She took the stairs two at a time, practically running into her bedroom before she suddenly slowed.

Emily: "Way to jump the gun, Em. 'Need to talk' does not instantly equate to 'Let's get married and move to Barbados together!' Besides, he's a vampire -- Barbados probably isn't exactly high on his list of ideal places to live. Not to mention his girlfriend probably wouldn't think too highly of any of this."

She exhaled heavily, thankful her psychologist didn't know she would often hold entire conversations with herself. She quickly changed out of her pajamas before going into the bathroom where she frowned at her reflection.

Emily: "Knowing my luck he's just coming over to tell me he and Deanna are getting married. And moving to Barbados."

Emily ran a brush slowly through the tangles in her hair before giving up completely. With a frustrated sigh she dropped the brush back onto the sink and made her way back downstairs where she attempted to distract herself with television.

She half-watched an entire documentary on ant-killing fungus before she started to get anxious. It had been an hour and ten minutes since Tristan had called and not a single car had driven by. She turned the television off and picked up her phone to call, hoping she wouldn't cause him to drive off a bridge. After only three rings the call was disconnected, going to voice mail.

Emily: "Hi it's just me. You seem to be running late so I thought I'd give you a quick call to make sure everything's all right. Hopefully I'll see you soon and you can just delete this pointless message."

She'd hardly hung the phone up when there was a loud knock at the front door. She chided herself for being so impatient, bounding over to the door and opening it without a second thought.

Emily: "I was starting to g-"
Andy: "Hello, Angel."
Emily: "Oh you have got to be kidding me. Go away, Andrew!"
Andy: "I just wanted to check in on you and make sure you're OK since you're here all on your own tonight. Mary didn't exactly pick the nicest part of town to hide you in."

Emily: "OK first of all, we're not 'hiding.' Second, stalking is really creepy. Third, you're not welcome here."
Andy: "You opened the door for me."
Emily: "I thought you were someone else!"
Andy: "I just want to talk to you for a few minutes. If you just give me a chance I'm sure you'll remember what it was like when we were together."

Emily answered by trying to slam the door shut, but Andrew had already pushed his way inside, closing the door behind him.

Emily: "Now you've really gone too far. Breaking and entering is against the law, you know. I could have your ass arrested."
Andy: "I own the police, they won't be arresting me. Relax, I'm not going to hurt you."
Emily: "Fine. Stay here if you want. I should probably let you know that Tristan is on his way over. You don't own him, and I don't think he'll be very happy to see you."
Andy: "That's very good. Would you mind if I got myself a cup of coffee while we wait?"

Emily: "What?"
Andy: "Either your lying to me and Tristan isn't actually on his way over here, or you still care enough about me to warn me ahead of time."
Emily: "Or I'm not lying and don't give a shit about you, but just don't want to have to clean up your blood after you get torn to pieces."
Andy: "I'm going to go ahead and just stick around for a bit. Mary doesn't get off work until the morning shift, that gives us plenty of time to work through things."

Emily instantly darted for the back door, refusing to let herself remain in an obviously dangerous situation. She made it all the way to the back door without as much as turning around only to find it bolted shut with no fewer than eight locks.

She cursed Mary's thoroughness as she defiantly began working her way through them, giving up after the first three when she heard Andy walk up calmly behind her. She flinched when he gently took her wrist in his hand, not hiding her disgust at his touch.

Andy: "I told you I'm not going to hurt you. Come in the other room."
Emily: "No. Absolutely not. You're more than welcome to go wait in there for Tristan if you'd like."
Andy: "He seems to be taking his time getting here, don't you think?"
Emily: "Maybe he's stuck in traffic."

Andy: "Let's quit this charade. I know everything that goes on in this town and I know that there's nothing going on between you two. You need to come back to me, Angel. I can take you out of this place and give you the life you deserve. I'll even make sure Mary's well taken care of. Neither one of you will have to work another day as long as you live. All you have to do is love me again."
Emily: "Sorry, Andrew. The price is too high."
Andy: "I still love you. I can't stand to see living like this."
Emily: "Like what? This is a nice house! Sure it's a little quirky, like when the lights turn on and off whenever they feel like it, but it's better than most people have."

Andy: "I could have you evicted from here in a heartbeat."
Emily: "Nice. Do you honestly think that threatening me is going to make me want to have anything to do you with you at all?"
Andy: "I'm trying to make you see reason!"
Emily: "The only thing I'm seeing is a pathetic excuse for a man who's lost his favorite toy."

Emily winced as Andrew's grip on her wrist tightened. There was a slight pause before he pulled her forward and started kissing her. After a momentary panic, she managed to pull free.

Emily: "Don't you dare ever touch me again!"
Andy: "Don't tell me you've forgotten how happy we were together, how we would stay up all night and then watch the sun rise. Then there were all the times you'd make me late for work."
Emily: "Do you want to know what I'll never forget? You telling me I was nothing more than 'a plaything for the rich and powerful' before you proceeded to tell me that no one on this entire planet gave a shit about me."
Andy: "I was scared and confused."

Emily: "Is that why you had me drugged?"
Andy: "I got you the medication that you needed. I didn't hear any complaints from you about it at the time. In fact, you seemed quite eager to get them."
Emily: "You took advantage of me!"
Andy: "You let yourself be taken advantage of."

Emily glared with complete hatred at the man in front of her. He was right, and she knew it. She was suddenly consumed with utter contempt as well as anger at herself for being fooled in the first place.

Emily: "Get out."
Andy: "I'm sorry, Angel."
Emily: "If you won't go, then I will."
Andy: "Where are you going to go? You don't have a car."
Emily: "I have two feet, that's all I need to get me out of this house and away from you."

Andy: "So this is how it's going to be."
Emily: "Please don't tell me you're going to stalk me for the rest of eternity, because I just won't stand for that."
Andy: "There's something big coming, Angel. I know you feel it, too. I was hoping I could protect you from it, but you won't let me. I'll be so sorry to see you get hurt."

Emily watched in stunned silence as Andy turned and walked out of the kitchen, through the living room, and out the front door, leaving her alone once more.

She waited until she heard his car driving off, dead bolting the door before grabbing her phone and dialing Tristan's number again.

A cold dread came over her when it went straight to voice mail.

Emily quickly dialed James's number, unsure just how much she was overreacting. Forty-five minutes was certainly significantly late, though without knowing exactly what he'd needed to 'check out' before coming over she couldn't be positive it was panic-worthy or just annoying.

James: "Hello?"
Emily: "James, have you heard from Tristan tonight?"
James: "I saw him earlier, Punkin. Why?"
Emily: "He called me two hours ago and said he was going to stop by, and now he's almost an hour late. Do you have any idea where he might be? I'm getting worried."

Emily shifted her weight anxiously as James paused. She decided that Tristan's lateness was now most certainly panic-worthy.

James: "God damn it, I should have known better. Listen, Kitten, I want you to stay there and call me if he shows up, OK?"
Emily: "What's going on? Is he in some kind of trouble?"
James: "Maybe. I can't really explain, but I have a good idea where to start looking for him."
Emily: "I want you to bring me with you!"

James: "I can't do that, it's too dangerous."
Emily: "I'm not exactly feeling very safe here right now. Andy showed up and I'm still creeped out."
James: "Oh fantastic."
Emily: "Please let me help you, James."
James: "You don't know what you're getting into. Hell, I don't know what I'm getting into."
Emily: "All the more reason not to go alone."

There was another pause. Emily imagined James furrowing his brow, probably running his hands through his hair.

James: "Fine. I'll be right over."