Home.

Lynn's eyes slowly fell open as the blurry sight of her ceiling cleared up. She laid still for a moment, spaced out while the alarm buzzed off. Sitting up groggily with her hair having a scattered mind of its own, she stretched for the alarm and pressed the button at the top as the ringing stopped. Letting out a soft sigh, she attempted to lay back down as her mind wasn't in link with her body yet but she stopped when the memories of the night flooded in.

Her eyes widened as a wave of embarrassment filled her.

"Ugh, no way!" She dragged with a soft groan as she ran her hands over her face. She couldn't believe she had bawled out her eyes like a kid over a dream. It wasn't like her.

Lynn looked to her side to see the empty space on her bed. She hadn't noticed when her mom got up. The dream surfed in and she stared at her hands. She remembered how she had felt when she woke up after the dream. How shaky her hands and body had gone and how she'd been swallowed up by fear like she had never before, but now it felt like it had never happened. She wasn't scared even when she remembers how she had seen someone's heart ripped out. Just like her mom had said, it was just a nightmare.

She looked out the window and she could see the sun rise. With every other detail of the dream stuck in her head, she felt a part of her curiously search for the face of the little boy in the dream. She recalled finding the boy familiar but she had no recollection of who she'd seen. Letting out a sigh as she tried not to think too much about it, she got up from the bed and made her way to her closet. Pulling it open and staring at her clothes, she pulled out a blue ripped jean and a black sleeveless crop top. She placed it on her bed and made her way to the door but then she stopped as she sighted the color red from the corner of her eyes. Her head turned and she stared at the hoody she had brought back home with her, she moved closer to it and felt it in her hand, it was dried up and ready to go.

"How do I get this back to him?" She said to herself as she picked up the cloth and couldn't help but notice the smooth feel of the thick fabric. Another thing she couldn't help but notice was the scent that was stuck to the cloth. She remembered catching a smell of it before she fell back asleep. Is this where the smell came from?, she thought, and before she could realize what she was doing, she pulled the cloth to her nose and sniffed it. A soft smile crawled up her lips as she confirmed it was it and drowned herself in the scent but then her door flew open and she flinched, pulling the cloth away immediately.

"Oh, you're up?" Her shirtless elder brother said and a frown pulled up on Lynn's face.

He was the last person she wanted to see first thing in the morning.

"How many times have I told you knock, Maddox,"

"Thought you were still asleep, just wanted to make sure you don't need a hug from your nightmares," He teased and she reached for the comb on her desk as she heard him laugh and shut her door just in time before she could hit him with it.

She dropped the comb and let out a sigh as she knew it was just the beginning of his teasing. She stared back at the cloth and her door flung open again.

"What now?" Her eyes rolled to the door to see Maddox staring intensely at the hoody in her hand. His head cocked in confusion, and he pointed at her hand.

"That better not be mine." He said and a look of disgust crawled up her face.

"Of course not."

He nodded in relief but his brows folded up again and he walked in and grabbed the shirt from her.

"Hey!" Lynn yelled and yanked it off his grip as he looked up in shock at her.

"This isn't yours? Who's is it?"

"What's it to you? Get out!" She said through her gritted teeth.

He squinted his eyes at her and started to take slow step backwards, but Lynn didn't expect what came out of his mouth next.

"Mom!!! Lynn's sniffing someone's shirt!" He said and ran out.

"What the...hey!!" Lynn yelled and chased after him.

"Mom! Mom! Hear this," Maddox yelled as Mrs. Wayne came out of the kitchen wearing a mitten.

"Hey Maddox, shut up!" Lynn yelled behind him.

"You two sure are as loud as any other morning," she sighed as she stared at Maddox who ran up to her looking like he was enjoying this.

"I actually went to Lynn's room to get her up for school but I found her sniffing a hoody that isn't hers," he rushed

"What- no! Mom, I wasn't..."

"...I saw you," he pressed and Lynn could feel her frustration reaching its peak.

"UGH! Get off my back already!"

"That's enough now," Mrs. Wayne said and squinted at Maddox "Maddox, don't think I haven't noticed the things you've been hiding in your room."

He looked back at her with a raised brow "What are you talking about?'

"Really? the back lower corner of your closet? the back of your high school picture frame?... my flowerpot?!" she said and the wide-eyed look on his face told her he didn't see that coming.

"Did you go snooping around in my room?"

"You just have a terrible hiding sense," She shook her head before adding "I decided to stay quiet about it 'cause its your privacy, so you also should respect your sister's."

Lynn threw her hands up in the air "Thank you!... also what's behind his high school frame?"

"Shut it," Maddox said immediately and Lynn stared at him suspiciously.

"Also, your sister's not a kid anymore. She also has things she doesn't want you sticking your nose in... even if I do find sniffing someone's cloth a bit disturbing," She said as she gave Lynn a curious look.

"What? no, for real Mom, it was a misunderstanding, I was only trying to confirm something." Lynn said defensively

"Oh, I'm not being judgy," she said as she raised her hands in a surrender form and made her way to the kitchen.

"Mom!," Lynn called after her and glared at Maddox who returned the look.

"I'll let you off the hook for now,'' He pointed as he walked away to the stairs.

"I wonder what you have hidden behind your high school picture frame?" she said with a mischievous smile.

"Go near my room and you're dead." he said as he went up the stairs and disappeared into the corner.

Maddox is in his last grade in high school and as old as he was, Lynn only saw him as a big baby who could hold a grudge. He's been trying to get back at her since elementary school when Lynn told on him for hanging out with a group of friends his mom had warned him to stay away from, and he still hadn't gotten over it. Lynn went into the kitchen and her mom looked at her.

"Is there something you want to let me know?"

"Mom!," she dragged and Mrs. Wayne chuckled.

"I'm just kidding. Come here." she said as she moved closer to Lynn and felt her forehead. Moving down to her cheeks and then getting hold of her hands.

"What are you doing?"

"Checking your temperature." She replied as a satisfied look pulled up on her face and she said "Thank goodness. I was thinking of how much you cried, and I thought it would cause you to have a fever, but you're good. I guess I don't have to call the school anymore,"

"Oh, I think I feel a serious headache coming up," She lied and tried to make her mom believe her by letting out a wince and holding the side of her head. Taking a break from school had a nice ring to it but then she peeped at her mom and caught the I'm- not- buying- that kind of look.

"I've never seen you so shaken up before, want to tell me what exactly it is that you saw?" she asked softly with a look of concern.

Lynn could remember what she'd dreamt of, but it didn't bother her anymore. So she shook her head "It's fine. I'm over it now,"

"You sure?" Her mom asked and she replied with a nod, Mrs. Wayne still had on a suspicious look.

"I said I'm fine. You weren't even this worried when I told you I'd been kidnapped."

"That's different."

"No it isn't. That's a more dangerous situation but you didn't even realize I hadn't slept home."

"I assumed you were over at Noel's,"

"Without letting you know?"

"I thought you were in your rebellious stage," her mom replied defensively as she made her way back to the slab, and Lynn gave her a 'seriously?' kind of look. Lynn didn't feel the least bit surprised as this was the mom she was all too well familiar with. The mom she had seen in her bed at night was a fake, as the care-free, undisturbed, black haired beauty who looked like a mother of none when she's actually a mother of four. This... was the real Mrs. Wayne she knew.

"Want me to drive you to school today?" She asked.

"No, it's fine. Simon's coming," Lynn replied and the doorbell rang as the two of them stared at each other. "Are you expecting someone?"

"No," Mrs. Wayne replied and Lynn went to the door. She pulled it open and was shocked to see Simon dressed and ready for school.

"Hey," he waved with a smile but Lynn returned a frown.

"Did you get chased out of the house? why are you here so early?" She asked.

"You could say I did," he answered as Lynn shifted to the side to let him come in. She stared at him and wondered if he had shown up so early because of what happened.

The previous day before she and Noel had left the salon, Simon had showed up at the door and had turned into a mad dog. He started taking crazy sniffs at her and she was left confused. When she had asked what was wrong, he didn't say anything but she could tell he was curious about something. He'd walked them back home and when it was just the two of them, he'd asked about the vampire she'd met which caught her off guard.

She pulled him back and whispered.

"Are you here 'cause of what happened yesterday? I told I was fine. He didn't do anything to me..."

"...Not yet. I told you to call me if you ever come across any other one of us,"

"We were in a mall, in public. He couldn't have done anything,"

"Keep living with that mindset and you just might get half of the world's population killed, including me,"

"What?" Lynn whispered confusedly but Simon walked off as he had made up his mind. He couldn't get the smell of the vampire on Lynn, it had faded off by the time he got there. Now he had no way of finding the vampire.

"Morning Raven," Simon said as he made his way to the kitchen.

"Oh, hey Simon. Why are you here so early?"

"I missed the sight of your beautiful face," Simon said and he pecked Mrs. Wayne on the cheek, as she responded with a giggle.

"Oh, get real,"

"Where's Kay?" Simon asked as he went to the fridge and pulled it open.

"Oh, he's left for the restaurant. Apparently, they have an enormous amount of special delivery to make today and he has to overlook it,"

"Oh, quite the hardworking lad," Simon said as he took out an apple from the fridge and Mrs. Wayne replied with a smile.

Lynn simply stood in silence as she watched the two in disbelief. Simon had this familiarity with her parents that she couldn't quite put her finger on. He was the only who ever got to call them by their first name, the time she'd tried that they almost took off her neck.

"Lynn, please wake up your younger brothers, I can't afford them missing the bus again. While you're at it, go get yourself ready and do something about your hair.

She reached up for her hair as she could feel the strands sticking out. Letting out a sigh, she went out of the kitchen and yelled.

"Jeremy! Kelvin! Get up, you're going to be late for school!"

Simon listened in until her footsteps had disappeared.

"So, did you get me the herbs?" Mrs. Wayne asked, almost like she'd also been waiting for Lynn to leave.

"Yeah," he said and took off his bag. Bringing out a rolled up paper bag and stretching it out to her, she took it and measured the weight in her hand.

"Perfect," she said with a smile and kept it in the cabinet below.

"What're you planning to do with it?" He asked and she turned to him before throwing a wink at him. He got the message immediately and simply nodded.

"So, how is he?" Mrs. Wayne asked and Simon let out a sigh as he knew who she was referring to.

White.

"He's fine. Locked up as usual,"

"I told him not to do that. He also needs to quit hanging around like he's one with the wind. Tell him I see him everytime so his camouflage is an epic fail. He should try coming over sometimes."

"Yeah, not sure that's going to happen," Simon said as he took a bite from the apple.

"Lynn's going to find out sooner or later you know,"

"Yeah, he knows that even more. But he doesn't want to interfere with the way her life is going right now." Simon said as he found White admirable for this, but he knew his loneliness would only keep eating at him. "Besides, she looks like she's having fun with her life right now. I also wouldn't want to miss that,"

Mrs. Wayne fell silent before a genuine smile crossed her face, "I knew I made the right choice twelve year ago. Just let him know my promise stands for as long as eternity...unless he plans to leave out of it,"

"Yeahhhhhhh, I also don't see that happening." Simon dragged and the two chuckled. His realization seeped back in and he swallowed as he leaned in to speak even lower than before. "I wonder how Lynn's going to react when she finds out about this,"

Mrs. Wayne eyes widened in fear like she hadn't thought about it "Terrible. It's going to be terrible. Lynn is cute and all that but her temper isn't something to write home about. Maddox's temper is one thing but it scares me to know Lynn has it worse. I don't even want to be home when she finds out about all this.

Simon straightened as he agreed with what she said. He'd seen Lynn get angry a few times, so he knew how ugly things could get. Somehow, he didn't even know who's anger had it worse.

White, or Lynn.