My Heart Can't Be Broken If It's Not Beating

I raced home trying to focus on where I was going but all this new information was clouding my vision and I continued to get distracted. Luckily my feet managed to find their way back to warehouse and before I knew it I was climbing the rusty stairwell and making my way to the roof.

The heavy door slammed shut behind me as I gazed up to the star speckled sky, the moonlight giving everything a silver glow. Looking out I could see the colored lights of Chicago almost making me forget that innocent people were going to get killed tonight but then I hear the sirens every few minutes and reality comes crashing back down. Breathing in the cold, smoky air I pulled my jacket closer to me and scanned the rest of the roof, checking to see if I was still alone. As I looked to my left the wind blew my long hair across my face, obscuring my vision. I quickly brushed it out of the way, revealing another figure standing on the roof staring at me.

"Hey" she muttered shyly, taking a graceful step towards me. She looked just as I remembered with her shoulder length straight brown hair except now her brown eyes were even more striking than before. Her skin was deathly pale and her face was more defined but I guess that’s what happens when you get turned.

"Why are you here Lena?" I asked finally after taking a moment to examine her appearance.

"I need to explain"

"Damn straight you do! You're a vampire, a fricken Dandy for God's sake! I haven't seen you for years and then all of a sudden here you are, in Chicago, still 16 years old and looking like you will be for a while."

It was true, I hadn't seen Lena since I was 16. When I lived in L.A. with myevil foster family I only made two friends, Lena being one of them. The other was a girl named Natalie and they were probably the closest things I actually had to family since my parents left. We were best friends, always looking out for each until one night Lena went missing. No one heard from her for days and it was presumed that she was dead of course. Nat and I were devastated, we didn't know what to do. I guess I kind of always hoped she was still alive, just not like this.

"How did it happen?" I finally asked, almost scared of what her answer would be.

She sighed and looked anywhere but at me. "I was just walking home, you know after Kelsey's party? Anyway, it was dark, I was drunk and he said he was a friend of yours-"

"A friend of mine?" I questioned, as my mind put the pieces together.

"Well he was just trying to-"

"Lena who turned you?" I cut her off again anxiously.

She shrugged and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear repeatedly, a habit of hers that I knew she did when she was nervous. "William Beckett"

As soon as she opened her mouth I knew what she was going to say but just listening to her say that name was something I never thought I would hear. The shock still set in, making my eyes widen and mouth slightly drop open before everything in my expression turned into vicious anger.

"Son of a bitch! I knew it! He just can't let me be happy can he? First my parents and then my best friend-" A cool hand on my arm interrupted my pacing and ranting as I looked up at my friend.

"Chill Riley" Lena laughed awkwardly. Her voice had a soothing tone to it and I found myself calming down.

"Can we just talk? It's been a while"

*********

I don't know why but I ignored the fact that I was sitting on the roof with a vampire that could kill me at any moment, or that the guys probably had no idea where I was but it was kind of nice to catch up with an old friend and have someone around that I knew and I was comfortable around. For some reason, I trusted her. We talked just like the friends we had always been, of course I explained what had happened to me these last few years and of course Lena decided to tease me about being old but then it kind of got awkward when I brought up Bill again.

"So you're kind of like my 16 year old vampire sister in law?" I tried to clarify.

Lena laughed and looked up at the sky.

"Pretty much, except for the fact we're not married, just together"

"So you're the queen Dandy?" I raised my eyebrow.

"No, no, trust me, I'm not all about the taking over the city and killing everyone who breathes like Bill is. I'm just trying to get by"

I nodded slowly and looked down at my hands.

"So why are you telling me all this? You could have gone on living forever and I wouldn't have had to have known."

"I guess I kind of just…missed you. When you become a vampire you don't remember the details of your past and I don't think I was ready to forget my friends"

"But why now? Why did it take you this long to find me?"

"Because I didn't know where you were! You're a hard girl to find Riley" she chuckled.

"Good" I stated simply thinking about how many people would probably be after me.

"So, have you heard from Nat?" Lena asked, obviously trying to change the subject.

"Not for a couple of years. It got dangerous in L.A. and I started hunting and we just… decided it was better to split up."

"I'm sure she's fine" Lena reassured me. I just nodded, not really wanting to think about it too much.

After what seemed like hoursand probably was of catching up, Lena left muttering something about how the stupid sun was going to be up soon. We had agreed to meet on the roof again the following night but not to tell anyone. I'm sure that neither Bill nor Pete would be happy with us talking to each other. We were technically enemies.

I stood up and stretched my legs before turning to make my way back into the warehouse.

Suddenly the door swung open and there stood a very frantic looking Joe who seemed incredibly relieved when he saw me.

"Where have you been!?" he asked worriedly, rushing up to me.

I didn't know what to tell him. I couldn't say that I had just been hanging out with my vampire friend on the roof but I couldn't lie to him either. So I told him the half-truth.

"I went to the Dandy mansion…" I explained nervously, sub-consciously mimicking Lena's nervous habit and tucking a piece of hair behind my ear.

"What!?" Joe almost screamed, looking furious before shaking his head. "I'm telling the guys" he turned around and walked briskly towards the door and down the stairs before I could object.

I raced after him, there was no way that he could let them know, they'd kill me.

"Joe wait!" I whispered harshly trying to catch up with him. I finally got behind him and grabbed his arm turning him around to face me. I had no idea what to say to him so I did the only thing I could think of.

I kissed him.

"What was that for?" he whispered, slightly dazed after I broke the kiss.

"Just, please don't tell anyone" I begged, looking into his eyes.

Joe sighed and looked at his feet, which was kind of hard seeing as our bodies were pressed so close together.

"Fine"

"Thank you" I smiled sweetly before leaning into to kiss him again quickly.

What on earth was I getting myself into…And why did I just kiss him again?