Dark Light

Dark Light 4

This is my first attempt at making a story that's sci-fi. I've been writing for a while, but nothing like this so bear with me please. This story will be loosely based on True Blood, with references and some appearances of characters from the show and books. I do not own these characters and as disclaimer, all rights of true blood and references to the books belong to their respective owners. Any other suggestions/ideas apart from that belong to me. Hope you guys enjoy.

Suggestions, feedback, comments of all kind are welcome. Please let me know what you guys think. Travisderon@gmail.com

Please remember to donate what you can to Nifty. I think its super cool that this website exists for people to express themselves through their writing in an atmosphere free of fear and judgment for the most part. Growing up reading these stories made it easier for me to identify and become comfortable with the idea of being a gay man. So do what you can, donate. Let's keep Nifty around to inspire other young gays. :)

============== signifies a flashback.

《》 signifies thoughts

Enjoy :)

Dark Light

Chapter Four- Darkness Round the Sun

"Father? You can't be serious!" Nikolas glanced at us for confirmation, we all knew. He may have been only one years old when he left, but he knew from the looks on our faces that this man standing before us was none other than the man he claimed to be...our father.

Suddenly I could feel this rage building up inside of me. I was mad, but what I was feeling now was pissed off. I glanced around my siblings to see if I could figure out whose rage I was inadvertently channeling.

I tried my hardest to override their influence, but the rage was more powerful than anything I've ever felt before.

I glanced at Nikolette; her hair was waving behind her in an unknown wind that only seemed to center around her. She visibly glowed with light that radiated off her onto us. The rage in me increased until it threatened to boil over. My vision blurred and all I could see was the distorted image of my father. My body moved on autopilot, as we formed a semi-circle next to Nikolette. I was aware of everything going on, but my body felt like it was moving on its own. It was a scary feeling.

I tried to reach out to my other siblings telepathically, but it was no use, Nikolette's rage was somehow blocking out everything else. Slowly all of our hands rose in front of us and glowed with light, simultaneously a flash of light ignited from our hands and raced towards our father.

Right before the light connected with him, he vanished in a flash of light and reappeared a few yards behind us. Before we could react, I could feel our minds being invaded by our father. Right after his initial invasion, I could feel this break, and all of a sudden the rage lifted and I felt normal again.

《What the hell was that about!?》 Nikolas' thoughts immediately followed into my head again.

《It was Nikolette's rage. She somehow used our connection to channel her rage into us.》 Nikola thought.

《I don't like that she can control us like that. What the hell?!》 Nikolas was always the one to overact. It's not like she did it on purpose. Now that she has calmed down, I could feel that she was just as surprised as we were that her rage not only consumed her, but us as well.

"Can the both of you just not right now?" I rubbed my temples. I swear after all this was over, I was going to need a Tylenol and a shot of vodka.

I turned around to face our father; he had a satisfied look on his face like he was proud or something.

"Why are you here? How are you here?"

He stood before us. His hair neatly cut short and combed over in old fashion style. He wore these silk white regal robes that followed on the ground around him. There were patterns on the sleeves of his shirt and down the sides of his robe that were outlined in gold stitching. His arms were crossed over his chest in a relaxed manner, while also exerting his power. His same hazel brown eyes and sharp features stared back at me, making me feel uneasy. I figured we got our looks from him, but looking at him was almost like looking into a mirror to my future.

"Nikolai..." his facial features softened as he spoke my name.

"Don't!" I all but shouted back at him, "Don't do that. You just appear literally out of nowhere, and think by saying my name like that, that somehow erases everything you've done to me, to this family!"

"Nikolai..." Nikola spoke up, but I wasn't having any of it.

"No Nikola, he needs to give us answers. We deserve answers after he disappeared from our lives without as much as a goodbye. All the time I spent waiting by the window for you every night for months hoping that you would come back. Or the nights I heard our mother cry herself to sleep at night, because she was left by her husband to raise four faerie children! Or the day we had to bury our mother after she died, and we were left alone with no parents. Where were you huh?! Where?!" I hadn't realized until the end that not only was I screaming, but I was crying as well. My voice didn't sound familiar to me. It was hoarse and cold. It was almost like another person was using my body to speak for me.

"I know you're mad, we all are, but it's not going to get us answers." Nikola's hand gripped my shoulder gently. "Believe me, I'm just as mad as you and Nikolette, but we need to be calm to some extent if we are to ask him questions. We don't want a repeat of earlier, and until we can figure out why it happened, we all should work on keeping our emotions in check."

I shrugged off her hand, "Fine, but he goes nowhere until he answers all of our questions!" I glared at him.

I could see Nikola give him a pleading look, to which he nodded slightly.

I brushed the hair from my face and walked in the opposite direction a few steps to get some fresh air. Between the attacking vampire, Tom and his kiss, Eric and what he knew about me, and Shea...suddenly I could imagine what Shea was feeling right about now. I made a mental note to try and contact him again tomorrow morning and talk to him.

Even though I had walked away, I could still hear the conversation between my siblings and our father.

I could see Nikolas run up to him and embrace him as if he were a wounded solider returning from battle. Nikola looked conflicted. Nikolas' reaction was expected for he didn't know our father, and was only one when he disappeared. This man before him was the only father he knew, and after losing a parent for good, it was easy to see why he'd gravitate towards the only connection besides us he had left.

However, Nikola was a year older than me when he walked out. She remembered all the hell we went through. All the pain mom went through. So why was she struggling to run to him and embrace him, or to stand her ground.

"Dad I can't believe you're back! Where have you been this whole time?" Nikolas said, looking up to our father like he was a hero or something. It made me mad, but I tried to focus my anger. I looked over to Nikolette; it was like she was broken. She was staring at the ground in deep thought. Not moving, not saying anything, just standing. What did he do to her?

"That's a long story, one I'd like to share will all of your siblings if you don't mind." His voice was soft; I remembered it from my memories of him. The same voice that used to tuck me in at night and read me bedtime stories.

I hated myself for even entertaining those memories, because they were just that, memories.

I crossed my arms, and glanced over at them. "I'm listening, but whatever you did to Nikolette undo it now!"

"Relax, she has heard everything we've said, and has been aware. I just needed her to calm down so that you all could be free of her rage and think rationally." He snapped his fingers, and instantly Nikolette came out of her trance. She seemed disoriented for a second, before she refocused herself.

"You bastard!" she started after him again, but I jumped in her way.

"Look I understand, I do, but you need to calm down. Your rage nearly drove us insane earlier because it consumed us and made us act on your will. It was literally one of the scariest things I've ever felt in my life. Not having control over my own body, I don't want to feel like that again. So I need you to try to calm down."

She glanced frantically between me and our father, before visibly relaxing a little.

I sighed.

"Now that I got her to calm down, it's your turn to deliver on your end."

"Always the diplomatic Nikolai," my father smiled, "fine, I shall tell you all the reason I left as promised."

He stopped and looked to be in deep thought, "Well I guess since you all have discovered your birthright, I can show you instead. If you don't mind," he held out his hand. Nikolas immediately grabbed his hand. Nikola grabbed his other hand, and held hers out for me.

I rolled my eyes and grabbed her hand; I motioned for Nikolette to grab Nikolas' hand. She slowly walked over, and grabbed his hand.

"Fine, show us why you've been a coward this whole time." Nikolette sneered.

Our father smirked and closed his eyes. He began to glow with power. It was different than what I felt with my siblings, probably because we'd been connected all our lives. No, it was still different, his light made ours look like a nightlight turned on at night to chase away the darkness. It was radiant, regal, powerful, more so than anything I've ever felt before. Instinctively I squeezed Nikola's hand tightly; she squeezed back just as tightly. I haven't felt power like this, since the night we awakened our powers.

Suddenly the light warped around us and blurred until images started to form and a scene started to play out in front of us.

======================================

He was packing a few clothes getting ready to leave. He knew that they'd be useless where he was going, but packing them somehow gave him comfort.

She watched silently from the bed, slowly rocking a child to sleep in her arms. Her cheeks were stained with tears, as she sobbed silently.

He glanced at her face, the face of the woman he loved most in this world and any other world. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, and it was breaking his heart that he had to put her through this.

But that's why he needed to leave.

"Olivia please, this is already hard, don't make it harder than it has to be."

She clutched the baby to her breast closely, "How can I not Niklaus? You are my husband."

======================================

Nikolas glanced over in my direction, and I nodded slightly. I didn't need our mind link to know what he was asking. This was the last conversation our parents had before he left, and that baby she cradled to her chest was him.

======================================

He paused in between his packing, and sat next to her on the bed. He gently stroked her cheek, and smiled down at baby Nikolas. The baby cooed at him, reaching his tiny hands up to his father. He held out a finger, and the baby grasped tightly. He smiled down at the baby; it was warm and filled with love.

"You know why I'm leaving, we talked about this Olivia. I'm doing it to protect you, and our children. I couldn't bear it if something happened to you because of me."

"You can protect us, with your light isn't that what you promised the day we met?" she glanced up at him frantically. She looked a mix of emotions, desperate, hopeful, sorrow.

"I don't know if just my light is strong enough for what may come after them if I don't leave." She began to cry again, but he lifted her head, "Olivia please understands, the last thing I want to do is to leave you and our children, but if I have to in order to keep you safe then I must."

She nodded; they'd had this conversation before. She knew his reasons for leaving, and she thought she was prepared for this day, but nothing could prepare her for the pain that she would be feeling in this moment.

"Are they like you, faeries?" She whispered.

"They are my kin, blood of my blood."

She lowered her head. His finger glowed softly with a white light. He baby in his mother's arms cooed and kicked his feet happily as his tiny hands glowed with the same light.

He smiled down at the baby with tears in his eyes, "They are of my blood..."

The light slowly faded, until the baby's hands, and his father's finger had returned to normal.

"Maybe when they're older they'll understand. No matter what I'll come back to them and to you my love when it's safe again. I'll watch over them and protect them as best I can. They will feel my influence and know my love. Their light is my light, we are connected, and I swear on my light, that I will protect them no matter what."

"I know, until you return, I will look after them. They will grow up knowing their father through me. Just promise me you'll come back."

He leaned in and kissed her passionately. He could taste the saltiness of her tears, and it added to his guilt of knowing he had to leave her. Slowly, hesitantly, he broke the kiss and stared into her dark emerald eyes, "Nothing can keep me from you, not even him."

She nodded, "Okay, I love you Niklaus."

He smiled, "I love you too Olivia, from now until the end of time."

======================================

The images around us blurred again, until we were back in the strange forest all holding hands.

Nikola was crying, and Nikolas was looking at our father with even more admiration than before. Nikolette and I glanced at each other, I could tell that she was affected by what we saw, but like me she wasn't as convinced as our other two siblings seemed to be.

"Okay, so you left and apparently mom knew everything about you and us, but that didn't answer all of our questions." Nikolette said walking towards our father. I could see Nikolas tense up, as if preparing for the inevitable blow up again.

"Nikolette!" Nikola exclaimed, "Did he not show us enough? Did what we see not validate his reason for leaving? Mom tried to keep our father a constant in our life like he asked. She told us stories, reminded us he loved us, but it was your anger that drove us to hate him as you did when your anger, your hate was unjustified. We spent years hating a man who left to protect us!"

Nikola never raised her voice, so it caught me off guard that she was so blunt with Nikolette. How long had she been feeling like this? More importantly, was there truth in her words?

"I-"

"Nikola's right," Nikolas interrupted, "I didn't even have a chance to know him. Everything I know about him is from what you told me and that's not fair to him. You all had a chance, no matter how short it was to know him. Don't you think I deserve that same right that I deserve a chance to get to know our father?" His face softened, almost pleading with his eyes.

Nikolette looked to me for support. I just shrugged my shoulders and looked away.

《I'm on your side, but what can we do? They seem determined to get to know him.》I sent to her.

《You're right, but I don't like it. I don't trust him.》

《That makes two of us.》

She sighed, "Fine I'll drop it for now, but this is far from over." she gave one final glance in our fathers direction before disappearing in a flash of light. I assumed she went back home.

It dawned on me; they never told me that little light trick.

"Dad will you stay with us? You can stay in the guest room. Please!" Nicolas pleaded like a child.

Our dad chuckled, "Of course, I won't ever leave you guys again." I could feel his eyes on me.

"Nikolai."

"Just because I'm agreeing to have you around and you're staying with us, doesn't mean that I have to like it."

"Nikolai..." Nikolas growled, but our father held up his hand.

"It's okay Nikolas; he has a right to feel how he does. I do not blame him." Niklaus walked towards me, it was almost like he was gliding on air, and he was so elegant. He placed his hand on my shoulder, it was warm and familiar. "I know that it's going to take a lot and I don't expect it to happen overnight, but I want us to be a family again. You are my kin, blood of my blood and I love you."

I was fighting with myself. On the inside was the child who remembered piggy back rides, and nighttime stories. On the outside I knew better. There was more to his story, more to the reason why he left and until I got the answers I wanted, I wasn't ready to forgive him just yet.

I wanted to be anywhere but here. I wanted to be back in my room, in my bed more than anything. All of a sudden, I felt this wave and before I knew it I was hovering over my bed in midair before falling on my face into my pillows.

I lifted my head off the bed, so that's how it works. I still have to work on my landing though.

I didn't even bother undressing, as soon as my head lay back on my bed, I was out for the night.

~

The next morning I woke up to a slight headache. After everything that happened last night, I was surprised it wasn't worst. For that I was thankful, I guess.

I rolled out of bed and went about my morning routine. I only had one class today, after that I had about an hour before work. I reached for my phone and dialed Shea's number. It was 7 am, but he should be up. The phone rang a few times before going to voicemail. I decided to leave a message telling him I'd call later to talk to him. I thought it was weird Shea didn't pick up considering that he and Nikolas were used to going to the gym early in the morning, though with Niklaus around, I doubt Nikolas is leaving his side anytime soon.

That was a whole other problem that I didn't feel like dealing with today. I hurried and dressed. I settled for a pair of white loafers with white pants and long sleeve white shirt. I braided a single braid and used it to wrap around the base of my ponytail giving it a unique look. I glanced in the mirror, satisfied I slung my bag across my shoulder and headed out my room.

I could feel everyone's busy mind, with the addition of my father. I only hoped that I could make it out the door before he saw me. As I descended the steps, I realized that wasn't going to be the case when Niklaus rounded the corner with a small plastic container of food.

I groaned inwardly as I stopped on the last step in front of him.

He held out the container, "Nikolas and Nikola told me you leave early every morning without eating, so I thought I would pack something for you should you get hungry."

The fact that he was acting like nothing was wrong, and that he was just doing his fatherly duties after skimping on them this whole time, annoyed me.

I pushed around him, and walked towards the door, "No thanks." I opened the door and was about to walk out, before he stopped me.

"Nikolai please...I am trying." He sounded so sincere. The sheer pleading in his voice, the way he said my name...

I sighed. Slowly I turned back around and walked towards him. I held out my hand, and he placed the container in it. We stood awkwardly staring at each other for a few seconds, before I mumbled a 'thank you' and left before he could make any other request.

~

Even though the class was just three hours, it seemed longer. It didn't matter, the professor could've been juggling knives while jumping through a ring of fire and I still wouldn't have paid him any mind. I was too busy thinking about Shea, Tom, the vampire that attacked me, Eric, Sookie, my siblings and now my father and this rift he's caused between us.

And to think just a few days ago I was complaining about my life being boring. I guess we should be careful what we wish for.

I checked my phone as soon as class was over. I saw I had a text from Shea. Finally!

*Sorry I've been MIA, I've just been trying to process everything.

I quickly responded.

*Its fine, I was just worried about you. I didn't know how to tell you. I'm sorry.

Not even a minute later, I got a response.

*Shut up, you don't have anything to apologize for I was the one being a dumbass. Look I know you have an hour before you need to be at the bar, so come by my place. It's on the way, besides I have to be there at the same time so you can give me a ride.

I rolled my eyes.

*Fine I'm on my way now.

I quickly exited the building and got in my car to see Shea.

~

I knocked on the door of his apartment. It wasn't the best looking apartments from the outside, but inside was slightly more bearable. Shea opened the door with just a towel wrapped around his waist. His buzz short hair was wet, and drops of water rolled off his bulging muscles. I'd never thought of Shea sexually, he was always like another brother to me. With that being said, I never said that I didn't take every opportunity to appreciate his physique given the chance. He was truly a work of art. His broad pecs, bulging biceps, six pack abs with a nice v cut. All covered with a light dusting of dark hair. His body was truly amazing. My body was admired compared to most, but even with my faerie blood, Shea's body was definitely the superior. He worked harder at it than I did, both he and my brother.

"You're staring at my body again." he teased.

"Whatever, you put it on display I'm going to look. Hello, totally gay here." I waved my hands for dramatic effect.

He stepped aside and motioned for me to come in, "You know you'd look like this too with just a little bit more work. Your body now is perfect, but there's always room for improvement."

I walked in and he closed the door behind me. His hand still clutched the towel loosely, allowing it to sag a little in the front to show the top of his trimmed pubic hair. How do I know he trims, easy because he and Nikolas trim each other and let it slip one night we got drunk. Of course I teased them about it being super gay, and have never let them live it down.

"I see you and my brother had a little trim party pretty recently." I motioned to his partially exposed pubes.

He grinned and flipped me off before returning to the shower. "Anytime you want to see my body, all you have to do is ask queer bait."

"Now where's the fun in that, when I can just molest you in your sleep?" I fired back.

"Gay!" he yelled back over the sound of running water.

I giggled to myself. It was another fifteen minutes before he came back out dressed in jeans and a long sleeve t-shirt with some band logo on the front.

I decided to just jump right into it, "So how are you feeling about what I told you the other day?"

His face darkened slightly, "To be honest, I don't know how to feel. I mean it's not every day you find out that the father that walked out on you, is now a vampire and attacked and swore vengeance on your best friend."

"Yeah tell me about it." I responded, thinking of my own long lost father.

"What?"

"Let's just say you aren't the only one who was paid a visit from their on again off again long lost father."

He gave me a confused look.

"Niklaus, my father, he's back."

"Shut the fuck up!"

"And get this, Nikola and Nikolas practically welcomed him with open arms and he's living with us in our guest room."

Shea immediately rose up, and disappeared around the corner. When he returned, he had two shot glasses and a bottle of tequila. Silently he poured two shot and handed one to me.

"I think we'll need some of this to get through this bullshit. Hell I think I need something stronger." he got up, but I grabbed his wrist and pulled him back down.

"This will do, I still have to go to work and you know drinking makes it hard to block out all the thoughts."

"You may have a hard time, but I do my best thinking drunk." he downed another shot. "This is really some fucked up shit huh? Both our fathers show up back in our lives like nothing changed. Fucked up."

"Yeah, I think I'll take another shot." He poured a second for me and a third for himself. We clinked glasses, and downed the shot again.

I was feeling a little more relaxed, and less tightly coiled about everything that was going on around me. I was thankful for my best friend in this moment. He gets me, knows exactly what I need to make me feel better.

"Your father," I gave him a look, "Niklaus, is he...you know, like you."

I chuckled a little. "Yes, but he's different kind of, stronger."

"That's some scary shit. So a super being father, and a homicidal vampire father hell bent on killing my best friend. We sure hit the jackpot in father of the year huh?" Shea chuckled bitterly. He poured another shot and downed it.

《This some fucked up shit. Can't tell him. He's already handling a lot. Damn it.》

"Can't tell me what?"

"Damn it Nik stay out of my head!" he yelled.

I flinched, "I'm sorry, I-I can't...I'm sorry."

"No Nik I'm sorry. I've been under stress dealing with all of this, and I shouldn't have taken it out on you. You're dealing with your own mess, and here I am being an ass to my only real friend." He grabbed my hand and looked me in the eyes.

I stared back at him. We were both quiet, just enjoying not thinking about what was going on.

"Thanks Shea, for everything."

He patted my hand, "No problem, you know I always got your back."

"So there's a bit more to the story that I left out." I didn't know how to say it to him, but I knew he needed to know. "The vampire that saved me from your...the other vampire was Eric."

"Eric?"

I nodded, "Eric...Northman."

"Shut up! The Eric Northman? How the hell did you manage that one?!" He idolized Eric. As did everyone else, but Shea really idolized Eric. It was his celebrity male crush.

I shrugged, "I don't know, it just sort of happened. One minute I was being attacked, and the next he was saving me. I didn't even know he was around. It's a good thing he was I guess."

"What was he like? Did he talk? Oh did you let him bite you?" he was firing off questions so rapidly, it was hard to keep up.

"Whoa there buddy. I know you've got a serious man crush going on for Eric, but I need you to calm down."

He laughed, "I don't have a man crush for Eric, and I just think he's super cool." He put his hands behind his head and looked away. His signature go to when he knows I'm right.

"Anyway he seems to know a lot about what I am, and we've been meeting up to...talk about it."

"Nikolai Bennett I know when you're lying, spill!"

I groaned, I really hated when he used my full name. "I might have, you know, kissed him." I mumbled.

He didn't say anything, and I looked at him. He was processing everything. He poured another shot for us both and handed my glass.

"I guess congratulations are in order. I'm not gay, but I've gotta say I'm jealous as hell you kissed Eric Northman." He chuckled, "But I'm happy for you, I mean if you're happy."

I took the shot and downed it, "I mean I don't know how to feel. I kissed him, and it was amazing. Then there's Tom and his kiss."

He took his last shot and collected the glasses. "Ooh yeah. That sucks."

"Tell me something I don't know." I sighed.

"Well I wish you had more time to figure it out, but we've got to be at work."

I nodded slightly, "Great. Let's get this over with."

I grabbed my keys and walked out the front door, with Shea following close behind.

~

"Mega Burger with fries and a medium-rare steak with garlic mash potatoes." I said setting the plates down in front of my customers. The couple looked up and smiled at me. The man looked to be in his late 30s, businessman type. Dark short cut hair, smooth shaven face, with dark brown eyes. The woman was beautiful. She was a petit, but looked curvy as she filled out the skin tight red dress she wore. Her dirty blond hair was pulled back in a messy bun. Her blue eyes sparkled, and contrasted with her red lips. They were definitely a pretty hot couple.

"Thank you so much." The woman beamed up at me.

《He's sexy. What I wouldn't give to. I wonder if he has an ad online. Nice ass.》

"You're welcome enjoy." I said smiling to the woman.

I glanced in the man's direction; he gave me a subtle wink. I felt the urge to say something. Maybe it was due to the shots from earlier with Shea, or my residual anger from finding out my father was back, but in the end I settled for running off to the kitchen before I said something I would regret.

"You alright Nikolai?" my coworker Emma asked. She was a small woman, about 5'3 with long dirty blonde hair about the same length as mine. She had big green eyes that seemed to bulge out. Her cheeks were rosy with thin pink lips that were always curved in a smile. She had a bubbly personality that was infectious when you were around her. Like everyone else, she heard about me and my ability, but never treated me any different.

I brushed a stray hair from my face, "Yeah, I'm totally ok. I just have a lot going on, but I'm fine."

She smiled at me, "Okay, but if you need to talk you know I'm here." She poked me in the chest, and added a wink before she went back to work.

I felt some gently grab my shoulder. "Nik mind if I talk to you, in my office?"

I turned to look at him. "Sure Tom."

A little part of me was nervous, but I knew we needed to have this conversation sooner or later. He placed his hand on the small of my back, and led me to his office. I can't lie, the feeling of his touch sent shivers down my spine. It started to bring back memories of the last time we were alone in his office. I could feel my face heat up slightly. He walked me through the door, and closed it behind us. No sooner that he did, his lips were on mine kissing me passionately.

I was caught off guard, and instinctively started to kiss him back. The combination of his lips and the scratching of his beard were driving me crazy. He was no Eric, but...

Eric.

I broke the kiss, gently pushing Tom away and creating some space between us.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have..."

"No, it's fine. I was just caught off guard, and I think we should talk about this." I smiled weakly.

He ran his fingers through his hair and smiled at me. "Yeah I agree, that's why I wanted you here."

I shifted uncomfortably, "Okay, you first."

"I know that what happened the other night between us was...unexpected, but I'm not sorry about it." His blue eyes stared intently at me.

"I don't want you to be sorry. I just..." I struggled to find the words. It was about Eric, at least not 100%. I am under a lot of stress dealing with everything going on. "There are things that have happened recently that's got me all, messed up right now. I care about you a lot, and I can't bring you in on my life drama, it's not fair to you. There's things I can't talk to you about, and you deserve more than that."

His brow furrowed, as his face contorted in confusion. "I can't say that I understand, but I respect your feelings. I don't want to push you into anything you aren't ready for." He closed the distance between us and cupped my cheek with his hand. I found myself staring into his blue eyes.

"Take all the time you need, I'll be here for you no matter what."

《Love. Make love. Kiss you.》

"It's okay, you can kiss me." I smiled.

He smiled too, "That must come in handy." He leaned down and kissed me gently. It was a simple kiss nowhere near what we were used to it was for the best though.

He pulled away and looked at me. "I'll always be here for you Nik."

I reached up and held onto his wrist that was caressing my cheek. "Thanks Tom, that really means a lot to me."

"Good, because I mean it." He placed one last kiss on my forehead before he left.

I smiled to myself, maybe things were starting to look up for me. After all the bad things happening in my life, it's about time something good came out of it.

I straightened my clothes, and brushed the stray hairs from my face before walking back out to the floor.

I made my way over to the bar where Shea was.

"How'd it go?"

I smiled, "He actually took it a lot better than I expected."

"What did you tell him?" Shea asked while mixing a drink.

"The truth." He gave me a look, "Or as close to the truth as I could get. I was pretty vague. Told him I'm going through a lot."

He shrugged, "Which is true so you didn't lie then."

I leaned against the bar, and looked out at the restaurant. The sun had gone down, and the restaurant was starting to pick up. I could hear random thoughts from everyone. It was overwhelming and I wanted to just away and hide until I got it under control, and was about to until I felt it. That familiar void. I focused on it and everything else fell away.

He strode into the bar dressed in a pair of leather black pants with a black tank, and leather black jacket that was left open to expose his muscular chest. His eyes immediately found mine.

Behind me I heard a glass breaking, and turned to see Shea staring. In fact everyone in the bar was staring; I hadn't even noticed that everyone was quiet.

He walked over to me, I could hear faint thoughts. Everyone seeming to wonder why Eric was here.

He stood in front of me, looking down with his brooding eyes. "Nik I'm sorry to have come here to your place of work, but I need your help."

"What?"

So there's chapter 4, hope you guys enjoyed. I was actually done with the chapter a while ago but my internet access was limited so I wasn't able to post it at the time. Anyway, for those of you keeping up, sorry for the delay. Good news is chapter 5 is almost done too. Hopefully I'll have it and maybe two other chapters up by the holiday. Crossing my fingers.

Travis.