Jake woke up to a quiet house. He saw it was only nine o'clock, so he assumed that everyone must be sleeping in. He went downstairs to the kitchen to get something to eat.

Raven was eating a bowl of Cocoa Puffs and reading the comics. "Caught me," she said wide eyed with a spoon in mid air, when he walked in.

He chuckled, remembering her lamenting about her diet at dinner the night before. She wanted to diet and eat healthy foods, but she loved junk food too much. "I won't tell," Jake said, helping himself to the box of Cocoa Puffs.

"Everyone else still asleep?" Jake asked, pouring the milk in his bowl.

Raven grunted, her mouth was still full. She quickly finished chewing and then swallowed.

"Emily's having breakfast with Brian. George is outside trying to get in tune with the flowers," she said with a roll of the eyes and a laugh. "Ray and Tony are still sleeping though," she said and took another bite of Cocoa Puffs.

"Emily's having breakfast with Brian?" Jake asked surprised.

What was her relationship with Brian anyway? She had said Brian had been a help when her parents died. How did she know him before school started? Maybe at a parapsychology conference? Wasn't that how she had met Ray and George?

"Yeah. Every Sunday. Like clockwork," she said, getting up and heading over to the sink to wash her dish. "Well, except when she's mad at him. I think it's been at least two, three weeks, since they last got together. I guess he's out of the dog house," she rambled as she washed up. "Hey, I'm going to the beach, you want to come?" she asked.

"Um...yeah, sure," Jake answered, still trying to figure out why Emily was regularly having Sunday breakfast with their teacher. He didn't like the way it was sounding or looking, as he remembered watching them hug in the classroom. He shook his head. Raven must know." Hey, Rave..."

The house phone rang. Raven picked it up from the wall by the dining room entryway. "Hello?" she said into the phone and waited a couple of seconds. "Hold on. Hold on. Wait. Shoot," she said, and held the phone to her chest.

She looked over at Jake. "Jake, would you go wake up Tony and tell him that he's got a call from Italy? I have no idea what the heck they're saying," she turned back to the phone, "No speak Italy. Hold for Tony," she said slowly and in a loud voice that people tend to use when they're trying to talk to someone that doesn't speak English.

Jake hurried out of the kitchen. He knocked rapidly on the basement door and went down the stairs. He headed down the forbidden hallway and knocked again on a closed door at the end of the hall. There was no answer.

Jake hesitated for a moment, then opened the door, since the phone call seemed important.

The room was dim with some hanging track lighting. Jake stepped into a living area with furniture that looked like it belonged in a gentlemen's club in one of those old movies. There were burgundy colored, leather chairs and a sofa in the middle of the room where he entered.

To the left of the room, he saw a large four post bed of a cherry wood color. Tony was sprawled out upon it, covered in, not surprisingly, black covers.

Cherry wood nightstands were on either side of the bed with large old looking lamps made of stained glass. A long bookcase was against the back wall and ran the whole length of the wall. It was full of books.

Jake thought that they had enough books upstairs, so why all these books were needed, he had no clue. One sat on the nightstand, and the title on the cover looked to be Italian, but Jake couldn't be for sure, as he didn't speak any other languages.

He looked at Tony sleeping. He didn't seem as scary sleeping as he did when he was awake. He could be any twenty something guy.

"Tony?" Jake said softly, not to startle him. That's all he needed was to startle a sleeping vampire.

"What?!" he heard Tony groan from under the covers.

"The phone's for you." Jake explained, "Someone from Italy."

Tony's eyes were shut, but he got up off the bed. He had on black silk pajama pants and no shirt. His chest and abs were built up, so Jake wouldn't ever want to mess with him. "This better be good," Tony groaned, throwing on a black silk robe that was at the end of the bed.

Tony pulled himself towards the door, grabbing onto furniture when he could to help him along. Jake followed him out of the room and up the stairs, happy that he had made it out alive.

"Sorry, sleepy head," Raven said, handing Tony the phone.

Tony started talking rapidly in Italian. When he hung up, Jake was sure Tony was cursing in Italian. Tony left the room like a speeding bullet.

Raven followed him out. "What is it?" she asked him.

"Help me pack," he said, running down the steps.

"What's wrong?" she demanded, following him quickly downstairs and into his room.

"Katarina's dying," he said, pulling a black duffel bag out of his large walk-in closet.

"Oh. God. I'm sorry, Ton," she said sympathetically.

"Well, you humans go and do that on me, don't you?!" Tony said angrily, shoving clothes into his bag.

"Don't get angry, Tony," she said to him calmly.

"People are dying all around me and you tell me not to get angry!" he snapped at her. He walked towards her and forced her to back into an elegant antique arm chair.

"Tony, back off!" she said to him, her arms grasping the back of the chair for support.

"You're going to die on me too, Raven," he said, grabbing the back of her head and pulling her to him by her hair.

"Tony, chill. No one's going to leave you," she said to him.

"Yes, you are. Everyone does. Emily has, already. She doesn't want to be with me anymore," he said, his hands circling her throat, searching for a major vein.

"She hasn't left you, Tony. She loves you and will always be there for you. You know that. Stop it and fight the anger, Tony. Don't let it get to you. You're better than that," she said, starting to get frightened as her friend's hands were tightening around her throat. She saw his fangs fall down into place. She swallowed. She'd given Tony her blood before, even from her neck. But that was different. That was willingly, and when he was the sweet Tony she knew.

"Calm down, Tony. It's okay. I'm here for you," She said and leaned into him, kissing his cheek, and put her arms around his neck. "Everything's going to be okay. We are all here for you, and we all love you," she said, kissing him this time on the mouth with his fangs ready to spring into her neck. She saw the change in his eyes.

He looked at his hands around her throat. He cursed in Italian. He pulled her to him in a hug.

"Damn it! I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Rave," he said, putting his face in her hair. "I'd never hurt you," he whispered to her and kissed the top of her head. "I swear it."

"Not intentionally," she said gently to him. She pulled him away and looked him in the eyes. "You've got to control your anger, and your jealousy, Tony. This other part of you is dangerous, when not controlled. You know that. You know what you're capable of," she said seriously to him.

"I know what I've done. What I still could do," he kissed her on her lips. "If I ever get close to hurting you, any of you, you have my permission to run a stake through my heart," He told her seriously. "Never hesitate. Just do it. Fast."

Raven nodded. "I know you'd do that for us," She said to him, touching his face.

He looked away. "Some help you are," he said with a forced smile, gesturing to his bag which was packed on the floor next to them.

"Got your passport?" she asked him, forcing a smile herself.

"Right," he said with a frustrated sigh, went to the large nightstand next to his bed, and opened a drawer. He rummaged through it and pulled out the passport, putting it in his pocket. "I'll be back in a few days," he said, kissing her on the cheek.

She put a hand on his arm, stopping him before he pulled away. "Want me to come with?"

He put a hand to her cheek. "Thank you. But, no. I have to...say goodbye, and I have to do it by myself."

"You'll be okay?"she asked, watching his eyes.

They flared quickly, but then dimmed. "No international incidents, I promise."

"That's not what I meant."

"I know," he said, kissing her cheek. "But it's something I have to remind myself of in order to control it. I'm going to lose it, I know it, and..." he shook his head. "I would rather not go. I'm so scared that I'm going to rip someone's throat out. But I have to go. I have to see her."

"I understand," she said, hugging him. He squeezed her tightly to him. "And you won't lose yourself. You'll remember that you have us to come back to, and you'll be okay."

He kissed her on the top of her head. "I hope you're right."

"I know I am."

"You've never lost faith in me, Raven," he said, pulling back to look at her. "Why?" he asked his eyebrows furrowed in confusion

"Because I know you're good," she said simply.

"Even after all I've done?" he asked quietly.

"Especially after all you've done. What you've done to crawl out of that black hole and become human again. You're a good man, Tony. Don't ever forget that."

He pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly again. "I have to go," he said quietly, after a minute.

She nodded, not wanting to pull away. He did it for her. She took a deep breath."Okay. Tell Katarina we'll see her on the other side, and we'll miss her."

"Will do," he said, walking out the bedroom door.

"Hey, Tony, how 'bout getting dressed?!" she called after him, suppressing a laugh.

He walked back in with a dazed smile. He quickly went into his walk-in closet and changed into his black jeans, T-shirt and shoes. "Better?" he asked her, grabbing the tote bag again. He waved as he ran out the door.

Raven went over to his big bed and made it up. His sheets were a black silk and his matching comforter was incredibly soft. She fluffed his pillows setting them neatly on the bed.

She spotted a mug on the nightstand. Picking it up, Raven took it down the hall, into his back room and ran it under the sink. She gasped as she watched the crimson red blood run out of the cup. She dropped the mug, breaking it into several pieces. She stared at it, shaking. She knew what Tony drank. And the day before, it wouldn't have bothered her to wash out his mug. But all she could see was his hands around her throat, and his fangs inching towards her neck.

Shaking, Raven picked the pieces of ceramic out of the sink. She tossed them into a nearby trash can, which was full of empty blood bags. She closed her eyes and breathed. Turning, Raven grabbed the sprayer from the sink, and rinsed it out. She shut off the water and went back through his bedroom.

Raven sat down on Tony's bed and concentrated on taking deep breaths. She grabbed a pillow, pulling it to her chest. She leaned her head forward and took another deep breath. She smelled Tony. It smelled of leather and the light scent of his Ralph Lauren cologne. The combination always made her want to moan. He always smelled so good.

And she'd be happy being in his strong arms forever. Tony didn't hug often, but when he did, she never wanted to let go. Smelling him now, calmed her.

She loved Tony. She always had, since they day they met. Even though he'd fallen hard for Emily. It was hard watching them together, but it was harder to watch him lose control. She'd give anything not to see that again. Even if it meant his being with Emily again.

Emily calmed him. She could easily talk him down when he was getting angry. Raven had a temper herself, and usually just added fuel to his fire without meaning to.

She ran a hand through her hair. She took a deep breath. Tony would be okay. He didn't mean to do what he did, and she knew that he would never intentionally hurt her. He would never intentionally hurt anyone. He'd be okay in Italy, even when Katarina died, because he was a good man and he'd never hurt anyone. He'd control the vampire side of himself. She closed her eyes and prayed she was right.

*******************************

"Is he okay?" Jake asked, when Raven finally came back upstairs and into the kitchen.

"He will be," she answered, picking up the cereal box and putting it away in the cabinet.

"Are you okay?" he asked, studying her face.

"Yeah. Fine," she answered, not looking at him.

"What happened, Raven? Where'd he run off to?" he asked concerned.

"Oh. Um, a friend of his is very sick. She's dying actually," she explained, and pushed in the chairs absently.

"I'm sorry to hear that," he said sympathetically. "Anything I can do?"

She shook her head. "He'll be fine," she said, but she didn't sound convinced of that, Jake thought.

He wasn't just worried about Tony. He was worried about Raven. She was really pale and she wouldn't look at him.

"Are you still up for the beach?" he asked her, hoping to cheer her up.

"Yeah," she answered with a shake of her head, as if coming out of a haze. "Let's get changed," she said, and headed out the kitchen and ran up the stairs.

Jake followed her up to her room. She laid across her unmade bed, her face in her pillow.

"Hey, you okay?" he asked, sitting on the bed next to her.

She rolled over and wiped tears from her eyes. "Fine," she answered with a lopsided grin.

"Want to talk about it?" Jake asked.

"No, I'm fine. Really," she said reassuringly, touching his arm.

"You sound like me," he said, looking away.

"We keep it all in, and then BOOM!" she said with a yell. She let out a laugh. She opened the window that was right next to her bed. "Sun SHINE!" she yelled.

Jake looked up as he saw that it actually did get brighter in the room. He heard George's voice ring out. "Raven, you'll make it too hot. It's hot enough!" he said.

"You wimp!" she yelled back. "Come on, go get your suit on! I want to go to the beach!" She said, pushing Jake off the bed.

"How the heck did you do that?" he asked her, gesturing to the sunshine coming into the room as she was pushing him out the door.

"I told you. Magic!" she said and closed her door.

******************************

Jake went and changed into a blue bathing suit that his mother had bought for him before he left Iowa. She had told him that, if he was going to California, then he needed to have a nice new bathing suit. Jake didn't go to the pool too much in Iowa, so he didn't have one that still fit him. He'd grown a lot in highschool and it'd been a long time since he'd been to the community pool.

He went down the hall to Raven's room and knocked on the door. Raven opened it. She had on a little red bikini that showed every voluptuous curve. She was pulling on red shorts. Jake avoided looking at her, as she did.

"Ray's up. He's coming too," she said, pulling on a black tank top over her bikini top. "Oh my god, you're so shy! You're blushing!" she said laughing, pulling at his arms. Jake cracked a smile, but avoided her eyes. "Come on, farm boy." Raven picked up a tote bag, grabbed Jake's hand, and pulled him out of her room.

She went down to Ray's room and banged on his door with the length of her arm. "Come on, slow poke!" she yelled.

The door opened, and Ray appeared. He had on a knee length white bathing suit with black stripes down the sides and a white tee shirt. "I'm coming, chill," he said, rubbing his eyes.

"Hey, I'm coming too," George said, coming up the stairs.

"Geez. Hurry up!" Raven moaned, and bounded down the steps. "I'll be waiting outside!" she yelled from downstairs.

"Hurry up, George, She's in a mood," Ray said with a yawn, and walked slowly down the stairs.

"Did you see Tony leave?" Jake asked George.

"Yeah. He told me about Katarina. Rough deal," he said.

"She's a friend of Tony's?" Jake asked curiously. It was the first he'd heard of Tony having other friends, outside their group.

"Yeah, in Italy, past love," George said with a sigh.

"Really?" Jake asked.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure. We went home with Tony in July. He went to visit her. She was sick. Old age, really," George explained, "I've got to get ready before Raven kills me," George said, stepping towards his room.

"No prob,"Jake said, stepping out of his way. "Hey," he called. "How old is she?" Jake asked curiously.

George smiled. "Last I heard, one hundred and two," he said, walking to his room.

"One hundred and two?" Jake said, shaking his head in disbelief.

He walked down the steps still in wonder that he was living in a house with a vampire, of an undisclosed several hundred years old, who had an ex-girlfriend of one hundred and two. He bumped into Emily at the bottom of the steps.

"Sorry," she said, untangling herself from him.

"No problem. Hey, you know about Tony's friend?" he asked her.

"Yeah, thanks," she said sadly. She started climbing up the steps. "I'm coming too. Raven's having a fit out back. I'll be two minutes," she said, disappearing upstairs.

Jake went to the back door and stepped into the sunlight on the pool deck. "You were the first one ready, what the hell took you so long?" Raven demanded.

"Sorry, I was talking with George. Then I bumped into Emily," Jake explained.

"Aye, Carumba!" Raven groaned, walking to the end of the deck and sitting at the top of a flight of stairs that led to the grassy ground below. She started mumbling to herself incoherently.

"She'll be fine. She just doesn't have any patience," Ray said to him. Jake nodded. George and Emily came out of the back door, and Emily shut it behind her.

"Okay. We're ready to go." Emily said.

"Thank the gods!" Raven said, getting up and bounded down the stairs, not looking back at them.

They gave Raven some distance as they walked towards a path that winded them down to the bottom of the cliff. "Is she okay?" Jake asked Emily as they lagged behind Ray and George.

Emily looked ahead. "Tony scared her," she said softly.

"What the hell did he do to her?!" Jake demanded protectively.

"Don't worry about it. They're fine," she said quietly.

"Did he hurt her?!" he demanded angrily.

"No," she said, avoiding his eyes.

"Emily," he said demandingly. Eerily like his father's no nonsense will be tolerated tone of voice.

"Let it be, Jake. Tony didn't hurt her, and he won't hurt her. He just has a bad temper, but Raven can handle him," Emily said under her breath.

"What does he do when he loses his temper?" Jake asked concerned.

"You know what he is, Jake," Emily said and started jogging to catch up with George and Ray.

Jake watched her run off. He didn't understand what was going on with Tony and Raven, and if it was as bad as he thought, then he didn't know why Emily would accept it so easily. Tony shouldn't be using Raven for his meals.

He would talk to Tony when he got back from Italy, he decided. There had to be a better way to give Tony the blood when he needed to feed.

Jake sighed, he didn't know why they accepted him so easily either. He was so confused. He liked being with them. All of them, even Tony was beginning to be a, at least, somewhat sociable person with him. No one had ever accepted him so easily, especially after they heard about all his "problems".

He didn't see them as problems anymore. Heck, he hadn't even thought of Aurora in over a week. That hadn't happened before. Maybe he really was happy being here with them.

Jake looked at the group in front of him weaving around big rocks to get down to the bottom of the cliff. He started to hurry up his pace to catch up with them "Hey, guys, wait up!" he called and jogged towards them.

The beach was great! It was their own private beach. The sand was as white as snow. The water was an aqua blue. Palm trees sprouted around the area. There were a few boulders some of which stretched out into the water.

Raven chose to stretch out on some of the rocks to get a tan. The rest of them laid out towels on the beach and sat down. Jake looked around, there was a volleyball net over to the left.

"Anyone bring a ball?" Jake asked, smiling.

"Ray, where did you put the ball?" Emily called over to him, pulling off her shirt and revealing a green bikini top.

Jake admired her cleavage and quickly looked away, imagining brick walls to put around his thoughts. She didn't say anything if she had read his thoughts. Ray had gotten up and rummaged in the plants behind the volleyball net.

"Found it!" he called.

They played a few games of volleyball and then swam in the warm water. Jake collapsed on his towel on the sand. Emily came and sat beside him. "This is nice."

She sat down next to him. "It's so peaceful here. I love coming down here," she said, turning to lie on to her side.

He looked over at her. She was beautiful; her hair was wet and slicked back. Water drops caressed her smooth skin. Trickles of water ran down her flat stomach and down her legs. Brick walls, brick walls, he chanted to himself, leaning back on his hands to look up at the blue sky.

Water suddenly splashed on him. He and Emily jumped. Raven, George and Ray stood grinning and holding huge water guns.

Emily ran over to the plants, by the volleyball net, and tossed Jake a similar water gun. Jake grinned, finding it fully loaded. He and Emily turned in unison getting them back. Emily had even turned on him and soaked him.

It became an outright war, every man for himself. He never felt alone though. He felt like he was a part of the group. After about an hour, they all returned to the house, soaking wet, and with grins on their faces.