By human definition, Jacqueline didn't sleep. Whilst the humans rested, she was out, roaming the world. She didn't mind it though. It gave her a sense of freedom. But tonight, she didn't feel like roaming that far.

So she chose the forest. She enjoyed taking walks through the trees, feeling their branches brush against her, like old friends trying to give her a hug. Jacqueline smiled at the thought.

She found an old stump and plonked herself down on it. The stump's diameter was big enough that she could lie on her back as long as she left her legs dangling over the side. Jacqueline closed her eyes and listened to the forest's noises. Then something unexpected happened. Jacqueline began dreaming.

At first it was just shadows. Then shapes formed. The scene was familiar. Jacqueline felt horror creep up inside her. This wasn't a dream. It was a memory. A memory she'd tried forgetting. And for only one reason.

Her sire grinned. "Do you really want to do that Jacqueline?"

Jacqueline growled. "You have no idea."

Their blades clashed as they ducked and weaved around each other in a deadly dance.

Blood blossomed on her sleeve as his sword cut into her arm. She should have flinched. But she didn't. She felt a rage she'd never felt overtake her.

Then her sword was in his chest, continuing through until it piecred his heart.

Jacqueline jerked back into consciousness. She brought her hands to her face, finding tears there.

Lex, who had been silently admiring his lover from up in a great tree, got a shock when she jerked and he fell down, down and further down into a pile of orange ad brown autumn leaves. He sat upright, his head just popping out from the giant pile next to the stump and looked around, trying to shake the stars out of his vision.

'Oh, hey Honey!' he said brightly, 'I thought I'd come and check on you, I was... what's wrong?'

He noticed the tears in her eyes and he felt a pang in his heart, he knew what was wrong. He stood up and shook the leaves off himself, picking one out from his sleek, white hair.

His green eyes began to sparkle at her pain. He walked over and picked her up, holding her light frame close to him and sat down, stroking her hair. For a while he said nothing, for nothing need be said. A tear of his own sparkled down his delicate cheek, the connection between their minds allowing her emotions to flood in to him. He felt the same intense pain that she did, and it hurt, it made him want to weep forever that she had to endure such torture from the past.

He kissed the top of her head, her warm hair making his lips tingle.

'It's in the past,' he said through his own tears, 'you have a new life now, with me. You don't need to fear anything anymore, I am here for you.' he paused and looked, bleary eyed at her face, whispering the last words '...I always will be.'

Jacqueline sat up when she heard Lex's voice. It startled her, but at the same time, brought comfort to her. Automatically, she tried to hide her tears, hastily wiping them away with her sleeve. She was about to reply that nothing was wrong, but she couldn't lie to Lex. Plus, he probably already knew what was wrong.

She put her arms around him, pulling herself in close, never wanting to let go. She had to fight the urge to break down, and stop herself from sobbing into his chest. Jacqueline couldn't let anyone see her in such a pathetic state. She took a shaky breath.

"I know. And I wouldn't want it any other way," she said, before kissing him softly.

"But there is still a part of me that cowers in fear of what used to be."

Lex could tell his love was trying to restrain her emotions.

'Jacq, it's only me here... don't be afraid to share your feelings,' he smiled crookedly through salty tears, 'how often do you see me crying?'

Feeling her need for comfort as if it were his own, he tightened his grip around her waist and pressed her head gently against his chest, leaning his chin lightly on her hair.

'Remember, what's in the past cannot be changed... Don't hurt your soul further by mulling over it.'

The elf kissed her back softly, salty tears tainting the sweetness of he lips.

Jacqueline nodded, a ghost of a smile haunting the corners of her mouth.

"That's true," she agreed, "But I've cried myself dry because of those memories. I don't intend to shed another tear for them. Especially not for my sire. He doesn't deserve them."

With her head against Lex's chest, she could hear his heartbeat. Strong and steady, and strangely calming.

"You know, for years I wondered to myself, why me? Why was I destined to become a vampire? I think I know the answer now," she murmured, "I think it was so I could live long enough to find you."

Jacqueline brought a hand up and traced a finger along Lex's lips.

"When I first met you, I wouldn't have believed that you could be this gentle."

He smiled gravely.

'Not dry enough I don't think, Honey...' he murmered.

He sighed in relief as the messages from her mind began to calm, putting a stop to his own tears.

He listened silently, taking in everything she said with an open heart.

'I never expected to fall in love... he whispered in response, 'But I'm glad we found each other.'

There was something the elf really needed to tell her, but he didn't know how; so he improvised.

'Jacq, you saved me.' he began, 'I didn't think I could be this gentle either. You have opened up a whole new world for me. If you hadn't have come, I would still be up in those mountains alone - becoming more and more morbid, lonely and cynical.'

He twisted a hand in her soft hair.

'...You brought me back to life.' he wispered shakily, suddenly afraid of the violent, withdrawn man he could've become.

Jacqueline had to agree with Lex on that.

"Maybe not quite as dry as I thought," she admitted.

She listened just as silently as he had, smiling softly at what he said. She placed a hand on the side of his face.

"The same could be said about me," she murmured. She laid her head on Lex's shoulder, her lips brushing his neck.

"You make me feel alive again. So in a sense, we saved each other," she whispered.

He shivered as her lips brushed his neck, he had never let anyone touch him like this, not even his mother before he murdered her.

'You know, I used to pity people who fell in love. I believed it to be an emotion for fools... now I can't even remember how I got along.' he frowned, idly tracing random patterns around Jacq's ear.

Lex stood up and propped Jacqueline back on her feet.

'Let's go lay down somewhere.' he suggested.

Jacqueline noticed how Lex shivered by her touch.

"I used to watch people in love. I thought it humorous, the way such a small emotion could make heroes out of ordinary people," she laughed, thinking back on how she would promise herself never to fall in love.

"Mmm, okay," she mumbled.

Remembering how he had shivered, Jacqueline decided to test something out. As she pulled away from Lex, she let her lips trace down his jawline. She then took his hand.

"Let's go then."

Lex let a shuddering sigh out as Jacq's supple lips ran down his jaw.

'I'm still getting used to this you know!' he laughed, trying to tickle her before taking her hand.

He walked for a bit before he found the flower bed he had spotted earlier.

'How about here...?' he asked, taking off his cloak and laying it in the middle of all the lilac flowers.

The elf layed down on his cloak and open his arms up to Jacquey, smiling with warmth he didn't know he had.

(It IS night, ya?))