Lily was one of the girls of the elite class. But she was very much like Paul. Both of them bookish and intelligent. Nerds. But they were so cute together.

Throughout that time a few new families moved to our town. The Smyths, the St. Jameses and the Fabrays. They were business partners, that much I know of. But they were also political. They started pressurizing my father to abandon his post as Mayor and they wanted the title themselves.

At some stage in that time, Eliza and I got married. The next month we had a great news. She was pregnant. I was gonna be a father! But it was just a commencement of misery in our family, I'm afraid. Six months later, she had a miscarriage.

We didn't know how it was possible but after many tests and medical reports, the doctors told us that it was hopeless. Her body was too fragile to endure childbirth. But she was a strong woman. Eliza told me that it didn't matter. That she wanted a child. She wanted to be a mother of my child.

So we tried again. But at first she won't conceive. She ate pills and stuff. She ate healthy food. Trying to maintain her body so that she could be able to bear a child. But for a whole year it didn't happen.

Paul and Lily got engaged. Sue started to campaign for my father to win the elections, in which the Smyths were running against him. Carole and Luke had their first child, Finn. Michael got married too, after a few months. And Jacob Puckerman also had two sons in the course of two years. Puck and Jake. **



Burt stops suddenly and I blink. We are back in the yard. And the light is fading fast. Carole is the reason of disturbance I see. She comes over silently and places a tray in front of us. There a jug of lemonade and a few sandwiches.

"Enjoy," she says and leaves us.

We take sandwiches and sip lemonade. A few minutes pass in silence.

"Then what happened?" I ask softly.

Burt continues with his story with a sad gleam in his eyes.



** Then Eliza started distancing herself from me. At first I didn't notice, I got so caught up with Paul, Dad and their worries about elections. Dad seemed to be too irrational for some reason. He started telling me about things, things in the night. He said that the disappearances, the unexplained murders, were the doings of demons and devils.

I thought that it was just his nerves, making him superstitious. But when Paul started to notice things too I got really angry. Surely the crises in town weren't caused by Vampires!

But they were sure. And not only them, I was shocked, but also Riley, Sue, Jacob and Michael. My friends were certain there were things happening in town that were not normal.

Later, I found out that they were right. Of course, they were!

Edward Smyth wasn't just a competitor for elections. He was a Vampire. The head of a clan. His officials were his servants, also not human. Russell Fabray and St. James Sr. were also Vampires. Later we found out that they intend to turn their kids too when they reached their eighteenth year. But some young kids were with them who didn't belong to any family. Azimio, Santana, Brittany and Sebastian. These were Vampire kids. They were eighteen and seventeen then. They are still the same age.

In all this chaos, Elizabeth fell grievously ill. At first doctors couldn't make sense of any of it. Then she finally told me. She was pregnant, for real this time. I was happy for a while. But in my heart I despaired. She was getting too weak and fragile. She wouldn't survive the birth. I was sure that I would loose her, or the child, or both.

But I sometimes woke up at night, and she would be talking or singing softly to her swollen belly. Soothing her baby. Telling him that she loved him. And I would cry silently. I loved her so much.

Then the strange news shook the whole town. Sheriff Motta, who had gone missing and pronounced dead a few months ago, was back. Very much alive. The few of us who knew, realized that he was no longer human.

So with the police force with him, under his influence, Edward exhausted all his power to defeat my father. The next few weeks were tensed. The voting, the tension was too much.

But then my father did what he thought was the only reasonable way to solve this. He offered a deal to the Vampires.

Hilltown will remain under the rule of the Smyths, for next 25 years, if they left us in peace. Edward liked the plan. The reason he came to our isolated town was that he wanted a division, an area under his full command to breed and train his army. Hilltown fit the bill.

He modified a few terms in the contract. New rules were added, namely;
1- No human will leave town during the rule of the Smyths without the dire need or express permission.
2- If any party violated rules, penalty will be death. So in case if a Vampire harmed a human, the human were allowed to kill the guilty Vampire.
3- The humans will be Sworn under the names of their families to ensure protection against Vampires who hunted.

When the bill was presented to the townspeople, no one believed my father. They mocked him that there were no such things as Vampires. But Edward, on purpose I think, released his demons in the town that night. Many were killed. Left drained of blood in the streets. Mangled bodies were all that was left to clean up.

The terror forced people to accept the bill. They started getting Sworn under their names. The people who resisted were declared by Edward as Deserters, and banished to the outer lines of town, to forest and abandoned buildings. Sue, Hiram and Leroy left us then.

Eliza was so heart broken when Sue came to say goodbye. But they promised to stay friends no matter what.

The first few weeks after the treaty, it was peace all over the town, minus some rebellions from the Deserters. It finally looked like we could exits with these monsters.

But that's when Eliza's reports came back. She had Blood Cancer. Her blood was bad, which was why she couldn't keep the baby alive within her. I still remember that night we both held each other and cried so much. She was so brave and strong. She said she wanted to try still. It was the 8th month, maybe she could still give birth to this child. So I agreed to let her try, knowing all the while that I would lose her.

It was a few days later, one evening that she walked to the forest to visit Sue. She had been alone in the house and she felt the need to walk. When she was returning, late in the evening, she was attacked.

It was one of the rogue Vampires. They are the Vampires who got made accidentally and had no Master. There were a lot of rogues in those days. Now there are only a few, who don't cause much trouble.

He fed on her blood, but then he gave her his own blood. He was trying to turn her, I think.

But Jack Anderson saved her. Or almost saved her.

He used to live with his wife Karen on the hill house. Dalton House was a resort in those days, run by the Andersons. But ever since the Smyth's arrival, the Andersons had started to isolate themselves. My guess is they knew about what the Smyths truly were long before we did. Andersons had come to Hilltown from somewhere in Texas. It is possible they knew of Vampire's existence even before they came here. But whatever, Andersons knew. And Jack had killed that rogue Vampire.

I still remember that night. I came back from the Town Hall with Paul and Dad, only to find her note explaining that she was gone to meet Sue. But then the bell rang, and Jack was there, Eliza in his arms, her blue dress soaked red in blood. Her pregnant belly jutting out of her frail body.

We put her on the sofa and tried to make her wake up. But she was turning. There was no stopping it. Except maybe beheading her, but none of us would allow it.

Jack stayed with us for a long time. I knew little about him. I only knew that his wife had just given birth to a son, Blaine. Jack was a trader of sorts, and helped in running the store house on top of the hill with his father.

She didn't turn. But she half turned. I don't know if it was Eliza's Cancer, or her pregnancy...she was half human still. A hybrid.

My father got worried that this must mean something. If Edward knew that there was someone like Eliza in this world, half human, half Vampire, he must do something worst. So we kept her existence a secret. But only for another week. She couldn't eat food. We tried giving her chicken blood but she wasn't be able to digest that either. She grew paler and moody. And more often than not, I thought that her green-blue eyes got blacker for a few moments. Her finger nails kept sharpening at odd times. Her transformations were always half incomplete. But she was no longer normal.

I still loved her. And when she finally gave birth, I cried the hardest. She didn't survive.

She just stayed alive long enough to see her son. Paul and I had delivered the boy ourselves, in our house with help of Sue and Shelby. When Elizabeth saw the boy, she mumbled, "So beautiful." And she died..... **



I blink away the tears. I understand now why Burt loved her. She must have been very beautiful indeed. But most of all, I can't understand why he'd tell me all this. It sounds more like his story, than mine.

"Oh, Burt, I'm so sorry," I tell him.

He doesn't seem comforted, but looks at me in the weirdest way. "At first..." he says, "I hated the child. I wanted to kill him. He reminded me so much of Eliza that..."

I listen with baited breath. Burt's son. I needed to know of this son.

"But then, he opened his eyes and it were the same as hers. And his smile and his voice when he laughed. And I fell in love with the child the same way I loved Eliza."

"You had a son?" I say in surprise. "Meaning my cousin! What happened? Where is he?"

"He's still here, Kurt," Burt says. "He's still alive."

And I smile, my worries going away. For a moment I had thought that Burt actually did kill the poor child because of his grief. "Can I meet him? Is he in the town?"

"Yes, he's in Hilltown," his voice is a whisper. "Do you want to know his name?"

"Of course, I do!"

"We named him, as Elizabeth always wanted her son to be named, as Kurtis." Burt looks at me with serious, sad eyes. "His name is Kurt Hummel."