"Push me higher mommy! Push me higher!" A young voice said with a glee.

"We've got to go home soon dear. It's dark out now. Daddy's going to be wondering where we are." The mother said as she stopped the swing to the disappointment of the little girl.

Jenna couldn't help but watch the little scene from the merry-go-round. The woman gave her a puzzled look for a moment, but Jenna only stared blankly back. The woman didn't even say a word but instead turned back to her daughter. "Come on Alexis, it's time to go home darling."

The little girl, probably seven or eight about the age Jenna looked herself, looked back at Jenna and frowned. "Mama?" She said, tugging her mother's hand. "Come on Alexis. We have to get going."

"But mom..." The girl gave a sad look back at Jenna who in turn gave her a small smile before moving over to the swing set.

A mother... A... father, a family... Why couldn't she just... Just have been born healthy? Why did Claire have to change her into this? She knew that Claire was her mother more than anything... But Claire... Claire never pampered her anymore never treated her like a child even though the rest of the world did.

She couldn't take care of herself like she wanted to because she looked so young. She needed someone to take care of her. Which was why she had tried living with Kat... But since she'd become so withdrawn... So depressed, Jenna couldn't stand it. She had left without a word, leaving only a note telling Kat that she'd be fine, she just needed a change.

'It's time to go home.' Words she longed to hear. 'Let's go home, Daddy's waiting.' Words she knew she wouldn't ever hear.

She had always enjoyed the outdoors. Something about them simply made her want to.... fall away. Maybe the open trees and grassy hills made her think of home. Well, maybe? But home was far greener, far purer than anywhere else in the world. Demaitre simply couldn't compare and yet- she was still here.

Why hadn't she left? She could- she could run away from everything, forget everything he said, everything he had done. Unfortunately, that would also mean leaving behind Nechelle and Bill. Bill.... No, she couldn't leave him. She simply couldn't. And so she stayed. She stayed for her friends and fell into fits of depression every other night. Bill was working tonight and Nechelle was busy- so Nikolaos found herself alone and pessimistic. Big suprise there.

She felt the child before she saw her, true age unhidden by the facade of the physical. Nikolaos faintly remembered another child vampire in the city whom Vincent had once quarreled with. Vincent.... No, she must stop thinking about him. He wasn't important anymore. He wasn't.

He could burn in hell. If he ever got there.

Her mind was shut to the world around her, preferring for the moment to keep to herself. Wound around her own mind so tight, she wasn't even aware of another vampire near by. She only moved absently on the swing, not really swinging, but rather just a few inches either way as she moved her feet.

She... She couldn't remember ever hearing something like that from her mother or father....

She couldn't hardly see their faces... Could only just remember their voices.

She'd never really lived before being brought into this life... Kept in the house at the very least, but almost always confined to her little room, her own little world.

She had never gone anywhere with her parents, unless it was to the doctor's house or maybe out to a shop. She'd never had any friends but her brother... And her brother... What had he grown up to do? When had he died and had he any children? They of course would be dead... But his grandchildren, or perhaps great grand children would be alive...

Jenna couldn't even comprehend what having children would be like. And before a few months ago when she'd been attacked, she'd never really thought about sex either. She... She wasn't human. She couldn't really love a man... But that wasn't to say she didn't know love.

And she longed for love right now. The kind she'd known when she was sick... Her mother would hold her... Sing to her in her pretty voice, singing in the words Jenna hadn't known and couldn't ever be taught because she hadn't been around long enough to learn them. Jenna ached to feel arms around her that told her she was home... But what could she do? An human would be suspicious of her... Any vampire would treat her like an adult.

She'd thought about just showing up at an orphanage, pretending she was raised on the streets... But then they would have to do medical exams... They would make her do things during daylight hours which was impossible for her... And even though she was still young compared to some vampires, she was still... Still older than she looked.

She wanted to curse Clara... She wanted to curse her mother for what she had done... But she couldn't bring the words to her mind... Let alone her lips. So she sat there silently, a shroud of darkness across her mind for any to see.

Nikolaos sighed and wandered over to the swings, wrapping her fingers around the twisted wire as she sat down, her whispering white dress flitting about in the wind as it brushed by. Her feet were adorned with white flip flops to match and her bright emerald green eyes looked up through the mane of fiery red hair that encircled her pale face like the rays of the sun.

Those jeweled eyes fell upon the child on the merry-go-round. The vampire was younger, much younger but not just in appearance. But the appearance was what struck Nikolaos. She could never understand why one would sire a child. It must be extremely painful. Especially as they aged.... grew and learned about adulthood.

She ran snow-white fingers through her hair and twisted a strand as she watched her curiously, her feet kicking lightly as she slightly swung. But it was then that she noticed it, the feeling was gone. The feeling that there was another vampire here- across from her- was gone. Her shields must be extremely strong. Strange, for being so young. But Nikolaos wasn't into prying. She was content just to observe the other as she stared off into space, her eyes clearly seeing something else and not the Irish vampire staring. She was content- for one simple moment- to focus and see something other than herself- other than Vincent- other than anything that had to deal with her wickedly twisted half-life, half-death.

But maybe- maybe words would be more of a distraction? Maybe socializing with others was the way to forget- the way to heal- the way to deal with it. Could making nice lead to a small bit of closure--- maybe not, but Nikki had nothing better to do. And the girl interested her.
"Hello...." she spoke, her voice rather quiet- as if she didn't expect the vampiress to hear her through her own reverie.

She'd heard the vampire at the last, but made no move. Was it someone to end her suffering? Someone to help ease her pain? She didn't care.

It was only when the woman spoke that she seemed to come back to life, though her brown eyes were still dull, still pained.

"Yes...?" She whispered, as soft as a breeze. "What do you want...?"

The woman smelt young, but not as young as she. The powers though, suggested she was older, though not too old. She'd met older by far. That didn't matter though... It didn't matter at all.

She didn't look at the young woman, knowing that in her heart she would only resent the fact that she would never grow, she would never change in to the woman she could have become. Would death so long ago have been better? She couldn't say... She didn't know.

"What do you want...?"

The whisper was barely audible.

"Nothing. I want nothing." Nikki replied, trying to give the girl a soft smile, but it was a failed attempt. She did want nothing. She wanted to feel nothing- wanted to drown in the empty abyss of apathy. She wanted to forget, she wanted to heal. So maybe she didn't want nothing. Maybe she wanted everything, wanted everything to be alright.

But it wasn't possible. there was no such thing as a perfect life, a happy ending. She had thought she had found happiness so many times- only to have it taken away. And this- this girl- this vampiress- No, this woman.... was just as depressed as she.

"Are you alright?" she inquired, before speaking further. "I'm Nikolaos."

Alright? Wasn't that just the stupidest question to ask?

"Are you?" She asked, not even bothering to look at her. She knew her weaknesses... She knew her hates, her fears...

"Are any of us?"

She didn't see the point in giving the woman her name, it wasn't like she would ever remember it. She wasn't going to remember the woman's name.

She lay back with a sigh, the metal warm against her cold body. She hadn't fed in a while but that was okay... She'd be fine for almost a week. She didn't need to feed too often and well... She needed a place to stay mostly.

"Do you know a safe house I could go to?" She asked quietly. "Maybe one of the coven houses? Maybe for the Enashe? Or the Nephim?" Her words were no louder than before.

The depression hung in the air thickly. It was a little hard to breathe- Nikolaos had to admit.

"Are any of us- Well, most likely no- Everyone has their problems but that's what happens when you exist." She shrugged. She couldn't use the word "live" for it wasn't the correct term. It was existence- a presence in this world that was sweet and sour at the same time- full of smiles and tears.... It was just- impossible to have one without the other.

And despite Nikki's dying wish to only take the sweet- she had accepted the sour as well- the taste so familiar now....

"I'm a Nephim- and yeah- you could come with us- Why? You don't have a place to stay?" Obviously not- not if she was asking for a safe house, but Nikolaos was curious as to why. She did hope the seeming child wasn't one with a violent temper- she rather disliked those who acted their appearance.

The vampiress' eyes were sad and overlooked Nikki's concern- or rather overwhelming curiosity. Nikolaos was selfish- had been selfish for so long.... it was how she had survived. If she wasn't selfish- she would have let Stranger kill her instead of Antonio. But no- no, Antonio died.... every man died and she never stood up for them. She let them die- let them die so that she could live.

Or was that self-preservation? No. Selfish and Self- preservation were the same thing.

Maybe she should start to care? Maybe she should take this woman to the Nephim coven? Help her? But she couldn't help her if she didn't want it- or if she didn't know what the problem was....

Homeless. Well, that was a start.