My eyes hurt as I stared at the shelf of canned goods in front of me. When was the last time I had a good night's rest? It felt like ages ago, I mused, picking up a can of ravioli. Even the normally-gross image of stuffed macaroni was more unappetizing than usual to me. I was way too tired to chew anyways, it would be impossible for me to eat. Suddenly, I looked down at the half a shopping list Jasper had given me. Why did we need ravioli? Neither Jasper nor I could eat ravioli; I shuddered just thinking of it. Yuck!

As I squinted my eyes at the confusing list of useless items that Jasper had written, a voice called my name. "Vlad! There you are." Jasper came jogging up to me. I've been waiting by the check-out lanes for almost ten minutes.

I blinked at him, then peered at the list again. "Why do we need... ravioli, jelly beans, and... hot dogs?" I asked.

Jasper frowned at me. "I told you, we're going to see Melody and Colby, and Colby asked me to pick up a few things on the way," he said. "I told you while we were driving."

I thought back to our conversation that we had definitely had on the way over here, but I couldn't quite recall what had actually been said. My eyes narrowed in deep concentration as I tried really hard to remember. "You did...?"

Jasper took the basket of groceries off my arm carefully. "Jeez, you're even worse than me when I'm drunk," he said.

"You can't get drunk," I muttered.

He chuckled. "At least you're awake enough to remember that," he said as he took my hand and lead me through the store, the check-out lanes, and out to the car. He opened the passenger side door and paused. He set the groceries in the front seat and then helped me to get into the back. "Come on, lay down," he urged. He made me stretch out over the seats.

"I'm supposed to drive," I muttered unhappily, but complying all the same.

Jasper waited for me to get in before he climbed in after me. "You're not driving anywhere. I think we could both use some rest," he said. He laid down beside me and wrapped me up in his arms. "We'll drive in the morning. We're only a few hours away from Colby's anyways."

Though he pretended like it was for my sake, I didn't miss the weariness in his voice even through the haze of my own exhaustion. Sighing deeply, he buried his face in my neck, huffing softly a few times to let me know he was there. I settled back, more than comfortable, as I began to drift off. I was almost there when something cool and wet lapped at the back of my neck. I shuddered and curled into myself as Jasper's hands roamed southward. "Jas..." I murmured.

He hummed into my ear as he unzipped my jeans and pulled them down to my knees. We were both tired, but that didn't stop Jasper from rutting against me through his own jeans as he tried to get us both off. That must have been too little friction as he quickly unzipped the front of his pants. "Lift your leg for a sec," he said, breath hot on my neck.

I did and he pressed his cock between my thighs. My breath hitched and I glanced back at him surprised. He looked at me through hooded eyes and I could see the want within them. He moved his hips which elicited the strangest feeling and I shifted. He groaned, running a hand down to my hip and then further to wrap around my cock. I dropped my head forward and thrust my hips on my own.

This only lasted a few minutes. Both of us being as tired as we were, combined with our lack of intimacy over the past weeks, made it hard not to get over whelmed. I was the first to go, cumming in a rush as a small chocked cry left my lips. Jasper worked me through it like he always did, kissing my neck tenderly as he neared the edge himself; and the moment I moved to looked back at him was his undoing. He hugged me close to him as he came, crushing me against his chest as his breath fluttered next to my ear. It was quite possibly the best ten minutes we had been able to spend together in a while.

When it was over we lay contently, basking in the love that we had for one another. I could hear Jasper's breathing begin to even out as he started to drift off. "Will you let me drive?" I asked drowsily.

"Hm?" Jasper asked.

"You won't try to drive the whole way by yourself, right?" I asked.

A deep sigh brushed along my cheek as Jasper snuggled closer. "Yes, yes," he murmured. "I will..."

I wasn't sure if that meant he would let me drive, or if he was saying he was going to drive the whole way, but I chose to believe he'd let me drive, and relaxed back and closed my eyes. I don't know how fast I fell asleep, but it must have been quickly. When I opened my eyes again I had that head-throbbing sensation one got when having slept really hard. However, it could also have been caused from bumping my head against the seat cushions. That's when I realized the car was moving. I sat up, rubbing my eyes. "Jas...? What's happening?" I asked.

Jasper glanced at me through the rear-view mirror and smiled. "Hey, are you feeling better?" he asked. "You slept for a while."

Still drowsy, I climbed over the seat, pushing the groceries onto the floor so I could sit. "How long have we been back on the road?" I asked, noticing how he hadn't woken me up to let me drive like he said he would. 

"A couple hours. I started at first light so we could make it to Colby's by 10:00am," he said.

I dropped the back of the seat and gave a dramatic sigh. "I wish you'd talk to me when you make decisions like that. You were tired too. You should've slept longer," I said. Then I added, "Besides, it's been a while since I've gotten to wake up to your sleeping face..."

Jasper looked over at me with a small smile. "Has it? I hadn't notice," he said, smile turning sly.

I scoffed and hit his shoulder. He laughed at my feeble attempt at scolding him. It was playful and fun, something very unlike what we had grown accustom to over just a year on the road. Now that we were hunting for vampires rings to kill, while also simultaneously working our asses off to cover our tracks so the cult couldn't kill us, it was hard to find time in between to relax and remember why we were in this together in the first place. I missed that.

"Do you think I can make pancakes when we get there?" I asked absentmindedly. I hadn't smell pancakes in forever, though I wasn't sure if they'd smell the same as before.

Jas chuckled. "Vlad, we can't eat pancakes," he said.

"I meant for Melody," I told him, rolling my eyes. "Colby's not one for cooking, so I bet she's never had them before, and I think she'd really like them."

Jasper glanced at me out of the corner of his eye. "If Colby never cooks, then don't you think she's had enough junk food?" he asked. "She'll get fat too quickly if everyone keeps spoiling her. Anyways, we don't have ingredients for pancakes and I doubt Colby does."

I puffed. "Come on, it's just the one meal. After that, I swear I'll teach Colby everything he needs to know about cooking so that he can make her real food. I'll even get him a cook book," I promised. Jasper opened his mouth to speak, but I added, "when I go to the store to get ingredients for pancakes."

He turned his head to look at me and then back at the road; he looked at me again and then back at the road. I smiled hopefully at him. We were pulling into town so we'd be there soon. The minimart near Colby's would surely be open by now so if Jasper dropped me off on the way I could get everything and be at Colby's in no time. I was just waiting for Jasper's approval. Finally, he sighed. "Alright, I guess, but don't splurge. We only have a bit of cash left," he warned.

I grinned. "I won't," I swore. "And I will be careful," I made sure to say. Jasper was always worried I'd get myself into trouble like before. He was never happy when I went off on my own to do something; even something as simple as shopping.

Jasper shook his head, laughing to himself softly. "I don't know why I bother trying to reason with you," he mused. "You always win..."

The trip through town was short and we reached the small grocery store in no time. Jasper reminded me profusely that I needed to be careful on my way home, and I, in turn, promised many times that I would stay out of sight and not start unnecessary disputes with any of the local vampires. When he finally drove off towards Colby's apartment, I sighed deeply with relief. Sometimes I wasn't sure if being with Jasper was like being married without all the paperwork, or having a mother again. 

I took my time shopping, picking out the pancake mix, and the milk and eggs that would go with it. I wanted to buy orange juice for Melody too, but I didn't have a lot to spend and I was sure she'd prefer the joy of syrup over orange juice. From what we'd heard from Colby, she had developed a strong sweet tooth.

Once I had everything I needed, I checked out and left the store. It was only a ten minute walk back to Colby's safe haven, but I stretched it out so I could spend some extra time alone. I needed a breather from life. However, as I was walking through the streets, I noticed there were many people out carrying bunches of white flowers. I didn't think about it much a first, but after the seventh couple, I started to take notice of just how many people there were with flowers. Then I noticed that most of them were dressed darkly; blacks, navy blues, and dark purples for some of the women. It gave me a bad feeling and I sped my steps to hurry to safety. Maybe I was over-thinking it, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

I got to Colby's soon after and hurry up to his room. The familiar building was a comfort and I was relieved when I reached his door. "Jasper," I called as I knocked.

There was a scuffling on the other side and then Jasper opened the door. His expression melted into relief when he saw me. "I was starting to worry," he said. "You were gone for a while."

"I'm fine," I said, walking in when he held the door open. I was only a few feet past the threshold when there was a gasp and suddenly two skinny arms were wrapping around my waist. I stepped back to keep my grounding as I smiled. "Hey, Melody. It's been a while."

The happy girl smiled at me with full, rosy cheeks, blonde waves of hair falling back from her face as she beamed up at me. She looked much healthier than the last time I had seen her. "Hi," she said, "I missed you."

It was the first time I hadn't heard her whisper her words. She sounded confident, but most of all, happy. She looked happy too. It was amazing to see the difference in her behavior since our last visit. "I missed you too," I said, hugging her back. "Colby being good to you?" I asked.

She nodded and glanced back at Colby as he entered the foyer. I held her to my side as I went over to greet Colby. "It's good to see you again," he said as he shook my hand. "Still in one piece too."

I nodded. "They haven't kill us yet."

Jasper, Colby and I laughed at the slightly morbid joke for a moment before Colby invited me to come in sit down. "Why don't we catch up a bit, make lunch or something," he suggested.

"I can do it," I offered, winking at Melody as I shook the bag of treats I had collected for her. She looked excited and we all headed into the living room.

I was mixing the pancakes together with some chocolate chips when Colby set a glass of blood down for me. "It's not the freshest, but that's what you get at a vampire house party," he joked.

I thanked him and drank some before continuing on with my work. He sat down next to Jasper on the couch. "I honestly appreciate you guys coming to visit. It's been really boring around here lately, everyone's so glum these days," he said.

"What do you mean by that?" Jasper asked.

"Well, the whole city's been real out of it lately," he explained. "You can taste it in the blood, but even without that, it's obvious to see."

I poured the first batch of pancakes in the pan Colby had supplied me with and went to join the conversation. "I noticed that on my way here. Everyone seemed really depressed for some reason," I said.

Colby glanced at Jasper, who raised an eyebrow, and then back to me. "I mean, it's not a mystery why," he said. "It's because of the anniversary memorial."

My eyebrows drew together. "What memorial?" I asked. Jasper dropped his eyes and Colby looked uncomfortable. I looked between the two of them. "Hello?"

Colby scratched his head. "It's just a simple ceremony the city put together to honor the deaths of all the people who died in the sewer explosion last year," he said. "But it's nothing major. The families and some other people are just getting together to have a candle vigil in the city park."

The sewer explosion. I hadn't thought about that for months. I was supposed to have died in that explosion. Only one thought managed to cross my mind then. Did that mean my family would be there...? Would they be there to honor my "passing"? My mouth was suddenly very dry and I found it hard to breathe. I wanted to see them.

Suddenly, Melody called from the kitchen that the pancakes were going to burn. I swallowed back the questions that had almost come bubbling up and kept my voice from shaking as I said, "Oh... I didn't know."

I hurried into the kitchen to tend to the pancakes, apologizing to Melody for having almost burned them. She asked if I would show her how to do it and I nodded, trying to let the distraction pull me away from the thoughts of my parents and brother. I was unsuccessful. I was showing Melody how to flip the pancakes when I couldn't take it anymore. I had to see them. 

I handed Melody the spatula. "Look after the pancakes. I have to go do something," I said. She nodded and I hurried to the foyer. I grabbed my jacket as I blindly headed for the front door.

"Vlad, where are you going?" Jasper asked, running after me.

I fumbled to find something to say. "I... I was just going to get strawberries," I lied. "I meant to when I was at the store before, but I forgot."

"You can get them tomorrow," Jasper said.

"They're for the pancakes," I told him. "To go on top, you know? It won't take me long, I promise."

He frowned at me, looking worried. I mentally prayed he didn't pry anymore, and something must have answered my prayers because Jasper soon sighed. "Okay, but don't stay out late. I don't like it when you're out by yourself. Especially not here," he said.

I nodded and turned to leave. Before I did, however, I turned back for a moment to give him a reassuring kiss. Then I was out the door. I raced down the street, trying to find my way to the park I used to know so well. It had to be around here, I recognized all of this. When I finally found where I was going, I slowed to a jog. I couldn't be seen. Someone might recognize me. I slipped through the park silently, avoiding the eyes of any passersby that I saw. When I reached the center of the park, I could see several families had already gathered there. I stole up a nearby tree so I could have a better view while also being hidden. Where were my parents? They had to be here.

I scanned the area, but I couldn't see anyone I recognized. People were still entering the park with candles and flowers however, so I moved to a tree closer to the podium that he been set up and settled in to wait. I didn't wait long.

I was sitting miserably on my tree branch, mildly drifting off, when someone tapped the podium mic. "Hello? Can everyone hear me?" a man asked, addressing the audience.

I sat up, blinking the sleep from my eyes as I looked over the now-much-bigger crowd. I crawled out on the limb, looking for three familiar faces. They had to be there, they wouldn't not go, would they? Fearing the worst, I bit my lip. "Mom...?" I whispered.

Then I saw them. Standing by an old oak tree was my mom, my dad, and my baby brother. My dad stood with one of his arms around my mom and a hand on Benji's shoulder. In my mom's hands was a vase of flowers. She had tears running down her cheeks, and my dad and brother looked close to tears themselves. They were just the way I remembered them, with the exception of my brother having gained some height. If it hadn't been such a morbid occasion, it would've been the perfect family photo. Well... almost. 

Suddenly, my hand slipped on the branch and I grappled to stay in the tree. I swung my legs up onto the branch before I could lose my grip entirely and held on tightly, praying nobody had heard me. No such luck. When I dropped my head back I could see Benji's eyes had been drawn away from the podium to look around the park. I pulled myself up into the tree again just as he looked in my direction. He squinted at the tree, obviously wondering if he had actually seen anything. Though part of me wanted him to see me, to make it okay not to hide, I held perfectly still.

After a moment, his stern gaze lessened and I saw him sigh. He rubbed his eyes and that's when I noticed he had bags under his eyes. Had he been sleeping? I wished I could ask him. I hoped it wasn't because of me.

I watched my family for a long time, long after the vigil ended and most of the other families had left. Then, once my family had put their candles by the podium, I stayed where I was as my family retreated from the park and pulled away in their car. It was getting later, and the others were probably wondering where I was, but it gave me a chance to think. So, I thought; for a long time I thought and it didn't change anything, but it made things seem more believable. Even after a whole year away, I hadn't exactly come to terms with my own death. I hadn't had the time. But now I had the chance to really sit and try to accept it. I was just finding it a little hard.

Time passed slowly, sounding in my head like the ticking of a clock. It might have been a lack of courage, but I just didn't have the energy too leave. The night grew darker and darker as the candles burned out one by one until only a dozen or so remained; and still, I stayed. Until a hand rested on my shoulder. "You look cold," Jasper said.

I didn't look at him. "I'm fine," I said.

He frowned deeper. "Are you? Really?" he asked, and I knew he wasn't talking about my temperature.

I didn't answer at first, but slowly, I got to my feet and dropped to the grass below. Jasper followed me as I approached the candles my family had left behind. They flickered in the wind, the flame dancing around the wick like a sprite. It took a lot of courage to do what I did next, but I knew there was no other way. Jasper was silent as I knelt and extinguished each of the three candle flames one after another. When I stood again, I finally turned to him. "Yeah," I said. "I am."

Jasper smiled kindly at me as he held his hand out. "Then let's get going?" he said. "Melody's waiting on those strawberries."

*******

Hey everyone! This is a short that was commissioned. If you liked it and want a commission of your own, not necessarily for this book, then check out my Patreon Previews book for my commission menu! Hope you enjoyed this! AS ALWAYS, VOTE, COMMENT, FOLLOW, AND STAY AWESOME!

-Nekoco