They walked across campus towards the psychology buildings. Even though Sarah had first protested, his arm was protectively around her waist as they made their way to class.

"Sarah?" he asked as they stopped outside the classroom door.

"Yeah?" She reluctantly stepped out of his arm.

"I'm...scared to go in," he said quietly.

"Why? Trevor, what's going on? What do you know about us?" she demanded.

He pulled her to the side and looked around. "Everything," he said in her mind. Her eyes widened. He nodded. "I'm scared because all these years I heard the stories, I read the journals, I had hoped it was true, but at the same time I hoped it was some big joke. But it's not. You proved that today. And I know the others are behind that door and I don't know if I'm ready for all of this. I thought I would be, and they trained me so that I would be, but I'm not. I'm scared and I'm a coward. And you can't make me go in there."

"She can't. But I can," a voice said behind them. Trevor turned to see Brian behind them.

"Hello, Trevor," Brian said with a friendly yet knowing smile.

Trevor nodded in response.

Brian patted him on the shoulder, "We'll take you any way we can get you, Trey."

Trevor looked at him. "I don't know if I am him."

Brian smiled. "Come inside. We'll find out together, huh?"

Trevor looked at Sarah with a wary glance and went inside. She led him over to a group that he knew all to well. He stopped and his feet started moving backwards until he bumped into someone. He turned to look.

"Hey, cuz," a pretty brunette said.

"Eve? What are you doing here?" he asked, surprised to see his cousin from Boston.

"Hmmm, I guess the same you are," she said with a smile and then turned to look around the room. "Whoa! It's totally true!" she exclaimed, looking at the group who looked at them in confusion as Sarah waited by his side.

"Trevor?" Sarah asked.

"Oh, this is my cousin, Eve," he said, gesturing to her. "This is Sarah."

"Yeah, I know. Wow. Cool. So, awesome to meet you," Eve said, shaking Sarah's hand vigorously.

They heard a chuckle from the door as a blonde guy made his way in. "I thought that you guys said you weren't going to go through with this," he said, making his way over to them.

"Who are the hotties?" Raven asked, coming up to Sarah.

"Uh, thanks," Trevor said, "I'm Trevor Delavino and that's my cousin, A.J and Eve," he told her. "You're Raven, right?"

She nodded and eyed A.J. "What's going on, Sarah?"

"I don't really know," she said and looked at Trevor.

"A.J Delavino, nice to meet you," the blonde guy said, putting his hand out to Raven. "Is this cool or what?"

"What?" Raven asked a puzzled expression coming over her pretty features.

A.J laughed. "You didn't tell them?" he asked accusingly and sent him an amused look.

Trevor shook his head. "Not really. I showed Sarah one of the books though."

"What is that book anyway?" Sarah asked. "Why did it have my picture in it?" she demanded.

"It has all of your pictures in it," A.J said, reassuringly with a smile looking over Raven and Emily including them in the conversation.

"Why?" Raven asked curiously. "What are you talking about?" she asked, when the others in the group walked closer to join them.

"What's going on?" Jake asked with a frown.

A.J lifted an eyebrow. "We should talk about this later. Can we meet at Witch Hill later? I can't wait to see that place," he said leaning an arm on Eve's shoulder.

"Of course! You're all welcome," she said, her smile turning into a grin. She hugged him fiercely.

"Emily, what the hell's going on?" Ray asked, watching her in confusion.

Emily smiled at him, "They are Tony and Trey's descendants," she told them and grinned again.

Trevor nodded. "They left us journals. They wrote all about you guys. They told us that whoever was born in your generation needed to get in touch with you and tell you that everything turned out okay," he explained.

"Oh, god," Raven said, tearing up, knowing that if they had descendants, that meant they were no longer alive.

Emily put an arm around her. "It's okay. We'll talk about this later," she said, seeing other students come into the room.

Class was unbearable for the group to get through the hour. Brian was as curious and as anxious as the rest of them. He ended his lecture as soon as he thought was reasonably possible. He closed the door behind the rest of the class as they left and looked around the group. He blew out a breath studying Trevor, A.J, and Eve. They looked at each other.

"Uh...should we be worried?" A.J asked, looking over at Eve. She shook her head not knowing the answer.

"What powers do you have?" Brian asked them quietly.

"You want a demonstration? Here?" Trevor asked, sending a worried look at the open window.

"No, we're just curious about your abilities, do you have any?" Brian asked, watching them carefully.

A.J chuckled. His fingers curling and suddenly fire appeared in a ball above his hand.

"A.J!" Eve scolded.

Raven sent a curious look to A.J. She didn't know anyone with the power she had.

A.J sent it over to Eve a slow spread of fire landing to her palm where it settled into a ball and then disappeared.

"Cool," Ray said in admiration, laughing at the unexpectedness of it. Eve sent him a little smile in understanding.

"You haven't seen anything yet," A.J said with what seemed to be a sneer.

"Tony?" Emily asked as her face paled as she stared at A.J.

"My name's Anthony Jacob. No one calls me Tony. It's A.J," he said, looking her over.

Emily looked to Brian and he nodded. She looked back at A.J in shock.

"What?" A.J demanded.

Trevor leaned over to his cousin. "They think we're the reincarnation of Trey, Tony," and sending a glance to Eve. "and Isabella."

"Are you?" Emily demanded.

Trevor leaned back and smiled. "What do you think, little guardian?"

She didn't have time to respond as there was a loud knock on the door. Brian closed the door and opened it.

"Oh, hell," Jake muttered.

Trevor, A.J, and Eve looked to the door where the two dark men stood peering inside.

They both wore blue jeans. One had a black tee shirt another wore black polo shirt.

Emily stood, her legs shaking. "What do you want?"

Max stepped in, Salvatore following as Brian stepped away to let them through.

"A second chance," Max said, eying the newcomers.

"Why should we trust you?" Ray demanded.

Eve stood up, picked up her backpack, opened it, and pulled out a large, leather bound book.

"I think we should all read through these in detail," she said, passing the book to Ray.

He frowned and then opened the book. "Isabella wrote this," he said, sitting down hard in a chair.

Salvatore spoke, "They never forgot you. And they would want you to understand that they had a new life. A better life. And they want for you to have the same. If you'd rather our not being here, we will certainly understand," Salvatore put a firm hand on Max's shoulder so he couldn't protest.

"We don't practice black arts here," Brian told him.

Sal glanced over at him. "I dabble," he told Brian simply and then turned to the room. "But I won't do what you once experienced me doing. I, too, have a new life. I know that's hard for you to understand. But since you all meant so much to those we loved...Antonio, Demetrio, and Isabella, we feel responsible for you. We promised each of them, on their death beds, that we would do what we could to always protect you...since we are still immortal," he said, looking around the room.

"They're the vampires," Eve whispered to A.J and Trevor, who nodded.

"And we have protected you and those before you...from a distance... as you are their descendants," Sal told them.

Eve, A.J and Trevor exchanged glances. "You have been watching us?" Eve asked, behind a hard swallow.

Sal chuckled. "Always, child."

"And we will continue to do so, whether you want us to or not," Max told them.

Brian put a hand on Max's shoulder. "I think it's time for a new start for everyone."

"Just...sit over there," Eve told them, gesturing to the other side of the room.

The group from Witch Hill glanced around at each other as Max and Sal took seats across the room. They turned the desks around to look at them.

"In the year of our lord, 1544..." Salvatore began, leaning back in his chair as if to tell a long story.

"Wasn't it '45?" Max asked with a frown, interrupting him.

Salvatore glared at him his eyes turning dark. "In the year of our lord, 1544," he began again, his dark eyes glaring across the room for anyone to dare dispute him as he sat forward. "my brother in law, Antonio Delavino, and my nephew, Demetrio, of the age of six, appeared at my doorstep with a curious tale..."

September 1544

1st journal entry

Dearest Em,

I know what you are going to say, and no, it wasn't a stupid thing for me to do. When I got here, I met my Eliana again for the first time. What an experience that was! I was able to fall in love with her all over again and I cannot repay you enough for that. Trey is alright though he is in his six year old body. He is still trying to adjust to that as he continues to have his adult mind but he is managing well enough.

We decided that we will keep journals and write to you as much as possible. When we are old, we will give them to our grandchildren for them to pass down to their grandchildren and so on until they find their way to you. We want you to know that we are fine and not to worry about us. You gave us a chance at a second life and we need to take it. Please make Raven understand that. I know she won't, but try. Please tell her that I love her and I had hoped...well, you know...and she knows...but you also both know it wasn't meant to be. Not in this life. Perhaps in the next...

Trey and I have explained what happened in the future to Massi and Salvatore. While they didn't believe us at first, they are coming around. You should have seen the expression on Salvatore's face when I forced Massi to take me to him!

Well, you should have seen Massi's face when I told him that I knew he was a vampire and that Salvatore was alive as one too! I wish I had my cell phone then so I could take a picture! It was the funniest thing to see Massi and Salvatore's eyes bug right out of their heads!

I do not think that they will be enacting any revenge on me or my family. And ultimately; you and yours. It has taken some time but Massi has forgiven me for "taking Eliana away from him".

While Eliana admitted to considering his marriage proposal, if I did not honor our betrothal, she never loved him as he loved her. She has always loved him as a friend, but nothing more. It is taking time for him to get over the hurt of that as she explained it to him. She insisted on speaking to him, to help us, as I told her our story. It hurt her to know that she was the cause for so much grief, which led to her brother and good friend's revenge against me and everyone that I cared about. Massi still comes to visit and is civil to us. I believe, in time, we can be friends again.

Salvatore remains hidden from his family except Eliana. She visits him often and he is happy to have some family that knows he is alive (in some capacity). We have promised him that once his parents pass away (naturally and not the plague this time) that he can come back to his vineyard, posing as a distant relation, and he may live there and run it as his own.

Demetrio will work with me on our vineyard. He doesn't mind giving Salvatore what should have been his in the first place. Had he lived, as a human ,the vineyard would have been rightfully his. We will change out the staff that knew Salvatore before he died so that he will not be recognized. He will keep close to the vineyard until it's safe for him to go to the village once a new generation is living there.

I will write to you more another day and tell you how well our lives are going, as I know it will. Thank you, all of you, for giving us a second chance at a human life. We are all better off for having all of you in our lives. We will never forget any of you and what you have done for us.

All my love,

Tony

June 1575

Ray,

How I miss you! It's been so long since I have seen you. Yet, for you it hasn't been long at all. Please understand that we have decided to live our lives as they should have been. Before Max and Sal stole them from us. Tony and Trey are old; can you believe that?! Have you been reading our journal entries? If not, I re-lived my childhood! I was re-born and grew up a second time. I was thirteen when my memories of our time together returned. Trey explained to me what had happened. How very strange it all is. Magic works in such mysterious ways. Does it not? Or maybe it is God who has given us this new chance at life?

And we have chosen life this time, dearest Ray. You may not understand our decision now, but hopefully, you will in time. I know you will miss us and want us back. But you have to understand what we gave up when we became vampires. We never had a chance to live our lives. To grow old. I never was able to have a child.

We hate to mess with the cycle of life, yet again, but we do want to be with you again! Trey has an idea. Pray that it works. This is the only way can think of to get back to you without us becoming vampires again. When we die, this time, at the end of our human lives, we will be re-born as humans again in your time.

Reincarnation is what Trey told me that we are trying to attempt. We will not be exactly the same as we are now. The person we are re-born to will have essences of us. In some ways, they will be us, and in others ways they will not. I hope that makes sense. They may have some of our memories. And hopefully , that, along with our letters and journals, will lead them to you.

Trey believes that he is powerful enough that his spell will work without his even needing to touch dark magic. We refuse to do so even if it means that we will not be able to come back to you. We wish you all no more harm. We did enough the first time around.

You wouldn't believe how much Max and Sal have changed since they no longer wish Antonio any harm. They are like different people. And we entrust to them to get our letters and journals to you when it is time.

I love you, Ray. Please understand why I must stay to continue my family line. It is the only way back to you! I am to be married today. His name is Julius and he reminds me so much of you. He is very nice and he gets along with Tony and Trey. Hard to believe, I know! He knows all about you, Ray, and he understands that I will always love you.

Always yours,

Isabella

April, 1628

My most beloved Sarah,

I am an old man now. Nearly ninety of age. Would you know me if you saw me? I think not. I would not want you to, I think. I'm no longer the handsome devil I used to be. There's this spell...if it works I will see you soon. If not, remember me. For I have always remembered you and always shall even from heaven (if I'm lucky enough to be sent there. Which life will HE judge, I wonder?) Surely, not the old one. I pray daily that he will forgive all that I had done. Even though we tried to erase it from the world, we did not erase it from our souls.

I pray that you forgive me for leaving you if my plan shall fail. I am yours, Sarah, for eternity. But live your life. Do not grieve for me as I have already been gone hundreds of years before you will even read this. Before you are even born.

Please, get married, have children, live every day as if it were the last. Remember me but don't cry over me. I've never been worth your tears. My music I have left to my grandchildren to pass along to the world so that someday it may find you again and lift your heart as you did mine.

I will find you again, my Sarah, I promise you that. One way or another we will be together again.

Yours for all time,

Trey