When Quinlan came out the next morning Lianna was still in her room asleep. Dutch had just made a fresh batch of stew for everyone. Quinlan knew that Lianna needed to eat, so he squeezed passed Dutch to grab her a bowl.

"Hey Quinlan, can we talk for a moment love?" Quinlan continued to grab the bowl and serve it as he nodded. "So rumor has it you are into Lianna, not to be...well blunt, but are you even capable of being with a woman...you know being part strigoi?"

Quinlan tried not to laugh at Dutch's curiosity, "I am capable", he avoided her real question though.

"Look love take it from a woman, we women love a man who takes what he wants. I know you might die and shit soon, but don't die with regrets." She paused to gage his response, although he did not respond she saw that he was thinking about what she had just said, "even if she feels the same, she most likely will not be the first to act on her emotions. She seems like the kind to wait for the man to show his first."

Quinlan paused as he processed what she was saying, "someone so beautiful could never love someone as monstrous as me."

"She doesn't need to say it for me to know, that is far from how she sees you. You may be more strigoi than she is but whether we want to admit it or not she is part strigoi too." Dutch saw the protest in his eyes, she knew that he really could not fathom how Lianna could ever love him. "I will even talk to her if you want..."

Quinlan simply nodded, "thank you, I should take this to her." When Quinlan entered she was still asleep, he gently placed the bowl on the nightstand and went to take his leave. He paused as he felt the soft skin of a small hand grab his.

Her eyes were still closed as she spoke, "please lay with me Quinlan." He knew that she was still half dazed, he cautiously laid down beside her in compliance with her request. As he did she slid closer wrapping her arm around him and nestling her head into his chest. She sighed out in relief she enjoyed being this close to him. She sensed his tension, she wait for him to relax and hoped he would wrap his arms around her. But he did not, he remained tense and she felt as if he was trying to avoid returning any sort of touch.

He broke the silence and asked in his normal emotionless voice, "would you like your stew?" He tried to keep his heart from beating out of his chest, her hair smelled of a heavenly scent that was unearthly. He was cautious of touching her in return. He feared being rejected, and did not want to lose control. He knew being this close to her was tempting enough, he had no doubt in his mind if he returned her affection he would no longer be in control of his actions. He had never wanted someone like this, never needed someone like this.

Lianna assumed he only asked about the stew to avoid having her this close to him. She quickly rolled away turning her back to him and sighed in frustration, "do I repulse you?" Quinlan's eyes went wide with shock, you idiot look what you did now! His pause only made her more frustrated, "please just leave..."

Quinlan could hear the disappointment in her voice, he hesitated before standing from the bed. He looked down at her and shame washed over him. He did not mean to make her feel this way. He did not know what to say in this moment and took his leave.

As the door shut behind him Lianna broke out into tears. She did not understand why he would not return her touch. Everyone kept telling her how he looked at her and how he had to feel something for her but every time she laid herself at his mercy she felt rejected. She did not want to think about it anymore. She grabbed her bowl of stew and scarfed it down. She figured she would go find Dutch she always seemed easy going. When she took her bowl out she found Dutch at the table reading.

Dutch smiled, "Hey there love, feeling better?"

Lianna returned the smile, "yes, much!"

"Good to hear! Come sit, please! I haven't had another girl to talk to in awhile, I could use some girl talk." Lianna let out a small laugh as she sat in a chair near Dutch. "Ok so...Quinlan?" Dutch raised her eyebrows in a curious manor as a wicked smile crossed her lips, "tell me everything!"

"What do you mean? There is nothing to tell."

"I see the way you both look at each other", Dutch smiled teasingly.

"You know everyone keeps saying that, but every time I try and put myself out there to him, he almost seems repulsed by the idea.." Lianna knew she could hear every conversation in the building, and she knew Quinlan could too. She did not hold back or try and whisper she wanted him to hear.

"Wait so you have tried to put it out there to him that you are interested?"

"Well yeah, I mean maybe I'm just not doing it right. I mean I've only been involved romantically with one man", Dutch's eyes went wide at this, "...what?"

"One man?!"

"Well yeah...my mother always used to tell me I was a hopeless romantic...I guess living for a millennium hasn't change that. I just don't want to fall in love to just be cursed to watch them die."

"Is that why you are interested in Quinlan because he is immortal?" Dutch wondered if Lianna knew that when they destroyed the Master Quinlan would be destroyed as well. If she didn't, she refused to be the one to tell her.

"Well yes, but that is not the only reason. Everything intrigues me about him, as you can tell peaking my interest in this manor is no easy task."

"I don't want to put words in his mouth but I promise he feels the same."

"I don't think he does, he had the chance to kiss me and he did not. I even tried to curl up with him when he brought me a bowl of your stew. He would not touch me back and was stiff as a board. I even asked if I repulsed him and he did not answer."

"I do not know much about Quinlan but I can assume he has not had to show these emotions in some time, go easy on him. Give him time."

Lianna continued hoping Quinlan was listening, "...when he didn't answer I asked him to leave, I didn't want him to. I wanted him to stay...I wanted him to show me he felt the same. He didn't though he simply left. If he does feel the same I don't know if he will ever let me know."

"Don't lose hope love...", Dutch saw the pain in Lianna's eyes. She knew that Quinlan felt the same but her words would not comfort her now, she knew Lianna craved for him to show her.

"I think I already have", her words made Dutch's heart ache for her. They sat there for awhile longer talking, when Gus, Fet, and Eph returned from a supply run.

Eph was clearly intoxicated already, when he entered he pointed to Lianna. "You need a drink", he stumbled closer as he looked around the room, "doesn't she need a drink." He looked back to her and begged with a small smile on his face, "come on have a drink with me."

Lianna shrugged as she took the bottle from Eph's hands. And down the hatch it went, when she removed it from her lips she offered it to Dutch, "Bloody hell why not?" Dutch took the bottle and drank from it as well.

Gus and Fet laughed as they joined in, night was coming and at the moment all was calm. Before they knew it they were all heavily intoxicated. Setrakian had stuck his head out as some point to see what the commotion was about, but retreated back to his room. He still had work to do.

"Big wheels keep on turning
Carry me home to see my kin
Singing songs about the south-land
I miss 'ole' 'bamy once again and I think it's a sinWell I heard Mister Young sing about her
Well I heard ole Neil put her down
Well, I hope Neil Young will remember
A southern man don't need him around anyhowSweet home Alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet home Alabama
Lord, I'm coming home to you"

-Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynrd

They all sang in unison, Lianna stood to grab another drink and fell into Gus's lap. She smiled, "dance with me Gus!" She stood from his lap and pulled him into the open area and soon they were all up singing and dancing.

Quinlan could hear everything, he tried to ignore it but once again the thought of Gus being so close to Lianna flooded him with jealousy. When he came out he saw Lianna pulled close to Gus, her hand in his and his other at the small of her back. He saw the joy in her face at the moment, he had never seen so much joy. He did not want to take this happiness away from her. He released a low growl from his throat as he turned to return to his room.

The room fell silent as they all turned and caught a glimpse of him leaving Lianna and Gus pulled apart. She knew that they were only friends but did Quinlan? "I'll be back, I'm going to go talk to him."

Quinlan threw himself on his bed pulling his pillow over his ears. He was a coward to her and now he was cursed to hear her happiness with another. He heard his door open and close gently but he ignored it he wanted to be left alone. He had assumed it was Gus, but then he felt someone crawl into bed next to him. His heart raced as he caught her scent.

"Please talk to me", he did not answer. She rolled putting her back to him, "fine, but I'm not leaving until you do." Her words were slightly slurred, she did not want to offer herself to him again, but she had some liquid courage in her system, thanks Eph!

Quinlan knew he could ignore her, but he knew if he did she would never give him this offer again. He rolled sliding one arm underneath the pillow her head laid upon and wrapped his other around her. Finding her fingers and interlacing them with his.

He had never answered her question from earlier, "do I repulse you Quintus?"

He pressed his lips to her ear and whispered tenderly, "quite the opposite." He felt a shiver go down her spin and goosebumps cover her smooth skin. And then he ask, "do I repulse you."

With this she released his hand and turned to face him. Her face only inches from his, she gently placed her hand on his cheek and repeated his words, "quite the opposite." A small grin crossed her lips and he found it contagious.

He leaned in to kiss her but then paused, he was hesitant to share this part of himself with her. He wanted to, he just feared her thoughts. What if she wants to explore my tongue with hers? Lianna sensed his reservation but grew tired of waiting and gently pressed her lips against his. He did not return the kiss so she retreated to gage his expression. But as she pulled away she felt his hand grab the nape of her neck as he released a low growl and pull her back hungry for another. With each passing second the passion behind the kisses grew. She gently brushed her tongue against his lips, and when she repeated this act he allowed her tongue to slip into his mouth. She was careful not to press to hard against his tongue with hers. She knew that she could split it to reveal his stinger, but she knew that he would most likely not like that.

Lianna needed air, she was not ready for anything more than this right now. She knew if she continued to kiss him like this she would lose control in her own hunger for him. "I am sorry, no more...I", her cheeks flushed with color, "...I fear kissing you any longer I will not be able to stop."

Quinlan smiled, "That's fine." He was glad she had stopped it, he feared if he did she would think he did not want her. And nothing could be more inaccurate, he wanted her more than anything. He wished he could take her in that moment and make her his. But in her current state he did not want to do it, he wanted her to be with him utterly when the moment came. They laid there talking until they both drifted into a slumber, their bodies intertwined like a jigsaw puzzle. It was in this moment he became hers and she became his.