Jacqueline laughed at Lex's reaction to being jabbed. She poked out her tongue.

"It's my way of curing somethings," she said pouting.

Jacqueline leant back on Lex's torso, letting her head drop back onto his shoulder. Sitting here in his arms, Jacqueline felt completely safe, like nothing in the world could touch them.

In silence she sat there and listened, hanging off every word the elf said. The absolute truth to everything he was saying was overwhelming to her. She had known how they had both felt towards each other, but to hear it said in such a beautiful way brought tears to Jacqueline’s eyes. It seemed that the same had happened to Lex. She shifted her position slightly so she could face Lex. Gently, she brushed his tears away.

“From all the years I watched people in love, I know now for a fact that true love doesn’t have a happy ending,” she said, smiling softly, “because true love doesn’t have an ending. It is immortal. Nothing can kill it.”

She leant against Lex again and closed her eyes.

“I love you. My entire life is in those three words.”

Lex had surprised himself with what he said, he didn't know he was capable of such words until now.

He went back to his old habit of stroking her hair - it seemed to bring him comfort. The elf listened quietly to everything Jacqueline said, relishing the pure truth in her words of wisdom. He didn't reply... he couldn't. He had already poured his heart out to her and now didn't know what to say.

'... for once, my love, I am lost for words.' he whispered, smiling crookedly as she wiped away his tears.

Picking a lilac flower Lex put it behind Jacq's ear, then brought her in closer to his bare chest, her warm body comforting him as he sat there, not knowing what to do next.

Jacqueline sighed.

"Words can be such a burden. You can only claim to truly understand someone when you understand everything that they are not saying."

She looked up at Lex, and smiled again. Her hand brushed the flower behind her ear.

"If you have nothing to say, don't worry about speaking," she said shrugging, then went completely silent herself.

Lex sighed at her words. She was right, again.

He suddenly remembered the question he meant to have asked her earlier.

'Jacq,' he whispered, 'do you honestly think that this is true love?' he asked timidly. 'I've never been in love before, so I don't know the difference - but I feel something in my heart that says it is...' he let out an exasperated groan, 'I am so confused...'

The elf let go of her and abruptly stood up. He walked a couple of metres away and stared out in to the blackness. His mind suddenly in turmoil. This was all so new, yet he knew what to say when it came to true love. Why? Is it something that every being seeks? Is it ingrained in to the system? Is it what we all live for?

Jacqueline remained seated, and watched Lex as he stared into the night. She tilted her head slightly.

"Only you will know if it is true," she said, bringing her legs up to her chest so that she could rest her chin on her knees.

She inhaled deeply. "I know what my heart feels. If you feel unsure about it, take some time, figure it out."

Jacqueline sighed and stretched her legs back out.

"But if you do decide that you need time, just don't take too long. Not everyone has forever like me."

He turned and looked at her.

'I love you, there's no doubting that. But this is a new world for me - I'm just so confused.' he said.

'I'm going for a run.' he said suddenly, 'Come if you want. If not - I'll be back shortly.'

He ran off in to the forest, feeling exhilirated as the adrenaline began to pump through his veins. He loved Jacqueline, he loved her so much - but he had scared himself, scared himself with his own words. Where did they come from?

He would give his life for her in a heartbeat - he would suffer endless centuries of torture just to know that she as happy. She was his world, his soul and life. Maybe that was what true love was...

"Mmmm," she murmured, running a hand through her hair. She watched Lex go off, feeling slightly melancholic. He'd barely been away for a minute and already she was missing him. Deciding that she ddn't want to just sit there and do nothing, she stood up.

Hmmmmm... she wondered, looking around for something to do. Eventually, she settled on the large tree Lex had been hanging from.

She climbed the tree with ease. However, she didn't climb too high, only so that she was sitting on a bough a few meters from the ground.

When she was sitting and began humming to herself. She found herself trying to remember where she had heard that song before. Then she remembered. It had been a lullaby she had heard sung by a mother to her daughter. Quietly, she sang the words to herself.

Lex ran faster and faster. The pain in his muscles bringing clarity to the turmoil taking over his mind. But... it wasn't enough. There was another pain, it was worse and it came from his heart. Was it possible to love someone so much that it hurt you to?

He had this weird feeling, like he wanted to cut his chest open, tear out his heart and give it to Jacqueline. But, hadn't he already done that, albeit in a lesser way? A way that allowed him to keep his heart in his body?

He sprang over a stump and completed his circle, making his way speedily back to Jacqueline. He noticed a pond nearby and jumped in, relishing the cool water on his hot muscles. He waded out and walked back, his wet hair plastered to his back.

A sweet voice met his tapered ears and he instantly recognised it as Jacquey's.

'Singing?' he whispered, 'I've never heard her sing before.' Lex briefly wondered where the tune was from and made his way over to where she was, up in the tree we he had previously been. Sitting down he shivered, maybe the lake wasn't such a good idea, although it beat being sweaty. He listened closely to his Love's voice and closed his eyes, smiling at life.

As Jacqueline sat in the tree, still singing, she heard some of the thoughts running through Lex's mind. Once he reappeared beneath her, she climbed back down silently and leant in so her lips were next to his ear.

"Love can be one of life's most painful obstacles," she whispered, "it can make mice out of men and can force you to the very brink of insanity."

She sighed and sat down next to Lex, snuggling in close so that she could sling her arms around him.

"That is why love is a two-man battle. One can't face it alone," she murmured.

Lex leant his head back against the rough bark of the tree and closed his eyes again, listening to Jacqueline and smiling.

'I know...' he whispered, 'I'm experiencing that right now.' he picked up her hand and placed it on his taut, bare chest where his heart beat rapidly. He opened up the thread of pain in his mind and sent the strand over to the vampire, allowing her to feel the intense pain that swept through his heart.

'Empathise, Jacq.' he told her, 'Know how I feel for you.'