Rating: PG (possibly R in later chapters)

Warning: SLASH!! ^.^

Archive: fanfiction.net, Forever Fandom, possibly slashfanfiction.com if it ever loads my stories and new chapters, and Slasher-Style.

Summary: Faced with the reality of his parents' deaths, Shane comes face to face with the explanation. But is he ready to accept it - along with who he really is?

Author's Note: Finally, I finished the second chapter! Yays for me - I'm so terrible slow about updating...and my muse only wants to inspire me about my HP fics. Evil little thing that he is. ::bashes Harry:: Anyway, I hope you enjoy! Please, if you feel inspired, leave some comments. They fuel my writing drive. :D

Chapter Two: A Page Turned

Wincing, Shane opened his eyes and found himself looking at a plain white ceiling. The light burned his eyes and he screwed them shut immediately.

"A hospital," he muttered after a few moments. Then the memories of the previous afternoon flooded his mind. "No!" he exclaimed, eyes bolting open. It didn't happen. It didn't happen, he chanted hopelessly.

Finally, he accepted the truth and glared at the ceiling. "Why?!" he grated. "Why them? They never did anything to deserve that..." His hands clenched around the cotton sheets covering him as anger rushed through his body. "I swear, I'll make them pay. Whoever it was, they will suffer. I swear."

The door swung open to reveal a nurse with a smile on her face. "Ah, you're awake," she said, her voice soft and motherly. "How do you feel, dear?"

At the moment, Shane did not want to think of anything but revenge, but decided that if he wanted to ever accomplish that feat, he would have to be released from the hospital. "As good as I could be," he answered, trying to make his voice calm. He looked away to glance at the contents of the room. Flowers decorated the few surfaces in the room, a TV hung from one of the walls, a comfy armchair stood near the bed, and a tray of hospital food rested on the bedside table. Two days ago, he would have complained at having to eat that food; today, he did not care either way.

The nurse laughed. "I'm sure your friend will provide you with something else to satisfy your hunger if you don't wish to eat that."

Shane opened his mouth to tell her that he was not hungry in the least, but decided she might take it for a sign that he was not ready to go home.

Home, he thought sardonically. Where is it now? Destroyed...

"Well, if you're feeling ready for company, I'll send your friend and her mother on in to see you," the nurse offered, compassion apparent in her eyes.

And pity, the light haired boy thought bitterly. He did not want pity - and least of all from Griffin and Ms. Layne, Griffin's mother. Instead of voicing any of his complaints, Shane nodded an affirmative. Maybe they knew something about what had happened.

Of course, he thought, if he appeared too happy, they would immediately think that he was not ready to leave. Shane did not think he could do happy, anyway.

While he waited for the nurse to return, he ran over the facts in his mind. Really, he did not know anything. He had returned home and had been hit over the head with something. "So there was someone still at the house?" he wondered aloud. "But they didn't kill me? Why?"

His eyes focused on the wall opposite him as his mind provided possibilities. He found it highly unlikely that someone would have left him alive because they had some special reason for not wanting him dead - after all, he was just plain Shane Kyle. Someone must have been dawdling, then, he decided. He surprised them and they had to make sure he did not know who they were.

But who, he thought furiously, could have something against Mom and Dad? They've never done anything to anyone! Come on, Shane. Think of someone who might...might have reasons.

His mind raced for any possibility, but there was nobody he could think of. Sure, his parents had been involved in light arguments with other people - and each other - but he could not think of anyone who would want to kill them.

The whole situation seemed surreal. A floating image of his mother wavered in his gaze. Gritting his teeth, Shane forced himself to concentrate on not seeing his murdered parents. The time for grief had not yet come - first he had to avenge their deaths. Then he could cry.

Footsteps outside the door brought him from his musings. His eyes snapped towards the source of the sound as the knob turned to admit two women. The first was Griffin, her pink hair disheveled and her natural brown eyes filled with sorrow.

"Shane," she said, her voice a whisper. She hovered near the door, obviously uncertain of what she should do.

The older woman, Griffin's mother, shut the door quietly and took a few steps to stand beside Shane's bed. Phoenix Layne was almost the complete opposite of her willful and free-spirited daughter. Her brown hair fell in elegant waves across her shoulders, and her soulful brown eyes always emanated love and compassion. She was a soft-spoken, sweet woman.

"The nurse says you're ready to be released," Ms. Layne said, her British accent still recognizable despite the American influences. "Would you like to go home with us, dear?"

"Anything's better than here," he replied truthfully, slipping from the bed. Blushing when he realised his apparel consisted of a hospital robe, Shane quickly sat again.

Griffin snorted as she strode towards the armchair where Shane's clothes were neatly folded. "Here, idiot. Now stop blushing and get dressed. I don't want to spend a moment longer here than necessary."

Sticking his tongue at his friend, Shane grabbed his clothing. For a few moments, he laughed heartily with his friend before the smile fell from his face.

After he had finished dressing, Ms. Layne led them out the room. While she talked with a doctor, Shane and Griffin waited by the exit. Shane noticed Griffin fidgeting with her clothes, something she almost never did, but could not summon the energy to put her at ease.

I just want to go home, he lamented.

Suddenly he felt a comforting arm wrap around his shoulders. "I'm fine. Really."

"Stop trying to be macho - I know you're not fine. You don't have to try to hide your feelings." The girl's voice lowered slightly and she continued in a tight voice, "I know I'm not good with feelings and emotions, and I'm definitely not the best person to give you a comforting and inspiring speech, but... I...well, you're my best friend, and I..."

Blinking furiously, Shane nodded. When he spoke, his throat felt constricted, but his was with unshed tears. "I know. And Griffin? Thanks."

The pink haired girl nodded briskly, but did not remove her arm. "Best friend: twenty-four hour service."

"You two ready to go?" Ms. Layne asked as she appeared beside the duo. "If you want, we can stop on the way home and pick up something to eat."

"Yeah, wouldn't want to poison him with your cooking, Mum," Griffin joked, attempting a laugh. It was short-lived, however, as neither Shane or Ms. Layne joined.

Griffin sighed and led the way through the parking lot. Her back and gait were stiff, and Shane was willing to bet his life savings that her teeth were gritted together and her fists clenched. More than likely, she was fighting with herself over whether to try to be comforting again.

Before she said anything, they reached a familiar, blue Corvette. Shane was not surprised to see the automobile - Griffin was loathe to ride in any vehicle other than it.

Automatically, Shane opened the passenger side door and slipped into the back seat. Normally he would have complained and grunted about having to sit so, but at the moment he preferred the luxury of not having to participate in a conversation.

Both Griffin and her mother seemed to understand since neither mentioned it. Instead, they filled the car with normal talk - school, work, complaints.

While listening to the light conversation, Shane's mind relaxed and eventually he fell asleep.

When a gentle hand nudged his shoulder, he jerked awake and yawned involuntarily. "Sorry, I dozed off-"

"It's quite understandable," Ms. Layne said, her warm brown eyes assuring him that everything was indeed all right. "Given the chance, I would've done the same."

Shane smiled and wearily climbed from the car. He blinked in surprise when he saw the small, one-story brick building that belonged to Ms. Layne. "What about dinner?" he asked. "You didn't go straight home because of me, did you?"

A soft laugh tumbled from the elegant woman's mouth. "And subject you to what Griffin terms 'dog-shite food'? No, we stopped and ordered dinner to-go. Griffin ordered for you, so if you don't like it, you can settle with her."

"Thanks," Shane said gratefully, though truthfully he did not feel very hungry. I suppose I should eat something, though, especially since Ms. Layne bought something for me. Besides, if he did not eat well, he would not have the strength to...to... What could he do, anyway? He was just one teenage boy, with no money and no extraordinary powers. He certainly was not Spider Man; no super strength or web-slinging abilities. What could he do?

When gentle hands landed on his shoulders, Shane flinched. Forcing his hands to unclench, he mumbled an apology for not paying attention to whatever Ms. Layne had been saying.

Waving the matter aside, Ms. Layne said, "Come on inside, or dinner will get cold. Besides, we wouldn't want Griffin yelling at us for staying out here so long, would we?"

Shaking his head in response, he followed her into the house. "Thanks for letting me stay with you," he muttered, staring at the small stepping stones that led to the door.

"There was no question of it."

Stopping, Shane looked up to see Ms. Layne paused by the door, her hand resting on the doorknob. The small porch light on the brick wall illuminated her pretty face in an almost angelic light.

"Since Griffin and I moved here to America, you and your parents have been like a second family to us," she continued. "I think you would have done the same for Griffin - no questions asked. So why can't we be your second family?"

A smile tugged the corners of Shane's mouth. "There's no one I'd rather have for a second family than you and Griff," he professed.

"Then let's go eat," Ms. Layne said as she opened the door. "Oh, and we have some clothes for you to wear for the next couple of days. Officer Perry said he wasn't sure how long it would be before you can get to your clothes. If it becomes a hassle, though, we can always buy you some new ones, okay?"

"Okay," Shane agreed, not really sure of what to think. As he followed the woman into the house, he let his eyes wander across the walls and furnishings. Neither Griffin or her mother were very artistically inclined, so their furniture was pretty plain and only a few pictures lined the walls. The floors were cleaned, bookshelves neat, and nothing out of place.

The house was small, but Ms. Layne often said it was all they needed. There were three bedrooms (Shane had one to himself whenever he slept over), two bathrooms, a living room, and a kitchen that also housed the dining table.

When they walked into the kitchen, Shane's eyes immediately lighted on the smaller, round table. At the sight of the food, his stomach rumbled. "I guess I am kinda hungry," he muttered, feeling his face heating.

"Considering the last time you ate was lunch yesterday, it's not surprising," Griffin retorted dryly, placing three cups on the table.

After watching her pour coke into all three, Shane sat at the chair before the meal he assumed was his. "Thanks again," he said, eyes locked on the food.

"Don't worry about it," Griffin said. "It's not any problem. Besides, Mum likes to pamper people. Let her."

Shane nodded and dropped the subject. He was hungry and wanted to go to sleep. Arguing would only prolong both food and rest.

Dinner passed without any problems. It was after they ate, when Shane was helping clean the mess, that the doorbell rang. Ms. Layne left the kitchen to answer it while Shane and Griffin finished wiping the table.

"Well, that's done," Griffin said as she threw the rag at the counter. "Now, what do you want to do? I suppose you'd rather go to sleep? If you want, you can watch a movie. After all, you don't have to worry about being tardy to class tomorrow."

"We do have school tomorrow, don't we?" Shane asked, a feeling of dread sweeping through his stomach at the thought of standing up to the pity he would inevitably meet. "Tomorrow's Wednesday, isn't it?"

Griffin nodded in response, then added, "But you don't have to go to school. Mum talked to the principal about it and they both agreed that it would be better if you stayed here for a while...until you feel good enough to go back, anyway."

Sighing in relief, Shane dried his hands then turned towards Griffin to excuse himself to bed. However, he did not get the chance to as a burly, tall, dark-haired stranger in a police uniform barged into the kitchen. His hard, chiseled face surveyed the room quickly, then turned towards Shane. His lips moved under a rough sprinkling of hair, forming the words, "Shane Kyle? I need to speak with you."

Taking a deep breath, Shane nodded and sat on one of the seats at the table. "What do you want to talk about, Officer?" he asked, folding his hands on the surface. Maybe he had news of Shane's parents - any news or information...just...anything.

"I'm Officer Greay, and I'm here to discuss what happened yesterday." With the air of someone on important business, the officer sat at the table, his dark eyes holding Shane's gaze. "Do you remember anything after you got home yesterday? We have already talked with your friends and they verified that you were with them during the time of your parents' murders. You should know that nobody suspects you, since you do have confirmed alibis and no motives. However, if there was anything you noticed when you got home...anything would be helpful."

Shane thought back to the previous afternoon: a house made of dark brown bricks, a lawn that was in need of a mowing, the sole car parked in the driveway, the door that opened with the slight rotation of his hand, the body laying limp on the floor, then...blackness. "Sorry, Officer, but there was...nothing. All I remember is what I see - saw - everyday when I arrived home, until I entered the house, then...nothing."

Officer Greay nodded, running a hand over his buzzed head. "Have you noticed anybody lurking around? Any suspicious people? Whoever went for your parents may be after you as well, so they may have been watching you lately."

Sighing, he shook his head again. "No," he answered. "The only people I have seen are ones I've known since I was a very young child - and close friends." I wish there was something, but I just haven't seen anyone. Maybe they're just very good at hiding themselves, or maybe they aren't after me. Why would someone want to kill me, anyway? I'm not very important or anything...

The man sighed, nodding grimly. "I thought I'd try," he finally said gruffly. "You should get some sleep, lad. You need it, after everything that's been happening." With a nod that finished the short-lived interrogation, he turned to Ms. Layne. "I really wish you'd let us post an officer here, Ma'am. You never know when this guy might return and there's no certainty he'll just hit you and your daughter over the head. He might take you too."

"Once again, I offer my thanks for your consideration, but that just won't be necessary," she responded, then turned towards Shane. "The only way I would acquiesce was if Shane wanted an officer here. Do you?"

My mind flashed to what had happened to my parents, but I knew that there was no reason for the police department to waste officers watching me when they could be doing more important things. Besides, I knew that whoever had killed my parents was not going to come back for me...somehow, I just knew. "No, thanks though. I'm sure we can handle ourselves fine." With a smile and nod, he left the room and strode towards the guest room, mind racing. What did he say? Nobody suspects me...but the killer might come after me next. There's never been anybody who hated either me or my parents. Well, not seriously enough to commit murder. Perhaps it was someone from their pasts...maybe their parents sent someone after them. No, why would they do that? Just because Mom and Dad married against their wishes doesn't mean they would want to have them killed. Besides, why would they have waited this long? No...not the grandparents. Then who?

Falling to his bed, Shane wrapped the covers around himself and stared out the window as a cool air blew the curtains. Maybe I should close it... he thought as he drifted to sleep.

This had to be the absolute worst birthday of all. No Quinn meant no fun. Suddenly, he realised that his mother had set a slice of cake before him on the table. The merriment he had felt while blowing the candles was gone. He picked halfheartedly at his food. I would give up all of this, he thought, for just a few moments with Quinn.

A knock at the door caught his attention. "Quinn!" he exclaimed as he shot from his chair and raced for the door. He pulled it opened and smiled. "I knew it would work!" he exclaimed, launching himself at his best friend.

Gasping, Shane sat, rubbing the back of his hand across his forehead. Quinn... That was a name he had not thought of in several years. Why did I dream of him after all this time? he wondered, staring at the sweat he had rubbed onto his hand. Shane felt a tinge of guilt as he remembered that day - he had been selfish, yet Quinn had not told him so once. If only I had told him that I felt bad...his mother died that day, and he came to make me happy. I should have been comforting him, yet I threw presents at him to unwrap and drug him around the yard, playing some silly game.

Quinn...his childhood best friend. They had met in daycare. That was another memory very vivid in Shane's mind, despite how much time had passed since the day. He had been colouring, and one of the bigger kids had taken his blue crayon and broke it into small pieces and threw it across the fence. He could still remember looking up into a pair of beautiful brown eyes and hearing a soft voice offer Shane his crayon. Ever since then, Shane had attached himself to the other boy, declaring them best friends forever.

I wonder how he is now... Instead of going to high school, Quinn had been enrolled in a very prestigious boarding school. Of course, he was smart enough for it - he had skipped a grade in preschool, and still had no problems keeping up with the other kids. Despite how much smarter Quinn had always been, Shane had never felt any jealousy towards the other boy. He was grateful, because that meant there was someone who could help him with his homework whenever he had any problems.

They had tried writing to each other, he reminded himself, but Quinn had stopped. Shane had joked about it with Griffin, saying something like "Suppose he thinks he's too good for his small-town buds now, huh?" Despite how he poked fun at it, his loss of contact with Quinn had stung him deeper than he wished to admit. He had always been so sure they would always be best friends forever.

Shrugging, Shane turned to look out the window. The sun was high in the sky and blindingly bright. Guess that means Griffin's at school and Ms. Layne's at work, he thought. He did not mind; he would rather have the time to spend alone instead of trying to appease people who were trying to make him feel better. Swinging his legs off the side of the bed, he shuffled towards the kitchen to get himself a glass of water - or a coke, whatever was in the refrigerator. A quick glance showed him that while there were not any cokes, a couple of sprites were on the bottom shelf. After grabbing and opening a can, he took a long drink, savoring the feeling of the cold liquid impacting with his stomach.

He almost left the kitchen before noticing the piece of paper laying on the counter beside the coffee maker. And here I was wondering if she would have left anything, he thought with a small smile. Leaning over the counter, he read the short note aloud to himself, "Shane, there's some leftovers from last night still in the 'fridge if you want them and Griff put some cans in to get cold for you. My number's at the bottom of the paper. If you need me, call. Feel free to make use of the TV and movies. Have fun!" Shrugging, he left it where it was and returned to his room.

He had closed the door before he noticed the black-clad stranger sitting on his bed. Gasping, he backed into the door, can falling from his hands to spill on the carpet. Maybe the police was right, he thought, his heart racing. Has he come for me now? Nobody's near...no phone...what do I do?

Cool blue eyes looked at him, unblinking in a face sculpted of ice. The features of his face were masculine, yet more beautiful than those of most women. His skin was pale compared to the blue-black of his hair that fell in soft waves around his shoulders. A quiet, yet powerful voice reached Shane's ears, saying, "I'm not here to hurt you, don't worry. It would not be to my benefit to kill you. I have been sent here to protect you."

"Protect me?" Shane asked. "What do you mean by that? Who sent you? Did you know my parents? Do you know why they died? Do you know who killed them? Who are you?"

The man raised one slender hand as he unfolded himself from where he had been reclining on the bed. "First, I am Julian - and yes, I know your name, Shane." An amused smile touched the corners of his lips as he motioned with his hand towards the bed. "Don't worry. I promise I won't bite." From the way his lips twitched, Shane knew there was something to that statement that he did not know, but shrugged it off and perched carefully on the end farthest away from the dark man, waiting for him to continue. "Protect you, yes. I have a long story for you, and you will hear the answers to all your questions there, so try to sit still. I'm only going to tell you once."

Mouth opening, Shane frowned. "Long story - what-" Seeing the elegant, dark eyebrows knot together, he shut his mouth and nodded. "I'll try," he agreed, scooting towards the head of the bed and turning his full attention on Julian.

"There's a side to the Earth that most humans have no comprehension of," he said, hands twining together as he sat on the other side of the bed. "The supernatural side. Since the beginning of time, there have been two magical clans, the Angean and the Faelan, both warring for control over the planet. Most of the time, they have been evenly matched, and when one dips lower, or the other higher, the excess energy is consumed by the planet while the other side rises or lowers again. I'll explain to you the energy later - it's complicated and I only have enough time now for one story.

"Anyway, both have waited millennia for their Chosen to appear to them - and each hopes to find theirs and have him trained before the other side can. This one person - the entity could come in either a male or female body - will be endowed with near legendary abilities by the Celestial Court. They have been waiting for the day when the final showdown will occur - the day that the final ruler of the planet will be decided. That day, the winning Chosen will become king of the Earth. That day has seemed so far away for so long, now it is so close at hand.

"We have all waited too long to lose, and that's likely how the Angean feel as well. Why should they wait to have their Chosen defeat ours when they could have him assassinated and never have to worry about the fight? Shane, they murdered your parents because you are our Chosen. I have been sent because I am to protect you and train you if you accept your place as Chosen. There is only one way to unlock your potential, and to do so you must be completely willing. You can think over this all you wish, but remember that every second you ponder is another second that your parents' murderer is lose hounding the world. With your powers, you could bring justice. You could avenge their deaths, and bring fairness to all humankind as you rule over the supernatural Earth."

I can avenge their deaths, Shane thought, his mind clouded with anger. They killed them because of me?! My parents died because of...of what I am. Supernatural? Fala-what? He bit his lip, looking doubtfully at Julian. "Then if I am this...this...Chosen, or whatever you call it, what does that make you? And why should I believe you, anyway? You could just be some creepy stalker who is really trying to kill me. Maybe you're insane, maybe that's why you're stalling and telling me this...story."

"I'm not insane - at least not yet," the dark haired, slender man replied. "I have no way to prove to you who you are, but I can prove who I am." His lips turned into a grin, revealing a set of very sharp fangs.

"Fake teeth?" Shane asked, tilting his head to the side. "What's that supposed to prove?"

"You idiot," Julian snapped. "They're not fake; they're real. I'm a vampire, moron. I can't believe that our Chosen is an idiot. Haven't you ever seen any movies?"

Crossing his arms over his chest, Shane nodded his head. "Yes, but I know that vampires can't go into the sunlight without being burned to ashes. It's everywhere that they can't do that. Buffy, the Vampire Chronicles - besides, vampires aren't real. Everyone knows that."

"I'm protected by the spellcasters of the Faelan," Julian replied, waving a hand through the air. "And yes, they are real. You just haven't ever met one before because your life up to this point has been strictly human. Some things in movies and books aren't real, though, but vampires are yet another story for another time."

"So you're a real vampire?" Shane asked, feeling curiosity sweep through his body. "Okay. Supposing I accept your story for the truth and agree with you to become this...Chosen. What happens next?" Or more like when do I get to meet my parents' murderer? When do I get to watch him die?

"Next you would drink the potion handed down generation by generation, made by the very first Faelan potionmaker, who was kin to the first High King of the Celestial Court."

Shane took a deep breath. "All right. I drink something made by some ancient dude who was also royalty. Got it. And that potion would bring my powers to life?"

"In a manner of speaking," Julian replied, standing and stretching, his fingertips almost touching the ceiling. After a few moments, he turned to Shane, icy eyes assessing him. "How long do you think you'll need to decide?" he queried. "I can't give you more than a day, because if you are going to accept we need to begin your training as soon as possible. And if you don't we'll have to take action to prevent the loss of as many of our people as possible."

"I think a day will be good enough," Shane said, refusing the urge to accept the offer on the spot. Despite what he may want, he did realise that he needed to think about it and everything that would change because of it. But I can avenge their deaths, he thought stubbornly. Although he was sure his answer would not change within a day, he had to give himself a chance to change his mind before it was too late. "I can't back out of it after I drink that potion thing, can I?" he asked quietly.

"You can refuse to help anymore; you can refuse to learn, but as soon as the potion enters your system, the Angean's Chosen will track you down until you die. They won't accept a simple surrender, because if you're still alive you can challenge them again later. Take time to consider, because even if you decline, they may still hound you to the ends of the earth and back again."

Down the hall, the front door opened and shut. Shane opened his mouth to speak, but Julian shook his head. "I must leave - nobody but you can see me, else I must kill them. Keep this quiet until you've talked to me again. If you have any questions, write them down to ask me later. Till we meet again, Shane." A few strides, and he was leaning over the light haired boy, brushing his mouth with his slender fingers. "Think about it carefully." Then he jumped out the window.

Eyes widening in delayed reaction, Shane raced to the window and searched, but there was no trace of the tall, slender vampire. Not a trace that he had ever been in the small neighborhood. Across the street, a dog barked impatiently as his owner slowly made his way towards him with a can of food. Nothing odd...but it wasn't an illusion. Julian was real, and what he said was true. I have a day...a day to think about it.

Crawling under the covers, he closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep when Griffin opened the door and peeked at him. I'm going to accept.

To be continued...

Well, that's that...no turning back now. On a side note, Julian's name changed more times than any original character I've ever had. ::laughs:: Anyway, as for a preview of the next chapter...

• We meet yet another good looking guy, this time in the form of a detective.
• Julian makes another appearance.
• More of Quinn, if you liked him...
• And, finally! Some boyXboy action!

Chapter One: Changes In Life||Chapter Three||

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