Lennon leaned against the tree as Lyla sat down beside Eloise's grave. He'd kept his distance, like always. In all the times that he'd come here to leave his mark of regret, Lennon always ensured that he didn't encroach on Lyla's time with her daughter. He'd watched her pick up the rose and toss it aside.

Lennon knew why and he didn't hold it against her. He accepted that she was hurting and couldn't take his presence at that moment.

He watched, ensured that she was okay and left her to the tear filled conversation. It was her time alone with her daughter, and Lennon wasn't going to interfere or be a hindrance.

She was right when she said that he didn't understand. He never knew his parents. He'd accepted the lies that he was told. Losing Gina hurt, but Lennon could see the vast differences between them. She was a pretty woman with strawberry blonde hair, built differently in body shape and somehow managed to get a dusting of freckles on her face. Gina always said that she didn't go out in the sun, but Lennon knew that she did.

They didn't look alike. In the early years, Lennon assumed that they looked like one parent respectively, but now that he knew the truth, he could see that they were not from the same family.

Still, losing her hurt. Perhaps he could understand Lyla's pain. He didn't raise Gina, but he grew up with her. They were inseparable, more so as the years passed. When Gina told him that she'd started dating Carson, Lennon was unimpressed but happy for her. Deep down, Carson was a good guy. He had questionable morals, and Lennon was pretty sure that he'd slipped in a few dodgy cards in their poker games but he liked the guy. He thought that Carson loved Gina. Learning how she died tore a great gash between their friendship that was only just starting to heal.

Wiping away the tears, Lyla smiled despite the pain.

"We got them, baby." she said softly. "It will never bring you back, and it's never going to take my pain away but,"

Lyla stopped and then sighed, feeling the tears drip onto her cheeks.

"No, it doesn't make me feel any better."

Her fingers slid the ring around, toying with it as a desperate attempt to distract the bitterly painful mood. She knew that Lennon was respectfully keeping his distance. One day soon, she'd call him over and let him be a part of the conversation, but for now, she was grateful that he stayed on the other side of the path.

"I think you'd like him. In fact, I think you'd like Merissa and Adley too."

She smiled, thinking about the odd creatures that had invaded her life.

"I think that you'd bond with Ris over piercings. She's got a few. Adley likes his baseball bat. You could have told him about all those years you played for the school. He calls the bat Betsy Beatsthemup. He's a little crazy, I think. It's not easy to understand a werewolf. I'm getting there. I understood a full sentence last night. He looked kind of proud, maybe prouder than me."

Lyla wiped the last of the tears away, feeling a little better.

"I met your father's new girlfriend. She seems nice. A little wary, but I guess that's to be expected. I hope that he's happy. Eventually," She murmured. "I can't imagine that he's going to be completely happy at the moment. He'll visit soon, I'm sure."

Letting go of the ring, Lyla turned her watch and saw that it was already one am.

"Okay, baby girl, I'm going now."

Lyla stood and took in a deep breath, slowly exhaling. It was probably the first time since Eloise's death that she felt better about it. Not healed, not even a fraction closer, but she felt better.

Lennon was waiting with a much needed hug. Without a word said, Lyla folded into his embrace and let the world pass them by for a few seconds.

She'd avoided the cemetery of an afternoon and didn't want to come here of a night because of the vampires, but she could see that it was a mistake. It was peaceful. No one listening to her conversation that was supposed to be private, no one looking at her as if she was crazy. Lyla didn't care what they thought. All she wanted was to be left alone.

Taking Lennon's hand, she led him out of the cemetery. The path home was long, mostly because they weren't in a rush. Just a casual path to their new life together.

"Hungry?"

Lyla stopped and looked at Lennon when he turned to her.

"I feel like taking a life is doing a disservice to Eloise."

"Well, there isn't a lot of choices."

"Isn't there? We survived at Charlton's."

"It was for a week. Trust me when I say that you would have been searching for a live meal, and you will very soon."

She shook her head, hoping to refuse the thought.

"Lyla, I'm looking at you right now, and I see a hungry vampire. You're paler than you should be. I can see the veins, the tired look in your eyes. If you don't feed, you risk going into blood lust, and then you'll do some serious damage. Just let your body tell you what it wants. Don't fight it."

Pulling Lyla into his arms, Lennon held her tight.

"You've been here. You know that you can do it. Remember that lovely lady at the truck stop?"

"Yeah," she murmured.

"Wasn't she absolutely delicious?"

"I guess."

Lennon rolled his eyes. Guess? No. She was exquisite.

"Come on, we'll find a pretty treat to snack on while we walk home."

It didn't make it any easier, but Lyla accepted that there was no choice. Feed or die, it was that simple.